"Princesseses on Ice"

We had a nice little date day with our Adeline this Saturday.
I have to admit I was really geeky excited about it since it entailed
-ice skating princesses
-Houstons (my fav resturant)
-ice cream

We opted to leave this little guy at home with Philip's mom, but we sure did miss him the entire day!

We figured he wouldn't be as smitten with pretty girls skating in princess dresses as his sister was, although once we left we really started to feel the strangeness of his absence and missed him a whole bunch!

 I don't know if it's that we don't get out much, or that there was a suspenseful wonder-halo created around our day, but Adeline was pretty impressed with....everything. This face.... was at a big picture of a hot dog at a concessions stand. Yea a hotdog.

We were actually supposed to go to Disney World this April, which she was really stoked about, .... of course I got all knocked up and stuff and the trip was cancelled, but I'm pretty sure this Dare to Dream ("Princessessess on Ice") thing made up for it to my 3 year old!
and um.... me too.

She clapped and danced and swayed and other than a brief intermission/tantrum for a glowing wand that "every other girl in a pretty dress had" she did really well!

It was a really fun show, and I may or may not have gotten goosebumps and obnoxiously squealed when all of the princesses arrived for the grand finale. [Thanks God, for giving me daughters so I can delight in princess play!]

Daddy had fun too! He's a sucker though, because home girl got herself a snowball in princess mug, a big box of popcorn, AND..... a wand after the show. Surely he was blinded with joy and Disney high because do you know what they charge for colored ice in a princess mug?
A lot!

This kid asks to go to the beach every other day, and since this year the chances of that are slim to none, Daddy was her hero and pulled over on our way out to enjoy watching a sailboat on the lake. I mean she did think it was like the beach, she was only disappointed she forgot her swimmin' suit!

 Our tummies were rumbly, but not for long because we sure did some eating here! Houstons is our favorite, and Philip and I have been every year a couple of times a year since we started dating 10 years ago! Sometimes we'd drive out to New Orleans JUST to eat here and drive home. THAT good.

 Adeline is a lot like me in that she has these scenarios of things and the way they are supposed to be played out in her head before they happen. Apparently, when you go to a fancy restaurant where we behave our best, on a special date like a princess..... you wear your napkin around your neck like that. No questions. Around the neck. Reality meets her vision here and they should be identical.

When we eat dinner we all always ask each other what was the favorite part of each other's days. When Adeline asked me, I told her it was when the floating lights came down during Rapunzel's debut on ice. I made a mistake though, because my favorite part of the day was the many times I looked over and saw the most genuine smiles from an amazing, sweet as pie daddy and his smitten daughter.

and believe me, there were plenty of smiles and those of chocolatey proportions towards the end of our day!

I'm pretty sure this girl felt extra special on Saturday, and I'm happy for that day! We felt so blessed for so many sweet moments. I hope during our future we can continue to go on these dates with each of the kids on their own every now and then. It's funny how much you hear and get to know about a child when you're one on one (or two on one with Philip and I both). We've got so much to thank our Father for, these children swell our hearts more and more daily!

Waiting for Daddy

Does a breezy, sunsetty afternoon get any better watching your babies run around in bare feet and smiles?

Oh yea, it totally does! 

Some Fatherly Love

I know I don't blog too often about my husband, but he's on my heart right now so I just wanted to record it while I have time to sit down and write about him.

He normally works out of town during the week, so our weekends go by so fast when we're all together. 

It's only Monday, and he's just been away for 6 hours and I already miss him like crazy.

Owe no one anything except to love one another, 

for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 

Romans 13:8

People often ask me if it's hard for me to have him work away. Mostly it's in reference to taking care of the kids by myself during the week, but honestly that's really not an issue. Yea, there's two of them and one of me, but for the most part taking care of kids is kind of my thing, so yea I've got that! The hardest part of him working away for me, is knowing he gets lonely for us sometimes. I've got two tornadoes to keep me busy 24/7, but in his off time away when he's texting me asking about what the kids are doing or what I'm cooking for dinner or what we did today, I can just tell he misses us, and sometimes that makes my heart ache for him more than me. 

One of the things I love most about him is how willing he is to do anything for us. It's important to him that I can do what God's called me to do and be home with these kids. I love that he'd do anything to make that happen. 

I'm a really blessed momma, ya'll!

BUT

I do have to say that I do (sometimes) enjoy him working away. That sounds wrong, and don't get me wrong I love the times when he works in town and is home every evening.... but for me I don't think its so bad for him to work away. 

When he comes home he has missed us all so much that we all feel so spoiled and lucky and happy to just be in his presence. Just to sit next to him on the couch makes my heart race. 

Just seeing the 4 of us (dog included) compete for his attention is something I cherish because he always finds a way to give each of us what we need. 

We usually know we have a solid weekend to spend time together before he goes back to work, and I can honestly say that is what always makes our weekends so jam packed with love and happiness.

It's always been so easy to love Philip. 

He's my best friend, and it's so easy and honorable for me to be his wife. 

I pray that God continues to renew this for our marriage day after day to year after elderly year. 

He's a great man, and one of the things I love most about him is that he's a great father. 

My kids long to be near him and interact with him and learn from him. 

Daddy is Adeline's whole entire world. 

This weekend Philip took us all to Chick Filet for lunch. We were headed home for naps when he stopped in at a store to run in and get a couple of new shirts for himself. I stayed in the car (for two reasons 1. Gideon was sleeping and 2. I sat on a half opened water bottle and my butt was completely wet). Philip took Addie in for what would be a "quick look around" and 20 minutes later as my patience for wet butt and car confinement was growing thinner I started to get annoyed he was taking his good ole time. 

10 minutes later I watched Philip and Addie happily walk back to the car with more bought for Adeline than for himself. I listened as she told me that she went to the "pants store" with her "little Daddy" and he bought her some pretty sunglasses and bracelets for her arms. I was happy he took her in and they got to shop together. I was happier that she has such a kind daddy willing to spend special time with her just to see her smile. As we drove home we saw a yellow airplane flying really close to the sugar cane I guess spraying the crops. I listened to the enthusiasm in Philip's voice as he and Addie followed the plane through a neighborhood and through roads that were well out of our way. I started to think about how blessed my babies are to have such a consistent ever-loving father. 

I know how much Philip loves our kids. I can see it in everything he does for them, everything he does with them. 

Do you see a man who excels in his work?

He will stand before kinds; he will not stand before unknown men. 

Proverbs 22:29

Isn't it crazy to think that my Creator loves me like that but even more? Look at everything he does for me. Not always what I want, but always for my benefit and always for my own good. He's always longing for my time, always willing to give me comfort and peace knowing I'm taken care of. It's not just someone who loves me that much... it's God. I mean wow. 

If you really sit down and think about that, it's pretty powerful. 

Out of everything he does and all of the people he loves, he loves me too. 

A lot.

He gave up His own son for my sins. 

That's a lot of love. 

I'm so happy to know this level of love.

There are a lot of relationships in my life that are hard right now, but amidst the roughest I'm proud to have an amazing loving God who sees me through all and gives me a man of God for a husband and as a father to my babies. 

I can't find enough words to explain my thankfulness. 

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, 

in everything give thanks; 

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Have a good week folks. 

:)

Happy Saturday!

You see these little fingers?
I'm wrapped around each and every little one of them!

Only one man has ever had my heart, and it's this little guy's daddy...
well.... until now.

Now they have to share it. I do love my men!

I really want to type out how incredible of a baby this is. Sleeping, eating, smiling, cooing, cuddling... I mean he's really perfect at them all. I can't say too much because I know as soon as I type it out he may take a turn to prove me wrong.  He is his father's child after all.
Just know I'm really loving up on this little dude.

Anyway, we have a really busy weekend ahead. Adeline and Philip are serving in a wedding tonight, and tomorrow is Philip's birthday. So our weekend is pretty guaranteed to be a sweet one. Hope yours is too!

Overcast

What do you do when the sun is cozily settled behind a thick blanket of slate gray clouds?

 well this guy gives my car a bath:

and this girl...

she has happy feet all over the wet cement

and it was a sweet evening... having my car washed and watching dirty wet little feet have some freelance fun!

A Tiny Ducky Sleeper

There's a little, itty, bitty, ducky, newborn sleeper that I don't think I will ever let go. 

Daddy & Adeline on February 6, 2009

Gideon & Daddy on February 16, 2011

Ever, ever!

Lazy Day

I had another rough night Sunday night.

[You know the kind you have at over 9months pregnant.]

...and everyone knows the momma sets the tone in the house for the day, and yesterday [Monday]

Well after being awake for most of the night the only tone I was wanting to set was an unpleasant one sounding like me snoring and whimpering in my attempts to find a spot in the bed to get some sort of sleep in.

So I claimed a corner of the queen-sized comforter, stuck my body pillow in between my legs, and cuddled in bed [pretty much all day] with these guys:

My favorite man, my favorite little girl, my favorite Labradoodle, and my favorite fetus [who feels like he could rip his way out of my stomach at any second] in the whole wide world.

It was a nice, lazy day aside from not being able to eat or sleep. I suppose if you have to spend a day sick in bed it's at its best when you've got these guys hogging the pillow space. 

:)

Just a waiting game...

I've got a diaper bag packed full of things a little newborn baby boy will need once he's ready to make his debut.

I've got an antique dresser drawer packed to the top with washed blue, green, gray, and white sleepers, onesies, and tiny little pants in NB and 0-3 sizes.

 I've got a freshly re-covered carseat just waiting for a little bundle of baby to buckle up.

I've got a spacious crib awaiting a warm little body and sweet dreams to fill it.

and while I wait for Gideon's birthday I've got a sweet soon-to-be second-time daddy and an unsuspecting soon-to-be big sister to cuddle up with in the mean time.

Daddy's Home

My blog is really important to me. 

I blog about what I want to remember, be it a project, a milestone, or just a simple moment.

Daddy came home this morning,

and I feel like if I don't write about the huge smile scribbled across my daughter's face when she first saw him, that I just won't remember [since after all we can't have our cameras in hand all the time].

Philip spent the last 28 days working in Pennsylvania: 12+ hour days 0 days off.

I don't know which one of us is happier he's home, but since he's been passed out on the sofa for the past 3 hours, I'd guess I could give it to him.

A snowstorm threatened his scheduled homecoming, but bound and determined as he was he drove through 4 hours of snow to sleep at an airport in hopes that his flight would be delayed and not canceled this morning at 6am. 

I had anyone willing praying for his safe and speedy return 

because

1. I've been lonely.

2. It's hard being so sick and chasing a very active toddler around, refilling cups, changing diapers, etc.

3. I'm selfishly ready to have this kid, and I can't really do that without Daddy here. 

4. I could really use a back rub. 

5. He's capable of grocery shopping...

...

okay I really could make that a giant list, but I won't bore you too badly.

Anyway

I stayed up nearly all night text harrassing him and calling at any available moment to make sure he hadn't driven his truck into a snowy tree [because down here in South Louisiana, we don't know snow, yo.]

I prayed a lot for his safety last night.

I'm kind of a freak about worrying when he's away.

It's like I'm sure that since I didn't get that check in at the normal time that he's surely in an awful wreck all by himself without anyone to love him or hold his hand. Then what if they lost his phone in the accident and no one has any way to call me or let me know he's okay? 

Seriously that's where my mind goes, a lot. 

I'm trying to learn what faith really means, because for a control freak, giving it all to God is a hard thing to do.

In the end I pray His will be done, but selfishly sometimes I just hope his will and my will are on the same page. 

I've got a lot of learning to do, I know.

So yea, God is good.

Not only did he make it to the airport safely, but his flight wasn't delayed, it was on time!

Then his layover flight was even on time.

So stoked, because we were told due to flight delays and cancellations he may not even make it home until the weekend. 

On top of all of that, Philip made it home shortly after noon, when normally he doesn't even get home until late in the evening. 

Adeline was still napping when he got in, but when she woke up she threw herself into Daddy's arms faster than she even knew she was awake.

I saw the sweetest smiles on both of them, and although I was tempted to run waddle into the living room to get my camera, I chose to stay and soak up the sweetness that I'd been longing for for a month. 

 It wasn't very long before a happy little bedhead girl had her hands full of chocolate Valentine's bass and chocolate milk to wash it down.

So I'm thinking he's had a long enough nap, besides the sofa is my turf. 

I'm off to wake him up and pretend to fuss about how unnecessarily spoiled Daddy's girl is. 

;)