Perfect~ What's that?!

A recent conversation with a sweet friend of mine got me to thinking about my blog here. Now this blog serves a few different purposes, but one of them is most definitely not to proclaim a life of perfection. Sure there are days that seem dang near perfect, but those days are few and far between. I guess I just figure everyone knows that, and spare you the nitty~gritty details of tantrums, overwhelming laundry piles, scrubbing toilets, and cleaning poop{!} off the carpet. {gotta love potty-training} Motherhood is not glamorous. I learned that early on in my career:) But I feel a little misunderstood, so just to clarify~ I cherish motherhood, and believe it is a gift. Does this mean I am a perfect mom, and never lose my patience~ i wish! Does it mean motherhood is easy? ha! quite possibly the hardest thing I have ever done. I think the things in life you work the hardest for, produce the greatest rewards. Motherhood is rewarding, it is fun, and a great blessing. Of all of the amazing happenings in my life, none are more amazing to me than my children. If ever I am having a hard day or running low on patience, I remind myself just how precious they are. Not only to me, but in the sight of God. For they are ultimately His. Children know pure and simple joy. We can be reminded to stop and find that joy in our busy 'adult' lives, through them. You know I love Pinterest:) One of the first things I ever pinned was this darling quote~

I love it so much. It is our natural tendency to look at everyone around us, and compare. We are our greatest critics, and can easily believe that we don't have enough, or do enough, or do it well enough. I think true happiness comes from knowing who you are. Knowing that we are all individual and unique, and that is such a great thing! How stale would life be if we were all the same, had the same talents, style, strengths, and interests? If our children were perfectly behaved, and never rocked the boat!? It would be lame~ for sure:) A little chaos does us all some good. Sometimes we have to dig reeeally deep, and find the strength we didn't even know we had, and use it! It is awesome. And you are all awesome!

And my kiddos are awesome! Can you believe this weather? ha! this was actually a few weeks ago, and it is snowing cats and dogs right now:)

Rylie mastered her Chinese splits~ she is pretty pumped about it.

Kaden is giving me the, 'okay, enough! mom' look...

See~ simple joy...

Rylie getting mad at Parker because he landed on her leg:)

Air~born baby boy...

silly kiddos~

So just because I like to focus on the positive and highlight our funnest in doings, certainly does not mean that I won't be refereeing a kid~fight in the next few minutes, or eating waaay too much chocolate {because the hubs is out of town and I'm flyin' solo}, and that is what gets me through:) I just figure, parenting is a one shot deal. There are no re~do's. I don't want to look back on these sweet moments with my kiddos and have regrets. I want to savor their smallness, their innocence, their joy. Even though that means enduring their tantrums, demands, and dependency. Always focus on the good, because there is always good to be found. Sometimes you just have to look a little harder for it;)

Our life is perfect, because it is imperfect. You know?

And that is exactly what it is supposed to be.

~xo

A belated report~

Please excuse me while I make an attempt to play catch~up on the ol' blog here. Last week was nut-so, and then i was sick-o~ nasty flu, no fun. But before I can move on, I have got to report on our Halloween-y fun. First off, the family shin~dig...

{note: the flash on my camera is indeed broken. i feel lost, or naked, or something. he's my right hand man... going into the shop asap!}

We had an amazingly spooky feast of bloody eyeballs{turkey meatballs in marinara}, soup with witchy finger bread sticks, spinach salad, creepy devilled~eyeballs, spider~web dip, chips and queso, little mummies, and homemade rootbeer. The weather was fantastic!

Candace and Austy~ so cute

Parker and Bode were so {and that is an understatement} excited to see each other all decked out as Buzz Lightyear...

Austy and Halli being their girly~selves...

Love when all of these crazy cousins get together. The Judge and Parke, Kade and Kole playing the mummy wrap game, and Rylie with Alie Jo and Sophie...

After church on Sunday we carved up some pumpkins. Parker says, "Mom, when you put a face on a punkin, den it becomes a jack-o-lantern!" Love that boy.

Kade and Rylie diggin' out their pumpkin guts~

and voilà!

Some posing with our pumpkins, oh! i mean jack-o-lanterns...

Daddy getting them all situated, while the kiddos monkey around...

All ready for Halloweeeen {in my best creepy voice}...

Nothin' beats bed~head and skeleton jammies on Halloween morning:)

The day was awesome, no school. Gotta love that! We played outside in the beautiful weather. Parker's preschool had a little trick-or-treat activity that we wandered down the street for. He was pretty stoked to see his best friend Woody...

Then, as per tradition, we went to see my darling Grandma. She loves to see the kiddos in their costumes, and they love to see her. We had a few treats, a few snuggles, a good conversation, and then it was time to go meet up with our Daddy for some grub!

Good ol' Warren's gives a free kids meal to kiddos in costume, and I can't resist a lime-ricky~ so naughty, but so tasty.

Have I mentioned how fabulous the weather was? Ha! I literally stood outside with my bucket of treats, because I couldn't bear to waste such a beautiful night sitting inside.

The kiddos, all ready to go...

Kade took off with a group of friends, and Nic took the younger two trick-or-treating. It sort of broke my heart to see Kaden wanting to just go out on his own, but I remember the days:)

Me and Sis have a little tradition. Parker usually tuckers out, so Nic brings them home... and then we girls go out, and I take her to all of the best spots {you know, the house that is haunted, and the coolest candy:)} It's our thing, and I love it.

And then we come home, and eat waaay too much candy~ eek!

All in all~ i'd say it was a great weekend. Something about Halloween that is just so much fun. It is definitely one of our favorite holidays...

until next year!

~xo

Traditions

I love traditions. Some are ever-changing, and some are stuck like glue. Black Island Farm is a keeper, and has been a place of many fun memories for our family over the years. The other night was our annual rendezvous with Nic's family for some pumpkin-filled, hay-ridin', slippery-slidin', pig-racin', corn-tossin', donut eatin' good times...

It is so fun to see how our family has evolved. This year all of the kiddos were mobile, and everywhere! We had a heck of a time keeping track of them all:)

Ry-bug doin' a little slidin'~

Alie Jo and Ry-bug, some swinging action~

sweet Wyatt, love this boy...

Kade had a birthday party for his buddy Jarron at the farm, so we met him there and this is what we found. I've said it once, and I'll say it again~ I adore this group of boys. They are the best, and I am so grateful that Kade has them:)

Parker lovin' up on Bode~ these two are obsessed with Toy Story at the moment, and it is pretty much all they talk about. "To finity and beyon!" over and over, it melts my heart.

Boys being boys~ I promise it wasn't that long ago that Kade and Kole were the infamous Buzz and Woody in action. Ah, where does the time go?

Somethin' about a big sandbox full of corn kernels that just makes me feel like a kid again. Oh, how i love the fall...

It makes my heart happy to see my kiddos beaming with joy as they run and play with their cousins, footloose and fancy free. Nothin' better I tell ya.

Thanks to Gramy and Papa for yet another fun adventure~ you guys are the best!

Today is Halloween~

Jack-o-lanterns are in place, candy bowl is full, costumes are ready, and kiddos are out of school! It is going to be a good day, i can feel it!

Hope you all have a Happy Halloween!

~xo

Parke's first fieldtrip ~

It has been five years and counting, that at least one or more of my children have had a field trip to the local farm for some pumpkin picking good times. I don't know what it is about sitting on that hay-ride, taking in the crisp fall air, and admiring the unbelievable beauty around me, but I look forward to it every year.

Hmm... some serious deliberation over which pumpkin to pick:)

Rylie and her bestest gal~pals from the hood. These girls are inseparable, we are so blessed to have such great neighbors.

Parke was having no part in that girl business, i can't blame him. He is a man's~man:)

Some bull-riding, and hay-picking~

And we can't forget the baby animals~ always a huge hit with the kiddos. This little goat was a hungry fella...

I would have to say that Parker's first field trip was a great success. I just wish i could pause him right where he is, although it's mighty fun to watch him grow. His latest terminology includes: 'actually'~ "i 'actually' don't want dat."

'besides'~ 'besides,' dose are mine." Can you tell he's 3? ha!

'poos-paste' (toothpaste)~ "Mom, dis poos-paste doesn't taste bery good"

"Here Mom, I got some 'ocean' (lotion) fer you." adorable.

"Ya! Wet's go to the 'cone' place!" referring to Sill's Cafe where we get some amazing scones~ ha!

He loves to watch 'spicle me'...translation: Despicable Me.

He entertains us with tall tales like, "Last night, a fish ate me, and i was dead!" Many different variations of this story, and always ending with 'and i was dead.' True boy.

'Stoy Story' (Toy Story)~ he is totally obsessed. "Mom, you be Woody, and I will be Buzz." This can go on for hours, and i love it.

He loves to ride his tricycle, read books, snuggle his mom and dad, go to preschool, make new friends, destroy everything in sight!, eat sugar(and man does he ever!), sleep in his special bed in our room, and just be plain awesome.

Love this baby boy more than anything. He keeps life interesting, and happy.

So grateful for his sweet spirit in our home.

~xo