Two Month's Worth of Pictures

I know it's bad when my mom has completely abandoned even asking me when I might post more photos of her grandkids on the blog!  The problem?  I now have an iPhone.  It's become my primary camera, and the pictures just sit on there indefinitely.  BUT, I finally figured out that all I have to do is open my photo software when I hook my phone to my computer for updates and all the pictures are easily transferred, organized, and saved.  

So, without further ado (read: excuses), here's what our month looked like (in fairly low quality iPhone photo format):

We spent quite a few hours at the Discovery Center - Sammy loves this lesson in gears:

Clara programmed a robot to spell her name in abc blocks:

Ben goes straight to the build-your-own robot table:

Thomas follows big brother:

We spent plenty of time eating at our favorite Mexican restaurant with my sister and her family.  This little boy can put away the chips and beans like nobody's business!

Wow.  This photo is extraordinarily bad!  I drove up to Bozeman, Montana to be a part of this exciting R+F event.  This is Josh Cormany, who recently "retired" from his job because his wife was making so much $$ in this business!!  Inspiring!

The products in red are brand new (love them!):

My kids wrapped up AWANA with their end of year program.  Sammy wanted a picture of the three of us:

Thomas couldn't help but get in on the action!  This picture of him cracks me up - that little stinker has that joyful "I'm trouble" look on his face ALL the time :-)

Luke donned his old pizza place uniform and taught Sammy's preschool class how to make their own pizzas -- dough throwing included :-)

Remember Josh Cormany?  This is his wife, Nicole (and me).  Nicole and Josh came to Boise to do an event for us -- they're great!  I can't wait for the day when my paycheck allows Luke to do whatever his heart's desires.

Luke ran the Race to Robie Creek again this year (a killer 1/2 marathon).  My cousin came in from Seattle to run it with him - what a fun weekend!

It's finally nice enough to be spending some good quality time on the backyard swing with my sweet kiddos:

Sammy and Ben played soccer for the past 6 weeks.  Before it started, Sammy came up to me with this drawing and the explanation "this is my imaginary friend.  she's starting soccer soon, and she's pretty nervous."

Coloring Easter eggs:

Luke's mom came to live with us on Good Friday.  This photo was taken the day after that.  She lived with us for 3 weeks and 2 days before passing away. 

We tried to keep life as normal as possible for the kiddos while we had drama unfolding at home.  Ice cream at the mall with my little ones:

My folks came to town for a visit -- nothing like quality time with Yaya and Papa :-)  Sammy's playing a little hand game with Yaya here:

Papa and Thomas playing with colored marbles and practicing saying the names of the colors.  At one point, Papa said "What?!", and that word stuck with Thomas.  He says it JUST like my dad, and it cracks me up every time :-)

There was no reason for Sammy to worry - she was a rock star in soccer!

We had lots of fun with a new app on the iPhone :-)  Sammy:

Thomas:

Ben:

Me:

Sammy and I went to a park on her last day of preschool, and she gathered up her own little pine cone collection (which is still in a bag and sitting on the floor of my car):

Clara and Sammy and I had fun creating our own little flowered hair clips:

There were many, MANY Friday nights of homemade pizza, beer and wine.  

We lost power for about 6 hours one evening -- it was sort of fun putting candles out for light....this is Luke reading by candlelight:

SUPER-THOMAS! 

My R+F business is going strong-- in fact, it paid the mortgage while Luke stayed home from work to care for his mama for a month!  I'm so proud of my team -- they're doing such a great job of building their own teams.  One of my partners recently promoted to a Level 3 consultant (a BIG deal!), so I surprised her with this COACH purse....because you don't get to Level 3 unless you're COACHable :-)  I LOVE this business!

We had a little family move into the neighborhood --- mama bird built a nest in the wreath on our FRONT DOOR!  And now?  Babies!

And finally...school is OVER.  Daddy took the boys to do errands and treated to snow-cones....I did the same with the girls!  

Happy Summer everyone!

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Quotable Quotes

I'm afraid facebook is going to be my downfall!  It's become one of the primary ways I communicate with my friends and family, leaving my sweet little blog way behind the times!

I often hop on facebook to share the cute things my kiddos say, but fb is temporary.  This blog is a bit more lasting (I hope).  So I'm scrolling back through old fb posts and transferring a few of the "zingers" here for posterity...and for the grandparents who are not on facebook!

Here goes:

Finally, we had a warm day!  Thomas was concerned though....when noticing the sweat dripping from his head, he said with a worried look "Mama!  My body!!  It's MELTING!!"


Thomas: "Mama, Ben not wissen a me!  I tell him "SIT DOWN" and he say "No!"  Dat not nice!"  (welcome to my world, buddy) :-)

Me:  "Look at those beautiful puffy clouds, Sammy!"
Sammy:  "Yeah, they're pretty.  Maybe God put them up for us to celebrate the sno-cone shack FINALLY being open!"

I just figured out how to get the pictures off my phone and on to the computer, so stay tuned for some recent pics too...

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After...

Well, I'm not much in the mood to blog.

After going through what we've gone through in the past month, it's hard to feel like much of anything is important.  Except snuggling with my kids....telling all of my loved ones how deeply they are loved....watching the sun set...enjoying a glass of wine and rejoicing in the fact that I have this day to LIVE.

But the world didn't stop turning - although, it MIGHT have for just the briefest of moments as that last breath was exhaled and we waiting for the next....and waited....and waited...

If it did, it started right back to it's turn.  The school programs, the sports, the memorial service, more goodbyes as family went back to their (new) normal lives, the work, the laundry.  A small box wrapped in a velvet bag.

Seriously....how is it that the whole world seems oblivious to what happened in the wee hours of that sacred Monday morning?

I was existing in "crisis mode" for quite a while.  It was pretty nice - I was mostly numb and just doing what needed to be done to survive.

But now, I'm coming out of crisis mode.  Please note that this is totally and completely against my will.  I prefer crisis mode.

In crisis mode, there is just sleep....not these nightmares.  There is just laundry....not surprising myself with sobs as I catch a tiny whiff of her.  There is just music....not time travel as I'm transported back to her bedside at the sound of "Amazing Grace".  There is just our bedroom....not hers....even though I rearranged the furniture.

My brain will process, I guess.  Even if I'd rather it not.

It's not all doom and gloom.  Not by a long shot.  I'm remarkably happy.  Joyful even.  It feels amazing to be alive.  Every day feels like a miracle - precious and precarious.

Live, friends.
Love.
Leave nothing unsaid.

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