Sweat and Tears (No Blood, Thankfully)

I sat down at my computer last night at 9:30 pm with the intention of purchasing shirts for my four kiddos for school pictures coming up in three weeks. Seems like an easy enough task, right?

Wrong.

When it comes to me, NOTHING is an easy task. I have to think and analyze and deliberate and get a second opinion before I can make any decision. I really make things so much harder on myself than they should be. The shirt decision for example:

Browse Old Navy-find a shirt for Josh, possible shirt for James, nothing for the girls
Browse Gymboree-possible shirt for one girl, nothing else
Browse Gap--find shirts for the girls, possible shirt for James, nothing for Josh

I then begin opening different windows for all three sites and begin making my own combinations. Oh, but not any simple combinations, you see, I actually begin cutting and pasting images of the shirts that I like and making documents so I can see the four shirts in the same configuration that they would be hanging in the frames on the wall.

Three hours and some near tears later, I am delirious from trying to match blue, burgundy, green, red, and pink. I decide to go to bed and sleep on it. (Really, such an AGONIZING decision! ;) )

This morning I give it another try and I am able to successfully match four shirts from two stores! Wahoo!

Onto the next small decision that I can somehow agonize into a huge one...

A Duck By Any Other Name...

"Let's play 2 Ducks, 1 Goose."

(Savannah's request to play Duck, Duck, Goose).

The Big One

So, uh, I turned thirty a few days ago.

T-H-I-R-T-Y

I'm officially grown up.

I don't know why I'm having such a difficult time with the fact that I'm now out of my twenties, but I really am struggling with it. I hear people all the time say that their thirties were their best years--I pray that proves true with me. I'm a little afraid of the future right now. Not liking that feeling AT ALL.

Thirty.

Ugh.

Sweet Baby James

*~*~*Happy 6 Months to my littlest man!*~*~*

Weighing in at 16.7 lbs, he is quite small for being such a big guy at birth (11 lbs.) He is super tall, though, which means he's taking after his daddy. Whatever the size, he is still the cutest baby on earth!

Growing Up

Savannah started preschool today. She had a ball! It is so much fun to see her growing and learning. But it is also sad to see my baby getting so big.

A recent funny Savannahism I need to write down before I forget:
Ally: "I want to have my next birthday party at the bowling alley."
Savannah: "I want mine at the bowling Savannah."

Gotta love her!

Here is a picture of my big girl getting ready to head to preschool this morning:

Smiling Eyes

I'm sitting in church with 6 month old Baby J on my lap and after Sacrament service, an older lady comes up (she's new to our ward, I'm not sure of her name yet) says, "I just want to tell you that your son is so special. May I touch him?"
"Yes"
"Oh, he is just so sweet...I think he sees angels...he keeps looking up and smiling and he has the most beautiful sparkle in his eyes (he really does--it's so neat). He really is special. Hang on to him."

Tears welled in my eyes. I mean, I know my child *is* special, but for heck's sake, I'm his mom. I'm harldy unbiased. For other people to recognize his sweet spirit is humbling. He really does have this beautiful twinkle in his eyes. Maybe he really is smiling at angels.

My Sweet Baby J.