contrast.

the armageddon heat wave that has overtaken chicago is what they refer to as everyday during summer in florida. it's like the fl heat that we left is peeking in to tell us hi, we miss you. we miss you, too, florida. or shall i say, we miss you, too, beach/pools in every yard/ocean/boat club/some dear friends/fresh seafood/beach/pool/ocean.

slight change from our pool in florida, but it does the trick. happy toddler and dog..

we are getting away next week, though, and i'm little-school-girl-giddy about it. some quality family time at the in-law's cottage in michigan. we plan to mix lazy around the cottage with a perfect dose of active in the water and some long lake runs.

we went to target this morning to get some necessary items for the trip and i ended up with a floppy hat and denim short overalls (shorteralls) that i'm all too excited about. i'm channeling my liz lemon, even though she wears her shorteralls as a joke of how unflattering clothes can be... michele, i look forward to hearing your jokes when i wear them to our next playdate.

oh tina, i admire the way you willingly make yourself the butt of the joke to make the joke. i hope to be more like you.

now back to the heat wave. it has given us AWESOME reason to play in the newly finished ice house. i mean basement. we have created a fun habit of wrapping up in sweatshirts & slippers then having tea parties with babies and wrestling matches on the futon mattress.

all the while proving that fal gal is the toughest girlie girl that has ever been. i'm fairly certain she could dominate any kid in the tot lot, but would tend to her baby as soon as the brawl was over.

the cool basement has been a nice contrast to the hot 3-inch thick air outside. the quiet cottage will be a nice contrast to our wonderfully busy lives. i like contrast. it keeps it interesting and keeps me aware. slow, hot yoga tonight will be a great contrast to pounding the pavement running. yeah, i like contrast a lot.

no internet for a week. lakes out.

sometimes we like to stage things.

dear girls:

dad & i commented several times last night on how wonderful our weekend was. we were having an elaborate family meal (of drive-thru portillo's) and fallon did not stop talking and savvy did not stop smiling. therefore, mom & dad did not stop laughing. what a joy/honor/hilarity it is to be your parents.

i LOVE the mirror image stance here... makes me laugh. a lot.

bry's siblings were in town and we did it up bbq style. in 115-degree heat. thank goodness for kiddie pools and sprinklers. and not caring that you have sweat stains in front of family.

dear girls.....

fallon, you regularly talk without stopping for 20-30 minutes straight. and you're really funny. the other day i was putting together your big girl bed (you're not in it yet, but you sure are getting excited about it!) and as i lifted your mattress you were a hilarious peanut gallery: "wooooah!" "need a hand, mom?" "is dat heavy, mom?" "wooooah!" "big girl bed." "need help mom?" "good job, mommy!" "wooooah" i was laughing so hard which made the whole process of putting the bed together take longer which made you talk for longer. you didn't know what i was laughing at but you joined me in laughing, like you always do.

and savvy girl. oh my, that smile. when you are awake, i'm convinced you spend more time smiling than not. you like being at home best, lying on the family room floor in particular, making eye contact with someone. and as much as i don't like to admit it, nothing gets you smiling faster or bigger than your dad. in fact, i might have to take 3rd on this one because fal sure gets you going, too. "hiiii savvy girl." "what's up baby sav?" i'm fine with that though, i get the cuddles. this morning you spent 6 am-8 am in my little savvy arm nook.

big sister teaches little sister how to jump. big sister does have mad jumping skills.

it's amazing to be in the midst of creating our little family- our dynamic, our routine, our traditions. us girls watched veggie tales sweetpea beauty tonight while dad was at a work dinner. (a dvd i HIGHLY recommend for mom's of girls.) and not that i want to brain wash you. but i kind of hope i can brain wash you. true beauty is on the inside and that is what shines out on the outside.

please take captive any thought or influence that tells you otherwise.

you are beautiful. and perfect.

and created in His image.

perfect. just the way you are.

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised Pr. 31:30

tough days.

every once in awhile there are these really hard days as a mom. they sneak up on you out of nowhere. i'm thankful that i don't feel these all that often, but today was one for me. i write to vent and refocus and to encourage my little girls that if and when they are moms, it is ok that you have tough days, too.

i have blamed all sorts of things: traffic, not having "me" time, trying to juggle too many things, a few nights with bry on the road, bumpy sidewalks on a run with the girls, a whiney toddler, and on and on. and on.

i am reading "give them a grace," a recommendation from my wonderful friend jeanne and while i just started, i am getting the point of the book all too well already. i fall short in everything and God gives me grace after grace after grace. we are to parent that way, too.

today was a tough one. tomorrow? tomorrow is a new day. i need grace and i need to give grace. looking forward to both :)

dear girls:

this blog has really turned into my letters to you. my way of documenting our memories as a family and hoping that you might find joy/encouragement/comfort in reading it when you are older and even (gasp.) mothers yourselves. i thought of a few things this morning that i wanted to share with you.

sav was awake early this morning in her cradle next to our bed. happy but not asleep. watching the ceiling fan. blowing bubbles...

i remember when i lived in paris. i was 21 and my biggest concern each day was what part of town i was going to explore: which open air market would i sample, which cafe would i read at, which thrift store would i sift through looking for a christian dior purse or flapper top (both of which i found, by the way.) what i remember, though, is that i was dating your dad and i would lay in bed daydreaming about when we got married and we had kids. those kids would wake up in the morning and i would be the one they wanted. i would be so excited to begin our days together and plan what WE would do together. swap out parisian delicacies for organic pop tarts, kitschy cafes for local parks with good baby swings, and the aforementioned chic thrift stores for super target. i dreamt of you and i prayed for you so long before you were born and being your mom has far exceeded any fantasy i played out. i love waking up to you guys every single morning.

i also want to share with you how much i love your dad. i pray that you each find a man like your dad. i'm a visual person and i have these distinct pictures in my head...when i walked down the aisle and saw his face at the other end. when he came to visit me in paris and the intense emotion that welled up in me at the airport after not seeing him for a couple of months and he walked through those doors. him climbing into the boat over the weekend after playing with fallon in the water...my attraction (sorry, you'll probably find that gross) and gut-wrenching love for him has grown every single day. please don't ever settle for a man who doesn't knock your socks off and make you feel like you are a precious gift from God, because you are. and there's a man out there who thinks so.

fal, this morning you put stickers on my cheeks and found it hilarious. sav, you are SO CLOSE to belly laughing. you lay on the ground and i tickle your thighs. you coo and smile and open that mouth so wide, i am so excited for your adorable laugh that will be so very contagious, i'm sure of it.

i love you, girls.

the 6th

dare i say they look like sisters?!

happy 6th of july. we had a fabulous holiday weekend. so fabulous that i find myself wanting to make every day as celebratory and carefree as the fourth of july. a day filled with families & friends getting together, firing up the grill, sparklers (or glow bracelets in our case with the chillens), laughter, joy, time spent outside, and all sorts of american traditions... like wearing matching outfits with your cousins...

we were up at lake geneva. one of my happy places for sure. the whole extended family made it up there and with 7 cousins 3 yrs old & under, it was a zoo in the most glorious sense. mornings consisted of each of the families making their way to the living room as the kiddo's arose all too early. coffee brewing, egg casseroles baking, affectionate cousins greeting each other like they hadn't seen each other in YEARS, and planning for the day.

days consisted of the williams bay beach, jumping off the pier, boat rides, lounging on the screened-in porch, and gobbling up lunch after a tiring day at the lake.

the choppy lake geneva waters on a holiday weekend...hold on to your hat.

and evenings? evenings are my favorite. grilling brats (cherry, apple, chicken, garlic, oh my), chaos until we all sit at the dinner table, putting sticky sun-kissed kids to sleep, and playing games and drinking drinks with adults, or a late night stroll along the lake with bry guy.

as a family unit, we all came back refreshed and tired. a beautiful juxtaposition.

we snapped right back into the groove of our day. i drove to target without the girls, blaring my music (like every mom does when there are no kids in the car, right?) i got to thinking about how much i desire bringing this fourth-of-july-ness to our everyday life around here. just living a little more carefree and enjoying each day that God gives us. impromptu afternoon bubble bath with fal gal? absolutely. a run when i only have 30 minutes left with my sitter? run like the wind. staying up late on a weeknight watching a movie with my love? uh huh.

i love the memories that come with holiday weekends. we document them a little better. we take a few more pictures. the holiday brings it out of us.

some of my favorites from this particular holiday:

fal gal jumping off the post at the pier. post: 3 ft-high, fal gal: 21 months. bam.

"oh, oh, oh it's MAGGIE!"

playing taboo with my husband, siblings and parents

watching savvy coo at my grandpa, her great grandpa

fal & bry walking together from the beach to the pier

the natural light that poured in on the porch

my mom sitting with the grandkids early in the morning in her big comfy robe

silently laughing so hard with bryon as we tried to crush a bug NUMEROUS times before finally conquering the persistent little bugger, all the while the girls sleeping soundly across the room

and from this particular weekday:

fallon saying: "actually, it's (insert any word you like)"

sav giggling in her pack n play when she's supposed to be going down for the evening

successfully breaking fal of the sacred nuk. she seemed to growing all too attached to it and we felt like it was the right time. she cried for 20 min the first night and that. was. it. i'm so proud my heart could burst. her resiliency never ceases to amaze me.

savvy's lady bug dress
fal gal pulling weeds next to me in the backyard. cute, right? even cuter: wearing her winter mittens to match my gardening gloves

dinner at the picnic table outside: grilled tilapia & blackened corn on the cob

booking our anniversary trip to wine country. look out napa, here we come

listening to bryon on his conference call with china as i type, girls sleep

so happy sixth of july, and happy seventh, while we're at it.