Pure Happy

Oh, to be so young and so wild and so in love with EVERYTHING. If they could do this every day they would.

So last week I could barely even be bothered by technology with 3 toddlers in the house. We had SO MUCH FUN with cousin Rachel that we are still recovering from it all. Madee has been waiting and waiting and waiting (maybe I told her about it too early?) for her cousin Rachel to come visit her house and boy was it just the best vacation ever. Only for us it was a stay-cation so even better.

We ran and played and shopped and ate and didn't do a lot of napping, because it was go-go-go all the days long and into the nights.

But there is this:

and this...



They grew together during this visit. They banded together, loved each other hard, shared and giggled and laughed and learned together.

And we watched as they turned from "our kids" to "each other's cousin and possibly BESTEST FWEND."

They know they belong together, that they are connected. That they are family.

And it was a beautiful thing to behold. So natural, so sweet, so pure.

I really hope they always have that together. How lucky for their little hearts.

The Sweetest Gift

She has been waiting for what seems like forever for the fairies to do their work in the garden.
The other day she brought me a "flower".
It was a piece of broccoli.
I wash it, and we shared it, and it was delicious.

She has been itching all week for them to finish growing so she could give them to her Grandmama. We planted them 4 months ago for Grandmama's birthday and they actually almost were ready in time.

It's amazing really, this broccoli took up a whole lot of garden space for such a teeny little bouquet of florets, but I think Madee and I both really enjoyed creating a present for someone together.

Loving and nurturing and checking and showing off and it finally all paid off as we wrapped it up to take to Grandmama's house.

Aaaaaaand she fell asleep on the way to Grandmama's house and it was such a hard sleep she could barely open her eyes as she got her Grandmama kisses in her carseat.

And at one point her little eyes rolled open to focus and she just fell back over into her slumber and I heard Grandmama say in this awed little hush, "She's SO beautiful."

And she is.
They are.
And I remembered 3 years ago my mom's birthday what I got her.

A nice 8 lb 3 oz healthy baby grand daughter.

And I figure anytime I can grow something for someone?
It is the sweetest gift I can come up with.

I am a Compartmentalizer

I love little boxes and containers, to the point that one might wonder "What are you going to put in all of these things for putting things in?"

To which I can only answer,
"MY FEELINGS, DAMMIT."


The best part about nesting dolls is that you can put them into themselves. Which is just all kinds of compartmental-licious and OCD wrapped into one.

Tight little perfect package.

This one is for my more colorful feelings.

Speechless Wednesday

This morning when I started my bloggy little morning, checking for last commenters from yesterday, I saw a comment that said, "Love the new design."

Ummm, what?

Yall, like little elvin fairies that fix your troubles and worries in the wee hours of your sleepitude, Dana the Blog Fairy glittery sparkled her wonderweb magic and TA-DA! has given Family Sized Fun the perfect look.

I sent her this picture a month or so ago, saying I died for it, but luckily Boom Boom knows CPR and like the HEIMLICH and he brought me back to life and when I opened my eyes all I could see were little birdies in birch trees.


And look at me now! -------------------------------------->


Oh the BIRCH! the BIRDS! the GREY!

It's so perfect I just may start wanting to blog more!

Thank you Dana! You outdid yourself THIS TIME!

Random Stuff I Find on the Camera

I have a couple cameras I use regularly, and the point and shoot water/shock/disaster-proof one gets in the hands of the kids all the time. Its the one I keep in my purse so if I need a camera, I probably have a camera, but sometimes it just gets drowned in my purse and I don't download for a while.

In fact, here is a picture of me from Madee's perspective. I think it was a day or 2 after Christmas as we drove to see Tangled. Which was awesome, by the way. I mean, seriously, Rapunzel is my new favorite princess.

Anyhoo, back in December when the Dervs were here, we went on an airboat ride, which was BEYOND AWESOME. And although the ride itself was barely documented (Eden freaked out for the first several minutes) here are a few pics from that day too.

Hot dog stand right by the train station.

Funny story, as Madee was sitting eating her dog, some lady walked past our picnic table and Madee stuck her hand out behind her back ever so subtly and the lady gave her a random high five on the sly.

Running around with PopPop. Last night as I was going through these pics> Eden started pointed and yelling POPPOP!POPPOP!POPPOP!

So I think she likes him a little.

What's not to like? Pop pop on the airboat.

I think the main reason she freaked was the life jacket.

Cutie Pie airboat riders.

Rainy Monday

Wow. It's Monday morning and it is raining in EPIC proportions right now. I think it is going to be really good for my garden. Because I heard it was supposed to be in the upper70's and 80's this week.

Maybe Madee will get a chance to play her new game, a version of "Wack-A-Mole" that hooks up to the sprinkler.

The game she calls "Smack-A-Beaver".

This is the funny and weird thing about Florida winters.

One day it is freezity cold and you are all bundled up at the beach.




And then BAM! Get out your bathing suit!
And then there is the in between, like now, POURING rain.

Not drizzly, or sprinkly, just all out steady hard pouring flash flooding rain.
So we are all cozied up in the house today.

BTW? Great weekend of football this weekend, and guess who needs new Packers gear?
Cuz this is the biggest "little" shirt we have!

I kinda want to blow this picture up for my bedroom.


What do you think?

Roses and Cupcakes

Not everybody wakes up all rosy around here.

But after everybody gets warmed up and ready?

It's totally on.
This picture is for Auntie Jess.
Doesn't she remind you of Rachel?

Give a kiss, ladies...

I mean kiss each other.

BOOM!

Watcha got there, E?

MMmmmmmm, cupcake?

That looks good.


Daydreaming about more cupcakes?

Watch your back!


Cupcake Wars. Yep, I know.
Up to my eyeballs in cuteness. AGAIN.

Madee's Room

This was Madee's nursery. The one she came home to. Awwww. My little angel.


But she is a "BIG GIRL" now. She knows she is 3 now, and says 2 is "goooo-oone b-bye!"

This is her room now.
The side view from her bed.

All those mirrors? She can get lost just gazing into them, watching her face go through words and emotions.
Her corner of dollhouse items and books. She always has twinkly lights in her room. It's kind of her thing.

The banner holds all of her birthday cards. So she can celebrate everyone's love for her every day.

I found her sleigh bed at a garage sale, and instantly fell in love. removed the slats and threw the mattress right in and she has the perfect little bed "boat" with sides to keep her in. It's super cozy!

The view from laying on her pillows in bed. Nice view of the Disney movies.

She LOVES her room. She disappears in there with the door locked quite often and you can hear her playing with her guys, or singing and dancing in her dress up clothes.

Cute stuff, that kiddo.

Wordless Wednesday: A Cake Story