Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Memorial Day

I hope everyone had a toadrrific Memorial Day!

Friday, May 25, 2012

Gardenias

These pretty gardenias on the coffee table made their way into the house. Our six gardenia bushes by the front porch had bloomed last week and I cut a bunch of them. I separated them all into lots of different vases and spread them throughout our home. They make the whole house smell so good. And so pretty.

I found this coffee table at a local consignment shop about a month ago. It had an ugly red stain but the size and style were exactly what i was going after. David sanded the wood and then stained it in the same stain as our stairs for a more distressed look. It added so much character. I spray painted the iron frame in a flat black color. I love how it turned out. I picked up three baskets from Pottery Barn to store kids' toys, games and blankets. Can you see the blankets are missing?

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Answered Prayers

I would like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your love, support and prayers for our little family. Some of you may already know that David was laid off from his job and it has been a roller coaster of emotions. It is humbling to be in this position and we are so grateful for each of you.

Our prayers have been answered. Last week David accepted a job. And the best part is that the job is in our town. When the kids arrived home from school that day, Summer smiled and said, "Mommy, we get to stay!" That was priceless. I have never felt such joy and relief. As a parent this was the hardest part. Trying to maintain your children's schedules as routine as possible while trying to figure out, "What are we going to do?" This is the question we ask ourselves every day on numerous occasions. Summer and Forrest both have been amazing through all of this. These are the little things I don't want to forget or take for granted. As I sit and watch my children playing outside I feel the heavy weight that has been on my heart lifting. I am appreciative of the simple times I spend with my kids and David. What a blessing. I spent so much time praying that this will be OK. Now that we are, I do not want to take it for granted. I want to continue to pray now in gratitude for the blessing that we are together as a family. I feel so much gratitude to all the many other families that prayed on our family's behalf. Again, thank you. I couldn't be happier about it. I can't tell you how nice it was to walk into our house with my children and David knowing that we are staying here for good. David and I talked last night about how grateful we are... for everything. Our perspective on life has shifted. My friend sent me a quote from an essay she had been reading. It truly touched me. I can't stop going over it in my mind. It reads...

"We sleepwalk through most of our lives... and... every once in a while something happens... outside of ourselves that forces us to pay attention in a new way, or something happens inside of us that enables us to pay attention in a new way. And we suddenly realize that the world is so much richer, and more magnificent, and more wonderful than we had felt for a long time. Not to sentimentalize but i think children live much more consciously in a state of awareness of the miraculousness of existence."
-Scott Russell Sanders

This experience has touched our whole family.  It has made us better individuals.  It has made me want to be better. A better friend, a better sister, a better daughter, a better mother, a better wife. I love being a mom. Summer and Forrest's mom. Nothing could bring me as much happiness as my two little ones.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

My Little Ones

Over the past week I loved receiving all of the homemade little gifts the kids came home with celebrating Mother's Day. Forrest gave me a clothespin with a watercolored butterfly on it. Summer gave me the most precious note in her own writing. She wrote that one of her favorite things to do is having time with me. And, Summer, I love having time with you.
In my mind these two will always be my little ones even though they are not so little anymore.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Muffins with Moms


Last week Forrest's preschool class put on a "Muffins with Moms" performance. Forrest was so proud to give me the official tour around his classroom, particularly the floor toys area which is his favorite thing to do. It has been such a great year for him and I can't believe this preschool year is coming to an end. His teachers are Mrs. M & Mrs. B, the same teachers Summer had when she was in the 4 year old class. Both are amazing teachers and I feel so fortunate that Forrest was able to be in their class this year. They have given Forrest a positive start to kindergarten. Forrest has grown up so much this year. I can't believe my baby is off to kindergarten!

After the kids served muffins and lemonade to their mommies we were instructed to stand in the back of the classroom for the performance. All the kids did silly dances and made silly faces to several songs and we all laughed so hard. It was too funny. When Forrest gave me this drawing, I couldn't help but smile at the picture of me. I am not quite sure about the see-through dress but it is just adorable. I am going to keep it forever.  They don't get any sweeter than this little boy.  I'm sure of it.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Play Catch


As we were cleaning up after the party, I told Forrest that the birthday fairy had visited our home. He could barely sit still he was so excited. I put our birthday banner and a pair of baseball gloves out on the front porch. It was so simple but he was BEYOND excited when he saw the gloves. He got to play catch with daddy. I think it is the sweetest thing ever.

"You don't raise heros, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heros, even if it's just in your own eyes."
                                                                                        ~Walter M. Schirra, Sr.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Look Who's 5!














Today is my super kid's 5th birthday. 
Forrest loves all things super hero. I made red capes and masks for the boys, pink for the girls. It was so fun to watch him play with his friends. He's a lucky boy to have such a great group of friends. For lunch we served corn dogs, chips and strawberries. Forrest requested lemon cupcakes with vanilla frosting. After lunch the kids went through their own super hero training with punch balloons, obstacle course, and water balloon toss which turned into a full blown water balloon fight. After all the super heros completed their training and earned the title of real heros, we sent them off with their own cape and mask. It was a perfect day. 
I love you my sweet, funny, smart and handsome little boy. 
Happy 5th Birthday, Forrest!

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

My Little Fisherman














One of Forrest's favorite things to do is fishing. By his definition, that means fishing with a stick and a rope.  Whatever I am doing in the yard, he insists on fishing by my side. He walks on the top of the retaining wall and does whatever he pleases to do with the stick and rope. His fishing usually means that whatever I am doing in the backyard will have to stop and then I have to throw the rope out as far as I can for him. To reel in the catch, he turns the stick until the end of the rope comes up. It is something fun we do together. Today after school when we got home he said, "Mama, I am going fishing so you can leave my lunch by the wall!" He walks to the backyard with that cute little stick with pride along with the rope in his hand.  He is my little fisherman. And just like when I was his age with full of imagination, his favorite part of fishing is getting to taste each of the catch for himself.