it's a good day for all of us today!
our little people are surrounded by their grand people.
lots of love is here!
it is fun for all of us to have their support, presence, love.
we aren't usually the ones with our grand people on the sidelines.
thanks a whole bunch for coming (and cooperating when i forced a photo shoot on you)!
wanna see what we're up to this weekend?
it takes my breath away too ... in so many ways!
she's growing up fast.
my tiny dancer isn't as tiny as she used to be.
she doesn't have bangs anymore so she blends right in with all those big girls with the slicked back hair and buns.
she is adorable and bubbly and lovin' life though!
she keeps us on our toes!
and her's are adorable ... just look at those ballet toes?
these are the people that make today so happy.
i couldn't stop smiling when i read these sweet cards from my three big kids!
there perspective is real.
yes, i like a lot of food.
yes, my job is to be a mom.
yes, i must jump rope more than i thought i did.
yes, i help them when they need help.
yes, i'm good at cleaning even though i didn't think so.
yes, one of my favorite hobbies is getting exercise.
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sometimes i don't know the impact i make on this world so it's good to have today to be reminded.
i am the momma i am because i have a great moms who teach me lessons all the time.
i also have amazing friends who role model love only a momma can give to her children to help me on some of the best days and some of the hardest days too!
i've been kind of down and out lately.
just not operating at one hundo percent.
sometimes i just need to try to do usual stuff to snap out of it.
other times doing usual stuff just makes me land in bed or on the couch for the better portion of the days.
this learning to listen to my body isn't always easy.
i'm glad i'm on that path anyway.
okay enough of my mumbo jumbo ... onto some of the usual stuff i've done while i haven't felt well!
here's a quick little snap session i did with my buddie jack who is four today.
he really just wanted to play toys in my back yard.
the balloons and camera were in the way of all the mowing he told me he had to do.
i've known this guy his whole life, and he has an awesome family.
he's a lucky duck!
and i am too because these people are in my life.
love you, kel, adam, maggie, and jack!!
lots of laughter and color and smiles and yummy food and silly faces.
yep, in honor of my niece, andrea.
she's gettin' hitched in a couple months!
i'm glad i got to be part of it.
i'm still catching my breath from easter fun, a quick spring break trip to chi-town, and more days off school.
i am back into real life again though.
lax practice, hanging with buddies, soccer games, family dinners, laundry, and all that good stuff.
and i have to give myself a break because things are really gonna speed up fast way before they slow down.
we got to hang with my baby sister and her family this easter.
the bs welcomed all of us into their beautiful home and cooked us a nice dinner.
thanks kel, ja, anna, and baby rose!
the j kids love hanging with family for holidays, and you guys made this one very special and memorable for all of us.
i can't believe how many people go out of their way to wish me happy birthday.
it's really nice.
i felt the love all day yesterday, well even a few days before.
and i'll get to feel it for a few more days, really because my favorite tradition is coming up on the ides of march.
you people got me donuts and sang to me, sent cards and texts, commented on my instagram feed, called me, sent greetings through facebook, and some of you even met me for ice cream even though we already left (oops! isn't that just how we roll, wendy?).
no matter what dave writes in a card or what the card says, it brings tears to my eyes.
yesterday was no different.
it's a good life we have together.
he's amazing to me in so many ways.
all of this to say, thanks, my friends.
getting older isn't so bad.
for some reason twenty12 feels just right to me.
the awesome, the scary, the joy, the ordinary, the fear, the goals, the unplanned ... all of it.
even this gray, rainy day that i've been laid up with a junky cold.
it's not so bad since it followed a beautiful yesterday.
i consciously chose not to bring my camera with me tonight.
good thing iphones can capture moments even if they are blurry sometimes.
man, i was wishing i had more time to do a photo shoot with my kids.
sometimes it's hard to be the momma and the photographer though.
we were downtown.
they were dressed up.
we went to church at the cathedral.
we found a new park i heard about and couldn't wait to get to.
all of this because meredith and eric got married.
woohoo!! congrats you two.
our wishes for them included have fun, love much, enjoy many happy times, and fill your home to the brim with kids.
the dance floor, photo booth, food and cake tables, and candy bar were all favorite spots for this tribe!
the toast by the father of the bride and the dance with him and his daughter brought me to tears.
i was thinking about my dad and his toast.
i was thinking about how awesome he was.
i was thinking about how grateful i am that he got to do that for each one of us kids; even if one wedding happened after we already knew about the stinky cancer he got.
it was a good night!
thanks, mom and dad, for the gift of my catholic faith.
thanks, God, for the grace of the sacraments that's easy to be open to.
thanks, rosie, for a reason to gather at mom's house.
i'm still cleaning up from last week's events.
life keeps moving.
fast!
valentine parties, homework, appointments, school lunches, ear infections, special birthday dinner with friends, plans for the upcoming weekend.
overwhelming, yep, a little. fun too!!
i am still going through pictures.
here's some of the art we created at the party.
