June

 Well, thank goodness for semi-waterproof phones these days because I dropped it in the lake this morning and fingers crossed, it is still working! Especially because I haven't gotten all of the videos and pictures from the last month off of it yet. 

Here are some June favorites ...

 Lyla suddenly became obsessed with wearing Uncle Brendan's old football jersey. It goes down to her ankles and is the cutest on her! She is my coordinated athletic one and has the best hand-eye. Can't wait to get her in her first soccer season for the fall and maybe she'll be interested in trying flag football in the next year or two?!

More puzzles on a Sunday afternoon. ;)

From a hot morning at the playground ... this particular one has cool animals and critters carved into the rocks to find! 

Man she's cute!!!

Passed my dreaded glucose test last month! It always feels so good to check off that box of pregnancy. It gives me the worst headache and shakes afterwards. 

This year versus two years ago ...

I took a three credit professional development class for my teaching recertification in May and June and man did it teach me to be so grateful that Nic and I finished our degrees before having children. It took a major toll mentally and emotionally on me until I got it completed. If I tried working on it after the kids went to bed, it kept me up all night thinking about the task I was working on but if I tried to work on it during quiet time, I was interrupted every 5 minutes for snacks, potty help, switching a movie, etc. and I never really made any real progress. So thankful to have it behind me! One more class sometime in the next year and I'll be good for another 5 years. Just need to get over my PTSD before I start the next one. haha

The sweetest neighbor brought me this vase filled with beautiful peonies from her garden! It lived on my counter for one day before everyone in my family noticed spiders coming from the petals and crawling across the countertop and it was banned from the kitchen. haha 

We finally went back to church in person after watching from home for over a year! Liam grew so much his tie is a foot too short and Lyla is no longer in nursery anymore! 

It's amazing what a small change can do to a space ... I got these citrus stems from Target and they make me smile every time I walk past our entryway!

New birthday slippers have been heaven for my pregnant swollen feet!

Girl's Weekend 2020

 Despite Covid, we made our annual girl's weekend happen again this year and it was just what we all needed. We stayed local and rented a room at the Grove Hotel in downtown Boise. It was filled with late night girl talk where we tried to solve all the problems of the world (haha!), dinner at a restaurant (Fork!) where we only had to worry about eating our own hot plate of food, the best junk food in-between, pedicures and shopping at the Village, a long walk around the greenbelt, and so much laughter. Thankfully this time there weren't any random run-ins with complete strangers in the deserted mountains or almost falling off a waterfall cliff! Good for my sanity's sake. haha 

We even had a fifth wheel tag along and he was the cutest, happiest, most quiet baby I've ever seen! We all took turns snuggling him and getting our baby fix, that sweet little Jamie.

The hotel's hot tub is located just enough floors up that you have a beautiful view overlooking downtown Boise. There was even a terrace up there that was covered in string lights. We picked up Chick-fil-A for dinner one night and ate it up there. 

Our last morning together we we walked to breakfast and took pictures in Freak Alley.

On our greenbelt walk we passed the Boise zoo and saw Melman peeking over the fence. ;)

It was so much fun!! I love these girls; they mean so much to me. I am grateful for their friendship. The best part about it is that no matter how much time goes by between seeing each other, we pick up right where we left off. 

Meanwhile back at home Nic was holding down the fort perfectly. Liam earned his first reading challenge reward and got the lego he had been working so hard for! His face says it all. They ate pizza for every meal and had the best time bonding together!

Then I came home to this and my heart melted ...

It feels good to be missed sometimes and boy did I miss them! 

St. Patrick's Day 2019

The year that this holiday became magical for me! 

Honestly, I've never really done much to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in the past but I'll never forget when Liam came home from preschool last year and told me a leprechaun had done silly things at his preschool and all of his friends' houses "but why didn't he come to our house, mom?!" It wasn't a mom guilt thing but as a lover of celebrating holidays and making them fun for my family I didn't want to miss the opportunity to have special memories with them this year!

Starting with wearing green! Before you laugh, this was just about all the green they had in their closets. A pair of green sweats and a rainbow colored bow for Lyla that was next to impossible to keep in her hair. haha And yet, no pinching for us! ;)

Liam and I made this leprechaun trap together and were sure it would do the trick. ;) A rainbow ladder and tunnel that led to a pot of gold, only to have him accidentally step on that piece of tissue paper and fall trapped inside of the box ... we were convinced it was genius!

The next morning we found this ...

Liam goes, "Next year mom, we need to make it out of metal!" haha That sneaky guy had ripped right through the side leaving behind a trail of toilet paper all over the house, green foot prints, chocolate gold coins, and ...

LUCKY CHARMS CUPCAKES!!!

He forgave the leprechaun for "bascaping" and happily ate his cupcake but was not convinced that was it! He spent the entire day looking around our house for clues. The first one being a half a receipt he spotted blowing across the backyard from the window. He ran outside after it and asked Nic to read it to him. Nic told him it said "There is a leprechaun kingdom and he need to ... oh no! The rest of the message was torn off! You better look for the other half!" haha So Liam searched every room and every piece of paper became another "clue" ... a book about leprechauns, a note in Nic's nightstand I'd written to him years ago. Nic was really egging all of this on and told him my mom's house had a secret portal to the leprechaun kingdom so he searched every room there too looking for a black hole. When he finally gave up he goes, "Guys, I've been HOODWINKED!" haha I don't think we've ever laughed so hard! I love his imagination so much!! 

My favorite part of the whole day was watching Lyla devour her cupcake!! After every single bite she'd go "mmm" "mmm" "mmm". Girl after my own heart!

We had Sunday dinner at Sita's house and enjoyed one of our first evenings playing outside without coats on!

Pointing at the airplanes in the sky ...

My mom bought a new lawn mower and while Nic was helping put it together for her Liam loved playing inside of the box! 

I'm truly the LUCKIEST mom in the whole world!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Christmas Card Outtakes

Christmas card pictures were last minute and simple this year ... tripod and self timer to the rescue! I'm pretty sure this is my boys new favorite way of taking family pictures ... Nic because he didn't have to listen to me stress over outfits and spend an hour or more in some random location with a stranger that we paid a bunch of money to (haha!) and Liam because he got to be in charge of pressing the button on the self timer remote. ;) I got my picture, Lyla got to wear a cute dress, Merry Christmas to ALL!

Anyway, the best part of self timer photos are some of the outtakes so I couldn't pass up an opportunity to share the silly faces, forced smiles, and spit up!

Burp cloth at the ready ALWAYS and teaching her where to look. haha

There it is ... haha The ONE moment we move the burp cloth (palm to forehead)!

And a few adorable ones of Lyla girl ...

I love when she makes this face at me like, "Are you kidding me mom with that camea again? You're a crazy lady!" ;)

If you haven't already, you can read our Christmas card and letter here! XO

the year that Liam licked Santa's beard!

Yes, you read that title right. 

On Saturday we visited Santa and Mrs. Clause at Nic's work. After missing Santa at the festival of trees, Liam had been talking about seeing him for the last two weeks. He has seemed very into Santa this year but we set our expectations low about their actual interaction after last year's Santa experience. There was a group of people standing around and talking but no one was actually in line to see Santa so we were able to go right up to the front. I kid you not, Liam ran from Nic's side right into Santa's arms annnnnd ........... wait for it ................ 

LICKED Santa's beard!!!!

I could not make this stuff up even if I tried! haha

Apparently seeing Santa made Liam super hyper and silly! Every time Santa asked him what he wanted for Christmas (something he had been rehearsing to tell him all Christmas season) "a backhoe and a motorcycle", he instead proceeded to stick out his tongue and make silly sounds and not say anything at all. haha I was busy snapping away pictures and couldn't hear their conversation so after a couple of minutes we asked Liam if he told Santa what he wanted and Santa said, "Well, I couldn't really get it out of him but it sounds like he wants toys and books for Christmas this year!" haha How generic Santa! 

Meanwhile, Lyla was over there being an absolute gem for Mrs. Clause. She fell asleep in her crib earlier that afternoon and woke up in a strangers arms (hence her expression) haha but other than that, she never even made a peep. 

Next to the first picture that will go down in our priceless Santa meeting history ... this was the next best keepsake! Lyla's first Christmas and first picture with Santa!

The best Santa experience yet! Not only did we get to skip the lines and not have to pay $40 for one Santa photo but they even gave Liam his own stuffed animal ... a kitty! 

Ho Ho Ho! and sorry about the beard, Santa!

oh brother!

I have gotten to see my brother who lives in Maryland but was visiting home in Meridian twice this summer and it has been the best! I love that no matter how much time truly goes by before we see each other again, we just have a great bond and pick up right where it left off the last time. Like for example when we compared tummy sizes back in May when I was about 4 months along. Why not compare them again in August at 7 months! Mr. Fit may have thought he had a fighting chance the first time around but this time... oh brother!

if it is a perfect 70 degree day outside,