welcome summer-time! how i've missed you...

It's pretty hot here today.

So we have put the packing and the chores on hold.

In the meantime, the kiddos and I are refreshing ourselves by the kiddie-pool

while letting the sun kiss our skin,

wetting our throats with iced sweet tea,

and filling our bellies to the brim with watermelon.

Summer. is. here.

So if you'll excuse me,
I want to get back to eatin' some more of that vitamin D!
Stay cool, yo.

But just before I go,

here's a few of my favorite pictures with a few of my favorite people:

Have I mentioned how much I love my life with this little family!?!

10 random facts friday

1. We are going strawberry picking tomorrow!  Can't. even. wait.

2. We will be visiting Northridge Church -and the city of Rochester- {our internship site} next weekend.

3. We have two separate sets of close friends coming to visit us this weekend.  Both families we have not seen in f o r e v e r.  We LOVE them so much and it's rare to find couples that both the GUYS and the GIRLS get along with equally.  It'll be a good time catching up and having our souls refreshed right before internship.

4. Homemade pepperoni pizza is what's for dinner tonight.

5. Mike bought me two new running outfits yesterday.

6. I let Annaleigh run around the back yard barefoot today.  And I've been thinking, if you aren't living life dangerously, then you aren't living life.

7. I signed up to get coupons, freebies and giveaways via this site.  Not only is it a great resource for the mamas out there, but they are constantly sending me promo codes {via email} for various things.  One of them has been for FREE Shutterfly photo books.  I got one in May for Mother's day, and they just sent me one this month for Father's day.  In. my. glory.

8. I hate packing.  It overwhelms me.  Big time.

9. I found The College Book of Verse hiding on one of our {many} bookshelves.  Complied by Robert M. Gay {professor of English, Simmons College, Boston}.  Copyright 1927.  It was a end-of-the-year gift from one of my former student's parents.  It contains poetry from 1250-1925.  Here's one of my favorites:

Sleep

by Thomas Sackville

1563

The body's rest, the quiet of the heart,

The travail's ease, the still night's fere was he,

And of our life in earth the better part;

Reaver of sight, and yet in whom we see

Things oft that tide, and oft that never be.

Without respect, esteeming equally

King Croesus' pomp, and Irus' poverty.

10. Pony-tails have become my hair-style of choice.  A far-cry from my high-maintenanced days {before kids}.  But I'm thinking I'm OK with that.

it has all the bells and whistles

This past Saturday, we were able to check an item off of our bucket list.

We went to Steamtown.

It's a National Park/Historic Site.

A museum all about steam locomotives.

Their history {mostly specific to the Scranton area} and how they work.

They have about a dozen real-life period-time train cars you can go on.

There's even a working steam engine you can take a {20 minute} ride in.

Mike and I have visited a few times, but we've never been with the kiddos.

Annaleigh was in her glory {seeing as she has a growing appreciation for Thomas the tank engine}.

John David is a laid-back 9-month-old.

So for him, he was happily unaware.

But we knew.

And it was great.

So glad we were able to do this before we make the big move to New York.

And I'm REALLY going to miss the sounds of those trains.

{You hear them loud and clear from our house.  One of the greatest sounds ever.}

p.s. I ran for the first time today.

Ever in my life.

About 2 miles.

Which took me about 45 minutes.

People say they feel close to God when they run.

I agree.

Because the whole time I was thinking,

"Dear God, I think I'm going to die."

mother may i...be like you

I look at my daughter.

Sweet Annaleigh.

With a belly full of laughs.

And those brown eyes that disappear in the presence of her smile.

Sweet Annaleigh.

Head strong.

Independent. 

Mind of her own.

Full of stubbornness....but not to a fault.

Sweet Annaleigh.

Who is in love with bedtime songs.

Your fingers sifting through her hair.

And her arms softly tickled "nice".

Sweet Annaleigh.

Who ponders.

Observes.

And thinks.

Sweet Annaleigh.

Who loves others.

Empathizes with your struggle.

And helps.

 Sweet Annaleigh.

Who has a bear for a Mama.

Protective...to a fault.

A mama that would die or kill.

Batter-bowls licked,

              loving kisses kissed, 

                            hugs that are squeezes, 

                                          games that are played,

                                                        love you words said,

                                                                      lessons shared of Jesus,

                                                                                    and lives lived together 

                                                                                                 because of a God who said it should be.

I think of my Mama.

Sweet Mama.

Is this what you meant?

Didn't you try to tell me?

Didn't I refuse to hear?

But I learned it all from you...

Head strong.

Soft touches.

Protecting a life.

Your joy will come in the morning.

All these things you lived.

All these things I have now learned.

All these things my Sweet Annaleigh is.

We three are one.

It was because of 

The strong life that you lived.

The sacrifices you made.

The singleness you endured.

To show me that this is Jesus' way.

Sweet Mama.

Is this what you meant?  

Why did I refuse to hear?

That a mother's life

is lived for her babies.

With her babies.

Loving her babies.
It is lived to die.

Sweet Annaleigh.

It was your Gramma that showed me how.

To be your Mama.

To love you so.

To show me that this is Jesus' way.




:::

Happy Mother's Day, Mama.

There is no doubting she is your grandbaby.

Thank you for that.
And for everything else.

:::

This post is part of the:

"the" picture

Each intern must submit a picture of himself and his family to the seminary to be used in the newsletters, for the intern display board, and other various publications.  And this is the one we chose.  It was the picture we had taken on Easter morning.

Taking a picture with two littles can be such a challenge!  This is the best one we could get, despite the fact that little miss refused to look at the camera.  All the other shots had her face turned away as she rested her head on Mike's shoulder {or was crying} while John David continued to make the craziest-looking scowls.  But all in all, I think it turned out great = an up-to-date and {mostly} happy picture of our sweet little family!

70°!!!
It's raining this morning at 9AM.
The forecast predicts sunshine.
Here's hoping that's true.
We want to be able to play outside!

{simple things sunday}: love found at the parade

3/10/12  the love shared between a boy and his daddy

I've created this mental bucket list titled, "Things to do in NEPA", before we leave for internship.  I probably should write it down {on this here blog} so that I will be sure to do all things we want to do before PA becomes a memory **sniff, sniff**.

This Saturday, was one of those things.  The Scranton St. Patrick's Day Parade.  Apparently, it's one of the largest St. Patty's Parades in the entire U S of A.  Crazy!  To think that we live here!  And that one of the largest parades tromps right through our little ole downtown square!  

The reason it's considered the largest?  It takes approximately 4 hours (FOUR HOURS!?!?) for the parade to run it's course.  Insanity?  I think so.

But it's SO MUCH FUN.  (regardless of the intense amount of drunkards who make their way from all over the country to attend such a spectacular shindig.)  The Irish/Italian and all other drunks didn't even bother me.  It was the giddy junior-high girls and the 7 year old boys.  I'm dead serious.  

The girls were holding balloons, squealing and running toward me while I was walking, and near knocked JD's head off as I held him.  And the boys near kicked me in the shins each time I ran to get a tootsie roll, for Annaleigh, as they were thrown from the floats.  So who cares about the mindless and mild drunks?  I wanted to punch those kids in the face!  

Besides the suppressed, un-Christian-like, aggression towards the kids, it was a blast!  I thoroughly enjoy family time, in any form.  Don't you? 

Annaleigh's favorite parts were the fire engines {it was her favorite fire-fighter book come to life!} and the "horsies".  The girl is obsessed with horses, these days.  So sweet.

JD slept most of the time.  When he wasn't sleeping, he was being kissed on by his family {evidenced in that sweet, sweet picture up there at the top...melt. my. heart.}.  So I'd say he enjoyed himself, too! 

Mike and I enjoyed watching Annaleigh's joy, most of all.  Isn't that the greatest?  To see your kiddos enjoy life??  At least it is for us.  We don't stop smiling and laughing with them as they find happiness in the small things of life.  And isn't that what this post is all about?  The simple things??  It's true.  Our joy is a result of their joy.  The smiles.  The coos.  The light in their eyes.  There's nothing on earth that can compare.

Heaven is probably like that, I have no doubts.  Joy in the seemingly insignificant.  Seeing it all as a part of a bigger plan.  To glorify God.

Here's a picture collaboration of our {heavenly} joy on Saturday.
Won't you smile along with me as I reminisce in the simple things of our Saturday?
These make me smile all over again....

linked up with Rebecca here:

Chicago: fun, food, and things forgotten

Our family went on a trip to Chicago last week.  {Actually, Mike had a business trip and we tagged-along again...we like to do that...and I'm thankful he's happy to have us.}  It really was such a good time.  We had fun doing so many things around the city!

The main purpose of the trip was so Mike could recruit potential students during Founder's Week at the Moody Bible Institute {a college of which we pray our children will one day attend, if the Lord wills!}.  This meant all of us were able to attend the seminars during the day, go out to lunch, head back for quick naps before Mike had to head back to Moody to "work the table."  {I had a deep desire to take a picture of Mike at his display and title it, "Mike working it"...but I deterred that desire. It would have been, oh, so funny!}  Some nights, the kiddos and I would head back with him because certain sessions were projected to be amazing. (ie. Francis Chan!!!!!)  And they were.  Such great messages.  Such great spiritual nourishment and encouragement!  {Grab a cup of joe, click HERE, and go listen/watch the sessions for yourself...you are SURE to be blessed.}

We visited Giordano's for lunch one day...famous for it's Chicago-style deep-dish stuffed pizza.  You have to wait 30-45 minutes for it to cook, but it's well worth the wait.  Every. single. mouth-watering. bite.

Another lunch stop was at the Rainforest Cafe.  It sat diagonally across the street from our hotel.  There is a HUGE tree frog that sits atop the roof outside that place.  Annaleigh became obsessed with it.  "FROG! FROG!" she would chant until it was no longer in plain sight.  Her fetish convinced us that it would thrill her heart if we ate there.  So we did.  We ate.  But Annaleigh just gocked.  And stared.  And hyperventilated {not really}.  But her excitement was not able to be contained inside that little body of hers.  Therefore making it impossible for her to eat anything.  Thankfully, we all just shared an appetizer and drank water.  It was large enough to feed our hunger and expensive enough to count for 2 meals.  Knowing our daughter and the excitement she's been known to show, we never thought twice about NOT ordering anything for her to eat.  No need to waste money we don't even have on food she won't even touch.  She did end up getting an adorable frog key-chain which she picked out...a slightly smaller version of the larger-than-life version found on the roof.

On the last day we were there, we shopped all along the Magnificent Mile.  H.e.a.v.e.n.  Especially going to Eddie Bauer.  You have to understand something, since birthing two beautiful babies, my body shows the proof.  Nothing fits me the same anymore.  NOTHING.  And I'm not fat.  It's just that my body has morfed into a shape unrecognizable to the human race.  Meaning, clothing designers wouldn't even know how to dress me.  So I approached this shopping trip with very low expectations.  Eddie Bauer was on our list of places to visit because my husband adores that store {and so do I...or I use to...when clothes fit me}.  My love was about to be re-kindled.  Without too much detail {so as not to bore you...good story...but long...maybe I'll tell you sometime...} this sweet little college girl {majoring in Marketing at Columbia College} introduced me to a pair of their test jeans.  Like. a. glove.  First pair of jeans I have ever put on my body that actually fit this 4'11'' slightly curvy girl.  And that's their name.  "Slightly Curvy Boot Cut Jeans" in SHORT.  And usually "short" jeans are something I have to go home and still hem.  Yes, I'm that short, people.  But NOT these!  Perfect length.  In fact, they are just perfect everywhere.  Unfortunately, they are TEST jeans...meaning, they are not a jean they make regularly and may never make again.  So I bought 3 pairs.  Dark, Medium, and Light washes.  And here's the best part:  Eddie Bauer was having a 60% sale off of ALL their SALE items.  And the jeans were on sale!  So, I got them for $15 a piece!!!!  I about fainted with elation.

Our hotel room what ginormous! Lots of room for Annaleigh to run around and play.  Two TVs.  Refrigerator.  Couch, two, count 'em, TWO arm chairs, and a coffee table.  And had a free buffet breakfast every single morning.  It was glorious.

We also ate at Portillo's, visited one of the prettiest grocery stores ever, made regular stops to Starbucks {of course!},  and took a 10 minute drive into the suburbs to visit Ikea {oh, yeah!!!!}.

Lots of fun was had by all.

When it was time to pack up, I dreaded it.  I hate packing.  For any reason.  At any time.  So I decided to do my best to whizz through it...a whirlwind frenzy...so it could just be done and over with.  Unfortunately, I shot myself in the foot {not really}.  I forgot my camera bag {not my actual camera, praise God}...it contains the battery charger and USB cord.  {However, at that point, I think I wanted to shoot myself in the foot, for real.}  I got so sick in the pit of my stomach the moment I realized it was innocently sitting in the hotel room.  And the realization came the day after we got home...when I was unpacking {I hate doing that, too...}...in Pennsylvania.

But GOOD news!  Mike called the hotel.  They have it!  And Mike will be taking a 2nd trip there this weekend {work-related, not just to get my camera...he loves me a lot, but I don't think he loves me that much},  he'll be staying in the same hotel, and he promises to get it from them and bring it home to me.  Hooray!

But the bad news is that my camera battery is dead.  D.E.A.D.  And I see all these life moments happening right before my eyes and I have nothing to record them with!  I'm going INSANE.  The blessing out of it all is that I'm able to actually be a part of the moments rather than a bystander with a fast trigger finger.  So, I'm learning to enjoy it!

And this also means I can't upload any of my pictures from the trip.  And I have some really good ones to show you!!!  Oh well.  There is growth in the process of waiting {they say}.

For now, I'll leave you with these sweet memories.  I've been reminiscing as I've looked through the archives of my pictures and they leave me with such an overwhelming fuzzy feeling in my soul....

Annaleigh's 1st sponge bath

Our first photo as a family of 3

Annaleigh's first smile

Memorial Day 2010

Thanksgiving 2010 - Annaleigh 11 mos.

Meeting her brother

Mama and her boy

Sibling love

John David - 1 day old

Christmas 2011 - Our sweet family of 4

the toddler-kind of fun

Coloring your hands and arms with an orange marker

makes for a good excuse to play in the sink wash your hands...

 Harassing a snobby kitty who thought she could hide in the closet...

Jumping on the bed...

Looking for squirrels...

Watching the airplanes fly...

{we live near an airport}

All in a day's work.

It's rough.

But someone has to do it...