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Saturday, February 25, 2012

Keeping it Real

Nikki McClure poster


 I have been reading some blog posts that resonate loudly in my heart from Julia, Erinand Stephanie. If you have time this weekend, go read them. They are starting a bit of a mad mama liberation.

I am a mama to six, a sister to six, daughter to two and wife to my one and only. 

We are a large family that is not religious.
We are non-vaxers.
We buy organic as much as our budget allows.
I make my own homemade bread and I refuse to buy rGBH milk.
I believe in a woman's ability to birth naturally. I have breastfed every one of my daughters.
We also eat at the dinner table as a family almost every night.

 Yes, there is the occasional pizza and fries night in front of the television. 
 I celebrate those nights! They are every bit as good. 

Take it or leave it. This is who we are. 
 

The drumbeat of "I Am Enough" is something I struggle with and cling to daily.  I am certainly not perfect.

I have adult sized tantrums where I yell about toy clutter or laundry hidden under beds. 
I hide in the bathroom for a moment of silence more times than I'd like to admit. 
I sigh over sticky floors from spilled orange juice. 
Sometimes I eagerly countdown the minutes to bedtime. 

There are the not-so-good days like I wrote about here. They may not be my most shining days but I know that I have so many others to make up for it.

These happier moments that I mostly write about in my blog. 

The inspiring moments. The lasting ones.

I hope my blogging stays authentic to who I am and who we are as a family. I practice gratitude and know that I have so much to be happy for.

Even if that means having to dig through a mess to truly see it.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Nine


Another birthday celebrated on Friday. Lana turned nine! The themes for this year are "favorite colors" so Lana picked pink. Not much is different since her 6th birthday. She is still the fanciest girl around!

She wanted a super fancy birthday dinner so I made per her request: chicken parmesan with homemade macaroni and cheese. It had to be eaten by candelight.

She exclaimed that all her gifts were "Amaaaazing!" She could not pick a favorite one because she loved everything.

She wore a mood necklace she received and then proceeded to tell us that she was either "calm" or "excited" according to the color chart. I figured it leaned more towards the latter.

Before cake, she insisted on changing into a new fancy dress and sparkly jewelry. She was the queen of the table!

Lana has since traded in becoming a mermaid when she grows up for an elementary school art teacher. She loves art and is very creative! I believe she will be great at anything she sets her heart on. 

Even if that happens to be becoming a mermaid. :)

Hope this year shines as bright as the ones before them, Lana! We love you!

 



Saturday, February 4, 2012

Eleven


I love this photo of Madelyn's birthday party last night.  Kinda blurry, wrinkled tablecloth, just the glow of the candles and wobbly shadows against the wall. Perfect in its own way.

I love the way Isabella is gazing up at her sister.

I love that we gather together as a family for birthdays no matter what day of the week it is.

I love that my new sister-in-law, 40 weeks pregnant with our second nephew, came to celebrate with us.

I love that my sister bakes and decorates the most beautiful birthday cakes for my girls' birthdays.

I love that my husband is such a wonderful daddy to his six girls.

And, I love Madelyn so much!
For these past eleven years and forever.
Happy Birthday, baby girl.