July 4th

It was a fun weekend. And like usual, the weekend flew by and it is already time to go back to work. Seems like I just got home from work. And even though the weekend had an extra day, it just vaporized in front of my eyes. I wish it were Friday again and I had just pulled into the driveway and had the entire weekend still in front of me. While I can't make the weekend magically reappear, the good news is that I have a new toy that can help! On top of an extra special weekend filled with family, friends, love, bbqs, fireworks and fun, I got to use my new camera this weekend and am posting all of these pics with an extra bounce in my 'type' (get it, not in my step, but in my type . . hee hee). Anyway, onto the weekend.

We hosted a surprise couples shower for Stacey and Bill this weekend and think that she was surprised (Bill was already aware). If Stacey did in fact, already know about the shower, she kept it to herself very nicely. Maybe someday she'll tell us for sure, but for the weekend, we were content in believing that we had surprised her and given them what turned out to be a lovely evening.



The exciting part of the shower was that her family was able to join us from all over the U.S. and this certainly appeared to be a surprise (if she knew anything, she deserves an acting award).

Ahhh . . nothing like a mother's hug!





And Uncle Bill, as usual, gets attacked by the little ones . . .



The shower was a lot of fun. The kids walked away with some fun toys . . .



and the "grown-ups" did too!



A special thank you to my brother-in-law who is the creative mind behind designing the shower invitations and the coordinating wine sleeves. Thanks TJ!

We enjoyed a fun game of "Family Feud" which created an interesting atmosphere of competition between the two families! I got a slight bit nervous before we started the game when I was told that Stacey's family can get very competitive and likes to WIN! Check out Stacey's mom thrilled with a correct answer!



The little ones (all 7 of them) enjoyed the shower as well (note that all 7 will be in the wedding together)! In fact, Drew told us several times today that Jake was his best friend . . .:)







The party continued at our house the following day with a 4th of July bbq. Since we're not brave enough to set off anything too crazy, we settled on a few sparklers for the little ones and this was dangerous enough . . .







and the mommies and daddies enjoyed a few mango margaritas.



The bbq was a lot fun and we enjoyed hosting Stacey's family. We're looking forward to the wedding and many fun years ahead!

As for Monday, well, me and my boys, we just sat back and enjoyed the day. Our day was everything a holiday should be. We played outside, we napped, we watched movies, we put a pool at the end of our slide to create our own waterslide, we colored, we ate ice cream. It was a great day.







Happy Birthday America. And to everyone else, goodnight!

Bill & Stacey's Ohio Shower

This summer, we are welcoming Aunt Stacey into the family! Dan's brother, Bill, is getting married in August and our boys love Stacey and we are so thrilled that Bill is so happy! We look foward to many great holidays and family times with Uncle Bill and Aunt Stacey!

We took a family journey to Ohio for one of their bridal showers in May and because baby Evan is such an angel (or Grandma Darlene held him for me), I was able to capture a few pics of the happy day . . . .

Busy, But Great . . .

It is one of my favorite times of day. All kiddos are tucked in and snoozin' away and I can escape for a moment to enjoy my favorite hobby - photography! It is an infrequent opportunity for me to sit in front of my computer, listen to music and take a look at all of the pictures I've taken recently without any interruption and I have to admit that right now, it is soooo nice. Of course, I have a trade-off to make in that I'll likely be exhausted tomorrow for staying up too late tonight (it is now in the early am), but at the moment, it is worth it. It is funny to me that it is not only our boys that thrive on a schedule, but mommy and daddy do too and if we don't get to bed at our bedtime, we will wake up cranky in the morning just as they would . . .

Getting the chance to look at the photos I've shot over the past month reminds me how busy we have been. The "busy-ness" has been good and although I have definitely felt exhausted (in fact, not sure if I'll ever be completely restored to "pre-kids" energy levels), I know that we've been having lots of family fun which makes it all worth it. I know that a lull will come eventually (for which I will graciously accept), but for now everything is great because I know that I can stop what I'm doing a hundred times a day in exhange for something simply wonderful. A hearty belly laugh from baby Evan, a new expression from Drew bear that we've not heard before, a loud vocal concert from our performer Owen . . . who knows? I just love these three little boys and I suppose that love alone for them is what gives me the energy to approach each day with a renewed sense of excitement. This role of motherhood has taught me and stretched me in ways unimaginable. How much I've learned and stretched and grown in this role and how it has gifted me with joy like none other.

Over Memorial Day, we took our vacation for the year. We packed everyone in our "awesome" mini-van (yeah, I said awesome, does that make me totally "uncool?") and headed out for a nine hour car ride to Ohio for a bridal shower. Dan's brother is getting married this summer and although an intimidating trip for us with three little ones, we wanted to support Bill for all that he has done for us and our kiddos over the years so we were happy to do it!



Given the length of the trip, the kids did pretty well and we had a great time (thank goodness for our mini-van, thank goodness for the DVD player, thank goodness for headphones for said DVD player, thank goodness for "Monsters vs. Aliens" and its ability to maintain our boys' interest such that they wanted to watch it 5 times over the course of the weekend . . . )





In addition to the bridal shower, we were able to see the NFL Football Hall of Fame (one of Dan's dreams), a Pottery Barn outlet store (didn't even know these existed - hello, new bedding, new towels and new bathroom decor for the boys:) and go to Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana. It was all so much fun. The fun that we had at the amusement park is still resonating with me a month later. I was amazed at how much there was for little people to do (and what a nice, clean park this was)! Drew and Owen both went on several "real" rides and they were just thrilled with the waterpark. They both went down a HUGE waterslide several times - I just couldn't believe that my little babies were already ready for this! It was so enjoyable that I'm already wondering if we could pull off another trip to Santa Claus before this summer is over. What do you think, Dan?





Since Memorial Day, we've kept busy with a variety of things, but playing at the pool and in our backyard are my favorites.











And although we're not visiting Disney World this year and don't have any significant trips planned, I'm reminded of the happiness we create at home all the time and that is enough for me.





To Drew, happiness is walking around outside in only his pull-up with his butt hanging out (this picture makes me smile . . . :)



Or sitting outside, wearing just a pull-up, eating a banana . . . .



Or wearing BIG sunglasses . . .



Or driving our cadillac like crazy maniacs . . .



Or playing golf . . .



And while there are some frustrating moments too (thanks to a certain 2-year-old's insistent whining/tantrums) . . .



the happy times are the ones that I choose to remember.



I thank God for giving me the perfect family. A husband I love and three healthy, beautiful children that we adore. My definition of perfect is not flawless or "Leave it to Beaver" style, but simply one of happiness. Happiness with all of its messiness is, for me, knowing that life is short and the moments we choose to participate in should be purposeful and colorful. And that's perfection.

Deput of my 50mm 1.8

I'm going to keep practicing, but here are my very first shots with my new lense. I'm so excited to play with it!

This post is for Dan

Need I say more?

The Third One

The third one. I just adore this child. I simply adore him. When I think about him during the day (while hard at work, of course), I just smile. I picture him laughing. I picture his sweet little little round face with chubby cheeks and big brown eyes . . .ahhh, what an angel. I can almost smell his sweet baby scent. My sweet angel, Evan.

From the moment I walk in the door each night, I scoop him up and want to do everything else one-handed because I don't want to put him down. I love having a baby. I LOVE having a baby. I want to savor every minute with my sweet little Evan because I KNOW how quickly he will grow into toddlerhood and I will miss the innocence of this sweet little child that could once fit nicely onto my hip, comfortably allowing me to unload the dishwasher or tend to his older brothers with my other hand:)

Of course, I love all three of my children. I love each of them for their own unique style, attitude and amazing self. Without a doubt, each one brings us enlightenment and joy with his personality and unique ways. Each boy is overflowing with individualism and Dan and I just soak it up.

But there is something special about our baby Evan.

Is it because he is such a good baby? And I'm not kidding, when I say he is a good baby. A great sleeper, great eater, no fussing, no screaming . . . just a constant state of contentment and happiness. And man, can this baby smile. It doesn't matter who you are, Evan's got a smile for you. And there is nothing in the world quite like a baby's sweet smile. It can turn a mood or even an entire day around. It is a joy to travel anywhere with Evan because he smiles at everyone. At work, on elevators, getting his diaper changed. He is just an angel.

Is there something special about Evan because we are more experienced as parents? Since we have now done this "baby thing" twice before, Dan and I are keenly aware of how quickly the first year passes. It seems as though we just found out that we were expecting our third, and here he is already enjoying gourmet solid food as pictured above:) My point being, our first time as parents and to a lesser degree the second, we were nervous about doing everything "right." We took care with every step to follow orders or recommendations when Drew and Owen were little babies and before we knew it, we were celebrating their first birthdays wondering where the time went. With Evan, things just feel natural. He fit right into our family the moment I first held him. We are calm and have allowed ourselves to simply enjoy him.

Or finally, is it because I have the pending sense that he may be our last child? My last time to experience the joys of a baby's first year, to learn that I'm pregnant, to give birth, to nurse, to play . . . . . yikes - could this be a real possibility? I'm not even going to go down this path at the moment. I'm just going to enjoy my little man and this wonderful blessing God has given us.

To my sweet little Evan. My third little angel. Mommy just adores you.

Happiest I have ever been . . . .

Last night after dinner, we played outside in the backyard. Now that the weather is nicer and the sunshine lasts longer, the boys are ALWAYS asking to play outside. Drew and Owen were up and down the slide, in and out of the clubhouse, on the swings, playing with their golf clubs, "mowing" the lawn with their little mowers, you name it - they are are an active bunch with a heavy case of cabin fever still unwinding from the long winter. Dan was chasing them around the yard and getting quite a workout himself! Dan was pushing them on the swings and they would ask to go "higher, higher" and then yell out to me, "Mommy, mommy, look at me!"

With Evan cooing on my lap, I sat and watched all my "boys" (Dan included), and my heart smiled. I don't know if that's possible, but that is what I felt. It was more than a feeling of happiness; but one of completeness and it was incredible.

I have always been a happy person, blessed with wonderfully supportive family and friends and through hardwork and determination, felt as though I could do pretty much whatever I wanted to. But even throughout college, a time that I enjoyed immensely, I knew something was missing, but couldn't quite put my finger on it.

College is an interesting time in that it is your first true experience of "adulthood" and you are really out there on your own. Sure, your parents check in from time to time, but they had no idea of what I was doing on a daily basis. My life was my own. To mess up or run with. It was my own.

Fortunately, for my parents, I was an avid "studier" and worked hard to get good grades. I spent a lot of time preparing for exams (particularly, in grad school studying for the CPA exam) and found a sweet little coffee shop/bookstore called, "Pages for All Ages" that I found myself going to a lot. I would cozy up to a small table, enjoy the smell of my latte (that I'm sure I purchased on a credit card:), and watch the families with little children flood into the store. All of this relaxed me and make my work not seem so overwhelming. The sense of "family" must have been what I was drawn to in this store. I didn't know it at the time - I just knew it made me happy.

All throughout college, I soaked up every bit of "family" that I could. Although I loved U of I and my sense of "independence," I always felt sad when my parents left. One time, I even got tears in my eyes when my roommates' parents left (they definitely made fun of me for this)! Even during a semester that I spent overseas, I LOVED watching the family dynamic in every country I went to. I absolutely loved watching children with their parents and the sweet interaction that takes place between siblings when they are traveling or experiencing something new. It was in Spain that I confirmed this sense of "family" and realized what was missing. I could not wait to have my own.

Although everything came in good time - our graduations, our wedding, our first home, our first real professional jobs - nothing can compare to the moment we learned that we would be parents and even more so, the first glance we took at our new precious little babies. I had always heard that motherhood would be amazing, but I didn't realize that it was tugging at my heartstrings, even when I was only 19 years old in college! And last night, just watching my kids play and laugh, well, it made my heart swell and the sense of "family" resonated with me again. And this time, I knew that Dan and I created our very own family. I am a mother and I am certainly the "happiest I have ever been . . . "