It seems when I go too long without posting an update people start to wonder and get worried…that’s sweet!  All is well around here.  Just busy.  Life is incredibly bitter/sweet.  There are a million things I could write about every day but I just choose not to.  I don’t usually force myself to write…I just let it come out when it’s the right time.

Sooooo…I guess I’ll just play a little catch up tonight.

I’ve meant to post something about Ava’s birthday but I just haven’t gotten around to it.  We had such a wonderful celebration of her little life. It was a Winnie the Pooh themed party (she is all about Pooh and friends right now) at a local play place and everyone had so much fun!

These are some of her 2nd cousins.

It was really a grace filled day and I genuinely enjoyed celebrating with my girl…and she had fun too which was so good to watch. Her party was about her and not about being sad (a big thank you to everyone who made that possible). There was a Josiah shaped hole in the day, but he also was very much part of it.  Shortly before Josiah died, he wrote Ava a note in a birthday card.  So on her birthday night as I was putting her to bed, I let her open the card and I read it to her.  It was very precious and something I will keep for her to read again and again in the years to come.  He was so proud of her….as am I!

Lincoln LOVES to be outside!He gets very upset when he is denied freedom.  He loves slides, swings, sand, dirt, and scaring his poor mother! He thinks he can do everything his big sister does…and more.  I love watching them play together and hearing them giggle! They are precious.  Lincoln is my little love bug and is always running over to give me a hug.  He has always been a momma’s boy…and I am not discouraging that 🙂  He has been teething lately (his eye-teeth, which are his last teeth for a while, hallelujah!), and has been pretty grouchy and not sleeping well.  But that also means extra cuddles for me.  I am soaking them up!  He “talks” all the time and always has an explanation for everything.  The only words we can actually understand are please (sounds like cheese), what’s this?, Mom, Dada, and I think he says truck and baby.  He signs bye-bye and eat (which also can mean please, or more, according to Lincoln).  He loves dogs.  He cuddles with baby dolls and says “awww”.  Everything is a gun…and I mean everything.

I do see why he thinks this is a gun...but he's not picky.

He loves anything with wheels. He is scared by random noises and battery operated cars.  And he is never happier than when he is eating!  Yep, I think that pretty much sums up my son 🙂

Well, this ended up being an update on my kids.  I’m sure there are other things on my mind and heart but this will have to do for tonight!  TTFN!

I woke up this morning and decided to take the kids on an impromptu picnic at the “beach” (I use the term “beach” very loosely).  I love a good picnic!  I will admit, I was struggling to surrender my memories to the Lord as we were driving there.  We spent several afternoons at this particular park last summer/fall…and I was missing our fourth person very much.  My heart was aching, but I so wanted to enjoy the day with my little ones.  God’s grace was, yet again, sufficient and we had a great time together. I combined two of my kids very favorite things:  the outdoors with food! Although, if it had been warmer I could have added playing in the water and had the perfect trifecta 🙂  We had the place completely to ourselves so the kids had free reign.  Lincoln is at such a fun age right now and I just love seeing the world brand new through his eyes. We ate healthy and nutritious food that I prepared myself McDonalds…although in my defense, I did bring (mostly) good food for Link and I had planned on going to the grocery store today, but since we threw caution to the wind and headed to the “beach” our choices of food at home were pretty slim.  Please ignore my kids grubby hands and snotty faces…I most certainly did not allow them to eat bites of food in-between playing in the sand/goose poop.  I am much more germ conscious than that 🙂  Ha!  We stayed until a certain little girl had to use the facilities.

OK, could she be any cuter?

Yay.  I opted against taking both curious children into the public restroom (I do have some limits people!) and just used our emergency portable potty I keep in the car (no picture.  Ava, you will thank me some day).  Then I just decided to leave after that.  I had a very quiet and happy car on the ride home and they are both sound asleep in their beds…sand and dirt and snot and all 🙂

Have I mentioned I love being a mom?

This pic is just so there is proof that I was actually there!

(this pic totally reminds me of when I brought her to this park last year)