Baby Shoes

I swing from being totally over it to really fed up about the house never being clean and there being stuff everywhere. 

Then I see the baby shoe under the table that was kicked off by Abigail who is constantly on the move and crawls from one end of the house to the other squealing with delight when she catches up to someone in a room. 

Then there are the blocks that are tucked into the pile of dirty cloths on my floor because Garrett is constantly wrapping his toys in clothes as he plays Santa.  He lives for you to spend ten minutes "sleeping" while he eats the cookies and delivers your presents.

I walk by the baby shoe and remember that there is such a short time when those itty bitty shoes will be under my table and I decide to leave it a little longer, and smile every time I walk by it.

Favorite Part of the Day

My favorite part of the day is the end of the day.  When the kids are all washed, pajamas on, and teeth and hair brushed.  They are so clean and smell so good.  All they want is a book and bedtime snuggles.  They smell like soap and there tired little eyes are hanging low.  I love reading to them watching them get in grossed into a book their eyes lighting up and a plot changes or something funny happens, or Garrett who gets excited and has a million questions about what is going on, and you can't possibly continue reading until they are all answered.

My other favorite part of bedtime, feeding and rocking Abigail to sleep.  The other kids are sometimes still crazy at this point and it is my time of the night to unwind and sit down for the first time, sometimes for the day.  Her room is dark with the noise maker going and the night light on it just barely illuminating her little features.  She grunts and swallows as she runs her hands up and down my chest and runs her little fingers through my hair.  Sometimes she even reaches up to feel my face as she settles in and gets sleepy. 

Of course then there are the nights when bedtime is the worst part of the day. When it is the last straw for everybody, no one listens, everyone is tired and crying and Abigail is screaming because she woke up for the third time when I put her in her crib.  But that's okay, I'd rather just remember the good nights!

Giving Thanks

I find myself counting my blessings a lot these days.  I have two beautiful children and a loving niece. Then their is that wonderful husband that supports me in everything and is my rock.  We live in a beautiful place, have a wonderful home and so much support and love.

This Thanksgiving was spent with great friends of ours that live in Kalispell.  They we such wonderful hosts and brave to take on our family of five!  There little girl Grace is 14 months and is such a joy!  The weekend was spent laughing, loving on the kids, eating, and drinking.  The perfect Thanksgiving weekend.

Jen got a new camera so we got lucky and got a ton of great pictures of the weekend while she was playing around.

 Many faces of Addison

Many faces of Garrett

Jake works for the Kalispell Fire Department so we went and visited him while he was on shift.  The kids had a blast running around the huge engine bay and getting in and out of the trucks.

Being mobbed by the kids in the morning.

Banished to the kids table

Grace eyeballing Addison's ice cream

All of us at the Thanksgiving table

Playing with the kids in the basement