a little catch-up.

It's been a busy week around here.

The volleyball season has wrapped up.  Todd's boys' team had a great season!  Despite a regional championship loss, they have much to be proud of.  They came a long way, thanks to a great coach!

We celebrated Todd's 32nd birthday this week!  Although, the week was so busy we still need to celebrate here at home with a yummy dinner and family time. 

And,  he wasn't the only one with a birthday this week.

This little kitty, our first baby turned 4 this week. We love that Lucy symbolizes how long we have been together. Todd and I started dating the same weekend of Lucy's birthday. And we found her and brought her home 8 weeks later. In my teaching years, I told many many many stories in lessons for writer's workshop, and some just for fun. Of all the stories over all the years, my "going to get Lucy" story was always the biggest favorite. The kids would ask to hear that one over and over throughout the whole year and bring it up often when comparing to an experience of their own (bingo! the whole reason why storytelling is so great. :))

In honor of Todd & Lucy's birthdays, I searched our files and noticed a little pattern. These two like to take naps together.

One of the cutest Todd and Lucy pictures. :) 

 

Happy Birthday to my sweet little Lucy. The maine coon kitty I had always dreamed of.

Happy Birthday to my amazing hubby. The man I had always dreamed of. :)

Looking forward to a little family time this weekend.

Quinn and I were busy this week with a few cake pop orders.

Yum!  Of course we have to enjoy a mistake pop or two.

Love the colors of these for little Lizzie's first birthday!

Check out more on our sweet things page!

Enjoy the long weekend!
xoxo Lisa

making friends.

making new friends can be hard sometimes.



That's okay, I'll just come join myself.



Hey guys, I found all the balls over here!!

Maybe someone will play with this one with me?

I knew Daddy would play with me. :)

Quinn LOVES being around other kids.  She is definitely not afraid to join in.  But she is so little she isn't taken too seriously. :) 

We had a wonderful family night out with friends and were able to celebrate this adorable little boy's first birthday.  Happy Birthday Grady!



a special awareness and loads of happy :).

The month of May is Preeclampsia Awareness Month.  Twenty-three Promise Walks are being held nationwide with many supporters and hope to bring more attention and awareness to preeclampsia.  What is preeclampsia?  Well, if you've been following us for a little while, you may already have a little idea about it. 
Preeclampsia is a life-threatening pregnancy-induced disorder that affects both the mother and the unborn baby.  It affects 1 in 12 pregnant women.  It is characterized by having high blood pressure and protein present in the urine, but symptoms include severe nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, swelling, sudden weight gain, and headaches.  Preeclampsia is the start of signs leading to severe or an eclamptic pregnancy resulting in seizures or a coma.  The only cure is through delivery of the baby.  Preeclampsia is very serious and awareness is important.  Many women shows signs towards the end of their pregnancy and think it is just part of a normal pregnancy.  Understanding and awareness being spread this month is huge, and hopefully it helps make a difference for families out there.  Unfortunately, many families are left without a member of their family as preeclampsia is responsible for over 75,000 mother deaths and half a million baby deaths each year worldwide.  And it is very present and it does have unhappy endings for families close to home.  Click Here to view a local article.  If you have a loved one who is expecting, talking to them is a small way of spreading that awareness.  Prenatal care is so important.

We are preeclampsia survivors.

and that makes us enjoy every colorful moment in the world all the more.

We find happy in everything.
We do what makes us happy, and we don't waste a second feeling ungrateful or dwelling on the negative.
We appreciate how much happy all the small moments give us and take time to really see it and enjoy it.  Rushing around doesn't let us enjoy the little moments.  We take our time with every small and simple moment, everything else in the world can wait.  Living simply means living well to us. :)

Can you name a few simple things that make you happy?

Piggies make me happy.  They make me so happy.

Today was fun and crazy piggies day. :) 

Happiest moment of the day:  Seeing this little girl through the rear view mirror in her carseat smiling out the window with light rays of sun lighting up her face and bouncing off her big girl piggies.  So precious and the heart-melting that can only happen to a mama.

We definitely find the happy in everything, even in the tiniest of places.

It was only fitting that this little girl's first real big girl word was "happy".  And it was not repeating after her mama or dada.  It was on her own, clear as day, and in context as she smiled and watched her dada come home from work. :)  It was truly precious.

So grateful for all of our "happy" moments.

a little proof.

Despite our regular posts and immense amount of pictures we have of our peanut, this is proof that we aren't always snapping away.

May is always busy, and this year is no exception.  Good busy.  Happy busy.

Todd is wrapping up a school year and a volleyball season.

Quinn and I are taking lots of extra fun outings with friends, lots of time with Great Grandma Ginny, trips to the park, long walks and doing a little above and beyond the typical daily chores here in our little home. more on that though later...

Here is where we have little in the way of pictures to show all of the fun of the last week...but that is just okay.  We capture when we can, but even when I do pull out the camera and snap away I've got it down to a quick little science that just kind of slides right in with all the fun we are having.  :)

There was a trip to Blackberry Farm with friends and a big group of mamas and babies.
That little colorful girl eager to explore the old schoolhouse belongs to us.

At the games, when the buzzer goes off this little girl is let loose like a bull at a rodeo.

and she is off and running.

This night, she was the very last one to leave.  She was having too much fun. :)

It's been a while since we had a little video action.

Click here to see this girl loving gym time!

and yes, she is sporting an "I heart the coach shirt" made by Grandma :)

And because I love to see how much things can change in a year.  Here is May of 2011 and May of 2012 in honor of mama's day.

 

Hope all you mama's had a fantastic and amazing Mother's Day.

mamas.

Before I Became Your Mother
I never knew...
how happy I would feel when you smile,
I never knew...
how sad I would feel when you cry,
I never knew...
how heartwarming it would be to watch you grow,
I never knew...
how much love my heart could hold,
And now...
I will always know.

Love being your mama every second of every day my sweet baby girl.

Happy Mama's Day to all of Quinny's Grandma's!
You mean so much to us and are so very important to this precious little girl.

Happy Mother's Day!  We love you very much!



little girl, little zoo, big fun.

We enjoyed a gorgeous day with one of my best friends Heather, and two of Quinn's buddies Evan and Noah.  We decided to hit up a small but fun little local zoo.  And it most definitely delivered. :)

Quinn and her boys. Don't you love how they are holding her?

 

checking things out. 

 

Alright, so for some time now I have had a secret wish that most people probably wouldn't guess from me...I would so love a little barn and stable and two horses of our very own.  Todd asked who would take care of them...I said "Quinn" :)

 

like too cute for words these two right??  like they are on a little date.

 

until your date wanders off to go play with some mulch.

 

Miss Independent this girl can be sometimes. :)

 

of course the boys were way more entertaining than the animals!  flashbacks to middle school field trips...yikes it starts already. :)

first experience with sand...just dipping in a little bit.

until she was ready to just dive right in!

A beautiful day in so many ways!