Embrace the Camera

Me and my boys...

Max being carried of course...some days this drives me bananas but other days I fully embrace it because I know it won't last forever. And I'll actually miss carrying him. He is such a doll...and a monkey!



the mister and me...Gabrielle was taking this photo and saying "Daddy! You're not smiling!" (I had just said to him SMILE!!! Which he hates FYI!!)

linkin' up here y'all...

photos

i had a fun time playing around with some photoshop actions...this was last weekend when we took the kids to Elbow Falls. They loved it. We loved it. We'll do it again...for reals.
Packed a camping type lunch (hot dogs, chips and s'mores) and spent a better part of the day out there. Walked to the falls. Tried to skip stones on the very fast moving river (yikes). Even got to read my book a bit. Good times. Good times.

Here you go...a feast for your eyes.
oKAY...no feast of photos. Why? Be/c Blogger isn't allowing me to upload picture! Boo! Hiss! That is so lame. Yay! Blogger is letting me post pics today...





How about some cute things they kids have said? Alrighty then.

The other day Max said to us.."I want Jesus. I want Jesus come to our house!" Seriously cute!

I always tell Gabrielle to not get upset when we are looking for something (like a lost something) - I always tell her to pray about it be/c God knows where it is. So the other day she and Lily are playing and I see them walking around searching for something...Gabrielle says to Lily "You don't need to get upset about it Lily, you just need to pray about it. Jesus knows where it is." Sigh! Love that I witnessed her faith in that moment...and that SOME of the things I try to teach her actually get through.

A week or two ago, after leaving Safeway with Lily and Max, I thought I left my purse at Safeway and had a moment of panic. I found it quickly (in the car) and said "Phew!" and of course they asked what I was talking about so I told them I thought I left my purse at Safeway and that would have really scared me." Of course Max asks "Why?" (Because he asks why about a million times a day) and Lily says "Mommy, if you left it at Safeway you would have said Oh Shit!" My mouth dropped open and she started howling laughing! She thought this was hysterical! She laughed to the point of crying and then said "you gave me happy tears!" It was pretty dang funny.

what little boys do when you are not looking....

the first time...


They go into their rooms and they get all quiet. Then they take off their clothes (you'll notice a theme here), empty their drawers and a full box of kleenex all over the floor. They'll even sit on the rocking chair and play with their dingle-hopper cuz that's fun in and of itself apparently!

the second time...




They go outside and grab the hose. Then they made mud with the dirt that is under the swings. Then they take all their clothes off. Then they sit down in the mud.
THEN they stand up and PEE in the mud and sit back down again.
When I came out to take pictures he even did a little "happy, muddy naked dance" for me. He was pretty pleased with himself!

Here he is with his new friend that moved in next door. Noah. They have SO much fun together even though Noah is 5. They have hit it off and it is a joy and a delight for Max (and me!). When Noah is over I actually can get a few things done around the house. Deeeeee-lightful!

cool quote...

i always wonder why birds choose to stay in the same place
when they can fly anywhere on earth,
then i ask myself the same question.

harun yahya

be back later....must not get distracted from the work i need to do...it is so darn easy with the internet and tv at my disposal....

aaahhhh...

All's right in my world. Why? Because my MIL is healthy enough to take my kids this week! Whoop Whoop!!! No, really, I'm so glad she's feeling better for HER sake and hoping/praying the doctor actually figures out what exactly is going on.

But the bonus to her feeling better, is of course, date night is back on this week! Booyah! to that.

I had a little getaway this weekend for a day and a half and a night. Went up to Edmonton w/ a girlfriend and met another girlfriend who lives there as well. We stayed at the WEM (West Edmonton Mall) and it was dreamy, delightful, relaxing, refreshing...just plain fun. Who wouldn't enjoy a weekend away without kids and with girlfriends? Loved it...love those girls. Forgot my camera though, so that stinks.

I shopped a fair amount and didn't do too badly at all. I bought a few books at Scott's Parable Christian book store in Red Deer. That was nice - to browse around a bookstore without a time limit! Bought a few items at Sephora. Mascara and eye shadow.

Then I bought this lovely jacket at Lululemon. Yes, expensive. But considering I've worn the same Lululemon jacket for 7 years now, and it still looks pretty darn good, I feel it was entirely justifiable.

And I bought this. Another jacket-y type item. I love it. Almost makes me wish for coldish weather so I can wear it! And...get this...its water repellant! Crazy huh?

Anyshways...it was a grand time had by all. I feel pretty darn blessed to have such wonderful friends and a husband that doesn't mind if I go away for a day or two for girl time.

re-designed...

So my friend called me out on the header "Sweet Mother of Pearl" saying it was HER signature phrase! Fair enough (I know she was kidding!)...it was hers for sure, but I adopted it as my own. And i do say it an awful lot around here especially when I'm frustrated w/ my chillun. But I wasn't married to it by any means.

So when I lay in bed last night..thinking...you know, at 2 am, after Max woke up and called me into his room for a snuggle...what would I name my blog that would capture me and my life and the stuff I will document on here? It felt awfully challenging to come up with something creative and somewhat original that captured ME. So after mulling around a few ideas, I came up with "i heart..." As in "I heart yellow." Or I heart ice cream. And to me, it fits me and my blog perfectly. Yes, I know I've renamed it a thousand times it seems, but this one, I really LOVE. Because on my blog I document the stuff I love - clothes, interiors, my kids, thoughts, etc. Get it? The stuff...i heart...!!!!

I so clever.

Here are the kids i heart...

See that? He's climbing up the wall by himself...this year, at the park, I can actually bring a book and they ALL play by themselves (for the most part). It is pretty delightful!

This is before we got her hair chopped off later that day. Will post that later. Looks super cute on her.

Isn't she pretty? I think she's one gorgeous girl.