day 120

LOOK AT THESE BOY HANDS!

dry and rough, callused and grass-stained

he tells me,  mom, they're fine. i'm just growing up!

and, that he's calling me mom is just tearing me apart... 

day 119

the adorable redhead came to snuggle in with me as i caught up on all things beautiful in the latest people mag. not 5 minutes into our spooning, and she fell asleep. i lingered, but eventually had to slip away to snap a picture. 

the big kids think it's so funny to see pictures of themselves sleeping. she's giggling at my side, right now! 

ear rubbing + thumbsucking = snoozeville

day 118

sunset at 9:27 - loving the extra daylight!

day 117

tess' 4th time on the butte this year...

day 116

flanagan's & miebs' 

pretty spectacular, if you ask me.

day 115

this girl. 

her smile.

her eyes. 

even this.

day 114

i love alaska in the spring time...

day 113

i think we need one more bullyfrog for papa's lap...

day 112

it's been many years since we've had a male pooch in the house. kinda forgot all about beanie getting peed on occasionally. (shouldn't she learn; keep your head outta there when it's coming out of, well, there?!) 

it happened today so the sweet bean got a lather. i guess i'm full of forgetfulness because when i bathe this bulldog, i forget about her dalmation-like spots. 

how cute. 

and pink.

day 111

oh, sunshine. i've missed you. longed for you. all those days of darkness are worth it when you're shining AND giving off some heat. welcome back!

day 110

egg hunt at 0700 on this perfect spring sunday morning.

happy easter! 

day 109

first time walking outside! check her out!

and how sweet - i don't know what they're discussing, but i'm sure it was as meaningful as it looks.

day 108

sometimes, the iPhone captures exactly the moment. singing along to the frozen soundtrack, waiting to pick up the kindergartner.

day 107

egg-dyeing in the studio! my white paper backdrop was mostly trashed from the chick sessions, so i thought, why not really trash it?! we invited friends over and went nuts. pretty sure this will be an annual thing.

day 106

this cute little thing lost a tooth! and, when i say he lost a tooth, i mean it's actually LOST!

he did the ol' pull-your-glove-off-with-your-mouth/teeth bit. thing went flying and into the mass of sticks and leaves and spring breakup gunk! 

when i saw his teacher the following day, she gently placed a hand on my shoulder and spurted, "we tried to find it! we looked everywhere!"

i thought it was so cute. i'll admit, i did get a little teary-eyed - one, because it was lost, and two, because he's that big! i'm dealing with one small human just sprouting her teeth and my biggest baby's are just falling outta his head!

day 105

can you see, ok, barely see, the outline of a heart? my husband is very much not a romantic (he'll be the first to say) but when i stepped out of my steamy shower and saw a perfect heart on my mirror, i couldn't help but blush.

i don't know when he had traced his finger - and he never said a thing. sometimes the unexpected is the way.

day 104

my dearest foam letters & shapes,

thank you for being such a great distraction and allowing me time to make dinner.

my family thanks you, as well.

fondly,

desperate housemom 

day 103

baby bayne & duey. holding hands. oh my uterus. be still.

day 102

chick day is here! spring photo sessions! been planning this for 6 weeks and could not be more excited! tessie boo was pretty enthralled with the yellow poofs, too.

day 101

friday night. movie night.

E.T. (dyl calls him T.V.)

this was the first movie i saw in a theater, a drive-in, to be exact. i was terrified and had nightmares, but my small humans have not stopped talking about this movie! so many questions, comments and pleading for their own E.T.

day 100 (!!!)

i am trying to be better about uploaded and posting, but these dang days turn into dang weeks! before i know it, 18 days have passed, and i've only done half the project!

100 days in, and i'm still feeling there's plenty to show. sweet moments to capture. sharing a small piece of my life on a daily basis. where i find beauty. and in what. i hope you are enjoying as much as i am... likely not, but that's a-ok with this gal!

my only hope is you smile when viewing. at some point, any point. if i can brighten your day, my job is done and my heart is full.

big bro reading to baby sis.

day 99

if you know the valley, you know where this is and what they are...

day 98

a puzzle afternoon. one of fifteen completed.

day 97

bought this chair for $22. sanded her smooth, painted her white and sewed a cushy cushion. love!

day 96

once again, snoozing in front of the heater vent...

day 95

this girl is FOUR. in many ways, i feel like she's older. she can definitely keep up physically with jb, sometimes outshining him in the fine & gross motor skills, but she still lacks the mental maturity of someone jack's age. she'll get there...

oh, but she's a lover. and her #1 is this guy right here. 

they've always had a super-special and unique bond. nothing has ever touched it. come close. she loves me and prefers me when she's hurt, but man, if she needs some lovin' and cuddle time, she's squirming right into his safeness. 

for her birthday, we kept things low-key. her birthday fell on a saturday, so we had a birthday breakfast! cupcakes before 11 am? why not?!

i know i've mentioned her goofiness...

this happened while we were talking birthday and presents and wrapping paper and cupcakes and candles - where's baby tess?! oh, just half-way up the stairs!!! naturally, i grab my camera. thank goodness i have super-safe husband.

wanted to capture my birthday girl on her birthday. a little photo sesh, but oh, it was chilly-brrrr. we'll have a take-two in a few more weeks...

day 94

these days, it's rare to have one-on-one time with any of my small humans. but oh - they so need it! crave it! 

on this particular afternoon, both little sisters were snoozing. we quietly grabbed snacky-type foods and crept upstairs to jackie's room for our feast. salsa, hummus & tortilla chips; apples & peanut butter; salami, cheese & crackers; sandwiches; tall glasses of milk - can you tell i have a growing boy?! he out-eats me, any day of the week. 

i snapped his picture, and then he snatched my phone to take one of me. he's funny like that.

day 93

do you do this? i can't be the only one. there's something deep inside that does not allow me to cross over. i have to cut on the lines. have to. i watch as my husband tears into his like it's his last meal and ohmygoodness hurry up and cut, wherever, all over, making triangular shapes of all different angles and sizes. it makes my brain hurt to just think about it. 

day 92

she walks. everywhere. all over. quickly & clumsily. so much, that it's hard to get those darn jammies back on before she's off and moving.

day 91

i have a super-sweet soft spot for this young lady.