Sister visit. Nashville cousins do San Diego.

Jenny and I had babies around the same time in 2012, so we didn't get to do our normal "new baby" visits to each other's homes because we were up to our eyeballs in feedings and diapers and toddlers. We have seen each other many times over the past couple years, but not here in San Diego, so it was SUPER fun and special to have them visit us on our home turf.

We had a blast just being together, and all 9 of us slept at our house. Even with 5 kids ages 7 and under, we got out a lot and had some great adventures.

Highlights included…

2 beach days

"bring your brother-in-law to work day" (bet you didn't know that was a thing)

splash park

birthday party for a little friend at a great park

more parks :)

cousin movie and sleepover in the tent

double date with Jenny and John

simply living life with them for 6 days

and the grand finale, California Adventure

We loved having you Leiningers! Hope you will be back soon! 

Favorite Five: May

How I miss writing. That was the point of this blog, afterall.

I still can't seem to find the time or mental bandwidth. 3 kids has officially humbled me.

Hopefully I will write again soon. Maybe when Hannah goes to Kindergarten.

In the meantime, I do enjoy the discipline of finding my favorite 5 pictures to post each month.  

It is a great practice of gratitude to highlight a few moments that capture the loveliness of life. 

There are plenty of not-so-lovely moments around here, but I choose to focus on times like these...

First time away as a couple since Hannah was born. So needed. Such an amazing trip.

 The two Grandmas watched the girls while we were away, and they had a blast.

Then, once we were back home, my Dad also flew in for some CA fun with his grand-daughters.

Here are Papa and Sam doing surgery in the Secret Garden.

 Homemade water park in the backyard during our heatwave.

 She's getting so big and so independent. I love the concentration here.

 Teepee time for my silly "big" and "little".

Happy Mother's Day!

Motherhood.

What a gift, what a challenge.

I'm SO thankful for my mom today.
I'm SO thankful to be a mom.
I'm thankful for ALL moms today.

In honor of Mother's Day here are a few of my favorite pictures of me with my girls from this year.

Thank you Stacy for capturing authentic moments of motherhood for me to cherish forever.

 

And here are a couple great things about motherhood that really struck a chord in me this past year...

CLICK HERE for the full post from Momastery, but below is my favorite excerpt. This sums up most of my days beautifully…

How was my day? Today has been a lifetime. It was the best of times and the worst of times. There were moments when my heart was so full I thought I might explode, and there were other moments when my senses were under such intense assault that I was CERTAIN I’d explode. I was both lonely and absolutely desperate to be alone. I was saturated- just BOMBARDED with touch and then the second I put down this baby I yearned to smell her sweet skin again. I was simultaneously bored out of my skull and completely overwhelmed with so much to do. Today was too much and not enough. It was loud and silent. It was brutal and beautiful. I was at my very best today and then, just a moment later, at my very worst. At 3:30 today I decided that we should adopt four more children, and then at 3:35 I decided that we should give up the kids we already have for adoption. Husband – when your day is completely and totally dependent upon the moods and needs and schedules of tiny, messy, beautiful rug rats your day is ALL OF THE THINGS and NONE OF THE THINGS, sometimes within the same three minute period. But I’m not complaining. This is not a complaint, so don’t try to FIX IT. I wouldn’t have my day Any.Other.Way. I’m just saying- it’s a hell of a hard thing to explain- an entire day with lots of babies.

And if you haven't seen this genius video, here you go...

An Adventure Girl Birthday

We don't do birthday parties every year (we celebrate in other ways), but this year was a year that we told Sam she could have a party. We asked her what she wanted. Carte blanche.

She said she wanted an "adventure girl party"…and then later revised it to an "adventure princess party." She said she only wanted two friends (and Abby, of course). Well, that sounded fun! After I stopped being amazed at how AWESOME my daughter is, Chris and I started dreaming up a sort of "amazing race for 7 year old girls." And here is what we came up with…

Phase 1: The girls made "adventure girl wristbands" and then searched for junk treasures on the hill.

Phase 2: We drove to a local park for rock climbing, creek walking, and picnic dinner.

Phase 3 (my favorite): We drove to another local park and the girls were released to hike up to an overlook tower where they found birthday treats waiting for them. They then decided to keep hiking to the next two towers in the park and discovered this amazing bridge!

Our time concluded with a little frolicking, with wings and bubbles of course. 

The weather was lovely (after a windy/rainy start to the day). 

A good time was most definitely had by all!

 

Happy birthday Samantha Joy, our little adventure girl!

Hannah is not pictured because we made the VERY wise decision to leave her with a babysitter. 
Next year, baby.

Favorite Five…or Ten: April

April. Whew. What a month.

2 birthdays, Easter, a 2-week Spring Break.

We are all a little tired. A happy tired.

Here is a glimpse of a big month in 10 pictures.

Spring Break was mostly a stay-cation and I love how these simple shots sum up regular life around here.

Disneyland for Abby's 4th birthday.

We were so happy to have Grandma and Grandpa join us from Santa Barbara.
We were not thrilled about 90 degrees and Spring Break crowds, but we still had a great time.

Lots of dress up and playing at the house and in the yard.
This would be a wedding…to invisible princes.

Triple dentist visits. (Hannah is not pictured, because SHOCKER, she did not cooperate at all.)

They are watching Frozen on screens above them. 

I'm pretty sure they could have had a root canal and not noticed.

Friends from Colorado came through town.

5 little girls on a hammock.

 Lots of park time.

A visit to a local drop-in art studio for kids.

This was right before they did an amazing rendition of "Let It Go".

The only way I can do Target with all three. Popcorn!

A very special beach baptism for a very special 2nd grade friend.

We had a wonderful Easter celebrating our Risen Lord with family in LA this year!
Here are the big cousins decorating Easter cupcakes.

Samantha is SEVEN.

This girl is 7 today. I choke back tears just typing those words. SEVEN. My baby.

Samantha is so incredibly beautiful, inside and out. 

Here are a few things I need to document about this beautiful 7 year old girl. 

Samantha is a passionate little person. She feels things deeply. Very deeply. The down side of feeling so deeply is, well, a lot of DRAMA. Drama abounds with this dear girl. The upside of all that passion, and all those feelings, is a little person who experiences great joy, deep compassion for those who are hurting or lonely or left out, and gratitude and excitement for God's big beautiful world.

A classic example of Sam's deeeeeeep feelings was when she saw the movie Frozen in the theater in November. When the movie ended she was so incredibly moved by it all that she literally did not speak a word until the next morning. She was rendered speechless by the beauty, drama, music, story, love, sorrow, and general amazingness of it all. This girl FEELS. (It is worth noting that since that initial period of silence Sam has not stopped talking or singing about Frozen. 5 months. Nonstop Frozen.)

Sam continues to be incredibly creative. She truly is a little Tinker Fairy. She can make toys, art, instruments, habitats, fairy houses, and dolls out of anything she finds laying around. Sam is also creative in her play and enjoys developing elaborate and dramatic stories and songs and scenarios when she plays with Abby, or by herself (which is almost never because she still hates being alone).

I say this every year about Sam, but I most definitely have to mention again what a remarkable big sister she continues to be. She and Abby have their ugly moments, as siblings do, but wow does Samantha LOVE those two little sisters of hers. Since Abby and Hannah were growing inside me I would tell Sam that they were her best friends and she is fully embracing this great hope and prayer of mine. When I took Abby to Chicago/Nashville this winter Sam was so devastated to be separated from Abby that she had me find pictures of Abby so she could put them up all around her bed while Abby was away, even shining the nightlight on one of the photos so she could see Abby's face glowing in the dark (see above paragraph on high drama). Abby is her buddy, and Hannah is her baby. Sam is incredible with all babies (she is going to make so much $$$ babysitting some day), but Hannah is like her very own child. Sam can get Hannah to stop crying and make her laugh or get her to eat or cooperate for a diaper change with the greatest of ease. Sam's love for her sisters is deep and visible and it brings me so much joy.

Two words that have consistently come up from Sam this year are ADVENTURE and FREEDOM. This girl loves an adventure, in fact that is what she wanted for her birthday, an "Adventure Girl Party" (more on that later). Whether it is turning cardboard into sleds for our hill, building rope swings in the backyard, skateboarding, surfing with Daddy, or reading books about adventure, our girl loves a thrill. Sam also wants freedom. She mentions it a lot. We keep trying to figure out what freedom means to her and how to give it to her in little doses. I think she wants no rules and restrictions. I think she thinks adults have all the freedom and fun. (We also keep telling her that if she seeks freedom and goes on an adventure by herself before she is 18 the police will bring her home.)

Sam's teacher commented on her report card that Samantha is "wise beyond her years", which is exactly right. She always has been. Her faith is deep, her mind is strong, her love is intense, her emotions are mature.

Samantha is a complex and delightful combination of fearless and fragile, tough and sensitive, girly and tomboy, wise beyond her years and still a fun-loving silly seven year old child.

Last night when I tucked Sam in bed I told her the story of the night of her birth and I told her how I loved her more than I could have ever imagined the moment I saw her and held her. That is true, of course. But what is also true is that I love her more at age 7 than I ever could have imagined the night she was born.

Thank you God for this child.

 All photo credits to Stacy Bostrom Photography, as usual.

Thanks Stacy!

Abby is 4. FOUR. How can this be?

I keep asking my kids to stay the ages they are, but they keep blowing me off and keep getting older. 

Like this girl. 

This girl who is four today. 

FOUR.

Happy Birthday Abigail Charis.

Abby. Our middle girl. 

And she is so middle right now…both a big girl and baby in one darling little package. 

Here are a few things about our Abs at age 4...

Independent and strong-willed. Shrinking violets we do not make. And this beautiful child has given us a run for our money since about 18 months old. Oy vey. She is so strong, don't mess with Abby, trust me, just don't. She marches to the beat of her own drum, she always has. Like when she walked on her knees for 2 months before she started really walking at, wait for it, 17 months (in retrospect we think she was just being funny or stubborn). I have lost her twice, and she was not scared or worried either time. She wanders. She does what she wants, when she wants. Her strength and will and independence will carry her so so far in life, I am sure of it. I love these characteristics of hers...and I have absolutely no idea where she gets them :).

Her sweet side is also coming out more and more these days. She has really grown into her role as big sister and loves helping Hannah and making Hannah laugh. She was so incredibly darling with Lydia when we met her in February. She gives great hugs and likes to have mom or dad fall asleep with her at naps or nighttime, often holding my hand as she drifts off - something I have been happy to do whenever possible because it's just our special thing. Abby is IN LOVE with her big sister (when she isn't harassing her) and has her own special names for her sisters…Samanth-y and Hann-y.

One of Abby's cutest trademarks right now is her daily practice of announcing, "I have two thing to tell you. Number one is… Number two is…" She has been doing this for months. Always two things. For instance, at 2am, she will wander to Chris' side of the bed and whisper, "Daddy, I have two things to tell you. Number one is, I have to go potty. Number two is, you are the best Daddy in the world." Amazing.

Abby continues to be hilarious. We noticed this trait when she was as little as 9 months old and she just keeps getting funnier. Now that her language and brain are catching up she is downright witty. Between her humor and her unbelievable cuteness this girl is always going to be able to get herself out of ANYTHING…she already does.

Abby, who couldn't say her ABCs until she was almost 3 (seriously) has surprised us and is quite advanced with her writing and drawing. She has been able to write her name for some time now and draws really great pictures for a little munchkin.

Abby sings the "Johnny Appleseed" prayer every night at dinner, she loves the Wild Kratts, she still can't say her "R's" properly (and I hope she never does), she wants to wear a fancy dress every single day, she is always the messiest and dirtiest kid at preschool pick up, she is a spazzy dancer, she has trouble carrying a tune, she is still a Daddy's girl (and Grandpas, and Uncles…she likes men), she loves reading, she is stubborn, and snuggly, full of JOY, brave, tough, and SO incredibly beautiful.

What an honor to be this child's mother. I am so thankful for her spunk and her spirit and her place in our family. This was my baby who was covered in prayer from conception to birth, our sweet gift from God after some pain and heartache and loss. True to the meaning of her name, she is a source of JOY and an undeserved gift.

Love you Abby-cadabby.

Pictures by our dear friend Stacy Bostrom from this photo shoot.

Favorite Five: March

March Madness.

Not basketball, just the regular madness of life with 3 spunky girls.

Never a dull moment.

Have I mentioned that most of these pictures from the "Favorite Five" posts are usually taken by my husband on his fancy camera? I need to give credit where credit is due. He usually wishes they were edited more before posting, but I am kind of a purist and don't like to mess with the pictures beyond a little cropping.

 Jog-A-Thon at school. For the second year Abby joined in and ran her fair share of laps.

Samantha didn't want to leave Abby's side, and although little sister slowed her down and tripped her up once (resulting in an impressively bloody knee for Sam), her awesomeness as a big sister more than made up for her reduced laps this year. Love that sweet girl. Look at them go!

 This one is constantly adding ridiculous accessories and is slightly obsessed with shoes at the moment.