a beautiful week

 :: Corbin found a snake and Adeline thought it was the coolest, but she didn't want that thing near her ::

 :: I love when the kids wake up earlier enough to play with Adeline for a few minutes before school ::

:: my heart! I guess pokemon cards can be a good thing ::

 :: this girl and her love of phones, it's exhausting + any chance to go to the school is her favorite ::

 :: piano practice + middle of the week treat with peaches off our tree ::

:: I have about 531,673 pictures off my phone from that girl who is obsessed (they're usually of her forehead) + the lighting this night made me so so happy ::

:: this was what was making that lighting so amazing. I LOVE where we live! ::

:: oh these pictures!! :: 

 :: Rudger was still asleep after the brothers left for school, so Adeline climbed right in, pulled the covers over herself, and cozied right up to her brother. Seriously ♥♥♥ ::

These are the kinds of week that boost me right up. There was definitely some craziness, and plenty of homework that took up way too much of our evening, and fighting, and moments when there just wasn't enough time. But I would much rather live my life focusing on the beautiful parts.

weekend+august+family+rainstorms+soccer = perfection

I think we have needed a weekend like this for a while. I'm not sure what I loved most. The scattered rainstorms throughout the whole weekend was something we LOVED...but I think the constant family time came out on top.

Friday night we celebrated the opening of the Olympics with my sister and her family. We tried Feijoada (Black bean stew), Brigadeiros (cheese rolls), Pão de queijo (truffles), and Guarana (soda). It was all quite tasty and the ceremony was really long.

We headed south on Saturday to enjoy the party at daddy's work. The boys look forward to this all year long. They have a barbecue and as much pop as you can drink. Plus games and a zorb ball. We came home and watched some Olympics and then played a family soccer game.

Sunday morning we picked some produce. Then made some beef stew and rolls before heading to church. We got in our Fast Sunday picture but not before the boys broke their fast and grabbed a roll. :) We played a little soccer (again) and baseball and just soaked up the cool weather, rain, and gorgeous sunset. It felt good to be outside all evening. 

I want to got back to the weekend.

this kid

I love this boy. He is a genuinely good kid.

First, life has been crazy, to say the least, with five kids. So many schedules to keep up with and way too much nagging to get things accomplished. A couple of weeks ago, Justin and I were talking and I realized that Taylor was never getting nagged. I asked him once and it was taken care of. Homework and piano got done without constantly reminding him. When it was time to go to bed, he went right away (probably has something to do with his love of reading Harry Potter and he was excited to get back to his book, he's on #4), but still.

Sadly, it took me sitting down and reflecting on the last couple of weeks to realize, 'goodness, Taylor is making life easy right now!'. He definitely needed a reward. So Justin took him on a special outing and Taylor was in heaven! 

Second, the other day Taylor and I were talking, I don't even remember what it was about, but I told him I needed help from everyone so that I would have more time to play with them. He said, 'you never play with us.' :'(   Even though I am the mom and I shouldn't be their entertainer, it still broke my heart.  The next day, Taylor and I happened to be outside and so I told him we ought to go jump on the trampoline. So we did. While we were jumping I asked him what were the hardest and best parts of his day. He said, 'This is the best part!' 

It really doesn't take a lot to make someone's day. When you think of something kind to do for someone, just stop what you're doing and do it. It can make that person feel like the most special person on earth. That's what I have learned from Taylor recently!

remember when

After school is always the craziest time in our home.

It started before the big kids even came home. Rudger and his best buddy were playing upstairs while I was finishing a cleanup project downstairs. (I was finally putting Christmas decorations into their bins...I know...shameful) Right before I came upstairs those two little ones decided it would be a good day to take a container of Nutella and spread it all over the couch, seriously the entire couch. I almost cried, but I didn't. We had a talk and got to washing all the cushion covers.

Real life.

Then it hit me in the early evening. I had dinner started. I was talking Levi through some of his homework. Adeline was tired of laying on the floor so I went to pick her up to try and soothe her. Rudger really wanted to try mom's rollerblades around the house but he just kept falling down and crying. So, while holding Adeline, I held Rudger's hand and we glided around the kitchen table while talking to Levi. Then the song 'Remember When' came on Pandora:

"Remember When the sound of little feet

Was the music we danced to week to week"

This is it. These moments, whether happy or sad or crazy, are our life right now. The life I chose! I know I will long for these days when they are just a memory. Yes, maybe even moments of Nutella being spread across the entire couch.

march at a glance

It's been a long time since I have sat down to document life. I miss it. Not much has happened, but that's for the best because we are gearing up for one of the busiest months of the year.

 :: I will never tire of seeing the boys like this ::

 :: We got together with Mandi and Jon for a rootbeer tasting evening ::

I will just say that I am completely happy to stick with my A&W.

 :: This night was nearly the most perfect night ::

 :: This is how we roll sometimes ::

 :: Seriously, this kid will wear his play clothes under his church clothes ::

 :: Rudger LOVES when his brothers get home from school. They break out leftover lunch and play to their hearts content. ::

 :: Lately this has been his favorite thing to do ::

 :: Why do I wait too long before running errands? ::

:: We celebrated 3.14.15 with some friends, it was quite tasty ::

 :: Happy Birthday to my mom! ::

 :: I love that my dad takes the time to talk with my kids and teach them what he knows. Being a DJ, he knows music. Corbin was excited to tell him that his class will be singing 'Hound Dog' by Elvis. ::

 :: St. Patty's Day this year. As soon as they walked in the door from school, they built a leprechaun trap. ::

 :: We take the Family Home Evening treat very seriously ::

:: Corbin + his cheesy smile + his book report of King Arthur knighting Sir Lancelot ::

 :: I've said it before and I'll say it again, Justin really is the fun parent ::

:: Rudger worked and worked to learn how to peddle his tricycle. :: 

He loved it until he got stuck and couldn't get his feet to turn the peddles. It was sad and a little pathetic.