Mama and Papa time

Ever since our lil bird has been born, mama and papa time has come to a halt. We used to have date nights, stay up late talking and watching movies or playing games. Well throw a third child in our mix and out goes "our" time. Add to that a 55 hour work week plus my 15 and it seems as though we're always in passing. Steve gets home, I leave for work and don't get home until 10 (he is always asleep on the couch when I get in!) On the nights that I don’t work- he's not home until 7:00. We used to think that our family dinners were a non negotiable. Dinner was on the table and we'd be waiting at 7. Then bath and bed time. We were done by 9 and Steve and I were ready for bed!!! And me, being the crazy mama I am, won't leave Finley w/ a babysitter yet.
So there you have it, me and the hubby have lost a little bit of us. It's sad, and I don't like it. Last night I decided it was time for a change. No more hectic, crazy nights without having mama and papa time.
Now, in my head this was going to go smooth.
In reality, not so much.
I fed the girls dinner at 5:30 (pasta, broccoli and parm cheese, a fav of theirs.)
Got them in the bath by 6:00, out by 6:30.
Teeth brushed and pj's by 7.
Hubby came home just in time for stories and bed time loves.
Lights out by 7:30.
My plan was going perfect, I was beyond happy!!!
I had cooked hubby and I a more grown up dinner of pork tenderloin medallions w/ sautéed mushrooms and shoestring fries (i am obsessed w/ fries.)
We sat down at 7:30 for some much needed one on one time.
7:45 Avery screams for daddy.
7:50 Hubby comes out Mama and Papa time continues
8:00 Ashlee yells for mommy, two glasses of water and a handful of kisses and we're back to adult time
8:15 Girls are finally out (except for baby bird, but she's too little to count...)
Hubby and I enjoyed an amazing dinner, wine and some great convo.
It wasn't as perfect as I imagined, but it was pretty darn close.



Mama monday, on a tuesday!

I've been a bad mama... So, life around our pad has been a tad bit crazy. Ashlee had the flu, Finley had/has a terrible cold and cough that won't go away, hubby has been working 55+ hours at work, we had friends in town from Georgia, Easter came and went, we started working on the yard. Everyday I felt so guilty for not writing something down, a tid bit of our crazy day. And everyday I would say tomorrow, tomorrow. Well it's been a few tomorrow's but we're back. Life is still crazy but I've decided to carve out a little blog time for myself everyday during the nap/rest time! Thank goodness for Instagram, at least I caught some great memories during these last couple weeks. So here's an update of what we've been up to, via pics on my phone!!

What we've been up to...

Here a few pics of what we've been up to this week...

It finally stopped raining, and we got outside (even if it was a little cold!!)

 Ash and avery are loving their new study area!!!

(please excuse my naked child... it's how she likes to roll.)

Lovin time:)

More sun and more time to enjoy the yard!!!

Helping make veggie soup!!!

Some of our finds at the thrift store!

Ashlee loves her whale pencil holder!!!

Finley is rockin a sweater my mama and i found

out in Freemont two summers ago.

A rainy day road trip. My girl looks so grown up here!!!

Happy Weekend!!!!

if i could be anything, a hippie i would be...

Ashlee got a guitar for her birthday. She loves it, is obsessed with it. I am so stoked to get her guitar lessons but for now she strums her own tunes and makes up songs. Today her song was " if i could be anything, a hippie I would be. If i could sing, a hippie song i would sing. la, la, la, la, la, la, la." I think this bird has got some talent....

oh, did i mention she was a hippie for Halloween?? a girl after her mama and gammies heart!

Dreaming of... Yellow!!!

I am obsessed with yellow and I have been for the past couple of years. I have decided that I need more yellow accents in my home and am lusting for a few of these.....

I adore this sign from Slippin Southern on etsy! I would love to

have it on my back patio or even in the living room!

I AM painting our dresser like this

A pendant light like this

These new shoes for our couch!

These chairs

And i love, love, love this sofa!

I totally get that I can't do all of these, but I will be adding a few very very soon!!!

A few more yellow things I'm obsessed with at the moment..

These yellow skinnys for me

And these adorable bootie's for finn









Tiny conversations

I love "listening" in on A and A's conversations. They are so full of wonder and it honestly melts my heart every time. Today Ashlee was attempting to read Avery a poem out of a book that my mom gave to me when i was pregnant with Ashlee. I have read this poem (and many others out of this book) to Ashlee a thousand times and I had to seriously hold back tears hearing her try to read it to her little sister.

Big A "When I grow up, i think I'll be..."

Little A "when i grow up I want to be a boat"

Big A "you can't be a boat, now let me read the poem. When I grow up, i think I'll be..."

Little A "sissy, what to you want to be when you up?"

Big A " A farmer"

Big A " a princess farmer."

Little A "i want to be a boat with a horse and cow on it."

Big A "you can't BE a boat, you can live on a boat. And cows and horses can't live on a boat."

Little A "well me can. And you can put your farm on my boat."

Big A "How about you and me and Finn live on a farm together?"

Little A "Forever on a farm?"

Big A "yep"

Little A "okay! you the best sissy ever."

 And then Ashlee read the poem.

I sat on the couch behind them, they were oblivious I was listening in.

They were in their own world, and i loved every minute of it.

Mama Monday!

I don't know how she does it....

I love that I got to keep by job after having the babes, and I love even more that I get to only work 12 hours a week. I love what I do, and in a lot of ways it's my quite adult time. The hubby stays home with the girls when I work, and it's a great boding time for them as well.

However, this past week my 12 hours at work turned into 30. It opened my eyes to the craziness of working moms (who I am sure work well over my 30 hours!)

My laundry is now piled up, you can't see the floor in the playroom, the fridge is empty, dirty dishes are piled up in the sink and my feet and head are beyond tired!

I just wanted to give huge props to all the working mama's out there!!! It's an amazing thing that you can get all you get done PLUS put in 40 hrs a week at another job (I say another, because being a mama is a job all in itself!)

So my hat is off to you, and really I don't know how you do it!!!

Dreaming of... an amazing backyard

The first day of spring was yesterday and it was a chilly 45 degrees here in Seattle (yuck!) All this cold weather has me dreaming for warmer, sunnier days.

I wanted to start my garden, a feat I didn't really concur last year. However, with this cold weather, we'll have to push it out, again.

Here are some inspirational pics of what I hope my garden and

backyard will look like soon...

I am in love with this table and the gravel patio!

via

Sunset

This aqua table!

An outdoor chalkboard and playhouse for the babes!

A raised garden like this!

All so we can have a summer party like this....

 

Rain and cold go away, the Fab 5 want out to play!!!!

Sweet Baby Finn is 5 months

“Tell me, what is half so sweet

As a baby’s tiny feet.”

-Edgar A. Guest

5 months!!!!

I cannot believe that our sweet lil bird is 5 months already.

I swear the time goes faster with each child.

Finley is such a sweet and good natured baby.

She is full o smiles and coos endlessly.

She adores her big sisters.

Her feet are tiny and perfect for kissing.

I am over the moon for you, my lil bird.

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

Happy five months Finley!!

And Happy 1st day of spring y'all!!!!

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Mama Monday!!!

“The most surprising thing about being a mother (that no one tells you) is that it’s harder than it looks—it will change you forever.”

I want to start Mama Monday's with a tribute to my amazing mama.

See, my mom is/was a hippie. She's all about love and kindness.

She taught my sisters and brothers and I to be kind to everyone, not to judge. She never pushed us to do anything and encouraged us to follow our hearts.
My childhood memories are filled with happiness thanks to her.

I never fully appreciated or understood just how amazing she is until I became a mom myself.

I find myself always turning to her with questions about the girls.

Her answer to me is most always the same, love them.

Show them love, play with them, listen to them, and nurture them.

There it is. The best advice from the best mama I know.

this is me and my mama,  31 years ago!!!

Happy Monday all!!! We're off to play in the snow (yep, snow in March!)

Lucky charms and lattes

Happy Happy weekend!!!

Most mornings i run around our little home like a chicken with her head cut off. No matter how prepared or early i wake up, i cannot get out the door without some sort of struggle. This is why i adore Saturdays and Sundays! No alarm clocks, pj's until noon, dress up, lucky charms and lattes. Being that this Saturday was St Patty's day, i decided to make leprechaun pancakes (with lucky charms on top of course!) A and A gobbled up a stack and had a sugar high that seemed to last well into Sunday!

Here are a few pics of my babes, bed heads and all!!!

I hope everyone had a fab weekend!!!

xoxo