Her palace

The birthday party day had finally arrived, and I don't know who was more excited - Peyton or her mommy.

You see, I had been thinking about Peyton's birthday present for months and had scoured the Internet, toy stores, and other moms in search of the world's most perfect gift for a two year old.

Besides a pony.

Well, because a pony would just be audacious. Not to mention, where would we keep it, and who would feed it, and who would pooper scoop after that large of an animal?

A pony was clearly out of the question. So we opted for the next best thing....


We bought Peyton her own little playhouse - equipped with a stove, sink, washer, dryer, cradle, changing table, and dining room set.

Seriously, where was this thing when I was a kid?

When Ellie Kate turned two, we bought her a wooden play kitchen, and the girls spend countless hours in there making "dinner" and bossing each other around. It provides them entertainment, and gives their overworked mommy a nice break.

Until the screaming sets in, of course.

When Peyton woke up that morning, came flying around the corner, and laid eyes on that house for the first time, she threw her arms in the air and with the biggest smile said, "For Me?"

"Yes, honey, its all for you." And we never saw her again the rest of the morning. Except from this angle...


She did do quite a nice job sharing. We put the house in her room and when people come to visit, she promptly asks, like any good hostess would, if they would like to join her in her house. Of course, she has no idea what kind of contorted shape we adults have to put ourselves in to fit into that house - but I am amazed at how many people have obliged.

The things we do to make our kiddos smile.

I found this on Craigslist, for all you inquiring minds, and paid about 1/8 of what a normal one would cost. And trust me, worth every penny.

Peyton is 2!

Two years ago today, at this very hour, I was in the final stages of active labor, begging my midwife to just GET YOU OUT ALREADY! But once you finally graced us with your presence, it was all worth it.

It was love at first sight.


During the first few months of your life, you were such a sweet, calm, complacent child that never opposed anything. I often wonder what happened to that relaxed newborn, and where this rambunctious toddler came from.

But I know one thing. I wouldn't change a bit about you.

Today, you are two years old, and we fall more in love with you with each passing day. You are an excellent addition to this family, and God has big things planned for you.

While sometimes you make me want to pull my hair out with your one million questions, your stubborn behavior, and your too-smart-for-your-own-good ways, I love you a million times over.

You love Dora the Explorer, green beans, and being a sister. You refuse to go to bed without all three of your blankets, and you remind me so much of myself. You can recite every Eric Carle book, and could spend countless hours playing in your toy kitchen. You make friends with anyone, but you have been known to bite people for no reason. You constantly ask to go to church, and you "call" Memaw on the phone everyday. You are a big-time snuggler, and full time debater, and always looking to help mommy.

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While your strong nature is often a challenge, I pray you will use your abilities to stand firm in your beliefs. Your constant questioning assures me that you will never take any one's word as fact, and always research for yourself. I pray your love for people will bring others to love Jesus.

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God has big things in store for you, Peyton Layne. Big things that will change this world and make it a better place. "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in word, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity." (I Timothy 4:12) Though, small in stature, little girl, you have a big future - chase after it with Jesus right beside you.

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Lord, thank you for the gift to this family in Peyton. She is a breath of fresh air and your providence is evident as you gave her to us. Guide her daddy and I as we strive to point her to You and prepare her for the amazing call You have placed on her life. May she be willing, ready, and open to change the world.

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I love you, dear little one. You are daddy's princess and my best buddy. I am so proud to be your mommy.

Tiny Little Dancer

This past Spring, I got a flyer for a Christian dance camp here in the area.

I had been seriously mulling over the idea about putting Ellie Kate into dance class, and thought this might be the best low key, low performance, low cost way of determining her likes.

We had tried our hand at gymnastics about a year ago and she just never seemed to really enjoy it. Yes, it could have been the age, but she just isn't much a a dare devil. The thought of jumping off the trampoline into a pit of foam = doom.

So I quickly enrolled her, and I thought I would wait until the last minute to tell her she was going - for fear that she would pre-decide her hatred for it.

So we woke up last Monday morning, and I put her leotard on, and told her that she was going to go to dance camp today. She had no idea what that meant - and that was OK by me (because what she also didn't know was that this was a dance camp at which mommy was no where in sight.)

We left early, to make sure I knew I could find this place, and as we pulled up, we saw a sweet couple from a church we had been attending. Praise Jesus, she would know a little girl in her class. This might not turn out to be disastrous at all.

You see, I was so fearful that she would cling to my leg and never let go.

I thought she would take one look at the door and run back to the van.

I just knew I would walk away with the sounds of my baby screaming my name.

And then I opened the car door, she ran to the studio, and proudly began introducing herself to her class.

And then I started to cry.

Wait a minute, this is not how this was suppose to go.

Needless to say, she loved it. They danced to The Lion King and it was just about the cutest thing I had ever seen in my life.

At her recital on Saturday, she looked like a little princess.

She even kept giving me that, "Seriously, mom?" kid of look. Like I was embarrassing her or something. Too bad kid, this camera will be at every milestone in your life - get use to it.

Peyton even loved watching the dancers and tried mimicking the big girls.

And here is Ellie Kate with her dance teacher, Miss Olivia. She adored her and often plays "dance camp," where she is Miss Olivia and Peyton is the student. Although, I don't think Miss Olivia talked to her little dancers the way Ellie Kate seems to remember. :-)

Daddy couldn't make it to the recital because he had to work, but I got it all on film. Well, sorta.

You know, its really hard to film a recital, try and take pictures, and watch an almost two year old all by yourself. A big thanks to Mimi for keeping baby Stone at home. I'm not sure I would have any images with this post had she not done that for me.

I enrolled these two little munchkins into Miss Olivia's Fall class and they are so excited. They will be dancing together and I have a feeling it will be a hoot.

Can't you just see their personalities in this picture? And doesn't it make you send up a quick prayer for my sanity?

"Why, Peyton?"

Well, Ben and I are stumped.


For the past several months, we have been stumped.


Don't get me wrong - this parenting thing has us stumped A LOT, but usually on the issues of obedience, compliance, and eating-your-green-beans-ness. It is not, however, everyday that we cannot figure out what our children are saying.


While sometimes our children speak gibberish and can often run their words together or make up words on their own, we can surprisingly still interpret.





Often times Mimi will ask, "What did she just say?" and Ben and I can magically make sense out of the mumbling.





Ellie Kate, of course, speaks very clearly and often with wisdom beyond her years (ie. "Mom, can we turn the TV off and just talk?"). Peyon, however, is still managing to bring the slew of words into complete sentences and is still learning how to use words properly. For instance, not too long ago, she repeatedly told me "That was curly!" in reference to a neat trick. Clearly, we need to work on the difference between 'curly' and 'awesome.'





While we often understand Peyton, there are moments in which we don't. However, if worse comes to worse - we bring in the big guns - Ellie Kate. I don't know what it is - but she can understand her sister so clearly. Peyton can be sobbing hysterically and mumbling through the tears and spews out some unrecognizable request, when suddenly I hear from around the corner "Mom, she just wants a snack." Oh, is that what "baaa heis xljfds lwidnz" meant?





"Peyton, you want a snack?" - to which all tears stop, a smile returns, and she quickly nods.





So several months ago, when I was having a conversation with my little twenty month old, she repeated the same word over and over and over again. I asked her to repeat several times. No help. I brought her daddy into the room. No help. I brought Ellie Kate into the room. No help - "Gee, mom, I have no idea."





In the past few months, however, we have learned a few things about this word. She says it whenever asked "why?" She says it with great persistance; she clearly is trying to say something; and she thinks it is hillarious that we have no idea what it means.





So I am enlisting all of you!





Please, help me decipher the inner workings of my child's mind.





Help me meet her request!





Help put this nonsense behind us!





Help STOP THE MADNESS!

So, whatchya think?

It's Rhetorical

What kind of mom...

would feed strained squash....

to her 7 month old, darling baby boy...

with a straw...

and live to blog about it?

On second thought, don't answer that.

It takes a village

You know, they say, "It takes a village to raise a family," but if you got good supportive grandparents and a slew of aunts and uncles - that's about all ya need.

My kids are so blessed, on both sides of the family, with top notch grandparents, and the best aunts and uncles alive.

And of course, the cousins. Who could forget the cousins. Sometimes its all I hear about for days!

On this particular vacation, however, we had the privilege of spending our time with my parents and my three brothers and one sister.

Even though all four of them are teenagers, fascinated with video games, dates, and hip-hop music, when my kids come around - their world stops.


I'm serious. I can be mid conversation with one of them, and Ellie Kate chimes in something about "wanting a chip," and that's it - they're off to the kitchen to fetch her demand.


Not to mention, they are fabulous babysitters. I mean, they don't even have to be asked! They fight over who gets to hold them. I am constantly reminding them - there are plenty to go around!

And Memaw and Poppy - well, they are just a mess. Memaw brought daily presents for them to open, new dresses to wear out to dinner, and more toys than I own.

If it wasn't obvious, my younger siblings are all adopted. We were constantly being asked, "Are you sure you guys are all related?"

What a fun bunch.

I sure am glad I didn't have to rely on a village.

Big splash wishes and saltwater dreams

When Ben and I committed to this vacation, it wasn't an easy commitment. We weren't really sure where the money was going to come from, but we sensed that we needed this time away, as a family, to be refreshed and encouraged.

And boy did we need it.

God opened many opportunities and we slowly saved enough many to take this much needed trip.

While Ben and I have visited this exact spot several times in our relationship, we knew this trip would be a little bit different.

Instead of spending our days shopping, visiting the sights, eating every meal out, and taking boat rides - we knew we would be spending most of our time doing this....


And boy did we do it a lot!

We probably spent at least 100 hours in that glorious saltwater pool, and by the end of each day, my kids were pooped.

But they did so good. Our condo was within ten yards of the pool and we would wake up every morning, eat a quick breakfast, throw on our suits, and head out the back door.

It was paradise for a three year old.

This little munchkin was quite the little character. She usually had befriended every.single.person in the pool by the end of each day. They were all sad the day she left.

We tried to make every opportunity a chance to hear our children and learn a little more about their hearts.

We would be fooling ourselves if we thought they hadn't experienced just as much life-change this past year as we have. We often forget to listen, and it was nice to hear their sweet dreams and hopes for our family. (most of which included a pool in OUR backyard someday!)

Ben and I are not big believers in floaties. We want our kids to learn to swim early in life and not be depended on them.

However, we did give them a little independence while swimming on their noodles (or "moodles", as Peyton called them).

Ellie Kate was my little fish. When we first arrived, she was a wee bit tentative, unsure of going under the water and away from the wall. By the end, she was jumping off the side and swimming a good ten feet. We are oh so proud of her. Praying she doesn't forget all her hard work!

All in all, we had a blast. And these little girls are already counting down the days until next summer.

Tans fade, but memories are forever

I am so in love with my family.

This past year has been a battle year for us. One in which many families could break and crumble.

But not my family.



I love them more than I did yesterday, and I am so blessed to call them mine.

We used this vacation to regroup, refocus, and recommitt ourselves to our purspose as a family and our purpose in Christ Jesus.

I am so proud to be a part of them and I can't wait to see what God has next for us.

*Vacay details to come, but wanted to give you a sneak peak.