HELLO!

and good night!

despite all these things, the boy also had an extremely soft, extremely sentimental, extremely tender heart. so much so, that even at the early age of 2, the little boy would cry when he heard stories like, Love You Forever.

one day, the little boy had to go to the dentist to get his tooth extracted. though it should have hurt, he was tough and had not complained about it, but both his mommy and the dentist knew it was best to yank that sucker out {in as painless a way as possible. of course.}

the boy was happy. excited even. because he had never lost a tooth before, and as we all know, a lost tooth equals a visit from the tooth fairy, and well? what could be better?

so, the tooth was set free. and the boy carried his first ever lost tooth home in it’s shiny new tooth-case. that night, the boy slipped the tooth under his pillow, said his prayers and fell fast asleep.

in the morning, as you may have guessed, the boy woke to a shiny $1 gold coin and a handful of change. he was excited and happy with his new treasure and promptly dropped each coin into his little red barn bank, each one making a satisfying *clink* as it landed.

another milestone notch on his little belt.

a done deal.

little did his mother know that deep down in the little boy’s sensitive, soft heart remorse and sentimentality were creeping in, and despite the treasures the tooth fairy had left, the little boy missed his “very, first ever tooth” that he’d lost.

he missed it.

and not only did he miss it,

he wanted it back.

so the little boy did what any self respecting 6 year old would do, he wrote the tooth fairy a note :

and he prayed.

and he worried.

the boy and his mother had many discussions about the kind heartedness of the tooth fairy, and how surely she would return the tooth…she’d been kind enough to trade for it in the first place hadn’t she? by trading back, what did she have to lose?

so, two days after the tooth fairy had made her first visit to the boy, that same little boy {this time, teary eyed and sniffling} slid the money back under his pillow, along with the note, and then…

he worried more.

he prayed more.

until he finally fell asleep.

and do you know, that the next morning, that little boy’s tooth was right back in it’s shiny new tooth-case.

just like it’d never left.

and in the eyes of the tenderhearted little boy with his “first, ever tooth” he’d lost back in his hands,

all was right in the world.

the end.

*  *  *  *  *

that tooth fairy i tell ya…

she’s a keeper.

i’m SO ready for the school craziness to be done and the roadtrip craziness to begin. when i say SO ready, that’s mentally of course, and not ACTUALLY ready as in packed, house in order, to do list completed, etc.

oh no my dear peeps despite my best efforts to make lists and organize and be ahead of schedule, i can GUARANTEE you that i will be a crazy wild woman by the end of the week.

a crazy. wild. woman.

you can bet the bank on it.

i have been trying SO hard to think ahead {i have to be intentional about this because it’s so, so, so, so, SO not my nature to think ahead. like at all. ever. i’m a live-in-the-moment kind of a gal} trying to accumulate some roadtrip activities for the ride. the very LONG ride. a 20-ish hour trip makes activities mandatory. not optional. we’re driving through the night because that makes the most sense with 3 kids…cough*andacat*cough…and now you can officially put me on your *crazy people* list.

here’s what i’ve got for the circus :

• aluminum foil
• pipe cleaners
• dry erase boards/markers/books
• journals
• books
• audiobooks
• rubber band board/rubber bands
• lacing cards
• magnetic car track tray thingy’s
• sticker books
• glow sticks {for the night. i’m entirely too excited about these. #dork}
• lego boxes
• tape
• maps

and that should keep them busy for about 34 minutes {not to mention that it will be scattered all over the van where no one can reach anything, and i’ll remain unbuckled the remainder of the trip handing everyone something all. the. time}. snacks buys me another 12 minutes. so that leaves only 19 hours and 14 minutes to entertain them.

serious face.

so i need a little help, PLEASE.

send me your ideas friends! i know you’ve got them. your go-to car entertainment games/activities/etc. post a comment below. or tag me on instagram. or facebook. or twitter. or pinterest. or text me. email me. ANYTHING. don’t make me beg here people, i need best and brightest to entertain the circus!! muchas gracias my loves!

oh. and the cat? he gets cat valium.

lucky.

peace to the out *

change the location of play? well folks…you’ve got a winner.

outside. quilt. legos. eager little builders. equals happiness for hours. {ok. let’s be real. maybe not hours. but definitely enough time to get my coffee and devotional in. score.}

{there’s that face again}

{i kind of want this one as a canvas for our playroom. colorful legos. sunshine’s hand. sweet pea’s feet. and mine too. could only be better if turbo were there…}

{space ship. by sunshine.}

legos? i’m gonna miss you when you’re gone.

happy friday friends!

* smile, sunshine *

and this is what i get :

proof that being a photog mama does not necessarily mean i am going to nail that awesome shot everytime. no. in fact, it means i’m going to get instant goofy almost EVERY time. ha!

which face is your favorite? i’m partial to the surprised fish myself

peace out *

true story.

we went through a spurt {cough*allyear*cough} where turbo was getting into a bit of trouble at school. not bad boy trouble, but 6-year-old-boy-trouble. you know, like not sitting still, or not sitting AT ALL, and talking. LOTS of notes home about talking.

we’ve had many, many discussions about how we need to act in school, how to listen the first time, how to focus, to stay in our seat, to not talk so much {yeah. right.} all important things he’ll have to be able to manage eventually {like when he’s not 6. and an active boy. and extremely social. and, and, and…}

little did his teacher know that the notes she sent home gave us the opportunity to hammer home a bigger, more awesome point. the simple fact that every morning God gives us the gift of a new day. a day for us to start fresh, brand new!

*tomorrow’s a new day buddy. new choices. new chances. new ways to improve. to make it better.*

that’s the beauty of forgiveness. we’re made new. our slate is wiped clean. we have hope in a 2nd chance. or a 3rd. or a 4th x infinite, as long as we keep asking for forgiveness and with renewed hearts trying again. trying to do our best. realizing, each morning, each new day is a gift.

we rock out to this song every morning now as a reminder {to quote the song} :

wave away my yesterday
cause i’m leaving it behind me.
hello sunshine, come what may.
i feel something new inside me.
i hear the birds singing
now my alarm’s ringing
get up, get up, hey!

it’s a good morning!
wake up to a brand new day
this morning,
i’m stepping, stepping on my way
good morning,
You give me strength,
You give me just what I need
and i can feel the hope that’s rising up in me.
it’s a good morning!

i love everything about love.

i love that when sunshine see’s a heart he calls it, *your favorite shape mommy.*

i love the way it feels. heavy in my heart. comfortable. true. honest. happy. lovely. love.

i love the way it sounds when sweet pea calls from her bed, *wuv-yu.*

i love that it’s free. free to give. free to receive.

i love the way it presents itself in everyday life :

• in surprise packages in the mail
• in late night ice cream runs
• in hand drawn notes from brother to brother
• in hugs from overly exuberant sisters
• in playdates with friends
• in text messages that simply say *love you*
• in turbo asking his teacher for an extra worksheet to bring home to his brother
• in sharing the last bite of your favorite treat with someone
• in parents that still look out for you. even when you’re 30.
• in the twinkle of someone’s eye when they look at you
• in saving a cookie for your brother ’cause he’s at school
• in so many, many ways…

i love that you can never have too much love.

and likewise, you can never love too much.

i love that love never fails.

i love that i believe that with all my heart.

that’s all.

it was a good prep for our summer roadtrip that kicks off next month! we’ll be in montana, nebraska, south/north dakota, minnesota, idaho and washington throughout the summer! if anyone is interested in booking a session, please email me at : lifeasyouliveit@live.com for dates!

cheers *

a mohawk.

his very analytical, left-brained brother liked to wear his hair in a fauxhawk. because it most certainly was NOT a mohawk since ligistically, it didn’t go entirely from front to back as a true mohawk should.

so, his was most definitely a fauxhawk.

each morning when they entered the bathroom to get their hair done the inevitable argument ensued.

mohawk. no. fauxhawk. no. MOhawk. NO. FAUXhawk.

MOHAWK!

FAUXHAWK!

i think you get the picture.

until their mom {in a hippie-like tone} interjected with,

*why can’t we all just get along dudes? mohawk, fauxhawk, they’re different but the same. just like you two.*

different. but the same.

and from then on, they lived in a happy world where mohawks and fauxhawks were both equally acceptable word choices to define their hairstyles. and no one argued and everyone was happy. always. oh. and they got along too. and gave their awesome mom back rubs and coffee. on instant refill. and did everything she asked the first time with a smile on their mohawked/fauxhawked adorned faces.

the end.