These Little Moments...

Four years ago, I gave birth to a baby boy. There are moments from his birth-day that will forever be tiny treasures in my chest of memories. I will never forget the way my precious 3-year-old looked when she was sent in to meet her brother for the first time. I will never forget the moment that we sat together on that hospital bed as a family of four for the first time. I will never forget my husband holding our son for the first time. I could never have known, never have predicted, what my life would be like as a mother to both a daughter and a son. The shift from parenting one child to two has certainly not always been easy. Every stage and age presents new challenges and new reliefs, but the whole journey has been more beautiful and more joy-filled and more chaotic than I could have imagined, and I love it. It's the best of both worlds, a true adventure from day to day. My children are little opposites and watching them grow over these past years has been so interesting and ...

Road Trip! May 14th-17th Ashley and I recently piled our babies, our mother, and a whole bunch of luggage into my car and hit the road. Our destination was Granny, in Easton, Maryland. It was her birthday weekend and we wanted to be there with her to celebrate! Our carload, ready to go! We drove first to Virginia, where we spent the night at a hotel. We decided that breaking up the 7-hour trip might be easier with 4 children, ages 2, 3, 5, and 6. It was a fun adventure and I loved getting to spend so much time with my family! After a somewhat restful sleep... We piled back into the car and prepared for the longest stretch of our journey. We thankfully avoided traffic and arrived to Granny's that afternoon. From there, we enjoyed a wonderful visit with Great-Granny! She took each of her great-grandchildren for a one-on-one chat. I love that she gives them this attention individually. It's often very hectic when they are all together. We spe...

I took a few pictures of Gracie the day before her birthday. These were a couple of my favorites. I was pleasantly surprised when Ethan jumped into a few shots; I very rarely get pictures with both kids together AND smiling!

Last year, toward the end of the summer, Sean and I decided to make a pretty large purchase. Our brother-in-law (married to Sean's sister) was looking to sell his 19-foot Chaparral. He has taken impeccable care of this boat over the past 8 years, and he gave Sean an offer that would have been difficult to refuse. Now, I've heard it said many times that the best days of a boat owner's life are the day he buys the boat, and the day he sells the boat. We haven't quite had the boat for a full year yet, but we've already forked over hundreds of dollars for minor repairs, spent an un-calculated amount on filling the boat with gas (not to mention the car, which pulls the boat to and from the lake), and we've endured the stress that is inevitable at the boat ramp. All of that said, I can honestly say that the memories we are creating while on the boat are worth it. The boys got the boat all cleaned up and ready for this 2015 season. Sean has always been h...

Our time spent on the boat feels like a mini-vacation. I love that we are not distracted by technology, work, or to-do lists while we are enjoying lake life. Sean and I treasure this quality time with our children and each other.

Mother's Day weekend is one of my very favorite weekends of the year. I love taking a day to honor my own mother, as well as the other mothers/grandmothers in my life, and I love the opportunity to be celebrated by my own children and husband! This year, Ashley and I surprised Mom with brunch at a local tea room. This was the first time any of us had been, and it was exactly the experience we had hoped for. There were multiple rooms set up for guests, so the atmosphere felt very intimate. We talked and laughed over delicious food and hot tea in china tea cups. The only thing we were missing was my Granny. She would have loved it, and we will take her as soon as we get the chance! On Sunday, I spent the day with my family. We attended church, had lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, and then picked strawberries at a local farm. It was the perfect day! I feel so blessed to call these babies mine, and that includes my sweet fur baby, who has been through ...

I believe this is the longest I have ever gone without any updates to my blog, this precious space on the Internet that I adore. I have recently been looking back at years past and I hope with all my heart that I can pick up where I left off and make this space a priority once again. My Gracie-girl is turning 7-years-old. I have been re-reading some of the posts that I wrote back when I first began blogging, when she had just turned a year old. One of the hardest parts of looking back has been the realization that it's difficult for me to actually remember her so small. So much has taken place between then and now, including the addition of a baby brother to the family. I just remember her as such a sweet baby, shy and cautious, observant and curious. Raising her thus far (even on our toughest days) has been just the most wonderful experience and journey. We have watched her personality bloom year by year, as she begins to figure out who she is and what she likes/dislikes. ...