Blessed Reminders...

...that my life is sunny, warm, and bright:

Thank you B...so much. And these were just the "test shots"? I can't wait to see the others...but no rush. Really. I can stare at these forever. They will make fabulous Mother's Day gifts for the women in my family this weekend. I am profoundly grateful. Can't wait to babysit in return!!

Mother's Day Weekend

One of our family goals has been to get into camping. What a great way to spend time together in nature away from the materialistic world!!  For Mother's Day I watched my children play with their imaginations and sticks and leaves recently on our first family camping trip. We shared a 3 room tent with friends as we got our feet wet in this wholesome family activity. I hope we can save and get our gear in stages so we can finally camp alone or meet friends who want to join us. I think once we get all the gear, it'll become a more cheap family getaway  - but it does add up to get the gear at first. I need a van first!!!

We went with four other families. It was a delight!! What a great time!! I'll let the pictures explain (it seems it is all I have time for these days!). We left Friday, and came home late Sunday.

Me and my favorite husband!!!

Careful...I WILL eat your marshmallow!

Me and my girl and our campsite!

 

Gift in his bed....

The girls in their beds....(behind them slept our friends' kids)

the view from our "bedroom"

The view from my naptime...lol!

Hiking to the falls

The MEN and kids at the falls!

Gift in our friends' highchair

S'mores Nirvana

PHOTO BOMB!

Father and son

Father and son  :)

The baby campers!!

The older siblings! GREAT Campers!!

It was a fantastic weekend getaway, and went so smoothly with the kids. We're hooked!!!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Quick Pics From My Quiet Mother's Day

The below pic is fuzzy (old camera) but a sweet moment of the girls playing together
I LOVE when they bond like this!

The below pic taken through the window screen as I prepared their dinner. They were
playing with bubble wands and chalk.

Just some pics from my perfect Mother's Day. Not that I've ever had a bad Mother's Day, but they ebb and flow (BTW - my hubby would totally agree with this!). Today's was actually 'better' (is that a good word when referring to Mother's Day? ) than years past - everyone seemed into it this year. Maybe the anticipation of a new baby on the way? Or, Daddy had slightly more energy since Val is older (I think it honestly helps when you have more independent kids for Daddy to deal with during the day LOL). In any case, it was a day of the girls helping Daddy make a pancake breakfast, roses collected by the girls from the yard, homemade cards and gifts, computer made cards full of treasured pictures (my husband's tradition), lots of nap time for mommy, church, and then a cool evening watching the girls play outside with their bubbles, balls, chalk, etc. After the girls went to bed early with snuggles and stories with me, Hubby and I had an "in home" date night - he brought home take out from a restaurant, and some dessert. It was a restful and wonderful day!!! I feel renewed and loved, and I'm pumped for Father's Day!

Oh! Just in time for baby - I was also given a new camera - the one I use (and will still keep around) has a broken screen and it can be hard to use these days....so the new camera (still charging) will be so wonderful to have with the new baby and all the shots I'm addicting to taking!!

So, over all - a special day. A great prelude before our next baby arrives.

Thank you, wonderful family. I love you and appreciate you back...thank you.