Beauty

Her spirit.  Her personality.  And yes, even her outward appearance.

Isabel is a beauty in every sense of the word.  And I am privileged to be her mother.

We had so much fun together, making our way through downtown Cincinnati, changing outfits (her) and taking over 450 pictures (me), along with Michelle and Danielle.

The best part:  spending hours walking, laughing and talking, being together.

Just doesn't get much better than that.

Summer equals

lazy mornings, late nights, playing with friends, lots of books for the summer reading program, and afternoons with cousins at the local Nature Center...

gawking at the one-eyed goose,

playing with clay at the creekside,

posing for the camera to capture the moment (these kids grow way too fast!),

risking poison ivy to get the perfect photograph,

exploring the authentic log cabin, inside and out,

Just a peek at what's happening around here, now that summer has officially arrived!

What does summer mean to you?

Fourteen

Dear Elijah,

Fourteen?!  I simply cannot believe you are fourteen years old today.  I know, I know...I sound like an old lady talking about how fast time flies (when it seems to go so slowly to you).  But seriously, I remember the day that you were born like it was yesterday.  Every single detail (which I promise not to scar you with, but believe me, I remember every.single.detail.).  You were loved from the moment you were born, just because you were our son/grandson/nephew/cousin.  And now you are loved for so many other reasons.  Your sense of humor; your laugh; your intelligence; your love of baseball; your athletic abilities; the way you love and respect your family (okay, most of the time).  All of these things make up the personality of the one teenager on the planet that I love most...you.  It has been an awesome experience so far, being your mom.  I can't wait to see what the future holds for you!

First time pitching...second grade (over 6 years ago).

Looking much more serious.

Elijah Joseph, just shy of fourteen years old

Happy 14th birthday, Elijah!  Hope this one is the best yet!

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day, Joe!  You're one of the best dads I know!  And these guys think so, too:

Now, can we please get a puppy?

:)

Kings Island

Living less than ten minutes away from Kings Island is one of the best things about our town, especially in the months of April through October.  We love hanging out there with friends, family, and sometimes even just the grownups.

This week was Cousin Day, where we spent over seven hours and walked over seven miles, riding rides, eating pizza and pretzels and Dippin' Dots, and laughing and giggling our way through it all.  Making new memories and just plain having fun.

Seriously, isn't their happiness contagious?

The train is still a favorite!

Difficult decisions:  the green one or the purple one?

My sister, Rhonda, and me

I hope our kids remember these fun days with a smile...I know we will!

Seasons

At twenty-four years old, I became a mom for the first time to a sweet boy, Elijah.

Eighteen months later, Isabel joined the scene.

Four years after that, Gabe made his entrance.

Life was pretty hectic for awhile.  Working night shift, not getting much sleep, coordinating our schedules which meant not having much time together for Joe and me...I loved those babies like crazy, but it was hard and exhausting work.

Fast forward eight years.  We have a sports-tastic teenager, a fashionista preteen, and a rambunctious little brother.  I still work nights, but only part-time.  We no longer need a babysitter.  We can go to the adult section of Kings Island together as a family and all have a great time.  

They're smart, they're kind (most of the time), they're funny, and they are just plain good kids.

Joe and I have survived the baby season, the crazy toddler season, the just-starting-school season...and now we're entering the nearly-independent-but-still-need-parenting season...and we love it!

What season of life are you in?  Any favorites?  Advice on surviving the difficult seasons?  On making the most of the best seasons?

Summer!

It's the last day of school, and summer plans are in the making.

I usually have the kids make a list of the top 5 things they want to do over summer break, but this year, they fought me and didn't want to do it (it feels like a chore, Mom).  So instead, I am putting a list up on the fridge, and when any of us comes up with a good idea, we will write it on the list and try to do it before school starts again in August.

A few things I know that we will be doing...

Spending lots of time here, riding rides and swimming and people-watching and eating:

King's Island in Mason, OH (seven minutes away!)

 Enjoying summer drinks on our new pergola, enjoying our garden and time with friends and family:

Grapefruit margaritas...yum!

Watching Elijah play baseball, attending a few Reds games, grilling out, hiking, reading lots of books, planning our October cruise, working (no time off  for the parents...bummer), and just enjoying a break from the routine of packing lunches/overseeing homework/waking up early and enforcing bedtime.

Summer break, bring it on!

What are your plans this summer?  Vacations?  Good book suggestions?  A new summer drink?