It's a Dog's Life

They say dogs are just children with fur, I couldn't agree more!  Sadie brings so much joy to our house It's pretty Im-paws-ible to imagine our life without her.

Doggie Love



Fur-rocious fun

Just me and my dog

This is the look of a spoiled, rotten dog

Dog gone cute!

No bones about it, our Sadie is a one of a kind best of Show. 

Needed; a little less talk and a lot more action!

My friend Kirsten came in town today and invited us to meet her for lunch. After deciding on the Rainforest Café, I was so excited about the idea of sharing this fun experience with the kiddos. After all, back in our day, animals were only crackers right? I can’t deprive them of the things I was never able to do. I really do think that sometimes I was born without the “wait, you shouldn’t do that" gene.

I should have gotten my first hint on how things would turn out when Bailey thought she was being attacked by alligators and gorillas. Anyway, to make a long story short, it turned into an event that made me want to go bang my head against the closest fish tank and fire Kristen for allowing me to do something so extreme.

On our drive home, I told Kinley we were all taking a nap when we got home. She told me she didn’t care about taking a nap and it didn’t bother her AT ALL...(let me just add, she hates naps). I could feel my eye twitching so I knew it would be better to just remain silent and get home with my dignity intact. After about the 15th time making her go back to her room, she finally realized it was a small price to pay for her disobedience.

Sometimes I wish parenting wasn't so freakin' challenging. I fondly remember the day when I was a perfect parent with perfect children...back before I actually had any. When it comes to disciplining my girls, I find myself thinking a lot more has been "said" than "done". I'm all bark and no bite.

NOT ANYMORE! Good-bye empty promises and undelivered threats of consequences. By the end of summer, I will be spending less of my time and energy on disiplining and more time enjoying my role as a mom because I love them too much to give in. Persistance, gentleness and time are my three allies. NO MORE! So there, there and there!

Thanks Kristen for sending me these pictures of a day I will never forget! 

This is the part where I should have gone into hibernation. She was so scared she covered her poor eyes. 

Father's day

Had a great father's day.  We celebrated by going to Mass and brunch with great friends.  I'm so blessed to have a husband who absolutely adores his children.  Here is a fun video we put together for him with the girls favorite songs. 





Before Brunch at Josephines.  Bailey no longer likes taking pictures.

Buffet Style.

 personalized omelets! Kinley thought this was pretty neat.

My plate, before...

Dessert was fabulous!

Bailey thought so too.

Hope is real

Today I had the opportunity to help out with the Beads of Courage program at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas. The children who participate in this program receive colored beads that represent milestones, procedures, and acts of bravery. For instance, they get a yellow bead for an overnight hospital stay, a white one for chemotherapy, and a glow-in-the-dark bead for radiation treatment and so on…

As I was helping my friend Suzanne take pictures of the children wearing their beaded necklaces, I noticed some of them had at least 20 feet of beads around their neck. As a mother, I can’t even begin to comprehend the trials these parents must be going through watching their children suffer. my heart aches... But, as I looked into the eyes of these families, I also felt a sense of hope, peace and joy. It just amazes me how God has the power to bring goodness even in the darkest hours of life.

Today reminded me that whatever situations we may face in life, we should never feel hopeless or alone.  God’s love has a way of igniting flames of hope and can encourage us through any trial.  May God help these beautiful families going though such a difficult trial and continue to bless them with peace that surpasses all understanding. 



A small piece of paradise

You want to know what this world needs more of...

Summer in a glass!

Seriously.  It's impossible to be bored while you suck this down!  Throw on some Pandora Hawaiian music and you have yourself a small piece of paridise.

Dream Builders

In my past life before I started having kids, I was a director of admissions for a business school. The main purpose of my position in a nutshell was to inspire people to go back to school. I remember telling them the night of orientation that the world is divided into two types of people..."Dream killers” and “Dream builders". There are those who think the best in people and try to draw out positive qualities. And then there are those people in life who think the worst in people, push them away and look for the bad. I would then say it’s easy to pinpoint some of the dream killers in our life. However, the ones we need to watch out sometimes are those who are closest to us. They may not even realize their negativity.

For those who know me, you know I’m not perfect; in fact I’m a perfectionist at being imperfect. I’ve done some things in my life that I’m not proud to admit. Nonetheless, I’m thankful for an all forgiving God who sees my heart and knows I’m a work in progress. I’m also thankful for those who have never given up on me, especially my husband.

Often times many of us tend to push people away and exploit their bad qualities when things go wrong or when it’s not done in the way we thought it should be done. It’s so easy to do. Nonetheless, no one is perfect except our heavenly father. Without sounding to cliché or preachy, we should all inspire to be dream builders in the lives of others. We never know where that person may be on their journey with Christ but by believing and breathing life into the people in our lives, we just might get them a little closer to serving God's all mystifying plan in this life.

Trading Spaces

After months of talk, we finally switched all three of the kids rooms.  Kinley moved into the guest room after much bribing convincing we would paint it any color she wanted.  Bailey took Kinley's room and Colson is now in Bailey's room.  Geeezz, could we have made it any more difficult?  It's a small world, unless you have to paint it!  Here are some pictures!

Purple, really???  He didn't like the idea, but she's got him wrapped around her finger.

I helped too!

Final color!  Not too bad.





We made these letters with scrapbook paper and wooden letters from Hobby Lobby.  Trace and glue. We added a few embelishments for fun. 

Her first night in her new room! Good night my Purplicious! 

Bailey

Sleeping Beauty



Shopping at Target is so hard, Yo!

Don't you wish you could eat popcorn and be pushed around in a basket?

Ok, Maybe NOT!!!

Her new ride with daddy.  Life is good!

How bout' you have a lick and then I can have a lick.  And then we can go find my other shoe!

She has no idea how much I love her!

Battery Low.

The sheets haven’t been changed.  The bathrooms still need cleaning.  The dishes need to be loaded and my MOPS preparations for tomorrow still need work. The light at the end of my tunnel is growing dim. Thankfully it’s Thursday and Russell won’t be working this weekend.  From the sounds of his alarm clock resetting EVERY five minutes this morning, I’m thinking both of us need a little recharge in our battery.  Unfortunately, sometimes in the middle of my little mess I forget just how BIG I’m blessed.  Here's a picture of Colson sleeping peacfully on my chest.    

These small hours



Photo Obsession

I was talking to a friend yesterday about the amount of photos that I take. I don’t really have a life that is THAT interesting. However, I think anyone who is a photographer understands my obsession.

I take a lot of throw away photos, especially with my iPhone. Sometimes I take a picture of the kiddos sleeping and send it to Mandy because...well, I guess that’s just what moms do. Many times I take a picture and post it on face book just because I thought it was a fun moment. Anyway, here are a just a few!

Last night I took this photo:

The caption in my head: My precious princess, you could search the whole world and not find a happier child than this. From the time her feet hit the floor in the morning until bedtime she is full of life and a never ending supply of energy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet Bailey with her little hands underneath the bathroom door. This one is captioned: You just don’t see that everyday. Unless of course you live at my house.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes I just take pictures so I can send them to Russell. I think this would be really funny if it weren't happening to me! YUCK!!!  This is a piece of cheese Bailey dropped on the floor and Sadie threw it up! Go sell crazy somewhere else. We’re all stocked up here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Caption: They say you should live in the moment. Can I pick this moment to last more than 30 seconds?!?! They do have moments of sweetess with each other.  It's a good thing I took this picture so it will last longer:)  

 

 

Sometimes I take a photo because it makes me laugh.

Sometimes I take photos that move my heart. Our trip to Midland and a wonderful visit with Gran and Grandad. 

Sometimes you've just gotta stick your neck out on a limb and go for it!  TOTALLY worth the wait!

Moral of the story. However my day goes, I can’t always promise that the pictures will be appealing, but one thing is for certain, a day in the life of a mother is like a rollercoaster, you can either scream every time you hit a bump, or you can grab your camera and enjoy the ride!

Take me all the way.

I started the day walking with my friend Tina. I peeled myself out of bed because I knew it was something that I needed both physically and emotionally. Since the arrival of baby Colson, I’ve been happy to write off getting out of bed as one of my accomplishments for the day. (This third baby has kind of thrown me for a loop) So it's about time I start taking those baby steps to get my body back into super model shape like it was before ;)

Anyway, I digress! On the drive home I was listening to a song that I've heard several times playing on the radio but for some reason, the lyrics stood out like a cherry on an ice-cream Sunday. It was about giving everything instead of going through the motions.

Here lately I've said if they made a movie of my life it would be a lot of me wiping a lot of hands, faces and butts. Some days I feel like I'm just going through the motions and mundane tasks of my day. “It might hurt, and it’s not safe but I know that I gotta make a change I don’t care if I break. At least I’ll be feeling something ‘Cause just okay is not enough help me fight through the nothingness of life.”

We are only here on this earth for a short time and I have a choice to make daily. I can put my all into serving Jesus Christ and making the very most of each day or I can simply go through the motions of what I have to do to survive. It’s time for me to start making some changes and seeing every part of my life through God's eyes. He is the only one that can help my heart defeat my mind.  He is the one who can take me all the way.

Colson's first playdate

May 18th two months:)