She found them....

Yes, this past weekend, our sweet baby girl found her two fingers.....

And they are the same two both Tiffany & Bryan sucked!

But she ALSO found her thumb!

Which I have to say is pretty cute!

Don't even know how long she will last taking a paci now that she's got BOTH at her fingertips....literally.

Because I found her like this when I put her down for her nap~

What preciousness~a sweet sleeping baby~

And oh so happy when awake!

Ashlyn @ 12 weeks old~

77 days

OR 11 weeks old~

It's kind of fun to know how many days we've had our precious baby girl and since she was born on May 1st it's easy to count!

She can now roll over, from back to tummy, so we have to be careful where we put her.

We've found her face down a few times.

She still rarely cries & is SO happy. We even say she smiles at the wind! :

What a blessing!

Down by the riverside~

Smiling

Relaxing

Sleeping

Watching the water

Almost too big for the chair

Hanging w/daddy

Playing w/brother

Just not so sure about the rocks yet though~

More water watching

And the others were busy moving rocks to make a dam

Or finding good skipping rocks

Something new @ 10 weeks old~

Yesterday, Ashlyn tried out the little bumbo seat that someone gave us.

Her brothers still smother her with kisses (I did not tell them to do this)

So, I'm not sure if she pouted here about the seat, being smothered, or still wanting more attention from her brothers. Either way, this picture was TOO cute!

I'm not sure why they call it a "bumbo" but after seeing this face I've called her my little "Bumbo Baby."

Not always what I have planned.....

.....is what God has planned. 

The past few months with our new precious addition has been such a JOY. Many days I am SO tired, but it's all worth it I know. 

 

I intended to do some school with the kids this summer, but my days have been spent nursing, cleaning, doing laundry, and disciplining. And maybe a few other things in there if I have time.Oh, I guess I do feed my family too.  We've been trying to stay cool, as my itching has returned with this intense heat wave we've had here. 

AND I'm making memories with my kids. School didn't make it in the plans. Book-work anyway. We've had many great times of learning though. About REAL LIFE.

And I've tried to make it a point to enjoy every moment with Ashlyn when I can. She's practically a perfect baby, who rarely cries, so she'd be easy to just let lay there, or sit in her bouncy seat, and really be fine. But I'd miss so many moments with her. With my last few as babies I just worked so hard to get everything ELSE done around here, and didn't take still moments to just BE with them & hold them. So, I've done that more with Ashlyn and let school with the others not happen. We are so smitten with her.

 

 

 

I am realizing a new school year for us is about a month away, as we will start back up the 2nd week of August (hopefully!), since we will be participating in VBS just before that. Honestly though,  I am not looking forward to it. To the planning & teaching part, I mean. I am SO glad about having my kids home and I do WANT to want to teach them, so I'm praying for some feelings to change over the next few weeks before we start up again.  I don't have a strong feeling about what curriculum & books to use for them in the coming year. With one of them struggling with dyslexia, and another having other speech/learning issues, I know I have a challenging road ahead of me. I want to choose things that hopefully will help them want to learn & enjoy learning.  I know I will need to focus on the basics once again with my 8 & 6 year old boys and I'm asking God for direction & creativity.....and patience & understanding too.

I've been blessed to know lots of teachers. I have 7 aunts & uncles who are presently teaching in the school system or are college professors. My grandparents also used to teach for a living. My parents too, before they home schooled their own kids. My mother-in-law is currently a 3rd grade teacher. Sometimes I wish I could hand-off my students to some of them!!! :-) But I know God is going to use this in my life and although I'm not the "teacher type" I am my kid's mom who knows them best & desires to see them excel, learn, & grow amidst our environment at home. God has called me to do this yet another year. I trust HIM. I know His plans will far exceed what I could ask for or think. Now to take the plunge once again!

I think just writing this all out is "therapy" for me or something. 

Any other homeschool moms out there have wisdom to share? Or should I just not think about it yet, and keep enjoying my summer?!?!?!

 

My birthday....

AND our 11th Engagement Anniversary!  

My wonderful parents who brought me into this life 34 years ago! They sure do age well. I hope I get the same genes.

Seth had mom & dad join us for breakfast on my birthday, July 3rd.......just as they had taken me to breakfast 11 years ago when Seth SURPRISED me and showed up with a question & a ring! SO, this year, Seth had another surprise for me. When the waitress brought out the food we ordered mine came in this.....

 

But it wasn't food.  

(The following pics are actually RE-enacted LOL)

 

  

I was pretty excited. Although I knew this gift was coming at some point, I didn't know exactly when! In fact, I had thought it was coming last October on our 10th anniversary. So, I'd kind of forgotten about it since then. See, my wedding rings have not really fit me since over 4 years ago, and not only that but they had totally worn down. 

 

So, I was given these brand new platinum rings with my same diamond! They were beautiful!

 

What a FUN birthday breakfast surprise!  

The rest of my day was spent at home with my family & doing some shopping and then I left all SIX of them to go get a pedicure! That was a gift to myself, I guess. Almost fell asleep in the massage chair there. Maybe I should have given myself a nap instead. No, I wanted red toenails, and softer smoother heals....just cuz.  

That evening, we got together with all my family. Here's all the girls, minus the 2 babies. What a blessing my family is, and that they are nearby. 

 

My cake is almost always patriotic themed. 

 

 

Some of my sweet nieces waving their flags from Grandma~  

 

 

 

 

 

My sis lining the kids up for a patriotic parade......

 

Ready to march.....

 

The blonde & the brown~

 

It was a great, tiring, fun day! I thank the Lord for another year of life! And for another year of FREEDOM in Christ, and FREEDOM here in our country!