Last Thursday I dressed my kids in their Easter clothes, took them out in the front yard, and made them take re-do Easter photos. I did this because Easter was rainy, hectic, and we didn’t get photos. I also did this because, apparently, I’m insane. My kids are going to grow up with stories of
As holiday celebrations go, we had a very low-key Easter this year. Easter baskets on table, hard-boiled eggs and jelly beans for breakfast. Simple, and still, we were positively scrambling out the door to get to church on time. At some point in the chaos of getting seven people dressed and out the door my
Week 14 was spring break. We’d planned on fun outings but our only outing was a trip to the doctor. That’s just how it goes, I suppose. We still had enjoyed our lazy week at home, making messes and having fun doing normal, wonderful things — reading books, coloring, playing play dough, and running around in the
Growing up we always dyed Easter eggs on the night before Easter, so I planned to do the same thing with my kids. This year, I had meant to prepare by boiling the eggs and setting aside bowls and food coloring, but the whole thing completely slipped my mind. The whole thing slipped my mind
After breakfast, the kids were asking about our plans for the day… Me: Guys, I have a great idea! Let’s have a Mommy Day! Let’s just do all the things that Mommy does ALL DAY! So we’ll be cleaning and doing chores… David: Um, Mommy? If we just do what you do then we’d just
Today is Easter, and it was so chaotic that taking a family photo didn’t even cross our minds. But I did manage to snap a few in the morning. These are after Easter baskets and breakfast; before tucking in shirts and church. David & Thomas / The boys had matching shirts for Easter. Wearing the
Before I say anything else, I want to say this — month 10 has been so fun. The weather has been warm, and we’ve been playing outside. Thomas is learning more and he’s the happiest, sweetest baby ever. But month 10 has also been brutal. It started with me getting sick. Very, very sick. Sicker than I’ve ever been.
A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2016… David / In the past few months David has been refusing baths, so we’re pulling out all the stops: showers, bubbles, bath paints, toys, bribes, threats. David loves the water, so this bit of stubbornness is frustrating much like when Mary Virginia would refuse to sleep at
The other day I was playing with Mary Virginia, and I was just struck by how lovely and sweet she is and how thankful I am to be her mommy. So I told her, “Mary Virginia, did you know that I used to pray that God would give me a daughter? I prayed that God would put a baby
Last fall I took the kids to get new shoes before school. I went to a particular store in Richmond, one that has a reputation for how well they measure and fit shoes for children. Because of this reputation, I consciously ignore their high prices and the 47 other shoe stores I pass while driving