july highlights

sunshine

connection

giggles

goof

stages

forever

sister

bed head

nesting

sweet dreams

next years mamas

spreading wings

testing grounds

peaceful retreat

abundance

homemade

goodness

multitude monday & an outdoor play space

(Such a punkin.)

After finding myself fully enticed and awe inspired in reading
 the blog series of how to create irresistible play spaces for children, 
you and I set out on a mission.

The plan: 
to take the first step in creating our own play-land, beginning with a new fort.

We chose our building site, roughed out the verbal sketch of a design,

 grabbed the wheelbarrow and headed off into the woods to find our branches.

Much to my delight (and considering all that we've been going through together, lately) 
we found ourselves spontaneously incorporating our "Walking with Him" practice
of finding God-prints on our path and acknowledging our gifts in gratitude, out loud:


Thank You for this space You've given us.
For all the free wood we need for our fort.
For our wheelbarrow.
For our hands and feet.
For the green.
For the trails.
For the sunlight shining through.
For the heat.
For the breeze.
For the soft forest floor.
For beautiful tufts of moss. 
For a good dog.
For inspiration and innovation.
For being able to be a stay home mama.
For my favorite little boy in the world...

Once out of the woods you helped me puzzle our branches
 together and drive them into the dirt at the ends. 
I used some rope to secure the pieces at the top. 


Then we headed off with the wheelbarrow, again. 
This time we went to the side yard where we have the most moss;
the moss that we love to take our shoes off in and walk barefoot. 

There we thanked God that mosquitoes hate the both of us 
as we sat in the swarmed grass loosening and rolling our moss "carpeting". 

We wheeled the moss back to our site. 
You went to town laying it down on the floor of your fort. 
You kept saying "i can't wait to have all my new carpet in!" :) 

As you worked I made the curtains for the doorway. 

We finished up and enjoyed playing inside, dreaming up fun ways 
to turn the backyard into an even more "irresistible play space". 

And then came the rain again,

both literally and figuratively.

And we moved from our newly built shelter to the Shelter of God's arms,
as I heard it from Him again, and sang it to you for the first time...

"i can't stop the rain from falling down on you again.

i can't stop the rain, but i will hold you until it's gone away."

-third day

multitude monday

Looking back on our week

Full of gratefulness

For God's gifts in vases and on faces.

For a fresh batch of my Mom's cookies at 8:30p.

For finding these awesome inspirational new blogs. 


For this writing, sharing, savoring, remembering space.

For a home that He chose, that He called us to, and that only He made happen.

For the way He whispers through it,


calling us to the woods for a vision,


to the screen room for a reading and a prayer,


to the cross for a humbling and forgiveness,


to the deck to be with Him surrounded by what He's done,


to the fire for a fellowship and healing, 

to the table to break bread,


to worship throughout,


to love and embrace


in His Peace that surpasses.


This Place is forever
showering us with His acceptance and Grace.


And we are forever grateful.

you are living on the edge

And it's not that I want to air your dirty laundry. 
But this is an honest place. 


I have never in all my life... 
I would have never expected you would or suspected you could... 
You have left me speechless and in awe more times than I can count this weekend. 


You are hanging off the edge of yourself. 


But not to worry, son.  
You won't fall.
We've got you.

"I'm right here, but you won't fall"

God, be.

your fourth 4th

This year was our second 4th of July in our "new" house and our third at our favorite firework display viewing place, waterside in O city.


It was also our second year of spending the 4th with our good friends, 
the F family.

We did however have one first...

Ben, Nina and all three of their babies (yes, I wrote three) 
came to the L resort for the weekend 
to enjoy the celebration with us as well.


It was fabulous!





Traditions, traditions.


But let me start at the very beginning of our weekend.
Friday night, SOMEBODY left you and your Daddy in charge of firework buying...

You did a small show together making sure to keep plenty of explosives 
for the night to follow.






You are getting so big!

Saturday's festivities kicked off at around 11a. 
Ben and Nina arrived right before Levi and the kids. 
We enjoyed a nice little snack:

What?
I had big expectations to live up to after all the bragging 
the mamas did about my "stinky sandwiches". :)


After the food happened the guys took themselves out into the woods 
to hunt small helpless creatures, while the mama's took you guys out to bask 
in what we jokingly refer to as the luxurious side-yard water park.

Noah showed up full-on surfer style which was no surprise to anyone.

side note of caution: 

do NOT put the lens of your digital SLR camera into the drink holder of a folding bag chair. 

Though it may seam to slide in with perfect ease, there's a good chance that something will have to be destroyed in order to get it out.

Bethany arrived around 2:30p, 
and we all sat out in the sun and watched you and your friends play, play, play.

The Daddy's did eventually return from the woods for some grillin'.


We headed out to O city for their firework display at around 8p.






The mama's lounged out eating Doritoes (another must have tradition)...






While Levi and Cedar did a little fishing...

You and Afton loved playing with the glow bracelets you got from 
some nice people who decided to camp out near us to watch the fireworks.






Nina went to get some food at the Hardeez behind us, 
and just about the time you kids were getting a little stir crazy 
waiting for the big show of lights...

Nina returned with burgers and fries to inform us that Hardeez told her 
the fireworks weren't until the next night.


Yeah, that was a great moment for me, who orchestrated 
our plans based on the info. from the website that promised O city 
fireworks on the 3rd of July, 2010.


Still, I looked around at the dead town 
and rightfully hung my head in shame.

This is what it looks like when you tell three guys
there's a chance to shine via internet in the wild outdoors.


Once the race to the truth was complete 
and my serious mistake confirmed, we agreed that 
our weekend was only going to be better, extended. 


Everyone made a pact to stay at our place another night,
the mama's squealed and bounced like cheerleaders,
and off we were to return to the house for our own fireworks show.

...which was just as fun as it was scary.

That night, after all the kids were sleeping the adults 
headed out late for a bonfire. 
We were very excited to try our reeses peanut butter cup smores
which came highly recommended by Miss Emily and were quite delicious.


The moms stayed up too late, and the dads were awake even longer.

Sunday morning we all shouted a great big "hallelujah" in agreement 
to skip church (or maybe that was Saturday night?)


We had our breakfast 
(note: you and your friends eating at your own little table in the next room) 
followed by our own unintentional church session,
which nearly ended in Levi and I disowning one another over
whether God knows everything or not,
which He DOES. Of course.


Then the daddy's took you and your friends outside to play for HOURS.
And the mamas took their chocolate and their drinks to the screen room
for some good alone time, together.


There was more eating, visiting, playing, and eating...

Then it was back to 
folding bag chairs...check! 
Doritoes...check! 
Kids in the cars...check!
And off to O city we went, again.

It was touch and go for a second 
as the ominous storm clouds moved in over head. :(

But there was redemption to my credibility 
in the show that shortly followed dusk.

Thank GOD! :)

That night we all slept hard.


In the morning we had an amazing breakfast of 
biscuits and Levi's homemade sausage gravy.


Then we left the mess in front of us for the second morning in a row 
to lovingly let our conversations, friendships, and bonding 
take priority over tidying. 
(This is one of the automatic things about B and Levi that I LOVE.
I was pleased to learn that Ben and Nini are the same exact way.)


Eventually, everyone dispersed to their own activities.


Ben and Nina went to the screen room to read their own copy of
Loving Our Kids On Purpose.


Bethany headed up to wash her kids and shower.


You and Noah played trains in the livingroom.


Levi and I did, as we often do, what only the two 
most anal and meticulous of our group should do.
We cleaned the kitchen like it was going to be in a magazine photo shoot.


And Uncle Levi made nice by singing worship the whole time, which he NEVER does. :)


The weekend was pretty remarkable.
It was hard to think of everyone leaving and having an empty house all at once.


But once our friends all drove off we laid around as a family 
and watched "How Do They Do That" shows,
napping, lazing, and enjoying being just the three of us again.

I washed the bedding that everyone kindly brought down 
from their rooms before checking out, 
and by the end of the day the entire house was set upright.


In no time we will all be together again for a weekend
at Ben and Nina's parent's cabin.
THIS time we are throwing Norena and family into the mix.


And if the F family gets along with these friends anywhere near as well
as they do with Ben and Nina it will be another amazing weekend!


I love it when our sims get along! ;)