Seven Days

This week, we painted some lions...rawr. 

Hit up the DQ for some Dilly Bars (2 mint and 1 cherry) and an Oreo blizzard.

Woke up with some photo worthy bed head.

Built these things.

Went to the zoo.

Had a snowstorm.

Started our 27th week of school.

Made and ate ALL of these babies.

Stood up in sun roof...at night and in our jammies.

Picked up some new park buckets and shovels-1 per grasshopper.

Mastered the art of playing Checkers.

Took a selfie.

Sat in a cave.

And went back to the zoo...again. 

What'd you do with your last seven days?

Life at an iPhone Glance

To say that a lack of photos and storyline on this little blog of mine makes me sad would be a tremendous understatement. I am back at the point of logging in once or twice a week, only to log out again, eyes heavy and mind mushy and the resolve to, "get to it tomorrow." Only tomorrow never comes. But I do love this space. I love writing and reminiscing and looking at years past and my babies. So I'm determined to press on, even if I do only end up writing in run-ons and the pictures are iPhone grainy because even though I've only been at this motherhood thing for just about six years, I'm wise enough to know that babies don't keep.

The following are my usual phone photo specials...just a few peeks into what has been going on around here lately. First up? Grace needs an intervention. Seriously. Light sabers are her newest thing. And have I mentioned she can hum the Star Wars theme song? True story. Anyway, two weeks ago, we had a couple of boys stay with us for a few days while their momma and daddy were visiting a sick family member.

That means I had five boys 9 and under and enough Legos and Nerf guns to choke Jabba the Hutt. It was something to behold. And the food? My word, the FOOD. Grace held her own, however, and often times was right in there with them. 

My Dolly has also been quite the book junkie lately. Little Blue Truck, Goodnight Moon, and a color picture book are amongst her fav's. However, I had to laugh when her semi-pushy request to sit and "reed it" turned up this little gem. I have to say, with as intense as things can get around here at times, I am so grateful for moments of lightheartedness. I've been thinking a lot about what Proverbs 17:22 says. "A cheerful heart is good medicine but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Small as they may be, things like this certainly help encourage a happy heart. 

In all seriousness though, Gracie is just as sweet as pie. While we have been having a few of the terrible-two's standoff's and mischief making (think toothbrushes in the toilet), she is just such a precious addition to our otherwise rough and rowdy bunch. She loves her babies and particularly tucking them in. In fact, the other day while I was getting ready I almost responded in great frustration at her taking down the bath mat for the thousandth time that morning. Instead I bit my tongue and casually asked her what she was doing only to notice that she had tucked a tiny doll in under the mat and was stroking its head and whispering, "shhhhhh." Such a little momma.

 And just like her brothers, she is growing up sitting on the counter in a pile of flower. This was our only photo of making Valentine's Day cookies. Check out those delicious flour coated tootsies.

Does anyone else love the way their kids take shape and get comfortable when it's read aloud time? This is quickly becoming one of my favorite things. They just all pile in/on/around however they can. This night's reading time included auditorium style seating.

And now as a parting gift, I leave you with my most favorite-st four year old. Boy seriously has commitment issues when it comes to dress up. Today's ensemble draws from Darth Vader and a construction worker. It's his most beloved combo right now. To make it extra Judah, whenever he puts it on he asks me 749 times if he, "wooks wike a worker, mama?!" Oh, Judah.