No Bears Allowed!

We set out for a fun weekend of gooey marshmallows, lots of dirt, a star-filled sky and laughing around the campfire with great friends.


Jody making some gourmet crackers with jalapeño jelly spread.




* Jessica * Brittany * Lindsey *

The S'mores and Hotdogs were sublime.

{Hmmm...Ben whatcha doing back there?!}

*Waking up in Nature* Both Sienna and Gracie really liked camping. And sleeping in a tent with two little ones...not bad at all! The Pack and Play even fit inside our tent. Gracie slept like a log. I don't think she moved once all night. And Sienna...well. She usually doesn't sleep through the night at home anyway - so getting up with her, in the tent, was no big deal.

*Giving Kisses*

*A Time for Everything*

That's true - but they are not the same time.

Sarah Ban Breathnach writes in her book of Simple Abundance that:

" You cannot raise happy, secure, emotionally well adjusted children, revel in a fabulous marriage and work a sixty-hour week. You want to, I know. So do I. But we can't. It is physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually impossible. We have tried. We have failed."

To have someone else say this gives me great comfort. As women, we often feel like we need to do it all. (And do it all perfectly.)

Recently as Jody and I looked at our financial budget, we realized I need some sort of part-time work in order to offset what we will call 'My Fabulous Annual Colonoscopy Fund.' Medical bills call, and so I call the news director at KUTV where I have reported as a freelancer since 2009. Since Sienna joined our family - I haven't worked at 2News as often for a few reasons: Sienna has had some serious anxiety & mommy attachment issues, and it has been difficult to leave her (at all). And mostly - Goodness! Having two kids is way harder than one. I have wanted and needed to be at home.

But I need consistent work, and so I talk to the news director and express my interest in working more regularly. She tells me if I want to work at 2News more than the occasional freelance fill-in, I should apply for their new position. It's a full-time position, and my heart drops. My hopes sink because I don't want to work full-time. I don't want someone else raising my children.

I have already had this conversation with the Lord. He knows me personally, just as He knows you.

And so I don't even apply.

Within a week, a new opportunity presents itself. I am offered a position at the local high school co-teaching their Television Broadcasting Classes. It's part-time. It's good pay. And it's something where I feel I can make a difference in the lives of others. Teaching has been on my Bucket List...and now I get to do it!

I have a new realization for recognizing the difference between Worldly Success and Authentic Success. Both types of success can pay the bills - so to speak. But only Authentic Success happens when we listen to our hearts.

And Yes, there is a time for everything! Perhaps down the road - I will be chasing headlines and reporting for CNN. The dream doesn't have to die simply because the time is not right. However, for me right now, it's a time to try and master the art of getting more puréed carrots in my baby's mouth - verses on her face.

And it's my time to hold my baby and take in that sweet smell after her bath.

Children are going to be small for a very short period of time. The Lord has provided a working opportunity for me, and I am so grateful.

But this is my season to wipe a runny nose, play hide n'seek and rock a crying baby.

The Good Morning...

To my 3 1/2 year old, the "morning" doesn't exist.

It's The Good Morning.
"Mom, can I please have some juice in the Good Morning? Mom, can we go for a walk in the Good Morning?"

We tried to explain to her Good Morning is a phrase or greeting - NOT a time of day.

It didn't click.

And that's okay. Because when I hear those little feet come rushing into my bedroom as the sun is coming up...and Gracie says, "Mom Wake Up. It's the Good Morning!"

I forget about my worries (or tiredness) and remember how much Good is waiting for me when I open my eyes.

Gracie's Dance Recital

We are so proud of Gracie. She shined like a star at her Dance Performance! Many of the girls are 4 or 5 years old in her class. Gracie is only 3, and she did great. She looked forward to her dance class each week.

(And with the umbrellas as props...it's amazing there were no injuries related to this performance!) :)

A Trip to the Sunshine State!

Talk about needing a "Vacation from your Vacation!" This trip was jam-packed with non-stop fun. We were all exhausted by the end of the week. However, I'm already itching to go back. I think Jody is fine to wait awhile! :)




My Favorite part of the entire trip was watching Gracie with the Characters. She was beyond excited.

It was so cute!!




She wanted to wear her Princess Dress to meet Sleeping Beauty. (Can you tell by this picture HOW hot it was?! We are just a couple of Puddles and a Princess...)




A much-needed nap for both of them!!





We traveled to Orlando with my parents for an entire week. Michael was strong-willed that he did NOT want to go. We all felt pretty bad about that...until we spent a day in the 94 degree heat and humidity. Michael would have been so hot - stuck in his wheelchair. We missed him, but we know he was much more comfortable back at home.


We spent a few days with Kerry, Stacy & their kids. They were so good to us and showed us all around SeaWorld.

Sienna was such a great baby on this trip. And she cut her first tooth while we were hopping from theme parks and the beach. (What a trooper!) Gracie...well...I think the poor thing is about done in this picture!


We did sneak in some lounging by the pool and lake.






We met Baby Lindsey for the first time on this trip! Sienna and Lindsey are only nine days apart. Both babies spent some weeks in the transverse position before being born. And both decided to move on their own saving Stacy and I a C-Section. I think these two were good friends in Heaven. And it was wonderful for them to meet up again here on this earth!


Cocoa Beach


What a trip! It was so much fun!! We saved up our Sky Miles and money to travel to Orlando, and we waited eagerly for May to arrive. Now it has come and gone! It will be a long time before we make it back to Florida, so we are glad we have so many great, enjoyable (and hilarious) memories.

Senior Moments

It's that time of the year when high-school Seniors graduate...however, that's not the type of Senior Moment I'm talking about. I'm talking about my brain going to mush. This week I've had my share of senior moments.

Going to the store can be like getting lost in the Bermuda Triangle. We go into the store...and it's hours before we come out! After finishing our weekly grocery shopping, I'm pushing one of those ridiculous carts with the cars attached in front. I say ridiculous because they are the Semi Truck of Shopping Carts. Trying to turn, in one of those, takes some serious skills. We walk out into the parking lot and through an entire row of cars. Our Jeep is nowhere in sight.

Hmmmmm. Down another row. No Jeep.

That's weird. I know I parked on the east side of the store. Again up one row.

Nothing.

I call Jody. "I can't find the Jeep!" His response, "Have you thought about where you parked it?"

"Really??!! Yes, that's all I'm thinking about!" (And I'm also thinking a little about the fact that this might be one of those practical joke shows where silly things happen to random people...so just in case secret cameras are rolling; I'm smiling and trying to look composed.)

But now the lady waiting in her SUV for her husband, who is in the store, is laughing at me. And one of the Smith's Employees comes and asks me if I lost my car. And the whole time Gracie is yelling from her little cart-car "What Happened To Our Car?"

So I go to the west side of the store, even though my brain is telling me we parked on the east side. And Yes! There it is.

Senior Moment #2
(The "Wow! You're So Old" Situation)

The young salesclerk at Children's Place rings me up.

Her: "Cute Shirt! I like that."

Me: "Thanks it reminds me of a shirt Kelly Kapowski would wear."

Her: Silence. Confused. Blank Stare.

Me: "You know...From Saved By the Bell."

Her: Still Nothing. She didn't know.

I hope this made you laugh!

Happy Easter!!

We had the annual Easter Egg Hunt at Papa and Grandma Wiscombe's house.
Here are all of the Egg-Finders! :)


Notice the boots. We were going for comfort and warmth instead of Springtime Fashion.


Some 'Egg-stra' Special little girls!


It was so much fun to watch Gracie hunt for the eggs. She was super excited!



When I was pregnant and found out we were having another GIRL...I immediately started thinking of all the matching dresses and clothes the girls could have.
Here are the Easter Dresses from Grandma & Papa Wiscombe. (Fully accessorized with the matching gloves and purse!)


We discovered our camera takes THREE pictures instead of just one, when it is set on the timer mode. We got some silly shots because of it!
*Here's the first one - Normal.


*Second One. Not sure what's happening here...


*Third One. Just having some Fun!


Happy Easter everyone. It's such a wonderful reminder of the Resurrection.
We are truly blessed.

I Keep Telling Her "Less is More..."

If "Hoarding: Buried Alive" ever has a Child Hoarders episode....Gracie might just make her television debut.

All Types of Wonderful...

This wooden sign sits above our stairs. Jody and I were given a gift card, to a home decor store, for our wedding. And we put the money toward this.

At the time, it just seemed right. As a newlywed - life seemed Wonderful. And over the years, this piece of art has hung in our first apartment...and dotted the walls of our different homes. I have walked past this sign thousands of times over the years; Walking out the door for my first day of work at a new job...Rubbing my eyes at three in the morning to feed a crying, hungry baby...Carrying a defiant toddler to her room for a 'Time-Out'...Running to the oven to retrieve burnt cookies...

Recently, after carrying some soiled clothes to the laundry room, I was scrubbing the carpet with one hand, baby Sienna in the other, while cleaning up an 'accident'. (The third one that day.) I looked up to see the words blaring, "It's a Wonderful Life." I smiled to myself and snickered a little. "Really?", I thought.

Yes...Really.

Even lousy days possess hidden wonder. Life is about perspective. We all know this. Life is what we make it. And this day wasn't even that lousy. Goodness Brittany, get it together. You have two healthy kids, a hardworking husband, a roof over your head and so much more for which to be grateful! So maybe this wedding gift is meant to serve as a gratitude reminder of what Wonderful really means. Over the years I have experienced all types of Wonderful. Most of them are simple accomplishments and joys. The 'I tried a new recipe, and it actually tasted good' sort of Wonderful. The 'My laundry room doesn't look like an episode of Hoarders anymore' type of Wonderful. And the 'My baby gives me the best gummy grins' kind of Wonderful!!


And really, the most magnificent type of wonderful for me right now is found in these big eyes and chubby cheeks!!

The Things She Says...

Gracie makes me laugh. Yesterday while saying a prayer she "Blessed the Machines."

(Instead of the Missionaries.)

She is usually the one who wakes me up in the morning. (Picture the beginning of "Date Night" where Tina Fey gets slammed by a child jumping through the air & onto the bed!) The other day, she lifted up the covers and kindly announced, "Mom - Your Head Looks Like a Coconut." (Have you seen a good picture of a coconut lately??... Yikes. This is not a compliment...)

Gracie loves to sing songs. She does quite the version of Pants on the Ground!



Since beginning Primary in January, she has really caught on to many of the songs in the Children's Songbook. For weeks she would sing "I am a Child of God", and instead of singing 'With Parents Kind and Dear' - she sang 'With Parents Kind-of Here' :)



Little ones teach the most valuable lessons. Last week Jody and I were trying to hush Gracie so we could say a family prayer. The task seemed impossible. When we finally gave up on waiting and just said the prayer, Gracie continued to hum, tap her feet and play with her toys. Once Amen was said, I turned to Gracie and told her Heavenly Father was watching and wishing she would have folded her arms and listened during the prayer. In an instant; one simple moment - she asked,

"Can I try again? Can I have a do-over?"

And we prayed again. This time she looked like a poster child for the 'Friend Magazine' - folding her arms, bowing her head and quietly listening.

Now I'm not saying a little reminder that Heavenly Father wants us to do what is right, works every time. We say many prayers at our house where eyes are wide open and Gracie is poking Sienna or waving her pretend magic wand. But what stuck with me is that, in one moment, she made it seem so easy to change her ways and choose a better path.

It's a lesson I need to learn often; and a sweet reminder that a glorious way has been provided for us, through our Savior Jesus Christ...so that we can have those much needed 'do-overs'.

"Can I Try Again?"

And if we have a sincere heart - the answer from our Father in Heaven will always be YES.