31st Birthday

Another birthday. 

Chocolate cheesecake and candles. 

Chinese and fortunes. 

A big purple bow and a rocker recliner, for baby and me.

Cards and little loves. 

A clean house and foot rubs.

Feeling grateful and loved. 

Happy Birthday to me!

Ya only get better with age right?!

Mother's Day 2019

Motherhood is everything I imagined and nothing I imagined. 

It is filled with milestones of victories and failures. 

I feel so grateful for these 4 beautiful children, 

even if it's almost impossible to make them all happy at the same time 

I’m a love my routine mom and a trash the routine mom, all in the same day. I’m a forget about homework and mix up pajama and hat day type mom. I’m a proud mom, always ready to take on the wild looks and comments, “Are they all yours?” I’m a let’s go explore mom. I’m a cuddle up with hot cocoa and a movie mom. I’m a don’t want to share mom, so wait till the kids go to bed to break out all the sweets mom. I’m a let it all out mom. I’m a don’t sweat the small stuff mom. I’m a freak out mom. I’m a hypocrite mom. I’m a think I’m going crazy mom. I'm a love this life mom. I’m a love God first mom. I’m a love you no matter what you do or don’t do mom. I’m a dance in the kitchen and sing in the car mom, (whatever embarrasses Con most). I’m a songs and stories and kisses mom no matter the age. I’m a I’ll carry you to bed even when your faking mom. I’m a try to be calm mom, but I’m also yeller mom too. I’m an always saying sorry mom. I’m a let me snuggle and play with your hair mom. I’m a worry all night mom. I’m a reader mom, never too many books mom. I’m a hate to be late, “yep late again” mom. I’m a let’s play together mom and a hide upstairs in the quiet mom. I’m a tell me everything mom. I’m a let’s try to eat healthy mom and occasionally serve cookies for breakfast type mom. I’m a no sleeping in my bed mom, but 3 am I’m too tired to care mom. I’m a let them be little and when will they grow up mom. I’m a see a screaming unruly child in the shopping cart, “been there” mom. I’m a there is no right and wrong in parenting mom. I’m a breast and bottle type mom. I’m a co-sleep and cry it out mom. I’m a love home school but public school keeps me sane mom. I’m a whatever I think is best mom. 

I’m not perfect. 

BUT I know I am exactly the mom my kids need!

We live in a world where Mom's especially are judged A LOT!

Usually by other Mom's. 

And I won't lie I have felt a lot of dirty looks for having this wild crew. 

I try hard not to feel awkward as we pass some stranger staring and proud instead. 

But being pregnant makes me a little more vulnerable. 

I am so truly grateful for this little one that will make me a Mom once again and more than ever am relishing the experience of growing baby. There is no greater gift and I am forever grateful that I get to experience the joy that comes with this Motherhood journey. 

Week 29

30th

Well I turned 30! The big 3-0!
And with June being so CRAZY BUSY we barely got to celebrate. Honestly though I was happy to just relax and relish in the fact that maybe the fact that I have 4 kids and I'm officially in my 30's wont seem so weird, like having 4 and being in my 20's was.
There was a part of me that wanted some big party, or to do something big; but honestly this year is kicking my butt so I was exhausted and happy to just hit up IKEA (my happy place) and enjoy cinnamon rolls with the kids and have a dinner out; and of course savor some chocolate cheesecake!
I'm still drooling. It goes too fast every year!

I'm Mom

Mother's Day 2018

The world is constantly telling us who we should be, or what we should be doing, or how we should be doing it; that it is impossible to feel successful in anything. 

But this year after some struggle I truly have felt a renewed sense in my title;

 I am Mom.

I am raising 4 amazing people and it is a full time job, and I am doing my absolute best. Some days are a pure test in survival and strength, and I always feel like I could be doing more. But truly the real victory is despite the exhaustion and battle of inadequacy finding joy in every day. 

By: Bella

It is simply the little things that matter. 

Like the countless stick figure drawings of our family. 

I am honored to call these growing littles of mine, mine!

Motherhood is a wild ride. And I could never begin to express how much crazy they bring to my life. But I love it all! Sometimes being a mother is a battle; a battle for life, a battle for love, a battle for sanity, and a battle for survival in every way. And I feel so grateful for all of those who have mothered my own little children and most of all for my mother who is my best friend and greatest example of true self sacrificing love. 

Family

When you sit down to relax for a second and turn on your phone, and you suddenly can barely see the screen...  Thanks for the reminder girls.
Motherhood = No breaks!

And also thanks for reminding me about the important things in life.

"When the real history of mankind is fully disclosed, will it feature the echoes of gunfire or the shaping sound of lullabies? The great armistices made by military men or the peacemaking of women in homes and in neighborhoods? Will what happened in cradles and kitchens prove to be more controlling than what happened in congresses? When the surf of the centuries has made the great pyramids so much sand, the everlasting family will still be standing, because it is a celestial institution, formed outside telestial time."

Neal A Maxwell

The world has a way of making immorality alluring, truth depressing, loyalty confining, youthfulness sinfulness and family forgotten. The world never stops to appreciate or even acknowledge the home. But I hope our children will always seek comfort in our arms, laughter in our home and truth in our teachings, morality in our decisions, loyalty in our affections, honesty in our actions, innocence in our youth, and family as divine. 

Another Year Down

HAPPY 29th to me!

It seems to be a tradition of mine to go bowling on my birthday so of course we did that.
I am definitely a creature of habit.

To celebrate my birthday this year I decided to have crabs and for the first time right from the shell.
I had planned to go last year but we were rained out.
This year it was perfect weather for their outdoor restaurant and we all had a lot of fun.
I was so proud of the kids for being... okay well they were okay. Bella even tried some and liked it she said, although she gets caught up in the hype so I am not sure her true feelings but she was such a sweetheart.
Syd gave us a few chase scares per the norm lately.
And Connor was picky as usual. But he did want to try shucking the crabs.
It was such a fun activity and first timer for all of us, except maybe my parents.
While we live in Maryland I have this ticking clock in my head that says do it all, enjoy it and experience it all so that when we leave one day in the future there are no regrets.
So I love being able to use birthdays and such as chances to check my little Maryland/East Coast Bucket list items off. 

• sheakaymarieBirthdays are kinda awesome. #thanksall #especiallyyoubabe best husband ever 😘😘😘. #marylandbluecrabs🦀 @ #mayscrabshack were delish! #happybirthdaytome #connorlincoln loved crackin but wouldn't taste. #bellamarie was in crab ❤️. #sydneymae ran wild. #piperscarletwas fascinated. This was all seriously fun! I'm so lucky.

And Ed's Chocolate Cheesecake with Ganache did not disappoint. It is making my mouth water as we speak.

One of my favorite parts about my birthday is eating cake the next few days for breakfast and NOT sharing! Mmmmm!

Mother's Day 2017

I literally planned out my Mother's Day weekend a week before and sent Shea the schedule a week before and then just to make sure the Friday before.
And let me tell you. It was PERFECT.
This is the way to go folks.

Earlier that week I went to a Mother's Day lunch with my Mom and Sister.

Saturday was all about shopping at Ikea picking out our FIRST REAL FAMILY SET of dishes and some extra things for fun.
(Ikea is apparently my Mother's Day tradition FYI.)

Sunday was a homemade breakfast of my favorites, Church and flowers and cards. And I visited my Mom after until Shea had made the Dinner I asked for Lemon Garlic Chicken which came out great. (I love my handsome cooking man!)

I even made sure I specifically asked for Carnations,
 I had to send Shea a picture he had know idea.
Carnations = Mother's Day to me.

Then I made everyone watch one of my favorites as a kid. Parent Trap.

Sydney was so proud of the flowers she got me!

I love that all day long I get to hear "Mom". And even though it is just plain exhausting, it is truly one of my most cherished blessings... x4.

"To all mothers in every circumstance, including those who struggle—and all will—I say, 'Be peaceful. Believe in God and yourself. You are doing better than you think you are.'"

---Jeffrey R. Holland

Mama Gets a Haircut

This is the first haircut I've gotten in a long while that I've really loved.
I think for the next couple years it will be my go to cut.

FIRE SKILLS

YUP EVERYBODY UNDERESTIMATED ME AND MY FIRE  SKILLS! 

But MY MAN TAUGHT ME WELL!

When we were first married we went to his Grandpa's backyard, farm, place. Anyway they had a fire pit and we camped there and had dinner dates there and just hung out there all the time. And Shea taught me fire building and my family totally thought I was full of it when I volunteered to build a fire for dinner in Shea's place, since he had to work late. 

Well I doubted myself a little too, it had been a while but it all worked out great and was a lot of fun. 

Thanks Martin's for the backyard fire pit night, thanks me for the fire, and thanks hubby for the skills!