random things that make me happy.

this new little tongue thing that baby boy blue does.

makes me giggle.

everytime.

people feet.

especially when they wear matching shoes while parading down the street holding big drums.

or maybe just feet in general.

especially when they are dirty.  or are fitting into sandals for the last time.

even though they were only bought 3 months ago.

tight buns.

which turn into beautiful corkscrew curls ... that can be washed away ... eventually.

rescued-from-the-kiddie-pool toads in measuring cups.

and learning that our backyard used to be a stream in the middle of a tree farm long long ago.

is that why there are always toads to be saved?

my baby.

feeding my baby.

because i had to answer the phone or tend to another baby or let the dog out or stir dinner or something.

she just jumped right in and took over where i left off.

and she was so incredibly proud of herself.

discovering rainbows.

in our garden.

these?

are the things that make me happy.

what made you happy this week?

pet week over at i {heart} faces!

DSC_0589, originally uploaded by jenniferlivolson.

ah.
our rainy cat.
er ... monster ... in a cat's body. 

totally cute in pictures ... notsocute in real life.

but a total lovebug at night ... in fact ... i'm off to join him in the very near future.

enjoy browsing all of the wonderful entries during pet week over at i {heart} faces!


grab a picture of your favorite pet (or not-so-pet ... read the rules!) and join in on the fun!

okee dokee brothers!

so ...
i've been meaning to tell y'all about this for a long LONG time.  'cause it's not really nice to keep secrets ... but this is seriously the kids' FAVORITE band.

so much so ... that in fact ... they have every song on our cd memorized.  i'm not even sure that i can even tell you which one is their favorite. 

ok ... fine ... i can ... it's boogylicious.
an entire song dedicated to boogers. 
yes ... that's my children.  (they look so sweet and innocent) and yet ...
they think it's ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS to talk about boogers. 

and woody the apple tree ...
yeah ... jeremy just "got it" ...
he's a fast one, i tell ya.

my favorite though?
is by far ... kiddo.
you just have to hear it.
it's one of those songs that makes you fall in love with your kids all over again ... while they wreak havoc on the furniture (again.), give the dog a haircut and smear shaving cream all over the mirror in the bathroom. 
beauty-full.

and what does all of this sappy-ness about a cd have to do with anything?

well ... i'll show you ...

this is what we got to do this afternoon.

even though my children looked scared out of their minds ... i cannot tell you how excited they were.
when they got back in the car.

and how they told me they wished they could see them again. 
like 3 minutes after we left.

and how they loved dancing and singing along to the music.
in the car.

but there?  at the library ... where we joined a few other families (seriously ... there were so few people there) ...
we got to jam to some great kid's music ... and my children?  they were as silent as bumps on a log.

meh.

i had fun.
and i wish i had asked for permission to take pictures BEFORE the concert ... because finn sitting there MESMERIZED by the guitar and banjo was priceless.

thanks okee dokee brothers!
we so enjoyed meeting you!
see you monday ... at wild rumpus ...

'cause i'm all about teaching my children to be groupies early ... it's a fantastic skill to have.

blue in a house full of pink

all in a day.

i meant to take pictures.

of this newness.  this new life that i'm leading as a sorta-stay-at-home-mama.
a SAHM with benefits ... if you will.
i think that's what they call it when you get to lead a best-of-both-worlds kind of life.  right? 
if not ... they should.
perhaps SAHMWB is a good way of putting it.

it's who i am for the next several months. 
and then ... after that ... i get to be a part-time mama part-time speech-language pathologist.
and that is so completely head over heels awesome for me. 
because i get to continue what i do ... and still be home for my kids.

honestly.  quitting our daycare was one of the hardest good-byes i've ever had to make.  there are these two amazing women that have helped me nurture these beautiful children.  and i'm taking my children away ... and hoping like hell that i can do just as good of a job on my own. 
or with the help of jeremy.  and family.  and friends.  of course.

our village.

and today?
was our first day in this new-ness. 

we tried to go to costco - but we were too early.  so we headed to the grocery store down the street.  i nursed the babe - a lot.  he napped.  we set up the swimming pool.  we had friends stop by for hellos.  we played school.  we wrote our names in shaving cream on the kitchen table.  i attempted to perfect the iced coffee.  we ate broccoli cheese soup.  we splashed in the pool.  little boy blue napped.  we watched a movie.  we figured out what to do when you forget taco seasoning at the store and you are making tacos.  (it's actually better.)  we ate dinner with grandma.  we went to a soccer game.  finn nursed on the sidelines.  we played at the park.  we talked to daddy on the phone.  some of us got in bed.  some of us wrote a blog post.

and that was just part of the day.

it was packed and it was busy and it IS wonderful.  absolutely wonderful.  and i lived it.

so sorry for the lack of pictures.  i was busy living today.

plastic shower curtain holder-uppers.

once upon a time.  there was a college girl living in a college town ...

and in her college room bathroom ... she had a craptastic shower curtain.  (which was most definitely a step up from the days of just a shower curtain liner.)

and that craptastic shower curtain was held up by some plastic cheap-o shower curtain holder-uppers.

and then ... the girl met a boy.  and they moved in together.  (ooo.  risque!)
and they continued to use the plastic cheap-o shower curtain holder uppers to holder-upper their shower curtain.

and they got married.
and invested in a nicer shower curtain.

and because of the nicer (fabric!) shower curtain ... they splurged on nicer shower curtain holder-uppers ... metal!  heavy!  s-ish shaped!!  very fancy, nancy.

and they stayed that way.  living with their plum colored fabric! shower curtain and heavy-metal shower curtain holder-uppers.  through moves and new apartments.  and houses.

and then they had kids. 
three of them to be exact.

and the girl couldn't handle the falling off of the heavy hooks! any! longer!  it could be dangerous.  they are so so heavy!  the children's heads were fragile. 
and important.

so she went out to target and bought new cheap-o plastic shower curtain holder-uppers.  once again.

and they lived happily ever after.

but she's holding onto the pretty metal ones for when the kids move out.  someday.

i heart babies!

... especially this one ...

my baby boy blue

although ...

i still don't believe he was really ever that small.

check out i {heart} faces for more babies ... there is SO. MUCH. INSPIRATION. there. 

if you need me this week ... i'll probably be there oogling over everyone's baby shots.

have i mentioned? ... i'll be taking newborn pictures for a friend of the family?? 

excuse me while i go freak out a little.

...

i'm back.  i can't wait.  i just hope to not disappoint. 

 then again ... i'm free.  that should make it a little less terrifying.

... for me.

i heart play

i heart play, originally uploaded by jenniferlivolson.

another i {heart} faces challenge.





it's amazing.

you can spend oodles of dollars on toys.
and they love the box.

you can buy them a beautiful kitchen set.
and they would much rather play amongst your feet while you cook.

you can find an umbrella under the backseat of the car ...
and - even if it's not raining - they can play with it for hours.

that ... is my cora. lover of boxes, kitchen utensils ... and umbrellas.

click here to see all the other play entries!

i {heart} faces held a photo walk around the country ... and there was one in my neck of the woods ...
so. much. fun.
soon ... i promise to share more!

lovesofmylife

lovesofmylife, originally uploaded by jenniferlivolson.

there are these moments when they are sound asleep and i'm scrolling through pictures of our day ...

and it hits me.

i have never been so in love.
and i thank the universe for my husband ... who gave me this beauty in my life.

he was the first love of my life. and he gave me three more.
i think i may just be the luckiest mama alive.