Falling for You

We headed to the park to snap some family shots. Which is hard to do since we had no one else to take the pictures. But, put them all together and you get the big picture :)

Give me lots of slack on these pictures - I am a newbie still. Good thing my family is so cute!

So, my photog friends - feel free to give me some advice. I know the pics aren't all very sharp. I'm working on that. Other than that, what should I focus on? (no pun intended :) And I pulled down the color saturation on these because I kinds liked it - what do you think? Does it work?

Three Months Have Flown By

Can you believe she's 3 months old already? What a big girl!!


For memory's sake, here's a snapshot of Esther at 3 months:

• She smiles and coos and bubbles and giggles - everything adorable about babies is encapsulated in this girl
• She sleeps! 11 or 12 hours a night with just one quick nursing somewhere in the middle :)
• She is generally sweet-tempered and peaceful - this new stage is a much better one
• She still cries loud enough to make baby monitors unnecessary!
• She has carved herself an irremovable place in our family and hearts
  

Autumn Update

Thank you everyone for your awesome decorating suggestions!! I wish I could have incorporated more of them, but I had to stick (for now), with what I had around the house.


I am already looking forward to Christmas, though! Can we brainstorm decorating ideas again then?? :)

A Delight and a Half

"My sweet Gabby.

You actually turned 18 months several days ago. And I have been intending to write this for several days, it just hasn't happened. Somehow this is fitting, since you are the main reason so many things go undone right now!


At one-and-a-half, you are a handful-and-a-half and a delight-and-a-half.


I commented to your dad the other day how, for such a little girl, you are such a BIG person. Your emotions are big, (and loud). Your affection is big, (and sweet). Your personality is big, (and delightful).



We love you so much, Gabba-girl! You light up our life."

Autumn on the Inside

(For the one person who still reads my blog - I'm going to try to ease back in to posting once in a while!)

Halloween is over, which means that the fall decorating officially begins.

And I need help.

I always have grand visions for what I'd like to do. The problem is making some semblance of my grand dreams using only items that are around the house or can be purchased for $3 at Walmart. Some people are masters at this. Me, not so much. Maybe I need new items around the house :)

This is how far I've gotten on an imitation Pottery Barn centerpiece. What does it need? other than $15 dried pomegranates?

Other than the fact that the flower arranging needs help, and the leaf vase needs a different color ribbon (maybe bright yellow?) What else? I need ideas. How can I make it look nice?

Many thanks :)

Does Posting This Make Me a Bad Mommy?

I seriously don't think Juli picked her nose (at least not in front of me) until she was like 3 1/2. I
don't know if it just didn't occur to her or what.

Gabby, on the other hand, has been knuckle-deep from the time she could maneuver those little digits.



This one makes me laugh every time. So intent. And do you notice the bruise on her head? Remnants of a particularly rough face-plant.

And this is the look I get if I try to tell her not to. Yikes.

I sure love that girl.

Challenges are Challenging

I have learned two things during this challenge:

Number One: Unless I get up an hour before my children, exercising and having some "me & God time" DOES NOT HAPPEN.

Number Two: I DO NOT like to get up an hour before my children. I'm tired. The bed is warm. Sleep is good.

SO, I'm working on it.
At least I have stopped trying to convince myself that I can find time later in the day (ha!), and am living in reality. But in this reality, I have to make myself get out of bed.