Snot on My Wedding Dress

Getting Gutzy!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 04:33:00 +0000

So my girls have been in school for a full week now. The house has been blissfully quiet. Mama (ME) has gotten most of her work done. YAY! A party tonight was definitely in order. We grabbed some neighbor kids and invited them over to a backyard party hosted by Gutzy Gear!

I used to love decorating my backpack in school. Everyone had a backpack, but it was what you put on your backpack that made you stand out. Gutzy Gear offers Velcro straps that you put right on your backpack strap. Did ya' hear that Velcro! That's awesome because I hate to iron. Like super hate, hate, hate it! The kids can pick the patches they want and stick them right on their backpack. You know what else this is good for?? Some good ol' fashioned patch swapping! How easy! Kids can just trade patches with each other easy peasy! There was lots of patch trading going on tonight.

The kids at the party ranged in ages from 4- 12 and Gutzy was a hit with every single one! We somehow have a few leftover and my girls are super jazzed to take them to school and share with friends. Thank you so much for giving us some awesome gear to try out Gutzy! And of course Mom select!

Disclosure: My family was given Gutzy Gear by MomSelect. This post has not been reviewed by a third party and all opinions are my own as they always are. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

So its Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 13:56:00 +0000

Its 6:30 am. I need to go make my coffee still. Its another day of record breaking heat in the valley. meh.... So If we were really meeting for coffee I would talk about the fact that my youngest little girl is getting ready to turn four. She is such a little pistol. Her spunk and zest for life keep me on my toes every day. I think we are keeping the day low key. Cake, ice cream and presents with grandma and grandpa at Mcdonalds. Thats what I love about four year olds. They are easy peasy to make happy.

Lexi brought home a cello yesterday! She is so gutsy. i always wanted to play the cello but never had the guts to go for it. So in all honesty if we were meeting for coffee I would spill my guts to you Lexi. About how hard 12 has been so far. I know pre teens are hard to deal with. Its not like I am expecting her personalty to be sparkles and rainbows all the time. I know she will argue about chores, homework, phone rules. BUT I never thought the arguments would go so far. Or that her words could be so hurtful. That a single conversation with her could leave me questioning every decision I have ever made in parenting her. I'm lost and frustrated. Every day feels like an emotional battle field. The end of the day is leaving me drained and defeated. This is a season God is allowing us to walk through right now. I know he will walk with me. This too shall pass. But this is one of those seasons that I cant wait to be over. I dont want to be here. I want God to skip over this part of refining me. But thank God that God is control of me and my life and Lexis. He is trying to do a work in both if us. But I am totally ok with learning this lesson as fast as possible so life can resume.

Random fact: The dictionary just added the word f- bomb and sexting. They are official now!

And Just like that its Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 14:20:00 +0000

Thinking about seasons this morning. Mainly because its reached 117 degrees here for the past three days and there is no end is sight. So gross. So unfair. I am dreaming of fall, or at least Arizonas smallish version of it.

School started!! So far the girls love it. I can not believe Lexi will be in Jr. high next year. That will be the first time the girls have not been at the same school.

Here are a few highlights from the week.

My guys.
I took a meal to a new mama. Such a simple way to bless someone. Its the Pioneer woman's chicken Spaghetti.
I had coffee with two amazing friends, they both are fellow bloggers. You could tell when kate was taking a picture of her cheese cake. hehe
coffee with naked Ken....totally normal.

Happy Friday!

First day of school eve

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 06:12:00 +0000

When I was kid school started in September. Here in the fiery inferno called Phoenix it starts in early August. And ya' know what? Thats fine with me. This summer has been rough. I am happy to see the kids go back. I have some emotion, sure. Lexi is in her last year of elementary school! But for the most part I am sending them out the door in newish clothes, with a high five and a lunch money check.

My dudes.

I am parying that this is the best year yet for my girls. That life long quality friends are made and that they both work hard and play hard. 6th grade was my favorite year ever in school. I am hoping it will be the same for my girl. Myka is a little left out. But at least she has pre -school to keep her busy.

So heres to first days and freshly sharpened number two pencils! To magical school years, and hope that they will like the teachers. When do your kids go back to school ?

Out to dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:16:00 +0000

Today was decent. As in real good friends. Lots of good news. And in a season of my life that is demanding, stressful, and chaotic. These good news days are truly golden. After an exhausting day of running errands with a four year old and a baby I was spent. As in all emotional energy gone. Turns out even happy news can be overwhelming. So we decided to bribe a babysitter and take the big girls out to dinner.

It was good. For about 20 min. It was a glimpse of the future. I have to keep telling myself that someday we will be able to go out to eat as a family. Dreams people. Dreams. It was Olive garden. It was meh... but the 20 min of fun made it all worth it.

You know what I love

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 14:45:00 +0000

Eating dinner alone. I know this sounds strange. I also know that there are so many hurting lonely people out there, who wish they had someone to eat dinner with. But for me, the amount of noise that goes on inside my house and inside my brain on a daily basis is insane. I feel like I never get the chance to fully comprehend a thought. Yet alone a sentence. One of my favorite gifts ever is the gift of time. Time with my lap top and a hot cup of coffee. Time with a good book. Time to text a friend.

I am up late tonight. I am curled up in my favorite red chair with my lap top. I am ~~patiently~~ anxiously awaiting the software update to Mountain Lion. I think this probably puts me in the nerd hall of fame. But its ok.

and spotify is on in the background. If I could keep my eyes open a little better this would be my idea of Heaven. Blogging, music, Beyonce to be exact, and my thoughts.

Thoughts about how much I love my kids. But how hard being a mama really is. How at 18 having a baby was way easier then being 30 and having a 12 year old. How I remember having all the same feelings she is having. And how much I wish I could make it all better.

I am thinking a lot about teaching our children. I mean really teaching. I am feeling a heaviness on my heart that Christians are lacking classes for our young people that really teach them about serving. Serving others and our families. I know the main responsibility is on the family, but the saying that it takes a village to raise a child is so true. And sometimes I feel like my village is pretty small.

What programs does your church offer? How big is your village?

one

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 07:35:00 +0000

My baby is one. One year ago today I was holding the sweetest little baby in my arms. My hand was sore and swollen from a poorly placed IV and I was beyond exhausted. But I was happy, oh so happy, Happy to not be pregnant, happy to finally be able to say I had a son.

His big party is on Sunday. We gave him a cupcake yesterday so he could have sweets on his actual birthday. He choked on it. Then he pooped all over.

Good times.

I need pictures. maybe I will get some done this week. We will see. I am super excited for his party. My sweet friend Katie from sweet Rose studios made some adorable printables for Isaiah. I can't believe this is the last first birthday I will ever be planning.

This pic is from Friday. Isaiah had a tear duct issue we needed to clear up. The waiting room had this little car and man did he love that thing. The surgery went great, Still waiting to see if it cleared it up. Sometimes I look at his eye and think it worked and other times it still seems goopy.

But he is still the cutest one year old I know!

my new goal

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:19:00 +0000

My new goal.

I will start running.

I will learn how to ROCK my off camera flash.

I will write more.

What are you trying this week?

life lately and coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 18:59:00 +0000

Good afternoon! Just popping in to link up with Amy for coffee Tuesday. Myka is at preschool and Lexi is babysitting for a friend of mine. Lexi is babysitting!! So huge! She is almost 12 and she is honestly pretty awesome. Hormones are no joke at this age, but there are also a lot of wonderful things about kids growing up.

It's been raining and cooler here this past week. I love it!! Every afternoon I turn my eyes to the sky and scan for clouds. Monsoon season is crazy like that. The sky will be a perfect shade of blue and the BAM dark skies and pouring rain. The bummer part about a monsoon is it only lasts about 15 min or so. But we had a system move through this past week that left us with rain for days. In fact, last Saturday I was shooting a wedding in Sedona, Arizona and it rained for hours and hours. This was probably the one circumstance where I was very ungrateful for rain, but when I am home, tucked in with my sweet family, its probably my favorite thing ever.

My two middle girls have been very sweet lately. Having my oldest girl become a preteen has really made me appreciate the sweetness of little girls. I love how obsessed they are with Monster high dolls lately. They will do unthinkable amounts of chores to earn money for dolls. Ashlynn has always been a huge doll fan. Thats why when I got an e mail earlier this week from mom select that i was chosen to host a party for Hearts for hearts girls dolls. It will be right around Ashlynn's ninth birthday. What a fun idea for a party!! I will post all about it.

what Sedona looks like without buckets of rain!

Happy Tuesday! Link up with Amy here!!

Camping

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 04:09:00 +0000

I just have a quick minute to pop in. But I want to post some camping pictures. I used my "real" camera a handful of times this last week. I need to do that more. My iphone is just so darn handy.
We had a great trip. It amazes me that a place like Pinetop, Arizona exists in the same state that we reside in. Its so hot outside right now. I feel better in cooler weather. But if you have read this blog for any amount of time I am sure you know my love/hate for Arizona. Love the people, and hate just about everything else. But this last week. I was pretty happy with it. Kids running around barefoot in the grass and a light sprinkle sprinkle while we waited for fireworks.

Perfect.

Remember the day you jumped in the pool with all your clothes on....

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 07:43:00 +0000

Yes, This happened to me. I don't want to talk about then other then we are all fine. Super funny... maybe someday, it might be. This has been a rough week. Things are changing and I'm not sure I like it. One part of me is totally ok with the rhythm of life. The changes of the seasons. Bt the other half fights to hold on. To blow back at the winds when they threaten to blow in a new season of my life.

My baby boy is one at the end of the month. I am so happy about this. He is my last baby and I am so ok with that. I have drank in every ounce of his sweet babiness. The way his head smells after a bath. His big blue eyes, The way he giggles when I blow on his tummy. But I am ok with saying goodbye to sleepless nights, lugging a 25 pound diaper bag with me everywhere I go, and heavy strollers hogging all the trunk room in my car. ok, so I know some of thesse things I am not giving up because he is one, but we are one year closer.

Then next month my girls have birthdays. Lexi will be 12! 12... Such a great age. So many things changing. Struggling to be a kid and a young adult. I love this kid so much. This kid changed my life. She made me a mom. Even though lately I am pretty sure she hates me. I keep telling myself its normal, but its hard.

Ashlynn will be 9! This is a fantastic age I have decided. She is definitely still a kid. She spends hours playing with Monster high dolls and her new BFF Piper. Her imagination is fantastic and her computer skills are better then mine I think 9 is an age I want to bottle up and keep forever.

Myka will be 4! This is an age I cant wait to see on her. cause honestly this kid does nothing half way. She is going to be four in full effect. She is a princess, pop star, karate master , and soccer player all rolled into one. She also thinks she can swim. I assure you she can not. See my title....

I am feeling a little emo tonight. I am loving my kids and my family. We are going camping tomorrow and words can not express how excited I am to leave behind the scalding Arizona heat for a few days of relief.

Will check in later this week from the cool Mountains of Arizona.

Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:54:00 +0000

This is actually from two weeks ago. It was 6 pm and on a whim we headed to the park so I could play with some camera lenses I had rented. It was nice enough outside that we stayed for about an hour. Definitely a rare treat to play at the park on summer break.
Taking two littles shopping is HARD! I swear I left with half my list.
Riding the 6 dollar Merry Go round.
Sometimes I see pretty things and actually snap a picture of them.
Starbucks is my office. I am hoping to get some studio space soon. Big plans for LaurenJean photography in the works.
Oh dear Lord. Myka held onto this balloon from the store for two days! It came everywhere with us! Heaven hep the little boy who started playing with it at the mall play land.
Happy baby. Always
Big world. Little boy
AT least adults could ride free on the six dollar Merry go round.

Linking up here

I would like some cheese with my whine

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 06:07:00 +0000

I may crack.
Summer may do me in.
Kids stuck inside with nothing to do.
Despite my best pintrest intentions the heat is rising.

Today was rough. It was all i could do to muster up the will power to go to the store. Its hard to go outside and feel like the air is suffocating you and your children.
I know I whine a lot about the weather on here. Its more then just the hot temps here in Phoenix. Its a discontentment in my soul. a longing to give my kids the same experiences I had as a child. Will said once that I needed to remember that my childhood was mine and theirs was theirs. That they will have happy memories, and I shouldn't think that because It didn't look like mine it wasn't good still. I have been thinking a lot about his words and while, I think there is a lot of wisdom in it I also think its really normal to want to share your past with your kids. To want them to feel a connection to you when you were their age.

I need to learn to be content with this. I am praying that God will show me a way. I think the desire to not settle in the desert is from him. But its being made very clear that the Desert is where I am meant to be for now.

Please God let me stop hating it.

I do feel like I need to clarify that while I hate the climate i adore the people. I have some fantastic friends and family here. Thats what I need to focus my thoughts on.

and cute babies with THREE new teeth

HI

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 07:07:00 +0000

Just stopping to say hi! I spent today in bed nursing a horrible ear infection.But it was kinda nice to sit in bed and do nothing. My mom and My man really stepped it up and took care of the kids. Hopefully tomorrow I will be better. Cause we all know Mama's can not be sick!!!

Currently

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 18:40:00 +0000

Doing- A whole lot of nothing. I am on day three of not feeling well. My throat burns like fire when I swallow. Its like razor blades on one side. Miserable. I am debating going to the doctor. Its such a pain to go with kids. But I may crack and go to urgent care. Razor blades in my throat are not okay!

reading- just finished The glass castle. So great! I read this in just under four days. And considering all my reading takes place on my iphone while nursing, or in the wee hours of the night. Four days is quite the feat. Now I am reading " The best exotic marigold hotel". I checked it out on my kindle app from our public libray. Have I mentioned how cool checking out books with my kindle is? Its pretty awesome. Especially for someone like me who is notoriously bad at remembering due dates.

looking forward too- The wedding I am photographing on Saturday. Just seriously hoping this sore throat clears up by then

looking at- this little guy.

wishing- I was somewhere with lots of green trees. Trying not to let the 100 plus degree days get to me. But its hard. Summer memories for my kids are going to be what I make them. Thats why we have spent ALMOST every day at the pool. If we go at four and take shade breaks its almost bearable. Yesterday was pretty hot though. The heat rises from the cement and makes you feel like its hotter then it really is. Yesterday we all left the pool at hot mess. We were just too hot.

did I mention it was hot????

praying for- friends who are grieving and friends who have babies with health problems. Kids should not be sick EVER! Praying for wisdom. And for trust. I just need to trust God for my future. He will provide. Why do I worry?

what are you currently doing? Got this idea from Danielle.

Sunday links

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 04:59:00 +0000

Fun stuff to do this summer

Bubble stamping with Myka
wind chimes with Lexi and Ashlynn
Braided head bands with all the girls
Make your own magnetic paper dolls for Ashlynn and Myka ( doing this STAT)
A crown for Isaiah
Create with my girls every day

Lexi taught me how to do beachy waves

Today was great. Work deadlines are met and that makes me want to dance a happy jig. We spent the day in the pool at Wills aunt house. Will swam with Myka and I hung out with the baby in the shade. Occasionally we went in the water for just a moment to cool down. Aunt Tami lives in the cool part of town. Its an older part of Phoenix and the houses all of unique shapes and personalities. No cookie cutters. i like that. I sat in the shade of the Ramada with my baby listening to the happy giggles of my girl and all was right with the world.

Tomorrow is the first day of swimming lessons. Lexi wants to be on swim team in the worst way. She is close being ready. I am excited to watch her tomorrow, even if it is in the 110 degree weather.

Random thing of the day. I pulled up the yahoo weather on my iphone and it said New York was 17 degrees today. I reloaded it and it said the same thing. But then i googled it and it was 69. Go figure.

Happy Sunday

summer lovin

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 31 May 2012 07:01:00 +0000

When I close my eyes I can still feel the cool wet grass on my feet. The smack of the cement on their bare souls as I ran down the pavement towards My best friend Jenny's house. The burn of her black paved driveway as I rounded the corner. I can hear the slam of her screen door shutting behind me after I was let in. My feet were cooled the instant they touched on her parents hard wood floor.
Summer reminds me of lawn mowers and the smell of fresh cut grass. I seriously love the smell of freshly cut grass.

I seriously loved summer.

I am trying to grapple with the fact that summer is very different for my kids. They will remember the dry dusty air and the monsoon rain storms.The smell of citrus trees and the prickly cactus in out neighbors yard. It will be splash pads and swimming every day. Palm trees instead of lush green ones.

But it will still be friends and late nights and mornings to sleep in. It still up to me to make memories even if they differ from what I view as a perfect summer.

it's been a good first week of summer. Excited for a playdate tomorrow.

You guessed it .... at the POOL!!

linking up with Emily

Summer day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 25 May 2012 23:23:00 +0000

I have four kids. Four kids I love, adore and all that jazz. But heres the thing. I grew up as an only child. I had a best friend next store who served as a have when I want send home when I dont kind of sister. I always had the TV to myself, brand new clothes, and all my parents attention.

But i was so lonely.

I vowed i would give my future children siblings. And boy have I! But sometimes four is overwhelming for this only child. The noise, the mess, and the FIGHTING! And summer seems to make it all worse. I feel like I just need to find a mothering flow. Maybe a flow doesn't exist. As I type this they are fighting over netflix. So much drama all the time. I wonder if its worse with girls??

Summer day 1 was good. We went swimming with my sweet friend Jeanette. Myka jumped off the diving board. And I manged to glob enough sunscreen on everyone that no one burned. WOOT!

Tonight Will is making steaks.I am going to crack open a Cors light becaue thats how i roll and enjoy tonight with my people. My crazy, loud, overwhelming wonderful people.

Tomorrow we are shooting a wedding at the lake. The weather is supposed to be in the 80's! Unheard of for this time of year. Its like a special gift from God just for me.

Happy weekend!

HO hum Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:37:00 +0000

It's HOT! I guess I do live in the valley of the sun. When the wind blows on days like today yo get what I refer to as "the blowdryer effect". Thats right folks, living in Phoenix is like living in a blow dryer. I will do my best to not whine my way through another summer but no promises.

Summer is here! if the 106 temps didnt convince me then the fact that school is letting out next week would. Now I have the impossible task of keeping kids busy all summer with out the ability to go outside! Any ideas? Please leave condolences in the comments :P

In other news I was a rad mom this morning and stopped for doughnuts on the way to school.

It made thier morning! I dropped off two happy girls at school. Not getting the car door slammed in my face is always a win. I think I will miss the drive to school in the morning. After I drop the girls off and Myka at preschool I turn on spotify and get lost in my thoughts. I think about how pretty the desert is. And I wonder why i just cant be content here.I just want to wake up one morning a love it here. I mean who wouldn't love 70 degrees in January. Maybe God is STILL trying to get me to bloom where I am planted. I think this will be a long one.

Mothers day 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 14 May 2012 04:54:00 +0000

I made this! One of my mothers day gifts was three pretty new shelves. I have them filled with black and white frames. I was scouring the internet for some cute word art and nothing was coming up so I made this in photoshop :) yay me!

Today was a fantastic Mothers day. It really was. I am so thankful for my mom. She taught me to be a good person and see things outside of my own little world.


Wasn't my mom a dish?

And most importantly she taught me to love God. I hope these are the values I am passing down to my children. I hope they grow up to be good and happy souls. I am so thankful for a wonderful mother and mother in love. And four little's who call me mom.

Happy Mothers day!

Photo of the day: He knows my dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 13 May 2012 17:34:00 +0000

fear and summer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 12 May 2012 05:32:00 +0000

I like writing. I really do. For so long I have thought that my little corner of the internet had to look a certain way. I had to every linky party ( cuz' i love em) or make sure I had a rockin profile picture. But guess what. I dont. I have 45 awesome follower HELLO!! And Im so good with that. I need a space to just be me.

Tonight I am thinking about my Dad. He died when he was 48 from lymphomia. I was 10. I remember the night he died. But more then that I remember all the crap leading up to it.

I was six when my dad was diagnosed. My parents thought it was best to not tell me. I was angy for a long time that they hid it but as a parent now I so get it. I dont even know how you would begin to explain something like that to a child. I found out from a friend at a t-ball game. She told me she was sorry my dad had cancer. I accused her of being a liar. I remember being certain this little snot nosed girl was a total jerk for making up lies about my dad. I remember my parents stopping in thier tracks when I asked them if my Dad had cancer.

they explained to me that there good cancers and bad cancers and I shouldn't worry because my Dad had the good kind of cancer.

HA!
Four years, many rounds of chemo and a broken back later, he was in what they thought was remission. We moved to Arizona and nine months later he relapsed and died.

Its been 20 years and it still hurts.

I have a chance to be part of an event that helps single parents, single mothers in particular who have cancer. I have a chance to use my gifts to help make memories for these sweet amlies. And Im chicken. i am scared it will hurt to much. bring back to many memories and dig up ugly old feelings that I am not sure i ever dealt with.

Out for an afternoon walk

But sometimes that how God heals us. He digs up the ugly that we want to leave buried and makes us deal with it. Who am I to hold onto my fear and tell God I will not use the talent he gave me to bring someone joy? That would be awfully Jonah of me. And I certainly dont want to hang out in the belly of a whale this weekend.

Speaking of this weekend it is supposed to HOT! Summer has officially reared its ugly head in the valley of the sun.. yicky yick yuck.

I am...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 08 May 2012 05:20:00 +0000

Listening- to God is bigger then the boogie man. Myka is still awake. Why, I do not know. Any tips out there for bed time harmony would be greatly appreciated. The Hockey game is also on in the other room. Will is sooo excited that the Coyotes may go to the playoffs. That boy eat sleeps and lives sports. Any sport.

thinking about- So much. Thinking about my passions vs my living. When you are so passionate about what you do ( photography) for a living it can be hard to feel passionate about it. Does that make any sense? I am also thinking about home schooling my kiddos next year. The older ones any ways. I would still have Myka in pre school. I read OMSH a lot. I am so inspired at how happy her kids seem. I need to get some happy back in my family. I feel like thats the resounding theme lately. Maybe its a funk. I dont know. But I do know I will figure this out. I will not let this sad cloud settle on us.

looking forward too- SUMMER!! Not the heat. Not the heat at all. But pool time, and a possible trip to the beach Heck to the yeah! This summer I am hoping to get some home school summer school style in. I am thinking each day will start with a writing prompt and a devotion. I also need to get some math in there. From there I want arts and crafts LOTS OF THEM ! We are going to do a Smash book for sure. And some art journals.

What are you doing???

It's Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 05 May 2012 05:27:00 +0000

Its Friday!! Today was super. The kids played outside, I met with a n awesome couple who booked their October wedding with me, and had a kick ass mentoring session with a dear friend. Ended the night with a sushi date with my man.The night could only be made better if the night time wars were not going on. Why are three years olds so hard to get to bed?

Oh, best part about today I found a super cute, super affordable preschool for Myka. Nine to one, three days a week. I can actually get some work done hopefully without staying up until three a.m.

Photo of the week

Today

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 May 2012 05:47:00 +0000

Morning can be intense around here. I am not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination. I need a full thirty minutes and two cups of coffee before I am fit to be around people. My daughter Ashlynn has inherited my disdain for mornings I am afraid. Our morning routine goes something like this

me "Ash" wake up its time for school
Ash "NO, I hate you! I hate school and I am never going!!!"
me " I know you are grumpy but you need to make good choic...
This is when I duck and cover because she has chucked her lamp at me.

No joke its awful.

But this morning tweaked the routine just a smidge and let her take a bath. It worked wonders. She went off to school so much happier then usual. I normally am big on the girls showering before bed. But lately they seem to have settled into their own grove of showering and taking baths in the morning. The controller in me wants to insist that they shower at night. Because that's when I like to shower. I also like morning showers. Heck, I like showers anytime. Especially showers that allow me to have a full 15 minutes by myself1

But I am letting it go. Its their choice when they bathe and heck as long as they are doing it I am happy.

Every morning when I drive them to school I see this

Camelback Mountain takes my breath away each time I see it.

People park their cars on the side of the road and climb to the top every day. Not just a few people, lots of people. One day when its not blazing hot, I want to climb it with my girls. I so admire the tan fit girls with thier iods in the holder on thier arm.Thier skin is all dewy from sweating as they walk back down to thier cars. Maybe someday I will join them. But for now I am tired. The mere thought of waking up early to go hiking is over whelming. I hate that.

I want to be the family that does stuff. The family that hikes camelback together. Its hard with little ones. I am trying to give myself grace. To live in little moments like tonight.

Isaiah was fresh out his bath and I wrapped him in a towel and joined my mom outside with a glass of wine. I cuddled a baby in my arms and watched as Ashlynn and Myka played with the neighbors across the street. I love that they have across the street rinds. Double bonus the mom across the street told me about an awesome affordable preschool. WOOT!!! Myka is so bored at home. She NEEDS pre school.

Its late, Myka is still awake.
Goodnight