{melt into me}

There's something about this girl that is transforming from her little toddler self into a big girl. Right before my eyes. Middle sister is independent, goofy, curious, talkative, caring and loving. Every so often though, she melts into me and my baby girl reappears, needing me just about as much as I need her snugly self. 

{week 16}

During the past week it was reaffirmed that I have some of the cutest kids on the planet. Just in case you were wondering. Although Cade went on a sleeping strike two nights out of seven, he still managed to steal my heart one day insisting on snuggling chest to chest on the swings instead of being a big boy & doing it himself like usual. Cassidy's preschool "graduation" pictures came back from the school photographer & I suddenly flashed twelve years in the future. And promptly decided that she isn't allowed to grow up any more. The girls crafted with fruit loop necklaces along with the daily coloring, writing & reading routine every afternoon, we caught a renegade squirrel stealing sunflower seeds from our bird feeder & headed to the Big Shanty Festival on Saturday afternoon with some friends - which wore out everyone & led to dinnertime snoozes for the girls which is practically unheard of at our house. We're getting used to the spring weather & counting down the days until summer vacation and our trip to Pennsylvania!

{week 15}

Over spring break we scheduled just enough stuff to keep us from driving each other batty, but not too much stuff that that the girls didn't get a break. We hit the zoo (& somehow have no IG pictures???), hosted a pajama playdate (where the kids destroyed their room & subsequently lost upstairs toy privileges for a week!!!), the kids went to a drop off playdate (thank you to my sweet friend for that break!), we did a couple of Pioneer Woman Home-school inspired science experiments, did some yoga, took a bunch of walks & bike/scooter rides & headed to Chattanooga's Children's Discovery Museum thanks to our friend Beth on Friday when Michael took a special day off work to hang out. Overall, a fantastic week. 

{on the 18th day of christmas}

I finally am blogging about Christmas! It's a real thing, right? The Saturday after Epiphany? Right?

We started off the season with the 4K Christmas pageant & the 2K sing-a-long at preschool. Cassidy  played the part of a shepherd during the pageant & did a great job. Kalea was one of 6 in her class sing-a-long. She had a blast & stole the show with her sweet smile & little voice.

dresses & shirt by my sweet friend Melanie at The Pickle Tree

4K friends Jack, Ellie & Cassidy

The following weekend the kids visited Santa, we chose a tree & decorated the house.

 The girls insisted on makeing a gingerbread house this year. I think they ate almost as much icing as we used to decorate, but we had fun putting it together. The next Sunday was the holiday program at PUCC. The Sunday School children sang a few songs and the girls were part of a dance group that performed. Jackie also sang as part of a jazz quartet.

After a busy next week at preschool with Christmas parties and playdates, we piled into the car on Friday night & drove through the night north toward PA. We had a blast visiting family for the next week for Christmas. A crazy, fun, 11 kids ages 5 and under, germ filled, white Christmas! We piled into Grandma & Grandpa's house for seven days and the kids had so much fun visiting with cousins, 2nd cousins and cousins of cousins.

pirate storytime with Uncle Derrick

Great Grandma Stein & the Henning & Lumpkin kids

Great Grandpa Stein & Isaac

Christmas Day

fun at the Hennings

Surprise 40th Anniversary Party for Aunt Margie & Uncle John

the kids were beyond excited to play together in the snow

At the end of the week, we got in our PJs, had a last snuggle with Grandma & Grandpa, got in the car & headed back to Georgia! Hope your Christmas was as exciting as ours! 

{space}

A friend recently introduced me to a new concept replacing the traditional New Year's Resolution where you choose a word that guides the choices you make & the way you live. She pointed me toward www.myoneword.org to delve deeper. I haven't delved into the spiritual or religious aspects of this growing trend but it struck a chord with me.

And I hadn't made any resolutions yet.

So I rolled it around like marbles in my brain for a day or two & couldn't shake the feeling that I stumbled into that conversation for a reason. And the word "space" kept coming up. So space it is for 2013.

A space & place for items in my home, the blog as a space to share stories, ideas, photos & my children growing with family & friends afar, space between activities & events so we aren't rushing through the day, week & year in a frenzy, space & special one on one time with each of my kids, husband and space for myself.

Just space.

{2012}

Remember a few weeks ago when I dramatically declared that 2013 would be the year of back to blogging? (I may have also declared the same thing in January 2012.) I thought I'd start with a recap, via Instagram collage, wdyt? Do you follow us there?

In January, we recovered from a busy holiday, spent some time getting to know new friends at preschool & MOPs, Kalea potty trained, Cade rolled over for the first time & I started weekly meal planning that intentionally included weekly+ vegan meals.

In February, the Cassidy continued with four days a week in preschool, we had a bunch of playdates, the kids learned to play at a group of three, visited the Georgia Aquarium, and started to look for a church in the area.

March brought warmer weather, the start of our first soccer team - both girls "played", Michael travelling for work, craft swaps and trips to Macon to see Gran & Poppy.

Spring arrived in April, along with Easter eggs, decorations & parties galore, settling in at Pilgrimage UCC (PUCC) as our church home, Cade learning to sit up on his own along with time at our neighborhood parks, bike riding, walks around the neighborhood and enjoying the time between winter and the start of hot, hot, hot weather that comes with the Georgia summers.

In May preschool ended for the school year, Grandma & Grandpa came for a visit followed a few weeks later by Aunt Jenny, Uncle Mark & Audrey, we built an impressive fairy garden, the soccer season came to a close and enjoyed the beginning of a summer of playdates.

We were ready for June because the girls started swimming lessons at our neighborhood pool, Jackie coordinated a number of MOPS field trips & playdates, the girls enjoyed project after craft after art creation, Cade started solids...and making a significant increase in our grocery bill, we got a new roof, enjoyed Fathers Day in Macon, the girls spent a week with Gran & Poppy and we welcomed a new cousin, baby Isaac, into our family.

July was never ending as we all looked forward to the end of it when we went on the great family vacation with Jackie's side of the family - 8 adults & 7 children ages 5 and under! I didn't keep up with the blog but did manage a recap the next month!

School, MOPS & the crazy that would be fall started in mid-August. Cade started signing, Grandma & Grandpa came to visit, we joined PUCC the same day that Cade was baptized and Jackie turned 33.

September flew by with Michael's birthday, Kalea's 3rd birthday, school, a few trips to Macon to visit Poppy who was recovering from surgery, Michael started ground school, Cade got his first tooth and Saturdays at the soccer field with Cassidy playing fall soccer.

In October, we continued to enjoy the good weather, taking nightly walks or playing in the backyard after dinner every night, we had a run of preschool birthday parties and get-togethers, had the kid's pictures taken by a talented friend of a friend, Kalea discovered heels, Cade turned one & discovered the steps and Cassidy must have grown a foot because suddenly all of her pants were way too short!

November kicked off with our 7th wedding anniversary and Cassidy's 5th birthday. Year five started with a bang as she counted to 100 on her own for the first time and started gymnastics at a local gym. Cade ended up in the hospital for 6 days with a really bad case of croup. It was a tough week, but we are blessed to have a wonderful group of friends here who really helped out with meals, childcare and visits. After recovering from Cade and Jackie being away for a week, we enjoyed the week of Thanksgiving break and time to spend with Michael's family in Macon.

December came and went entirely too quickly with holiday parties, visits to Macon, shopping, decorating, travel to PA, cousins, cookies, food and church activities. Cade took his first steps but hasn't officially walked quite yet. Christmas was a busy, wonderful flurry of family. Although it seemed that the plague had infested the extended family - with strep, bronchitis, possible pneumonia, the flu, a stomach bug, a double ear infection, viral conjunctivitis all within the 8 adults and 7 kids of my family - Santa and family was very good to all of us. It even snowed during our visit so that the girls could sled & play with their cousins & Cade could see snow for the first time!

The year has gone so quickly! Happy New Year to all & here's to more pictures, stories, posts & family fun in 2013!

{july in review}

Hold on tight. We're catching up with the month in review. This might take a while!

The month started out with a sleepover at Gran & Poppy's house for Cassidy & Kalea. Cade spent the week being spoiled & treated like an only child by me & Michael. It was amazingly quiet with only one little person in the house.

creative use of the baby bouncer at Gran & Poppy's house

watching the braves game at a sports bar with daddy

walk to the park...first wagon ride!

only 15 & a half years until I get my license!

The following week the littles spent some time at the park, had a dance party or two, went swimming & generally acted cuter than ever.

daily dose of dance

watch out daddy, I'm stealing your dance partner

sleepy boy at the park

milk & finger mustaches

pool! the girls have done great at swimming lessons this summer

the cuteness kills me!

The following week we ventured to CatchAir, a local bounce/play/nuthouse of moms & kids, had a few more dance parties, decorated cookies & hung out in our neighborhood. Later in the week we met a friend at the Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History where they have a fun weekly storytime. We closed the week with a field trip to see Ryan's flower shop (otherwise know as Brenda's House of Flowers in Woodstock!)

bffs. aww.

tasty? 

they turn out the lights & have a disco party. it's hysterical  watching the kids dance!

loved the ball pit

pool time with miles & melinda

silly girls.

decorating cookies...good for 5 whole minutes of distraction!

time for a walk. they dressed themselves. in 90° weather.

cassidy's buddy nathan at the train museum

storytime activities. it was beach day.

somebody had spaghetti for the 1st time. clearly a success!

ryan & his buddies at BHOF

The following week we kept ourselves busy with after dinner swing races, a last minute trip to Chattanooga to see BFF Sara & some other Spring Grovians, visiting the aquarium, taking a tour of Publix with some MOPS mommies & kiddos and then ended the week with the Lumpkin July pool party at Gran & Poppy's house. Never a dull moment!

we love the swing park in our neighborhood!

road trip!

choochoooooo!

chug-a-chug-a-chug-a-chug-a....chooochooo!

cassidy & SPY before dinner

feet of BFF Sara & Jackie. the tradition continues.

the rest of BFF Sara & her buddy

the next day he fell asleep in the high chair by 8:30 am. trains are tiring.

georgia aquarium

cade loved the tunnel

watching the 3D movie

looks like nemo...but is named depot! 

more swings!

upside down swinging

We love our Publix! They showed the kids all over the store & gave us lots of yummy samples!

gran's silly girl

sweet saige

kalea is one of the big girls

cade is SOOOO big!

can you find michael in this picture?

The final full week of July the girls went to Cooking Camp at the church where they go to preschool. It gave Cade & I some time to clean, do laundry, organize & pack. We did manage to fit in some silly time as well as one "ice-cream for dinner" night at Menchie's. Then we hit the road & headed to OBX for a week of craziness fun family bonding with 8 adults & 7 children, ages 4 weeks to 4 years. More of that to come! 

frozen yogurt for dinner?!? why not!!??

i LOVE kalea in pigtails!

monkey see. monkey do.

mini-me

cassidy drew a picture of her blankie. what an artist!!

we take a lot of pictures like this.

doing a trial run setting up our new tent

sleepy in the car during errands.

all i need to pack for the beach, right? 

guess who chose their own outfit?

how I cleaned out the fridge.

everyone in PJs & on the road for the overnight drive.

10 hours later!

More beach & August photos to come!