Thank You Lord

Thank you Lord for beauty that I can see and hold every day. Thank you for good times and bad times...all serving the same purpose...to grow me up. Thank you for my 4 little loves that you have given to me, let them feel that they are my everything and that they each have captured this little mama's heart. Thank you God that you have allowed me to be a mother...not just once or twice...but four times now. When I see my babies, tears come to my eyes from the reality of "fearfully and wonderfully made."

A Time for Love...and Possibly Saying Good Bye to Cloth Diapers?

Twas a special Valentines Day full of yummy things to eat, paper cards with *I Love You*, and excited little kids. Brady treated the day like it was Christmas...every part had to be special. We started the day with buckwheat pancakes and real maple syrup...strawberries and blueberries. Yum - O. And yes...I made them heart shaped...a task easier said then done.

The night before I cut out paper hearts and hung them...Zac surprised me with a bouquet of sweet smelling white roses (we set one aside for Trin - she is OBSESSED with flowers.)

They're so beautiful...makes me want spring even MORE seeing fresh flowers on my dining room table. We surprised each kid with a little box of chocolates and a special card. I've already packed up the cards they made for Zac...I have high hopes of keeping them forever. Brady's was so sweet with just the words "I love you" on the inside that he wrote all by himself. Trinity's card was so funny because I had her tell me what she wanted to say and then I wrote it. Well...without any prompting from me...these are the sentences I had to write...she kind of just took off and didn't want to stop.

"Daddy, I want you to buy my puzzles."

"Daddy, I want you in my heart." (hmmmm...getting daddy confused with Jesus possibly?)

"Daddy, I want you to stay with me."

"Daddy, I want you to play with me."

"Daddy, I love you to hug me."

"Daddy, I love Brady."

And then of course on the front I had to write "I Love My Daddy" in big letters. So sweet - another one of her obsessions...her handsome daddy. I loved how this year our day was so focused on the kids and our love for them and telling them about why we should be kind and show love to others....it was nice not just having the *romantic* focus - all in all....another way God uses kids to make you a less selfish person. :)

The weather is gorgeous this week...yah for finally being able to run around outside and watch sunlight stream down on my babies. Nothing like a little vitamin D for the spirits. Our dishwasher came in a big box which has been THE hang out spot for Tristan and Trin...funny how just the simplest of things is so inspiring to little kids....they usually prefer boxes and pill bottles to their toys.

The show Extreme Makeover Home Edition is in a town about 30 minutes from our house redoing a home for the SWEETEST family. I'm so thankful that out of ALL the weeks they could have come...God made it THIS week with THIS weather!

Awkward hug...but still so sweet. They play (well, Trin plays this game and Tristan just stands there and does what she says) where she walks away and then runs towards him with her arms open wide for a hug and cries "oh, it's been so long...i missed you little buddy" and then they hug and giggle...and then repeat the process about 22 times. Trin and her imagination keep me laughing on a hourly basis. The other day I went into her bedroom and she was lying on her bed staring at the ceiling all forlornly. I asked her what she was doing and she said in the most dreamy voice "oh mom, I would love to be loved forever." I told her that she WOULD be loved forever and she looked at me with those big blue eyes and said "yes...but if I don't want to be loved I will just make some people sad." I hope that I'm not included in "some people."

And before I sign off....just need to post some boring pictures of these two beauties. So nice to have something so very new and CLEAN. I've decided after much thought and some persuasion from others that I probably don't want stainless steel in whatever home we actually end up STAYING in. I do love so much the way it looks...but with 4 kids...I don't want to spend the next 18 years or so stressing over fingerprints and smudges. Our microwave is stainless steel and it always looks so dirty.

Anyways...I ran my dishwasher last night and all the dishes came out super clean...for the first time in five years. I usually would end up re washing a third of the dishes in our old dishwasher...most of the time I would just do them by hand. I know dishwashers are a convenience that aren't totally needed but I SO love having one. I'm starting to figure out that convenience isn't always a bad thing...for some reason I have always thought that convenience equalled laziness or something....now I see that for me right now with ALMOST 4 kids under the age of 5....it is nothing but sheer peace of mind. I remember loving to stand at the kitchen sink with my hand submerged in warm bubbly water...watching dishes come clean...it was de stressing. But now...being able to load up that machine every night and push "start" - It takes SO much stress off of me.

I'm actually considering being done with cloth diapers. I hate that decision just because I'm SO very conscience of the savings (yes...even after water and detergent I have saved TONS of money) and of course the landfill (I'm a big time into recycling) but I'm just kind of tired and would like to devote more time to kids and other responsibilities and less to things like...well, washing dishes and diapers.Also, I have to keep the dirty diapers in the laundry room and they kind of smell...and now the laundry room is Tristan's room. I've been using disposable with him for the last few months and I HATE buying them but love not having that extra load of clothes to wash everyday...I do at least one or two loads a day WITHOUT the diapers. Thoughts?

Celebration of the Littlest's Life

The sun rose a little too early on Tristan's special day...but it was lovely all the same. I (uncharacteristically) left many things for the last minute so I had to have an early start to make sure everything was ready for the 10 am celebration....

The day started with Zac planting 5 trees in our backyard....strange, i know. He was up at 6 am outside digging holes and chopping up huge clods of clay with his pick. Brady loved the action...probably was nice for him to see us actually moving in the morning instead of sitting on the couch in a coma absent mindedly sipping our coffee.

The little man of the day was up early too...sporting his new birthday crown. When i think of Tristan I think of strength like a mountain, steady like a river....always growing and forever changing with the different currents but still remaining the same....remaining a river, staying strong. This is my prayer for his life....that with good times and hard times....finding himself and becoming the man God wants him to be....he would just "go with the flow" but always remain a son of God....keeping himself firmly grounded on truth...but being a free spirit....being unique and lovely, sure and strong. My friend Joy gave me these verses for him and I love them...

"Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. " Song of Songs 8:7

" There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells." Psalm 46:4

Tristan's name comes from the Spanish word triste.....but I don't think of him as sad, instead I see him as compassionate and loving. That's the kind of man that he will turn out to be.

The side view....

Happy little boy on his birthday....I think he can tell he's one. :)

And his little red bird for a touch of color and to symbolize a free spirit....but hopefully one that will always find his way home. :)

My day began with packing up the little party favors. I found these cute little canvas bags (i try to stay away from disposable everything if I can help it) and just wrote the names of the guests on the front with a fabric marker. The bags all had stickers, an organic fruit leather, a little party blower, and the girlie bags all had a stretchy headband and the boys came away with a new toy car. I think the total cost for 8 bags with favors was like 6 bucks....maybe 8...so I think that was pretty good for what they got. :)

I left wrapping his gifts for the last minute too. My mom and dad sent some money to Tristan meaning i got to go on a shopping spree. This little wooden spoon was one thing I bought from Tiny Bird Organics and also the little felt ball. I was extremely stoked to find this website because they had free shipping on everything....and it was all very fairly priced. I was going to make him a little ball for his birthday but after I looked at the cost of roving it was actually cheaper to just buy this one....it was handmade in Kenya by little girls - Fairtrade yall. The little mouse was a gift from Joy. :)

The cupcakes were iced...and sampled.

Garland was hung...

For some reason I accidentally uploaded the blurry photo....my deepest apologies. I wrapped all of his gifts in scrap fabric this year...aren't they lovely? There's something so real about packages wrapped in fabric and brown paper with cloth bows....

Celebration of Life table decorated. I like the idea of having one candle placed in the house for each year of life....could get dangerous around age 32 or so.

Brady and Trin with the birthday boy....who was not cooperating very well in the group photo shoot.

Had to add one with Trin's tongue hanging out...it's impossible to not get at least ONE photo of her a day with her tongue hanging out like a German Shepherds. Impossible.

Guests arrived and cupcakes were handed out, the sprinkler was turned on and general chaos began. Tristan devoured his entire cupcake in about 2 minutes....maybe 1. He is now in love with sugar.

Brayden was ecstatic to have friends to play with. He kind of always just runs around in a circle giggling his head off in pure delight....like everyone is playing with him when in reality no one is....well.....all of the kids were like 3 and under....they weren't really into group activities. :) I think this little 4 dollar sprinkler has been the best investment we've ever made....so much fun and kid's are entertained while giving the grass a drink. I will miss our yard so much some day when we move....whenever that may be....sigh.....

Presents were opened on Grammy's quilt under a tree... he got lots of lovely new clothes for the fall. It's so nice to new clothes bought just for him....not always big brother's hand me downs.

So, the day was a success. A little too much sugar and lots of sunshine....laughs and fellowship....pretty clothes and new sippy cups (thanks Grammy and Granddaddy)and lots of activity. We ended the day with burgers from Red Robin....another uncharacteristic move on my part....but oh my gosh so delicious. I've been craving burgers here lately....Tristan LOVES anything he can eat so he was fine with our dining choice.

Happy Birthday my little Koala. You are such a delight and have been such a source of comfort to your little mama's heart....you always will be.