These past few weeks have been crazy busy! 
I have been pretty consumed with daycare stuff, but see the light at the end of this long tunnel.  I love them, I love it, but I love somethings more.  The logistics of our family is exhausting and adding in 5 sometimes 6 other families is enough to last me a life time.  I am a one woman team - scheduling, diapering, pampering, hugging, nurturing, nursing, photographing, editing, cooking, etc.  I am spending T.I.M.E. with everything and everyone.  Most days I feel like I give 5% to every individual project and at the end of the day have given more than I actually have.  I am really ready to take it down a notch and give a few special things my all, starting with my family.... I promise that I am setting us up for great things.   Each day, I have faith knowing that my efforts will pay off.  Believing that my children won't recall the busy times, we are experiencing now, rather enjoy the fun, relaxed and AWESOME times we have planned for the future!  


On to happy things going on now...
We took in a twins game on Friday... scored some very cool bobble heads and actually enjoyed our own food.  I certainly missed our tots but ordering food and eating all of it myself was phenomenal and rare!   
A couple weeks ago we splurged and bought a fresh Mac laptop - Rob insisted on us getting one to give me a better work flow with photography stuff ... he was right!   I have been learning several new AWESOME editing programs and looking forward to additional tricks!  
We recently visited my dear g'ma before heading out to the family farm for a nice gathering.  It was in celebration of a new "man" for my aunt and he was lovely.  The day was lovely - a family history lesson from my favorite uncle, Don, a nice walk in the woods, a softball game with cousins, 2nd cousins and in-laws, chatting with wonderful aunts and uncles and the best part - feeling calm and collected.  I recall thinking, "this is the part of life I should live for every day".
About a months ago, I solicited our neighbor to build us a picnic table and it has become our desired evening hangout.  We eat. play. and rest at it each moment possible!  We have enjoyable walks as a family of 4 and even meet up with several of my girlfriends for dinners, walks and "just us" time.   
Daddy still spends most Tuesday evenings at "bayball" and Olivia dreams of going with.  She jumps around hysterically as she anticipates daddy's 5:15 arrival home and is less than average the rest of the evening when he never arrives home before her bedtime....  She'd be so sparkly knowing the moment he comes home, he stops by her room to check in on her before he cleans up in the shower.  (I am sparkly for both of us when he hugs me, shares his game details and lets me know it would have been better if we were all there, too.)

Speaking of our darling.... She is SO POTTY TRAINED!  I hate to admit this, but after G arrived, I stopped caring if she went potty in the pot.   I had far to many fish to fry and let it slide, until about 2 weeks ago.  Some how some way, things just clicked for her and now she is running to the potty with every urge.  She insists on only wearing panties and pulling them up herself.  Telling me how yuckie diapers are and how happy Dora is now that she's not pee pee'd on.  : ) 
Two nights ago, I poked my head into her room after my 2 a.m. potty break.  To my surprise, she popped up out of bed and yelled, "I potty too, mama."   We took care of business, went back to bed and in the morning her diap was dry!  OMG - her first overnight dry diaper!!! Way to go little girl!
Livi's efforts do not go unnoticed and she is rewarded with hugs, kissies, stickers and her first movie!  G'ma and I took her to the Smurfs - BIG mistake!  We lasted only a few minutes and ditched it for a better experience at the Winnie the Pooh flick.  I never imagined my sweet pea with a big box of "ca corn", gummie bears, pop and sitting so nicely in a theatre.  She was a little sponge, taking in all the letters a.k.a "ABCD's".  She was so cute - I had to take a few photos!  

Saturday, I had a couple of e-sessions out at the Arboretum and convinced daddy to bring the kiddos out too!  I have to admit it was for slightly selfish reasons;  I hate being engorged and need my little man around, frequently.  
He drove Dan the van incase they didn't do well and I took my fav car with tunes a blaring. Being alone in the car, windows down and music on high makes me feel like a million bucks!  It was likely the hottest day to work my butt off and I have never been so soaked in sweat.   I did cross paths with my family a few times and couldn't resist showing them off to my clients.  I was very excited about these sessions because I had a few tricks up my sleeve along with some fancy new glass...I must say the whole day was magical.

We are pretty busy in the upcoming weeks/weekends but I am so looking forward to reading The Help, playing mini golf at Big Stone,  some mommy only hammock time, maybe a few more popsicles and many more family walks before the season is over.

I guess the last thought I leave you with is about 3 months ago, I brought Olivia out to eat (just the two of us) and saw a man that looked/reminded me of my father in law.  The resemblance was striking and it nearly brought me to tears.  I felt strongly about paying it forward and buying him and his wife's dinner, anonymously.  I begged our waitress to bring me their tab and took care of it after our delicious malt and veggie burger meals.  I wanted so badly to watch from outside and see their reaction.  I figured that might be a little creepy and decided it best just to feel amazing and head home to be with my wonderful family.
I hadn't thought much about it since then, but yesterday I was contacted by the waitress that helped me pull it off.  I had forgotten that I left my card with a "thank you" note on it.   She informed me that she's kept it on her night stand for months waiting to ask me to be her senior portrait photographer.  I was tickled pink and am, obviously, pretty thrilled that she shared the story with several of her friends who are interested in hiring me as well.   AMORE!