Summer's End

We've been busy with the summer's end, starting school, and many many things. I have a lot to talk about, and will have a lot more time to be posting in the future. Many updates to come.

Mornings

Mornings here have been pretty great.

Cooking (with helpers), leisurely eating, taking time for coffee, reading, maze working, and youtube video watching.

Working from home equals lazy (ish) mornings. I so love it.

Summer Fun

Ahhhhhh air conditioning. What a fantastic invention. Central air? Even better.

I am sitting on my oh-so-comfy couch, covered by a blanket, listening to Liam snore (that boy will NOT fall asleep in his new bed! Dang.) where the heat of the day is a memory. And thank God, because damn, it was hot. 98' I do believe.

'Morning sickness' for me this time is more like 'afternoon sickness' ... and with the heat, it is really miserable. I am thinking I may hibernate and stay inside for the next two months.....

However, then I remember all the FUN we've been having this summer!

This past weekend Cole and I went to Haught Run in Wayne National Forest and camped. We had a great time... laying under stars, making awesome camp food, sleeping by the fire... and taking a five mile hike where we got lost and made a friend with some dude named Larry who had a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Good times! Yeehaw! It was so much fun, really recharged us, and there is nothing better than sharing dreams, and sleeping under the stars in the arms of the man you love.

Before we left I had a SUPER fun photoshoot with a couple cuties (see a few outtakes below)....and when we got back, I got to deliver unto Liam an old school Superman lunchbox we found at the Art Gallery Cole played at on Friday.... massively entertaining.

Anyway... not much of a post! Blah, blah, more later!

Powers Out!

A big storm blew through town and knocked our power out for about 24 hours. The kids and I had some fun eating out for breakfast and dinner, and walking around town that evening to kill some time. 

This weekend is a kid free weekend for both Cole and I. Last night Cole and his band played at a local art gallery for the artists' walk, and after we listened to some more local music around town. Before that, we got a tour of Just a Jar Letterpress's new digs -- a loft above a used bookstore. 

It's nice to be reminded of really what a great art/music community we have here in our little city. 

Yes.

 I've come really understand how important it is to say YES! to many things. By that I don't mean to be one of those people who gets rail roaded into saying yes to too much of anything. I mean it to be saying yes to life. Yes to love. Yes to difficult situations that may in the end reap joy, happiness, and love.

Everyday I say yes to patience, love, and joy with my children. This may not always work, of course.... but I think it greatly helps. I say yes to loving a man who tests that patience, but who I love unconditionally, in a way I most of the time cannot express. I say yes to loving my family, in all their imperfect perfection.

As far as choices go, I try to remember to say yes to new things:: new job (I get to work from home! How can I not say yes!), and now, to a new baby. You see, I'm pregnant. While this was not a planned thing (um, hello... me, 3 kids, Cole 2... now 1 together... YIKES! ) I am saying yes. Yes to being ok with it, happy even. Yes to bringing a child into the world and yes to all the joy, laughter, and love that will come from all of us, and all our family, towards and from this child.

When we first found out, all we could think about was how HARD it will be. All our kids are a bit older! We didn't want to have anymore! And... to be totally honest here..... we've been through it before. I was pregnant before, with Cole, and I had an abortion. It was very emotionally difficult, but at that time, it was the right choice.

Now, here we are again. After cursing ourselves and swearing up and down Coles' going to get a vasectomy, we decided to say yes. We will have a baby, have a family, adore the baby. Of course.

And it feels so good to say that.

So here I am, almost 2 months in. Clearly, I look a wee bit further along than that. Ahem. That (I'm assured by my Dr.) is because this is my fourth child, and I'm a very small person. So, I'll take that! We waited until after my first appointment to really tell anyone, and now that it's out, I hope to document of lot of this pregnancy on the blog. I think it will be fun, and also really helpful for me, looking at all the joy and love stemming from what could've been looked at as a hugely difficult situation, with only troubles. Yes, it will be difficult, but yes, yes, YES there will be love and joy.

New Header! Real Post!

I was very excited last weekend, when Cole's sister asked if I would bring my camera along to their reunion/anniversary party and snap some photos of everyone. I LOVE doing that - taking photos of people I love and care for. It really makes it so much fun for everyone, when photographer and subject(s) know one another- makes for a relaxing, fun, time.

We had such a great time with all the kids, swimming, sparklers, eating, playing music and singing along. Coles' family is so lovely and kind to one another, and it was great to capture some of that!

Here are a few shots from that weekend (and I mean just a few -- there are so many of them I can barely choose what to put here!)

Ketchup #2

Last ketchup before I ACTUALLY start posting. I swear. 

Things have been great the past week.... a little hectic at times, a little stressful with some new things popping up, but over all, really great. 

Picnics were happening, music was being played, and we spent the weekend of the fourth with Cole's family up north, enjoying great food, his extended family, sparklers, and cooling off in the pool. Cole and I headed to Athens yesterday for a few, had a great dinner, and enjoyed the midsummer air as we drove home. 

Lots and lots of things in the works. I can't wait to share!