happy weekend

Hooray! It's Friday! Lane has been gone for a week and a half (okay- that's not entirely true; he was here for long enough Monday to discover Sadie had fleas and help me to entertain twenty three family members) but now he is home!

We will probably venture out to the Farmer's Market tomorrow, then we are watching our friend's kids tomorrow night (five kids under four, should be an adventure).

Sunday we are going to church then a housewarming in Mississippi area... any suggestions for kid-friendly restaurants over there?

Have a wonderful rainy-then-sunny weekend!

summer, as seen through the diaper bag camera

Remember how I was super dramatic about how busy we have been all summer? Well, I decided to share just a few snippets of what we have been up to. 

All these pictures were taken with the little camera I keep in my diaper bag and pull out when ever I think "I really need to document this!" 

Half of them are taken while balancing a baby in one arm. So, not the best quality, but, hey, at least I'm documenting...

Corbett Fourth of July Parade. Always entertaining:

Happy Valley Splash Pad:

Nerf gun buddies!:

All ready for camping:

The dudes. Fishing. Hanging out. Doing what dudes do:

 More dude stuff: throwing rocks into water:

My child was a blur the entire camping trip:

 Happy camper:

 James and daddy on the tube:

Rock climbing gym. James can't stop talking about it, even though this was as far up as he climbed:

 The zoo with our friends the Triplet Gals:

Blue Lake splash pad (goggles optional):

Pony ride:

a little work mixed in with all the fun:

 touring the Rose Garden (that's what I'm calling it regardless. Just like Civic Stadium.) :

getting messy in the sand box:

Hopefully some recipes and more house tour soon! (I know, you are just on the edge of your seat, ha)

excuses, excuses...

Dear Friends,

At the risk of sounding dramatic, July was a zoo. August seems to be following suit. There have been camping trips, zoo trips, pool parties, park dates, baby showers, bike rides, church soft ball league, hikes, business trips (Lane, obviously), vacation Bible school, yard work, a heck of a lot of driveway baseball, friends and family visiting, visiting of family and friends, outdoor eating, outdoor playing, and not a lot of sleeping.

As much as I love having a rotating door and staying busy, I am hoping that some lazy summer days are ahead. And maybe some sleep. And, possibly, even a little more blogging.

Until then,
Ashley

Photo credit: Lane took this picture before work one morning while Elle and I were (clearly) still asleep.

vowel letter art projects

For a while I was daily doing "school" with James. Around the time I got really sick he decided he would no longer participate in school. So we are on summer break. However, I want to share the vowel activities I came up with for him to do:

He used an apple slice as a stamp with paint for "A":

For "E" I used this template. I traced all the pieces and then had him fit them on and glue them. Then he colored his elephant. For "U" he colored the umbrella and glued on the pre-cut rain drops.

For "O" I drew a large oval and had James glue on googly eyes and then he cut and glue legs to make an octopus. For "I" he glued a pre-cut ice cream cone and scoops of ice cream. Then he glued real "fwinkles" all over the ice cream.

For "Y" he simply cut pieces of yarn and glued them on a piece of paper.

Who knows if he is really learning his letters from these activities, but he enjoys doing them and I love to display them in our house!

"fwee"

James turned "fwee" last Monday. We had his joint party with cousin Nathan on Sunday.

There was a pinata (full of toys, glow sticks, and candy!) :

Presents (James is obsessed with his new drill; he keeps it in the garage next to Daddy's drill) :

"Fwimming":

Sister was exhausted from all the partying and took a power nap on Grandma:

I made a dino cake complete with an exploding volcano:

The birthday boys each waiting to blow out their three-year-old candle (but really just wanting to eat cake) :

horse-back riding:

This was the car ride home:

...a success!

One year ago
Two years ago

living sacrifices

I started this post well over a month ago (the pictures are from Mother's Day!). Yikes... 

warning: I mention breast pumping in this post, so if that grosses you out, consider yourself warned...

A while back I put Eleanor down for a nap and set up James with a snack and a show downstairs. The timer began, I had about thirty minutes to do something productive. I decided to attempt to pump (which has been pretty much unsuccessful with this baby) and read my Bible. I got myself all set up with pump and Bible on my bed. 

Just as I started the double pump (requiring both hands to hold each side on), Eleanor woke up.
"No big deal," I thought "I'll just bring her in next to me." I grabbed her out of her crib and set her next to me on the bed. Now I was down to just one side of the pump since I had to entertain her with my other hand.
I started the pump and held it on one side with one hand while shaking a toy for Elle with the other. I gave her the toy, flipped open my Bible, and was about to begin reading when I heard James walking up the stairs.

He came in the room and explained that he wasn't really interested in the show anymore. He started to climb up onto the bed and onto me. It was about at this point I realized that the pumping was not going to happen.
"I just need a quick Word from the Lord," I thought, "any sort of encouragement."
With a toddler climbing on my leg, breast pump in one hand and my other hand on the baby, I glanced down at my Bible. I was in Romans 12:

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship."

Oh, Lord, You have such a sense of humor!

ordinary joys: the rainy and sick day edition

All last week I was super sick and it was super nasty out. But there is always joy to be found:

(James doing puzzles in the fort with his "friends"- Mickey, Big Tiggy, Little Tiggy, and Humphrey the camel)

1. elaborate forts- 'nuff said.

2. a good laugh- if you haven't discovered this website, you need to check it out. Always funny and (almost) always appropriate.

3. homemade flubber- so easy and so entertaining. James favorite thing to do is hide googly eyes in it and then try to find them. Don't ask me why.

4. cozy robes- I am generally a sweatshirt and warm-ups type of gal if I'm having a lazy day, but there is something so comforting about a big, plush robe. It definitely states: "I'm sick and not leaving the house under any circumstances today."

4. calorie replenishing foods- I couldn't eat anything for a few days while I was sick, but as soon as I started to feel better I was dreaming of cinnamon rolls. So I made some.

(extrodinary joys while sick- forgiving children who go with the flow, husbands who run errands and let you get into bed as soon as they are home, and mother-in-laws who drop everything, drive two hours, and take your toddler home for the weekend)

... And happily I am feeling better and it is beautiful out.

Our weekend will be busy with Farmers Market, family hikes, and a couple dinner parties...
Have a happy, sunny weekend!