Brooklyn recently checked out a library book with the same name. And apparently, made up her own little song about "Waking up is hard to do." This song is all and only her doing. (It also happens to be the truth when it comes to our family. We really like sleep). May it make you smile as much as it made me!  ...Read More

Sometimes people come into your life for a reason. Sometimes they enter as a student. You find yourself paying more attention to them and seeing a real need.  You take them under your wing. You love them. You invite them into your home. They become part of your family. And God says, this is a good thing. Make it official. And so you...Read More

Last night at 7:25pm, my brother, Chad, and his wife, Melissa, welcomed their second child into the world. The gender of this little one was truly a matter of suspense, for if a boy, it would be the 4th boy born into our family this year. And also because they, like the rest of us, don't find out what they're having in advance! So...Read More

  Thanks to our little helpers, the tree has been trimmed.  And it is real and apparently depressed, despite the tree preserving juice we faithfully give it. It's losing needles. Dern conifer.  And this little 9 month machine is all about what can go in his mouth.   Oh yes, this will do. Aside from shaking a maraca at the tree, remarkably, Dorien...Read More

Like my friend Rachel says on her blog, life isn't always pretty, but if you're gonna tell the truth, you just gotta do it. So here we go. Boogers and all. This week seems like it's been 10 weeks in one. I'm worn out. But I will tell you, it's 12:21 am and I am up blogging. Why? Because I feel like it's...Read More

I'm not entirely sure how you spell that word...but you know what I mean, right?  Rock Paper Scissors Do you remember how old you were when you first learned how to play that game?Well, Brooklyn and August were/are respectively, 5 and 3. Know when it comes in really handy around our house? At bath time. They love bath time. They love to dump...Read More

I had one of those funny mom moments on Tuesday that I possibly shouldn't share with you, but will anyway. So I'm sitting on my bed with Dorien snuggled close, nursing him to sleep for his afternoon nap.  And I'm reading my book and enjoying this time of just being still and snuggling with my baby. And then I hear this little voice...Read More

If you're a reader, you know what I mean. A good book sucks you in like a black hole and, seriously, everything disappears.  Everything, that is, but the book. You lose track of time. You bide your time doing mundane activities, just waiting for the moment when you can reenter that world with which you have become entangled. Hopelessly.  It's even better when...Read More

Another Thanksgiving, another holiday with our precious Rwandan, Rene! So good to have him around.  Farm Time - and it's Cousin Central! Did I also mention that 2011 was Year of the BOY? Well, in our family, this has proven to be true. Dorien was born in March to me, Gage to Lauren in April, Tagg to Anna in June. Melissa's baby (gender...Read More

If there is one thing of which I am absolutely certain, it is that when the crazy hits - it will not be at 10:30 in the morning, or 2 in the afternoon, or at some other reasonable hour. It will be between the extremely unreasonable hours of 2 and 4 am. When my kids (and yours too) get sick, when their fevers...Read More

This is my very first painting and I can't say that I'm completely finished with it. I was until I painted August's and then decided I may need to tweak some areas of Brooklyn's portrait.  This was painted using acrylic paints from a photograph I'd taken of Brooklyn. This is my second painting. A portrait of August. And I will add that neither photograph...Read More

Now, Dad...don't even think of hiding that from me.  Yes, I see....this is a lovely pink cup...  I mean, it's ok if I eat it, right? Cause let's be honest, here...we both know it's headed to my mouth.  What? C'mon! I was just about to taste it! And no, there's nothing in it! See?!   Well, geez...now you're making me think I want that...Read More

Days like today when it rains all day long and doesn't storm... The enormous smile that slowly expands across Dorien's face when he sees me... Baking chocolate chip cookies... The yellow and orange leaves of the trees surrounding my house... Yoga... Browsing the gazillion fantastic ideas on Pinterest... Kissing my husband... Hearing August tell me unprompted, "I love you, Mommy." Hearing August tell...Read More

Chloe Chic by goshengal featuring rhinestone earrings ...Read More

Tailored Frills by goshengal featuring leather heels ...Read More

Two Tuesdays ago, this is how we spent our day.  At the Lincoln Park Zoo.I should be more accurate and say we spent our late afternoon/evening out in Lincoln Park because we did our schooling in the hotel, had lunch with Daddy at the RainForest Cafe, visited the StoneWard office and then drove out to Lincoln Park with our friend, Kyler, who lives...Read More