trick or treat

Sweet baby Jack is going to be a monkey this year. I hope people give him a lot of reeses cups. He really wants to share those with his mom.

A year ago doesn't seem that long until you look at photos like these. We met up today at Huber's to take photos of the girls on the same pumpkin wagon that we put them on last year. If you can get past the horrible direct sunlight....it's crazy to see how much Isabella and Ansleigh have changed.
They were babies last year.
This year, they are little girls...with heads full of curls, sparkling eyes, shoes that are actually dirty on the bottom from walking everywhere they go....
Bell-bu and Ansee. They squeal each other's names as soon as they catch a glimpse of one another.
They are lucky to have each other.
Our families have shared some good times over the past year and we look forward to many more.

last year
this year
last year
this year

Oh and last year, these two were nice and warm in our bellies. Now they are 6 months old and lighting up our lives.
Truth be known, Isabella is quite smitten with Landon and Ansleigh is infatuated with Jack. Should be interesting as they grow!

"Cool" is what she calls school. She knows when we get in the car that we are headed to cool. Her favorite teacher is Mrs. Karin (pronounced Car-in) from Sweden...because she sings "if you're happy and you know it..." like an angel from heaven. Her favorite things in the classroom are the baby dolls. She carries them around all day and is always reluctant to leave them at cool when I pick her up.
We couldn't be more pleased or proud that she's being brave and growing up and learning and enjoying herself.

Here are some photos from the first day (3 weeks ago.)

The requisite front door picture (even if it did make us late.)

Breakfast of Champions...a Panera bagel and a "box" delivered just for her in the wee hours by daddy.
First day breakfast decor by mommy.

First day bath...we thought about going with this "do" but alas, decided on the regular old teacher's pet, bow-head look.

Jack...
You are double this size now.
So handsome with such an easy smile.
You are good for my soul.

Please tell me how it is possible that daddy and I went to a Parent's Night for your school this week?
Oh it's such a great big world...and you seem so very small.
Tell me you'll be ok.
Tell me I'll be ok.

You're going to have so much fun. I'm so proud that you're mine.
Noon.
That's when I'll be there to get you.

right now...

three things i love about you, Jack Thomas...
1. the way you always smell like milk. You smell like home to me.
2. the way you are beginning to laugh. It is a sweet, yet all boy laugh. Your voice sounds a little raspy and it melts my heart. A chip off the old raspy block.
3. your eyes. oh those dark eyes. beautiful boy.

three things i love about you, isabella...
1. the way you call all toiletries "pee-chew." This came from you trying to pronounce the word "perfume" many months ago. You love all things "pee-chew"...be it lotion or chapstick or perfume or shampoo or makeup.... When I ask you if you want "pee-chew" you will gently pucker up your lips for me to apply the pee-chew (with the cap on). I make over you and say how wonderful you look and you smile. Then I ask if you want some on your eyes. Of course you do! You try hard to keep them shut so I can apply it to your lids (again, cap on) and you get so excited when I exclaim how beautiful you are.
2. the way you have been carrying around the shirt that unky and "yibby" got you can calling it "Jus."
3. the way you say "hold-chew" when you want to be picked up. This came from us saying "Do you want me to hold you?"

My friend Erin did this on her blog and challenged her readers to do it, too. It was fun and interesting to read hers so I thought I'd give it a whirl. If you read my blog and you have a spare second...you do it, too! I'd love to read yours!

I am....
Zebra print. Dark chocolate m&m's. A mother to my babies. A lover of the ocean. A bath taker. Never in flats. A worrier. Crazy in love with my husband. Sunglasses on my head. A Fall girl. A homebody. Loyal. Out to dinner. New bedding. Addicted to houses. Supportive. A disliker of waiting rooms. Attached to my blackberry. Laughing often. A writer. Always painted toenails. A sister to a brother. A smart mouth. Jcrew. Lime sherbet with sprinkles. A photographer. Afraid of doctors. Candlelight. Coffee drinker September through February. My father's daughter. Never enough shopping. A dreamer. Bookstores. Winks. Holding hands. A teacher. Black pants. Caffeine free diet cokes. A believer. A milk maker. Short nails. A saver. A reader of blogs. No brass. A rememberer. Long hair. Music over television. My mother's best friend. Lounge pants. Expensive champagne. A graduate. Not a napper. Appetizers. A singer of lullabies. An easy crier. Outdoor eateries. Diaper bags. Quote lover. The only person not on facebook. A Bjorn wearer. Lipstick. A gift giver. Nikon. Beach chairs. Mail getter. A grandchild. A birth giver. Blessed. A night owl. A lover of surprises. Turkey burgers. A decorator. A1 sauce. Summer thunderstorms. Not an "alone time" person. Ponytails. A strawberry eater. Magazines. Spa visits. A pray-er. Sun hats. Football afternoons. A multitasker. A holiday shopper. Scared of sadness. A lover of company for dinner or for the weekend. A bath giver. A bargain hunter. A necklace wearer. A sister in law. An enjoyer of pregnancy. Slow to trust. A goal setter. A king size bed. A traveler. Always cold in restaurants. Soft jeans. Too cheap for the theatre. A boutique lover. Creative. A party planner. Fridays. Chic Fil A. Diet Sierra Mist Ruby Splash. A walker. A stroller pusher. A thinker. A list maker. A leg crosser. A mascara needer. Annoyed by telemarketers. A card sender. An ironer. A maker of things. Porch swings. Sweet tea. Butterflies in my stomach. A condiment lover. Fireplace sitter. A texter. A jokester. A paci finder. Not a thrill seeker. Confused by rude people who work for tips. Hydrangeas and roses. Aveda. Married. Loved. Usually late. Always dressed in some shade of black or white. A picky eater. Nervous about fine print. A lover of my city. A wine taster. Bad at directions. A non smoker. A dancer at home. A robe wearer. Not a fan of bare feet in the grass. A lake lover. A sunset watcher. No whip cream. UK fan. A hair straightner and thereby a default Chi lover. Somewhat stubborn. Somewhat emotional. A scaredy cat. An aunt. More productive under a deadline. A dog owner. A day at the horse races. An ouchless brush. A neighbor. A passenger.

Apparently I set myself up for failure by putting in writing that I will update the blog more often. I then go on to forget about it entirely!
Anyway, this is a favorite photo from vacation. That's our sweet baby Jack keeping himself content by the big doors during one of Isabella's naps. Tommy and I would sit out on the balcony and chat, have drinks, work on laptops, etc. He's such a good baby...we are so blessed.
And that amazing water...I'm missing it today.
Friday night we went to a marriage conference at church where I proceeded to fall in love with my husband all over again. We are music lovers and they played all our faves by John Mayer. We picked up the kids at Tommy's parents and stayed there visiting until midnight. Then we got up early and headed off for a fun filled weekend at the lake with the kids and several other couples. It was lovely and we still have "boat legs" from spending our days out on the water. You'd think we'd be water logged...but we are planning to head to the pool when Tommy returns from work today. We're also planning to walk "downtown" for some rasberry-limon gelato. Upon tasting her first bite, Isabella will squeal, "yumm-may!"

School is starting this week and I am not. I have mixed feelings. But mostly...I'm feeling very content at home with my two babies and my growing business. All three are fairly hard to keep up with! I have signed up to sub here and there so that I can see all my old students, visit with my colleagues, and possibly even wear heels! Look out! Will my feet even tolerate such a change?

The big question lingering in my mind today....will Justin and Libby be having a baby boy or a baby girl? They find out today!

One of my most favorite parts of our annual vacation is hanging out with my brother and his wife. My brother is the funniest person I know and we spent a better part of the week laughing until our faces hurt. Seriously. I feel so blessed to have a sibling in this great big world. And he married someone completely wonderful. Together, we all have quite a time and coming home is sad for all of us. Isabella is still asking for "Unky and Ibby" in the mornings and Tommy and I are still telling and re-telling hilarious moments.
This year, we had the added excitement of their percolating baby! It's beautiful to watch their anticipation...especially since I know what love they are in store for.

I came across this picture tonight and couldn't resist playing around with it a bit. I truly love it. Hope you guys do too...pick a size and I'll order it for you.
So happy, so blessed. Excited for January when I'll get to hold him/her in my arms.

******
Will try to post lots of vacation photos this week. Jack and I finally made it into the header photo! Woot!

post vacation blues

ten things i miss about you, sweet florida..
1. your restaurants. like margaritaville and guy harvey's, and even pineapple sucky willy's.
2. your sand between my toes.
3. your sunrises that entertained me while i fed my baby boy early in the mornings.
4. your sunsets that found us still in our beach chairs.
5. your refreshing pools.
6. your scenic backdrops for my picture taking love.
7. your humid air that makes my husband such a quiet sleeper.
8. your pomegranate mojitos.
9. your palm trees.
10. the sound of you.

2 things I don't miss so much...
1. your not so tasty tap water
2. the way your air gives me a very bad perm.

back from vacation safe and sound. feeling so blessed for the opportunity. missing my family. lots of catching up with client work. STILL lots of unpacking here and getting settled.
summer is melting (quite literally) away!

five

Five years ago yesterday I celebrated five years with the love of my life. I love that we were married in July...it's a great summer month and it seems to fit us well. We have been so busy trying to get settled into our new home (which we also agreed would be our anniversary gift to each other along with new sunnies for each of us) that we weren't able to do a huge amount of celebrating but thanks to my mom, we were able to sneak out for a quiet, romantic dinner at our go-to dinner spot, Jeff Ruby's. The steak cannot even be described with words and the dinner conversation was lovely. We discussed favorite memories over the past five years, goals for the future, our babies, etc. So nice.
Currently, we are in a rented mini van heading south for a little vacation with my family. The trip has been prolonged due to many diaper changes, nack-nack (snack) stops,breastfeeding breaks, etc. but I was just looking in the rearview mirror at my beautiful husband and thinking I wouldn't rather be anywhere else in this world than smashed between these two carseats with two sleeping, sweaty babies at my sides....trading winks with my driver. Our marriage is my greatest blessing. The past five years have been wonderful and I look forward to so many more.
(I'm ashamed to admit that I could not find one recent photo of the two of us. We must take some this week!)

I love you more than life, Thomas. Zipdog, I do.

summer fun

Blog posting has taken a severe dip! Busy enjoying the summer! Daddy was away for business for TWENTY ONE straight days last month and momma nearly lost her mind! Needless to say there was no time for blogging! We're glad to have him home safe and sound...and glad there will be no more traveling (without all of us in tow!)

We are loving the warm weather and trying to be outside as much as we can. We're preparing for our move mid-month and looking forward to exploring our new neighborhood!
Here are some photos of the kids from last week at the block party.

Isabella most always has a sippy hanging from her teeth these days. Probably not so good for the teeth...but excellent in terms of preventing dehydration. She's a "little girl" now...growing up quickly!

Speaking of growing up....my little Jackie boy is growing up so fast! He will soon pass his sister. He is such an amazing addition to our family. So, so easy to love. He's been wonderful. Who do you think her looks like?

Hope everyone is enjoying summer time!

And PS...Move over Wadey Wade...Isabella has her eye on a new guy: POM MO (Palmer)! She plans to be a fixture at POM MO's soccer games this season!

Who's who?

Sometimes they look so different....and yet, sometimes so similar!

Can you tell who is who?

A

B

C

D

E

A...Jack
B...Ella
C...Jack
D...Jack
E...Ella

I never imagined in a million years that I would love motherhood as much as I do.
Yesterday I paused to reflect on some of my greatest blessings...
...my own mother...for teaching me, by way of example, what it means to love someone unconditionally.
...my husband for loving me and for assuring me two years ago that I would be a great mother despite all my insecurities.
...my baby girl...for being my first precious child...the one who quickly shaped me into a mother overnight!
...my baby boy...for having the sweetest little soul and for fitting so perfectly into our slightly chaotic world. (and for teaching me how to nurse..woo hooo!)
...and most importantly, for God and His grace...for giving me so much more than I deserve.

Isabella & Jack May 09

Thirty years ago today on a clear Spring day, you were born to your parents in much the same way we just welcomed a baby boy. I imagine that your mom sat in her hospital bed and held you and gazed into your baby blues...wondering what this life would hold for you. I wonder if she knew how funny you'd be? Or if she knew that you possessed a drive and an optimism that most people do not. I wonder if she realized that you would be wise beyond your years and too witty for your own good. Did she realize what an incredible father you'd turn out to be? That your very presence would make your daughter squeal with glee. Did she realize that you would make such a wonderful husband? The best partner in life that a girl could ask for?
Happy birthday, my love!
I am so infinitely grateful that you were born. There are no words to describe the ways in which your love has strengthened me. I will always adore you.

PS...I should've met you in the sandbox.

having fun in the bath (photos taken hours before Jack's arrival. Little did we know!)

Isabella...
At a time when the whole world seems to revolve around your baby brother...
I just wanted to say I love you.
And...you'll always be my baby, too.
Love,
Momma

Welcome to the world
Baby Jack!

Jack Thomas
born on April 9th, 2009
at 3:36am
7.8 pounds
20 inches long
...so incredibly sweet and beautiful...
everything we've been waiting for!

we're still here....

...we're just keeping mightily busy while we wait for our new baby. Only a couple more weeks now...though I feel like it may be sooner than later. Little guy is fresh out of room {and my skin is fresh out of stretch.}

hello sweet boy...

At first glance, I love you with a thousand hearts.
-Mihri Hatun


Our hearts expanded again on Friday afternoon as we said hello to our son for the first time. Technology is so amazing. We were able to see him smile, measure his hair (1cm), and repeat many times, "Oh, he has your _________." "Look, his __________ is just like yours!" Bless the ultrasound tech! She was so sweet to us and she "ooohed and ahhhed" right along with us like she'd never seen a cuter fetus. We even left there with 5 movie clips on CD of him waving and moving about. Just as it did with Isabella, the 4D ultrasound drove it home that we are about to be a family of four. We (dad and Tommy) spent the majority of the weekend converting an upstairs room into a nursery. I wanted beadboard and though it looks great, it was far more involved than I thought! Oooops, sorry guys! We will paint this week and then add furniture and bedding and accessories and clothing...and then (in 8 weeks, hopefully)....a sweet baby boy.

We are madly in love already.

love in the obx

Valentine card, 09

Belated, but hope yours was happy!

We spent Valentine's weekend in the Outer Banks with Justin, Libby, Chris, Allison, and the boys. We had a wonderful time. Wade and Isabella are 4 months apart, but the same size. It was fun to see them interact (ie fight over toys). Below, they are both having a little play date in their birthday suits. They will laugh at this photo when they are older.We visited a little nearby city called Manteo and took some photos on the pier. Here is Jack with uncle Justin.

J&L at sunset

The kiddos...Wade is not pleased with the weather. It was very cold on this day and even thought he is from Michigan, he prefers a more balmy climate.

Little Miss "I hate the snow" is fine with the cold...just not the white stuff!

Someone was behind the scenes teasing her with yogurt puffs. You DO NOT mess with her yogurt puffs.

Our home for the weekend. Amazingly beautiful and so different from the houses around here. Each beach house had 3 floors and the main living floor is the top floor....for view purposes, I guess. We loved our room and slept soundly in a very comfortable bed.

The guys watched the kids while the girls went out for manicures/pedicures and shopping all day. When we arrived home, the kids were off to bed and they served us dinner. We each got a card at our place setting.

The food was delish and the company was even better. We played a couple rounds of questions (that the guys loooove) such as what is your most romantic memory? When did you fall in love with me? etc. Always a good time...

Baby Wade..

Ella spending some beloved time with her unky. She thinks he plays kind of rough...but we'll keep him! He makes her laugh with his silly dancing and voices.

Overall...great weekend. Thanks for everything, guys. Can't wait to see everyone again soon. {And...happy Valentine's Day to my Valentine. All my love to you! }