In the thick of it {may twenty fourteen}


How is it that we have said goodbye to May? I feel like I missed it. As if it were happening to someone else and I was just watching. But no, that is me and my children in those pictures. And when I look at them I remember the day and the feeling. My life can get so messy and hectic, and I forget what happens when we are in the thick of it. But when I look at these pictures I remember. I remember that May was amazing despite the bumps and the hiccups. I remember that there were many days I was in the moment, even if it meant my phone was out. Because sometimes I just have to capture life, so I can remember, everyday has a slice of good.

Mac and I on a random day in May. It was so windy and cold which is rare in May. We didn't mind.

On the last day of scouts, we decided to have an ice cream party, in the rain... Only Fresno can be 100 degrees on Monday and raining on Tuesday.

Drawing while I blog. See that's my computer screen in the bottom left corner. "Mommy", she said, "I need to work too. I have some stories to draw". I just about cried.

Mac took her first road trip with grandma and grandpa, while mommy and daddy stayed home. She was so excited to go and pack a bag. I think she was spoiled rotten all day.

The Hubbs and I celebrated our Anniversary a few days late. Better late than never. As a gift, he allowed a rare selfie.

Some mornings are terrible. I cry. They cry. We all cry. But some mornings the sun shines, the planets align, and everybody smiles. It's very Instagram worthy. It's also a morning where we serve cookies for breakfast and ice cream for dinner. Because the little wins in life, like getting to school before the bell without tears,  should be celebrated.

Girl Scouts + Build A Bear = Pure fun. We sold enough cookies this year for a Build A Bear Party. Yeah us. That is an official Thin Mint bear that Caitlin is holding. The glasses are a personal choice.

We tried a day at Downtown Disney. It was magical. The girls cried because we weren't going to the real thing. Next year babies. We promise. Well, Santa promises.

 
In the blink of an eye, Elevate came and went. It was life changing and affirming. It also goes to show that not every social media relationship is bad. Not every person is out to get you, and if you offer a kind word, a smart ass comment, or a virtual shoulder to cry on, you will meet people who make your world a better place. 

My girls watching Sponge Bob after an amazing weekend away from home. Away from the laundry and dishes. Away from the bills and the bank account balance, and school. A little pocket of memory making and togetherness. It was magical and wonderful, and I can't wait to do it again. Sometimes you just need a change of scenery.

This kid has comedic timing. I say she gets it from me, the Hubbs says she gets it from him. Whoever blessed her, she is funny and sarcastic and yes, smarty assy. And it's perfect and wonderful beyond my wildest dreams for her.

A Memorial Day spent in our pjs until Grandma called and said "The water is just fine", so off to the pool we went. This is our only proof of leaving the house that day. The sun was warm, the food was good, and the company was even better. I can't even explain how much I miss these people when I'm at work. 

Daddy's day off and Mac's nap meant that me and this beautiful baby got a little time away. Panera dinner and Target spree. This was her cheese face, with her cheese sandwich. She put that one together all on her own. Side note: she hates tomatoes, but loves tomato soup. 

In the midst of working like crazy, I got a day with Caitlin and her class at the zoo. We spent it walking and talking about our favorite animals. Then we smashed some pennies and had a brown bag lunch under some trees. Then we grossed out in the reptile house. It was a great day.

I may complain about this man on the daily, but Elevate weekend was phenomenal. He made that happen by driving us down there and staying with the kids all day Saturday. I captured this outside Disneyland, where we all had a fantastic day. I love this picture of him in the thick of it. Right in the middle of the chaos, right in the middle of our life. In twenty years we will look at this picture and think, "were they ever that small, were we ever that young?". And I'll remind him that we were.

Mac has had enough of my pictures and postings. She's one hundred percent over it. This is what I call her "zero effs" face.

Caitlin picked out her accessories and hair style. It was the best way to celebrate the last Friday of May.

I was stuck at the face painting booth at the first grade luau. But thanks to the amazing parents at our school I received this text. She is so incredibly big. She is a young lady. And she keeps on growing. Soon she will be seven, and I will wonder how I ever thought we'd never make it past year one. 

How easy it is to forget the little blessings when you are in the thick of it. When it's messy and chaotic and there are tears and spilled everything. When we feel like we are drowning and the air is thick and dinner won't have the chance to be burned because it isn't even getting cooked. We forget. We forget that we had ice cream in the rain, that we walked by the most magical place on earth, that we had lunch among friends we only know by screen names. We forget that our husbands really do love us and our kids are really good kids, despite the whining and fit throwing. We forget. But when we stop, and stand still, and breathe, we can look back and remember that we lived a life, a really good one, with happy faces and cheese sandwich smiles, while we were in the thick of it.