Nanno and Joshua

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



  I never did get around to a happy birthday post to my mom. If I had, these photos would have been in it. They were taken during a quiet moment a couple of days after Joshua was born. It was a sweet and tender moment that I'm glad I caught on camera. Seeing my parents bonding with each of their grandchildren is such a joy and a great gift from God.
 

Happy Birthday!

July is our month of birthdays. First mine. Then Lillian's. Then my mom's. And, last but not least Stephan's.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 This morning I said to the kids, "Hey, guys! It's daddy's birthday!" To which Lillian responded, "No! MINE!!" Haha! She is not into sharing her birth month with anyone else. Hello, two! On the other hand, Levi and Sophia got to work on presents for him. I think this is the first time they've really initiated present making for someone. I'm pretty excited about that. Levi brought in two magnolia leaves, and requested a hole punch and string, so he could craft a necklace. Sophia wanted string and "sparkly things" (beads) to make a bracelet, and of course, Lillian insisted that I make a bracelet just for her.

 I spent a little time in the kitchen whipping up some birthday desserts. Brownies are Stephan's favorites, but the kids think it's not a birthday without cake. On top of that I had promised Sophia some truffles, so a lot of baking happened. Now there are loads of leftovers. There was no way we could eat all of that even with the help of my parents and sister!

 It was a busy day spent mostly chasing little ones and cleaning up after them too, but in the midst of the chaos we made a pretty decent little celebration. Happy birthday, Stephan! You are an incredible husband and father. Thank you for everything you do! We love you so much, and we are so blessed to have you!

Blueberries And Other Things

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 (a blueberry farm with roaming horses...aka: lawn mowers)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Summer food is starting to roll on in. We've frozen tomatoes (did you know you can freeze them whole?), canned pickles, and now I'm thinking blueberry jam should be next on the list. Today my mom, sister, and I took the kids to a blueberry farm. Yes, we have our own blueberry bushes, but somehow we've ended up at blueberry farms the last two summers despite our own crop. Last summer I blame the army worms. This summer I blame memories from last year.

  It took us forever and a very long time to get to there. Poor Joshua was not enjoying the ride, so half an hour turned into well over an hour of stopping and starting. The big kids were such troopers. They endured the extra long car ride with a decent amount of grace, and when they were finally let loose in the blueberry fields they actually brought in a respectable haul. Okay, so half of it may have gotten eaten on the car ride back, but there's still enough for jam...if they don't eat the rest of the berries tomorrow!

 

 



Happy Two

Our Lillian-bug turned two last week. My oh my, how big she is getting.

We celebrated over the weekend with cake, a crown, some party hats, and family.

There were presents, of course, but in true two year old fashion she rejected most of them...especially the mama mades.

Her first reaction to the doll was to hit it. That was after she shoved away her quilt and her doll's quilt. Hmmm....it's a good thing I don't take to heart the fickle preferences of two year olds.
 

Sophia rescued the doll and said, "She lookez sad, Mama. I name her 'Sad'."
 

Lillian was at least super happy with her book.
 

She also liked the s'mores. Who wouldn't?! 
 

We even managed to make allergy friendly ones for Sophia.
 

 

 

Really, I think the chocolate was her favorite part of the whole day. Good thing it was in the s'mores and the cake!
 

"Da-da" and "Bay-bee Jah"
 

At two she's feisty and sweet and always one to jump in and help. She's generous with her slobbery kisses and big hugs. She's a stickler for the rules...ahem...so long as she likes them. She is quite sure that she is just as big as Levi and "Mae" (what she calls Sophia), and she insists on being right in the middle of everything all of the time. She has a great laugh, and she can melt you with just a single look. She brings joy to our hearts with her very presence, and we feel immeasurably blessed by God to call her 'ours'.
Happy Birthday, Lillian!

Yesterday and Today

The weather has been glorious lately...a nice change of pace from the typical hot and humid Mississippi July. We spent nearly all of yesterday and today outside just soaking in the breezes and beautiful blue skies. If only it could stay like this all summer long.

 

 

We celebrated the Fourth of July with a cookout complete with marshmallow roasting and a whole lot of back porch sitting.
 

 

 

 

 

 

(This is the outfit that Stephan came home from the hospital in, and now, 30  years later, Joshua is wearing it!) 

 

This morning the girls and I took a nice walk, plundered the garden for lunch (tomato and cucumber sandwiches!), and then headed to the Agriculture museum for their Country Day Festival.
 

 

 

 

 

 

My sister got all the best photos...
 

 

 

 

Have you ever read the Eloise books? Sophia reminds us of Eloise so much. She is such a little character!
 

 

 

 

 

 

Gosh, I hope this weather keeps up! It's just so good for the soul.