Let the games begin

So yesterday was the first day of my sweet Zaya's life where she informed me of our schedule for today. It was kind of weird. SHE made plans and reminded me of them about every hour until she fell asleep... and then she began this morning immediately upon lifting her head from the pillow.

This is what I was instructed to do: "First, we are going to the pool, then we'll come home and take a nap. After that we'll make cookies with frosting and I'll use a spreader."

Ok, so after Anna's nap this morning we headed out to the pool and ate our lunch there. Once everyone was adequately fussy we piled into the van and moved to phase 2 of the plans. Now everyone in the house is asleep so I, the puppet master, can prepare for phase 3.

Cookies are baked, frosting is colored and on the table. Now I have a moment before the cute ones wake and are ready to frost their cookies. I love that my girl likes to have a plan. I love it even more when we can allow her the freedom to make a plan and stick to it.

So now we shall frost... I bet phase 3 will be awesome!

Not perfect but its good.

Now listen, I'm no Kellie Hampton, my life isn't that 'pretty'. My life is a little messy, my kids are a little messy,my house is a little messy, my marriage is a little messy and truth be told, my faith is a little messy at times.

But, this is my life, those messy kids are the ones that God blessed me with, this house is the one that I have played in since I was a baby, JM isn't perfect and neither am I and that's what makes us interesting, and Jesus, He is the reason that I keep a smile on my face.

So, again, I'm no Kellie Hampton, but she does give me lots of inspiration into how to love on my kids and see the greatness in what may look less-than-great to others. Today was a bit too hot to get out to do anything exceptional but I didn't want the day to go by with out something fun for us to do together.

So we had a living room picnic. Very basic, but very out of the ordinary, so it was good. We ate hot dogs, popcorn and fruit, Anna ate some delish mashed up veggies and fruit and we sat on a beautiful little quilt that Mimi made for Zaya when she was a baby.

It was good to just sit and enjoy the fun with my kiddos. We need that, we need each other. If only daddy were here, it would have been a perfect little lunch.

But what did make it better was the fresh flowers that my sweet friend brought over yesterday afternoon after we had a conversation about how we both loved having fresh flowers in our house... those kinds of friends are breath taking. They minister to my soul.

So for today, happy picnicing! Summer is good here in the south, hot, but good... there is no where else I'd rather be.

Another day, another dollar... or not.

I'm tired. We're all tired. The little ones are down for a nap.

My Anna is cutting a tooth and is grumpy... that is really weird for this perpetually happy chic. She and Bean are joined at the hip these days... its constant laughter between these two :)

This one is sweet as ever. Today with her headband and sunglasses on , cellphone in the pocket and babydoll on her hip, she was being a mommy and looked like a big girl.

I love all of them separately and in a big pile on the bed. They're just lovely.

My house is a mess. And now so is my skirt. Thanks Anna. I'm going to bed and its 2:30... I may wake up

Lazy Days and Ikea

Right now its raining. A sweet, gentle, glorious rain. All three of my treasures are sound asleep in there respective quarters and I get to enjoy the quiet sounds of my dryer working away and rain lulling me into relaxation. Oh, these moments remind me to breathe. I love it. Its so good. I know everyones life is crazy but we are working to make ours less that way. I think that if we were not smacked in the face with chaos on a daily basis that would be weird but to live in constant chaos isn't healthy... for any of us. So today my job is to make a list of all the projects we want to do around the house and each weekend we are going to tackle one project and one fun adventure. This way our weekends won't escape us with out fun and memories (and hopefully cute pictures) but also we will have accomplished something and taken steps away from chaos into calm.

Last week we took a fun trip to ikea and it was such a treat and it also gave me some much need inspiration for decorating. I love ikea. Ikea makes sense. It just does. I love walking from one delightful decorating scheme to another. It just feels right. I can walk through there with so much confidence because I CAN DO THIS. Its rewarding just to know that it is a possibility. That I can simplify my clutter into a room that just makes sense. There is a light at the end of my clutter tunnel. So thank you ikea. You've done it again. The funny thing is that I walk in there with such excitement and hope and I think John Mark goes in tense and and with a death grip on his wallet! Ha! No, JM is actually the one in our fam with an amazing eye for decorating. I can copy an already well dressed room but JM he can take the pieces that we have and make it look like we MEANT to put those things together. He's great and really, he loves ikea too.

The rain continues... it is all the calm I need for today. Ahhhhhhhh...