In The Moment

emelia's birth day

2012-02-09T11:55:00.000-08:00

thanks to jonalee, who took these
and who was there to support me during labor

my first look at my baby girl

daddy cutting the cord

she cried, and cried, and cried
thankfully, that was not a sign of things to come
she is a sweet, mostly contented baby

my other labor support
who was so attentive to me, and how i was doing throughout the whole day
it was extra special because you were there

she actually stopped crying for a minute to check out nona

daddy's little girl--i'm pretty sure in his eyes, she can do no wrong
:)

katie stayed with the boys all day
they were so anxious to meet their baby sister
around 6pm the night before, david had said he wanted to go to bed
to make "tomorrow" come faster

better than christmas

love.

one week photos

2012-02-02T09:07:00.000-08:00

when emelia was 1 week old, my dear friend megan
took these pictures

abbie was in italy when emelia was born, and brought me this awesome scarf

emelia--paying homage to her italian roots

love how even in her littleness,
she still has some pudge

to this mama's eye, she's perfect :)

thanks megan!! amazing, as always!

next up-- birth day pics!

happy friday

2012-01-27T18:57:00.000-08:00

my weekend plans = lots of snuggle time

one week

2012-01-24T18:34:00.000-08:00

since little sister entered our lives

what did we ever do without her?

*love* *love* *love*

emelia

2012-01-20T13:18:00.000-08:00

our sweet little emelia aliciann

arrived on tuesday

7lbs 11oz, 20in

we are all totally in love with her

Christmas

2011-12-30T06:30:00.000-08:00

we spent a cozy Christmas Eve together as a family

scripture reading, stockings, presents, cinnamon rolls...

the dash to look for names on the gifts

we don't put our presents under the tree until after the boys are in bed

the night before, so they're always surprised by what they find

hours of contented play

mark has been working long, long hours lately

so the chance to slow down for a few days and celebrate

our Savior's birth, and time with family

seemed extra special this year

one month

2011-12-21T12:46:00.000-08:00

till my due date

and while honestly that feels very far away

the increasing number of contractions and cramps i'm having

remind me that there really will be an end...

and i'm so excited!!!!

i finally got some work done on her room

this past week (thanks to my mom and sisters)

can't wait to get all of her clothes washed and ready

how this little girl changes the dynamic of our family

we can't wait to see...

o christmas tree

2011-12-07T16:33:00.000-08:00

the day after we came home from obx,

we met up with the cousins at the farm

to get our trees

trees, hot chocolate (not really necessary with the balmy weather we had)

and a game of tag

fun times

sunshine and rain

2011-12-05T06:28:00.000-08:00

what started as a beautifully sunny afternoon at the beach...

quickly turned...

to this!!!

mark, luca and xan were the last to make it back to the house

it poured, and i mean poured

i made it back a few minutes before these guys and quickly grabbed my camera

wish it wasn't blurry because luca's face was PRICELESS!

beach bum

2011-12-04T18:22:00.000-08:00

thanksgiving spent at the obx this year with my family

was such a blessing

so very relaxing, with gorgeous weather

(and maybe 2 year old who happened to be very demanding and whiny--

and may have caused his pregnant mama a few meltdowns of her own)

but otherwise, it really was perfect

as usual, i left the majority of the photography to jonalee

but did pull out my camera during a few of our beach jaunts

here's my beach bum

i just love his total abandon...

for my brother...

2011-11-02T13:58:00.000-07:00

I'm proud of you.
Thank you for putting your life on the line
for often ungrateful people.
I love you.
_____________________________________________________

Oh.. you're a firefighter?? That's cool.
I wanted to do that when I was a kid.
What do you make?" "WHAT DO I MAKE??
I make holding your hand seem like the biggest thing in the world when I'm cutting you out of a car.
I can make 5 minutes seem like a lifetime when I go in a burning house to save your family.
I make those annoying sirens seem like angels when you need them.
I can make your children ...............breathe when they stop.
I can help you survive a heart attack.
I make myself get out of bed at 3am to risk my life to save people I've never met.
Today I might make the ultimate sacrifice to save your life.
I make a difference, what do you make?"
(author unknown)

happy halloween

2011-10-31T19:26:00.000-07:00

my boys

2011-10-28T21:26:00.000-07:00

last saturday my very dear, and very talented friend

megan russell

took pictures of my boys

i love them so much

luca wasn't super cooperative, but while he wandered

megan was able to get some priceless ones of david and xan together

they have such genuine affection for each other

and i am so happy to have it captured--

i've held back some of my faves but here is a taste

thank you, megan!

a few more 5k

2011-10-28T05:51:00.000-07:00

mark, david, and xan ran in the cls 5K on saturday

mark and david finished

xan got off to a quick start...

and then quickly realized he'd rather be doing this

my sweet nephew george, who is becoming his own little adorable person these days

such a little pudge

and my other nephew, mr. blue eyes...never far from daddy

friends

2011-10-27T05:03:00.000-07:00

luca and piper at the cls 5k on saturday

i think they could be twins

these were luca's few happy moments before

a race long meltdown ensued

stealing a kiss :)

piper was not put off by luca's cying

she stuck with him--

now that's a true friend :)

SUPERHEROS

2011-10-26T10:54:00.000-07:00

case in point

2011-10-24T07:24:00.000-07:00

here's a page from luca's thomas book

and here's a page from my morning

diaper cream is not fun to clean up--

but like i said, i do love this boy's creativity

mr. messy

2011-10-13T18:20:00.000-07:00

goodness me

i am so tired

as in, all the time, regardless of how much sleep i get

i'm sure my family is tired of me being so tired

but they've been troopers about it

luca has been in rare form these days

lots of screaming, and saying "no"...for no reason, or any reason

and his new habit, which is quite exhausting

is to create what i call "scenes" for his trains

as in, he uses toothpaste or shampoo or hair gel or chocolate milk

to submerge his trains, and then to rescue them

no matter how many doors i lock, he finds a way to get stuff

i believe in one week he emptied 2 bottles of shampoo, a bottle of hair gel, 2 tubes of toothpaste,

a bottle of hand sanitizer, 2 containers of diaper cream...

needless to say, my carpets have had a rough few weeks

if i can overlook the mess, i have to say it is pretty precious

to watch him in his creative play

i'll leave you with a picture of mr. messy

he currently has an adorable phrase...

"i'm so smiled"

and this is what he flashes

crab fishin'

2011-09-27T10:48:00.000-07:00

more to come from our awesome family reunion

on the bay this past weekend

but here's a little peak

at the huge crab david caught

isn't the blue beautiful?

md blue crabs...yummy...

except david wanted to put him back where he could be free

i love that about my boy

frogs and snails and puppy dog tails

2011-09-12T17:25:00.000-07:00

are about to get some

*sugar and spice*

in their lives

are

having

GIRL

remembering 10 years ago

2011-09-11T18:36:00.000-07:00

mark and i were newly married, living in alexandria, va

i had stayed home from work because i was sick

the weather was perfect, and all the windows in our house were open

i was getting ready to leave for the doctors

when the phone rang

it was mark, calling to tell me that the twin towers had been struck in NYC

he said they were saying terrorists

that word was unfamiliar, and didn't carry weight

i tried to process, but didn't have the categories

he told me to turn on the radio--we had no tv

minutes later, an explosion nearly shook our house

my thought was, "Oh God, DC is being bombed"

the phone rang, and it was mark again

telling me that a plane had just crashed into the pentagon

i had heard, and almost felt it, he could see the smoke from his office building

he told me to get in the car now, and pick him up

i flew out of the house, feeling so exposed

i literally ran to the car, like there were snipers in our trees

i got to his office in record time

and we were on the highway, heading north to my parents within minutes

of the pentagon being struck

we missed the crazy gridlock of the thousands fleeing DC

we spent the day with my family

watching with sadness and disbelief the unfolding events

we drove home that night--the roads were a ghost town

we passed the still burning pentagon

and could smell the smoke from it at our house for many days afterwards

it's all so vivid still

and yet, today i'm aware of the many whose lives were

tragically and irreversibly impacted--

of the innocent lives lost--

of the men and woman who responded to the call of duty--

literally laid down their lives for strangers

and of the many whom i have recently learned are suffering

from very serious health issues

from the time that they spent doing search, rescue and clean-up

after these tragedies

i am sad

and i am praying for the friends and families of those lost

and for those who are still suffering today

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Good-Bye Summertime

2011-09-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

it's been a laid back summer

and i'm grateful that my boys have been content

to be home more than usual

they really have been delightful

and understanding of me not feeling well

and of my lack of energy

it's back to getting up early, and packing lunches

and homework, and routine

i think we're all ready for it

i'm just trying not to think too hard about baby #2

walking out the door tomorrow in his uniform

-escapee-

2011-08-27T14:10:00.000-07:00

there was a knock at our door yesterday at 8:30am

mark opened the door to see a stranger standing there with luca

she had found him on the corner of our street

we had no idea he'd escaped

the lady said it was a good thing he knew which house was his

she did not look pleased with us--

luca on the other hand looked quite pleased with himself

way to jump start our morning, luca

our front door will now stay locked

thank you Lord for keeping our little escapee safe

a birth story--9years later

2011-08-25T20:31:00.000-07:00

this is for me, really

i mean, i can't imagine my boys coming to me

asking for the story of their birth

but because each of their birth days have been the most precious of my life

i want to get some of the details down now, while i still have a little memory left

happy 9th birthday, biggest boy

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I started having what the doctor called latent labor around 36 weeks.

I had been to the hospital once for false labor.

I had contractions on and off for weeks.

Sometimes they were 3-5 minutes apart and would last for hours before petering out.

I lost my mucus plug, and was having show for days before true labor began.

I was past the hopeful phase (maybe today will be the day),

past the angry phase (this baby is NEVER coming out),

and was settled into the resigned phase (whatever, I don't care anymore).

I was 38.5 weeks when I went to bed on August 24th.

Just as I was drifting off to sleep, I felt a strange thump near my pelvis.

I was thrust into full blown, hard labor.

I was having intense contractions, coming every 2 minutes and lasting about 90 seconds.

Once I was certain that they weren't letting up, I called my doctor.

She assured me that I had time, this was my first baby,

and that it was "impossible" that my contractions were that close.

I could hardly talk to her as my contractions were so close, and so intense.

She advised me to stay at home as long as I could stand it,

and then head to the hospital.

After some time in the shower, I reached my limit and we headed to the hospital.

Once we got there, I couldn't even walk because of the pain,

and because I was shaking so badly.

We got into a room, and I was only 2cm.

I got back into the shower--the hot water helped me relax during my contractions.

After 40 minutes, I was checked again, and had progressed to 4cm.

At this point my contractions/pain went up another notch, and I was still shaking violently.

I started feeling pressure, but didn't think baby--

just thought I had to use the bathroom.

I got an epidural,

and then had the thought to tell my nurse about the pressure I had been feeling.

She checked me again, and amazingly,

I had gone from 4-10cm in about 20 minutes.

I was complete and ready to push!

Mark wasn't in the room at this point--

he was calling our families to let them know that I was at 4cm,

and not to rush--he got a surprise when he walked back in!

Since the doctor thought i would be in labor all day, she was still at home.

I had to wait a bit for her to arrive.

Once she did, I started pushing, and pushing, and pushing.

At one point David's heartbeat was lost.

I'll never forget the look on the faces of the doctor and nurse--

they stopped in their tracks,

and began throwing me on my sides trying to find the heartbeat.

I felt sick to my stomach, and truly thought we had lost him.

After throwing up (from fear), my blood pressure came back up--

and his heart rate came up too.

It was right at this time that our families arrived.

They were told they had to stay out of the room, which of course freaked them out.

After a bit more pushing (the longest part of my labor, it had been about 2 1/2 hours)

the doctor decided that she needed to use the vacuum to deliver him--

ASAP as his heart rate was very high.

I was terrified.

All of the sudden there were several nurses in the room,

a big machine, a tray with all kinds of instruments and such.

The doctor didn't explain anything...

in fact when Mark asked if there were risks in using the vacuum,

she looked at him and said, "of course, there are risks with everything".

Within minutes, there was a nurse on my bed pushing on my stomach as hard as she could,

while I pushed, and the doctor pulled with the vacuum.

I had no idea it was going to be so violent.

After a few contractions, he was out.

His head had been turned, and he couldn't get under my pelvic bone.

Thankfully besides having a major cone head, he was perfect.

I was pretty torn up, but SO happy to have him in my arms.

My firstborn, a perfect baby boy.

David was born on my golden birthday, as he loves to remind me.

Yes, he was the perfect 25th birthday present.

And he came so quickly (pushing aside) that I was able to spend the whole day with him!!

baby no more

2011-08-24T18:45:00.000-07:00

he's changing on me

looking less and less like a baby

i just love my littlest guy

friends

2011-08-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

had to share this post...

today I'm inspired to be a better friend

love to all my girls..near and far

update...

2011-08-03T08:13:00.000-07:00

on my last post

luca appeared yesterday morning with eyeliner all over his face

i realized i had heard the toilet flushing, but had ignored it

bad choice

our toilet is very clogged--

my blush and eye shadow brushes and my mascara are missing

i think he combined his two new favorite activities

but is so sweet and innocent when you ask him about it

qtips and paintin'

2011-07-30T13:11:00.000-07:00

lately luca has taken every opportunity to disappear into my bathroom

my clue is the sound of the toilet flushing over and over

qtips are being flushed-- one by one

and now "paintin' wif mommy's paint"

has also been added to his excursions

the first time he did this, mark found him

not knowing where he'd been, i thought he had two black eyes

now i know better, little stinker

a little reflection

2011-07-28T06:03:00.000-07:00

i was at Hopkins yesterday

i had the privilege of being with my friend

while she waited for her husband to endure another brain surgery

every time i walk into that place,

it breaks me a little

i had hard time sleeping as faces kept coming to mind

of course i was thinking about matt, in severe pain

of the beautiful family waiting for news on why their wife/mom/sister/aunt

had become unresponsive after seeming to be recovering

of the mom, who i casually asked while in line for coffee if she'd had a long day

she looked at me for a second, like you have no idea, then said yes

a minute later she turned to me and said, "today they told me my son is going to die,

and tomorrow they're going to tell me how he'll die"

and so i prayed for dan last night, probably about my age

and the other faces that came to mind

reminders that paradise cannot be found here on earth are welcome

although not comfortable

it's a little (big) community there

and the Lord knew what He was doing

when He put helen there

a sister in suffering to those she meets

but more importantly, she carries the message of HOPE

"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

your life brings honor to Him, friend

beach

2011-07-25T10:35:00.000-07:00

we're home from our first ever fedeli family beach camping trip

despite the extreme heat and some sickness,

i would say it was a success

i sadly took only a few pictures

the boys had such a blast being with their cousins,

and spent almost all of their time in the water

xan especially loved every part of our "camp out"

he is made for the beach

one more than one occasion he tracked down a surfer to get some tips

or knowing him, he was sharing his own

this kid will talk to anyone

he wore the strap of his boogie board on his ankle

and carried his board on his head to look the part

brooke was our guest for few days--

easy going girl that she is, she fit right in

boys, boys, boys...

karl brought behr and jack for the day--

talk about a fireplug this one, but so adorable

a stash of seagull bombs being constructed

most of the crew (plus a stray on the end)

my only proof that luca was indeed with us

poor guy was sick a good bit of the week,

and spent lots of time on my lap ("resting wif mom")

i had to laugh at my doctors appointment this morning when they told me

that I should stay inside as much as possible in this heat--

glad they told me that AFTER i spent the last week in the heat 24/7 :)

i didn't realize until we got home just how exhausted i was,

and spent most of yesterday in bed trying to replenish my body

will this become a tradition?

time will tell...we have our reservation for next year

we'll see if we're man and woman enough to brave the elements with 4 kiddos

my thoughts exactly--

2011-07-12T16:48:00.000-07:00

david to me:

if the baby is still so tiny,

why is your belly so big?

{growing}

2011-07-11T12:39:00.000-07:00

well, I suppose it's time to go public

considering the spare tire that has attached itself to my midsection grows daily

and i've been in several conversations where eyes wander from my face,

to my midsection

yes, #4 is on HIS (for the sake of expectations) way!!

(his first pic, taken a few weeks ago)

i am just about to enter my second trimester

and every day so far has felt like a small triumph

it is a true miracle that i have not thrown up one time

--even though i have felt plenty crummy--

it is a HUGE blessing that i do not take lightly

(and possibly has contributed to my faster than normal spare tire growth)

we are all very excited for this new life that is being formed

i can't wait till i'm feeling better, and can begin to create a space

for the newest fedeli

thank you, LORD

Happy 4th!!

2011-07-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

sweet summertime cont.

2011-07-01T06:29:00.000-07:00

it's been a quiet week at our house,

-just what we all needed-

the boys have been busy building forts, inventing magic tricks, creating recipes,

and watching Wimbledon with me

luca has been happy to have us all accessible and undistracted

last night i came up from the basement to see this...

david is spending the night with the cousins tonight, and xan is spending the night in our room

excitement levels are through the roof

not to be left out--he's ready for the trek down the hall to our bedroom

sweet summertime

2011-06-14T06:05:00.000-07:00

perfect day

and perfect way

to kick off

summertime

and gosh, it felt good

well earned you two *third graders*

my bro...

2011-05-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

his wife...

and fam...so great to see them this weekend!

happy {long} weekend!

2011-05-27T15:50:00.000-07:00

favorite pastime

2011-05-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

throw a little newspaper down,

give the boy a brush and paint, and he's a happy camper

body painting included

quiet and occupied = precious

(in more ways than one)

out of the mouth of boys

2011-05-17T20:47:00.000-07:00

the other day xan told me,

"daddy makes my heart so, so happy--

but you make my heart glimmer in the sun"

________________________________

i overheard a conversation between a boy (8 or so) and his dad--

"dad, can you believe (so and so) only put in a dollar, and he won $2,000??

$2,000 is alot of money, if i had that much i could buy---

(my mind immediately goes to --a death star lego set--)--and before my thought is complete

he confirms that there is a universal language of 8 year old boys--

he said --"5 death stars"--

______________________________________

the boys ruined a new candle of mine today
i was disappointed

i sent them down to the basement so i could gain some perspective
xan came up a few minutes later...
x: "mom, are you going to kill us?"
me: "of course not, i would never kill you"
x: (running down the basement stairs) "DAVID, I HAVE GOOD NEWS, MOM ISN'T GOING TO KILL US!!!"
that one was worth the price of my candle

2011-05-11T13:48:00.000-07:00

harpers ferry

2011-05-09T07:42:00.000-07:00

we woke up on saturday to a beautiful day and no plans

so we loaded up the car (our van is in the shop--that's another story)

and headed to harpers ferry

harpers ferry is special to me--way back in my single years,

it was the spot i'd go when i needed a quiet place to pray

we parked right at the train station, and within minutes a long train came through

you can't get much closer than this, and the boys we thrilled

moments like this are par for the course with luca these days,

and we had plenty--in this case he was mad because mark wouldn't let him run onto the track

there were large patches of recycled tire "mulch" that the boys

raced, and hopped, and rolled in

a rock skipping lesson from the expert

david got some skips-- i think he'll have his daddy's skills

we picnicked on the rocks--and watched the rafters paddle by

then the boys tried their hand fishing for river monsters

they have been so into that show lately, and were really hopeful that their

grapes and cantaloupe would attract some beasts

there were some civil war demonstrations going on--

the boys learned some cool facts from a (disinterested) reinactor

we finished up the day with some yummy ice cream

luca now eats the bottom off of cones--and then we have mess coming from both ends

he is a sight by the end

cure for a brain freeze--he claims it really works

between the river and the ice cream--

luca was such a disaster--but cute as ever

it was a great day together--

bonus was when we stopped to get some kettle corn from a road side

stand--so, so good!

if you run into "catoctin kettle corn" in your travels--

it is so worth a stop

the big day

2011-05-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

xan's actual birthday coincided with another special day for our family

the Race for Hope, in D.C. 

we were there to celebrate with our dear friends, the Lowes

as Matt courageously battles this awful disease

  Xan's full name {Alexander Vincent}, is in honor

of our sweet nephew, Vincent, who passed away from a brain tumor 6 years ago

we were celebrating and remembering his life, as well as that of our little friend Micah, and my childhood friend's dad, Dave as we walked

it was inspiring and heartbreaking to see the survivors, older, and much too young--

in various stages of the fight

she is so adorable, and ran a good bit of the 5K

the cousins

the yellow balloons in the background are being carried to the front of the race by the survivors, very moving, and I still get teary when I think about the different ones I saw throughout

my birthday boy

it was an honor to participate-- and a reminder of where our HOPE truly lies

birthday weekend-part 1

2011-04-29T16:40:00.000-07:00

xan is 2 sleeps away from being 5

we began celebrating today on a date with nona and mary

they started with a pizza sandwich from potbelly

the best ever, they thought

a birthday soda

followed by cupcakes from lilly magillys

yummy, yummy

my cute mess. he gets attention wherever he goes--

for various reasons--strong lungs included

nona treated them to these fun prizes

a great time was had by all

more fun to come...

update of sorts

2011-04-25T18:05:00.000-07:00

it's Easter monday, and who knew that it's also the busiest day of the year

at the national zoo? well, now you know

yes, we went today, with our friends the stocktons

i have no pictures to prove it

it was hot, and crowded, and keeping track of 7 kiddos in that kind of crowd

doesn't exactly lend itself to pictures--

but it was fun to be with our friends, and to be outside

energy burned today was necessary after yesterdays sugar rush

we spent yesterday afternoon/evening with some of my family

our time together started with a thunder storm

thunder storm = xan in hysterics, that plus jack being out of sorts

and throwing fits, and luca joining, because--why not?

made for a fab start to our gathering

but it was good to be together

no pictures of that either--

my arms were happily full of my sweetest nephew, george

my heart has been all tangled lately

i have dear friends who are suffering, and it's so very hard to watch

i have my own hurts that i've been dealing with

and while comparatively insignificant, i've still had to battle

for faith and hope and joy
i'm grateful for mercies new each morning, and grace sufficient for each day

on a lighter note, xan has a serious skill for making lemonade
it is so good
it is hysterical to watch him go to town with it
all I do is cut the lemons, and he does the rest
today's version --strawberry lemonade--
never mind that i unknowingly sacrificed 2lbs of strawberries--
it was delicious!!

happy monday :)

His wounds

2011-04-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

"...and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross,

that we might die to sin and live to righteousness;

for by His wounds you were healed..."

I Peter 2:24

all growing up

2011-04-14T13:07:00.000-07:00

xan went to his kindergarten round up on saturday

he is totally excited about the fall

when david started kindergarten, i was happy to think it would be a whole

3 years before xan joined him

-that feels like yesterday-

luca, meanwhile, is totally into letters-- as i've said

he's trying to write them now-- with moments of success

chubby little fingers + proper pencil grip
love. love. love.

baby boy

2011-04-09T17:16:00.000-07:00

my adorable new nephew

GEORGE

born at 4:10 this afternoon

7lbs 15oz, 20.5 inches 

I just wanted to scoop him up and take him home with me

karl and gail make the cutest babies

and gail is the most chill mama in labor, she literally laughed him out

.amazing.

I'm so proud--and thankful

what a beautiful gift. 

the irony

2011-04-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

while I was inside cleaning my floors

these two

were outside

doing this

clean floors = lost cause

two

2011-04-04T18:13:00.000-07:00

my baby is two

and I do believe he enjoyed every moment of his day

more to come...

Spring Break Plunge

2011-04-01T14:48:00.000-07:00

we ended our spring break week with a trip to an indoor pool

we brought brooke and behr along, and met up with aunt jote and the cousins

papa and nona joined us too, which was so fun!

it was such a fun way to spend time with the cousins

and burn some very pent up energy

the water slides were perfect for all of the kids

although luca was looking for nona in a hurry after I took him down with me

a handful of the boys

cuter than cute behr

any day from being a big brother again

nona did more than her share of "catching" and the grown ups even

got a little time in the hot tub

totally worth the dread of the season's first bathing suit donning :)

Spring

2011-03-22T13:17:00.000-07:00

welcome

we are SO HAPPY to see you again!

round 3...

2011-03-20T13:45:00.000-07:00

...of fevers and ear infections and frogs in throats

we are so anxious for SPRING!!

Happy St. Pats!

2011-03-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

{back}

2011-03-16T19:18:00.000-07:00

coming back to reality is like taking a cold shower--

at least when you're a mom--you just gotta jump in

and I'm back {to my wonderful reality} from San Diego

from 5 whole days with one of my oldest and dearest friends

Christina

i had a blast

i got to spend a few days in the norwood home

boy, are their 3 girls alive in the best sense of the word

full of zest and chatter and emotion and fashion sense

a house of girls is so very different than my own home

but i loved it

d and c are doing an amazing job of raising their girls

and it was so fun to get a glimpse into their daily world

and then Christina and I snuck away for 3 days alone

where this was our view (except for the trees blocking it)

we didn't stop talking the entire time--except to sleep

so much to catch up on when you've been a part of someone's life since

3rd grade (won't calculate the years...)

and we only get to see each other every so often

we covered so much ground in the first 24 hours of my visit

that when poor daniel tried to tell me something (over and over)

we died laughing because we had already been there--and christina and i just can't fake it

our mommy bladders held, thankfully

of course i didn't take many pictures, but it is beyond beautiful there

and the measly few that I have just don't do it justice

I walked from our "villa" each morning to see this--

and watched dolphins playing not far from shore

yes, she's a hot mama

super flattering, but the only one I have of both of us

especially love the reflection of my big mouth and teeth in c's glasses

it was such a great trip

christina, thanks for being a safe place for me to laugh, cry and share my heart

for 20 + years you have seen my failings and weaknesses and haven't held them against me

you've encouraged me more than i can say

can't wait for our next visit

and daniel thanks for making my visit possible,

and for giving us a hilarious whodunnit mystery to solve when we got back to the house

so glad there weren't hidden cameras ;)

bonus: i got to see another longtime dear friend Jess, and meet her adorable little guy

wish our visit could've been longer--love you

the ground is thawing...

2011-03-02T17:56:00.000-08:00

Spring is *almost* in the air

cupcakes and popsicles

2011-02-21T11:21:00.000-08:00

after a week of fevers and hacking coughs

we made plans to go to a cupcake shop and run around in the warm sunshine today

instead we woke up to gray skies and chilly temps (not sure what forecast I was reading)

and a baby shaky with fever

so, we made our own cupcakes

one knife lick for every bit put on the cupcake

they had their hearts set on "cookies and cream" cupcakes

and made their own version

we're all losing our mind a little around here

yummy!!

meanwhile Luca is as sweet as can be

I think he likes that I'm hovering over him--

giving him popsicles every time he asks

dear amy d...

2011-02-16T07:06:00.000-08:00

let not your heart be troubled...nothing a little soap and water couldn't get out

;)

love, amy f

happy, happy day

2011-02-14T17:49:00.000-08:00

how amazing warm air feels after months of biting wind

Luca played for hours in the muck and mud

he also practiced his letter sounds

cause it's a little obsession he has going on

what does a "v" say, mama? what does a "v" say, Luca? says..."VVVVV"

what does an "s" say, mama? what does an "s" say Luca? says..."SSSSS"

and my personal favorite--

what does an "o" say, mama? what does an "o" say, Luca? says..."ahhhAHHHHH"

and so my day goes. precious boy.

his brothers have been laid up with fevers today

so there was a bit more *just the two of us* than usual

*love*

the little things

2011-02-10T17:00:00.000-08:00

a valentine made in secret

by little hands

and a shirt tucked into boxers

that made my night

mr. mischief

2011-02-05T19:16:00.000-08:00

dear mr. mischief,

all in yesterday's mischief you managed to do the following...

throw a fit at Home Depot--my no fail lollipop trick failed--

you threw it, and it broke into more pieces than I thought possible

they must have really wanted us out of there

cause they came running to check us out--in the self checkout line

we were not home long before I heard the dreaded sound

GUUSSHHH--a big basket of legos being dumped on the floor--thousands of pieces

and then the sound of you kicking and throwing them to every corner of the room

you managed to empty every drawer of my sideboard

at some point I noticed red appearing in various places,

and then saw what looked like dried blood all over your hands

I washed them, but couldn't find a cut

it wasn't until daddy came home that shattered glass was found all over our bedroom floor

-you smashed a bunch of my glass votives-

my favorite make-up brush became your paint brush--and toilet water your paint

and just when I thought you were quietly reading books in your brothers room (silly, silly mama)

I found many rolls of toilet paper unraveled in the hallway

which is exactly why today was movie marathon day

yes, you and your brothers got to watch Toy Story 1, 2, and 3--all in a row

but, as I tell you every day--

I love you to little bits and pieces

every time I think I might just lose my mind

you come running up to me

"oh hi mamas" and let me kiss, kiss, kiss your sweet face

I love you just the way you are, mr. mischief

love,

mamas

Uggcitrin

2011-02-05T18:08:00.000-08:00

resolved

2011-02-01T07:14:00.000-08:00

to give this guy more constructive "draw" time
he left his mark twice in a week on homes we visited
as in he found markers (he has x-ray vision for them)
and colored on walls, chairs, coffee tables, end tables...and who knows what else?

he gives himself away
when rounds the corner saying..
"...oooh nooo, oh my gosh, oh my goodness, Luuccaa..."

our hosts were so gracious

but I won't be surprised to get "adults only" invitations for awhile :)

good thing he's so endearingly cute

lunch at my house

2011-01-31T06:49:00.000-08:00

you're welcome anytime

snowy visitor

2011-01-26T19:13:00.000-08:00

**********so pretty**********

luca's crack

2011-01-24T10:46:00.000-08:00

"brankie" sniffing

{sigh}

2011-01-20T05:21:00.000-08:00

yesterday I asked David what kind of mom he thought I was

(I said, would you say I'm a happy mom, a sad mom, an angry mom...)

he thought for a minute, and said,

"yeah, I think you're a happy mom, but mostly you're a tired mom."

oh, what makes you say that, I say...

"well, you're just really pale a lot of times."

snow + hot chocolate

2011-01-13T06:33:00.000-08:00

= fun (especially when it's with your twin buddy)

they topped it off with a few games of Candyland.

perfect.

someone...

2011-01-11T13:35:00.000-08:00

couldn't be more excited...

to be the first in his class....

sporting these!!

He looks so old...but super cute.

twinkle, twinkle

2011-01-07T13:09:00.000-08:00

Luca's singing debut
I think his little voice is the cutest thing--
and I especially love how he adds some 'little drummer boy" to the second verse

Please skip to 15 seconds in to avoid my singing. Please?!!

closet cleaning day

2011-01-05T09:59:00.000-08:00

yesterday I attacked our closets. they are small, and each has to serve several purposes.

Xan asked what I was doing when he saw half of my closet on the floor.

he didn't believe me when I said it was closet cleaning day.

part of my work yesterday was organizing all of the boys clothes that belong in the attic.

in our family, we have boys ages 11, 9, 8, 6, 4, 3, 21 months, and 17 months...and another due to arrive this Spring.

thus clothes have been passed from Tim to David---back to Josiah to Xan to Behr, back for Luca, and then on to Jack.

the passing has slowed with the older boys as Tim and David now wear nearly the same size.

since my boys are in the middle of the boy cousins, my closets and attic have been the hub

(or at least that's how I feel) of these clothes for years.

while not many clothes have survived all of the boys, there are a few things that they've all worn.

pretty amazing.

I recently got a box back after Jack had outgrown them.

I went through them yesterday and found several things that I remember buying for David on clearance at target

back when we lived in VA--target was literally across the street. danger.

he was the third grandchild at the time. how times change.

two nights ago I dreamed about our 4th boy. he wasn't very cute.

he had tons of hair and looked like a grown man.

I kept trying to style his hair, hoping it would make him cuter.

I've been dreaming about a 4th (at night that is, haven't started daydreaming yet...) regularly.

maybe because it's an ongoing discussion between Mark and I.

my friend Ali asks me every time she sees me what we've decided--it's literally different every time I see her.

so, if you ask me whether or not we're going to have another (which everyone seems to do),

and I give you an answer--don't believe me.

I don't believe me.

we're praying that the Lord would give us clear direction.

as much as we could be excited about a new life in this family, we could be equally excited about staying put at 3.

and we know we'd have a boy, so "trying for a girl" isn't a part of the discussion.

back to my closets, I would show you pictures,

but there's not much to show. they're still full.

Luca's closet not only holds his clothes, but also my dresses (all 3 of them),

the boys boots, all of the family's hats/gloves etc, wrapping paper, next summer's clothes for all 3 boys, a humidifier, beach bags...

(as I typed that last ... I could clearly hear my dear elementary math teacher, Miss Kisiel saying "AND SO ON" as she tapped each dot).

after yesterday, I've decided we don't have room for #4.

wink.

and this doesn't have anything to do with closets,

but my little knight in various armor sure makes me smile.

~6~

2011-01-02T20:03:00.000-08:00

i loved being with all my sibs on Christmas

it's not often that we're all together

we've come a long way, baby

13 (counting the babe in Gail's oven) kiddos between us

and the "littles" haven't even started to party yet

i LOVE each of you so much

In The Moment

emelia's birth day

one week photos

happy friday

one week

*emelia*

Christmas

one month

o christmas tree

sunshine and rain

beach bum

for my brother...

happy halloween

my boys

a few more 5k

*friends*

*SUPERHEROS*

case in point

mr. messy

crab fishin'

*frogs and snails and puppy dog tails*

remembering 10 years ago

Good-Bye Summertime

-escapee-

a birth story--9years later

baby no more

*friends*

update...

qtips and paintin'

a little reflection

beach

my thoughts exactly--

{growing}

Happy 4th!!

sweet summertime cont.

sweet summertime

my bro...

happy {long} weekend!

favorite pastime

out of the mouth of boys

{{scrumptious}}

harpers ferry

the big day

birthday weekend-part 1

update of sorts

His wounds

all growing up

baby boy

the irony

two

Spring Break Plunge

*Spring*

round 3...

Happy St. Pats!

{back}

the ground is thawing...

cupcakes and popsicles

dear amy d...

happy, happy day

the little things

mr. mischief

Uggcitrin

resolved

lunch at my house

****snowy visitor****

luca's crack

{sigh}

snow + hot chocolate

someone...

twinkle, twinkle

closet cleaning day

~6~

emelia

friends

SUPERHEROS

frogs and snails and puppy dog tails

friends

Spring

snowy visitor