The early bird...

Downey Woodpecker

 We were so fortunate to have an ornithologist from the National Aviary come to our home on Monday to do a 6 hour long bird study.  He arrived at 5:45 AM to do a preliminary count of bird calls and then set up his nets in the backyard.  Let the catching begin!  He was looking for certain birds to band for a study called the Neighborhood Nest Watch that has been conducted through the Smithsonian for the last 15 years.  The kids had gone to bed early the night before so they could be up bright and early to see all the action.  And it was a flurry of activity right from the get-go!  In total we caught 38 birds and the kids had an absolute blast getting up close and personal with them!  Never thought I'd see them holding woodpeckers and robins, sparrows, chickadees, goldfinches, titmice and so many others.  It was an amazing learning experience and we can't wait to do it again next year.

They were able to see two different woodpeckers and see how long and sharp their tongues are.  I didn't realize that they wrap all the way around the back of their heads and that they are so long and sharp and barbed for getting the bugs out of trees.  Amazing!

Derrick and his buddy the mockingbird!

Derrick even got a chance to hold the one bird he loathes more than any other...the mockingbird.  This guy is out in our backyard chirping all hours of the night and drives Derrick crazy too when he's out working in his garden.  I think I see a glint of mischief in his eyes thinking, I should get rid of this bird once and for all!!  But he was nice and let him go on his way after he was banded.

One heck of a tongue!

Red Bellied woodpecker

Sparrow, finch and goldfinch

 We've been having a great time getting reacquainted with cousin Orion this week too.  After not seeing her for 10 years it has been SO special to have her as our guest for the whole week.  She's been such a great sport about spending time with the four crazy kids, even going on the trampoline with the mister going after dinner one night!  We are really going to miss her when she heads out on Friday!!!

 Yesterday's adventure was a trip to the Children's Museum with Nani and Orion.  We LOVED the Eric Carle exhibit and it was fun to feel like we were a part of the beloved stories we have read so many times together.

Peaches and Screams

 We made the LOOOONNNNGGG trip down to Triple B Farm yesterday for some delectable peach picking.  We bagged an amazing 105 lbs this year which is filling our fridge up quite nicely right now!  The kids survived the 90-degree weather and had such a fun time picking (and eating) and then visiting all of the fun farm activities afterwards.

They loved the two big tube slides, which are quite a thrill.  Sienna even tried out the slide one time on her own.  You can see that her reaction was not a positive one...haha.  Maybe next year she'll be less scared, but I have to admit, it is a pretty fast trip down even for me.

 Lawson was clearly quite enthralled with the peaches...so much so that he slept through the whole picking time.  He must have slept very well for his 20 minute nap since he cried for most of the 1 hour ride home!!  Lawson!!!

Crowder singing "I'll Fly Away"

 The very busy (and hot) morning was followed up by a truly surreal evening as I was able to get away from the kids for the whole night (thanks Derrick!!)to go to the Hillsong United concert with my dear friend Molly.  We saw so many great groups like Lauren Daigle, Crowder and Jesus Culture, and the best of course was United.  Hearing the song "Touch the Sky" live that has been such an emotional/pivotal/encouraging song (See this Post) for me over these past two months was simply surreal.  I was so thankful for this opportunity to go and spend some quality time with a friend.

Summer is for this...

Extended nose

 We caught a close look at this butterfly moth yesterday...it's pretty amazing really.  It looks like a giant bee at first, then you see that the wings are more butterfly/hummingbird-like.  And finally you can see it's proboscis nose which it can curl up or extend into the heart of the flower to reach the nectar.

Curled nose

We had a blast playing with friends Ellie and Harper today too.  Yay for friends!  Lawson enjoyed seeing another little baby and Sienna was loving life, having another friend to go in the trampoline with her.

Tonight Derrick and I were actually able to escape for almost 2 whole hours to walk around the lovely streets of Sewickley and grab some delicious ice cream.  Yay for adult alone time!!  And when all was said and done and the kids were tucked into bed, we ended up bringing them all back downstairs for another 45 minutes so they could catch lightning bugs and shoot off some fireworks.  Were we not already exhausted from a long long day and a long long week??  Of course!  But, it was worth it and I thought as I was tucking them back into bed for the 2nd time, this is the kind of night they will think back on and remember for a very long time.  This is what summer is for!

Big Mother

I'm watching you...I know where you've been...what you've been doing/eating/messing up.  I've got eyes in the back of my head, can hear your conversations behind closed doors.  I've got a 6th sense and it tells me when you are being bad.  I'm Big Mother.

You think you can get away with sneaking those candies when I'm not looking??  What you didn't realize was that hiding the wrappers in your bedroom wasn't really all that sneaky.  I saw them sitting in your Lego bin (Carter) in your garbage can (Sienna and Reese). I know what you did and I am NOT happy about it.

You think that leaving the house with the toilet clogged isn't a big deal?? You must think that the toilet fairies come out when you've gone to clean up the big mess you've made.  You're wrong...oh so wrong.  It's me, and I am NOT happy about it.

I catch you trying to cut open a big bag of candy with your play scissors.  (Sienna)

I catch you trying to use my makeup in the morning (Sienna)

Powder Girl

Every once in a while one of you manages to slip something in under the radar.  Big Mother's 6th Sense is weakened by your younger cohort who is still not sleeping through the night.  (Lawson!!!)  And of course, the one time you do manage to get away with mischief, it's a doozy.

You think it's funny to play with baby powder (Sienna)?  You come downstairs looking like a little ghost, coated all in white.  Then when I go upstairs, you tell me, "Mooey has powder on him too."  Oh but it's so much worse than that.  You took the entire jumbo size bottle of powder and emptied it out...ALL out...ALL over your bed!

Sigh...I guess my skills at fending off mayhem need sharpening.  There's always tomorrow....

We enjoyed a Next-Gen version of the neighborhood play date today.  Some of Lawson and Sienna's friends came over with their grandmas and a GREAT time was had by all.  Stay sweet and innocent, dear Lawson...do not turn over to the dark side like your older siblings...please!?

10 months and 11 years

Milestones...

Memories that never fade...

Certain dates that evoke emotions the moment you wake up in the morning...

July 18th, 2004 marked the day that I married my best friend in the whole world.  I can't even believe it's been 11 years already...11 years of wonderful memories, of laughter, of growth, of sickness and health, of the extreme joy of bearing children and the excruciating pain of losing loved ones.  And through it all, we have stayed strong and in love, only by the grace of the God that we serve.

 I am thankful for this day to mark an event that changed my life forever, has made me a much better person, and has caused me to be blessed so far beyond my imagination, I am often speechless when I think about it.  I graduated from Grove City College feeling hopeless about ever finding a spouse, because it was preached that you would find your future mate there.  And only months after moving to Pittsburgh...there he was!  On Match.com, nonetheless.  God has a funny sense of humor sometimes.

I am blessed to share this day marking Lawson's 10th month too.  1 year is coming up on us so fast and I can't believe my little babe is getting so big already.

I ran across some copywork the kids did a couple years ago while cleaning up their school area today.  The verse they had copied was "I trust in Your Word"  Psalm 119:42  I trust in Your Word, God...how I often take those words for granted.  God has promised me so much and so often I doubt His intentions for my life. I do trust, God...I trust because I can look back and see all that You have done and I look ahead and KNOW that You are sovereign and in control of everything that will happen to me, to my family, in all the years to come.

I Will Survive...

Thank heavens it's Friday!!  I do love the weekend...not that it's any more relaxing getting woken up at 5 am on a Saturday than it is any other day....but there's just something that makes it seem a little less insane when you know it's the weekend.

Derrick and I keep talking about ways to streamline our lives.  There's got to be a way to save time here or there so we aren't always so stressed and stretched to the limits.  Yep, I've got it...just STOP SLEEPING.  Easy right...so many kid-free hours gained just like that.  hahahaha

I mean I try, I really do try to be organized and have our days well-planned out.  A lot of times I'll get everything rounded up the night before if I know we are leaving early in the morning to go somewhere.  But almost always, something happens that throws me off my schedule.  This week on our trip to the library I had everything perfectly orchestrated to get us out the door on time.  I ran upstairs to brush my teeth only to look in the mirror and see that while I was holding Lawson, a blueberry from his breakfast must have smashed right onto the front/center of my shirt leaving a large purple stain.  I came downstairs from trying to wipe that off, not even bothering to change, only to find Sienna at the bottom of the steps, completely changed out of her clothes and into a bathing suit.  Nooooo!  This kid can change her entire outfit and remove her diaper in 2 minutes flat and can't pee on the potty yet!?  Seriously!!!

Cue theme song of my life...I will Survive...

Lawson is officially crawling as of a couple of days ago. He made it all the way across the room tonight as we coaxed him and cheered for him.  I can't believe tomorrow marks his 10th month and that his first birthday is just around the corner.  Goodness did that fly by!

And tonight we kicked off the weekend with the annual Fire Truck parade.  20 straight minutes of brain-jarring, ear splitting sirens and flashing lights.  Lawson seemed to like/tolerate it.  He didn't cry at least and he sure did look cute in his earphones.