Kendall Cliffs family photo session

My soul belongs in the mountains, in the sunshine, in the trees.  Whenever I can get these angel monsters of mine outside and in God's country I jump at it.  At first they always whine and complain but it isn't long before they are lost exploring and doing things that children do on ledges that makes your heart skip a beat.  Logan and I talk all of the time about how someday we will build a house in the mountains and live off of the land with our chickens and goat and a cow.  Logan thinks that would make him happy.  I think it would make me happy.  Our kids in an electronic free world would take some getting used to.  If you know of any wonderful kids friendly hikes in Ohio please share!!!!  If you are looking for a fun kid friendly place Kendall cliffs is the place to go. 

CHEEKY

When Tulie was born she was awesome!!! Then she got bigger.  And harder.  And supper hard.  And I didn't like her very much.  And I don't think she liked me very much.  Tulie was a screamer and a crier and so crazy stubborn.  Her communication skills were a little lacking for her age and that did not help the situation.  Tulie was a sneaky sneaky monster.  She got into everything, paint, toothpaste, powder, cream cheese, poop, everything.  But now, wow, now.  She is just the shit!! She is silly and kind and forgiving and shy and outgoing all at once.  CHEEKY is a word known to describe her.  And  I adore her.  Things still come more slowly for her.  She does't learn as quickly as the other children her age and her social skills are a little quirky ~ those things are all jellybeans.  This girl is magic.  And I am so grateful God sent this little munchkin to our family.  To teach us patience, but also how to be silly, how to enjoy the simple and how to love.

perfectly loved.

My boys are all currently off to Oliver's basketball game.  I "had" to stay home so stella could nap.  Sometimes watching those games,  I would just rather  punch myself in the face then stay for the whole thing.  They are so painful to watch!!!!  Poor Oli is so short his face is often bouncing off the other boys sweaty chests.  But we go and we cheer and we support.  Mean while Logan and I are often conspiring together thinking how we can sway him into a more appropriate activity more suitable to his talents.  

I am looking at the laundry piling up the other room and the dishes in the sink and the tower of shoes in the front hall and all I want to do is make cookies with my girls and watch a movie.  I am sure Frozen will be the movie of choice.  We have only seen it 4.6 billion times.  Which is a lot since we only watch TV on Saturdays.  But they love it.  Which is crazy because the story line just offends me every time.  Sometimes I think they couldn't have possibly read the script before hand or they would  have never gone through with it!!! The only reason I allow my girls to watch it is because they sing every song together and it makes me so happy.  

The sky is dreary.

I try not to think about that or the ocean in North Carolina or the eternal blue skies in Idaho.  I also try not to think about all the cookies I am about to consume.  I try to think about ways to be a better mother and a less naggy wife.  I try to think of little ways for my children to serve one another as well as others.  I try to share my gratitude with God throughout the day.  I try to not be sad about my Idaho family so far away.  I try to be present for my little ones and actually hear what they are saying.   I don't want to be perfect, but I do want my children to feel perfectly loved. 

Photo credit.  The Amazing Jenny Gildea. 

The perfect canvas.

So I have the coolest new product!!!!! I think I speak for many a client when I say that it can be HARD to pick just one image for your wall.  Especially when there are so many wonderful images!  Below is a canvas that is just awesome!!!!!!  I love it because you can pick 16 images to display on your wall instead of just one.  You can have the family picture, the feet picture, the screaming picture, the picture of them playing, the picture of them hugging- all of them.
I adore this canvas so much I have two of them in my home.  Below you can see what they look like on my walls.  So what now you ask?  Pick your 16 images and lets get it ordered!!!

Today - yesterday - sometimes

Today I am happy.  The clouds are out but so is the sun.  I can handle that.  

Today my children are growing a million miles a minute! This is harder to accept.

Last year at this time we were thrust into this new old house full of wallpaper and fleas.  

Now the wallpaper is gone and thank God so are the fleas (we don't even have pets)!!

This moments Stella is on my lap singing.  We just had tea and yogurt for breakfast in the kitchen nook where the sun shines brightest, overlooking the chicken coop. 

These days I have been enjoying learning the ukulele, Mr. Logan's gluten free blueberry muffins, warm (who am I kidding scolding hot)  loooooong showers and cuddling before nap time with my Stella.  Recently my boys have enjoyed monopoly.  Boy that can be a long game I tell you!

Last week Logan and I went on a weekend get away to Yellow Springs.  A well deserved vacation I might add.  Those three days alone together were just scrumptious.  The dancing, the cuddling, the laughing, the food!!!!!! I and love and him.  

Sometimes things get hard here on the home front- crazy, busy, tiring.  Sometimes I am pulled so many directions I feel that I might explode.  And honestly sometimes I do.  Sometimes I am making dinner while Stella lays at my feet crying for me to hold her.  While in the other room the two boys are wrestling on the couch.  Which is all well and fine until someone gets hurt. And someone always does.  And then there's Tulie who is siting on the counter next to me trying to get her spelling done and wanting me to check every word after it is written for accuracy.   The phone rings and the potatoes are boiling over.   We are going to be late for piano and Oli hasn't even practiced for the day. From 4-9 this is our life.  And I am SO grateful it is mine.  Because at night when I put them to bed, they give me kisses and hugs and beg me to stay with them forever.  And I like that.  I even don't mind when I leave them screaming how much they hate me that day.  Sometimes I just whisper, right back at you! 

Photo credit: Jenny Gildea