Anna’s Art

Ever since Aunt Kimmie’s fabulous art party where she had the kiddos paint on canvases, I’ve been thinking of a way that we could add some priceless art and color to Anna’s beautiful pale green walls. So, as I had to buy a few canvases for the baby room art (Hello cheap at Walmart!), I made sure to have a few extras.

We began by mommy simply squirting a few blues and greens on the blank canvas to create a background.  Next, Anna painted her hands pink and we made a “circle” out of the hand prints, with the palm always in the same spot.  This made it look like a daisy with many petals.  Lastly, Anna fingerpainted a stem, a butterfly, and finished it off with her signature along the side.

WE LOVE HER new artwork that hangs near her bed…and she is so proud of it, as well!

garden time!

First pickin’ of the season!  Green peppers, a few tomatoes and yellow zucchini squash.  Our pasta salad for dinner was full of yummy veggies straight from the garden and we all loved it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is so fun to see the kids excited about going out to the garden daily to see if there is anything ready to be picked…and of course, Hudson has been reading the veggie tags and is keenly aware that the “maturity” dates are right around when the baby comes.  I haven’t figured out yet if this is on his mind because he is excited for the baby, or if he is worried about his garden getting neglected.  Hmmmm…..

the next Einstein’s theory….

The scientific community needs to prepare itself now.  Batten down the hatches for what is to come.  Because friends, Hudson is on his way.  At the mere age of barely seven, he has written his first theoretical “paper” on time travel and supported his theory with scientific evidence.

This article was written for “The Times” complete with a picture of the author and scientist as a byline.

The Times

Time Travel is possible.  With a particle accelerator e=mc2 fraction passed onto Scientist Hudson Smith, time travel is possible.  This is because of the speed that is faster than light.  It is lightning.  1997

The Scientist also then included a mock-up drawing of his first idea of a time travel machine, complete with the graphic organizer that shows the evidence of trial and error experimentation.

Seriously?  My kid is seven?  Sometimes I think  I know his mind works better than his mama’s. 

Whoa.

Not only that, but he blew us away yesterday with a question from his deep thinking brain after dinner….

“Mom, do you think there are seasons in heaven?”

“I don’t know Hudson, that is a good question.  Why?”

“Well, cuz ya know, the Earth spins around the sun and stuff to make seasons…..”

Once again, whoa.

as the deer…

rocked.  that is how I feel this week.  seriously. 

a combination of events and life situations that have left me not only physically tired (duh, I expect that at almost 37 weeks), but emotionally drained.  emotionally wiped out to the point where I felt like if one more thing happened I may not make it without a crying breakdown (oh, and I did…several times).

bronchitis and a pregnant mama….not a good combo.

add in = some really frustrating and upsetting news where you question how in the world you are going to handle an unexpected change.

add in = not sleeping well because of coughing and medicines

add in = a flat tire, and an almost flat tire

But wouldn’t you know, God keeps showing His faithful hand?  It’s one of those things when I got a call from Chris and I bawled with him on the phone for 20 minutes…he was reassuring me that God is always faithful and we will be able to handle what is coming.  And in my cynicism, I was thinking, “yup…let’s see how this one works out.”

Less than 5 minutes after hanging up, the kids and I were out the door and had just turned onto the main road to go visit a friend for a bit.  And this is what we saw (well, something very close to this…)

a doe and her fawn.  in the field by the corn. in the middle of the day. placed there by God for my children and I to gaze at.  to wonder at.  too marvel at.

We stopped on the road (yup, we don’t live in a high traffic area) and just watched them for a good 30 seconds.  They just stared at us and then kept about their business. 

And in those thirty seconds,

I breathed.

         I observed.

                I listened.

And you know what I heard? (besides silence from my children? ;o)

        The Holy Spirit.

         “Look at those deer.  So well taken care of…part of creation.  But not even in His image and he takes care of their every need.  Beth, aren’t you and your family made in the Father’s image? Trust.  He does the same for you.  He always has.  He always will.”

that’s all I needed.  a reminder.  a visual.

                a pictorial love note from the one who created me.

And now I just need to keep on remembering. and breathing.  and listening.

To not forget

To not forget sweet moments when bedtime is forsaken and a sprinkler moment in clothes is more important after a hot day and t-ball practice.  This is for me....to remember.

Ocean City

We were so blessed to have the chance to get away one last time before our lives get car-razy with a newborn around…and we had a blast.  We had a free week given to us to stay in Ocean City, MD (as a result of a technical snafu on the resort’s part in March when we visited with Grandmom).  We took full advantage of the beautiful beaches, the outdoor and indoor pools and the hot tub that we had in our own courtyard.

Anna painting Mommy’s toenails for her….she was very careful and very sweet!

The weather was beautiful and we got to participate in all of our favorite “beachy” activities – and experience some new ones!  Marion, the boys and Nanny and Pappy took us onto Assateague Island – a beautiful National Park that only allows a limited number of vehicles on the beach at a time.  Not only that, but you are required to have an “on sand vehicle” permit and a truck that can handle driving on loose sand.

The kids had a blast digging up sand crabs and making them homes – they collected around 50 of them before we returned them to the sea later in the day!

It was one of the most beautiful beach days I have ever experienced – hardly another family in sight, seashells and fun waves, wild horses, a gentle sea breeze and beautiful green Atlantic water.  Hudson and Anna love the water to begin with, but Anna has discovered a new passion – boogie boarding.  It was hard to convince her to leave the water!

One evening before Grandmom left we went out to the beach to take a few pictures together…..

Anna liked dancing in front of the full length mirror :)

We did puzzles, played games, walked the boardwalk, ate salt water taffy and drank fresh lemonade.  We built sandcastles, dug holes in the sand for mommy’s belly so she could lay tummy down and built Dinosaur Waterpark Lands.

We ate funnel cake, people watched, swam and swam, read books and strolled the boards – but mostly, we just had an amazing vacation as a family and really enjoyed our time together. I love the family that God has blessed me with – extended, and the four (almost 5) of us….

Happy Father’s Day!

Happy Father’s Day to the prince I fell in love with….

the man that he has become….

and the amazing Daddy that he strives to be every day.

We love you Daddy,

Hudson, Anna, and Baby #3

maternity shoot!

I am sooo excited – we’ve never had someone take our pics when I’ve been expecting.  I have some really good shots of Hugs and Banana in-utero, but they were by Chris, or myself (setting up the self timer with some belly shots). 

2 wonderful and beautiful friends, who happen to be sisters, endured our three families meeting at a local park to play to take some pictures.  I laughed the whole time, which helped with the dreaded “fake smile” syndrome that could’ve occurred.  Bekah and Emily, these pictures are more than we could’ve hoped for – thank you so much!

Here’s to 33 & 2/3 weeks!