Maybe she's born with it. . .

. . . maybe, it came from a bottle!

Ding, ding, ding. If you answered, "came from a bottle" your nine bucks poorer and about 16 shades lighter than intended, with a loud ting of orange.

Needless to say I feel like wearing a hat.

Preschool Cuties

Getting ready for a Hot Date to the Disney Store

We've been trying to take the kids on a date each week. If Ky's picking, it usually involves window shopping at the Disney store in the mall, riding on the Merry Go Round and maybe some french fries. Look at those lashes, lucky girl. Thanks Grandpa!

Survival of the Fittest

I've gotten a few requests to post some updates about the little Fin in my life. So, here she is in all her Majesty (you wouldn't know Majesty if it came up and bit you in the face, wah ha ha haaa! -Strong Bad).

She's a "Little Viking" to say the least. I guess with the 3rd kid, the best you can hope for is, survival. Between being fed raisins, and carried down a flight of stairs by a toddler barely twice her size, she's hangin' in there. . . for dear life.

Fin is a doll literally, well behaved, sleeps & eats on demand, smiles on cue. She's heaven, and if she's heaven, then the other kids must be. . . Purgatory? Just kidding, they're Heaven too, when they're peacefully sleeping.

Jess and I, both have never felt like life was so complete. The kids just love each other, and it melts my heart everyday to see them delighted by the baby, secretly plotting mischief, or excitedly embracing because it's been an entire hour since they saw each other last.

Oh, what do the simple folk do.. .

. . . to perk up when they are blue"
- Camelot Musical

I suppose I not so much blue as suffering from the daily adjustment to the monotony of my life. I look at today's "to-do's" and find myself doing alot of self talk, 'this is your life, embrace it', 'find the extrodinary in the ordinary', 'bloom where your planted' and then I find myself stubbornly asking 'but, is this it?'

And, then I remind myself that I have every possible blessing, all I'm missing is a tragedy to help me recognize them. I was reading the blog of a close friend tonight and she had journaled about a truly heartbreaking experience and I felt shame for my discontent and sincere gratitude for my happy life.

Kim Baker gave a fantastic lesson a few months ago about sharing the gospel with others. This being so dear to my heart, I paid close attention. What stood out most to me was when she talked about sharing our testimony through our example. That if we walk around acting put out, overwhelmed and tired all the time as mothers, we are not sharing the right message. (For the record, she said it much more eloquent than this.)

I guess the point to this rambling is that I hope to be a light unto the world, not a soggy rain cloud. And, tonight I was able to re-adjust my perspective again and I wanted to commit my new cheerful outlook to paper or cyberspace, so I could look back and remember, when the time comes again that I can't see the forest for the trees.

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through ^aChrist which ^bstrengtheneth me."

(Philippians 4:10-13)

9.0 volts of Magnificence

I know kids are suppose to be little scientists exploring their surroundings and testing their boundaries. And, you'd think this would be enough for me to be patient with their little experiments: (In the last 48 hours)

If I step on this glass frame with it crack?
How about his mirror?
If I tip over this Jumbo box of Cheerios will they hit the freshly mopped floor?
If I rub this orange marker all over my body, an innocent lamp and my new Snow White doll will anyone notice? (strong resemblence to the Chucky doll)

And, that is why I'd like to send a shout out to Black & Decker. My love for my 9.0 volt Handheld Dustbuster has reached new depths this week. And, while wer'e at it, how about a shout out to Mr. Clean's attractively packaged poison, The Magic Eraser.

"Check out the Majesty"
-Strong Bad

Play House Loft Bed

Here's the semi-finshed kids room. I patterned the bed after one I saw at Ikea. The idea was for Ky to sleep on top of the Loft and Bridge underneath so they would do more sleeping than playing so much for that idea. But, it makes a fun playhouse anyhow. There's more pictures Here.



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Now playing: The Moldy Peaches - Anyone Else But You
via FoxyTunes

If only she knew.

These have to be some of my favorite pictures ever. Kyanne spends most days pretending to be someone else, usually Princess Snow White, Giselle or her friend Lexi. But, she's never too interested in just being Kyanne. If only she knew 'Kyanne' is a princess too.

I'm surprised day after day by her tenderness and concern for others. She's such a grateful child thankful for the simplest things: dinner, dishes, puffy sleeves, clean 'Butterfly Jammies', reading a book, holding her hand. She's kind to her brother, even when her friends aren't, and she humbles me daily as she happily forgets and forgives my Motherly short comings. Aside from all this most days she has me in stitches with comments like: "Your pretty mom (pause), I like your bum." or "Look mom, I'm wearing my gardens to preschool (referencing the slip under her clothes)", or "When I'm the Mommy and your the kid...".

She's a slice of Heaven, I'm so lucky.


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Now playing: The Monkees - I'm a believer
via FoxyTunes