This past week we were afforded the opportunity to housesit for our 500sqft partner jyll.  I leapt at her offer as we were sooo struggling to get our ac online and team elam was starting to show some serious wear after 3 weeks of HEAT.  We watched her 3 kitties – with emily in tow – and were delighted to be cool, completely entertained with the cat/dog show, and totally pretended to be in a new city as we explored the wacky world on the east side!

We ventured up to sassy cow creamery with leah and fam and had a picnic lunch amidst all the excitement surrounding the farm.

Molly threw a birthday party for her toy story loving 2 year old Luca.  It’s so great to get the kids out and let them discover each other and the world around them  - as well as relax with my baby-mamas.  Our lives are so much more hectic now that we’ve had more babies and started to connect back to our pre-baby selves.  While I still see them every week or so, our paths have begun to separate back making these dates so much more sacred!

That being said, i was a little nostalgic watching all our babies…  It is truly magical having kids as everything else just stops while you acclimate and change!  Your struggle and growth, elation and exhaustion all feed into this awesome life changing thing.  I am so thankful we’ve recorded these moments and discoveries as I can scroll through and watch our little ones grow into people.  I’m awed as these woman have helped shape my little ones, but most especially me, to be better!!  Now as I look at Ima trying to navigate through her frustrations – walking, climbing, talking –  and listen as Noah strategizes his argument for “5 more minutes before bed”  I’m blown away at how far we’ve come!

I’ve attached all of our additional photos to our flickr account and made it SUPER easy to get there as you just need to click ANYWHERE in the text!! Lemme know if you have problems or questions and as always LOVE THE COMMENTS

There were so many moments from this trip!  Thank you jas and em for sharing yourselves with us – i’ll send you money for the blinds;) Thank you to my uncle and aunt for hosting and opening your lives to the chaos of our entire elam-davenport -and hopefully next time-anderson clan!  you have a truly beautiful and tranquil home that is a perfect backdrop for the trash-talking, baby crying, celebration that is our davenport games. Thank you Mary Katharine! as you not only reminded me of my CPR training, but captured such memories with your camera and talent!  You have done such an amazing job of embracing and sharing our spirit!  Check out our other moments!

What a completely totally awesomely unexpected day!  I think Mother’s day is slowly climbing to the top of the fun filled holidays as I felt wrapped in luxurious doting for 24 hours and I couldn’t think of anything but reveling in that!

HAPPY MAMA’S DAY!

Every night after baths we have each kiddo pick out a story to read.  These books vary from a quick picture book to “the hobbit” novel.  Tonight Ima’s pick was Puff the Magic Dragon.  As jaythan and i belt out the lyrics, synching our dubious 2 part harmony, Noah starts to sing with us!!  It was such a moment.   When I looked over and saw him trilling this epitomy of a childhood song, I wanted to cry.  I feel that everyday, if we have a moment where we synch, where we connect as a family, as our own little island, I am truly blessed!  Tonight’s’ moment, as jaythan’s howling “OHHHH puff the magic dragon” to the heavens and Noah is dancing to the music between us, Ima looks on in fascination with her 2 little fingers stuck in her mouth, I can’t ask for better.

Night. Night.

Is there anything more fun than easter.  The hunting, dying, eating!! the chocolate bunnies, chocolate peanut butter cups, chocolate peeps (yum!)  the chickens, cows, horses, goats, grandmas, grandpas, cousins and land as far as the eye can see! This Easter we also learned the difference between an electrical fence and one without ONE MILLION volts of electricity humming through it so that an adorable unsuspecting – and trusting!! young woman wouldn’t touch it!  Ahhhh, life’s lessons…

We met up with our friends and hit the zoo for a totally chaotic intro into spring.  6 3 year olds, plus siblings, and a bunch of wild animals was truly livin on the wild side