keeping it real....

 sometimes chores don't always get completed... homework, piano lessons, ballet, sports and year end school projects get in the way.  this is real life, people!  luckily, the downstairs and our room is clean and that's what counts (at least that's what i tell myself).

this girl loves taking pictures.  thankfully she took the pictures above on mother's day, because I did not pick up my camera.  it's a blessed life and i am thankful.

strawberry pickin'

  look momma, strawberry grapes!

  smile buddy... you know you want to!

   

 she's telling the strawberry that it's time is up. 

 the girls wanted pony rides.

we had a fun morning strawberry picking.  about ten minutes after left the heavens unloaded with torrential rains ~ great timing!  we went to chick-fil-a for lunch (somehow the children talked daddy into milkshakes ~ which is an important fact for something that happened later in the day).

 

little man and m1 were playing outside with some neighborhood children a few hours later.  the ice cream truck came around and a dad a few doors down offered to buy all the children playing some ice cream.  when john david went down to get the children for dinner, the dad retold the story of his ice cream offer.  both of our children declined because in their words, they had already had dessert earlier.  proud of their honesty when we are not around.   

mother's day 2012

i was served breakfast in bed ~ in courses ~ by the children.  m2 walked in and whispered, "nice mother's day.... no that's not right.  oh yeah, happy mother's day".  then she handed me a plate.  m1 walked in and placed orange slices and tortilla chips on my plate.  little man gave me three almonds and some juice.  john david fixed my favorite egg dish (which doesn't have a name or maybe it does and i don't know) an egg over easy, fried into a hole in a piece of bread.  after realizing they had forgotten a fork i was finally able to enjoy my feast.  we got ready for church and i had my favorite activity ever (sarcasm is dripping from every word here!) sunday school helper for m2's room.  after church we joined my parents for lunch. 

grammy and three of her five 

m2 was not happy with her *placement* on the limb, but i wanted the picture anyway.   

me, m1 and little man (the crying girl was on the ground at this point)

 granddaddy grilling up some chicken... he is the best chicken griller ever!

i have a high regard for professional photographers!

we took nana out for dinner on saturday night and then stopped by the chinese pagoda to snap some pictures of her and the children.  m2 has a great smile ~ when she wants to use it.  after looking through the lens of the camera and taking more shots than necessary i have a new regard for the professionals.  we did get some nice ones but the bloopers far outweigh them!   

see m2's wonderful expressive face!  oh my the child is a hoot.

and then there are the times where you just crop out an entire person because they are picking their nose or adjusting their underwear.  whatever!  at least the others are smiling.

and then comes the moment an hour later (when you thought you would only spend about 15 minutes) when her smile just melts your heart.  if i were a professional i could figure out how to crop that smile into every picture. 

mother's day pictures

Mother's Day

After church the family headed to the strawberry field. It was a bright and sunny day. M2 had her first taste of strawberries ~ YUM! Not sure why mommy thought it was a good idea for her to wear a white shirt! We had lunch with both sets of grandparents and gave them some of our freshly picked berries.