Paris - my love

Anyone that knows me knows I love to travel, my one dream is to travel Europe, but this dream has been put on hold while we enjoy the season of parenthood. I would never be able to leave them to travel oversees so until the older I dream.... And decorate :-). Sylvie's room is one of my happy places. Her room makes me smile! We have been wanting to paint a mural on the wall but haven't had time. Today I found the coolest Eiffel Tower! My favorite Craigslist find ever!!! When she saw it her response was " that's a big Eiffel Tower" and all smiles! Looks the mural will be painted around it :-)




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Fall - oh how I love thee!

We have made it a tradition to spend Thanksgiving with Dandy and GranDawn. The kids love it and I love getting out of town for a bit! One of the highlights of our trip this year was stopping at Lamberts on the way. Daddy loved it he said it reminded him of home. Gideon wasn't too thrilled at the fact that people were going to throw bread at him, but quickly joined the game.








The kids love the house in Memphis since it has a wonderful fenced yard and a great park across the street.










Friday is spent with the MS family which is also a highlight!

Great food, memories and shopping = a great weekend!

Spin

I love dressing my kids and anyone that knows me knows I would rather spend money on their clothes than my own, from the time they were small after I finished getting them ready I would have them spin and i would say "oh so handsome" or "oh so pretty" and they smile so big!

Tonight I went to dinner with a friend and instead of wearing the normal jeans and a sweater I decided to dress up, when I walked down the stairs G said "Mommy spin" I can honestly say I did without even thinking and when he I stopped he said "Oh so pretty" ...... Lets just say this little guy melted my heart in more ways than you can even imagine!



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Just pictures I love - of the people I love

Fall!!! So long great summer.

So this summer I decided to lay low, instead of doing the inviting, I decided to be the invited. I didn't plan playdates or organize parties or huge girls nights. I just went with the flow. I felt like if someone wanted to see me/us that they would could initiate it. You may call this being a bad friend, but I think there comes a time in life that you need to just be still. One of my favorite verses is "Be still and know that I am your God". This has been a year of resting for me. I didnt over schedule or feel the need to go to every cool event. I just mentally rested. If someone called to ask to do something, I would return the favor and call them the next time, but wouldnt invite everyone to join us. I can say that it has turned out sort a interesting. Some friends that I thought would call, never called and some that I hadnt heard from in months suddenly started calling. Some friendships strengthened and some grew more distant.

I feel this has been a summer of growth for me. My house feels so much like home, projects have been started and completed. I told Josh several years ago that I wanted our children to love and be proud of our home. Not that we have the biggest or the smallest house on the street, but that this house was their home. A place to rest and feel loved. I know that every generation is different, but I remember that growing up we did fun things on the weekend as a family with family friends. I want my children to find more enjoyment and contentment playing in their rooms / backyard as they do playing at the park. I want them to treasure each other as a playmate more than than the friends down the street. I know they are little but I think this year they have. Gideon school has VIP night and he got to choose one special person to go with him and he chose his sister. I mentioned several friends to him, Aunts, Uncles, cousins and friends and his response was "Mommy - Sissy is my berry important person". I hope and pray that they always have this closeness.

Sylvie's first vacation

So after not having a vacation in over two years, we thought it was time.... And oh what a great time we are having!





















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Stolen phone

I have been making it a habit to go through my pictures weekly on my cell phone.

Apparently some kids had some fun with my phone when we were out with their parents last week.




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Playhouse Project

We found this playhouse for 50.00, can of 7.00 red spray paint for the roof, and 11.00 for stain. Turned a faded house into an almost new playhouse! Kids love it.




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I still need to stain the door but I dropped that stain all over my foot! So that is a different day :-)

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A little elbow grease and paint!

I have to say I love the extra time I have with being off work, for once in my life I have had time to work on projects! My latest addiction has been spray paint!! Or refinishing furniture. Check out some of my latest projects!







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Will post more later! Let's just say I am loving being home :-)

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Swimming and Tater tots

Today was Gideon's first swimming lesson, and he was very excited to be there. He smiled the entire time (except when he got water in his eyes, he hates that). Here he is getting ready to practice kicking.




After kicking, he did some laps with the swim bars. He was so proud after one that he jumped out, ran over to me, pulled my hands apart, gave me a high five, then ran back over and jumped back in. Here is some video of him smiling and swimming with a little help:

After that lap he jumped out, ran over, hugged me, and said "I love you, Dad" in his best cool voice, then ran back again. I think he had a great time.

On the way home we had a thrilling recap of his love for tater tots as we passed Sonic.
G: I really love tater tots. They ARE my favorite thing ever. I wish there was a whole city of tater tots. I would eat it all up. I would eat the whole world. The buildings and everything.
J: The people would have nowhere to live then? They would scream and run, yelling no, don't eat our houses giant Gideon! But you would be like, "Nom Nom Nom!"
G: I would just eat the houses and things too.
J: what about the people? Would you turn them into tater tots too?
G: yeah, I would eat everyone except Mommy and Daddy. Sylvie and I would eat them. And we would eat Mommy and Daddy too actually.
J: oh no! Then we would have to fight you. We would make giant ketchup guns to shoot you!
G: well, my guns would have cheese and mustard in them to shoot you with!!!

At this point I just have him a high five for awesomeness.

Swimming and Tater tots

Today was Gideon's first swimming lesson, and he was very excited to be there. He smiled the entire time (except when he got water in his eyes, he hates that). Here he is getting ready to practice kicking.




After kicking, he did some laps with the swim bars. He was so proud after one that he jumped out, ran over to me, pulled my hands apart, gave me a high five, then ran back over and jumped back in. Here is some video of him smiling and swimming with a little help:

After that lap he jumped out, ran over, hugged me, and said "I love you, Dad" in his best cool voice, then ran back again. I think he had a great time.

On the way home we had a thrilling recap of his love for tater tots as we passed Sonic.
G: I really love tater tots. They ARE my favorite thing ever. I wish there was a whole city of tater tots. I would eat it all up. I would eat the whole world. The buildings and everything.
J: The people would have nowhere to live then? They would scream and run, yelling no, don't eat our houses giant Gideon! But you would be like, "Nom Nom Nom!"
G: I would just eat the houses and things too.
J: what about the people? Would you turn them into tater tots too?
G: yeah, I would eat everyone except Mommy and Daddy. Sylvie and I would eat them. And we would eat Mommy and Daddy too actually.
J: oh no! Then we would have to fight you. We would make giant ketchup guns to shoot you!
G: well, my guns would have cheese and mustard in them to shoot you with!!!

At this point I just have him a high five for awesomeness.

Nap time

G- Mommy can we take a nap together in Sissy's new bed.




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Great day for a tea party.

Hats required!


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A typical night!

When it comes to being a dad, my husband is the best. I love this picture.




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Easter Party

Today was such a great day! I love holidays and I love holiday parties. Let's be honest I love parties, if I was to chose a career it would be an event planner. I may choose that when I grow up :-).

Anyway back to the party, this year the group was smaller due to friends moving and preschool schedules, but it was a total blast! The kids are getting older too so it seems like there is more time to visit with friends than to chase kids. I was scared it was going to rain but thankfully it didn't ! It turned out to be the perfect day!

I realize every day my kids are growing up and I want them to have the best memories. I know I do!

Last year!





This year!

5 years

Yesterday marked the death of a very special person to us. My husband called her Mom, I called her Pat and my children refer to her to as Meme.
I can't say I knew her for years in fact I didn't even know her long at all. In less than a year of meeting her I was helping care for her, Cancer is such a horrible disease and when it struck her it struck hard. It had no compassion and no delay. She went from being vibrant to being exhausted, from strong to weak all in less than six months.
She found out about the disease on Thanksgiving and by New Years she needed almost 24/7 care. This week I have pondered a lot of the advice she gave me or the things she said the last couple weeks when due to the medicine she would be awake all hours of the night.and they bring a smile to my face.
She will always be special to me because she raised a wonderful person who I call my husband.
Rest in Peace, Pat.

Christmas Shopping in March

Our children received several gift cards for gifts at Christmas this year and we decided to hold off on spending them till there was something they needed. G has outgrown his bike so we went bike shopping last night. There were two bikes he narrowed it down to the bumble bee and the hot wheels. He was so cute the whole time he kept asking me and Josh which one we liked best. The hot wheels one won out due to the fact it had cool hand breaks.




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Sylvie spent her money on a new pink bug! She was super cute about it every time we put her down she ran straight back to the aisle. She is still a little bit too little but it will be ready for her when she is ready!




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Five Wonderful, Perfect Years

Dated for 7 months, engaged for 3 months, married for five years, two children. There has never been a single time I have regretted a moment of it. I guess that is what happens when you make the perfect decision. Life ends up perfect.




- this is was the first picture taken of us! And still my favorite.

Happy Anniversary to the love of my life!

So sick!

So we had a wonderful weekend and two kids woke up sick. G started coughing last night and Sylvie woke up from her nap sick. You know your kids are sick when the peditrician walks in and says "looks like we are going to need several antibiotics" without even examining them :-(










Hopefully My little sweeties will feel better soon!