365 Photos in 365 Days: Week 40

Dance is always a good way to start off the week (well, week of photos...) Anni likes to check that we're watching with little glances over her shoulder and just a wee smile when she meets someone's eyes.

 

 We tried to fit in as many snuggles with Daniel as we could before he headed off for his (incredible, packed, filled with awesome knowledge, food, and free goodies) conference. We have missed him for this week, but the guy deserved some serious time to himself, and it doesn't hurt that he's been spoiled a bit while away. 

 

You get a video for day 277! You can hear Colette starting to sing "Happy Bertday" at the beginning as she makes her soup, and then the rest is Anni singing from off-camera. My brother just had a birthday, so they're on a birthday kick after leaving him a message with us singing to him.

 

 

I hate dressing myself. I've never been good at it, as much as I'd like to be. However, I love getting to help the girls get dressed and pick out fun outfits. I mean, at four you can pull off just about anything. So, mustard tights ($3 on clearance!) and a borrowed thrifted jumper? Ah... happy mommy.

 We went back to Cider Days this year, and Miss Colette threw a tears-streaming, sad little faced fit when she had drained the last of her sample of fresh apple cider. It really was good stuff.

  

The next day was off to the zoo! The fall is my absolute favorite time to go to the zoo (I hate being hot, just really, really hate it). It was a lovely fall day, with three matching little chickadees to watch.

And finally, to end up this week, Anni finally got to head back to Catechesis of the Good Shepherd! She was so excited... excited enough that this was what the picture before we headed off looked like (there was a slightly more normal one, but this describes the excitement better).

Thank You.

I have decided it's time for Fall cleaning. The whole house is in need of a good scrubbing. The vacuum will probably run a dozen times in the next day or two, if my motivation holds. Oftentimes, my cleaning furies are fueled with that self-righteous, "Why does no one clean up around here but me?!" This time, though, is a little different. All I could think as I picked up The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies and 10,000 broken crayons was, "Thank you."

Thank you, Lord, for these little girls and their messes.

Thank you for little hands, that bring me as many books as they can carry, and drop a quarter of every meal they're given. I am so very thankful for the time to snuggle up and read to them, even when I think I don't have time to give. And the food? How blessed are we that we have food to fill those round little bellies.

Thank you for how much they love their Daddy,  sometimes to the point that they don't want me. I have gotten to see my beloved in a capacity that only makes me love him more.

Thank you for the little feet that shed socks, separately, in every inch of this house. Those little feet are part of the best dance parties I've ever had.

Thank you for every chance they give me to sacrifice. Heaven knows my selfishness needed someone to tame it.

Thank you for their millions of questions. There is no better way to find out what I truly believe than needing to explain it to a very curious four-year-old, especially knowing that she will take those words as the entire and complete truth. On that note, maybe the Holy Spirit could grant me some extra grace to answer those questions.

Thank you for their tears... for every time they need me to rock them, cuddle them, and tell them it's okay. I hope each and every time builds confidence inside their little souls that they are truly and deeply loved, no matter what. May I find a way to teach them that that love is still only a fraction of how God loves them.

Thank you for their little clothes and the blessing it is to fold each and every piece.  I fold each memory of their sweet childhood, overalls, tights, and all, into my heart with them.

Help me to be reminded when I become disenchanted with the messy side of motherhood, that these babies, my girls, are really and truly a gift.

365 Photos in 365 Days: Week 39

This is our ode to a fresh, new week. Anni asked to try dance after her gymnastics sessions ended, and, well, I was more than happy to find a sweet little local studio to try out. Colette and I hung out in the waiting room and watched our little dancer twirl, step, and stretch. There may have been some misty mom eyes going on... because who doesn't imagine a little ballerina when they have a baby girl?

The next day, Nonna brought down something very special. This little doll bunkbed was my mom's, and then we played with it when we were little, and then it has been passed down through several of our own families. When we got it, it was showing some wear and tear. The mattresses were kept on with string tied around the beds, and it had been well decorated with stickers at one point. Lucky for us, my father-in-law is rather a master with all things wood, so he took it home, cleaned it up, fixed up the broken parts, and refinished it. I am so excited for the girls to get this little piece of my childhood for a little while.



The picture below is cheating a little. I didn't take it. I passed all documenting tasks over to my dear friend Amy on Friday to give her time to practice with my backup camera as she was second shooting for me the following day.

Saturday was this lovely wedding. It was beautiful, and a lot warmer than I thought it would be. 

 We are borrowing Colette's Halloween costume, and she absolute threw a fit when we tried to take it offer after trying it on last weekend. And, of course, what elephant is complete without an apron to go with it?

It's piano time around here. Daniel is very slowly starting Anni on it, and yesterday she showed me "middle C" twice, and was sweetly practicing what she calls her, "1, 2, 3, 4, 5". Colette is all about joining in on that fun.

And today was digging out the babies' snuggly hats, oh, and Colette and her baby both wearing overalls. A mama's got to take her excitement where she can. (I mean that seriously, I love babies in overalls.)

365 Photos in 365 Days: Week 38

We're starting to settle into fall. I wish we didn't have to lose evening light to get cool days, but it's a give and take, I suppose. We're still getting working on harvesting our apples, tomatoes, and peppers, so I've got to get hustling to get all of that processed. I just need a whole lot more energy... or a few helpers. 

There we go, that'll do. Maybe not much help in getting things actually done, but she's awfully cute.

 

We went to the sweetest Fancy Nancy party, where the littles came fancy and left even fancier, with crowns and hats and stickers, oh my. It was adorable and the girls had a blast.

Sunday was Mass and then a big soccer game with Daniel's work vs another awesome Catholic institution in town. Three out of four of ended up sunburned, but, other than that, it was a blast to have some fellowship.

 

Babies babywearing? Just cute, cute, cute. She's been all about the "swing", and Anni had me make her a wrap when the sling was occupied.

I love that they're starting to play together a bit more. It takes a lot of patience on Anni's part, but she's rising to the challenge. This little tea party they set up just made my mama's heart happy.

365 Photos in 365 Days: Week 37