Endurance in June!

We finally finished school for the summer.  The kids had their last piano lessons until the fall, and I quickly decided that as long as they practice the piano every day this summer, I can let go of my ambitious plans of math flash cards and writing workbooks.  Maybe I will have the energy in August, but as I type this in July, I can tell you that it's not likely.  In the meantime, I have enlisted their help around the house.  Photos in clockwise order from top left below: Emma helping with laundry, Violet showing me her alphabet train puzzle she proudly built, and their last piano lesson for the school year.

 The girls had their dance recital this past month and did an absolutely beautiful job.  The love and pride that I feel when I see their shining faces on stage is one of my favorite things.  The girls in their ballet class, and the moms as well, are such a great group of people that we really do love our time spent with this dance studio.

Below are both sets of grandparents who also are big fans of our ballerinas.

This past month my brother, his wife and my niece were in town for Opal and my niece's double baptism.  My niece is six months old and lives in Florida, so this was the first time I got to meet her.  I already warned my brother that I would be an emotional wreck when I first met her, and true to my word, I cried all the tears upon meeting this sweet baby, my God daughter.  It was great seeing my brother and sister in law too, and another highlight was my parents having all of their grandkids together for the first time since my niece and Opal were born.  My sister in law had the idea of having one of the kids hold a picture of Luke for the photo, so he is included in the line up too.  My sentimental heart just loves photos like this!  The photos in clockwise order from top left below: my girls meeting their cousin for the first time, my parents with all of their grandchildren, God sisters Opal and Hayden, me holding a book entitled "Butter" that my sister in law who excels at gift giving gave me, and Will and my brother comparing dress shoes.

 There is a new splash pad by my parents house that we all went to when my brother was in town, and we also celebrated Grandma T's birthday this past month too.

 Will's first day of summer vacation started at the end of this month, and we celebrated our first week day morning with him by eating a special breakfast of strawberry shortcake outside.

Will planted my lilac bushes that he gave me for my birthday, and we discovered many beautiful insects in and around our yard this past month too.

Because Will loves me, and I love bees, the bees feasted on islands of clover that he generously spared from the mower in our yard this past month.

 The oldest three girls enjoyed the "kiddie" pool, the slip and slide, and the water table this past month while Opal looked on.

Lots of swinging, bike rides, neighbor fun and even roller skating took place...

 ...and we even got around to making a fairy cake kit with the girls that we hadn't had time for during the school year.  My friend Krista gave the girls the kits for Christmas, and have been begging us ever since to make them.  I must say that Lucy took on the project as her own, and made some unbelievably beautiful creations with Emma, Violet and me as her assistants.  The photo in the top right below is of a play the girls and Will put on for me, inspired by the move The Greatest Showman, and their creativity had me laughing and smiling so much!

 We joined our library's summer reading program this past month which has the theme "Libraries Rock" and enjoyed a workshop put on by a Girl Band Rock group where my kids got to try out all sorts of instruments.

 We also went to a Music and Matisse workshop where the girls made Matisse inspired creations while listening to music from Matisse's era.

We have excelled at reading this past month, and as I type this, have completed our summer reading program.  I'm so happy to share my love of reading with my kids with both old favorites, and also discovering new titles together. 

We found lots of baby deer this past month - one just born in a field by my bee hives north of us, and a pair of twins in the cemetery by our house.  The mama deer in the cemetery by our house still has her twins from last year with her, and so I feel a special connection to her with each of us having four earthly children.  We also attended a play at the local university called The Three Little Pigs which did not disappoint, and Lucy and Emma also attended a week of vacation bible school at our church.

It's hard to believe with all of the above pictures showcasing all of the fun things we did this past month that we were extremely sick for several weeks.  It started with Will, then me, and then one by one the kids.  It came with every symptom of sickness you could think of, and it was definitely a trial of endurance for us when Will and I weren't feeling too great ourselves.  Fortunately Opal did not get sick!

Because of our germs, we ended up having to reschedule our yearly family photos, but we were able to squeeze them in before the month ended.  The below photos in clockwise order from top left: a "behind the scenes" look at family photos, our attempt at a family photo, and four stacks of freshly folded little girls clothes - one for each of my girls - that hit me straight in the gratitudes.  I still can't believe my luck at having four earthly kids!!!

And finally, the polished and perfect looking professional photos that capture the highlights of my earthly family so very well.

I don't need much in the way of material things, but when it comes to capturing my family on film, the photos my friend takes every year for us are among my most prized possessions.  I want to hold on so tightly to these moments in time with my kids still little and us all under one roof, and while I know that the future holds wonderful things too, I really do love this chapter that I am living right now.  It is the hardest thing I have ever done - the endurance, faith and patience required is immense, but the rewards are so very great.

Opal's Fourth Month

Opal has become more aware and playful this past month.  She is getting stronger at tummy time, and we were told by our chiropractor that she has the upper body and core strength of a six month old.  That last fact may qualify as a brag, however I do think that her advanced upper body strength can be attributed to the fact that she still prefers to be held while sleeping.  Opal can roll over from her belly to her back now and is very close to being able to roll from her back to her belly.  She has also discovered her thumb, and loves to suck on it.

When Opal smiles, she lights up my world.  She is starting to laugh, great big belly laughs, and she is very aware of everything going on around her.  Almost too aware, hence the trouble with sleep.  Not only does she look so much like her sisters at this age, she is pretty spot on with her behavior as well.

Opal loves me as her number one, and then daddy as her number two.

Lucy is her number three, and I often refer to Lucy as Little Mommy.  Lucy loves taking care of Opal like a real life baby doll, and Opal adores Lucy.  Emma loves holding and picking up Opal, but Emma's attention span is quite short, so I cannot rely on her for too much help.  But Opal loves to play with Emma.  Violet would love to pick up Opal and hold her anytime she wants, but has to be content with supervised play.  Opal is cautious of Violet, but as seat mates in the car, loves to hold Violet's hand as she goes to sleep in her carseat when we are driving.  I love to hear each sister sweet talk Opal, and truly, it is some of the sweetest conversations I have ever heard.  And yes, they are conversations, as Opal will coo and gurgle right back to them.

 My time is now divided between these four little ladies and most days it feels as though there isn't enough of me to go around, let alone anything left over for Will or myself.  But, truly, there is no place I would rather be.

It sounds cliche to my ears when I say it, but Opal is such a gift to our family.  When I look into her eyes, I see the purest form of love there is, and I love to bask in the joy that is Opal.

Our Golden, Happy Place

Last year for my birthday weekend we discovered a cottage up north that we loved so much that when we got back home, we went ahead and booked another stay for September.  And then, when we came home from our trip last September, we went ahead and reserved May and September of the following year.  Imagine our surprise when the cottage owner text me the Saturday before our stay to say that the guests scheduled (and paid in full) right before our trip had canceled, and that we could head up a week early at no extra charge.  The question wasn't if we should go early or not, it was how, since Will couldn't take any extra time off of work.  Several hours passed before we came up with our game plan.  My brother Pat agreed to travel up with us, so that he could bring Will home in time for work on Monday and I wouldn't be stranded up north without a car for four days.  By the time our game plan was in place, the car was packed and we arrived up north it was almost midnight. Opal screamed for probably three of the four hours there and I was seriously doubting our decision.

We all got a good night's sleep though, and in the morning the sun was shining and I had no regrets.  We were at our happy place, and it would be over a week before we had to make the car trip back home with Opal.  Our first full day there also happened to be Mother's Day and I couldn't have asked for a better day.  The girls had even brought up my Mother's Day present - a book called The Seven Silly Eaters which I took out from the library every chance I got as it reminds me of my little family.  After breakfast, we were excited to show Uncle Pat all of our favorite places in the one day that he had to share with us.  We took him for a hike on our favorite trail by the cottage and when we arrived at the trail head, we were greeted by a large cluster of white butterflies that made the trail seem almost magical.  The butterflies were everywhere, and the girls had fun getting them to land on their fingers.  My brother didn't seem to mind the girls and my excited exclamations over butterflies and all of the spring wildflowers that were also in bloom.

It was a memorable hike, and we realized at the summit that we had brought along what my brother referred to himself as, "The Original Selfie Stick".  His long arms took a great selfie!

After lunch we took Pat to one of our favorite beaches, and then enjoyed a take out dinner from our favorite burger place - voted best burgers in our state!  Then, the inevitable goodbyes as Will and Pat packed to go home, and the reality of being four hours from anyone we knew began to set in for me and the kids.  It was a tear-filled goodbye, as it was the first time any of us were going to be apart from Will for four whole days and nights (Will's hospital stays excluded because at least I could visit him then!).  When we could no longer see my brother's truck on the horizon, we decided to play one of the games we brought.  This was the perfect thing to cheer us up and to set the stage for our week of just us girls.  The photo below in clockwise order from top left: the game that distracted us from missing Will, a photo I text to Will the next day when I desperately needed a nap with Opal and couldn't figure out how to turn a movie on for the girls (Will was able to tell us how to do it just based on the photo!), Emma cooking breakfast, the girls playing school with their dolls, Emma giving Opal some morning snuggles, Emma doing school on the front porch, and Lucy on the tree swing.

 The girls was so very helpful, and truly were the only way I could have even considered going up north alone with a newborn for four days.  Emma was mostly in charge of cooking, Lucy was mostly involved with Opal, and Violet helped whenever she could.  I had planned for super easy meals, all of which the kids could help prepare almost completely on their own.  The photos in clockwise order from top left below: Emma watching Opal, Violet, Emma and Lucy with paint kits I had gotten them for their birthdays, Opal taking a great nap so I could help the girls paint, me trying to keep the bugs from biting me as I read on the front porch swing, and finally, the girls with their paint sets.

 I had packed and brought up their schoolwork, as we had already taken off enough time from when Opal was born and I didn't want to extend our school year even father into the summer.  The girls seemed inspired by their new surroundings and did school each morning in record time.  After school was done we usually headed out on simple trips - finding a grocery store and buying fun foods for a picnic, exploring the National Park and enjoying the beach.

The bugs were really bad at the beach for most of the week, and that was a disappointment but we still found ways to have fun.  All of us slept so well on our trip and I have to attribute it to the up north air, the sun and the water.  Plus, it didn't hurt that the beds in the cottage were super comfy.

Since we were up north for over a week, it was the perfect time to sign up for the Junior Ranger Program at the National Park.  The girls and I had fun all week exploring and accomplishing different requirements of the program and at the end of the week they were given a badge and sworn in as Junior Park Rangers.  We also added another stamp to their National Park Passport books which now contain three stamps - all from the same National Park.  Someday Will and I would like to visit other National Parks with them, but for now, we are definitely getting to know the one in our own state very well.  And truly, is there anything better than that - to know and love deeply that which is closest to you?

The timing of our trip was perfect for the brief window in which the spring wildflowers bloom before the trees grow all of their leaves for the season and shade out the plants below.  We bought a wildflower guide book at the park office, and had so much fun identifying and learning all of the names of the flowers that we saw.  In no particular order, trillium, white, purple and yellow violets, dandelions, bellwort, yellow trout lily, wild strawberries, spring beauties, daffodils, Indian Pipe, and Dutchman's Breeches to name a few.

I did not have the courage or physical strength to venture out on long hikes without Will, as I could only carry Opal and was worried about if Violet tired out and we were out on a hike with no way to carry her out.  That didn't stop us from going to lots of park landmarks with short, paved trails but we did plot out a hike a day for when Will joined us at the end of the week.

The bugs also cleared up by the time Will was back with us, so we were able to enjoy some great beach time.

The water was still too cold for swimming, but we still had lots of fun.

 My favorite treasure from the entire trip was a rock that Violet found that she told me, "Looks just like baby toes!"  Sure enough, when she lined it up with Opal's foot it was the perfect silhouette of her little baby foot!  What a sweet gift that Violet gave to me, and I will keep it for always!

 Is there anything better than sandy, baby toes?  In the above picture, Will is washing off our three oldest "babies'" toes.  On our last full day up north, we met up with friends for a hike in the National Park and then shared a pizza dinner after.  Our group consisted of four adults and seven little girls and despite the chilly and damp weather, we had a wonderful time.

Because of a fire ban, we were unable to enjoy nightly campfires until our very last night at the cottage.  A fire, with the sunset in the background and s'mores on our hands and in our mouths with my favorite people in the entire world is the culmination of my happy place.  To have Opal with us for the first time in this sacred place just added to the joy.  Emma refers to the way she likes her s'mores and the way the sun casts a light on everything as it sets as, "Golden".  It is our Golden Time for sure.

Our drive home is usually a somber one, as we say goodbye to this beautiful place until next time.  Miraculously, Opal slept the entire four hour drive home and we capitalized on this and drove straight through.  After the rough trip up, not a single one of us took that for granted as we gladly held our pee and replaced our missed lunch with snack foods scrounged up in the car!  It was good to be home as I love our house and our town, and to be close again to our family and friends.  It is such an interesting predicament, to love two places at once, and truly, as long as the cottage owner is willing, we will do our best to get there twice a year.  And, as long as we are welcome, it is the perfect scenario for us - to enjoy this beautiful place and not have to worry about the cost or upkeep.  Truly, the ability to have no responsibilities while we are there is probably the underlying reason it is such a wonderful recharge for us.  So, until next time sweet cottage, we will be dreaming of you!

Lilacs and Dreams Come True in May

One of my favorite flowers bloom in May, and lilacs are one of the most heavenly scented flowers I know.  The girls and I were practically drinking in their scents in my neighbors yard.

 

Let me just say that with all of those lilacs in bloom, it was just one more reason why getting. school. done. for. the. end. of. the. year. was. even. more. brutal.  Here the girls are below showcasing some of their art projects from their art class.

 Violet loves playing dress up, and in the photos below can be seen as a bride, a ballerina, Elsa, and a spinning ballerina.  Lucy and Emma's dance teacher had an extra ballet costume from a younger class, and sweetly gave it to Violet.  This generous gift made Violet so happy, and so proud.  She even has me put her hair up in a real ballerina bun each time she tries on the tutu.  Also pictured below is a family movie night, complete with a picnic dinner and Charlie watching from the porch, as well as the three oldest girls snuggled under a cozy, weighted blanket that a family friend made for us.

If Charlie could talk, he would probably say that he misses us.  Between my cat allergy and caring for Opal, Charlie is lacking my affection.  He really is a sweetheart, even if he terrorizes and then eats the neighborhood wildlife, and harasses and eats any of our food that has been left unattended.  I'm not sure if it is because he spent the beginning of his life as a starving feral orphan cat or if he just loves to eat, but either way, he can never get enough food.  Below is the view out of my office window one evening.  I knew from past experience that when I went outside to investigate that I would find Charlie under that window.  Sure enough, there he was with his tail swatting back and forth menacingly when I scooped him up and locked him in the garage until the chipmunk had time to escape.  That chipmunk lived another day, but I told it in no uncertain terms that there was no future for him in my yard and to take his family and run for the hills.

 Our little suburban farm is just getting started for the season this past month with asparagus almost every night for dinner.  We planted our garden for the season with tomatoes, beans, lettuce, peppers, cucumbers and melon.  Our bees are doing great, and Will even upgraded my wildflower garden with sunflower seeds and poppies.  He weeded, and found lots of wildflowers from the previous years already sprouting up.  The bottom, left hand pictures below show the girls waiting patiently for us at the bee property north of us while Will and I checked on our bees.  The property there is just so gorgeous, and it is like a mini trip up north for me every time we go.

Lucy found several toads in our garden this past month, and as a sign of her growing up, enjoyed them for a few minutes and then let them go.  This is a big change from summers past when she wanted to keep them for months and the became almost skin and bones on the diet of ants that she fed them.  The below photos in clockwise order from top left: Lucy with a toad, the girls' dolls with acne cream on them in the sun to eliminate pen that someone scribbled on them (this was a Pinterest suggestion, and it actually worked - sun plus acne cream - who knew!?), enjoying Popsicles outside for the first time this season, the first sprinkler play of the year, the first water table fun, a fairy ring Emma and Violet made, Lucy with a bouquet of flowers from the yard and Will holding up the tallest dandelion from our yard.

We planted flowers at the cemetery for Luke, Will's grandpa and my grandparents on Memorial Day...

...and then went to Will's parents house for the afternoon.  It was too hot outside for Violet that afternoon, so Grandma and Grandpa T. had birdhouses for the girls to paint indoors.  They had a great time, and all three birdhouses are already occupied!

The below photos in clockwise order from top left: Opening Day at the Farmer's Market and Opal's first visit, picking out our flowers and veggie plants for the garden at a local greenhouse, the girls and I all trying on outfits at a clothing store (don't be deceived by the cuteness - it is utter chaos shopping with all of them and Will was waiting impatiently with Opal on the other side of the door - but despite this, I am in awe of my luck of having four girls to have this experience with!), and finally, Violet got to shop with the gift card to the Lego Store from her God father for her birthday, and she told Will, "I know what my gift card says - Happy Birth Mark!"

 Violet turned four at the beginning of this month, and handled her day with both grace and serene happiness.  She was so patient watching Emma and then Lucy enjoy their birthdays that I think she could hardly believe that it was finally her turn!  Her big sisters spoiled her with all of her favorite things - Barbies and My Little Ponies, and my favorite picture is of her laughing when she opened the gift she had bought, wrapped and given to herself!  Easter Peeps that she found on clearance and knew that she would enjoy for her birthday!  Will and I got her some new Frozen dress up outfits, Legos, a Disney Princess puzzle, her own ride-on bouncey ball, and a ballerina book complete with music.

Lucy and Emma convinced Violet to go to the local craft store to spend the gift cards they had all gotten from my parents for their birthday, and so they spent the afternoon making the pillows they had bought with their money.

 Violet even found violets growing in the sidewalk on the walk we took on her birthday!  Here she is below as we sing happy birthday to her.   I can't believe how much she has grown!

My birthday was at the end of the month, and because it was the day after Memorial Day this year, Will could not take the day off.  The girls spoiled me though from the moment they woke up - starting with a bouquet of lilacs Lucy has picked the night before, and then presents from each of them.  Opal gave me a great gift by actually taking two really good naps, and because of that, I was able to play with the girls new Lego sets from their birthdays and Emma and Violet even had saved pieces for me to be able to actually build them.  I thought that was so sweet and thoughtful!

We ended up going to the library where Emma begrudgingly helped load up all of my books - but only because it is your birthday mom!  We picked up lunch from our favorite sandwich place on the way home, and even scored a free chocolate chip cookie because there was a slight delay with our order!  Bonus!

 Will surprised me with two lilac bushes of my very own when he got home from work, as well as a blueberry pie that I asked him to pick up from a local pie factory right by his school.  It was a happy day for me, despite sleep deprivation as Opal was up most of the night before, but I truly could not ask for anything more.   It occurred to me on my 37th birthday that I have come pretty far on discovering who I really am, and leading a life true to myself.  And although I never dreamed of my current reality when I was younger, I am so happy to be where I am right now with the dreams that started when I fell in love with Will almost twenty years ago now.  Four earthly children and an angel son, our dream house, and a purpose that I feel passionate about - raising my girls and saving the bees with Will by my side.  Yes, 37 is looking good!