and still more

and no party is complete without bubbles, lots of bubbles...

More 5th birthday pics

Lucy is 'half a decade old'

Here are pics from our birthday extravaganza today. Our sweet Lucy girls turned 5 today and we celebrated with friends!

Hello Spring!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day from my green covered girls!

Hello Spring!

Lydia loves looking out the door at the birds, squirrels and falling rain...she loves to be outside just like her siblings (and every kid - right?) She was particularly excited when Lucy popped up after playing in the spring showers -

Lydia Joy

Deep thoughts

After picking up Samuel from school we were having a discussion about hard work, being diligent in school even when things are hard, and how to enjoy being challenged and Lucy interjects

"Yeah, if you don't work hard then when you grow up you'll be one of those people dressed up like the Statue of Liberty" (you know those people in costume advertising tax help)

She's learning...that Lucy girl is a smart cookie.

Spring beginning

Winter has been hiding from us this year but the spring weather, birds chirping and afternoons in the yard have been delightful

Take me out to the ball game....

Samuel had his first t-ball game this weekend. It was a beautiful day and he had such a great time. He made a few plays out in right field and even made it around the bases once to score the last run of the game. The Hornet's won the game and our spring baseball season starts with a bang...

More baseball

Grandpa Noonan joined us for the game, Daddy helped with the coaching and Lucy was there for the experience...and the refreshments! And Lydia and Mama tried (without success) to keep from getting sunburned.

Sweet Kiddos

These are a few of the things that made me smile this week...

From Lucy -

From Samuel -

Bright eyes

Lydia's growing like a weed and bringing us smiles with her joy in life. She's 9 months now and weighs in a whopping 16lbs and some ounces. She's just started getting on all fours and yesterday I left her on the floor on her belly and when I came back she was sitting up. She's eating little bites of table food like avocados, nectarines, carrots and whatever she can gum to bits with her two front bottom teeth. The top two middle teeth are starting to peek through and she has her own special excited face. Tonight she led a family jump lesson in her johnny jump up with Lucy, Samuel and daddy jumping along ---she loves her siblings and they love her!

On all fours - it won't be long.


All bundled up for our Saturday walk to the grocery store - it was a cold walk today!

Sweetie Girl

Lucy and Daddy went to Chick-fil-A for daddy-daughter date night last weekend. Lucy was so super excited to go - she carefully thought about what she would wear, what she would do (she carefully put a tiger and chapstick in her purse) - I was so glad she was excited about spending time with her daddy. Jeremy said they had a wonderful time. Lucy was so excited she got to have ice cream at CFA and that she got to go to the basketball game at daddy's school with her.

Today sweet Lucy played with her paper dolls she got for her birthday last year - she also made up songs for everything that happened - I love her imagination and her wonder at the simple and important things in life.

Geographical laughter

My children have found their new favorite country. Can you guess what it is? Come on - think about a 6 year old boy laughing hysterically...you can do it...

YEP - their new favorite country is Djibouti. Pronounced (JA-BOOTY)

We have a world map over our dining room table and a globe that asks geography questions - we talk about the world quite a bit. Their discovery of Djibouti brought laughter and little booty shaking to the Saturday evening activities. We know there are a lifetime of adventures to be had and we are loving exploring with them.

Deep thoughts

Before work last night I was changing Lydia's diaper and talking with Samuel

Samuel: "Mama, I wish sin had never come into the world."
Mama: "Me too buddy - what made you think of that?"
Samuel: "Well, if sin had never come into the world I could take Lydia on the top bunk of the bunk bed and play with her and carry her around and she would never die. I wouldn't have to worry about hurting her even when I was just playing with her."
Mama: "That's a good desire buddy"

Tonight while Lucy and Daddy were away for daddy-daughter date night at CFA - Samuel and I had a long time to talk - I love that kid.

Samuel: "What I want to know is - how can you go to the 4 corners of the world because the earth is round and doesn't have 4 corners?"

After a discussion about the use of black and white and color in the Wizard of Oz (insights by Samuel) he stated - "It's amazing that everything in the world has color."

"Why do days take so long when a minute isn't so long?"

The play of children

This morning before school Lucy and I were playing Littlest Pet Shops. She sadly informed me that the cat and bunny were two teenagers living alone because their parents died. I told her how sad and asked her what happened.
She said "Their parents died in the Civil War"
I thought - "Wow, maybe we've had a bit too much history around here" when Lucy said
"Yep, Mama, in the Civil War between the Calico Critters and the Littlest Pet Shops their parents died. It is very sad."

Glad I missed out on that battle - oh the minds of our little ones -

Laundry

"Hey, Mama, Can I help you fold this laundry?"
"Good, I'll just work on these PJ's!"
"OK, maybe I'll just sit here, chew on the clothes and look cute - sound like a good deal?"

Night Owl

The last time I pulled an all-nighter was back in 1994 - my first go around in college. It was finals week of my freshman year at FSU and I really needed to cram for my college Algebra exam. Do you remember this Erika? We stayed up all night studying and I just about fell asleep during the exam that morning because I was so tired. I vowed never to pull an all-nighter again - some sleep was better than whatever I might try and cram in my little head.

Since then I've traveled on trains across Europe (and gotten pick-pocketed while I slept), I've written papers until the wee hours of the morning, I've been up for much of the night in my PJ's with a child in my arms or snuggling with a newborn but I've never stayed up without atleast a nap. I'm just not a night person - even early on in our marriage I made a gentle suggestion that if there was any deep conversation to be had - it should be had before 9 pm (my dear husband doesn't share my inability to talk deep philosophy after dark).

But recently I've been pulling all-nighters - for real ones. I've become a night-shifter in the ER and I'm surviving. I'm not sure I will ever get used to it but for now I'm making it and my family is being super supportive. So if you don't hear from me for a while it's because I can't remember what time it is for the rest of the world - is it 02:00 or 14:00? - and I'm living life in that twilight just before bed or the morning after pulling an all-nighter...while trying to play Littlest Pet Shops, change diapers and finish First-Grade homework...the real work I love.

Jumping bean