Monday, August 8, 2011

Summer Update




                                            Rose Petal Ice Cream ~ Martha Stewart




Good Morning!

Happy Monday! We are rising and shining over here the best we can! We started the day out by dropping off Daddy at the airport at the crack of dawn this morning! The babies did not cry today and I was so thankful and hoped that either their hearts were full from the weekend or they've just grown accustomed to this life.......

We just passed the two year mark.

Raising five babies by myself.

Did you know that it is entirely possible that you can do the thing you think you cannot do?

It is true.

Thank Eleanor Roosevelt for that one.

I don't know how "well" I'm doing it all and judging by the looks of this house and the looks on the faces of all the perfect moms when they see us coming, it's not very well at all.

But I love my children and they know it. And that has to count for something.

When the perfect moms make their comments, lawdamercy, I try to remind myself that they do not have a clue what this is like. Trying to do life and raise up children with a husband who lives and works in another state and there is no end to it all in sight.

They have family for one thing and more help than the White House for another and in~laws and out~laws to call on and the mothership of all housekeepers coming in and out every day.

So I usually just smile and keep walking when the President of the rude comment club stops typing on her blackberry long enough to look up at me and tell me how crazy she thinks I am for having all of these children....


I don't see anything crazy.

I see a new generation.

I see a family.

I see a house full of the sounds of childhood and memory making mess making and sometimes very wild children!

I see how big God is after three miscarriages and a nurse who told me that I needed to check with my insurance to see what they would cover for infertility treatment.

And I never did.

I don't see anything crazy at all....

But I've had to let some things go. Like an immaculate car. Like clothes that are always pressed. And keeping this house clean every second of the live~long day,  just to name a few.

In other news we have exactly two weeks left until school starts and I will have a third grader and a very excited little kindergartner on my hands!

He is practically sleeping in his backpack and has already worn his uniform!

I am in no hurry whatsoever for school to start.....

We love the summer and love the freedom it allows to do something different every day!


In more news I have finally given up dairy!

It actually happened.

Along with sugar, all sweets, bread, red meat and a host of other things.

I didn't think I could do it BUT as Eleanor Roosevelt said...

"You must do the thing you think you cannot do!"

I just finished/survived the first week and aside from having horrible headaches it went okay!

I recently saw a friend who looked incredible in every way and asked her what she was doing and she graciously shared the name of her nutritionist. Who by the way is absolutely the happiest person I have ever met in my life and a survivor of four different types of cancer!! She is amazing! Meeting her was truly an answer to prayer and a special gift from Him.

Grateful me.

So with my newly found knowledge from The Beauty Detox book and the help of this incredible woman I am hopefully on my way to losing ten years of baby weight.

Have I ever mentioned I weighed 120 pounds on my wedding day? Big Sigh.

I haven't seen the scales read 120 pounds since.

Three miscarriages and five babies later.......I have my work cut out for me.

I also started Zumba three times a week!

It has not been easy but I am desperate to lose this weight and live healthier and set a better example for my children....

I will share a little each week with how things are going. It is an eight week plan and then I'm on my own!


Hope you have a wonderful week filled with doing the very things you thought you could not do!



Friday, August 5, 2011

The Nectar Of Life




The "nectar" as I see it....


Standing on your tippy toes to kiss your baby brother's tippy toes.





                    Sitting pretty in layers of white, cotton ruffles and delicious, naked baby feet





Big Brother teaching you all about his favorite orange airplane...









And another big brother who constantly kisses your cheeks...







                  Girly girl power....times three.








                     The gift that is mothering for 21 years and 6 months.........









A house full of boys AND girls. 

Sunkissed faces and skin that smells like the beach air.

 Baby bonnets and cotton day gowns.

Cars and trains. Legos and Star Wars. 

Polly Pockets, Barbies and baby dolls. 

High heels , hot pink nail polish and sassy sundresses. 

More curling irons and hair care products than a celebrity.....

All under the same roof.


The "nectar" as I see it.....


Saturday, July 16, 2011

Sometimes






Sometimes.


Sometimes you love someone so much it requires an arabesque.


Completely unsolicited.


Without any prompting.


Of any kind.


It's just the way you love your newborn baby brother......


Deep sigh.


Home from the beach tonight.


This is one of my all time favorite moments.


Ever.


So thankful I caught it from behind the lens.


More pictures soon....


Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Sweetness



Baby Preston and Papa
July 2011


Good Morning! We are enjoying some much needed time away as a family this week. It's the first time we have traveled anywhere as a family of eight!

Oh the joy!

And the laughter!

And a few "what on earth?" moments!

My husband had scheduled a two week vacation for July at the start of his new job and I have been soaking up every moment and pretending this is what my life is really like.

Two coffee cups every morning.

And a Husband who is home every night.

It makes my heart sing to have all eight of us under the same roof and I am beyond grateful...

This precious, bouncing, baby boy has been a complete angel!

He has rolls for days and lets his Mama tie a bonnet on his sweet, little head every night for dinner.

I can't set my camera down for a second.

Too many moments to capture like this one.....

Safe in the palm of his earthly father.

I found it ministering to my heart in the deep places and a beautiful reminder...

We are soaking up the beach and holding delicious babies in both arms at our favorite place on earth.

Will write again soon sweet friends.

Happy Summer!