When it rains...

You grab your fanciest umbrella,



some fun rain boots,


and you let it rain.







Knowing all along,



that you are covered.



Making it work... (and linking up with Small Style)
Hoodie and leggings: Target, Emma hand-me-downs
Boots: Kidorable, gifted
Umbrella: Kidorable via Zulily

Pockets

Today, sandwiched in between therapies, preschool pick-up, and a few conference calls was a small pocket of time. A time that could have been used to tackle the mountains (yes, mountains) of laundry sitting on my bedroom floor or the extremely neglected toilets and floors, but instead I grabbed an adorable two-braided girl by the hand and we skipped outside.

No phone, no nagging minutes, no plan. Just me and my middle enjoying some rare time alone in what ended up being the most gorgeous day we've had this year.

She rode her bike. I took pictures. We had a picnic with veggie straws and giggles, and we played baseball until Brooklyn woke up and joined the party.





The sun was bright enough for sunglasses, and fur-trimmed coats were shed and replaced with polka dot and plaid hoodies.

We had stroller races until Emma got off the bus -- the only indication that our time was almost up. Therapy #2 at 4:15.

As Emma headed down the driveway and handed me her coat, she pulled out a bottle of pink Hello Kitty nail polish from her sweater pocket -- the nail polish she asked me (about 103 times) to "pleeeeeease put on" this morning.  But between outfit wars, half-made lunches, and eggs on the stove, there was no time for nail polish.

"Why did you bring that to school with you?" I asked her.

"Because I wanted to," she said with a huge grin on her face. "I carried it with me all day."

With that, she put it back in her pocket and suggested we play hide and seek until Miss Julie arrived. I smiled, soaking up her wisdom, and agreed to be the seeker.

~Linking up to Just Write

About Face

Kendall and I had a date with my camera yesterday, and I had every intention of getting some great good shots of her in my favorite dress for Small Style. But as with all things Kendall, she ended up being a goofball, and I couldn't get a good full-length shot of her. But boy did I get some close-ups, and I am in love with every one of them.

Just to be clear, when I say I am in love with them, I am not talking about the photography. I am talking purely about the subject matter. I realize I am looking at these through a Mommy Lens, but seriously, this girl is just too darn cute. I could have posted about 20 pictures, but I did my best to edit it down to my very favorites. All of them give you a glimpse of the many things I love about my Middle. She is a ham, but she also has a very tender heart.

Here are some of the many faces of Kendall:


The Face we call trouble




The ever-famous "Sharpay Face"




The Face that melts Jeff's heart




The Face that makes me giggle



The face that melts my heart




The face that makes me wonder where my baby went



The face that speaks for itself



The face that I will always remember





Oh yeah, and the dress...

(Christmas splurge: ZAZA Couture via Zulily)

The Photo That Should Have Been Our Christmas Card

Well, I didn't send out Christmas cards this year -- those stamps add up -- but I did manage to get a photo of all three of them in their Christmas outfits. And I literally mean a photo, as in 1 take, on the way out the door to church. Not bad, 'eh?



Hope you all had a great Christmas!

Making It Work...
Emma: shirt - Children's Place, skirt and leggings: via Kohl's (gifted); scarf - Justice
Brooklyn: shirt, skirt, and sweater - Children's Place, Emma hand-me-down (see Emma in it here and Kendall in it here... too fun!); red shoes -- I wish you could see them! -- Pediped, Kendall hand-me-downs
Kendall: dress - Gymboree, Emma hand-me-down

Tug, Tug, Tug

This one is growing up way too fast, and I am trying hard to figure out how to let go while still staying close.



This one cracks me up, but has a sensitive heart that I pray we are filling much more than we are hurting.



This one is giving me more strength these days than she will ever realize, and I am convinced now more than ever that she was meant for me -- and not the other way around.



My three loves, pulling my heart strings in all sorts of directions but somehow holding me together; tugging and mending, just enough so that the love overflows.


*****
(Linking up to Small Style at Mama Loves Papa)

Making it work...
Emma: cardigan and belt- Target; jeans- Gap

Kendall: coat- Target, Emma hand-me-down; cords- Kohls, Emma hand-me-down; shoes- Koala Kids, friend hand-me-down

Brooklyn: dress- Old Navy, Kendall hand-me-down; leggings- Gymboree, niece hand-me-down; hat- gifted,  Kendall-hand-me down

Capture

You know what I love about life? That once in a while it smacks you upside the head to remind you that you need to just CHILL.

Case in point: Halloween afternoon I was desperately trying to get a decent photo of all three girls together. Getting all three to look at the camera and smile at the same time was darn near impossible. Brooklyn was NOT happy, Emma kept trying to make her happy, and Kendall can't smile without looking like her eyes and teeth are in the process of exploding out of her head. Needless to say, I was annoyed and -- (a-hem) -- I let them know it. Not my finest Mommy moment.

Later, after combing through a bazillion shots on my camera, searching for a decent photo to post on Facebook, I remembered I took a few with my phone. And here is what I found...

THIS, my friends, is what I should have been trying to capture. Look at them...loving each other, interacting, having fun. THIS is what I want to look back and remember.

Lesson learned (again). Next time, Mommy plans to forget about the 432 so-called "friends" and join in on the fun that is happening RIGHT IN FRONT of her, with the three most awesome people in her life.

Have a great weekend, everyone. I hope you take the time to enjoy the awesome people in your life!

Linking up with Small Style at Mama Loves Papa (a.k.a. "Making it Work"):
Emma-      Jasmine outfit: borrowed from my niece; wig: Target
Brooklyn-  infant fairy costume gifted from Auntie Sha <3
Kendall-    ballet recital hand-me-down from Emma; ballet shoes: Payless

Four

Happy 4th birthday to my beautiful, lovable little Kendall.

I'm not sure if I love your giggle, your hugs, or your big heart more,

but I am so very thankful that I get to spend my days enjoying them all.

Middle

She makes me laugh, even when I shouldn't. She can rock a leotard and cowboy boots like no one else and has a charm that oozes out of every one of her dainty features.

Her imagination and determination will take her to places far beyond both of our dreams, and those dimples will make some poor boy wonder if he ever stood a chance. (He didn't.)

The drama -- oh the drama! -- is never lost on her. The more, the better. There isn't a corner of this house she hasn't used to prove her point, a floor board that hasn't felt her stomp.

Her heart is sensitive, but it is big. Her love is freely given, but she is more eager to receive (a trait Mommy will watch carefully in the years to come...).

Her snuggles in the way-too-early hours are treasured and come second only to her awesome tight-around-the-neck hugs that linger just long enough to make you melt.

Sleep ain't got nothing on her, and the excuses for her late-night ventures outside of her room usually leave us giggling and somehow promising to change Barbie into her pajamas--and tuck her in, of course.

Yes, she is victim of many middle-child parenting tendencies I promised I'd never let happen, but thankfully she is making her own mark on this world and needs little help from me.

Her voice will be heard. Her presence remembered.

I have no doubt.

Kendall, you are the child of my heart, my joy, my sunshine. Don't ever feel forgotten or insignificant. Your light shines bright, my love, and we are all so very blessed to feel its warmth.

Blessed, Blessed, Blessed

Happy Mother's Day everyone!!!!

Foto Friday: Jammies in 3D

I think it's funny how much people say the girls look alike. Honestly, I only see the differences. BUT I do see a lot of Emma in Brooklyn...much more than I ever saw in Kendall.

Anyway, I thought I'd let you all be the judges. Here are all three of my little ladies in my all-time favorite jammies. Granted, Emma is only 6 weeks old, so it's not quite a fair comparison, but you get the point.

Have a great weekend everyone! Hope you get to hang out in your favorite jammies!


Brooklyn, 3.5 months old





Kendall, 3 months old





Emma, 1.5 months old

Foto Friday: Rah, Rah, Rah!!

First of all, let me just clarify that the whole cheerleader costume idea was Emma's and has nothing to do with my -- ahem -- past.

However,  I must admit that I totally jumped on costume idea #107 as soon as I heard it...no princess?!!!! Whoo-hoo! Cheerleader costume ordering began 5 minutes later..before costume idea #108 surfaced.

Besides, the Bears could use all the extra cheerleaders they can get! ;)

So here they are: My three little cheerleaders. Orange and navy never looked so good if you ask me! :)








**P.S. We are soooo in trouble with this one...

My

Three

Reasons 

to 

S   M   I   L   E!

Basking

This summer is flying by, but we are trying our hardest to savor every minute. Trying to balance the "to do" lists and errands with the fun and memorable. Trying to let go of the schedule a little and enjoy the sunshine for as long as it lasts.

Lately, I am finding joy in the every day, especially as I look at these two little girls grow more and more in love with each other. They are truly best friends, and their relationship is something they created on their own. Somehow, their relationship makes me more complete, and it makes every hard day worth it.

The three of us -- "the girls" as Jeff calls us -- we are a package deal. And I love that. They drive me crazy, yes, but they also amaze me and inspire me and love me for all that I am (and all I am not).

When I look at them -- at us -- I am happy. Often frustrated, always exhausted, and sometimes overwhelmed...but happy. And to think we get to add another girl to our "package" makes me happier. I know it makes them happier too.

(*P.S.: "Power - Part 2" later this week...)