time to stop and smell the... little boys.

life as a stay-at-home mom has been rough lately. i get irritated so easily. messes drive me iNsAne, spilled milk offends me and i swear if max has one more melt down over the fact that i will not allow him to wear gabriel's size 2T track pants, i may just lose it. gabriel is learning the arms-folded-across-his-chest "NO FAIR!" argument. eli is mad if i put him in the high chair or jumperoo. he wants to either be crawling around the house and pulling himself up at the cupboards or book shelf, or he wants to be held. when eli is mad, he yells. a deep yelling cry that i am sure the neighbors can hear across the street. meal times are loud and messy. 

nap time and bed time are my favorite

 parts of the day lately. 

my friends are distant, lately, due to busy lives and trying to manage kids as well. i'm so grateful for my neighbors. they are my life lines at times, my only adult interaction during my day and when matt is gone. i'd be in bad shape if i didn't have them. i thank God for my neighborhood friends.

so, with all of that said, today i decided to slow down, and smell the roses boys. we got our front porch cleared out for the most part, and we have set up a sweet little play area dedicated to boys and toys and books and messes. this is so helpful to me. this morning we put out a blanket, read books, played cars, and enjoyed each other. i captured some of it on my camera. it shouldn't take such deliberate effort, but for me lately, it does. life is hard. relationships are hard. responsibility is hard. all of this effects me, and my mothering. and i need to remember to stop, and enjoy more moments with these kiddos. they will grow up fast, and i don't want to have missed out. 

today i choose to let go of everything 

that is stressing me out, and i choose to hand it over to 

my daddy God. 

(usually i prefer other translations but the message said it well)

Matthew 11:28-30

The Message (MSG)

 "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? 

Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. 

I'll show you how to take a real rest. 

Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. 

Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. 

Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

sweet baby e.

skinned knees, bandaids, bare feet, trains and cars. all boy.

maximo joe, creating car collisions, complete with sound effects.

they are learning to play together

brothers

cooking a meal for mama