this little lady

and I are getting lots of one on one time this past week.

She starts school way after her brother and sister.

And will only go three half days.

This will be my last year with her before 

she begins kindergarten next year.

And quite honestly I find her thoughts just so fun.

She truly is an enlightening little person to be around.

The way her mind thinks,

the way she expresses herself.

She's just plain fun.

So fun in fact that she and I lost track of time.

We took a leisurely walk around our

neighborhood last week.

And on our way around the bend 

I checked my phone to see what time it was.

It was 2:40.

My big kids get out at 2:30.

BAD.

In a nutshell I think my house clock was off 

or my eyes were off.

And I saw 1:30 when it was really 2:30 before we left.

You know those moments where your heart drops.

You have no cell service.

And then when you do, no one you know is answering their phone.

I had a little panic.

I so often say my life feels like a sitcom

or a three ring circus.  

Or both.

And so I was trying to express to my happily skipping

four year old in the 100 degree heat

that we needed to walk a little faster.

A lot faster.

It was only the second day of school.

I was not, still am not completely in the groove yet.

It takes me awhile.

But all is well.

And as far as the kids go.

So far, I couldn't have asked for better.

They love their new school.

And Ava, the Lord is amazing me.

With how quickly He has moved in her life.

I'm being told again and again.

She is raising her hand, not only in class,

but also in chapel in front of the whole school

to answer questions.

And she's getting everything she is learning.

Including her memory verse.

"Lead me in your truth and teach me.

For you are the God who saves me.

All day long I put my hope in you."

Psalm 25:5

She is being her happy goofy self

with new friends, her age and older.  

These things never happened last year.

I'm so, so grateful.

And thank the Lord.

He truly does do

beyond what we can ask or imagine.

And I truly do put my hope in Him alone.

181. time with my youngest

182. great finds at home goods

183. a painting project

184. helping in class 

185. a playdate with sweet twins 

186. new friends who gift us with pretty bows

187. progress with learning

188. a son hungry for the word

and they're off

 

First day of school.

A brand new school

for both of them.

Kindergarten & 4th grade.

And I didn't cry.

Looking forward to hearing about their day.

And praying it was amazing.

back to school brunch...finally!

Turns out those recipes I found on pinterest.


They were quite a hit for our back to school brunch.

And I was quite happy with how I actually made them


without it being too difficult or time consuming.

I have hostessing issues you see.


Typically I don't time things super well.


I get all intimidated over things being overcooked


or just plain not right.


But I tell myself, it just takes practice.


So practice I do. 

This was fun to set up and decorate.

Flipping through an old Martha Stewart kids magazine, 

I found the idea to make an outline of a placemat to let them draw

inside.

They loved it and it kept them busy while the eggs and 

french toast were cooking.

The french toast kebabs were yummy mixed with vanilla and 


cinnamon.  As were the egg bacon toast cups sprinkled with salt 


and pepper and some basil for the grown ups.  

I also realized either would be great breakfast ideas on the run for 


school mornings.

Because they're easy finger foods, 

especially since I made the eggs hardboiled for the kids.

Fresh squeezed oj from the juicer in recycled starbucks


bottles.  Another genius idea I gathered from pinterest.

And honestly, my desire to get these cute yellow striped straws was 


the impetus for the whole party in the first place.

For desert the kids had this honeydew, cucumber, mint and avocado 


yogurt parfait.  They had no idea there were so many healthy things 


loaded in  there.  A little stevia and a little banana and they gobbled 


the whole thing up.

My friend captured me saying a blessing over the food and the 


school year  (My son and youngest daughter are so busted not 


praying...look at those busy hands just itching to eat.)  


But the other two, with their bowed heads and closed eyes, 


so sweet.

All in all it was a lovely day with lovely friends celebrating the 


start of what I pray will be a wonderful school year.  

In case you haven't started school yet, I'd love to share with you the 


two pdf's for all of the fun paper elements  I designed for this back 


to school brunch.  

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; 

I will counsel you and watch over you."

Psalm 32:8

best night ever

That about sums it up right there.

I let them make s'mores tonight

roasting marshmallows by the fire pit.

One last hurrah to the end of summer.

And my four year old said, "This is the best night ever."

It doesn't take much to make them happy.

Not much at all.

Sweet Dreams.

my heart

 is so sentimental today.

This sweet girl finds, 

and creates hearts everywhere she goes.

I love her heart and the way she sees things.

Tomorrow she'll begin kindergarten again.

Today, along with all the other parents, we turned in her supplies,

and got her all settled in.

Because tomorrow the parents will have to say goodbye at the door.

I've never been one to get sappy about kindergarten.

I'm normally quite excited.

But we went through a lot in the last year

and I know now that she needs extra special

help to learn things and to retain them.

And my momma heart is feeling apprehensive.

I want so badly for everything to go well.

She's just plain excited.

And I know I need to pray and cast my cares on Him.

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

1 Peter 5:7

"Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; 

he will never let the righteous fall."

Psalm 55:22

175.  kids doing online art tutorials initiated all on their own.

176. blank dry erase boards for each of them. brilliant

177. supplies all labeled!

178. emotions because I guess the opposite would be bland

179. teaching my husband about how girl's minds work through my daughters (oh a post is brewing in my mind on this one)

180. last day of summer

just breathing

Sometimes, ok lots of times, it takes being outside.

In the beauty of God's creation for me to breathe.

To step back from any of the issues swirling in my brain.

And to realize life is good.

Really good.

And God is good.  Really good.

Remember when I said I was throwing all responsibility out the window

and we were heading to the beach.

We didn't just head to any beach, but to the Malibu Tide Pools.

And it was great.

It was so fun watching them explore.

And discover.

And touch creatures.

Even if they weren't completely in the best shoes.

And even if this one

had a period of panic, once we were fifty feet in, over the seaweed she thought would 

somehow get her.  And I had to hold her all the way back.

It was so worth it to breathe the beach air,

feel the breeze on my skin

and to see this.

And this.

And to realize how blessed I am.

164. kids that play well together
165. watching friends children
166. no video games in months & months
167. a son who feels badly for a dead frog
168. a party today!
169. celebrating my kids
170. the getty museum
171. a children's concert with a sweet friend & her family
172. knowing God is in charge even when I'm confused
173. pretty straws
174. milk bottles that make me happy