peeking piggies

Lila helps me cook and bake every day...its kind of our thing...she loves to help, be in the kitchen and she is very attached to me...so it's her happy place...and has become one of mine too. I just want to remember her little piggies peeking out...as she sits on the bar stool as we measure, pour and mix. I heart those peeking piggies!

3:03

I cherish 3:03. It's the time the bus pulls up to court and returns the 3 school going littles back to me. Sarah Kate and Rollins always race to the door...Rollins beats her every time, but she tries any way. And I stand on the porch and welcome them home with hugs. I can't wait to hear how their days were....the good parts and the bad too. I love this time of reconnection....while it's fresh....and they are happy to be home. I love that each day we celebrate little victories like finishing a book or being selected to take the flag down. I love that we talk about hurt feelings and how to be a good friend. It's a time for warm cookies and feeling the comfort of home envelope you. Most of all I love that I am lucky enough to be able to have this time with them....3:03 is Moma time for sure and there is no place I would rather be each day than on my front porch listening to the squeak of the bus brakes as they get closer and closer...bringing my littles back home to me.

Be still

When you rest in quietness and your image of yourself fades, and your image of the world fades, and your ideas of others fade, what's left? A brightness, a radiant emptiness that is simply what you are.

Adyashanti

Goshen 5th grade basketball

Riggs continues to play for the Goshen Gators!

 Honestly he is just happy to be on the team and a part of the whole thing!

 He doesn't play much...but when he does he tries his best and he has really improved!

 He has scored some baskets and had some fun! Won't be long till the season is over!

3rd Grade Wax Museum

We rolled out the red carpet today in the Goshen Cafeteria and welcomed parents and family members both near and far to the 1st annual 3rd Grade Wax Museum!

 "Please come in to the Museum! All our exhibits are made of wax and are very fragile. If you push the green button in from of the exhibit the wax statue will come to life and interact with you. Enjoy!"

 Rollins did his biography in a can on Michael Phelps! He even rocked the headphones and he really knew his facts!

He assumed this diving position until his green button was pushed...and then the Michael Phelps wax figure came to life to share an awesome biography on this Olympic swimmer.

 He was so cute.....so proud....and we were so happy to be there to see it all!

Way to go Rolls!

New friends

Lauren is my new friend....and we were so happy to celebrate her 40th birthday with her! We had breakfast at Verbena and lots of birthday cheer!

She can't skate

Tonight was an the annual Goshen skate party. I had a root canal this afternoon and was really not up to going, but it was my event....and I had the check to pay for it....so I just had to...so I did. SK wanted to go...but she can't skate....so I knew we would not be there long. She held onto me for quite a while...and then gradually she shuffled on the carpet...but she can't skate.

 She mingled with friends...and got braver and braver...as my mouth swelled more and more.

and in the end...I sat there..trying to be super sweet and talk to people while my mouth throbbed.....

while SK skated

Sister CAN skate!
Funny how any movement of my mouth hurt like hell...but the smile of pride I had for her...it just didn't hurt at all...not one bit.

Defense Baby!

Rolls won the Defense award this week at basketball! Defense, Baby, Defense! Yhea Rolls!

and so it begins.....the count down to bathing suit days

Keeping this in mind......

 Lila and I started the trek to bathing suit season.....wish us luck!

Thank Goodness I have her to motivate me!

Chicago 2013

I have been a mother for knocking on 11 years.....and Jeremy and I have not been away from the kids for the weekend...ever. We tried once but it just didn't work out....but now, here we were...headed to the big city! We were supposed to leave at noon....but pulled out about 6....but still we were happy to be Chicago bound!

Pulling into the city at night....it was beautiful!

But nothing could have been more beautiful to me than this.....

oh it called my name....in such a big way....

I'm exhausted....to the bone tired...and I was allowed to be for the night...no one needed me.

But the city.....awaited us.....right?

we decided it could wait for us one more night....I took a hot bath....and slept like a baby...and I didn't set a 5:00 alarm either....I just slept until my body woke up...

enjoying Chicago...in my own way....

 The next day....I looked beat....but I felt refreshed......

 We headed to West Egg for breakfast...I had amazing crepes...and they have the best coffee...ever.

 and a date...with this cute boy....

 Funny...even with the kids removed...they were still front and center...we went to Garrets to get them popcorn...the American girl store...and the Nike store...first thing....

We had lunch at Gino's!

 and shopped at Northface and lots of other stores.......

 We walked......

We talked.......

 We laughed......

 and that night we headed to the Pour House for supper.....and a few drinks....

and then we were off to Second City.....to laugh...laugh....laugh....

 We ended the night at Mandy's Hot Chocolate!

and I have to mention these doughnuts......

  They are SPECIAL......

 We could have lingered the next morning....for more time in the city....another calm, slow breakfast...but we suited up in our new, warm North Face jackets...and grabbing White Castle breakfast sandwiches on the way out of town.....we headed home to 2 basketball games....and four littles we missed so much.

It was two nights away....but it was enough....it was good....in so many ways.....
I hope we can do it again soon....and if I ever go missing.... check the local hotels....I am a new woman after a good nights sleep.....I may want another before 11 years go by again.....

Friends...

I love my friends....dearly....I see such beauty in the relationship between friends....and I think my littles see this too. They love their friends and this weekend was like many...full of time with friends and laughter.

Riggs headed off to Great Wold Lodge for the weekend with the boys!

 SK got to spend some much needed one on one time with Julia! They danced the night away with giggles!

 Rollins hosted a sleepover with E and Braden and they had a ball!

Love your friends....honestly and truly....and they will love you right back...the true ones will at least.

“Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything.” 
― Muhammad Ali

Baby Ballerinas

The Baby Ballerina class is in full swing! They have chosen a Spring recital piece and costume and have started to learn their dance! Oh it's so much fun to have a little girl!

we are getting there

We are still deciding on sending Lila to Kindergarten in the fall...she is just not as ready as the others...but we are working on it...seeing if she is ready...socially.....academically....one day at a time. I can say I am enjoying all the extra lap time as we work on letters, numbers, shapes and colors! Wish us luck on making the right decision for this very special little girl.