Poems

Instagram brings me my daily dose of beautiful, meaningful poems curtesy if nayyirah waheed. Here are some of my recent favorites:

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Playground

Claire is like a sponge right now. She overhead Courtney say "wet hair, don't care" and has been working that into conversations left and right ever since. Dangerous. 

I feel like it's been raining in Houston for a month straight (the same duration of all these back to back colds I've had).  When the rain cleared for a bit we made it to the playground; usually energy exertion means better sleep for these nuggets. 

Sisters Slide

Paige is really into counting at the top of the slide before she goes down. 1*2*GO!

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Service Day

Once a year our church does a family service sunday rather than worship. We dropped Paige off at the nursery and brought Claire with us to experience some "doing" and "giving".

Claire made some placemats for kiddos at the hospital. Her signature "rainbow grass" was on most of them, except this one. 

Snack Packs for the homeless. 

Claire and Ross would fill the snack packs, then delivery them to me to put a label on them. 

Claire making ham and cheese sandwiches. 

"Mom can I eat the cheese?" 

We had such a positive experience, I hope we can do it again next year with Paige!

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Cross Country Gold

I've gone back and read this article at least 4 times today:
USA Wins Gold Medal in Cross Country Ski Race

After living in Alaska I a) have a much better appreciation for how hard cross county skiing is and b) know how much of a local celebrity Kikkan Randall is in Anchorage. I just love love love the fact that she is the only Momma on Team USA and she won a gold. Like a boss! We watched the end of the race (recorded) with the girls tonight and it was such an exciting finish. #Fit-spiration! Now they can finally go eat some Moose's Tooth pizza :)

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Playing at the park

We've been driving down the road to play at the park at Claire's "big girl school". They have a fabulous park so hopefully that's also an indication of the type of education she will get there... I'm sure.

And this picture is one of my all time favorites. I snuck my hand through the play equipment to snap it. It's a favorite not because it's an amazing quality photo, but because it captures the pure unadulterated joy of two kids having fun at the park.

These faces bring smiles where ever they go.

(most of the time) :)

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5 Languages of Love

I'm guessing you've read "5 Languages if Love" in the past, but have you read it in the last 5 years? We've been reading the study group version of the book and I must admit, I feel like I'm reading it for the first time. There's been a lot of "life" that's happened since I read the book (7 years ago?), which inevitably makes the same words sound different today.

5 Languages:
1. Acts of Service
2. Words of Affirmation
3. Physical Touch
4. Gifts
5. Quality Time

Observations this week:
*Most couples have opposite primary language than their spouse
*Women seem to have multiple languages and guys tend to have a primary "top 2"
*Quality Time is described as "uninterrupted time without distraction" which is a real challenge with kiddos :)

What's your language of love? If you're not sure, just Google the online questionnaire and figure it out!

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My heart

Claire & Paige = BESTIES. Oh, these two littles :)

I mean, is there a better way to start a Monday?

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Strep

It has felt like someone in our family has been sick for the last feel months. Seriously. Today Claire Bear woke up saying "Momma my throat hurts". I didn't think much of it, but a few hours later her teacher called saying Claire wouldn't stop crying. Hmm, that is not like Claire. 

DOCTOR. 

Positive step test.

Early bed time. 

I'm feeling sick too, but Ross feeling just fine. stay tuned!

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Remember when?

I get so much enjoyment looking back at old blog posts.  Ross and I are exactly the same people and completely different people at exactly the same time.

Exactly the same, 8 years ago- Ross having trouble waking up

Completely different, 8 years ago- Cooking a 3 course meal on a weeknight and eating after 7

Timeless right?! :)

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Powerful Words

I'll be the first to admit I'm new to Instagram. And I'm really only on there for the photo filters and because my cousin Courtney says I need to be. I don't post many things myself and just learned about "stories" which are essentially video collages available for 24 hours only. 

Anyway Courtney added some people I needed to "follow" on Instagram, including poet Nayyirah Waheed. And this gal is talented. Sometimes I feel like she is talking to me. For example:

do not disrespect your heart. by hearing what it needs. and giving it the opposite. 

-nayyirah.waheed

-OR-

some words build houses in your throat. and they live there. content and on fire.

-nayyirah.waheed

Her words are so powerful in an understated sort of way. I really enjoy getting my daily fix of poetry. and hope you will too!

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Graeme’s Run

Another year, another great annual heart run in memory of Graeme! Robby and Steph put so much love and effort into this event, it truly makes it special. We’re thankful we could participate and support this nobel cause. I’m fairly certain the soaked ground didn’t phase anyone :) I like to think I made the double-stroller medal podium, but that’s probably wishful thinking considering an 8-year old blew by me. I told Claire she was running next year...

"Where's my running snack mom?"

Paige loved the band

Paige watching Mason play the cowbell

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Gooood night

Home again from midland! 

I’m going to need morning baby snuggles in a big way tomorrow!

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Ultimate Eagles fan

Growing up in Newark Delaware, there's not a whole lot of sports teams to cheer for (sorry University of Delaware Fighting Blue Hens and sorry Delaware Blue Rocks). So by default, everyone latches onto the Philadelphia Eagles, the Phillies, sometimes the Ravens, and not the 76ers. Our neighbors next door, the Bairds, had 3 girls, also our play mates till 6th grade when we moved to Texas. (They also had a golden retriever named Ginger. Why do I remember that?) Anyway Mr. Baird was quite possibly the biggest Eagles fan I'd ever met. You'd always know if it was game day by the big 'ole flag he'd fly outside. He pretty much lived in Eagles gear everyday.

Over the last few weeks as the Eagles progressed in the playoffs, etc I would always think of him and wonder what he'd be wearing if the Eagles actually made it to the Super Bowl... Then through Facebook connections, I saw a SI article all about Mr. Wayne Baird. It turns out he is battling a rare form of Lymphoma and was given tickets to the Super Bowl game via Dream Foundation for terminally ill patients. You can read the story here: Deserving Fan gets Super Bowl Tickets

And his daughter just posted this follow-up to the story on Facebook:
Their original seats were in section 300, just a few rows away from the Pats fan that was in the same Sports Illustrated article as my dad, and he recognized my dad since he wore his Rocky robe to the game. They started talking and then the Pats fan decided to write a message on social media that got Sports Illustrated’s attention about his disappointment with their seat section...which led to them being upgraded to a suite directly behind the Eagles end zone!! My sisters and I heard [briefly] from my parents at the game (my mom managed to press mute during both of our FaceTime sessions 😂) so all the amazing details will come later..but again thank you for all of the love and good juju...this will definitely be an unforgettable trip for my parents!!!! E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!!! 💚🦅🏈




What a neat story. Makes me so happy and sad at the same time.

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Cutie Couple

I snapped a couple impromptu engagement pictures of Jeff and Danielle over the weekend. It was pretty ugly weather outside, so we made do with a fire back drop... and a 1 year old saying "cheese" and smiling in the background every time I lifted up the camera up. Perfecto! Congratulations J & D!

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