Ellie's Donut...

The remnant of Ellie's donut with icing and sprinkles.  She is not so subtle in letting us know which part she likes best.

Opening Day 2012...

Yesterday was the Little League opening day for the 2012 season.

Mason was especially excited for this season to begin because this is the first year that he gets to play on the junior minor league, which uses a pitching machine, unlike t-ball, which was the league he played on the previous two years.  He did a great job--he got hits off the machine every time!

In yesterday's game, Mason played 3rd base and catcher.  He was so excited to have the opportunity to play catcher, because that is a position that t-ball didn't have.  He loved getting to wear all the gear too!

 This one almost got away!

The look on Mason's face when his coach announced that he had won the game ball! 

These four brothers are some of Mason's closest buddies.  We're so blessed to be on their team for the 3rd year in a row! We are proud of you Mason...we love to watch you play and have fun!!

My April Fool...

I'm very impressed with my seven-year-old's ability to plan and carry out an April Fool's joke.  Today he put a gigantic fake bug in my shower, which scared the heck out of me when I got in and saw it.  And then he switched his underwear with Matthew's in the underwear drawer in hopes that, while dressing in the dark of the early morning, Matthew would accidentally put on little boy's undies.   Well played, Mason.  Well played.

Be Slow To Anger...

Spring is in full effect here, and Mason has begun another season of little league baseball.  This morning he decided to practice a few pitches in the backyard while the girls played at the sand table, and Matthew and I were cleaning up what had been a more than 3 hour yard work project.  All five of us were filthy, thirsty, and ready to go back inside. But as we were working and Mason was throwing his baseball around, I suddenly heard a loud crash--a sound that is unmistakably the sound of a window breaking.  Now it does seem to be expected that if you have a son, at some point you'll likely experience him throwing a baseball through your window.  But I guess I hoped that was just something I read about in books or saw in movies, and certainly not something that would really happen at our house.  I was definitely shocked at first.  As I stood there with my mouth wide open looking dumbfounded, lots of thoughts sped through my mind...lots of things like: "What the heck were you thinking!" or "Do you know how much that will cost to fix!" and "Do you know how hard it is to clean up all that glass!" and even "How could you have been so careless!"  But as I was drawing breath to exclaim these feelings of frustration at him, God reminded me of the words of James 1:19-20: "My dear brothers, take note of this:  Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for a man's (or a mom's) anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires."  Wow. When I take a moment to think about these words, I quickly realize that even though we often have grown-up expectations for Mason, he is still in fact just a little guy--a little guy who is still learning who he is in this world, and a little guy who is sure to make messes and inevitably throw his baseball through our window.  And how I respond to these accidental incidents will most definitely shape the perception my children will grow to have of themselves.  I'll never be perfect at it, but I'm trying to be very purposeful in remembering God's words as I live my days handling three children, while trying to constantly show them love and patience in my interactions with them--especially when Matthew is working long hours, I'm going it alone, and it's the end of the day and my patience is fading.  Oh yeah, and also when Ellie attempts to unclog a clogged potty by repeatedly flushing it, which results in it overflowing all over the bathroom floor.  Yeah, that happened today too.  :)

Easter Pictures Of The Little Three...

I feel very blessed to have recently had the opportunity to have one of my dear friends, Crystal Patranella, photograph my children one Sunday afternoon.  Crystal has recently started her own photography business, and we were lucky enough to be some of her newest customers.  This was also the first time I've ever had their pictures taken professionally (where it wasn't at a chain store inside a shopping mall), and I couldn't have been more pleased with how they turned out.  Thank you, Crystal, for so beautifully capturing my children in this moment.  

These three always love to be barefoot and in the mud:

I love the way Ellie looks up to her big brother:

Mason:

Ellie:

Mollie: 

Best buddies:

One of my favorite shots was actually an outtake:

*You can see more of Crystal's creative photographic work on her Facebook page 'Crystal Patranella Photography'.

Mollie's Moves...

This baby girl makes me smile...and how she loves to dance!

Nap Time Conversations, Part 3...

Laying Ellie down for a nap as it is raining/thundering outside:

Ellie: "Momma, don't be afraid of thunder."

Me: "You're right Ellie, thunder is just God's way of telling us to go inside because it's going to rain."

Ellie: "Yes, Momma.  Thunder won't hurt you...but sharks will!"  

(???) Still trying to figure out where that one came from.