Best Moments of the Summer.....so far.

I wish I could tell you I am one of those parents who plans educational outings for her kids every day during summer holidays.
I wish I was crafty.
And fun.
And happy that my kids are home for nineeffingweeksstraight.

But I am not.

Let me rephrase that.

I love my kids.
I would be ecstatic to have my kids home every day if they didn't argue every .56 seconds.
But they do.
Which makes me want to drink 24/7 until I am so numb and out of it that I can sit in a lawn chair and giggle while they beat the crap out of each other.

FML.

Anyways........

we are 4 weeks into this Hell and there are a few memorable moments to share so far.

*Like the time daughter got 97428946967 mosquito bites and needed a constant high of Benadryl to stop the itch.

*Or the time our office/den wall looked like it was painted black overnight, but it was really just ants.


*Ohhhhh....there was the time we took Jersey the dog to the Holistic Vet and paid $314 for him to tell us to come back in three weeks.


*And the time I lost my shit on one of my kids because he was making the most annoying noises ever.   *That time Cindy the Pony came to live here and was thisclose to pooping on my foot. That was fun.

*There was also the day that Princess Kate had her baby boy and it totally brought me back to the day 11 years ago when we welcomed our 8+ pound little Prince.
Except I didn't have to greet the media and millions of excited humans 24 hours later looking all awesome with perfectly styled hair, a pretty polka dot dress, cute little empty uterus and blemish-free skin.
{Instead, I was still fat, full of zits, major bloated in the face, had unkempt hair and the darkest under eye circles known to exist.  Whatever}

Hmph.

And how is your summer going????

I am tired.

Holy euoihfndklbfkbnhjdsla I am tired.
I think I could sleep for the next week.
Christmas is grand but, man it is alot of work.

One minute your house is clean, your tree is pretty and overflowing with gifts.....
....the next minute it looks like a bomb has hit right smack dab in the living room.

We survived.
There were many smiles and giggles.
A few tears.
Lots of "THISISJUSTWHATIWANTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
and "I wish it was Christmas every day!!!!!!!!!!!!".

While my family opened their gifts and squealed with excitement, I etched the moments into my mind.  I never, ever want to forget these moments because, I know in just a few years it will all be over.

Kelle's friend said it best.  All of these moments are a scrapbook in my brain.  And as my kids ripped open their gifts, smiled/squealed/laughed/played, I recorded those moments in my brain.

Treasures.
My family, and the moments.

Here are just a few of the moments captured.


{I plan on buying my kids matching Christmas jammies until they are 75}

{"Mom, this is just what I wanted!  Santa listened to me!"}


{Dear Me.  Remember this moment always.  Love Me}


{Dear Me. Remember this moment too. Love Me


{Cant she stay 4 forever????}

{Jersey probably would have said "I love you Santa" if he could talk}   Other things that happened * we ate alot of spinach dip toottoottoottoot * Princess drank alot of fruit punch which means every picture we took of her includes a red moustache * turkey coma * Momma got an iPad It's OK.  Be jealous.  I would if I were you. * one of my kids loves his new plaid shirt and work socks so much, he wants to sleep in them..... and wear them everysingleday     And how was your Christmas???????

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli
 

*sniff*

My children are growing up and there is not a friggin thing I can do to stop it.
Someone give me the magic potion.
Someone fill me in on how to stop time, because if I could, I would.

My baby girl graduated from preschool.

My third and last baby exited the doors of the small preschool for the last time.
And so did I.

I was sure that it was going to be a very emotional morning.
I actually prepared myself for the ugly cry.

My last baby walked on up to the front of the class+parents+grandparents to receive her diploma.
And as I clicked my camera, my eyes remained dry.
My frown turned upside down.

Because I was experiencing this moment....again.
I was proud.
Happy.

I breathed in this morning.
Every second of it.
And I stored it away in my brain beside Messy's graduation and Rowdy's graduation.

Because, as my children grow, I am learning that time goes by faster and faster.
And no matter how hard I try to slow it down, it actually speeds up.

Before I blink, they will be graduating from grade 8....high school....university...
And I will breathe in each momentand store it awaywith the many other moments I experience during this parenting journey. Being a Momma is so wonderfuldifficultemotional Group hug please.I need to do the ugly cry now.

3 Years 9 months

..is the best age.
If I could freeze my children, I would at this exact age so I could keep them this way forever and ever.
They sleep, use the potty, have some independence, love Disney movies and most days are just 100% enjoyable and adorable.
But anyways.....

My daughter is this age.
She has a vivid imagination which allows her to play with all of her imaginary friends and even sometimes include her Mommy in on the fun.
She doesnt care how she looks when she gets dressed in the morning because, in her mind {and mine} she is the prettiest girl in the world.
As long as she has her hairband in her hair, she is a happy girl.

Everyday she learns something new and still gets excited about it.
She is a sponge, absorbing everything going on around her.
Even when her brothers use some inappropriate language, she takes it all in and then uses the terrible words in a totally nonsense way because she has no idea what it means.
I like it when they are still innocent.
 Her personality is flourishing. Her vocabulary is stretching. She makes everyone around her laugh. She says "I love you too" when you tell her you love her. I often find myself just looking at her, watching every move she makes.... ...etching it into my brain, so I never, ever forget this age. 3 years 9 months.

Stuff Princess Did Today

Wore alot of jewellery

Got a boo boo

Danced

Pretended to be a model

Caught a toad

Played in the sandbox

Went on the swing

...for a very, very

...long time

In her panties.
Just because.

Ordinary Moments

Yippee!  This is my kind of topic.  My life is full of ordinary moments that I try my hardest to capture through photographs.  If I start up my own photography business in the {near} future, I would like to call it something simple like this...just because.
Or maybe I will call it Just Because Photography.  What do you think?

Life isn't about staged photos or awkward posed pictures.
It is about the simple unstaged moments that make up our everyday life.
*sigh*

Footwear scattered everywhere.If you come to my house, please dont trip.


She would swing 24/7....if someone would push her.


Legs.The differences in my children are endless...yet they are so similar.


The "dirty face look" is the norm around here.


Duke the horse.


..and again. Just because I love him.


Middle child not looking at the camera because apparently I take too many pictures. Hmph.


Oldest child not looking at the camera because apparently I take too many pictures of him too. Hmph.
This was probably his 27th Freezie of the day. Why they are hyper, I dont know......


Go see more ordinary moments here on Thursday.
And then go capture some of yours.
It is sooooo worth it.

Poor Beth was not well as she is expecting baby #4 very soon and overdid it taking wonderful photos.  I had this post up last week but am linking up today now that Beth is feeling better. 

*Just Because Photography coming soon*