The McCarty Family

Last June, while I was at my annual Girl's Weekend, Ryan took the girls camping for the first time by himself. It didn't quite go as hoped. When I called for the update of how things had gone, I found out that after a red ant bite, an unfortunate potty incident, and a couple enjoyable experiences, they had to abandon camp at 3am and head for home.

I told Ryan, "See, that's why I didn't think it was a good idea!" His response was, "If it were up to you, you would protect them from any bad thing that could happen in life. This how you learn and grow and experience life." I had to give it to him, he made a good point.

Since then, we've been camping several times and the experience got better and better. Even though it's still February Ryan was itching to camp because my in-laws got us a new tent and some other new equipment for Christmas.

He got his chance this past weekend. At O'Neil Park in Trabuco Canyon, they were having an event for families and Ryan saw that you could camp right there as well. Everly and I stayed home and they had a really great time! I was proud of Ryan for creating this fun experience for the girls and thankful they had such a fun time. They made s'mores and went on adventures and even collected some "potpourri" for our home.

Born February 15th 2012 @8:48 pm
8lbs 20 inches

Pictures HERE!

Don't have a ton of older pics scanned in but looking at the ones we do, took me back to so many fun memories. Can't say these are the actual most favorite pictures of how I look but they are favorites because of what they represent.

Cal Poly Football! This group is some of our closest friends, my roommates and Ryan's and some big CP Football fans. I loved when Ryan would make a great play and I would get congrats all around for it :). I remember the smell, hugging Ryan after all of those games, too many to count. I remember waiting for him after the games, win or lose... Ah, the memories come flooding back... I love Cal Poly.
This picture here on the bottom, our first annual girls night out! We've now had 11 years of fun and have added 6 more beautiful faces. These girls have shaped me and loved me in such incredible ways. This really was the start of something incredibly special.

Sigh... maybe I will have to make GAG weekend 2012, newborn in tow.

PHONE
February 15th - Everly's birth day

So fun to send out the message that our daughter had arrived.


SOMETHING NEW

February 16th
Fitting.



TIME

February 17th
8:48, the time that my whole world changed.



DRINK

February 18th
Tea.


SOMETHING YOU HATE TO DO

February 19th
Sickness.


HANDWRITING

February 20th
This precious dresser was hand painted for Miss Noelle before she was born. I chose this passage out of one of my favorite books, Hinds Feet on High Places. It is an adaptation from the song of solomon and this hand writing is so beautiful.

#FEBphotoaday

I love this girl.
It's hard to wait with so much anticipation for our new baby and yet one thing that it has driven me towards that I'm thankful for, is taking time to really connect with Noelle and Natalie.

I know that there will be times in the next couple of months that I find myself lacking the energy to give a lot to my two big girls. I have the energy right now, so I am doing my best to see them, listen to them and pour love into their little hearts. I will try my best to continue to do so with three.

I am so thankful for the girls that I have been gifted with. They really are so incredible. I look at them and am beyond excited for another sweet girl to fill our home with her love and personality.

#FEBphotoaday

When I think of blue, this immediately comes to mind. I have always loved light blue and always found opals to be so beautiful. This ring and earrings are so dear to me. They were given to me by my Grandma, who got them from her favorite Aunt Beryl.
The picture does not do them justice, these blue opals are so stunning. I love them and love who they came from.

My closet is not well organized. I have the hamper always overflowing and my shoes in a big ole pile. I don't mind it like that.
On the far right are my maternity jeans hanging to dry. Don't want to dry them because I need them as loose as possible at this point :).
I pulled out my two new purchases from the recycled clothing store and I can't wait to wear them, post pregnancy. Not sure why I insisted on trying on clothes over the belly but I had a little time by myself while Natalie was at gymnastics and Noelle at school. So soon, baby will always be in tow.
I love this green coat and the other is a DKNY long stretchy dress with a belt. Fun new things and for a great deal. I get so excited about good deals.

The girls were getting ready for a "princess party" and needed Daddy to be a prince. Here's Noelle bringing him clothes to wear for the party.


#FEBPHOTOADAY

Not too excited about today's prompt. Spent most of the day trying to get things in order for baby to come. Think she's coming soon.

This is at my hopefully last of this pregnancy doctor's appointment.

That's what the cover of the book says. I've finally joined so many of my friends and picked up the book One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.

I'm 4 chapters in. I appreciate the simplicity of the call to gratitude. I appreciate the way she brings her own story to life in a way that makes you seek to create room for her story to penetrate your own. There are so many books that tell you what to do and they help but the inspiration is often lost because of the heaviness you feel at how you fall short from all of the "shoulds." I feel inspired with this book and am thankful.

Today, I gave pause at a response she shared from a pastor when asked what was his profound regret in life. His response:


I started this morning with complaints on my lips. My sweet new baby is coming soon. We awoke with coughs and stuffy noses. I stumbled through the morning knowing that I needed to seek some perspective, something to push the bitter thoughts away.

God met me and my heart is filled with thanks again and I am not going to count this as a wasted "sick" day but embrace the moments here with my girls and listen to these words, "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." J.R.R. Tolkien

Today, my Natalie and I picked up our favorite smoothie ingredients and some leftover potato soup and arrived at the front door of a sweet friend. She's been sick this last week and I was hoping that these little things could be a blessing to her and her precious boy! I'm scaling back a lot of things right now in preparation for baby but it felt good to take a moment and love on someone else - especially someone like my friend :).

Well, this is what was left of it. We had our Share Your English night tonight and had to eat and run, so this was the table as we left it and headed over to the class. We join with the rest of our life group, once a month to host a Share Your English night where we partner up and practice English with those in our neighborhood wanting to learn.

I didn't clear the table before we eat, so you see random odds and ends that collected there. Share Your English was a good night though. I partnered with a woman who came for her first time and knew hardly any English at all. Reminded me how tough it is to learn a new language. She was so eager to learn and try though.

I distinctly remember not being too fond of the beach because the sand just got everywhere and you couldn't escape it. I remember playing basketball with my elementary school class and standing holding my hands up and out because they were really dirty and I really wanted to be done so I could just go wash them. I wasn't a neat freak or anything but dirty to me wasn't so fun.
Noelle on the other hand loves getting her hands on things, loves things she can manipulate. She has always loved playing in water. She loves soft things, like her blankets. I've found her in the bathroom filling her hands with soap and just standing at the sink playing with it, moving it from hand to hand and smearing it all inside the sink. She has told me numerous times that she would really like to do potions. And as you can see she loves the mud. Much to my chagrin I have found her countless times like this, so happily playing in the mud.

Daddy took these pictures. Me, I usually am not thinking to take pictures, just thinking about hosing her down and keeping her from coming inside like that.


There is currently a nice mud clot on my front door as well.

@ROCKHARBOR

This man is not totally a stranger, because I see him almost everyday. Strange, that you could see someone everyday and they could remain a stranger.

He lives in our neighborhood and from the moment we got here we have watched him walk. He walks for what must be hours, around the neighborhood and we've even passed by him in Target. He's friendly enough when greeted. We say hello and an occasional, "how are you?" or "have a good day." He waves us by when we meet at a stop sign or are pulling out of the garage.

There is something that propels him to walk and something that makes you know he has a struggle as he mutters under his breath and his hands tremble.

It would be nice to know a little more. I'm hoping that maybe we could move away from him being a stranger, at least know his name.

I was inspired by pinterest to make my own creation. Someone had posted waffles turned into rainbows with food coloring. Fruit seemed like such a better option and fun for the girls to decorate. We love our Saturday morning pancakes, why not try waffles.

We love using Bob's Red Mill pancake and waffle mixes because they taste great, have dairy free options and are packed with healthy grains and ingredients.


I picked out some fruit to make a nice rainbow display of colors but you could try other options like mandarin oranges, mangoes or raspberries. The fruits we chose tasted really good with the waffles.

We created rainbows and a little sunshine "to dry up all the rain," says Natalie.

Delicious!

These hands have their prints all over my life. They share my DNA, they rocked me to sleep on countless nights, they built my fence and painted my walls. They are guilty hands, holding a candy wrapper that they cannot stop themselves from constantly doling out to my girls. These hands have created a lot in their 50+ years. And they will soon hold my tiny newborn and share love all over again.

This morning, I got to immerse myself in words, meaningful words.



http://www.multiplymovement.com/

Going to join the photo challenge of posting a photo a day in February. Sound like fun. I'm guessing there's a chance I'll miss a day or two around the middle of the month when baby is the one consuming my view but still I'll give it a try.

For February 1st, this is my view today:


Her room is ready. I get to walk by it and anticipate. I love her and I can't wait to hold her there. It is so peaceful there now and though her presence will also bring disruption and noise, there will be the moments of sweet calm that only a tiny baby can bring. I can't wait to meet you my precious daughter.