Mother's Day

Mother's Day this year was:

• Waking up to sweet kiddos sounds in our new house and then getting to snuggle down and go back to sleep while Steve fed them breakfast and played with them,
• Waking up slowly (the second time) to sunshine pouring in my windows,
• Finding an envelope slipped under the bedroom door by my Gracie girl with MOMMY and pictures of balloons ("for celebration!") across the front of it, and sweet card inside signed "I ♥ U AND XO" in her wonderful preschool handwriting,
• Breakfast on the couch (because I got up just before breakfast in bed was finished cooking) of silver dollar pancakes (I love teeny pancakes) with raspberry jam and syrup, a side of eggs and a big glass of milk,
• A tender note from my Steven that made me tear up (he called from across the room, "Are you crying?" and then did a "Yes!" fist pump when I laughed and said I was),
• A half a dozen "flours" (a la Stranger Than Fiction) in the form of 6 beautiful cupcakes from our fav local bakery, Dewey's,
• Gracie singing a mother's day song with the primary kids on the stand at church, beaming into the crowd and waving at "Karen, the husband, and Addi" and at me, and at Charlie, who was so pleased to see her standing up there...

• A card from Gracie that detailed things like what her Mommy does all day ("cook, make cookies"--I wish!) and what her Mommy is best at ("giving me hugs and kisses") and her favorite  thing Mommy cooks ("eggs"),
• A card from Charlie with scribbles inside. Love.
• Unsuccessful attempts to get a picture of all three of us together after church (should have done it before, I guess):

• A picture of baby #3's progress (it is avocado sized, now):

• A phone call with my own sweet mama while the kiddos napped,
• My requested dinner of hamburger sliders with grilled pineapple, cooked up by my handsome hubs after the littles had gone to bed for the evening,
• Snuggling up to one of the Harry Potter movies on the couch in our pjs.

It was just a very lovely day. Steve did such a great job making me feel loved and cherished and valued, and I felt really happy to be in our sunshiny house helping take care of our kiddos. I am really soaking in all this time with all four of us just hanging out together all day while Steve enjoys time off before graduation--it is such a treat! :)

Hipster glasses.

I haven't had a new pair in almost seven years! And these make me feel very cute and sassy.

Plus, Steve has skinny jeans now. So it was almost inevitable.

bloopers

Did you like how I showed you all the cute shots first? Don't worry, there were lots like this, too. (Just keepin' it real for you.)

:)

Gracie's had it with all this smiling and being happy. Come on. Let's have some drama. I'm probably bribing or passive-aggressively coaxing out the last vestiges of her good behavior. And Charlie is... sneezing?? But at least Steve looks happy.

No idea what's going on here.

And I like this picture a lot, but the behind-the-scenes detail? See how Gracie's doing a solid "thumbs up"? She was TOTALLY OVER having her photo taken when she climbed up next to me, and then Mom and Dad DEMANDED that she take her thumb out of her mouth. AND smile. But she's ready to get that baby right back in her mouth the second the shutter clicks.

balloons

On our last day in California we got to meet up with my cute-as-a-button friend Michelle to do some family photos in the Olde Towne Orange (where That Thing You Do! was filmed). I can't think of anything clever to say about them. But here are some of my faves. :)

(Oh and p.s. I am offended that only Christie shared lifehacks. Get on that, peeps. Okay now pictures.)

Sunday Morning

First, thanks everyone for sharing your life hacks! I loved them and will definitely be trying to add some of them to my list of hacks! :)

With Steve off of school for spring break we've had a blast hanging out and soaking up the family time, so I have some posts to do about the events of our week, but for now I hope you can content yourselves with this Gracie photo shoot I did with her this morning in her new dress mommying her new bunny rabbit. Having a girl is so fun. :)

Note to grandparents or anyone else who wants Gracie's mug on their desktop: You can access all our blog photos here for downloading. :)