The Big Recital

You don’t ever drop your sieve in parenting. It’s a constant job this standing in the river and sifting, sifting, sifting through pebbles of diaper changing and breakfast making and homework checking and laundry folding and appointment making and fight breaking and driving to the next soccer practice you signed them up for before you realized if they win, you spend every waking hour of your life at tournament games that require your weekends, your wallet and your kidney if they so request. Some days it’s a dangerous job–and it takes your breath away as you tread further in the river–knee-deep, waist-deep, over the shoulders–holding them up as you help them withstand the currents of heartache. Mean girls. Rejection. Loss. Failure. Insecurity. And even if it’s days, weeks, months before you see flecks of gold shimmering again beneath the water, you stay in the river and wait. Because you know they’ll come. And when they do, you scoop them up and celebrate. Buy hair glitter, arrange bouquets, take pictures, gather family and write blog posts about that shimmering little nugget of a ballet recital. And before you know it, you’re finding gold in more places–bits of it catching your eye even in the fiercest currents.

-Kelle Hampton

This my friends was absolute gold.  Every time this girl hits the stage, all the " she can'ts" we ever heard in her life completely vaporize.  The show was so good that even if I didn't have a kid in it, I would love watching.  The music, the theme, the smiles, the tears.  Get's me every time.  It is just so, so special. 

 for the second number, I told her to make sure she smiled and looked like she was having fun up there.  She smiled like this  the whole darn time. 

 Selfies and recital make up.  I'm so m so proud of my girl. 

 My view on recital day,  the finale and the graduation dance gets me every time.  Tears.....

 and a family who supports and shows up and buys you flowers and cards.......even better.  So proud of these boys :) 

 It was a special day. 

a week in our life

Continue to scroll down to see all 7 of the the posts :)  Enjoy!

a week in the Life Sunday

this is Sunday...we made it to the end of another week!

to quote Ali:

Say hello to your in-depth opportunity to be an observer of your life. Look for the stories. Look for the rhythms. Look for the routines. Look for what brings you the most joy. Look for the spaces you are currently being challenged (how can you embrace, learn, grow, accept, expand, open, move forward). Look for the little things that are evidence of your existence. 
The truth, my friends, is that we never know when our "everyday" will change. Capture what it is real for you right now. I have no idea what is in store for me this week beyond what I know is on my calendar - that places I need to be, the things I need to do. The gift I give myself are the photos that capture the pieces of my life this week.


These photos and these stories are the gift I leave to my family.  We were here.  I bring You Sunday....

 Sunday the boys were up early to head off to an all day pretty far away tournament.  It was a bummer to be separated again since J was leaving tomorrow for yet another work trip, but the weather was yucky, I had a lot to do here and we weren't all going to be able to go.  We divide and conquer most often when it comes to sports.  Still we are grateful to be able to give them this experience. 

 We all get our chores done today since it's an inside kind of day.  20 degrees colder than yesterday.

 The big boys bookshelves right now.  I want to remember how he's holding on to some of the things that were important to him when he was younger.  I want to remember how he is sensitive and sentimental just like his Mom.

 a good day for a hot shower and a blow dry.  I'm so overdue for a haircut.

 We hop in the car for errands.  We started shopping a new grocery store and shopping center about 4 months ago and have stuck with it for the proce savings.  Car selfies for the win.

 They remember to bring the dog out right before we leave.  They mostly take responsibility for this now and enjoy it. 

 she watches him play games in the car on the Kindle.

 we get to Target (usually only visit here once a month), for some household supplies and a new shirt/dress for her band concert on Tuesday.  She's pretty much grown out of everything.  I get everything I need between Target, Sam's club and Market basket.  I tend to stock up on the things I use all the time even though running back to the store is pretty easy.  For someone I'm always afraid of running our of things.

 He likes to push the cart. 

Looks like games are going good except for the weather.

The grocery store is packed.  Everyone saved their shopping for the worst weather of the weekend day.  We try to have a little fun to get us through.  Sometimes L brings a calculator to the grocery store and adds up stuff as we go along.  He usually is pretty close to the total.  I used to be better about coming up with fun little educational things for them to do when they were smaller.  Now, not as much.

 We get home and out it all away, she makes her snack for tomorrow with a new little container she begged me for in Target. 

 Trying on her concert outfit (which she ended up missing because Lucas was sick and I didn't''t have anyone to bring her.....not as easy to ask someone to give your kids with a disability a ride to something, (keeping it real, yes, the truth, trigger major Mom meltdown). 

 She helped with the laundry later in the afternoon and we felt pretty ready for the week and another week missing Daddy.

 They get home from their game frozen to the core.  We were all in our jammies before long.  We decided on homemade OJ to have with dinner.

 still in catch up mode before he leaves again.  I want to remember how good it feels just to have him home.  I can breathe out a little knowing I have a partner in this really hard thing called parenting.  There are so many problems to solve and decisions to be made at this time of our lives.  So many things changing so fast.  I'm grateful for all the ups and downs. 

 another awesome family dinner..

 He doesn't have a lot of time for the piano right now.  I would love to do everything and so would he, but we just can't.  I love when he sits down to play even though he forgets parts of my favorite songs.  I hope he sticks with it for life. 

 T corrects his Math test.  I think it's interesting how the teacher asks them to tell how they felt about how they did on top.

 They reconnect with a daily walk. 

 and some snuggle wrestle time.  I miss doing football wrestle tackle when they were little. 

 tired but getting it done.  I'm proud of the student he is.  He cares (sometimes too much). 

this dog gets oh too much love and blankets and stuffed animals and snuggles and treats and squeezes and ear pulls.  so good this one.  Well that wraps up this week.  This was our Sunday, our week, and our life.  I love looking back at these photos and these stories to see what changes and what says the same.  So grateful for all of it.