bullet train

I wish there was a bullet train to get us from Naples to the east coast because I'd be on it every weekend. I love the time for cousins and seeing others love on my babes makes my heart skip a beat. Then it gives me a time to peek into the future of what our kids will be doing in just a few short years. Everyone I meet says "enjoy it, it goes so fast" and I couldn't agree more because we were there to celebrate Douglas' 7th birthday! SEVEN??! He's still in the 4 range to me because I have a hard time letting kids grow up in my mind. It's pretty cool the way my sisters and I have our kids so evenly spaced out popping out a kid every couple of years so all of the stages are represented from 4 months to 15 years old! 3 boys and 3 girls and lots of love between all of them. Here's Douglas blowing out his candles in his Karate shirt in which is quite the pro lately!
I can't believe how nice "Gracie Pie" is to everyone. Lily follows her around like a little puppy dog and you hear "Gracie Pie, where are you? Come here" over and over and Grace is so patient and SUCH a great role model for Lillers too. And stunningly beautiful too. She was talking to me and I just thought "omg, you're stunning" so I snapped a picture. Beautiful heart too. My favorite part of Gracie Pie.

and the backyard swing is always a favorite - especially spinning round and round so fast making lily stumble all over the yard afterwards like she's had too many drinks.

and feeding the ducks is a tradition everyone loves... i have a picture of me fishing with my gpa out by our lake in our backyard when I was Lily's age...it's a precious picture to me and I can't help but to think of that when I see this picture.

and going for walks. Lily prefers to do the walking and pushing of the stroller instead of being the passenger.

oh and this little wonder...I can't say how hard we have all fallen for him...it's indescribable! Never did I think there was that much love internally ...he makes my heart feel soft and gushy. Truly. especially when he flashes that smile...
and Lillers is growing up right before our eyes trying to do everything that big girls do...she's obsessed with calling people on the phone, says "Bless You" to anyone she hears sneeze within a 2 mile radius, loves to kneel at church to pray, asks "where we going?" as soon as she wakes up in the morning and after naptime, asks to drive her barbie car about 126 times per day, asks to ride her tricycle about 87 times per day, recites rules back to you like she's reading them from a book, has a tantrum then will say "Why me do that mommy?" 5 minutes later, desperately tries to count to 10 in spanish like Dora and it comes out hilariously different everytime, loves to dance which looks more like a bounce, talks all of the time in multiple sentences with wrong grammar which we love, and she's LOVING for these sticker charts for being a good listener....and so are we! (thanks Tina) They're themed by characters and she's blown through a dora, mario and hello kitty one and displays them proudly in our house.

enjoying picnics at the park with the big kids...

i heart this picture...and these kids so much!


taken a few weeks ago...

Lately I've been having overwhelming feelings of thanks that these babies were placed in our arms, in our hearts and the responsibility that goes along with it leaves me in awe and inspired. I just want to do right by them and I learn more from them everyday. In the grand scheme of things, it's really all that matters.

Life is good.

My Heart

I love love! Sounds cheesy, but I do. When I taught first grade, my kids always knew that was my favorite word in the dictionary and would write it all over their drawings of rainbows because I would never pick a favorite color when they asked. Feeling the love, the love cup and love is in the air were themes plastered in those 4 walls. I especially love the song by Brad Paisley All Because Two People Fell in Love because that's all I can think about on Valentine's Day. There are so many people out there that fell in love and created their children from that love and marinate in their family love everyday. It's hard work day in and day out to not let the daily grind take over and work to appreciate each other every day, focusing on the positive. On Valentine's Day, it's time to celebrate that love and I can't believe we are 2 of those millions parents out there that get to celebrate their children today too....

Jen took these pictures and I've looked at them a million and 2 times. Not because they are beautiful with perfect lighting and adorable clothes, but because she captured our heart and put it into photographs. I sometimes sit back and can't believe they're here, they're healthy and they're ours to laugh and cry with everyday. I saw these pictures after a particularly hard morning with the Lillers and was a puddle of tears...this is the true Lily I see and love every day and just what the doctor ordered even if she wasn't herself that morning. Thank you for these gifts Jen; i know you know what they mean to me.



This little guy shows us his heart everyday with his infectious smiles, chill demeanor and giggles over anything under the sun. I'll see him scan the room looking for eye contact from anyone and then kicks wildly with his wide open-mouth smiles when he makes contact. It's like he plays laser tag with his smiles and tries to hit as many innocent bystanders as possible in one day. He melts them. And me. He's sitting in my lap right now and I think he has narcolepsy like Lily because he was just cooing and kicking away minutes ago and suddenly I just started to hear him snoring and now he's slumped over laying in my lap. Maybe I'm boring him. Whoever said boys are hard to dress cute has never put them in a sweater vest. Are you kidding me with this? (gnawing on monitor) Vests are a must have for every Sunday at church..I have one in every color and pattern..



peekaboo...



I had to do a double take on this picture because I almost didn't recognize my own daughter! She looks about 7 years old here! And a lot like me!! First time I can see it.

if you take an x-ray of my heart and this is what you'd see...



Jen snapped this when Grady was crying to eat...Lily had her hands up in the air saying "why grady crying mommy?"



Our almost 3 year old is growing up right before our eyes...such an amazing transformation. I dont know who's having more fun...her or us?



And Grady's soul mate Ella. Andrea and I tried desperately to get pregnant and prayed like crazy for each other. Turns out God wanted them to be born together; as in one day apart. As were our showers and their baptism without even planning it She is as sweet as she looks. This is Grady's first friend and I can see the prom pictures now.

You might remember this picture from the hospital when we snuck over to Ella's room ducking past security who don't like babies to float around the hallways for some reason.


and now they're awake to finally see each other face to face...



Life is good.

Cribbin' It...

This Grady is too much. I can't get enough of his sweetness. Look at him as he's going to sleep every night...we just moved him to his big boy crib last week and he's all smiles. He's actually sleeping better there than in the bassinet because I think we were waking him up when we woke up in the morning and his room is A LOT darker...kinda like a cave! The only problem it feels like he's 7 miles away being upstairs and looks like a tiny ant in this big crib. Especially looks like an ant when he's in his miracle blanket which is truly a miracle. We thank Allison every night for buying this for us! Have I mentioned how much I love this blanket? And especially the little boy in it. He goes to bed and wakes up like this! All smiles. All he wants is to be loved and it's such a powerful lesson. He doesn't care if the laundry is caught up or the house is tidy, he just wants to be loved. How simple, basic, and beautiful is that?

life is good.