The Backseat...

Classified Ad: Wanted

• snacks..........check
• flame thrower..........check
• super strength coat..........check
• dynamite..........check

Say...does anybody have a boulder axe we could borrow?

College Girls' Weekend

I did it. I left four children ranging from seven to one in the care of their very capable daddy. Went away for two entire nights and days, something we had planned for almost six months. I stayed up until 4am, an hour I hadn't seen, well, at least for a month or two.

We talked and laughed. We looked at ridiculous pictures of ourselves from 15 years ago and remembered details about each other's weddings. We covered kids, schools, our kids' friends and how to encourage our husbands. We might have even noticed that we're aging. We went for a walk in the rain, then ran home the last bit, completely soaked and giggling. We opened up the Bible on the porch and were reminded of how we got here.

Friends.

Sisters in Christ.

No matter how much time passes.

She's One!!

Tess Elena is officially one year old!! Unbelievable ... well, sort of. :) The year has been back and forth, sometimes going slowly and hectic with much maintenance. Other times it flew by as we watched Tess accomplish more and more each day. Either way, we are loving this age as she settles into her own sweet personality (and I am loving the fact that she now crawls around saying "Mama").

Tess and Nana at her party...

(this monkey is her favorite... maybe because her daddy calls her "Monkey"??)

These girls share a birthday!

Not sure how it happened, but we ended up with a "sweets buffet" of sorts.

No one seemed to mind. :) Steph and Cory's famous peanut butter balls, designed in party colors! Too cute! Something healthy... (note to self, de-skewer fruit before giving to your children, especially if they are boys!) Tyler's surprise to me... a BonBonerie cake - all the way from Cincinnati (courtesy of the Costellos) - for our last one-year-old. When the first few cousins turned one, Cory and Stephanie started this tradition. If you haven't eaten one of these cakes, you've never lived. :)

Our smiley (unless Mama's in the room),

12 hour-sleeping (but has to be in bed by 6:30pm),

jabbering (words: "Mama," and "Hi"),

brother-loving (they babysit in the toyroom when I'm in the kitchen -

sometimes for a "happy heart", and when I'm really desperate, a quarter!),

book adoring (and book-eating!)...

attention-craving,

teeth-cutting (8 and counting),

Baby Einstein watching (four for four!),

baby wrestling (with the boys)

one year old!

Kissing her new baby doll!

We weren't quite ready when Tess grabbed for the cake.

Nothing that a little lick won't fix!

Her own personal brother fan-base!

A true girl at heart... so excited about her new shoes...

Happy Birthday, sweet girl!