Miss Carly

Miss Carly Elizabeth was baptized last weekend. A wonderful celebration of life, God, and family. The weekend was one BIG celebration. We were surrounded by AWESOME family...



My aunt, uncle, three teenage cousins, and mom and dad all came in for Carly's big weekend!


Carly's godparents...our best friend Mike and my cousin Megan. Megan was my flowergirl ten years ago when we got married!


The Daniels' family....our family!






Our Carly...







Nothing warms my heart more than having our family and friends over. We had a small reception at our house after the baptismal. My parents got to see our close friends and we all celebrated together. We celebrated Carly, and family, and friendship, and love. We love to celebrate around here! We made smores this weekend, listened to good music, loved on the kids, laughed, drank, and loved on life. BIG TIME!!!! That's the way we do it!

Just a peek...

Life has been, well, let's just say--emotionally draining lately. I have thought about updating this blog daily, buy quite frankly have felt like I have had the life sucked right out of me on numerous occasions. However, life has also been full of moments like this...



I look at these faces or these faces...





And I know that "It's all going to be alright." Because, "In the morning when I rise, you bring a tear of joy to my eyes and tell me... everything is going to be alright." And it is. And it will be.

~Liz

I did it

I did it. I have always said I wouldn't. I didn't like it. I didn't need it. I was fine. No problems. Over the past few years, I started doing it here and there for a treat. For fun. Then I started to like it. I had Cary and as soon as I woke up, I was craving it. In the past week I did it. I did it every day. I did it twice, and sometimes three times a day. Now, I can say it..... I am a coffee drinker. There. Done. I crossed over. I admit, I cannot function in the morning without it. I crave it. I don't know if I like the taste of regular coffee with a TON of creamer, but I don't care. It makes my body feel like I didn't just ski downhill three days in a row, every morning when I wake up. Starbucks tastes SO good. And now, so does regular coffee from home. I thought, I am just a White Chocolate Latte or Dark Cherry Mocha drinker. Just the foo-foo stuff. Nothing major. Nope. Not me. Just a treat sometimes. I don't need that silly coffee thing to function. I can do this. Nope. Not me. I can't do it any longer without my new friend. I love my new friend. We met this morning at 5:15 am when I was feeding Carly. A great friend. A friendship that will last a long time. A new friend that my husband and children will learn to accept as a welcomed addition to our family. Every day.

Heaven

This little one is a sweet piece of heaven. Take a look...



I could just eat her up. She thinks her brother and sister are just all that. Laughing and smiling at them all the time. Seriously. She just encourages their crazy behavior. She fits into our family just right. She was always meant to be here. To make us smile. Just a little piece of heaven here on earth. Love it. Love her.

Emma's Pink and Purple Party

Emma wanted a Pink and Purple Birthday Party, with a little princess twist thrown in. So, that is exactly what she got. And me? Well, if I do say so myself, I got a little creative! Emma, and Dylan, helped make many of our wonderful creations, both decoration style and edible treats, for the party. Everything you will see in the pics below food wise, was made by us...well except for the cotton candy. Not that crafty yet! And if a decoration looks homemade...it was! Here we go...

In Awe

Wow. Emma turned 4 today. 4. Holy Cow. It seems unimaginable that she could be four. I remember so clearly the day she was born. When she learned to crawl. The first year of her life she slept next to me almost every night. We moved into this house when she was just nine months old. Now she is four. She can be moody and can go from one extreme to another in a matter of minutes...but I wouldn't have her any other way. Her personality is priceless. She loves life. I am so blessed that she is mine.

Emma still loves to retreat into the comfort of my arms when she gets shy, overwhelmed, or is being stubborn about something she doesn't want to do. She loves for me to sing songs to her every night before bed. We sing the same four songs everynight--Twinkle, twinkle little star; I love you; Baa Baa Black Sheep; and Take Me Out to the Ball Game. You have to make sure her closet door is closed all the way before she can sleep. She loves pancakes with peanut butter and syrup on them. My favorite thing she says? "Mommy?" "Yes Emma?" "I love you." It brings a smile to my face, everytime. She is a beautiful girl. I am in awe of her. She is so confident and has so much eagerness. My prayer for her is that she will keep that confidence always. Something I lacked much of my childhood. She recently started gymnastics. She loves trying flips and jumps. I was always so timid to do those things. I pray that she will always follow her heart and do what feels right to her.

Emma is a star. A pink and purple princess. A little sister and a big sister. The best helper ever to me. A great cuddler. A lover of all things of or relating to a doll. She wants to be Fancy Nancy because she loves how fancy the character is. She is an individual. Not afraid to play with the boys. Or tell them what to do. Not afraid to do her own thing.

She's my Emma. And I love her so.

A small request

I have a small request. A small prayer for my sanity. It has happened yet again...I have gone to the dark side again. The place to which I refer to with my friends as..."Lego Hell." They. Are. Everywhere. Seriously. In the garage. In the bathroom. Have fallen in the toilet in the bathroom. On the tub. On the counter in the bathroom. On my bed. In my bed. Under my bed. In his bed. In his sister's bed. In his other sister's closet. On her floor. Under the couch. In my car. In the stroller. On the counter. In the cupboard. Outside. In the play structure. In the basket on his sister's bike. In daddy's car. (Have not yet to be found in the fridge/freezer but am sure that is coming. )

I was just dusting and found Mr. Lego man behind a picture frame. On the floor in the entry way. On the welcome mat. In Emma's purses. (Emma's many purses and what is in them is an entirely different post). In my purse. In the diaper bag. Seriously. Yes, we have Lego boxes/bins/containers. We have asked that they get picked up. We pick them up. He picks them up. He. Loves. Legos. Seriously. Please pray for me to return to sane living once again.