sweetest heart

Jude,

You are such a joy.

You inspire me every day with your

selfless and compassionate spirit,

your passion, energy

and love for others.

You are so giving and kind,

to everyone.

And for it, you are loved,

by everyone.

let them eat cake

Gwyneth had a dream last week
that she and all of her {girl} cousins were beautiful princesses
and each had their own prince charming to dance with at the ball.


She had been Ariel and danced with Caleb
Kira was Sleeping Beauty and danced with Jude
Ava was Cinderella and danced with Preston
Gretta was Snow White and danced with Rowan
and McKenna was dancing with Adam


Then the girls left the boys to go eat cake. (;


She has been waiting all week for Kenna, Ava and Gretta
to come for their sleepover so she can re-live her dream.

Her excitement was contagious.


Each girl painstakingly chose the perfect dress and all the accessories
and carefully layed them out in anticipation for the big event.
(really, this was all them, they were not coerced!)

Ava

Gretta

Gwyneth

They waited patiently through quiet time.
Then the ring leader...ahem...Gwyneth, styled each girl's hair
and showed them how to apply sparkle eye shadow.
As every girl knows, it must reach the eyebrows, and beyond.

Thankfully they had a knight in shining armor

who gallantly offered to dance with each maiden attending.

And one can't have a ball without a pet lion.

(Camden is still on his 'big cat' kick after watching the National Geographic special)

Kenna was the true Cinderella and gave up the ball to watch Adah for me.

But there wasn't much dancing after all

because, as every girl also knows,

clothes really are more fun than boys. (;

And who needs dancing when you have sparkle eye shadow...

and cake!

i hope you dance

and where are baby's hands?
i ask her
she gazes at me intently before
ever so carefully taking one in each of her own
then gently setting baby on her feet
so she can walk

&
for you, my doll
i will do the same

for as long as it takes

homeschool valentine

the kids eagerly await this event each year

dearest friends
fun games
wonderful crafts
heartfelt valentines
yummy food
beautiful decorations

and the sweetest memories

Sweet memories from this year:

On the way to the church the kids kept saying,

"This is such a fun day!"

Each of my kids were so big and really helped set everything up.

The boys made arrows and the girls made bubblegum necklaces.

Camden was the very first to win BINGO.

Jude was one of the very last, and not too happy about it.

The big kids each chose a little to team up with and help throughout the day.

Kaly chose Gwyneth. It made her whole day.

Malcom paired up with Jude. Kaelon with Camden.

Kaly came running up to me at the end of the party telling me that Gwyneth was choking.

I looked across the room to see her bright red and gasping for air, tears streaming down her face. By the time I got there she was okay. The buddy system works!

Jude got in trouble in the buffet line (and sent to his seat) because he missed the instruction to choose only one or two things. Poor guy. He loves his food.

When I asked on the way home what their very favorite part was Gwyneth squealed;

"ALL of it!"

{of coarse, with more than 40 kids, we never have time to take photos during the event
so these detail shots will have to do. Maybe next year the kids will let me include them!}

my heart is full

there are no words
to describe the beauty of all we have
and all we look forward to

we are so blessed

lovely

she and i are extreme opposites
yet we adore all the same things
projects.
pretty clothes.
tidy houses.
ballet.
bossing boys.
art.
baking.
it is so lovely, getting to know my daughter
sharing each day with her
always at my side
helping
asking what we get to do next
revealing a little more of herself to me
and filling my heart with joy

on the mend

baby doll has been sleeping since yesterday morning.
waking just long enough to get a drink and a diaper change.
she actually had enough energy to eat a little lunch today.
one slice of cheese. and then it was back to bed.

her eyelids are bruised, as well as under her eyes.
i guess that's what happens when you throw up roughly 56 times in half a day.

she still doesn't have the strength to stand

and she can't eat on her own because she shakes so much

She still begs for water constantly...

i think she lost about a third of her cheeks

but she is on the mend

and can still tell mama when she's had enough

i love to tease daddy about the amount of lunch dates he neglects to take me on.

but really? he should be the jealous one.

I get a lunch date with this cutie every.single.day.