August- Play

Play, play, play all day....it's what we do around here. Mason is one busy little boy. Watching him flit from one activity to the next chattering to himself  is fascinating to me. With big sis in school now, Mason's independence has really bloomed, an ever growing trail of abandoned toys follow him.

Please follow our circle starting with Leslie at Loving What we Live.

July-Routine

Routine.

It's a sturdy word that brings a strange peace to me. A creature of habit, I have always taken comfort in the expected. As many of us know, though, the expected is not always the reality of life with children. So, though I've learned to be more flexible , I still look for those moments in our days that never change.

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June-summer fun

Sweet summer has arrived!  The days are full of sunshine, popsicles , swimming pools and, of course and always, bubbles.

 In summer, indoor toys often find new life outdoors.

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May- Crafty

Mackenzie made this in art class and I absolutely love it.

Admittedly, we haven't been very crafty this month. With the busyness of the school year coming to a close and the arrival of warmer weather, our craft supplies have been stowed away, the hands that once held them now curled around jump rope handles and bubble wands . A few old faithful of the " arts and crafts " gang  remain in use, though, ready and waiting for impromptu art sessions when a stray thunder cloud arrives to chase everyone indoors.

Play doh is a favorite with my little guy

Mackenzie saves all her pencil shavings so she can make things out of them later.

Craft desk all a mess

Please head on over to Heather | Floyd Family Photography to view Heather's post . 

April- Hidden

This months theme was " hidden" .

Mackenzie hides all of her favorite things in her desk drawer, hoping her brother won't find them.

A mama's gotta have her own secrets, doesn't she?

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March- Joy

Joy.  Every mom feels it. It's something that flickers in our hearts as we watch our children grow, a continuous fountain that is fueled by excited smiles at new discoveries or tight hugs after a long day, just before tucking those snugly beings into their beds. Some say it's caffeine and chocolate but I say it's those bits of joy that we mom's live on. This month's prompt, joy, was not an easy one. After lots of thought, I decided this months' blog would showcase the simple things that bring joy to my children.

Mackenzie's 6th birthday remnants

Mason is a creature of habit. The first thing he does every day when he goes outside to play is push this little frog. The look on his face as he watches it twist and twirl is an expression of pure joy.

This puppet can turn any bad mood around. My kids joyful laughter as Leah's antics is the only reason I keep up the puppet charade.

Please follow our blog circle to Heather's blog

February Kids Were Here- Love

When Mackenzie was 6 months old, her godmother, Erin, passed along a spare blanket- you know the kid, satiny soft on one side, plush on the other with a cute pattern . This blanket was nearly the same as the one  Erin's daughter, Olivia,carried with her but Olivia already had two and didn't need another one. I accepted this gift but had no way of knowing how much this blanket would mean to Mackenzie, to me.  To this day, 5 years later and never a day missed in between, Mackenzie sleeps with this very same blanket. It's quite dingy, but still soft in a tattered, well {loved} sort of way. It smells like nothing and everything all at once. And , just as I did for her every night as I settled her in for bed, she cuddles the blanket over her left shoulder and drifts off to sleep.  Because I was afraid it'd become a germ magnet, this blanket is only allowed out of the house on special occasions. If it were ever lost, I know how heart broken Mackenzie would be with out it, and I would be, too. For with each nights sleep and each midday rest, this bundle of mine, no longer little, has wrapped herself in this swatch of fabric, told it her dreams, cozied up to it for comfort. It's been a sled and a fort and it's been twisted into a cape for both girl and dog. Tiny hands clung to it like a parachute. It's more than just soft fabric. It's a memory.  It is {love}.

The other day, as I watched Mason use his own blanket as a garage for his cars, I began thinking of how special his blanket is to him, too. Admittedly, I got teary eyed as I remembered when these blankets could envelop my little babes in a full swaddle  and now they are an accessory that sometimes winds up bunched up in the couch cushions or stuffed in a box as padding for a trip to them moon in rocket ship. But every time bed time nears, a drowsy, droopy eyed child goes looking for this special piece peace because sleep- life-  just wouldn't be the same with out that blanket.

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