It's the Little Things (Link Up to From the Aisle to Aloha)

So happy it's Friday for so many reasons but one of them is especially special and I want to share it with you today! One of the very cool blogs I follow From the Aisle to Aloha is hosting a brand new link up on Fridays called It's the Little Things. Lindsay is the coolest...cutest...sweetest little thing you ever did see. I love her blog...love her work...(just ordered a cutie canvas for my school room!)...love her! So...I've decided to add a little predictability (of the good sort) to my blog amongst all of the randomness and link up on Friday's from here on out. So, here goes...

Today, I am so very thankful...

...that we finished our first week of [home]school. We're all in one piece...we survived! Yay! :) Today was a short day so I thought it'd be fun to celebrate with a fun little craft project.

And wait...look.owl.adorable they look on my new art line from Maple Shade Kids!

Can you tell Hoot's is Hoot's? 

:)
I will be able to go for days on those sweet little owls...3 of my favorite little things by 3 of my favorite little people.
:)

...today, it feels like fall...and so I bought our first container of apple cider...celebrated with a wine glass full of the good stuff. THAT is a really great little thing... Cheers!

 

...Did I mention that today feels like fall?? Out goes the summer decor...to make way for the fall...my FAVORITE. I have about a million favorite little things that I'll be pulling out from storage this week...♪♫ it's the most wonderful time of the year. ♪♫ 

Bye bye summer! And take your ants with you!

...the pictures below are not of the best quality because I took them through a screen door...I didn't want them to know that I was filming them. My 3 kiddos were eating dinner on the deck and...eh hem...having a little burping contest (class acts, thank you very much!)...my son, Noah, CRACKED UP every time one of the other kids would burp. His little laugh makes me laugh...it's so infectious...when he laughs, his whole body gets involved...that twinkle in the eye and great big belly laugh make me smile...and try to capture the moment on camera...

Precious. 

It's the little things.

So, thanks for checkin' me out today...as i said, I'm linking up with Lindsay and crew on FTATA. If you wanna do the same, feel free! Lindsay is great - you'll love her. :) 

Busy Busy

My goodness, I just saw that I haven't posted in 2 weeks. Yikes! That may be a record for this blogger.

The honest truth is that...I've been busy...swamped...overwhelmed...overworked...wiped out...and then I did it all again the next day. 

We've been working on our school room for weeks...months maybe and phew - just put the finishing touches on it this morning. It's DONE. Finite. Finally. The relief is just as overwhelming as the work was and I'm honestly beat.

Unfortunately, there's no time for rest. School has begun and I.have.no.time. to myself. It's weird. But good.

For those of you that don't know and aren't pickin' up what I'm putting down, I am homeschooling 2 of my 3 kiddos this year.

Today was day 3. Can I tell you that though I am worn down to the bone and have massive dark under eye circles, I.am.LOVING.this. I just told a friend today that in all of the weeks and weeks in the last 6 1/2 years that I have been a mother, this has quite possibly been my favorite week EVER.

The first day of school, after our big room reveal for the kiddos (they lit up like their best Christmas morning, I swear - it was AWESOME), Natalie said to me, "This is the BEST DAY EVER!" and Nicolas said, "Homeschooling is so much FUN!". Seriously? Could I have sweeter kiddos? Oh my goodness. I got teary.

I'm exhausted, so these days it does not take much to make me cry but good Lord, I am so thankful that my kiddos hearts have been touched. If nothing else gets accomplished this year, that will have been enough.

Well...I AM hoping something else gets accomplished...

After all...we bought a lotta books...

So, please forgive me...if you are a regular follower and you've been checking in wondering what's up, I promise to return soon...don't give up on me!

I have a big school room reveal for ya! I'm tellin' ya what...it's awesome. I'm not sure it's kosher to say that about a room that I did but too bad. I love it. I'm super proud of it and super thankful to those who helped me make my dream school room become a reality. Can't wait to show you guys! :)

So...keep your eyes peeled...I'm hoping to have the reveal post up sometime this week...or maybe over the weekend...or maybe early next week...or next month...lol ;)

Oh alright...sorry...I am non-committal. How about a little sneak peek to satisfy (or peak) the curiosity?

:)

Wordless Wednesday

So proud that she got dressed all by herself...I love that she added that flower pin... :)

He is so handsome..............he is after all, his daddy's son.................

How Do You Like 'Dem Apples?

"Don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me." 

- The Andrews Sisters

Just a couple of pictures from last evening...

I'm so thankful for my kiddos and for "our" cornfield (actually currently soybeans)...which has proven to be the very best child's playground...

Click on the picture to make it larger

Click on the picture to make it larger

Click on the picture to make it larger

Let Them Be Little...

...cause they're only that way for a while.

Best Friends: Natalie and her cousin, Madison

Nicolas

Our cousin, Emmy Grace

Two Peas In A Pod: Emmy and Noah

He's a bit of a screamer...lol

They have SO much fun together.

Nic gave our time at the park, two thumbs up

My boys

And thank you for a house full of people I love.  Amen.  

~ Terri Guillemets

Potty Talk

Yay! Mr. Noah used the potty today...TWICE! 

We're so proud...

Off to the park to celebrate with our awesome Aunt Julie and cousins, Madison and Emily! :)

Evidence

Nicolas:

"Moooooooom! Natalie was playing with your camera!"

 

 

Hmmmmm...did she somehow manage to find the self-timer button (which still often eludes me) and position herself perfectly within the frame or is it possible that this criminal had an accomplice? 

Who's hand is reaching for the forbidden glue stick?  I'll need to dust that for finger prints. Oh, who am I kidding...I don't dust. 

Trying to black out the security camera I see...
 

I don't need a head to know who's wearing that outfit...baseball pants...soccer shirt...

BUSTED. 

According to the evidence, Miss Natalie Rose is not the only perpetrator in this case. 

Nicolas Angelo is to be found GUILTY AS CHARGED of distorting the truth.

Next time...if you don't want to get caught, make sure to delete the evidence...der.

;)

Kinda like the time that Natalie SWORE up and down that her baby brother was the one who wrote NATALIE all over the dining room, living room, foyer and kitchen walls.

If you are going to try to pass it off like you didn't do it...don't sign your work! 

Any good criminal knows that! 

:) 

happy birthday America

God bless America,
Land that I love,
Stand beside her and guide her
Thru the night with a LIGHT FROM ABOVE.
From the mountains to the prairies,
To the oceans white with foam,
God bless America,
My home sweet home.

Have a very Happy Fourth everyone!

XO

It's parades, picnics, pools and patriotism for us today...
let freedom ring!

:)

Tuesday Tidbit

I've been a member of Bloggy Mom's for about a month now and quite honestly, I'm really not sure how to use it.

However, I just took a peek at my friend, Julie's, blog and she linked up to Bloggy Moms with a "Tuesday Tidbit" post...so, I'm gonna be a copy cat and do the same... (hi, Julie!)

google.com image

I LOVE THUNDERSTORMS...the crazier the better. When I was a kid, I was scared to death of them, of course...always thinking that with the storm would come the end of the world. To a kid, that is what it sounds like. In fact, my 5 year old daughter just said to me, "Mommy, God must be REALLY mad!!!" My mom used to try to comfort me during a storm by saying that the "angels were bowling" and when lightening struck, they got a strike! The story didn't comfort me all that much as a child but now that I'm older, I can appreciate the humor.

My older two children have never been very afraid of storms - I think perhaps following in my grown up footsteps by getting excited rather than scared. Children really do sense what we as parents are feeling and take their cue from our attitudes and behavior.

Most of the time anyway.

With my youngest son, Noah, he doesn't care if we are throwing the storm a party...he's not having any of it. When storms strike, he comes running...and screaming...and crying...and shaking. It has just stopped storming here but just a few moments ago, my baby was literally unable to be pried off of me. His little arms had a death defying Kung Fu grip around my neck. Even when I went around to close the windows, he LITERALLY held onto my leg for dear life. The poor thing was scared stiff.

And can I be honest?

I love that.

I love being needed by him. My older two children never seemed to NEED me all that much. They seem so grown up at their young ages but Noah...he's a big 3 year old now and still needs me now as much as he did as an infant.

When their grandma's are around, my older two...if hurt...run to them instead of me most of the time. Which makes me sad...and admittedly a little miffed. (which is probably an immature thought, I know - I should just be happy that they have healthy grandparents in their lives that love them)

But not Noah...when Noah is tired...or sad...or hurt...or scared...he comes to me. No one else will do.

It makes me feel really good.

So...bring on those thunderstorms...I know that God is in control...and it's probably not the end of the world...but it does bring with it some Mommy and baby bonding time that reminds me that I'm needed...and loved...and I need that too...probably just as much as he does.

XO

Birthday at the Beach

Today is a smooth white seashell, hold it close and listen to the beauty of the hours. - unknown

On June 24th, 2008, I got the very best birthday present I could have ever received...life. Not only mine but my sweet son's as well. I'll never forget that day. Since we already had a boy and a girl, we decided to let the sex of the baby be a surprise...after I delivered the baby, my husband shouted out..."It's a boy!" and I said, "Oh yeah! I forgot that we didn't know!" Haha! Oh what labor and delivery will do to you. ;) 3 years later, I am still celebrating his life as much as I did that day and even more. Noah Alexander is my birthday gift from God. :) We had a small celebration at my parents house on Friday evening but Friday morning for a short while was all mine. That is one thing about sharing a birthday with someone in your family, you don't get that "my day" moment anymore. And that is okay, don't get me wrong but it's still nice to be able to eek out a little time in the day for myself...to take a deep breath and thank the Lord for another year of this precious life. So, on Friday morning, that is exactly what I did. We happened to be in Long Beach Island, NJ that day and so I woke up early and walked up to the beach...careful not to wake anyone else who might want to join me...

I love the beach. And I always forget just how much I love it until I'm there...

Dear Lord, thank you for being my Lifeguard in this crazy sea of life...

If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. - Psalm 139: 9-10

Footprints in the sand...in moments like this when I'm alone and I don't have any distractions around me...I wonder who these footprints belong to...I believe that this one is that of a child...could it have possibly belonged to one of my children from the day before?

“Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone.”

--Anonymous

On my way *home*, I stopped to admire this shell lined walkway...even little beach shanty's like this one are quaint in a beach town...shabby chic in it's truest form...

Isn't it amazing how flowers grow at the beach despite the sandy soil? Especially hydrangeas...my favorite flower...they just thrive...

My soul thrives there as well...

...but my hair...not so much. ;)

XO

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover.
- Mark Twain