Birthday Girl

Happy Birthday Tess!

This girl has the most beautiful soul.
I have yet to find its match.

For all of you who didn't know her back when she was cuter than a bug's ear,
Or for those who did and would like a trip down memory lane...

September...

Just one of the boys on our way home from checking the mail last night.
We could not ask for more bea-u-tiful weather!
Have I mentioned before that this is my favorite time of year?
Lovin it!

Spidey Tighties and Princess Panties

In the throes of potty training.
Yes, we are.

The last of the twin "milestones" that have filled me with dread.
(You know: pregnancy, nursing, NOT sleeping through the night, walking. All the things you cringe about when you imagine it in a double dose.)
Had I known how easy these two would make it,
I would have done this months ago.
But, then, maybe it wouldn't have been this easy months ago.

I thought it sounded easier to tackle one at a time.
I tried Gwyn 1st. She seemed the most ready for it.
But after days of doing great she would suddenly decide she wanted nothing to do with it and refuse to go in anything but a diaper. After all, that's what Jude still got to do.
And Jude, not to be outdone, started begging to go on the big potty like Sissy got to.
So "double the fun" it was.

Only, they've done GREAT!
Easier than Camden was by himself, if I'm being honest.
Yes, I practically live in the bathroom.
And they still have accidents.
And Gwyneth still gets spittin mad she can't go standing up,
like her brothers get to.
And I pack a bag full of unders everywhere we go.
But this time the constant rivalry these two share seems to have worked for MY benefit.
And just maybe it'll be the same with things like schoolwork...

I'm not holding out any hope.
But for now I'm reveling in my new-found freedom from changing diapers and having this milestone crossed of the dreaded list.
Not to mention the $$$ saved on diapers.

Oh, yes.
It does feel grand.

Good-Bye Summer...

Hate to see you go...

Oh, how we'll miss:
The warm sun on our faces...

Icy-cold drinks straight from the hose...

Playing in the sprinkler...




















Pesky bathing-suits...





















Evenings at the lake...

Warm, fuzzy beach towels...

Stimulating conversation in the backyard...

and cuddles under the trees...

Until next year...

Such a boy...

Jude saw me taking photos of Sis the other day and insisted he have a turn.
My, how things have changed!
I think they've figured out that when Mama has the camera pointed at them they get my undivided attention. Never mind what the others are up to. And that doesn't happen very often.

The boys have been acting very much like boys these days. Sword fights, cowboys and indians, rocks and sticks. Jude loves sticks. He decided he'd show off with them...

See?
























There's that look.
The one where he coos.
He's been doin it since he was a tiny baby.
It means he's happy...
I love it!























How else can I impress?
I know! Fishy lips!
Mama always laughs when I do these...























My favorite...























"All done!" he says.
But not before Mama stole this one.

8 Years ago...

today.

It sounds like a long time.

I can hardly remember my life before Lyle.

And I don't really want to.

I am not complete without him.

He is my everything.

He is my happily ever after.

There was a little girl.

Who had a little curl.

Her name is Gwyneth.

She is mine.

And she is exquisite.

May I never forget these untamed locks...

The perfect way they frame your pixie face.

Their determination to stubbornly hang in your blueberry eyes.

The unruly mass created after you've slept on them.

How they bounce animatedly upon your shoulders when you strut your stuff.

And the lovely shade of honey they become when they glow in the sun.

For you would not be Gwyn without them....

The Vintage Barn

Lookie what I got to do today!


http://barnbarnbaby.emediasales.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=BarnBaby


We'd never even heard about it until Mom saw the article in Country Living last month. We knew we couldn't miss it. Dad decided to come, too. And we had a blast! Soooo many treasures to rummage through!

This has to be my idea of the perfect day...
Given my extreme addiction to, and love for, all things vintage, worn, chippy and just plain old.
I found a few things I'd been looking for to go in Gwyn's room that I'm so excited about! I had a bad case of "sensory overload" though, trying to pick what I "needed" most. There were just too many great things!

And afterwords we went out to lunch.

A whole morning spent alone with my parents...
I don't think that's happened since before Heidi came along.

Wash Day

She likes doing the laundry...






















But, of course,
she loves playing in the dirt even more...






















Just this week Gwyneth has discovered the joy of laundry.
She's giddy about it and loves to help fold, stack and put away.

If only Mama felt the same...

Rainy Day Blues?

No way! Not here!

My seesters and I have been just giddy all week with the cooler weather and the rain we got.
At least I'm not alone in my love of all things gloomy...

It's just so calming and cozy to be inside watching and listening to the rain.

Reading.
Baking.
Lazy afternoons with my babies.
Eating.
Napping.

There's nothin like hibernating!

I love it!

But we've been busy, too!
There wasn't one day last week that we were home.
And today I tackled their closets.
Getting everything ready for Sweater Weather (yay!)
Gwyneth's is pretty easy.
Just move everything up onto the next rod and pack away the outgrown.
Plus, there's only one of her.
The boys' are a mess.
I can NOT keep track of who's outgrown what.
It is such a headache to organize everything so that it doesn't get overlooked when we'll need it.
I found a whole bin of shoes Jude could've been wearing about 6 months ago (when he had none!) and now he can't fit into a single one of 'em.
I'm beginning to think a more efficient method would be to just throw everything into one big pile for summer and one for winter and dig through them when one of them needs something...
Definately worth mulling over.
But then I'd have to undo all the work I've spent the last 4 years accomplishing.

At any rate, at least their closets are now tidy and organized. And hopefully I won't be needing to rummage through each of them for 20 minutes every time we leave the house, trying to find that most important item anymore.

Our favorite way to laze those rainy days away...
playin in the boys' room.

Jude and Camden fighting over the bubble blower...
Mama finally got tired of them doin this to her and invested in one.
Touching it is off limits...















Camden still loves his barn Grandpa and Grandma got him for Christmas 3 years ago!





















Ocassionally the boys allow Gwyn to invade "ManLand"




















We've been working on our letters, numbers, colors and shapes every morning.
Camden now knows all his letters.
Jude and Gwyn are working really hard on colors and shapes.
They know most of them most of the time.
And I'm sure they'll have their letters memorized before I know it
'cause Camden is a great teacher!
I'm so proud of them!