I need YOU

Well, the title of this post may seem a little dramatic, but I really do need you to vote.  I designed a t-shirt for my gym and if my shirt gets the most votes, I get THREE FREE MONTHS added on to my membership.  Amazing right?? So if you have a second, click on the link and like my cute little T.
Thanks!!!

                                                                                            

vote here

We talk about nothing

In my never ending persuit to become a better mom and wife, I read a passage that said we should talk about absolutely nothing with our kids so that when there's something important to talk about, we will already have open, comfortable lines of communication. As my children have grown, as I've struggled to learn how to communicate in a healthy, respectful manner, and as I have matured in my relationships, that simple thought has returned to me again and again.  I catch myself talking to Drew about hockey and snakes and what he wants to be when he grows up.  I listen to Maddi tell me about how plants grow and which princess is the prettiest.  I realize Sean and I are casually talking about the weather and I can't help but grin.  We talk about nothing so that when we need to talk about the important things, it flows easily and naturally.  We can share our fears without judgment, and when the time comes, we can honestly share our joys and concerns and volnerabilities in safety and love.  And here are a few pictures from our latest hike where we walked and rode and daydreamed and talked about everything and nothing all at the same time.

lets go fly a kite

We have had some gnarly afternoon thunderstorms lately. As these storms roll in, the weather cools and the winds soar yielding PERFECT kite flying weather.


Even Sam wanted in on the fun :)

The Pirate Tree House at the Botanical Gardens

Is this not the coolest tree house you've EVER seen?  The kids LOVED it.
And aren't these the cutest kiddos you've ever seen!! I am so blessed.

Dog Days of Winter at the Botanical Gardens

This year the botanical gardens had a special exhibit called the dog days of winter. If you have a furry family member, you MUST go! We walked the trails, let Sam run through the no leash zone, walked through the dog houses set up along the trails, and got to enjoy the blossoms along the way. On the weekend we chose to go, the gardens waived the admission fee if you brought an item to donate to our local animal shelter. Another super-fun, absolutely free weekend. :)

Burritt on the Mountain

Burritt on the Mountain is a beautiful little museum tucked away on the top of Monte Sano Mountain. This year, the museum joined with a local business to host a day of free admission to honor black history month. I love, love, LOVE visiting this little place.  The thin, fresh air, the chatter of the farm animals, space for the kids to run, and education sneaking up on them when they least expect it.  It is peaceful, beautiful, and perfectly preserved. Here are a few pictures from our super fun, absolutely free day.

Adventure fair at earlyworks museum

We went to the adventure fair which just happened to be at our fave earlyworks history museum this year. During the adventure fair the museum waves addmission fees and opens its doors to allow local companies to display activities they have during the summer. There are lots of giveaways, drawings for tickets to local events, summer camp sign ups, coupons for annual passes, and the kids can play while you're browsing. It was super busy, but I still think it's worth going. We played in bisuits newly renovated backyard with treehouse, played with trains, and got the most amazing face paintings I've ever seen. Seriously. Amazing. Here's Maddi's georgous butterfly face. And yes, washing it off was world war III. She assumed it was more of a permenant feature. Silly kid.