Pictures Pictures and more of the reason you are all here...

PC has been out of commission but thanks to JJ we are back up and VIRUS free. Yikes. And lest you think we've been just hangin' around here are the pics from the past few days...another SEPERATE post for our trip to the "Mechanical" Gardens (as Minnie called them) when I can snag my pics from the CountryRents PC where I inadvertently left them. Whoopsie.

 

On Wednesday Auntie Joyce and Uncle Ralph came and spoiled us by bringing steaks for Husband to grill... we LOVE spending time with these guys and we had SO MUCH FUN...

I think this picture was right after Minnie said giggling "Oh Auntie Joyce... you're the BEST!" :) It's true. She is! :)

Who else would play dress up and have a giggle-fest with us while doing it?

Poor Uncle Ralph... NO ONE was listening to Anne of Green Gables. :)

Such a great night with these two sweeties!

 

 

On Thursday Liz and I packed the minivan aka "pack'n play on wheels" with babies, snacks, coolers, cameras and LISTS and we headed off to the big city to get some things DONE. The two in the backseat had NO idea what adventures were in store but they were psyched to be in the "way back" together!

Meanwhile...

We hit all our destinations and the "plan" was to go to the park in the big city for lunch but it was WAY.TOO.HOT. so Liz called for directions to a beach and OFF WE WENT. Yep. Me. At the beach... for the 2nd time THIS SEASON and it isn't even SUMMER YET! I'm a rock star. And my kids are psyched!

or maybe that's just because she's maxin' and relaxin' with her BFF?

The big girls by the shore... I can almost hear Pheebs from here... "Come BACK MINNIE! COME BACK AWAY FROM THE WATER" :)

"What's that Pheebs? My Mom said I could go swimming?" :)

Now this one is going to be taking dance classes... I think that's a PERFECT fit for this fun, spunky, little actress!!! :)

Yep. Perfect fit! :)

This one... ticked her Mom didn't pack her a suit. :)

Teachable moments... they are all teachable moments.

I like to think she just told them "hey we are gonna go get some ice cream" and this is the annoyed "really mom? more fun? I mean come on..." face she got from both of them :)

and we're back....

What's that dance girl? :)

shhhhh the babies are sleeeeping :)

 

Happy 3 1/2 Minnie ~ Minnie-isms

Coming down the stairs carrying her almost life sized stuffed deer with Skylar... "Look at this "yum-yum" Skylar and I shot. We are gonna take it in the den and cut it up."

Minnie: Mom, I don't think she (Miss B) likes it. (cooked carrots)
Me: Why?
Minnie: She's making those funny eyes.

Daddy had a big cream filled donut sitting on a plate and he walked away. You sidled up next to it and looked across the table at me and said... "I'm gonna be needin' a bite of that bad boy" :)

Sweet Minnie,

You are now 3 1/2 years old... and Mama is praying us through the next 6 months to make sure we make it to 4!!! You are a tough cookie right now. You challenge just about everything from naps, to getting your own water, to bed time, to how much TV time you get. I think negotiation is your middle name. You are making sure that all the rules that have been set up for your protection and to help guide you into growing up to a Godly girl, are still in fact the same. I assure you... they are.

At the same time you are super fun, you say funny things and you can make Miss B laugh like no one else. You still LOVE to be busy, asking me every morning "where are we going today Mom?" and excited to "do fun stuff". Most recently you are all about picking out your own clothes and getting dressed every morning as SOON as breakfast is over. More often than not you pick out things that match and outfits that I have never even put together. It's pretty cute. You are outgoing with other kids and make friends with anyone 4 feet and shorter. Adventure and new things are still right up your alley.

I recently asked you if you wanted to take dance lessons at a new studio that opened in the next town over and your quick response was "uh...no." So I followed it up with "Bethany wants to teach you how to surf. Would you like to do that?" Your response... "Like on a board? In the ocean? Yah. I'll do THAT!" :)

You LOVE: clickers, dresses, skirts, berries, cheese, crackers, pizza, hot dogs, mac 'n cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrot sticks, Cliff bars, fruit leather/ropes, ice cream, Oreos, driving your inherited pink Jeep, digging in the dirt, swinging, playing in any kind of water, visiting with neighbors, playing with your sister in the den, bear, gardening, and playing pretend. Daisy is your favorite baby doll and she is also your best imaginary friend. You like to have a pretend Mom and Dad and some days I can't say that I blame yah. Spending time with your friends and cousins is most definitely your favorite activity and then it doesn't matter WHAT you are doing as long as you have someone to play with.

You are my social gal and pretty sure Daddy and I know right where you get that from. I look forward to the next 6 months (and beyond) of challenges you throw in our direction and asking God how to use them to make YOU grow up to be just the best girl for HIM you can be.

We love you Minnie!!!

Daddy & Mommy (and Miss B)

Today, Vulnerable, Perspective, Priorities

Mother's Day until July 4th has over the past few (5ish) years just gotten harder and harder for me. I don't think I suffer from depression over the winter months like many in Northern New England do with the lack of sunshine the annoying amounts of snow and FREEZING COLD... but bring on Mother's Day and the chaos of life until 4th of July and I want to pull the covers over my head and not come out until the middle of summer.

Remember this post... Hiatus....where I told you I'd gone to our local store to check in with a lady who's husband was diagnosed with cancer the same time as Husband? Today... they had a memorial service for him... today his wife and two daughters... had to say goodbye.

When I walked up to her in the receiving line I lost it. We both remembered the last time we had chatted when things were on the up swing for both of the men in our lives....she looked at me and said... "you don't want this. With two girls you just don't want this..."

Two weeks ago while all packed up in the truck and talking with L&L in their driveway about this man and how poorly he was doing health wise SIL L and I talked about how we could be them. We could have been telling a whole different story... and from the backseat of the truck in perfect 3 year old pitch we heard...

"How great... is OUR God... sing with me how GREAT IS OUR GOD...."


and of course SIL L and I LOST it... He is... NO MATTER WHAT...and my prayer over the past few months has been to not loose that. The close... the need for HIM in my life... the part where I honestly felt like I could.not.breathe. without His help when Husband was going through all that he was... and we made it out healthy on the other side. How hard it would be to be the ones with the different story....

They say that after going through life experiences like this your perspective can change and I think mine has. Husband and I have always been of the mindset that our family bubble is going to come first... family dinner table... a lot of down time... not so much running around... and after this I feel like I have really needed to put this into action. At the end of the day... I care about my girls spending time with family. With their Dad and their Mom and then whatever their parents want to do. Not to say that they can't go and DO other things... but that during this season... and especially this one from May-the end of June I hunker down. And I'm OK with it. It makes me feel more sane, more centered, more focused....and as GA's Dad has said about his kids quiet-ish lives... "they are no worse for the wear"...

My mind still spins with all that happened in a very short amount of time and while I am SO happy that it is "over" (except for those monthly visits where your Husband actually has his own ONCOLOGIST ~ weird) I don't want to lose the perspective where I am so IN NEED of the Lord and where I am counting my blessings no matter WHAT... and where we just enjoy the part where we have a family of four because let's all be honest... none of us knows how many days we have and don't you want to spend them with the ones you love?

Da' PARK! Fun with Baby Noah!!!!

on Friday Laura Jane had a personal day and came to spend it with US!!!! We met at the park and had a BLAST!!!!

Baby Noah loves the swings just as much as my gals...sorry (not really) about the 239 pictures of Miss B on them...I just can't resist... 

She's just so STINKIN' cute!

and then the CREW showed up...all the used to be... or current... Boy-z girls showed... Minnie and C-line had to get reacquainted...heard from the sandbox... 

Minnie: "How come you are not TALKING TO ME?" 

C-line: dead air....

but it didn't take long and C-Line was telling Minnie what for :) and where to do it. 

Baby Noah was more interested in just eating dirt... fistfuls of DIRT... 

S'OK, I have pics of these girls at his age eating fistfuls of dirt... :)

oh yah... and more of this one on the swings... aaahhhh I love her :)

We came back for lunch and we Mama's high fived each other for getting THREE babies to SLEEP at THE SAME TIME... for a whole 45 min.! :) 

and then one was up... 

a FANTASTIC way to spend a sunny Friday... friends, babies, food, naps, and fun! 

Girlfriend LOVES her some TUBBY-TIME!

Tubby TIME! from Country Mouse on Vimeo.

The Beach

"The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea."  Isak Dinesen

 Lil' Walker posted that on her FB wall a day or so ago and I wondered if was actually true...let's be honest... I'm not real psyched to SWEAT and  we've had more than our fair share of tears 'round these parts...

 mostly my big girl and I...remember... she's THREE...

So I decided to take her to the beach for some ocean air and SALT as a surprise because she LOVES it...

and it was the first trip for the little one...

She dug in the dirt, soaked her clothes, watched some snails, ate some snacks and fell asleep in the car on the way home at 11:30AM...

and this one pretty much just enjoyed the outside, the snacks and rubbing her hands and feet in the dirt...

We all came home refreshed so I'd say it probably IS true... just because sitting in the dirt might not be MY favorite thing to do... I know who's it is... and I sure do love her a LOT!