our day in the magical kingdom

Friday last week at this time, we were in the midst of that most wonderful place, Disneyland. (I do realize I've been a horrible blogger lately, but do you see this?? It's only taken me ONE week to post about our trip! Not a month. Not six months. Not a year. ONE WEEK. That's got to be a record for me! heh.)

The last time we took our kids to Disneyland-- the one and only other time, actually-- was when I was pregnant with Rosalie and ohmygoodness, Emma and Annabelle looked like babies! It was so fun to take all three of our girls this time (especially since Rosalie was still free, woohoo!) and have an entirely new and different experience with them all. The only thing not different is that I was, once again, pregnant in Disneyland. I seriously think I've been to Disneyland pregnant more times than not. Just ask me what you CAN'T do there when you're pregnant-- I know!

Anyway. Prepare yourself, for I am about to bombard you with what is probably far too many pictures. (if you're my facebook friend, you've already seen these. but, come on, you know you want to see them again!)

The night before, with all three of them tucked into the cozy hotel bed, they were SO excited they could hardly sleep. Went to bed at 11:30, up by 6. Kids are crazy. I expected them all to be tired and dragging the next day, expected Rosalie to crash in her stroller at some point, but none of that. We had our tired moments, but considering the short night they had, I was so happy that they were all happy!

From the instant we walked onto Main Street the next morning and made our way back under the castle into FantasyLand, their faces were just LIT up, so joyful and excited and thrilled to be there.



This was Rosalie's first time at Disneyland, and I almost couldn't stand how cute she was, pointing everything out and smiling constantly. This kid kills me.

After the merry-go-round, it was time to take another spin... in the teacups!

Emma and Annabelle loved the teacups the last time, and it was no different this time. And Rosalie couldn't stop giggling as we spun round and round and round, all sliding into each other and getting dizzy. It was one of my favorites with these three too, I think!

When we got to the teacups, we noticed that one side of it and the pathways that led past it were roped off. Turns out that the show Modern Family was filming there. RIGHT THERE. Like twenty feet from us. Some of you out there are probably going "so?? who cares??" WE care! :) It's one of our favorite shows. HI-larious. The characters are amazing and quirky and so funny. So when were actually able to spot some of the stars only feet away from us, well, we got a little excited. (we don't see celebrities very often, you know.) But don't worry, we didn't turn into crazy weird stalker fans. I only snapped one teensy weensy discreet picture, just to prove that we were there and we saw them.

After the excitement of spinning teacups and celebrities, oh my, we headed off into calmer waters (ha! ha! sorry.) and took a ride on the jungle cruise. I'm pretty sure Rosalie thought 90% of everything in that jungle was real.
"Look, it's fell-e-phants!"


While we were there in Adventureland, my husband was kind enough to buy me one of the Dole pineapple soft-serve ice creams... oh my. It was good. I'd never had one before. But now I want more.  I snarfed that thing down.

Since we had park hopper tickets, we were able to head over into California Adventure for a few hours too, and the first thing we did there was to ride the new Ariel ride. So fun, so colorful. The kids (for the most part) loved it.
Right now, at the ages our kids are at, their favorite place in that park is the Bug's Land. We rode every single ride in Flik's Fun Fair, oh yes we did.
We went a-munching with Heimlich the caterpillar...


Daddy and Emma and Annabelle took a ride in Tuck and Roll...

we had MORE spinning fun on the scowling ladybugs...

and we flew up, up, up, and away in an animal cracker box!


Lots of smiles, lots of happiness, and absolutely no "scary" moments. Perfect.
We also took a trip through Monstropolis on the Monster's Inc. ride, because my kids adore that movie. At the end Roz (you know, the green oozy slimy monster who wears the glasses and is always onto Mike about his paperwork) is standing there to say different things to those getting off the ride, and she happened to tell us that we aren't allowed to take little monsters out of Monstropolis... at which statement Annabelle got very worried that we weren't going to be able to take Rosalie with us! Rosalie can be a little monster sometimes, so I understand her confusion. heh.

As we entered Disneyland again, Minnie and Mickey Mouse themselves were right there in the town square, practically waiting for us! I was SO excited, because I had been really hoping that we would get to see them, especially since it was Rosalie's first time and she loves all things Mickey Mouse.

Minnie was the first character she had been close to all day, and she actually hugged her! (I missed the moment by thismuch, unfortunately). However, after the hug, she decided she wanted nothing to do with these huge mice, or any other Disney character to follow. She would wave and smile and call out their names, but no hugs or pretty posing for pictures, thankyouverymuch.

Her sisters, thankfully, were more than happy to hug and to smile and to pose.

Rosalie looks terrified in this one. poor child.

While we were there we also got to see Ariel...

and Jasmine...

Princess Tiana...

Tigger!!!......

Eeyore!!! oh, I love Eeyore, he is the cutest thing ever.

The best part about watching my kids meet the characters they know and love is the look on their faces when they go in for that first hug. So precious.

We love Winnie the Pooh.

This picture makes me happy... all of us together and Winnie the Pooh too!


We were blessed by the fact that we didn't have to wait in line TOO much the day we were there... it was busy, but not overly so. Part of Disnyeland is the lines, though. The waiting and anticpating what's coming next, the people-watching while you stand there, the conversations you have with other folks who are just as excited as you to be there.

While the three girls and I stood in line for the princesses, a mentally challenged lady spent ten minutes talking to me about who her favorite princesses were and why, and how she HAD to be there at the parade later because Tinkerbell would be looking for her specifically. She was sweet.

More waiting in line, this time getting close to Pooh and friends!

Ready for our cruise around the world, and for the Small World song to become lodged in our heads semi-permanently.


Toon Town is another favorite place for the kids. They love just goofing around back there, playing in the characters' houses and being generally crazy.

Annabelle rode the Toon Town coaster with Daddy-- her very first roller coaster ride! and she loved it!

By this time, we were ready to sit down and take the train back to the other side of the park in time to watch the parade. I must admit, the parades are one of my favorite things, They're just so happy.
We found a pretty good spot and settled in (ah, it felt good to SIT) to eagerly wait for the start of it.




Unfortunately, right after I snapped this picture of Main Street all lit up, my camera battery completely died.

It's ok though, because after the parade, dinner, and the disappointment of a cancelled fireworks show (booooo), we were all ready to head back to the hotel and rest our tired feet and put some VERY tired girls to bed.

Next morning it was sleeping in, getting ready to go, checking out of our hotel, a very late breakfast where we happily talked about all of our fun the day before....


... and then on the road again, headed homeward.

I already miss Disneyland, and wish we could take our girls back! But I'm SO thankful and glad we got to have such a wonderful little family getaway, so chock-full of happy memories and fun.

oh Disneyland, you are always good to us. We can't wait to visit you again someday!

sometimes I forget.

Sometimes, in the passing blur of each busy day, in the steady hustle and bustle of the rhythm of our lives, in the occasionally overwhelming list of "to-do" which doesn't usually include "stop and just be", I forget.

In the midst of the whining, the demanding, the rowdiness, the complaints and noise, I forget.

The discipline and challenges, the frustrations, the loss of patience and peace. The snotty noses and dirty hands, the mess which somehow can never be quite contained and sprawls across our home with determined fervor. All this and even more..... is it any wonder that I sometimes forget?

I forget how much I love being a mother.

This happens... it's simply how it is. We who are in the trenches of motherhood cannot simply revel and rejoice in mommy-ness all the time and spend each moment blissfully adoring our small charges or the job we have been given. Reality, life, those children, they demand us to dig in with our sleeves rolled up and sweat it out, to survive, to do. It's a requirement, not an option, and I will be one of the first to admit that more often than not I find myself more humbled and exhausted than uplifted and beaming at the end of a long day.

It's easy to forget.

But, praise the good Lord above, He makes it just as easy to remember. It happens when you least expect it, like a slap in the face (the good, "hey, pull it together, you can do this" kind of slap) or silently and gradually, like the morning sun stealing across a room and touching even the most commonplace things with light.

These moments that make me remember, I want to wrap them up and keep them, close and always there...

....Annabelle comes to me as I fold laundry and buries her head in my shoulder for a moment and then kisses my cheek. "Mommy, I just love you so much. And you smell good."

...From the bedroom comes crying... Rosalie has pinched her fingers. As I stoop down to kiss the boo-boo, I notice she is dressed as a ladybug in skirt and wings, her round tummy bare and her pigtails all awry. She looks at me with those sad brown eyes, tears dripping off her nose, and I can't help but scoop her in close, feeling the warmth of her skin and her small body, feeling how much she needs me.

....Emma sits on the couch reading a book to herself, when her two sisters jump up beside her, begging her to share the story. So she starts the whole book over again, reading aloud in her girlish voice while Annabelle and Rosalie draw in close beside her. Not fifteen minutes ago there was fighting and bickering, and now, they sit together. Happy, close, sharing a moment of frienship and sisterhood, these three daughters of mine. They are a wonder.

....Quietly, I open the doors and tiptoe into their bedrooms at night, to tuck blankets back around sleeping bodies and remove some of the too-many books and stuffed animals that found their way into bed. Their preciousness overwhelms me and I simply have to brush the damp curls away from their sweet faces and kiss their round cheeks.

The moments, when I really stop and think about it, are too many to be numbered. The simple things that make me look at my girls and bring me joy, they never run out. Rosalie's laugh and joyous spirit. Emma's freckles, her growing maturity and beauty. Annabelle's fluffy hair and spontaneous smile and loving heart. And there will be a fourth one of these, all his or her own person, with a whole new personality to love and discover! Wonder indeed. These young years are hard, and the trench sometimes feels deep, but what joy and blessing is found within the place to which motherhood takes us.

 I'm writing this at midnight, still awake because I'm waiting for my last load of the day's laundry to be done, and I know that morning and children and everything else will come all too soon. And I'm sure I will forget again, and I might be grumpy and snappish, impatient and tired.

But it'll be ok.
Because, just as surely, my gracious Lord will humble and help me remember. They will make me remember, and the joy and thankfulness will come back in. What reminders will He bring my way today? I don't know-- but I know, if I simply take the time to recognize them, they will sweeten each task.


I love being a mother. Oh, I do.

on Sunday...

...I felt cute.

And I decided that I should blog about it. After all, it's practically an event!

If you've ever been 15-ish weeks pregnant with your fourth child, you know what I mean. :)

So, in honor of a good hair day and an outfit that worked, you get a gratuitous fashion post.


cardigan: goodwill
tank top: forever21 (their basic tank tops are the best!)
dress: target clearance
teal belt: goodwill
lacy tights: forever21, a christmas stocking stuffer from my seester
boots: goodwill

I love these boots. They were $4.50, and they're the most incredibly comfortable and sturdy boots I own. They're beat up and worn and scuffed, but that makes me love them even more.


Can you believe I'm already nearly sixteen weeks pregnant? It honestly seems like we just found out about baby a few weeks ago. It's crazy how quickly this is going by

I'm always tired, often nauseous, sometimes broken-out like a teenager, awkwardly getting bigger (all over, it seems. it's delightful. ha.) and struggling to keep up with things around here....
but I'm really, honestly, truly, and completely thankful for these things.
This babe of ours seems to be growing and healthy so far, my pregnancy has been free from complications or serious sickness...and I've realized afresh with this pregnancy what a huge gift these things are. It is not one to be taken for granted and one for which I try to remember to praise God daily.
(sometimes unsuccessfully. I can get rather grumpy! but I'm trying, I really am.)



Here's to lacy tights and vintage boots. Here's to sweet little baby #4, already a blessing to us.

and here's to all of you, may you have a lovely week ahead of you!

friday night with the backstreet boys.

do you know the backstreet boys?

they're good friends of mine.

well, their music is anyway.

'round here, we love a good boy band dance party.

we danced tonight.

Emma with her wild and silly moves,

Annabelle all grins and jumps and twirls,

Rosalie feeling every beat and bringing her own flair.

as for me, well, I just tried not to completely lose my breath.

(pregnant+dancing= wow, I'm out of shape)

the dog joined in too, nipping at little heels and leaping and bounding wherever she could.

it was craziness.

and joy.

Rosalie and I spun and spun,

round and round until we were so dizzy that we fell to the floor,

just laughing.

and then, at that moment, she grabbed my face in her hands

and gave me a kiss, followed by a brilliant, nose-crinkling smile.

my heart melted,

and I realized this was one of those sweet moments

that I never want to forget.

it's not every day that has them.

but they will always come, popping up here and there,

an encouragement and blessing, a reward,

in the midst of all the nitty-gritty,

the sometimes-overwhelming work that being a mama is.

and as I sank into our couch to recover from our dance party,

a smile and Rosalie's kiss still on my lips,

and Emma and Annabelle gathered round for one last story before bed,

I couldn't help but be overwhelmed in a totally different way.

I'm really, really glad I get to be a mother.

I know it's a gift.

thank you, Lord.

for dance parties and dizziness,
for five-part harmony and cheesy beats,

for living room laughter,

for unexpected kisses,

for these children of mine.

Miss Emma Joy, eight years old.

Since the last little girl birthday, we've had yet another one.
On January 9th.
why yes, I am way behind.

But this girl deserves a post of her own too, and when it comes to blogging, "better late than never" is a motto by which I must live.

We celebrated Emma's birthday this year by going to the park with family on the Sunday afternoon before, where we opened presents and had cake and ice cream and the kids played and the adults froze to death and my husband started feeling distinctly not well.

At least the kids had fun, right?

The next day, on her actual birthday, I was left feeling a little lost. I had a husband who was home sick with the stomach flu, we were all exhausted from the weekend, and there weren't any real plans in place to celebrate in any way. I knew that we had to make it special somehow though-- birthdays need to be special! So, when we were all finally ready, minus Daddy of course, we went out for a late lunch at the Marketplace, followed by a hot chocolate at Starbucks and a movie rental from Blockbuster (birthday girl's pick. Ella Enchanted.) And even though it wasn't exactly what one could consider a well-planned out day, it ended up being really fun, and I think Miss Emma enjoyed herself. I know I enjoyed the time with my sweet girls, and conversing with my brand-new eight-year-old over chinese food.

Eight!! She's eight. Another year flown by. It doesn't seem like that long ago that I woke up at 3:00 one morning, two days shy of my twentieth birthday, with the contractions that I knew meant I was going to be a mother for the first time-- and soon. When we welcomed our Emma Joy into the world a mere 4 1/2 hours later (now that was a blur), little could we know what it would mean to be parents, or what joy she would bring to our world.

It's been an amazing eight years. A time of growth and challenge, change and wonder, joy and delight, love and learning, and every other thing that comes when you bring a child into the world. I'm so glad and so grateful that God brought this child into our world.

Here's to our eight-year-old, our firstborn...


our charming little fashionista...


our practical perfectionist, our particular and planned-out little person...


the big sister, our serious thinker, our smarty-pants...


our sometimes-so-very-silly, crazy, playful, loving, can-drive-you-crazy, funny, sweetheart of a girl...


our darling and lovely daughter.


I've cherished these eight years, and I know I've learned a lot as a mama-- and I know I still have much, much more to learn. This child of mine has been there for my mistakes and our triumphs, and I can only hope and pray that I will set an example for her that is worthy of the young woman I so desire her to become.

I think, by the grace of God, she's well on her way.

And until she becomes that young woman, I'm going to soak up every childish moment I can with our Emma Joy.

Happy eight years, Emma, my dear, you are loved more than you can even know.