My Sereney girl

There's just so much to say about this picture. I love this little girl soo soo much.

This little stop sign is in the parking lot on the way into our favorite Mexican food place. It's obviously unusually short and Serene is fascinated by it. . Last night on our way out she asked to have a picture with it. Of course I said yes and we had fun taking a couple pics.

Here's what I love most about this photo:

1. Her outfit... Serene has an eclectic sense of style all her own where nothing matches but she looks totally adorable anyway!

2. Her doll... This doll named Baby Rivers goes with us everywhere. She got her name after our own Rivers was born and Serene was adjusting to two babies in the house over a 12 month period. She cares for this doll like a real child. It's her precious companion

3. Her joy... She finds joy in the smallest things in life. Like this short stop sign and taking the time to get her picture by it.

I love this little girl so much!!

Instagram moments

Hair cuts

Daddy took both boys to get Easter church hair cuts today. Are they so stinkin cute or what? Love these boys so much! They think going to the barber shop with dad is one of the coolest things ever. Love it!!

Serene salad

Serene spent about 30 minutes making this truly delicious salad for me. Poor thing cut each piece of carrot with a child's dinner knife which is about like cutting it with a bookmark. ;)

I love this precious and caring girl!!

My precious first born

Oh oh oh how I love this girl!! She is so full of ideas and creativity. She never ceases to amaze me all the net ideas she comes up with for her and her siblings to do! She LOVES art and anything that involves hands on activity. She is just full of life and joy and energy!

Right now she is working on a quilt for her doll. I have no idea how to make a quilt so we are both learning as we go! Memories!!!!

Big brother love

Yesterday Patience was climbing on something in the backyard and she fell and rolled on her back. Just as she fell Rivers ran over from where he was playing and knelt down by her and helped her back up and kissed her and said "you ok baby?"

Love love love!!

He is SUCH a sweet little man.. Even if he does raise a lot of hell! :)

Come back

Rivers was concerned that Patience was getting away so he took it upon himself to get her back inside. While he was pulling her back in he kept saying .. "No baby, you no leave baby".

He never calls her by her name... Just "baby".

Cousin Ellie's birthday

This week the girls and I went to the American Girl boutique to celebrate our Cousin Ellie's 5th birthday. The girls had fun shopping around and really enjoyed the fancy lunch and yummy cake! Happy Birthday Ellie!!

My sweet boys

They are precious when they're awake but oh my word when they are asleep I'm just smitten!! :)

Some Instagram moments

My name is Tarrah

Last night I had one of the more precious moments of my mothering career. We were putting the kids in bed. I'm nursing Patience on one arm and directing bedtime traffic with the other when all of a sudden this little hand taps me on the arm and a quiet little voice says "mom, mom". I look down to see my sweet Benjamin looking up at me with deep thought in his eyes. I ask him what he needs and with wonder and curiosity he asks "mom, what you name?"......

Lets back up for a minute and say that until about 3 months ago Ben didn't really talk. He finally began saying words several months ago but true conversation just came in the last month and boy did it come in a mighty way... Gushing forth in grand proportions. It's like everything he's wanted to know but couldn't ask or talk about has come bursting out the last few months. He asks me a thousand questions a day and I answer with deep deep joy knowing my boy can finally speak and express his heart and mind.

Anyway, back to this moment last night. He looks up with his gorgeous blue eyes and his curious little face and says "mom, what you name?". To which I reply "Tarrah".

At that moment he looks off and smiles and with satisfaction in his voice he says "Tarrah, my Mommy Tarrah" and gives me the most precious hug I'm certain I've ever had.

My heart is so full!

So busy

I looked at my blog and was shocked to see I hadn't blogged in almost a month.... Wow! Then I remembered that we have had constant construction going on in our house for that entire month. The house has been totally turned upside down. While I am loving the projects going on I have to say I will be so glad when our house is ours again. There has been one group of workers here every single week day (and some weekends) for an entire month.

We are close, so very close to having it all done and when it's done I will be excited to post lots of pictures of befores and afters! So many beautiful changes... Our house seems to be becoming our own. It's always a beautiful feeling making your house into a home and a cozy warm inviting place for family to gather and memories to be made.

I love how Jimmy really gets how important the making of the home is to me (and is to most moms). It's just something innate in my soul to want a beautiful, restful place of peace for our family to exist and thrive. He has been so excited to see these projects accomplished for me! Love him!

I'm so grateful to have my five incredible children to raise in this house. To watch them spend hours playing side by side, learning about life and each other and their world. To see them accomplish today's small tasks like potty training and learning to read and writing their name for the first time. To anticipate the day when their tasks become things like, learning to drive and going off to college. It all happens too soon and too fast but for now I'm just so glad we have each other and these moments to enjoy and cherish and incredible memories to be made. This house already holds so many and will hold so many more as the years roll by. Love this life!!!