Three Sweet C's, Little Lucy and Me

Mister is keeping me on my toes these days.



3 is an incredible age of major brain activity.  He is trying everything he thinks looks like "a good time".  Even, if it's destructive, messy, dangerous and especially life jeopardizing. 

Decorated himself with nail polish

Oh, he is completely ornery and so stinking cute.

It's difficult.

He also refuses to wear clothes.  Unless it looks like a cape.
Seriously starting to wonder if he is going to outgrow this...?


On top of the dining room table... (Please notice, the lack of clothes in all photos!)

Super blessed to be the mama of such amazing children.  :)


Love & Laughter,
abby

Cooper is the greatest at making us laugh and being creative and clever.

He has a tendency to find trouble with all these gifts, but they are gifts, regardless.

His last day of kindergarten was a couple of weeks ago.
I cried tears of pride and sorrow.
How can he be this big??

He loves school and is missing it, already!

He ran his first 5K with his daddy the same weekend.
He LOVES to spend time doing daddy kinds of things.
Cory was so very proud!

After the race, in desperate need of a haircut...

This firstborn child of mine is such a beautiful blessing.
An incredible challenge. Mercy, he can be such a challenge.
A true gift from Almighty God.


Love & Laughter,
abby

She is such a sweet baby!





Love & Laughter,
abby

That's how long it has taken for me to post again.

Being a mommy of three darling children has taken me on a path of "no time for blogging or anything else".  My priority has been get through the day and make the most of every second I have with them.  I don't feel bad about it.  It is what it is.

But, I am going to try to post a little more frequently. 

You know, now that I feel I'm really getting the hang of this MOM OF 3 thing!
Kind of.

Here are a few recent photos of my babies.  They are all growing so quickly, and they enjoy telling me just how much they are enjoying becoming "big". 

Time slow down...

Fort making

Cooper spent most of April ill. This is where he lived, on the couch sleeping. Pneumonia, respiratory issues and heart concerns kept us too busy. Thankfully, he is much, much better.

Carter is very "3" right now. Wild, opinionated, ornery.

Lucy is so mild tempered and easy going. The boys are devoted to her. :)

Also, needed a new blog title.  Little lady Lucy doesn't have a "C" name.  So, change was in order.


Love & Laughter,
abby

I win the "worst-blogger-ever" award...  Don't even try to top my non-posting record.  Can't be done!

Could these kids get any darn cuter??






They are busy, busy boys.  I know they are healthy and thriving.  We never have a dull moment around here...

After much prayer and consideration, I gave up homeschooling.

Cooper has been in traditional school now for almost a month.  We chose a private school, and he couldn't love it more.  I know it was the best (albeit, most difficult) decision we've made in the last couple of months.  I spent the first week crying all day while he was gone.  I have gotten past that!  Seeing how much he loves it, and really getting something "right", has been such a feeling of peace.  I am still in love with the idea of homeschooling.  It just didn't work out at this point in our lives. 

I love this time of year.  The leaves are becoming brilliant shades of red, yellow and orange.  I have a mug in my hand pretty much all day, and the windows are open constantly.  I LOVE Autumn.  October is one of my most favorite months! (With the exception of Halloween, I loathe Halloween.)  I wish it lasted much longer than it does.

Baby Girl is growing and doing well in my rapidly growing tummy.  She is a mover and a shaker, especially late night.  This concerns me.  I feel another night-owl joining our family! Eek!  :)  Every appointment we have had, she looks amazing and we've had nothing to be concerned about.  Praise God!

Several have heard the name that we've chosen, but for those that haven't... Lucy Jolie Nation will hopefully arrive the week between Christmas and New Year's.  That gives us 11 more weeks to grow even bigger.  Now that I keep all meals eaten in my stomach, I'm having no problem putting weight on.  Super. :)

So, that's a brief update.  Perhaps I will get on here again before Thanksgiving. (Perhaps not, too.)

Love & Laughter,
abby

I'm a terrible blogger this Summer.  Really.  Completely behind.

There are posts I would love to do, but I'm going to be totally honest with myself.  They are not gonna happen.  Vacations.  Baby appointments.  {Baby GIRL due January 1st!!}  Cute children doing cute/ornery things.

Hopefully Autumn will be a better blogging season...

This week has been long.  My sweet husband has been gone for six days.  Six.  When he leaves for more than a night or two I suddenly feel as if I am missing an entire limb, maybe two.  He has my whole heart and I feel ridiculously sad when he isn't here.  I can handle the boys, the home, and all the crazy that comes in a week.  I just don't want to be without my partner, my best friend, my humor source.

So glad he is on his way home.

While he was absent, I decided to try several Pinterest ideas. 

Anyone else in love with Pinterest?

I mean, where else can you find a recipe for tonight's dinner, a way to clean everything in your house with homemade cleaners, a way to make toothpaste, and crazy expenisve outfits, put completely together for you, that you have no chance of ever being able to buy in entirety?

I am in love with Pinterest.

I happen to be 22 weeks pregnant.  Most of my Pinterest trys this week were... *ahem* - food related.




Why have I never thought of this?  I hate being splattered with bacon grease.  This was super easy and delicious!  Put the foil-lined pan in a cold oven.  Heat to 375 degrees, and bake for 20 minutes.  Yum.

chocchipcookie


Stop whatever you are doing right now and make these.  I'm not joking.  Cornstarch sounded completely weird, but it was completely delicious.  Seriously.  Go now.



I didn't love these.  It was a simple, easy snack.  Halve some strawberries, dip them in yogurt and freeze.  Sounds like it should be tasty.  Frozen strawberries are really difficult to eat, I've decided.  They are more delicious blended up in a beverage.  Just being honest.  I cut some up and threw them in my bowl of yogurt, unfrozen and that was delicious.  Maybe it was just a weird pregnancy/texture/frozen thing.

Enough of that.

slowcookerhamandbeans


Delicious.  Easy.  Will make again.

blueberrycookie


Absolutely.  Crazy yum.  Drop everything again, and go make another batch of cookies.  Permission granted.  You're welcome.

Slowcookerchicken


I would not have thought of this without Pinterest.  I have several delicious, organic, whole chickens in my freezer.  www.fullcirclefamilyfarm.com  (Shout out to my great friend, Melinda and her farm!)  But, I was under the impression they would always have to be made in the oven, you know, traditionally.  I was WRONG.  I put this in before I left for church and let it cook 6 hours.  We ate around 1:00pm and it was so good.  Will do again!  (I changed the spices and stuck a half a lemon in the cavity.  Crazy moist and delicious.)

Acnetreatment
acnescars

My skin is never "under control" but pregnancy sends my tolerably bad skin into ridiculous, want to paper-bag myself, bad.  These both have proven themselves over the past few weeks.  Again, not completely gone, but maybe when this pregnancy is over... Maybe. 


bathroomcleaner

Have been using this for my entire bathroom cleaner for a few weeks now.  Works very well.  First whiff of it is potent.  You are warned. 

So, there's my week.  It was a tasty one, which is how I tend to medicate my sadness. 

Love & Laughter,
abby

For our home, this school year is going to be a year of changes and experimenting.

After much thought and prayer, (and many family meetings!) I've decided to homeschool Cooper this year.  No huge expectations, other than to capture the joy of learning. 

I live with 3 amazing gentlemen.  Extraordinary souls, truly.

Cooper is Cooper.  There is only one like him that I've ever known.  And we were blessed with the gift of having him.  He needs routine, just like any child.  He needs adventure and outlets for creativity.  He needs the opportunity to lead and socialize.  He needs to ask a million questions a day.  He needs to be in God's word daily.

I need your prayers.  I pray that I can lead this little man and be the teacher he needs me to be.

I am excited!
I am thankful for the opportunity.
Most of all, I am overwhelmed at the awesome responsibility.  This mom gig is incredible, right? 

We started our "school year" Monday.  He loves it.  He asks every morning what time school is going to start!  I pray he stays excited.

Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers!

Love & Laughter,
abby