Wordless Wednesday

So glad you're back

Putting Things Together

 First of all, my man wrote an Article in the Arizona Republic yesterday! 

I'm so proud of him!

 

I've been fascinated in watching Jack see how things fit together. There's an endless world of possibilities! Cups, bowls, bottles, pacifiers, food, things in a basket, etc, etc. I'm not one to constantly be in "teacher-mode" with Jack. I love simply watching him discover and adventure on his own. (I do try to put my teacher hat on every so often...but, I'm not a teacher to begin with. ;) More of an imagine-er.

How do they grow so fast? How does time just leak out of our hands as each day they change and grow and learn something new? Will all of life be like this?

. . . 

 

Just a few stops I really loved in life...

My Grandpa and Grandma

My childhood best friend, Holly aka fellow Hanson lover

Riding my brother's bike + cabbage patch

My little sister Maggie and I

In Colorado on vacation with my brothers Andy and Justin

I told you earlier about how nostalgic I am. The crazy thing is I truly love each transit in life. (Ok, that's not true. The middle school stop was not my favorite.) But nearly every adventure was great. I did, however, always tend to look to this future. To the future that included marriage, a journey with my husband and lover and children along for the ride. Now that it's here I can feel time slipping through my fingers and sometimes I wish I could chase after it (like in this incredible movie) but then I remember all that there is ahead of us. I'm excited to see how it all fits together, too. 

I'm thankful that this journey isn't our Home and it isn't the ultimate destination. However great it is while we are here, it's meant to be a passing thing. I am so thankful for the destination that lies ahead. Today, I'm mediating today Philippians 3

This isn't the last stop. There is more than this.

My 6 months in Ukraine with a young family

Yanya and I trying to keep warm in a Ukraine

Dear friend Kate before I left for Ukraine

Our engagement

My dear friend Teri and I

The CP'S from Capernwray

That little window in the top middle was my bedroom window for 3 months

High School friends

80's Dance Party long ago

note: all of these pictures are pre-marriage. I don't think  a post can contain the stops I've LOVED since marrying John and starting life with him.

. . .

Oh, we are currently loving at our home B&Body Works Leaves candle. Fall is here!  

Happy Autumn!

Abundance

CANNING.

not for the faint hearted.

I recently found a photo challange called Sunday Creative in which you take pictures that have to do with a certain word. This weeks word was ABUNDANCE.

Yesterday I had two dear friends over to embark on a journey of a lifetime. 

It was awesome.

Hot? Yes. Tiring? YES. So worth it? Definitely.

Not only was there an abundance of cans, carrots, garlic, peaches, apples, grapes and strawberries, but there was also an abundance of CHILDREN. Each one, so precious. They decorated the home with their hilarious nicknames, snacks galore, toys everywhere, tired melt downs and teething troubles. I think that was about as close as I'll get to feeling like a mom of seven children with no air conditioning and canning for 6 or 7 hours. MAYBE.

 

This week at Madeline Bea's Abundance

You Capture - Flowers

Flowers don't really sing to me. When I'm walking, I don't typically stop to smell them or pick them. I'm not sure why this is, it just is. I totally get it that some people just love them, but they just don't...do much for me.

However, what DOES sing for me is when I buy a small bouquet of $4.99 flowers from the grocery store and put them on our kitchen table. Every time (ok, most times) I walk in the door I see these beautiful little stems of the outdoors and I try to take it in. 

Again, we live in Arizona so there isn't a TON of growing beautiful flowers out here. Oh, unless you mean the yellow flowers weeds that live all across our yard. Hey, they're better than rocks. ;)

Oh, and you know what else I love? When my man surprises me with some. ....yeah, that doesn't happen too much. That's okay, I don't really dig them much anyway.

Happiness Project: episode 3

Because...let's be honest...who enjoys play dates more? Me or Jack? I'd say, me. 

What could be better than laughing with friends, enjoying grilled cheese sandwiches and letting the difficult baby-morning drift away? (Who needs those mornings, anyway?) 

Thank you, Lord for such times.

Today is just Today

 
How to tell that Jackboy is teething...

...when I give him a bath he sucks on the washcloth for long periods of time humming to himself. the kid loves wash clothes! Lately he's been known to carry around a (dirty) dish towel and whip it around like a cape. I tried giving him a blanket, but it just isn't the same thing. Currently? He is gnawing on a Mum-Mum Vegetable style.

...I often find Jack with all of his fingers in his mouth- - -gagging himself! What is that about?

...Please come soon teethers. Jack is so fussy today.

Favorite pandora station as of late?

ingrid michaelson

michael giacchino

have yourself a merry little christmas (it really does give you the best christmas music out there.)

Sleeping?

...is getting better. He still snuggles closely between us and I love it. Last week I tried getting up with him in the night to feed him and putting him back in his crib after, but it just didn't happen. After an hour of trying he ended up with John, in the guest bed. Let's just say it was nice to have the bed all to myself.

The Paper Mama Photo Challange : Fingerprint

Just for fun...

this is how my kiddo spends most of his mornings. Reaching for food. Raisins seem to be his favorite lately.

Mellow Yellow Monday

John and I are nearing the end of the last Harry Potter book. We have listened to it on audio book (well, not really. I read along while he listens. I just can't miss a word.) And. It. Is. Intense. 

We've read the series together and held off reading this book for a long time, simply because that would mean the journey has come to end. That's never very easy for me to accept. John told me the other day, "I think you enjoy the journey so much just so you can look back and live in it for a while longer." I smiled. That is so true. I love me some good nostalgia.

However, like most good things (vacations, sleeping, showers and books...that's pretty much my list these days.)  all good things must come to an end. Therefore, it is time for Harry to come to his end. And we've pressed pause with about 20 pages left. I just want to draw it out a litttttle bit longer. Come on, people, it's a good book!

That all to say, while we were listening I saw Jack playing with his toys and the yellow bucket and I snapped a quick picture. The bucket radiates the sunshine. It's the simple things.

 

The Happiness Project : episode 2

Kiddopotamus-genius

On our recent vacation I went a little nuts-o with packing. It was our first road trip with Jack and I wanted to make sure we had everything. So, I downloaded this incredible packing list and spent a day getting everything together. Boy, did I feel prepared. After stuffing our Maxima full of the "essentials" I quickly realized one thing we were missing. (John was quite surprised by this, as he was sure NOTHING else would fit into the car.) 

I knew we would be eating out a lot and public tables aren't the most sanitary of things so I needed some sort of thing for Jack to eat on. (I've found being a young mom there's always one more thing to need...aka want.) But some sort of reusable mat would be great to have.

I was wishing I had THIS when, would you believe it, I found one at a used kid's store in San Diego. 2.95 was that little gem! THREE DOLLARS, PEOPLE! John was happy, I was happy, and Jack thought the little rubber gutter was the best chew toy around.

I totally recommend it. We used it every day (and then at my parent's house for a couple of days.) 

When I was 12 years old I was convinced that if Holly and I met the teeny bopper band Hanson we would be instant best friends with them. We would laugh at the same jokes, like the same kind of music and enjoy the same kind of foods (what else is there at 12?) And whatever happens in the future happens, right? Falling in love at the age of 12 HAS happened before, right?

Not with world famous teenyboppers.

When I think of those forming pre-teen years the first thing that comes to my mind is Hanson. I think about their music, their long hair (and all the teasing that I got because I liked them) and the fact that we were all the same age. For me, it was more than a crush. They were like (somehow) brothers, friends and people getting to live a dream I often pretended in front of my bathroom mirror. Holly (my childhood best friend) and I were a little….extreme. And we loved every second of it.

This last Tuesday my sister and I went to our first concert together (not my first Hanson concert, but her’s.) It was so hilariously fun. Somehow, I felt twelve again. We danced, sang, swooned just for the fun of it and screamed at the top of our lungs. It helps keep me young. The 18 year old girl next to me was shocked when she found out I was 25.

“ You are 25?!” She shrieked. “You don’t LOOK 25!” 

I said thank you and sulked a little deeper in my chair. I felt too old for this. By the way, the 18 year old sweet hear t who sat next to me didn’t really know who Hanson was and preferred the opening band.

“You are going to go crazy when they come on stage, aren’t you?” She asked at one point.

“Better believe it, girl!”

The concert was incredible. Besides the fact that the guys couldn’t get over my screaming sister who kept insisting on saying “I LOVE YOU!” every time there was a moment of silence, it was an overall grand time.

Afterwards we waited outside to meet them. (Hey, I didn’t come all that way for nothing!) While we were waiting we talked with other long-time fans who all had babies at home (or were pregnant) and how long we’ve been lovin’ this band. It was amusing to say the least.

And we DID meet one of them (Taylor) and we DID drive home singing to Middle of Nowhere at 12:30am. Annnd…reality was waiting for me once I got there in the form of a 10 month old who had woken up to eat. It was like a time machine, that concert. It really was. Thanks for the adventure.

That has serious GLEE written all over it. So cheesy, but so fun.

You Capture - Your Choice!

These are just little gems in the midst of a quickly passing life. Slow down, life. Please slow down for a little bit. Jack is almost one!

Just too funny to pass up.

A surfer heading down to the setting sun

La Jolla. Some serious beauty. Seals splashing on those rocks...it was incredible.

Jackboy snuggling up. His first time on the beach!

With his dad. Watching the waves crash and clinging tightly to comfort.

A Father and his son

My favorite part. Killer whales close enough to touch (but thankfully not.) I have such a weird fascination/fear of those beasts. They are incredible creatures.

You Capture - Signs

Last week we were in San Diego for a little vacay. It was delightful. Low 70's weather, mostly sunny and lots of good food and quality time with my man and little Jack. While there, it wasn't hard to find a bajillion signs. Here are a few.

Jack's dirty shoes. So precious.

Our favorite little bakery to get morning donuts

While at my parents I saw the mug from our years in Kansas. So true.

Our trip to the zoo. Nice Edward Scissorhands-esque Elephant

This was before we had even left the driveway

Tired little boy

California is beautiful. We are loving every second. The nice 70 degree weather and walk on the beach made for a blissful day.

John walking Jack to sleep...end of a great day.