My Baby Girl had an amazing Birthday.....she has lost so much in her young life, experience more heartache and frustration than any person should, but when her smile lights up the room, you know she will be okay.

Happy Birthday my beautiful girl.............

The Watermelon Cake Emma wanted, let's just say that I won't be opening a bakery anytime soon!

The Birthday Girl!

Gifts.........

 The Reaction!

She is growing so fast

My baby is closing in on turning 7.  Just a few Weeks from now we will celebrate that next birthday.  As the time draws closer, I can't help but reflect on the last 7 years. 

She has changed our lives so much and everyday I am incredibly thankful and humbled to be her mom!

All Boy

All Boy Photo Contest

An Awesome Way to Give Back

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”  Dr. Suess,  I can read with my eyes shut!

I am a book nut!  I love to read and I read often.  I love it when my children read!  I love to read to and with my children.  Reading is one of the things I do for myself and never feel guilty about.


With that said, I found a great site today that allows me to read books to/with my children and donate a book to a worthy cause.  For EACH book we read online, one book will be donated to a campaign of our choosing. 


If you like to read, your children like to read or just want a way to give back.....check out this site :  Read a book, give a book.


Happy reading!
  

Taking Time with Nature

I don't care how a poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich!

~M*A*S*H,  Identity Crisis

We have been so crazy busy lately.  My oldest is now home schooled (what am I thinking), I started back in classes (clearly I am not thinking) and the other three are busy, busy, busy with school and spring. 

The other day I realized that we haven't really done anything lately that is fun. So yesterday, I decided that I could combine my school work, with some fun stuff the kids like to do AND give us all some exercise.  That's a Mommy Win!

Yesterday we headed out to a local Nature Center.  This kids love to go here and the trails through the woods offer plenty of twists and turns and ups and downs to get the heart rate moving.  The trail ends at the lake, which is the bonus and reward.

Once we hit the beach, the kids all began to do their own thing.  One searched for rocks, one dug holes for sand castles and yet another decided to give Sand Art a try.  And I of course took pictures.

The walk is about 1.5 miles total (not including up and down the beach), with a lot of stairs, needless to say the walk and the play wore us all out.  We all slept really good.

Sometimes, the perfect time for Mom, is spent with her children, enjoying life.

  

WOOT WOOT!  It's Five Minute Friday, I love this!  

Goal, to write for 5 minutes straight on a given topic...

Here we go.........

TOPIC:  Together

START:

Together: Togetherness: Family: Unity

I strive to bring togetherness and unity to my family.  Someday's it honestly seems like an impossible challenge.  With 4 children and their ages so spread out, it can be extremely difficult to get us all together and agreeable on the same thing. 

The teen likes to watch different Television than my 6 year old, my two pre-teen boys like yet other television from both of their sisters and of course, I prefer something yet completely different.

Board games are also very difficult for family time and togetherness, because again the youngest is in a different developmental level than the rest of us and her games are "baby".

So how do I promote unity and togetherness in my family?  Through nature and photography.  One thing all 5 of us have a passion for is photography.  It doesn't matter that here, we are all at different levels, because all photographers have a different eye and view.  

We head out to an area, armed with camera's and shoot the afternoon away, will bonding.  It may not be the way your family does it, but it definitely works for mine.  We all look forward to the days when we can go out together and shoot.  

STOP:

If you want to do your own five minute friday challenge check out: http://thegypsymama.com/2012/04/five-minute-friday-together/

Spring Break

Spring Break has arrived again in our household and the kids couldn't be more excited.  The girls went to Indiana to visit family (as seen above) and the boys hung out at home with mom.  

While I try very hard to make Spring Break a true break for my kids, it never seems to happen for me.  There is more laundry to do, more food to cook, more shopping to be done, but there is also less "rush".  

I truly hope those beautiful girls of mine enjoy their time in my hometown with their family and that I find a way to make the boys happy this week since they didn't get to Indiana, their turn will come this summer.

For everyone else on Spring Break, I hope you all have a slow, peaceful and restful time!

Always Too Long.......

We survived winter and are now officially in Spring, though it feels much more like summer with these 80
degree days!  I am not complaining per say, but I am definitely at my best in the 70's!  Just warm enough, not too warm to enjoy being outside and just cool enough, not to cool to enjoy being outside.

The kids are definitely getting ready to blow off the steam that has been brewing all winter, which is odd, since this winter, we had very little snow and much warmer than normal temps.  Regardless, they are so anxious and happy to be in shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops and to be outside where they can be and are quite loud.

Mommy is happy to see them getting outside and burning out that energy so she can get some much needed mommy time.  The house also is always in need of a good spring clean out and time is needed to re-group and re-organize!

Either way.........I am happy to say...WELCOME SPRING!

I have certainly been neglecting my time-outs!

Running around crazy and exhausted.