tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91604331641776512752024-02-20T03:13:43.597-10:00the happy her trailsA glimpse at our happy little family as we walk by faithAudreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.comBlogger164125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-65937887247270211202015-02-16T14:24:00.001-10:002015-02-16T14:24:26.997-10:00Each Day is Valentine's Day!<table bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.smilebox.com/play/4e4449784e6a45774d54673d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_playback_link&partner=smilebox" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to play this Smilebox slideshow" src="http://www.smilebox.com/snap/4e4449784e6a45774d54673d0d0a.jpg" height="330" style="border: medium none;" width="420" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.smilebox.com/?partner=smilebox&campaign=blog_snapshot" target="_blank"><img alt="Create your own slideshow - Powered by Smilebox" src="http://www.smilebox.com/globalImages/blogInstructions/blogLogoSmilebox.gif" height="46" style="border: medium none;" width="420" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center">This <a href="http://www.smilebox.com/?campaign=blog_playback_link&partner=smilebox" target="_blank">slideshow design</a> customized with Smilebox</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-83624312925081159122013-06-16T16:43:00.000-10:002013-06-16T16:44:54.568-10:00Our Daddy, Our Hero!Early on in our relationship, Xee was given a shirt that quoted the following, "To be a winner, all you need to give is all you have." Through the years and many washings, it is literally starting to disintegrate, but I won't let him throw it away. It has always been, and will ever be the truest testament of who he is and what he stands for. <br />
<br />
<table bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://smilebox.com/play/4d7a63774d7a59794e446b3d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_playback_link&partner=smilebox" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to play this Smilebox slideshow" height="330" src="http://smilebox.com/snap/4d7a63774d7a59794e446b3d0d0a.jpg" style="border: medium none;" width="420" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.smilebox.com/?partner=smilebox&campaign=blog_snapshot" target="_blank"><img alt="Create your own slideshow - Powered by Smilebox" height="46" src="http://www.smilebox.com/globalImages/blogInstructions/blogLogoSmilebox.gif" style="border: medium none;" width="420" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center"><a href="http://www.smilebox.com/?campaign=blog_playback_link&partner=smilebox" target="_blank">Free photo slideshow</a> customized with Smilebox</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-17534895378000097272012-12-25T10:30:00.000-10:002012-12-28T22:07:38.827-10:00The Reason He Came...US<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Need to chat?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Vent?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Get something off your chest?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Bewildered?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Bothered?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Broken hearted?</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">Wonderful Counselor</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Scared?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Terrified?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In a Panic?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Overwhelmed?</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">Mighty God</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Homeless?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Disappointed?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Let Down?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Abandoned?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Abused?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Orphaned?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Neglected?</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">Everlasting Father</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Anxious...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Restless...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Rushed...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Worried...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Wired...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Wound up...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Confused...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Can't keep up?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Dismayed...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Defeated...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Deflated....</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Disappointed...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Disenchanted...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Dissed</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Lonesome...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Loveless...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Lost</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Strapped?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Stretched?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Stressed Out?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;">Prince of Peace</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-41829499816872475262012-11-20T21:15:00.002-10:002012-11-20T21:26:50.264-10:00Abundantly Blessed!!<div>
<br /></div>
<table bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://smilebox.com/play/4d7a4d354e6a59324d54513d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_playback_link" target="_blank"><img alt="Click to play this Smilebox collage" height="330" src="http://smilebox.com/snap/4d7a4d354e6a59324d54513d0d0a.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium;" width="420" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.smilebox.com/?partner=smilebox&campaign=blog_snapshot" target="_blank"><img alt="Create your own collage - Powered by Smilebox" height="46" src="http://www.smilebox.com/globalImages/blogInstructions/blogLogoSmilebox.gif" style="border: medium none;" width="420" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center">Customize your own <a href="http://www.smilebox.com/" target="_blank">free collage</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-18131663528384137242012-10-09T22:25:00.000-10:002012-10-12T21:13:52.955-10:00Flying Elephants and I'm Back In the Saddle Again...Hi Strangers! Yeah, yeah, I know. Its been eons since you saw freshly typed words around these parts. Some of you faithful few may recall that I didn't start this blogging thing 'til Phoebe was at a "manageable" age. Now our family has blossomed and well, twenty-month old boy....need I say more? <br />
<br />
So don't you get any ideas about this being a regular occurance. We'll just see about that. I'm living moment by glorious moment dancing in the kitchen, giving piggy-back rides, singing our ABC's and teaching baby sign language again! We've been swept up into the world of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Betsy-Tacy-Books-Maud-Hart-Lovelace/dp/0064400964/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1349856738&sr=8-2&keywords=betsy+tacy+books">Betsy Tacy</a>, while sewing blankets and curtains and designing clothes for a stuffed toy (I mean, genuine member of our family) named Valentine.<br />
<br />
And cloud gazing.<br />
<br />
We live in the most ideal place for that. <br />
<br />
Have you ever seen a french poodle diving into a pool of of marshmallows? I have. How about a volcano erupting white chocolate lava? A giant dinosaur baby holding a rattle, or perhaps a host of elephant angels?<br />
<br />
When was the last time you something as outlandish as that? <br />
<br />
I sure hope it was just this morning! I hope it happens on your way home from work, while walking your kids to the bus-stop, sweeping the back porch or mowing the lawn. I pray you see it.<br />
<br />
Do you see it?Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-5756562819226156042012-05-18T21:16:00.001-10:002012-05-18T21:19:31.537-10:00Still On A Blogging HiatusThe new number one reason, at least as of a couple months ago, is that we moved. Still living in gorgeous Ko Olina, new location. The word "exhausted" doesn't begin to describe my condition in the process. Pooped, worn out, burned out, wiped out... okay, you get the picture. Blessed! Now that's a good word. We're still getting this placed unwrapped, but loving our new location. We're blessed and we know it! (Hey, I might just have to altar the words to a popular kids song tomorrow during worship.)<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The list of events I have yet to log is piling up, but please see numbers one through ten on the previous post and know that numbers five, six, eight, nine and ten remain quite valid. So, months keep rolling by, pictures are yet to be downloaded and stories are left untold. My sweet boy, Ezra had a birthday, my sweet girl, Phoebe had a birthday, my dear mom came to visit (yay!). And we moved. Yep, life is much louder in real time and these moments with my computer are fewer and farther between. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I kind of like that way.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Yet, I miss you all.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There are thoughts left to share.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But not today.</div>Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-1238415752954384802012-02-09T20:00:00.000-10:002012-02-12T11:07:31.665-10:00Top Ten Reasons I'm on a Blogging Hiatus (in somewhat chronological order)1. At this very moment I am picking the laptop off the floor to continue with this post. Three seconds ago I was helping Phoebe aim for the bowl next to her on the couch. Throwing up stinks. <br />
<br />
2. This morning I woke up with food poisoning (or a stomach bug?). Phoebe didn't show symptoms til about 4 o'clock this afternoon while playing with friends outside. Poor thing came running down the street to tell me how she was feelin'...she didn't have to <i>say</i> anything. I'm thankful for good neighbors, who pull hoses from garages and spray down the street while I stroke the hair of one very sad (and embarrassed) little lady.<br />
<br />
3. A last-minute trip to the mainland for Xee's dad's 65th surprise birthday party which included one overnight flight into L.A., a drive to Fresno, where we stayed for two days, headed back to Orange County, said goodbye to Daddy, a pinch or two (or a hundred) of baby drama, lots of hugs and kisses, one very surprised sister of mine (gotcha!), precious time with my Mama, and one very hairy second week, which included.... one night of throwing up (Phoebe again), THE nastiest virus on the planet for all but my mom (thank you Lord for my Mom!), bilateral ear infections for Miss Phoebe (SERIOUSLY!!), my first (and likely last) solo flight with the two kids, one week-long sinus infection for me....deep breath. Sigh. We're home. <br />
<br />
(Until today, this was number 1 on the list.)<br />
<br />
P.S. Xee's dad was incredibly surprised to see us and moved to tears. It was a priceless moment and worth every effort to be there for it!!!<br />
<br />
4. Still unpacking, reorganizing, and recovering (see number 3).<br />
<br />
5. Four half-written posts and another dozen in my head but lack of time, creative juices, or more often than not, an inability to ignore my body's <i>command</i> to sleep have kept me from completing any of them. <i> </i>I rarely argue with my body these days.<br />
<br />
6. The gravitational pull on my eyelids. Did I mention sleep is a priority?<br />
<br />
7. We finally finished putting Christmas away (see number 3 again).<br />
<br />
8. A good book awaits. Three actually. I tend to have more than one good read laying around the house in places that I might steal small doses of a paragraph or two when a moment presents itself.<br />
<br />
9. My real life is happening in real time and I don't want to miss a thing. Magical baby milestones are happening at every turn and though I desperately want to chronicle them all, I'm just having so much fun being smack-dab in the middle it. And time alone with my husband? Also rare (see numbers 5b and 6).<br />
<br />
10. I've had the strongest desire to go <i>dark</i> lately. While I find my modern conveniences quite enjoyable, in our world of facebook and smart phones, and Apps for everything imaginable, technological advances are happening at warp speed, flooding into nearly every waking moment, and if I don't put a cork in it, I might miss something really great. I might miss an opportunity to be still. To be quiet. To focus. To breathe. To be real. <br />
<br />
<i>Really real</i>. <br />
<br />
In my mind I sometimes imagine that I have a modern gal on one shoulder-happy to be juggling multiple projects, texting on my cell, running around with the kiddos, and uploading videos to YouTube...and a little Amish girl on the other-one who longs for a quiet walk in a wide-open space, and has never seen a television or a computer. Okay, maybe Amish is a bit of a stretch. I think I'm somewhere in the middle of these two little ladies. I suppose I kind of like it that way. Still, I long for a forced simplicity. I may have more to say on this later, but for now, see number 6.Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-68561636532294320012011-12-29T21:27:00.001-10:002012-01-01T21:02:39.139-10:00Birthday BlunderOkay, before I post any current updates or pictures, can I just note that Phoebe turned five over seven months ago and for the first time since starting this blog, I did not post pictures. Why? Because there are none. Well, there are some. Okay one. I mean, maybe two. Yikes! What happened? <br />
<br />
I had intentions to plan a birthday party in the month of May, for a May birthday. The party actually happened in June, which really, is pretty impressive that it happened at all with a new babe in the house. <br />
<br />
So, Phoebe turned five! And we had a great time celebrating at the box car races. Somehow I managed to throw this thing together and still nurse a baby and rock him to sleep in his carrier, but the pictures?? Oops. <br />
<br />
Can you believe my baby is five?? Actually, five and a half! May is just around the corner. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XevEr-_e93yL_XnriZ2pVCLEOZXER-3MXIIu4SDPOIXXQgwCWkQbmYbYwmZxebMXjboPJcODrSJK69fuG_kCVdepU8xmvpjWhvkf8SPRSvwZzWulSMq60dZu6s9Fw1oBoh2mEJK45Ur3/s1600/100_0024_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XevEr-_e93yL_XnriZ2pVCLEOZXER-3MXIIu4SDPOIXXQgwCWkQbmYbYwmZxebMXjboPJcODrSJK69fuG_kCVdepU8xmvpjWhvkf8SPRSvwZzWulSMq60dZu6s9Fw1oBoh2mEJK45Ur3/s400/100_0024_3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-60389467074607639452011-12-22T14:56:00.002-10:002011-12-29T20:52:18.450-10:00No Pictures PleaseI need a manager. All rock stars have managers, right? And while we're at it, how about a driver? I need one of those too. Yep, I'm a rock star alright. I even kind of resemble one in the morning. Ask my husband. When I get up, my eyes are half-open and I've got a bit of messy Billy Idol-ish mohawk thing goin' on. <br />
<br />
And you? Many of you reading this are rock stars. You make up beds and patch boo-boos, wipe bottoms, do dishes with one hand while eating with the other, bake cookies, fold the laundry, and chop the veggies. You grade papers, take out trash, keep the plants alive (sort of), and so much more, all while entertaining the masses. You're a star. American Idol. Don't feel that way? LOL. Well, you are.<br />
<br />
So where's my entourage? We seem to be a bit short-staffed around here lately. Me-the-chef and Me-the-maid just walked out again (they'll be back). Meanwhile, Me-the-writer and Me-the-dancer are MIA, and the rest of us are afraid if we don't find them soon we might end up in an asylum...or at the very least, self-medicating with unspiked eggnog and an obscene amount of chocolate. Darn! That's right, chocolate doesn't agree with the baby. Well alright, plain ol' vanilla ice cream then.<br />
<br />
At lunch time today I kept trying to find some leftovers that I had put in the fridge. I couldn't even find the container, but figured that my husband had taken them to work. Hours later, I went to put tonight's leftovers in a tupperware container from the cupboard, and surprise! The leftovers! That lack of chocolate has some <i>serious</i> side effects! Like I said, I need a manager.Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-27976948504781695332011-12-20T19:40:00.002-10:002011-12-22T19:53:18.404-10:00The Power of the Subconscious MindEver heard of a Freudian slip of the fingers? I cannot tell you how many times I have gone to email someone our IP address and typed in w-w-w dot happy her T-R-I-A-L-S dot blogspot dot com. <br />
<br />
Alright Dr. Freud, you may have been onto something after all.Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-53361638767498254202011-11-24T10:30:00.000-10:002011-11-24T14:17:05.504-10:00Thanks LivingCount your blessings. We all know the saying. Have you ever started counting and gotten all the way to a thousand? What started as a friend's challenge for Ann Voskamp led to her best selling book, One Thousand Gifts.<br />
<br />
Since I haven't actually read the book, this isn't a recommendation. I'll add it to my long list of reads I may or may not get to this year (or next for that matter). But I love the concept behind the book. My friend sent me the video clip below, and it really resonated with me because it so eloquently echos what I have been experiencing in my own personal walk with God. Slowing down. Opening my eyes. Waking up. <br />
<br />
Phoebe and I started a blessings journal. We haven't gotten to a thousand yet, but we're working on it. This life is a gift. This life is beautiful. Bountiful. <br />
<br />
So I am thankful.<br />
<br />
<b>I am thankful</b>. <br />
<br />
I am thankful for dirty dishes because it means I am fed. I am thankful for laundry because I have clothes on my back. I am thankful for dust because it means I have shelter. I am thankful for toys and wet towels on bathroom floors. I am thankful for sticky fingers and chocolate milk mustaches. I'm thankful for raindrops on flowers and puffy, white clouds. I am thankful for peanut butter cookies and purple tennis shoes. I'm thankful for music and laughter and dance, for squishy babies and rainbows and marriage and sunset after glorious sunset!<br />
<br />
I am thankful.<br />
<br />
While you scurry to get the gravy in the boat and the bird cooked just right, the kids won't sit still while Grandpa says Grace, and the life that you live seems like a colorful blur of madness...STOP.<br />
<br />
Look right.<br />
<br />
Look left.<br />
<br />
Do you see them?<br />
<br />
Abundance<br />
<br />
Grace<br />
<br />
Mercy<br />
<br />
Freedom<br />
<br />
Faith<br />
<br />
Hope<br />
<br />
Love<br />
<br />
EXTRAORDINARY LOVE<br />
<br />
Gifts<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GhOUaszMGvQ" width="560"></iframe>Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-41149505788820934942011-11-07T13:53:00.002-10:002011-11-07T13:56:12.662-10:00The Martins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Recently we had the privilege of seeing our dear friends, Don and Linda Martin. This dynamic couple came into our lives when Xee helped them with a Marriott transaction. They hit it off and soon after, I got to meet them too. Every year they come to Ko Olina for a vacation and we get together for dinner. Xee was out of town this year during their visit, so he missed them, but Phoebe, Ezra and I were so blessed by their visit. Phoebe was especially thrilled to have Auntie Linda around for some fancy tea and a shopping extravaganza in her royal bedroom. What a pair! We love you Don and Linda and we can't wait to see you next year!!!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUQJB2JQV7DwU3q4kCg-3JUqWmz3G2hRado-XJjBOn56OtAZju8n1I8kCdwzyBH3PJx9EzIxs9VcIDRRgFJVr4iouGhh036pEbU0Q19zxe4r6i57yjpD9eYLVyqZDjOGywzh43_BWVhCq/s1600/IMG_1537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUQJB2JQV7DwU3q4kCg-3JUqWmz3G2hRado-XJjBOn56OtAZju8n1I8kCdwzyBH3PJx9EzIxs9VcIDRRgFJVr4iouGhh036pEbU0Q19zxe4r6i57yjpD9eYLVyqZDjOGywzh43_BWVhCq/s400/IMG_1537.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-23576223038009359542011-10-12T14:25:00.001-10:002011-10-12T14:26:20.350-10:00The BoyHere are some recent videos of our little Ezra. He is such a joy!
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BcixpzyPDfk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/aJUCM9ZSs5s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LwbltxubpMc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QUxtldLWNh4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-24737528423640386072011-09-22T21:31:00.001-10:002011-09-22T22:28:23.404-10:00Photo OpsWell folks, with our days filled to the brim with giggles and wiggles, play dough and poopy diapers, there is only so much time to squeeze in a little blog time. Here are a few more pictures of the last several months around here, though not in chronological order. I am loving being a Mommy of two amazing kiddos. Ezra is beginning to show us more and more personality, and Phoebe...well, you all know she's got plenty of that! We are enjoying our time as a family and loving life in beautiful Hawaii. We are incredibly blessed!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ZkVhRcFu8D9Dqr3Ro8RtgdCoOerYTCWYXFTt86Ozh9siAeKB9PUpSysSIuJDg0DOLcVrkFcp1xhvjAVZC79EYbLLd0RlUwMoKHQt6FFl5BFPH9bp1oBAmNOwsfZGjAub6eE8V01WfQEg/s1600/2011-05-06+12.05.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ZkVhRcFu8D9Dqr3Ro8RtgdCoOerYTCWYXFTt86Ozh9siAeKB9PUpSysSIuJDg0DOLcVrkFcp1xhvjAVZC79EYbLLd0RlUwMoKHQt6FFl5BFPH9bp1oBAmNOwsfZGjAub6eE8V01WfQEg/s400/2011-05-06+12.05.18.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sissy Love</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsNg7KqxH6NrJvfEEJgl6MFc7cRY3QL5YHl5wmcL0pU3mZJFCqUtAhyl9KwUg0iNYMMSHlJAxYf7t061kQMUvKDOshWuR3xNWq8h1ogsw6sOssM0Vg3sUydIuxX0oIGPP0jo8mKMLujGN/s1600/2011-06-06+12.40.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsNg7KqxH6NrJvfEEJgl6MFc7cRY3QL5YHl5wmcL0pU3mZJFCqUtAhyl9KwUg0iNYMMSHlJAxYf7t061kQMUvKDOshWuR3xNWq8h1ogsw6sOssM0Vg3sUydIuxX0oIGPP0jo8mKMLujGN/s400/2011-06-06+12.40.30.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ezra's napped almost exclusively in the baby carrier for his first several months....eating was a bit tricky!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6gL0yVgtRWhECAaX5pPUQ3TtGMq4sXKacVsZlwyBySIKHtSFDwmn7vXghoxGmE0isQzumL4NwWti3C0ir7CDiRcJCd0jWo3JkZ-w8a-GLZT5maqwY8EPYZ5eysd4J9encUqILx-nGS3T/s1600/2011-06-05+17.05.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6gL0yVgtRWhECAaX5pPUQ3TtGMq4sXKacVsZlwyBySIKHtSFDwmn7vXghoxGmE0isQzumL4NwWti3C0ir7CDiRcJCd0jWo3JkZ-w8a-GLZT5maqwY8EPYZ5eysd4J9encUqILx-nGS3T/s400/2011-06-05+17.05.21.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah, teething...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZYpAOeVX95fYkBeJa9ASbT6a829RWeQJjTpT-pvM1RReW5p8c8AE6iusNPHl4tiVh1vjJ5kY1sHYD342q5iYh_PVEExWJF_s82gzfnwmUGu3sGHo8Ek1fq-UBspiAHugdZNC_oR6O8qPn/s1600/100_0043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZYpAOeVX95fYkBeJa9ASbT6a829RWeQJjTpT-pvM1RReW5p8c8AE6iusNPHl4tiVh1vjJ5kY1sHYD342q5iYh_PVEExWJF_s82gzfnwmUGu3sGHo8Ek1fq-UBspiAHugdZNC_oR6O8qPn/s320/100_0043.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice day for a dip</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZHQrFGcDF0LGk-PF-FwajS-Uc0F6ldFZFANy4Uesqz2z158r9Wezpe7m48WEtL09JTRdHN2RNStao72fXMkVCVLj7sozYbyrIDdKY6jIVf9IazcRowGXVex6OUSVbpzCzIjpMdzUCxnk/s1600/2011-05-29+12.21.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZHQrFGcDF0LGk-PF-FwajS-Uc0F6ldFZFANy4Uesqz2z158r9Wezpe7m48WEtL09JTRdHN2RNStao72fXMkVCVLj7sozYbyrIDdKY6jIVf9IazcRowGXVex6OUSVbpzCzIjpMdzUCxnk/s320/2011-05-29+12.21.23.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His first rash guard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfYQBbqHCiJIwSfMhv_1p30w1FgKJWnH0IovDITYgkws2Olj6gPfgo1H83Afr4GOiaKSLvbBpJx8wxcf_KBE5TjgXw2itVx5MgvJjMkeOEtgZhXv6yCOKG1fczaSHTGxWCejoLvtgi_Oa/s1600/IMGP6064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfYQBbqHCiJIwSfMhv_1p30w1FgKJWnH0IovDITYgkws2Olj6gPfgo1H83Afr4GOiaKSLvbBpJx8wxcf_KBE5TjgXw2itVx5MgvJjMkeOEtgZhXv6yCOKG1fczaSHTGxWCejoLvtgi_Oa/s400/IMGP6064.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking so fancy in a crown...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLm8giTBKDaizKwv6rFoSFfUqAJKU6b4FIeBSZ33fHvy73e1cXzniawabnY3HVb22Vr_WizBav7cu0pPjcTM93PS29I_yaj1RTuKl6Ztw25mfRqEPKQtmdl_V1mJGukAtj2btQgFIvMqN/s1600/2011-05-18+18.33.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggLm8giTBKDaizKwv6rFoSFfUqAJKU6b4FIeBSZ33fHvy73e1cXzniawabnY3HVb22Vr_WizBav7cu0pPjcTM93PS29I_yaj1RTuKl6Ztw25mfRqEPKQtmdl_V1mJGukAtj2btQgFIvMqN/s400/2011-05-18+18.33.47.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bumbo didn't last long with this guy, who definitely lives up to the title, "Bouncing Baby Boy"! You should see me try to wrestle him into his pajamas every night!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiush8dezZ0QgtvNwsAaocrlysNAGo1TwVttDOZgFxs0wLk1W7kTOE-hCP5xb2kwcT7G62rdEoCL94WRxRtfsRLj_FhAKSWAbw2gLZo7oTplG4DqK_oq-iWVWld6w100R-sD2s7GqflSi/s1600/2011-07-05+10.45.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiush8dezZ0QgtvNwsAaocrlysNAGo1TwVttDOZgFxs0wLk1W7kTOE-hCP5xb2kwcT7G62rdEoCL94WRxRtfsRLj_FhAKSWAbw2gLZo7oTplG4DqK_oq-iWVWld6w100R-sD2s7GqflSi/s400/2011-07-05+10.45.10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbdjDvEbrkwvXo-7J2O_lMlqDdXWBh0SEWa5qlL-sg75ASi6k7OFDQDc1LHsbvm_yEGqlnZl1rvAYnkTgySHnOO6Ig_Nyw8naQ09V16la1CHsQ-r0-JWSwo0NQdkRXB0spnxE0WrlypkV/s1600/2011-06-08+15.21.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbdjDvEbrkwvXo-7J2O_lMlqDdXWBh0SEWa5qlL-sg75ASi6k7OFDQDc1LHsbvm_yEGqlnZl1rvAYnkTgySHnOO6Ig_Nyw8naQ09V16la1CHsQ-r0-JWSwo0NQdkRXB0spnxE0WrlypkV/s320/2011-06-08+15.21.07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTmQ1Hj25AJtRU952yPvjhjd7qGDiZ1S6xNsGalletKzQB5Jt8SNZ2bxzyZI0eN59lL3VCwo7qcWggd2Q2apw042ik_YXQ5Y2HjSGCISptSO5G0wUZqWxceEZJ5RZLmp8txD6szpqv4k0/s1600/2011-06-08+11.54.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTmQ1Hj25AJtRU952yPvjhjd7qGDiZ1S6xNsGalletKzQB5Jt8SNZ2bxzyZI0eN59lL3VCwo7qcWggd2Q2apw042ik_YXQ5Y2HjSGCISptSO5G0wUZqWxceEZJ5RZLmp8txD6szpqv4k0/s400/2011-06-08+11.54.24.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look familiar? This boy would suck one, two, or even three fingers at a time until<br />
recently settling on his thumb. Another self-soother in the family!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdu2atSP5CEZ7Iujpo5HUXwHn_VQ8hVdQH2yJNrK8Jilk5FTtoxX2itWr6ZafloWATedvBevhel3mSFaAKlo3TrPbS9UA9hK8L0J9oiPknlid38DzTFjVTzBHbDXpFiw-YiCFQ9tPfBMdy/s1600/2011-06-02+14.50.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdu2atSP5CEZ7Iujpo5HUXwHn_VQ8hVdQH2yJNrK8Jilk5FTtoxX2itWr6ZafloWATedvBevhel3mSFaAKlo3TrPbS9UA9hK8L0J9oiPknlid38DzTFjVTzBHbDXpFiw-YiCFQ9tPfBMdy/s400/2011-06-02+14.50.06.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for the "Baby Legs" Melynne!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15pnwE8brTIhdA5Rv72Ho-mHq3mVMEOhP9ghaOl9qCxnIzeKG2kycstsss30H7WbfuFbtup25Ymo1Aiql9tcqXUOm04G13WTeQ-c-l-DVI-S_p8ugJp2ZC8ONcCREyCzLZkfrebMoIL00/s1600/2011-05-27+18.26.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15pnwE8brTIhdA5Rv72Ho-mHq3mVMEOhP9ghaOl9qCxnIzeKG2kycstsss30H7WbfuFbtup25Ymo1Aiql9tcqXUOm04G13WTeQ-c-l-DVI-S_p8ugJp2ZC8ONcCREyCzLZkfrebMoIL00/s400/2011-05-27+18.26.53.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His first ride on the back!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBOHtLVNbMA4G9LqReL3Ru3VujwoY_Jf3-reKv5bbNe6n3gghg3bsCiaT5yOTcgOeYjBPuggsKZTtnQTCCtoijFL2ke_rCxhroKXziEUcrKvn9iD6iwA1EpMHFyaUeTfcFfl6_na22LWH/s1600/2011-09-04+11.54.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBOHtLVNbMA4G9LqReL3Ru3VujwoY_Jf3-reKv5bbNe6n3gghg3bsCiaT5yOTcgOeYjBPuggsKZTtnQTCCtoijFL2ke_rCxhroKXziEUcrKvn9iD6iwA1EpMHFyaUeTfcFfl6_na22LWH/s320/2011-09-04+11.54.23.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcqW79UBSAcAeTO1gTdTWtn7CG6kGGR2cCzbifE7KyEX_ztAI4D-RTJM1WUsEmKbb1ODDed7KG6XEH-3j3loNfwGn7-8KH157bXp_Af2VYSnnciDPwXZaE49O3OncuCce7uP-4NWL4n5S/s1600/2011-09-04+11.53.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcqW79UBSAcAeTO1gTdTWtn7CG6kGGR2cCzbifE7KyEX_ztAI4D-RTJM1WUsEmKbb1ODDed7KG6XEH-3j3loNfwGn7-8KH157bXp_Af2VYSnnciDPwXZaE49O3OncuCce7uP-4NWL4n5S/s400/2011-09-04+11.53.29.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HEvT5PqkJd9zJkXYhmYVqqZS06-WthRtRpX1sHxFXMWbLW66AqfwOi_r20rnkWmObTkNYUiO41tu1nYdhlsT3SEtoSldNxMgS_IlMJChRZhtoBlCTSwrcQ4GwUxH4gQ7F1jKt0PY4L-E/s1600/2011-09-04+15.40.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HEvT5PqkJd9zJkXYhmYVqqZS06-WthRtRpX1sHxFXMWbLW66AqfwOi_r20rnkWmObTkNYUiO41tu1nYdhlsT3SEtoSldNxMgS_IlMJChRZhtoBlCTSwrcQ4GwUxH4gQ7F1jKt0PY4L-E/s320/2011-09-04+15.40.34.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQS57cMw4UPGBnHJx3YBoKJdLJsCwNvD6SaGdnYzwaORtKoM9vhzz3lsQrr_F31cxF5WYf8Jxsw47i4wEccVBZYfFFammSyg-jTHq1VGNlWe3TkPAo4J4qOLpPsycfDJ9cUvCMXhWhYh_/s1600/2011-09-04+16.21.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQS57cMw4UPGBnHJx3YBoKJdLJsCwNvD6SaGdnYzwaORtKoM9vhzz3lsQrr_F31cxF5WYf8Jxsw47i4wEccVBZYfFFammSyg-jTHq1VGNlWe3TkPAo4J4qOLpPsycfDJ9cUvCMXhWhYh_/s400/2011-09-04+16.21.08.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at me sitting up all by myself!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Mr24dffNdOdxMNNxnCnorFh6iNmyqnii_9xeuQXlzOn4YZTWCZNwjdtaeB5Gd6VZdT3kRJa1gJAkFN7pfE1cZzBkSN-HM37JRymVwTr3ME-1ntrMtrNvhUpOBnEutkurgN74RrwjA4Tf/s1600/2011-04-12+17.26.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Mr24dffNdOdxMNNxnCnorFh6iNmyqnii_9xeuQXlzOn4YZTWCZNwjdtaeB5Gd6VZdT3kRJa1gJAkFN7pfE1cZzBkSN-HM37JRymVwTr3ME-1ntrMtrNvhUpOBnEutkurgN74RrwjA4Tf/s400/2011-04-12+17.26.12.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This girl has an eye for fashion...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8KLetqufTA4J59Z8QEMEtNiVUm_gqOaT5bR61b8gFr3GE1IeAo0IgSFI_yAHx9EGTGyNtO5c0jiHy8uNNfkJiFWzjATDA1eU1W5ORV41KKZCvkXY6UIFCKzQAkvQQ_MKQQ2qrNyP-Cf6/s1600/2011-09-13+09.53.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8KLetqufTA4J59Z8QEMEtNiVUm_gqOaT5bR61b8gFr3GE1IeAo0IgSFI_yAHx9EGTGyNtO5c0jiHy8uNNfkJiFWzjATDA1eU1W5ORV41KKZCvkXY6UIFCKzQAkvQQ_MKQQ2qrNyP-Cf6/s400/2011-09-13+09.53.56.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL7EpGTdozj5jM11gFluttOSaqONqgPvV2REBHZ6lp3BfQJrDqaAaAVTxSoaYXA6NLWwpgEHC06QIG2GDQbD8iS4wUCxymtdcVdTAcTemzExJrsz98oqfO9FeLFcZUz0a2tjYkDlIw7bRL/s1600/2011-09-03+08.19.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL7EpGTdozj5jM11gFluttOSaqONqgPvV2REBHZ6lp3BfQJrDqaAaAVTxSoaYXA6NLWwpgEHC06QIG2GDQbD8iS4wUCxymtdcVdTAcTemzExJrsz98oqfO9FeLFcZUz0a2tjYkDlIw7bRL/s400/2011-09-03+08.19.08.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghpw0sGTox-Eou1TGU-AqAG3sdPD2Co_hIa8YyRpPt9gWxjQbHM_JB3Ic_EgGqKGHp5eUNCGhlbAVfXgNRbddIfrdpEDDFXmczEtw1uv6j_wP4H2302l67-xOiK824V2v4OEtGe7ylADkg/s1600/2011-09-06+14.27.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghpw0sGTox-Eou1TGU-AqAG3sdPD2Co_hIa8YyRpPt9gWxjQbHM_JB3Ic_EgGqKGHp5eUNCGhlbAVfXgNRbddIfrdpEDDFXmczEtw1uv6j_wP4H2302l67-xOiK824V2v4OEtGe7ylADkg/s400/2011-09-06+14.27.22.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKuu9BpZC4CFv0Uf5-nLQcDvi4C_cf2DZxQg3Oy0KQtP5zeHt59Kgr4PmrEDqJmUUpMScnjHm-Zj3GOt5_QXUiwBT2DmCV6peYiptzf91obMeO1DPAHGKbuRW2764hhUH574z6ApBUJia/s1600/2011-09-06+14.26.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKuu9BpZC4CFv0Uf5-nLQcDvi4C_cf2DZxQg3Oy0KQtP5zeHt59Kgr4PmrEDqJmUUpMScnjHm-Zj3GOt5_QXUiwBT2DmCV6peYiptzf91obMeO1DPAHGKbuRW2764hhUH574z6ApBUJia/s400/2011-09-06+14.26.49.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgzkEhNPt6wLBB6-xnt0KfIQ4_33gpDpd5Zste6YpgTSpL5YSnzBqASAApMXPiayG188NBzsVs3mCzM7SGX0djsdhD6mtntAprp_vH3G4oF_uGlAu8EiiRsJgiutJn9fHV0m4LL0uZS6R/s1600/2011-09-20+17.15.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgzkEhNPt6wLBB6-xnt0KfIQ4_33gpDpd5Zste6YpgTSpL5YSnzBqASAApMXPiayG188NBzsVs3mCzM7SGX0djsdhD6mtntAprp_vH3G4oF_uGlAu8EiiRsJgiutJn9fHV0m4LL0uZS6R/s400/2011-09-20+17.15.11.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey, they can ride together in the Costco cart!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVa1KBFCliKeSRZMuLP851G4XCGAIXFv7uYicNsi4fTig89FShkoX4TTgsmGpqUWFsYG9HGwNszXmt-J6Hkpk0JsYuCNV5j1RRPDYSrejnRlHVhSx6HzmZYYNVdhXI1ljdsuwoCesf6QR/s1600/2011-09-22+12.28.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVa1KBFCliKeSRZMuLP851G4XCGAIXFv7uYicNsi4fTig89FShkoX4TTgsmGpqUWFsYG9HGwNszXmt-J6Hkpk0JsYuCNV5j1RRPDYSrejnRlHVhSx6HzmZYYNVdhXI1ljdsuwoCesf6QR/s400/2011-09-22+12.28.52.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another fancy accessory for the boy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYCp2cPahqVQ5L9qnPf5-UpDYWn766rvhr6hjHxcfGa3wppujvJxFsRnUot4tadiDf5LfKlOaUIYIK-XJfi62YWzfpNhkawKSU44TKakGZu8VjcNxP40F_9a912iNn2vR3en08PQIieuy9/s1600/Online+Edits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYCp2cPahqVQ5L9qnPf5-UpDYWn766rvhr6hjHxcfGa3wppujvJxFsRnUot4tadiDf5LfKlOaUIYIK-XJfi62YWzfpNhkawKSU44TKakGZu8VjcNxP40F_9a912iNn2vR3en08PQIieuy9/s400/Online+Edits.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just hangin'</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiulYkkiA357tP_9_iIJ1kTHG-HkYooLfq2IK23X58oTI7SUnxzQxsPP4pdQ_JnGaxEvSd_1TyJptpR5-h5NvXCioYk2bOtzp1sCLAnGvAmzW3RrmfvPkFju4ay2hFrkSfUfx4sAIgj244p/s1600/2011-09-22+14.29.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiulYkkiA357tP_9_iIJ1kTHG-HkYooLfq2IK23X58oTI7SUnxzQxsPP4pdQ_JnGaxEvSd_1TyJptpR5-h5NvXCioYk2bOtzp1sCLAnGvAmzW3RrmfvPkFju4ay2hFrkSfUfx4sAIgj244p/s400/2011-09-22+14.29.55.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6fLIcg-HY8IxA_FhzORAHLCb5gtFqJwnELMaB7NTJPwlxzqyGoIxVWXO593hUnb1bF1j2TS9mkn0fwtzLd938K9Ns5a-0-jvFlCJiOGAiAU4kmcF8AZUKiEnG9177W1Sqrle9JsyNB7U/s1600/2011-09-13+06.56.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6fLIcg-HY8IxA_FhzORAHLCb5gtFqJwnELMaB7NTJPwlxzqyGoIxVWXO593hUnb1bF1j2TS9mkn0fwtzLd938K9Ns5a-0-jvFlCJiOGAiAU4kmcF8AZUKiEnG9177W1Sqrle9JsyNB7U/s400/2011-09-13+06.56.14.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He used to carry Phoebe like this too!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMf5YQjOAI-2KJvW4YVS-yItSSkWYRzoDe3gSGKoIc9cJ3obCWYY_EnyDByAeESeen0bFszxAFcS2zxxpBQf0NBGLZSQWXugYEDAqs2OnSQ_NURTUslJ29XLwYOqp3s22BsY9MWDBwqRC2/s1600/IMGP6085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMf5YQjOAI-2KJvW4YVS-yItSSkWYRzoDe3gSGKoIc9cJ3obCWYY_EnyDByAeESeen0bFszxAFcS2zxxpBQf0NBGLZSQWXugYEDAqs2OnSQ_NURTUslJ29XLwYOqp3s22BsY9MWDBwqRC2/s400/IMGP6085.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phoebe likes to hike with Daddy. This is the view from Diamond Head. She does this one on her own...mostly!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8igg065HoGW6rrdr_vR6jjKDr6No2mc7CxN-Ln0uyxKOu8KVgYyZ7rd6IXdGwl4JFZRZQTA3kERhXiwXUeeA_xKnsvg1BKj0Fdp2U7q3lv7WYdP1QhScAqpErLNuCGN2zmSh4YN9gqUA/s1600/IMG_0183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8igg065HoGW6rrdr_vR6jjKDr6No2mc7CxN-Ln0uyxKOu8KVgYyZ7rd6IXdGwl4JFZRZQTA3kERhXiwXUeeA_xKnsvg1BKj0Fdp2U7q3lv7WYdP1QhScAqpErLNuCGN2zmSh4YN9gqUA/s400/IMG_0183.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having a "moment" on one of<br />
their many adventures together.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx6kMBYp4gm4o5mETXUg3hr_Hat19_nCSeJ4U7mJIH5lcJREdBWGKYCdri_dzF1ZlSIxvw4gq1AF4hR39YKrRGFMF5kYbEYhvGTkpurPqkuWqy3YwzJv2-dtw5bd8-B0EaPkO41mXyPrQM/s1600/100_0035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx6kMBYp4gm4o5mETXUg3hr_Hat19_nCSeJ4U7mJIH5lcJREdBWGKYCdri_dzF1ZlSIxvw4gq1AF4hR39YKrRGFMF5kYbEYhvGTkpurPqkuWqy3YwzJv2-dtw5bd8-B0EaPkO41mXyPrQM/s400/100_0035.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise view from one of Xee's early morning hikes...gorgeous!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8igg065HoGW6rrdr_vR6jjKDr6No2mc7CxN-Ln0uyxKOu8KVgYyZ7rd6IXdGwl4JFZRZQTA3kERhXiwXUeeA_xKnsvg1BKj0Fdp2U7q3lv7WYdP1QhScAqpErLNuCGN2zmSh4YN9gqUA/s1600/IMG_0183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-45033580769156318032011-09-13T22:04:00.000-10:002011-11-10T21:34:36.211-10:00This JourneyI don't quite know when it happened. When did she get so tall? Has her face changed yet again? Did I not just pull her out of a baby pouch and stand her on chubby, wobbly legs to roam freely in the grass? I sit here alone in the living room and glance at the clean laundry sprawled out all over our sofa, but I cannot let this moment pass me by, for I fear that it may forever be lost if I do not write. I must write.<br />
<br />
Tonight I looked at your big, brown eyes staring up at me. I stroked your wet hair as your naked form stood next to mine in the shower. You nestled your head against my ribcage while I rinsed away shampoo suds. No longer a babe in my arms, but a little lady. A baby still, yet no longer. I take a deep breath.<br />
<br />
We step out onto the mat and I look at your feet. They've grown. They are shaped just like mine. You brush your teeth and I glance up at the mirror. Who is this woman looking back at me? I see myself, yet someone else as well. A familiar face from my youth. A mother. <br />
<br />
You brush and floss your own teeth, and I begin to brush your hair. You reach for the brush and say, "I'll do it." I follow you into your room. You get into your pajamas, then you offer to read me a bedtime story for a change. "Okay," I say. We snuggle up close and I listen as you read me one of your favorite books. I hear your tale, but in my mind's eye, I'm taken to another place...a vision of our journey together thus far.<br />
<br />
I glance down at my swollen belly, then at the dirt road under foot. Starting at the base of the hill, I cannot see the road ahead. I begin the walk.<br />
<br />
Soon I am swaddling a babe in my arms. I keep walking. The road is windy as we begin to climb higher and higher still. We round the corner. Now you are on my back.<br />
<br />
Another turn up ahead. I lean over as you grasp my fingers for support while your little legs scoot along. <br />
<br />
I look to my left, and now you are reaching up to take hold of just one hand. We walk like this for a long time, hand-in-hand, along the steady incline. Sometimes I carry you. <br />
<br />
We skip. We run. We laugh. <br />
<br />
You pout. I shout. We laugh. We cry.<br />
<br />
We walk.<br />
<br />
We run.<br />
<br />
We stop. <br />
<br />
Another blind corner. <br />
<br />
Slowly we approach. Then we gasp. It's beautiful.<br />
<br />
We are at the edge of the precipice, overlooking the beautiful valley. <br />
<br />
The edge of innocence. <br />
<br />
Now the tough questions begin. <br />
<br />
"Mommy, why doesn't her daddy live with her and her mommy?"<br />
<br />
"Do some people not go to heaven?" "Where do they go instead?"<br />
<br />
"How do they make donuts anyway?" Giggle<br />
<br />
We stand like this for a bit longer, side by side. <br />
<br />
We both look down. <br />
<br />
It's a long way down. <br />
<br />
A gust of wind forces a step back.<br />
<br />
You reach up and clench my hand once more. <br />
<br />
Both fear and excitement burn like fire in your eyes.<br />
<br />
Shall we explore? Or will we gaze out for just a bit longer, my Love?<br />
<br />
Stay close to Mama. Don't let go of my hand just yet.<br />
<br />
Not yet.Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-45034124507302151122011-08-14T20:40:00.033-10:002011-08-25T20:39:11.535-10:00Family of Four<div style="text-align: left;">Well, well, well... I am finally getting the chance to post some pictures! Hooray! When my sister-in-law was here with her kids back in February, she took hundreds of pictures. She always gets some great shots. She took some lovely pictures of our family. It took me a bit to go through and pick out a few favorites to share. Ezra looks so teeny-tiny back then. He's growing so fast. It really does go faster with the second! Now I just need to catch up on the pictures from the last, um, FIVE months or so! More to come...eventually.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_jS7nLsXtbT4VQ6I2DNytK5Y1WG6ny03_6HMMWhvrZm8Bmv2UFPlawLyyZffWSuAePCRMYIG-iM7YUkCtUpwymVwi6-4om2FJNlZJJ7-6IG41F8a-56iDen5A1lFOBea3Cl-tC-hczSS/s1600/IMG_4156e.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_jS7nLsXtbT4VQ6I2DNytK5Y1WG6ny03_6HMMWhvrZm8Bmv2UFPlawLyyZffWSuAePCRMYIG-iM7YUkCtUpwymVwi6-4om2FJNlZJJ7-6IG41F8a-56iDen5A1lFOBea3Cl-tC-hczSS/s400/IMG_4156e.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640977396060778466" /></a></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogeK048cRY7afSBhyphenhyphenCMeKI-Y4geZuaMzuWAwOZTE7P8uFkD_juzafienOz4Wl5poIemIhcVemPO2JfXQcUEiI9tSCA41Y9T0TBFSS1AZrFy55uiyEJMw4iiOxyld3hMLYv8ZQOXVMxWer/s400/IMG_4228.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640982679236463938" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogeK048cRY7afSBhyphenhyphenCMeKI-Y4geZuaMzuWAwOZTE7P8uFkD_juzafienOz4Wl5poIemIhcVemPO2JfXQcUEiI9tSCA41Y9T0TBFSS1AZrFy55uiyEJMw4iiOxyld3hMLYv8ZQOXVMxWer/s1600/IMG_4228.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogeK048cRY7afSBhyphenhyphenCMeKI-Y4geZuaMzuWAwOZTE7P8uFkD_juzafienOz4Wl5poIemIhcVemPO2JfXQcUEiI9tSCA41Y9T0TBFSS1AZrFy55uiyEJMw4iiOxyld3hMLYv8ZQOXVMxWer/s1600/IMG_4228.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Gd0LfW1t3AaS54Qw0ZJ1zMNt7B_qxe3ozUI6sZuNYAMv2gPt1pgBDh6U3-Lgy_YP1jDKI75onzWnytmvuCcb-5j_jdGKwvI3USCvYtJ0UDbg_P91mxiPEdPkzeCSYZFG5uKm_MfjncL_/s400/IMG_4215.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640981092791323202" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUjxwZfJOs3zAItWTBv_Wzog38pnxVRvguus-uAzbffDM_yE9ynUv16Q9W4D9XxEthySzLMmD3WATWf_sF8pRM2iwZniiFoRfUaCxpHKwahW7FctKpOr8bVb92sSqsRcIJz90jtFHVrAg/s1600/IMG_4254.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLmN5Mk5dC4MXRIPCc-WXh53WpXrYuSRqYLo6c9VD9b00gM4WZZhHbVBaCmTtI5_XpRHm8CBJReDxtpplRd3RudtiakWL1p5ls-GfGQdDlVVlP5gphE-Y3mKKimj1rfGmZWWI6Z-T37p-/s1600/IMG_4263.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLmN5Mk5dC4MXRIPCc-WXh53WpXrYuSRqYLo6c9VD9b00gM4WZZhHbVBaCmTtI5_XpRHm8CBJReDxtpplRd3RudtiakWL1p5ls-GfGQdDlVVlP5gphE-Y3mKKimj1rfGmZWWI6Z-T37p-/s400/IMG_4263.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643198010867621058" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUjxwZfJOs3zAItWTBv_Wzog38pnxVRvguus-uAzbffDM_yE9ynUv16Q9W4D9XxEthySzLMmD3WATWf_sF8pRM2iwZniiFoRfUaCxpHKwahW7FctKpOr8bVb92sSqsRcIJz90jtFHVrAg/s1600/IMG_4254.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUjxwZfJOs3zAItWTBv_Wzog38pnxVRvguus-uAzbffDM_yE9ynUv16Q9W4D9XxEthySzLMmD3WATWf_sF8pRM2iwZniiFoRfUaCxpHKwahW7FctKpOr8bVb92sSqsRcIJz90jtFHVrAg/s400/IMG_4254.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643199286826062322" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLmN5Mk5dC4MXRIPCc-WXh53WpXrYuSRqYLo6c9VD9b00gM4WZZhHbVBaCmTtI5_XpRHm8CBJReDxtpplRd3RudtiakWL1p5ls-GfGQdDlVVlP5gphE-Y3mKKimj1rfGmZWWI6Z-T37p-/s1600/IMG_4263.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLmN5Mk5dC4MXRIPCc-WXh53WpXrYuSRqYLo6c9VD9b00gM4WZZhHbVBaCmTtI5_XpRHm8CBJReDxtpplRd3RudtiakWL1p5ls-GfGQdDlVVlP5gphE-Y3mKKimj1rfGmZWWI6Z-T37p-/s1600/IMG_4263.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdf9AA8OLupoOWqHFPWDCVUjnrbLCJWJqG58SDEDPVFqo7PRi26iIhI6bWDQQk3X86CJGb5PURREndQXzaMb6YCoAvVAE5dWw1xdceHFnZ_fccmxjmMzIRswHloFPHo8FXFCUSMiEchTN/s400/IMG_4207.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640980622787887266" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_YyivfQSiMhR9gMrxzxiXUbWSVwursIjElhTFF6qdEcoTcY4IiPI-1DuVYkPcLIviTB7jML-UDUu-3uEGuECCOwv7aClhmGsOB9dsFX_WL5HEEKlMiCuAa4sjSct1MWlc3DX0U7tkrMx_/s400/IMG_4783e.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643964461096907154" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">
<br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVqJ0vGhfrw_345Az4_9YNUg5RcSMoP9FPTuvOVpdF0BH3mak3f5hwRH9D6R5_0LNrlG1JPpXnJMpBWGwudRLdYpQAHIsLrsyLdFlmpvAKphz1M8bqF6gZ_WHMXcssbi_K8_7ezBojMY1/s1600/IMG_5297.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVqJ0vGhfrw_345Az4_9YNUg5RcSMoP9FPTuvOVpdF0BH3mak3f5hwRH9D6R5_0LNrlG1JPpXnJMpBWGwudRLdYpQAHIsLrsyLdFlmpvAKphz1M8bqF6gZ_WHMXcssbi_K8_7ezBojMY1/s400/IMG_5297.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643210526744501410" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOu1VN6wie2Py02Xq0kbBL7zNk776ddt2rVF7IftfR-CwooWPCA2DBj0ZIjJnFaOywUwA4QcVMvSgh-TuCW8iKcSMIMhuLo0ofoHl0Fpj0J5yywUWZrV_lzSHiPIfJMHLGGyZrvHKKxXV/s1600/IMG_5279.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOu1VN6wie2Py02Xq0kbBL7zNk776ddt2rVF7IftfR-CwooWPCA2DBj0ZIjJnFaOywUwA4QcVMvSgh-TuCW8iKcSMIMhuLo0ofoHl0Fpj0J5yywUWZrV_lzSHiPIfJMHLGGyZrvHKKxXV/s400/IMG_5279.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643210520320604162" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;" div=""><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvNlvRuxIzDn8OsWRj8F9QTwd6WiydAlQTgTaFTzqU0vH45clg2plEFV1Bdl9VjlpCnlexDrH5hXTGjdg-lFkrlMaHLQpc82l-JWkPYmUlsugQZf8lKegq1yarysjwnNwoGZ7dlpuQZjK/s1600/IMG_4286.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvNlvRuxIzDn8OsWRj8F9QTwd6WiydAlQTgTaFTzqU0vH45clg2plEFV1Bdl9VjlpCnlexDrH5hXTGjdg-lFkrlMaHLQpc82l-JWkPYmUlsugQZf8lKegq1yarysjwnNwoGZ7dlpuQZjK/s400/IMG_4286.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643195173707462306" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogeK048cRY7afSBhyphenhyphenCMeKI-Y4geZuaMzuWAwOZTE7P8uFkD_juzafienOz4Wl5poIemIhcVemPO2JfXQcUEiI9tSCA41Y9T0TBFSS1AZrFy55uiyEJMw4iiOxyld3hMLYv8ZQOXVMxWer/s1600/IMG_4228.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">
<br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7ZTrkj-sSzxsFZPxQQZtivrPHtiN8L36yfQHQPB_pSaBqFn5214ADmYzYaewoncvcPKf9pzA3Oo-Jcbd1i4bUE2iZOWEqcxFJ9Kw9EdD437-q8kVKIQVTAgGUpn433op34gXoHedeo6E/s1600/IMG_4275.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7ZTrkj-sSzxsFZPxQQZtivrPHtiN8L36yfQHQPB_pSaBqFn5214ADmYzYaewoncvcPKf9pzA3Oo-Jcbd1i4bUE2iZOWEqcxFJ9Kw9EdD437-q8kVKIQVTAgGUpn433op34gXoHedeo6E/s400/IMG_4275.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643195167133878594" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5P4HwBwliOblow6uFAWVwtN9z3efrfl0cp90el7T72ML5xo8gOV3Dcc6ZfitwGICl1W41oyqBSx5xaurai2TGe-4XSwLJNP1AH5lC7VLrshMy2_lsbH4jcMsemULbqSZgGSr2_jRV2zI/s400/IMG_4372.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643202253070396978" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3I51nK8xWEC_SGh0iFs-7UOFb1jTgoZ9WMR1L2luK25zS3VTwJfP6nodV-uUFFBL0SDshH1Atvl8jHX2ziv8OwKbxy0sXQSCNikGb_I6_8uJNnzHtopPLJTenbiQmqXDfh94elHlcvUm/s1600/IMG_4410.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3I51nK8xWEC_SGh0iFs-7UOFb1jTgoZ9WMR1L2luK25zS3VTwJfP6nodV-uUFFBL0SDshH1Atvl8jHX2ziv8OwKbxy0sXQSCNikGb_I6_8uJNnzHtopPLJTenbiQmqXDfh94elHlcvUm/s1600/IMG_4410.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3I51nK8xWEC_SGh0iFs-7UOFb1jTgoZ9WMR1L2luK25zS3VTwJfP6nodV-uUFFBL0SDshH1Atvl8jHX2ziv8OwKbxy0sXQSCNikGb_I6_8uJNnzHtopPLJTenbiQmqXDfh94elHlcvUm/s400/IMG_4410.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643204130135842066" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCpBNj6X98PwBnRl4-dy8HYYQPRHu8P_-fI3nfpnPWWiakw9aB1QBc2b3vnof7NtM7WfD79D3ZN1MJ_dyouvGZsM3MagO4zy0jrtQpa0Wj4Mphv9HmrHTjIEBA8uBVumsq6hUTWld90AZe/s400/IMG_4414.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643204124509825154" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhweLnozbDvL_avp7vuq4S7_Cn-a0dZEIMcsANN7fAjbDs8LIRXVgfupoGHlAg_Ta51hfUHH19uW8zxp0rc_I4CgjOQpwaTg4ZgkkIypWXYTKukyGmPFtUjylO4zwBQPQC1Py8da13ylt8V/s400/IMG_4333.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643200478867804130" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsDulHU18YZaqvuVaz1MqkqdKE6RaTNzgVD1XLTqhKl4qrtIoyoyar0A221DKd98Qs19xvQiLhwYT78PmUHZLUqmJlr_2Vu8Rsqft8r5BP4gCmeiuAROxe1vYmMfRUSK7dO7kueVyGD1x/s400/IMG_4320.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643196917667565794" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrJehQvGtd5bVDjMyfyOFdRBw_VO37NuPnDfbA6ICzU7oZKmVaw3SZNOVlgT7IOGALVMhYIzwbvFL8EVne56FdCjOjIDC1PTicOElrsKE2onb-YITOOstmAnkTB2cweRs406szxXrHod7/s1600/IMG_4323.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrJehQvGtd5bVDjMyfyOFdRBw_VO37NuPnDfbA6ICzU7oZKmVaw3SZNOVlgT7IOGALVMhYIzwbvFL8EVne56FdCjOjIDC1PTicOElrsKE2onb-YITOOstmAnkTB2cweRs406szxXrHod7/s400/IMG_4323.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643193186801931634" /></a></div></div></div></div></div>Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-33088178674546631572011-07-30T19:37:00.004-10:002011-07-30T19:51:35.895-10:00Magical Moment of the DaySitting in my rocker, I gaze through a slit in the blinds, taking in the beautiful new morning, feeling a tiny squeeze on my finger as I cradle this sweet boy and listen to him gulp hungrily at my breast.Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-92169724441271179482011-07-22T11:03:00.001-10:002011-07-22T12:13:36.358-10:00Let the Games Begin!Remember that little burrito-boy I brought home from the hospital? I know I am way behind on pictures and I promise to post more soon, but let's just fast forward 5 and a half months and see what he's been up to. Rolling from front to back and back to front, scooting, grabbing, pulling, pushing....oh boy, diaper changes just got a whole lot more interesting. This guy is mobile!<br /><br /><iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/B2WkkEAz1Hk?hl=en&fs=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><div><br /><div>(Click the arrow to see him in action)</div></div>Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-72655040918045526722011-07-21T13:20:00.007-10:002011-07-21T14:30:30.517-10:00Surprise, Surprise!Well, if you didn't already know that my husband is the coolest, you will after you read what he did for me a while back. As some of you may have heard from me in the past, Xee is quite terrible at surprises. I mean, he loves to surprise me, but cannot contain himself and begins to drop hints the minute he has something in mind. He tells me he has a surprise for me and I always end up guessing it. <div><br /></div><div>So when he said he had a huge one planned for my birthday/Mother's Day/Christmas planned, he did his best not to give it away. He said things like, "You can't take it back, Queen of Returns!" to try and throw me off. As usual, I plugged my ears, "La la la la..." I happen to like surprises and I don't ever want to ruin them. </div><div><br /></div><div>Boy oh boy did this guy have a whopper for me! He threw me off by giving me a gift certificate for a day spa, along with a nice, little technical gadget. Then a few days later, the doorbell rang while I was "resting my eyes". With eyes half-open I shuffled to the door, expecting to tell the neighborhood kids that it wasn't a good time for Phoebe to play. Instead I saw my dear friend, Lara standing there before me, with Xee video taping behind her! A surprise indeed! </div><div><br /></div><div>Though I was coming down with a cold, I had a lovely time with my friend for the few days she was able to visit. On her last day here, I was planning a bit of a scenic drive, when Xee called me and said he was getting off work early to join us. I was literally in the car with the kiddos buckled up, but I said, "Okay."</div><div><br /></div><div>Half an hour later, there was a knock on the door. Lara answered it and told me my neighbor really needed to speak with me. I told her she's just have to wait as I was sitting on the couch, nursing the baby! Poor Lara tried to convince me to come to the door, but I wasn't going to budge. So in waltzes my SISTER and her entire family, one at a time. All I could do is shake my head, and say, "No...no...no."</div><div><br /></div><div>My husband had been in cahoots with my mom and my sister for months in preparation for their trip. Truly the surprise of a lifetime. I hadn't seen my sister in well over a year and was desperately missing her. Now here she was, arms wrapped around me. A moment I will never forget. A treasure. I couldn't even express to Xee in words the love I felt from him and for him. </div><div><br /></div><div>I am trying to play catch-up with the chronicle of this blog. I made my sister a Smilebox slideshow of her trip and I have posted it here. A shortcut for me. Enjoy the slides! (just click the arrow, Mom)</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://smilebox.com/play/4d6a55324f54517a4d7a493d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_playback_link" target="_blank"><img width="386" height="303" alt="Click to play this Smilebox slideshow" src="http://smilebox.com/snap/4d6a55324f54517a4d7a493d0d0a.jpg" style="border: medium none ;" /></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="http://www.smilebox.com/?partner=smilebox&campaign=blog_snapshot" target="_blank"><img width="386" height="46" alt="Create your own slideshow - Powered by Smilebox" src="http://www.smilebox.com/globalImages/blogInstructions/blogLogoSmileboxSmall.gif" style="border: medium none ;" /></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center">A free picture slideshow by Smilebox</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" bgcolor="#ffffff" border="0"><tbody></tbody><tbody><tr><td><br /></td></tr><tr><td><br /></td></tr><tr><td align="middle"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div>Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-65450837457830562582011-07-16T09:13:00.020-10:002011-07-20T20:05:12.173-10:00To Us!Ahem...I'd like to propose a toast<div><br /><div>To Eleven Years of Marriage</div><div>To not-so-chance encounters</div><div>To that amazing first kiss</div><div>To a casual proposal in Old Navy</div><div>To dancing as Man and Wife</div><div>To our first home</div><div>To seven moves, to packing-tape, to many flights of stairs</div><div>To furniture assembly</div><div>To putting dining table legs on backwards!</div><div>To incredible fits of laughter</div><div>To pillow fights </div><div>To fancy dinners and fast food</div><div>To hot tea by the fire</div><div>To foot massages</div><div>To Country Music</div><div>To California, to Kauai, to Arizona, to Spain and London, to Maui, to Hawaii, to Oahu</div><div>To long road trips and books on tape</div><div>To midnight snacks and weekend movie marathons</div><div>To financial successes</div><div>To financial disasters</div><div>To joy and pain and sweat and tears</div><div>To passion</div><div>To the birth of our baby girl!</div><div>To dirty diapers, spit-up, and drool</div><div>To piggy-back rides and trips to the zoo</div><div>To bedtime stories</div><div>To little shoes at our doorstep</div><div>To the Verse O' the Day</div><div>To praise and worship, to spiritual growth!</div><div>To golf cart rides and sand between our toes</div><div>To Pilate's, to running, to swimming, to hiking, to yoga</div><div>To ice cream</div><div>To pushing a very prego me in a wheelchair through Home Depot</div><div>To the sweet smell of new babies</div><div>To our son!</div><div>To grey hairs and wrinkles and stretch marks</div><div>To growing older and a little bit wiser</div><div>To silliness</div><div>To singing out of tune</div><div>To innocence lost and regained</div><div>To mysteries yet uncovered</div><div>To dreams yet fulfilled</div><div>To holding on tight</div><div>To adventure</div><div>To friendship</div><div>To family</div><div>To Us!</div></div>Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-29227885794498079932011-07-09T20:24:00.013-10:002011-07-11T11:33:44.999-10:00The GlueI opened up a screen to write a new post and I am just sitting here staring blankly at the screen. I am so fried. So totally fried. I often say that women are the "glue" in the family. We're the glue. And even when the glue gets sick, the glue keeps doing what she always does. Other people in the house take a nap. The glue keeps, well, being the glue. Wandering around the house in a fog, somehow managing to keep everything going. Now, I'm not saying I do it all. I just happened to be married to an awesome guy who grocery shops and does laundry and dishes too. But he is not the Mama, therefore <i>he</i> is not the glue.<br /><br />This week has been a challenging one. I have so many little things I have wanted to chronicle here in our blog...visits from friends and family, pictures of the kids and reports of Ezra's progress. I write in my head all the time, but getting the words from my brain to the page seems like a bit of a long journey lately. I have my to-do lists. I would like to blog more, clean my house more thoroughly, possibly hang some pictures of our family on the walls. But in every day life, there are often many detours. This week is a prime example.<br /><br />Phoebe went to Vacation Bible School a couple weeks ago and had an awesome time. We were so blessed to hear her learning new songs and scriptures, and just having a great time with the other kids at church. She came away gaining so much. The only thing we weren't so blessed by was the nasty virus that came home with her. Despite all my natural remedies and tinctures that would normally kick it out of her system within a day or two, she was really, really sick for over a week. We happened to have last-minute guests, some dear friends of mine from college, and poor Phoebe was just not herself. We all had an amazing time anyway.<br /><br />Now, that wouldn't be so bad if Daddy hadn't gotten it too. Daddy and Phoebe seemed to be in the clear and on the mend when Mommy felt the symptoms. Then Daddy came home one morning from work and said, "My eye kind of hurts." I took one look at him and barked, "Conjunctivitis!" Pink Eye!!! We tried to quarantine Daddy, but it was too late. The very next morning little Ezra woke up with a very swollen, very pink, little eye...and a deep cough...and runny nose. And to top it all off, what I had summed up to be mere drool rash on his face, with closer examination, saw that it covered his entire body. A terrible case of Eczema out of the blue (which I believe is due to me allowing myself to reintroduce more chocolate into my diet...so SIGH, I will have to back off once more from this indulgence). Remember, this poor little dude is teething as well!<br /><br />So the days have blurred together with doctor's visits and non-stop treatments. In between ushering out a slew of natural remedies to myself or others, we have been occupied with coaxing remedies into Ezra's mouth, rubbing creams on his body and ointment in his eyes, excessive (but necessary) hand-washing, sanitizing toys, teethers, sheets, etc, and me shouting, "Don't touch your brother!" In the meantime, Phoebe's appetite came back full-force, following the baby's growth spurt, has been going through one of her own. She is insatiable and I feel like I am FEEDING people at every moment of the day! Phew! Now everyone seems to be on the mend, though it is taking extra long for me, since the definition of "sleep" eludes me at the moment.<br /><br />But this is not a list of complaints, as it may seem. I woke up feeling blessed. And thankful! So very thankful that these challenges are temporary. I cannot imagine what it is like for parents with terminally ill children, or impoverished children. Watching my kiddos suffer these past couple weeks has been terrible. I'm so thankful they are healthy. So thankful for all we've been blessed with.<br /><br />I tell ya, it's not easy being the Wanted One. It can be so overwhelming when it seems that everyone needs something from me all at once. Xee and I have this little saying...well, it's my saying, but he agrees. You might hear me say sometime, "Even the fish is looking at me!" Have you ever walked past a fishbowl and watched their behavior? They always appear to be hungry, frantically swimming to and fro, looking to you to sprinkle more food at the top. Or so it seems. That really resonates with me as a mom.<br /><br />At some point this week I told Phoebe she needed to go to be early because "sleep is the best medicine." She was quick to reply, "Mommies are the best medicine!" Music to my ears. My magical moment of the day, the week, the century! It is not easy being the glue. But I have to say that it can be so darn wonderful. There are so many blissful moments in the mayhem. Keeping my eyes open to see them is the important part. And really, <span style="font-style:italic;">I </span><span>am not the glue. Jesus Christ is the glue in our home. I only pray that His love is at the heart of all I do, as I take center-stage in our home. I take a deep breath....and I pray. Then I get to work. There's laundry to do!</span>Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-54369797636971443412011-07-04T19:31:00.005-10:002011-07-04T19:42:32.527-10:00Hold Your HorsesYeah, yeah. I know. I AM still here. Did I mention that Ezra is teething? And that he just went through a major growth spurt that has left me very sleep deprived for the last month or so? And since my laptop crashed months ago, I had been using Xee's, which is now on the fritz as well. So...Xee bought me (us) a new MacBook Pro and I can't wait for him to transfer our pictures to it. It will be so much faster getting you all recent pics of the kiddos. <br /><br />Happy Independence Day! No fireworks for me...just sleep...I hope!Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-4286167980474772062011-06-19T08:00:00.003-10:002011-06-20T07:40:19.733-10:00Happy Father's Day!<tr>
<br /><td><a href="http://smilebox.com/play/4d6a557a4e5445344e7a493d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_playback_link" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" alt="Click to play this Smilebox greeting" src="http://smilebox.com/snap/4d6a557a4e5445344e7a493d0d0a.jpg" width="386" height="303" /></a></td></tr>
<br /><tr>
<br />
<br /><td><a href="http://www.smilebox.com/?partner=smilebox&campaign=blog_snapshot" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" alt="Create your own greeting - Powered by Smilebox" src="http://www.smilebox.com/globalImages/blogInstructions/blogLogoSmileboxSmall.gif" width="386" height="46" /></a></td></tr>
<br /><tr>
<br /><td align="middle">This <a href="http://www.smilebox.com/ecards.html" target="_blank">free ecard</a> personalized with Smilebox</td></tr></tbody></table>Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-43673733519646261032011-06-11T19:33:00.005-10:002011-08-19T20:43:31.745-10:00Hello?No, I did not fall off the face of the planet. So what's my excuse? Well, I did stub my toe badly when I misjsudged the bottom of the staircase other day. Ouch!
<br />
<br />My mom emailed me yesterday, "I haven't seen any new posts lately." Translation: "Where are the pictures of my grandbabies?" (wink) I'm still here. And though late night blogging is still a love of mine, I have put it on the shelf and traded it for what very little alone time I may have with my husband before my new early bedtime routine. Mama's gotta sleep! Oh, and I have been baking a lot lately. Baking keeps me happy.
<br />
<br />Okay, the pictures. I'll yet right on that.....YAAAAWWWN....sometime tomorrow. Good night.Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160433164177651275.post-42833026606480501592011-05-30T20:39:00.004-10:002011-05-30T20:43:57.917-10:00Magical Moment of the DaySitting in a beach chair, watching Phoebe and her good friend, Grayson play in the sand while I talked "mom talk" with my dear friend, Melynne....while Daddy stayed home during Baby's morning nap!Audreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07862354537321428995noreply@blogger.com2