"Above All Treasures of the Earth"

My heart nearly exploded as I boarded my flight from Denver to Orlando last week.

And might I add that I was traveling alone, for the first time in 4 years.  I dove into what has quickly become one of my favorite books ("Out of the Spin Cycle" by Jen Hatmaker--Devotions to lighten your mother load) and spent time thanking God for the past three weeks.  When I wrote a recent post on how I survive the Florida heat, I had no idea that a 3-week hiatus from life should have been a bullet point on my top ten list.  In a matter of weeks, I had really meaningful time with my two dearest friends, both of my siblings & both sets of my children's grandparents.  Not to mention my Grandma had visited just 2 weeks prior to that.  Although sometimes hosting & traveling can be exhausting, my heart was left filled rather than drained upon the conclusion of a "life-break". And...for the first time....ever...I actually felt rejuvenated and ready to step back into real life, rather than mourning what was over.

I'm in a really good place after a fairly ugly year; and it feels undoubtedly refreshing.

I met Carley the first weekend of my freshman year of college and we hit it off right away.  She hasn't been to Florida for a couple of years so took the initiative to plan a trip; childless, I might add. In the few days she was here, we spent time with my kiddos, had dinner out (alone), a beach trip & got in some shopping.  We spent a lot of time chatting about our kiddos & our hubbies.  Good conversation might be my favorite thing.

Brian's folks were here for 5 days in between Carley visiting and us leaving for Colorado. I had a lot to do between work, packing & designing a 30th anniversary book for my parents, so I pretty much stayed out of their way...which essentially means I didn't take a whole lot of photos.  My kiddos sure love spending time with them!

Off to Denver we went!  The flight went well (PTL!) and when we landed we were greeted by this beautiful face.

Anna escorted us to a local park where my family was eagerly waiting for us!  We spent a few hours letting the kids burn off the energy stored up from 4 hours of sitting on a plane!

Getting to see Trey teach his middle-schoolers at Cherry Hill (the mega-church he is currently doing an assistant-ship for seminary at) was a highlight of the weekend! Who knew my little brother could so boldly proclaim the gospel in such a polished way!

One beautiful car ride later, we were welcomed by a little cabin in the mountains of Keystone.  From there we enjoyed a lot of hiking...

She loved hiking in her boots!

Half-way up Quandary Peak!

Our first 14-er!! Is the air a bit thin up here? ;)

This totally counted as a date!

We found it ironic to be in tank tops next to snow & not shivering

...a fun gallivant of white water rafting...

Thee most attractive picture ever.

...home cooked dinner every night (this was an added blessing for me because really nobody wants us to take my two littles out to eat)...

Can't beat that view!

...thee hot tub (which is extra fun in the cool, crisp mountains)...

...lounging, playing & fellowship.

We all deemed our mountain vacation the best one my family has taken to date.  I never knew vacation with a 1 & 3-year-old could be so relaxing (Thanks, M&D)!

Brian so graciously allowed me to stay an extra day to spend time with Anna...which meant he was flying solo on the plane parenting gig.  I felt quite guilty about the whole ordeal but we both agreed it was absolutely necessary to have some meaningful time with someone who has been my best friend since I was...nine.  Of course I communicated with him every step of the way & could relax once I knew he had turned the key to our house.  He says I carried the stress for him as he really wasn't worried. ;)

Anyhow, Anna and I put every second of our 24 hours to good use!  We hiked Horsetooth, ate a Mad Greens (um...can someone please build one of these next to my house?!), spent the afternoon talking about marriage (SINCE SHE IS NOW ENGAGED!), and headed out to dinner with her then-boyfriend, Nate.  Upon meeting this man I had an inkling was going to be her future husband, I jumped out of the car to give him a hug!  Nothing like being awkward!! ;)  It took me 2.3 seconds to see that they were madly in love and perfect for one another.  Nate was easy to get to know & fun to spend time with. I think he & Brian will get along quite nicely. :)

So there you have it.  Can you see how a 3-week hiatus from anything remotely close to "normal life" breathed so much joy into my heart?  If I was a guessing woman...I'd say next August will look fairly different than this one, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

"Feelin' Hot, Hot, Hot!"

Thee Official Guide

How-to-do Summer in Florida: 

Weiss Style

We've lived in Florida 5 years!  5 YEARS!  Listen, people...I really didn't even think we'd make it a full year here.  Funny how God reveals His plan to your heart only in ways you can understand it and with timing you can absorb it.  Although the past few years have been FILLED with amazing milestones, special friends, new homes, little running feet and many days feeling like we were on vacation, those of you who keep up with me know that I can't stand the heat.  Every April as it warms up I dread that I have to spend THEE NEXT 6 MONTHS sweating.  Yes, by my calculations, we've spent just shy of 1,000 DAYS of our life DRENCHED.  You'd think I'd be super skinny with all the water weight I lose each day. ;)

So...after some serious heart-searching, I decided that Florida Summer 2015 was going to be DIFFERENT! It was my first full summer in Florida NOT pregnant or nursing (it's really no fun when you take a hold of your baby's food supply for a feeding and it slips out of your hand....).  So, here is my ultimate guide to withstanding loving our Florida Summers.

1. Fresh Fruit

I think in years past, fresh fruit meant too many stops at the grocery store, too much cutting & chopping and too much of a mess with babes.  But...I've found that the return on the investment of standing in the kitchen cutting up a watermelon is huge.  Plus...I've become way better at slicing & dicing most fruits through practice.  We are one month into the official "summer" and my family has been through 5 pineapple, 8 watermelon & endless tubs of strawberries, cherries & grapes.  OH...and MANGO! I have lost count of how many of those slippery suckers I've chopped up.

2. OJ Popsicles

The kiddos love popsicles and this is my "healthy" way of doing them.  They are so messy & so sticky...so we try to time them right before a bath. ;) Nevertheless, its a treat that makes being outdoors fun.

3. Shade

It's a good 10 degrees cooler in the shade...so we try to spend a lot of time there.  One thing I've never done before that I began doing this summer was using an umbrella.  Yeah, I'm that girl.

4. Swimming

Although it seems like a big ordeal to get loaded up for pool time, I'm becoming increasingly better at choosing snacks & packing quickly to get out the door.  Wet clothes get hung in the back yard upon our return, and if we only stay a half hour at the pool, it was still fun anyway.  You've gotta love all things water to survive the Florida heat.

5. Splash Pads

I thought first about just classifying "WATER" as a summer must-have, but it's so important it essentially became two points.  On days I just cant bare to be covered in chlorine, we choose the splash pad!  I am also getting good at remembering a change of clothes for the kids that I keep in the car at all times...and Carly is excellent at getting dressed & undressed without flashing anyone.  I also keep buckets & clean towels in the trunk & sunblock in every bag.  You just never know when you're going to end up getting wet!

6. Waterproof Mascara

I really dislike waterproof mascara, but I thought it would be a motivator for wearing make-up this summer.  It's worked quite well, actually!  Doesn't really give the lashes their full length potential but that's really okay. ;)

7. Updated Wardrobe--swim, casual & running

I bought a few new swimsuits and focused on cute, breath-able tops to wear with my pre-pregnancy shorts that finally fit! OH WAIT....there's no way this 27-year-old mother of two can wear the short, shorts she wore at age 22.  Geesh...I bought new shorts. ;)  AND...updated my work-out wardrobe to be in the category of "fit" instead of "frumpy."  All the improvements have helped me feel cute when sweaty.

8. Hair

Have I mentioned how much I love Pinterest?!  I have been obsessed with up-dos this summer and have Pinterest to thank for it! When the crown twist & every braid under the sun came back into style, you can bet this girl cheered!  I get more comments about how "cute" I look when my hair is up...and that is a first!!  "Work that up-do....own that pony tail!" ;)

9. Blinds

We bit the bullet and invested in battery operated blinds for our un-reachable windows.  It drained our "disposable income bank" but so far it's saved about $80/month in electric costs.

10. Positive Attitude

Ultimately, the key to not complaining about the heat has been to have a positive attitude.  I shouldn't complain about anything, period, and especially about living in the "tropics."  When sweat is running down my back as I walk 3/4 of a mile into work, I just smile to myself and say, "You signed up to embrace the heat this year!"

"Cherry Lips, Crystal Skies" {Luke 18 Months}

Luke is our cuddly-rough-and-tumble-messy-funny-sly-charming-all-things-outdoorsie little guy!  He is up for a hug or a kiss at almost any moment and just loves to give friendly touches or rough bumps to everyone he meets.  High fives, fist bumps, nose rubs, those lovely open-mouth kisses and of course the "I am going to hold onto your leg until you pick me up" affections.  He's incredibly fickle (which is why I chose this song) and goes from giggling and running around to throw-myself-on-the-ground fits.  I think both are pretty adorable.

These are my favorite things about Luke

1. Bedtime snuggles--and how he points to his rocking chair before every nap even though we've never rocked him to sleep.
2. Watching him play with his cars & trucks...he doesn't have an incredibly long attention span yet...but if he's going to play with something for an extended period of time it's going to be his race track.
3. When he scrunches his nose and squints his eyes with a little smirk on his face because he just can't figure out how to nod his head.
4. That he is a pretty good sleeper--giving me periods of 10-11 hour night sleeps and 2-3 hour nap sleeps. Holy moly that blows what his sister did at 18 months out of the water!
5. That his favorite foods are eggs, olives, tuna & cashews.  Yes...we can always get him to eat those 4 things and we understand our kid is special. ;)
6. Watching him follow around his sweet big sis who is so good at including him!
7. That toddler waddle-run
8. That he rubs his ear when he's tired or needing to self-soothe for a bit
9. Reading him peek-a-boo books...or really that he's happy to sit for 20 minutes and read if given the opportunity.
10. He is trying SO hard to use his words but the sweet boy can only get a few out.  I love that his most used word is "Mama" because it makes me feel special...and other than Dada, milk, no, up, this, that, dog & all done he doesn't say much but "ah, uh & mmm."

Here are the things about Luke that drive me crazy

1. He cannot for the life of him figure out how to have an affirmative comment.  So...we have to deal with him shaking his head and saying "no."  Thanks, bud.
2. That he finds pulling Carly's hair THEE MOST HYSTERICAL thing on the planet.  Not cool.  This act makes bike rides (which we love doing) very difficult.
3. Oh when he stands at the door and pounds on it with all his might while crying out some sort of "let me out of here!"  Neighbors....we treat our son really well but by golly he just wants to spend every waking minute outside.
4. That he throws his food when he doesn't like it or is finished with his meal
5. Lukey is so stubborn and still completely irrational.  It drives me nuts.  I feel like all I say to him some days is, ¡escúchame!

This is a plum...in case you were wondering

I love having a son and we thank God for his sweet & sly spirit everyday.  He is going to keep us on our toes but love us with all he's got for all time, I think.  We pray for his heart every night as we hold him close that he would be a man of integrity, grace & endurance as He seeks living a spirit-filled life.  And until then, we pray for God's daily guidance in how to shepherd this young boy's heart.

"Favorite Things" {April, May & June}

Precious Moments

Carly: Miss C loves to sing.  She uses a lot of catch phrases and music to describe her feelings and explain circumstances.  A few examples...When she sees a bee she will burst into song: "When the dog bites, when the bee stings (pronounced: dings)..."  Or somehow, nearly each time I ask her to help me with something (Carly will you please close the door, put on your shoes, pick up your toys...) as she so willingly flutters off to complete the task she begins singing, "Cinderelly, Cinderelly, lots a day a Cinderelly...mop the flooor & clean the dishes..." (yes those are the words in order of how she sings that song).  And finally, if she asks you who your favorite princess is, upon your answer she will sing you that Princess' song.  Be sure to say your favorite princess is Ariel next time she asks. ;)

And...every other conversation we have with her either makes our hearts burst with joy or our stomachs hurt from laughing.  Just this week she has said to me, "Mom, you are so beautiful in your heart," "We bought you these flowers because your WHOLE family loves ya" and "Ganks, Mom, you're just the BEST!"

Luke:
Luke loves popcorn.  He generally eats is while squatting over the bowl, two-fisted.  One evening, Brian decided to throw the popcorn up & catch it on his tongue.  We all clapped.  Luke then took a big handful of those delicious freshly pooped kernels and threw them across the room followed by an expressive applause!  We had a good laugh over that one.

Healthful Living

I really don't consume any food worth writing about as I consistently drink 2 meals/day, so I'll share another one of my go-to recipes:

1.5 Cups frozen spinach
1/2 an orange
1 tbsp of goji berries
1 tbsp of lemon juice
1 tsp of camu powder
1/2 C orange juice
1/2 C water
Ice to taste

Places & Spaces

The kitchen re-model is coming along quite nicely.  Our motto is: slow & steady wins the race. ;) Brian has taken on this project with very little help from me. We painted the walls in February, and then the cabinets have taken most of May & June.  It's really just prioritizing when we need family time vs when he can devote a good 3 hours to getting a section of cabinets done.  Hopefully by next "quarter" he will have completed the back splash.

I love the piece we added to the kitchen and continue to love the new light fixtures.

I also love sitting down with this devotional I've been reading in the mornings with a cup of coffee. Sometimes I enjoy it inside & other times I sit in a lawn chair in the yard while the kiddos play.  A co-worker actually gave it to me upon finding out I was a Believer and I think of her every morning.

Growing Minds

Carly has completely immersed herself in the imagination of play stage and doesn't need a whole lot of interesting activities to occupy her mind.  When she does get bored, however, it's nice to have a few things to turn to.  She doesn't enjoy baking (sad) but at least we found that out! A few times I asked her to help me measure/pour/stir and she just had no desire.  She doesn't really want to do arts & crafts and reading only happens when she's in the right "mood" so finding ways to interact with her that are educational can be a bit tough.  She loves her alphabet puzzle and her matching game...but she really just wants to act out life with her little dolls (that happen to be Disney princesses).  She is quick to be helpful in cleaning or organizing and receives quite a bit of praise from us when she does so willingly and successfully.

Luke's mind grows by pushing, pulling, touching, throwing, running, bouncing & bumping.  He is beginning to take interest in shapes and enjoys figuring out how something works (open/close, anything that moves on wheels, etc).  He wants to do-it-himself and will let you know it!  He's beginning to point and recognize his animals...although it would be helpful if he could verbalize what he's pointing to!  He's got "Dog" & "Mooo" down. ;)

"You Are Beautiful My Sweet Sweet Song"

When I was thinking about a blog post for Ma & Pa Days 2015 this was the first song that came to mind.  I think it so accurately describes the demanding, fun, selfless, precious, rewarding, time-intensive and sweet sweet life stage of being Mommy & Daddy to very small children.  Those of you who know me well know that sometimes I still really struggle with this season of life and finding my purpose amidst such an exhausting schedule.  Or maybe I should say...those of you who know any large amount of young mamas know that they often feel this way.  At any rate, I am growing and learning how to mold myself to fit into what God has planned for me in each season of life...and this one sure is beautiful.

So...for Mother's Day...I spent time focusing on myself that day (insert giggle here) while Brian was at work.  May was still bringing "cool" mornings, so I decided to capture a selfie of me in my robe drinking my coffee. I love that Luke is waddling around in the back ground.  I thought this was a good reminder of how precious these little years are...sitting in the backyard in the early hours of the morning already covered in sand & dirt....and meditating on God's perfect creation in little children.  I do love them so much.

Of course I also made the kiddos pose for a few Mother's Day photos with me.  Carly was so sweet to participate!

I treated myself just a little bit at nap time...seriously...I don't typically do this when my kiddos are sleeping...

Brian came home, grilled a nice meal for us and we just played.  Low key...just a mama & her little family. ;)

Father's Day was not quite as low key...but every bit as precious! I took video of Carly talking all about her Daddy to start the day and we texted some photos & videos to him at work.  We went to church and heard a wonderful sermon on the role of the Father...and couldn't help but be overjoyed with delight as I thought about how wonderfully Brian fits into that mold.  

Carly made a craft for Daddy that said, "You're Tie-riffic!" and was very excited to give it to him when he arrived home!

Our Father's Day tradition is to head to the golf course & all tag along while Daddy plays! I packed every snack I could think of & I believe we still ran out by about hole 14.  Let's just say we called it quits when the food ran out.  We were, of course, drenched from head to toe on the 100+ degree heat index on Father's Day,..so it was home, showers & bedtime after that! Carly REALLY loved golfing & is probably at an age where she could go with Brian any time and sit through 18 holes.  We will probably give Luke a few more years...and we will leave it at that, ;)

Ok...I may have made some edits to brighten up the colors in this photo..but I really really like this picture!

Although we didn't get to spend any time with our parents or Grandparents during these special days, it doesn't mean we didn't think about them and the legacy they have imprinted on our hearts & minds! So many of the decisions we make are based on their wonderful & loving examples of what it looks like to be selfless, Godly & grace-filled parents.  Brian and I are so thankful we grew up in such wonderful homes and the road our parents paved before us is the one we hope to follow.

"Little Bit of Everything"

June 9th.  Holy moly where has the time gone since my last post, April 21st?  I had no intentions of taking a 7-week blogging hiatus, but I do have good reason.  I've been really into online scrapping booking & watching 19 Kids & Counting (I will be happy to discuss the recent trial their family is going through if you promise to do all the listening) so that's where my 3 spans of free time per week have gone (Yes...Sunday, Monday & Tuesday naps are really precious times to myself and the only time I spend alone).  As a very small number of you know, I've also been very sick.  We are seeking medical advice but truth be told we don't know all the ins & outs of why I am feeling so yucky all the time.  But, I try to relatively keep this blog positive and felt like I only had negative things to say as I battled whatever it is I'm battling. 

So...here's the best update I've got....I'll go one family member at a time.

Brian

Brian has been pulling incredibly long hours at work.  So...he spends most of this time...there. Fortunately for me he doesn't read my blog so he will have no idea that I posted a photo of him in the Cinco de Mayo parade at work...

When he is home, however, we are blessed with his undivided attention & love! He is so much fun for us to hang out with. He has been able to golf 3 times in the past 6 weeks so I know that has aided in relieving stress.  Only time will tell what his next gig on the job will be.  Until then, he's been enjoying time with his family (both of his brothers & their families along with his parents & my parents visited between April/May/June) and time with his kiddos.

Tricia

I've been working a lot, too!  The most exciting thing for me was being asked to be a Disney Media Rep!  I got to spend a weekend hanging out at a media event about the Coolest Summer Ever (Featuring OLAF) and represented one of the pop radio stations here in Orlando! It was so fun to see how the Marketing & Events teams come together!  Here are a few photos from the event. 

I've also been enjoying watching Downtown Disney transform into Disney Springs, running some terrific events & spending time with these lovely ladies.  Fridays in the office are called: Girls' Day!

Super Hero Event @ Pin Traders

Thee best team I've ever been on & will ever be on (not pictured: the awesome fellas)

Other than battling feeling all sorts of illness-like-thingys I don't have time for right now, I've been spending a lot of time trying to tone up my body.  I think I have a disorder called--I will never be skinny enough, ever--that I'm trying to work through.  I've found some really good toning exercises that work perfectly on a towel in the backyard while the kiddos are out playing (who knew I took so many selfies in workout gear with Carly...weirdo alert).

Carly

Carly loves her MagiClip Princesses, her princess dresses, & playing in her closet.  We have a lovely little space under the stairs that has a dual-purpose of a private play room for Miss C & a storage unit in the back. She spends at least an hour in there/day!  She also requests to go swimming often every day.

Next time you see her...ask her to name all the Disney Princesses...

Her favorite "swimming suit" bc it's PINK.

Heels, princess dress, hair down & a bouquet of flowers = CARLY

Luke 

Luke loves being outside!  From time at the park to time in the backyard, playing in water, dirt, grass, mud, whatever...he could spend all day out there.  He thinks he is in charge of the hose & asks for it to be turned on every time we step outside.  I love our little fenced-in yard! It's perfect for small children.  Other than that Luke spends a lot of time eating. ;)

Family

We took nearly a 3-month break from the parks but the past few weeks we have ended up there often. We've spent a lot of time at the pool & enjoyed a few family picnics.

I think my favorite night was just this week when we shared some ice cream on the Boardwalk.

Not blogging has not been for lack on happenings around here.  Our lives & hearts are full and we are so thankful for this stage of life, soaking up these little years and working hard with hopes to stay above all the demands of adulthood. :)