The Young Family Farm »

My VBFF came over today with her NEWBORN baby…just a week old and I took newborn pictures for her. OH…so precious! {here is a sneak peak for ya Kelly!}

No–I’m not photographing babies–or children–or families–again:). Just my sweeties and the sweeties of my VBFFs:). Life as it should be for this momma. But how stinking CUTE is she?!

THEN–we decided…to fire up the grill…Isaac loves grilling with his daddy…(he also loves carbs! BREAD! BREAD! BREAD!)

My honey EVEN got out the frying pan skillet and fixed my FAVORITE…

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES!!! SO stinking good. Oh my–the dipping SAUCE he makes is melt in your mouth delish!

And at our house–every grill out…usually means the kids pull the tents out…

Have you ever noticed how in the Bible people always live up to their names??? I mean–seriously…think about it. Rico Suave and I chose our first son’s name NOT because of the meaning but because we liked the sound of it. Parker. It means “keeper of the parks”. Poor guy is destined to be a camper. No wonder he is obsessed with setting up tents all the time! The boy LOVES to camp…even if it’s in our backyard!

More backyard fun…

AND then–I realized we were out of diapers…just after Frank took all his clothes off–but on “camping clothes” (camouflauge sweatpants) and then wet his pants. (Does anyone even read this??? I think I’ll start throwing in crazy family facts just to see;). That seriously happened. So momma made a mad dash and grocery run for diapers (thanks to the instructions on Southern Savers I saved $4 on each box of diapers. I’m ATTEMPTING couponing and the cash system…so far so good:). I got home from the store just in time for the babies to go down–and to join the other two camping in the backyard…

It didn’t take long for Loo-bear to crash…

Blew the candle out…and my firstborn and I laid there looking at the stars for hours…talking about life, our dreams and what we want to be when we grow up:). I wish I could say we lasted all night out there. But my son is like his momma. We agreed it was too hot after a few hours, and we carried Laney in who is going to wake up in the morning and wonder WHY she isn’t still in the tent. These are the days I want to remember:)

Hope y’all have a great weekend!!!

P.S. A YEAR AGO TODAY…I BOARDED A FLIGHT TO ETHIOPIA!!!!!!!!!! This is a HUGE week in our family’s lives! THIS Monday is day I held my sweet son Isaac for the FIRST time. THIS Wednesday we go to court to all raise our right hands (every person in our home…frank and isaac included!) and Isaac will be readopted in the US and become a US citizen! THEN FINALLY–this Saturday—is the day our family was brought together…and Isaac met his family for the first time! We’ll celebrate Saturday with our closest family and friends and I’m so, so, soooooo excited!!!!!!!!!!!

Rico Suave has been out of town all week…and he is home:). Ever just have those weeks you feel like you need an award because you made it?! I have not ONE picture from our week–but let me tell you some highlights…

…welcomed a precious adoption family to our home for a night–with their 5 littles.

…babysat a friend’s pets–they are here until Sunday. One’s name is Chester–the other…I don’t know his name. BUT they both were fed every day:). One bit Parker the first day we had them. We discovered on Tuesday after a pediatrician’s appointment that Isaac was allergic. They are indoor pets–in a cage that comes up to my hip. Isaac and Frank are scared of them. Frank says, “Mommy, dat goes” (Mommy, that gross). Parker and Laney think they are cool. They like to eat carrots. They have a life expectancy of 7ish years. Anyone know what they are??? I bet you’ll never guess:).

…I took ALL FOUR swimming…4 kids 6 and under swimming TWICE—AND to a sprayground. Once to a friend’s above ground pool. WHICH cracks me up…and my kids love it. THEN to our neighborhood pool—which is a huge hood BUT we are always the only ones there. SO here is the “before” scene via my iPhone with just Loo and P-man swimming (Frank is ALMOST swimming and Isaac just likes to sit in his inflatable car:)…

…the sprayground was an attempt to join our Sunday school moms for a playdate social. HOWEVER we went to the wrong sprayground. The kids loved it. Ever just have those days you TRY but it just doesn’t work out;). In the end–they had a blast with our without playdate friends and didn’t even ask where everyone was;)

…took all 4 in Target after sprayground SOAKING wet to buy slip-and-slide. Isaac needed his nap but the kids needed more spray:)

…I ATTEMPTED to take all 4 to family movie night on the lawn downtown. We made it until about 15 minutes into the movie. Isaac was laughing hysterically at bugs flying around (he isn’t hard to entertain) and 7 year old kid kept turning around and telling him to “Shush!” so we had to leave:). Hey, I attempted right???

…We ate pizza…TWICE:). BUT they were both at Wiphan meetings. Isaac has been walking around the house saying “Pizza peas!”

…Discovered Isaac’s favorite books are the Olivia series. He is obsessed. Love that the first thing he asks for when he wakes up and last thing he asks for is “book”. He is a genius:).

…Richard came home today to us all in the backyard squealing on the slip-and-slide:).

Those are our week highlights. Sorry no pictures other than the 1 on the iPhone. It was a crazy solo-week…and my hats go off to the single moms of the world! Hope you all had a great weekend! I am going to post some fun news with LOTS of pictures this weekend:). Don’t you love it when I keep ya hangin’?!

XOXO,

Andrea

We’ve been in full swing all summer…EXCEPT this week–we’re trying our best to really gear down and slow down. AND today–I had a precious babysitter come over so I could get adoption stuff done–but instead of getting errands run I ended up sitting in a parking lot reading Psalms. Just what momma REALLY needed. Playing catch up on editing some of our beach pictures from earlier this June–so behind on family pictures (WHICH reminds me I need to order like every digital image I have taken for the last few year and catch up on printing them!!! So easy not to isn’t it?!) One of our fun family beach traditions is to take a picture of all the kids at the beach eating ICE CREAM!!!! This one didn’t work so well because William was tired and Isaac hates the ocean waves…and Frank–well, he looks like he’s in a daze

Seeing THAT picture made me think back to THIS picture which tells me you should use CHOCOLATE instead of VANILLA if you try this one;)…

WHICH led me to a bunch of old pictures and had momma realizing how FAST time goes by. And had me smiling realizing how much Frank and Laney actually look alike when I saw this oldie of her…

And THEN I was sitting there realizing how my brain forgets so much…like how stinking cute she was at this age…and how she’d always make me laugh in her shades…

Shades have always been one of her signature trademarks…no matter the year…

Oh the memories!

And today–I have piles and piles and piles of laundry to fold. But that can wait…another day. Because today I’m going to enjoy the moment…as I was just reminded how quickly it all passes—and I know one day–I’m gonna miss this.

Savor every moment today!!!

Love,

Andrea