Love Number 5

5. People

I know that sounds quite common, but I don't just mean my friends or what not. Lately I have been able to get to know people very different from myself. Different cultures, different beliefs, very different people. It is fascinating. I love that I can find someone living their life so differently from me yet still find so many amazing things that draw me to them and suprisingly a lot of similarities too. There are so many wonderful people in the world. It is so easy to get caught in our "own world" of people, places, and beliefs. I love expanding my friendship base. I really think there is a little good in everyone and A LOT of good in MOST.

Love Number 4

4. Simple Sweetness

My fourth love is hard to name. It is those moments when sweetness shines through. It is so easy to feel discouraged as my children are learning what's right and wrong through trial and error. I feel like I am often trying to keep myself from losing it, which is sometimes hard, but worth it. However, sometimes I get this glimpse at the natural kindness that is inside of my children. Those sweet moments of sharing and caring. I think that these moments are what get me through. I live for these times.

This picture is a simple example of sweetness. Ava, after repeatedly putting Bennett's paci in his mouth to get him to sleep decided that what he really wanted was to sleep with her giraffe, furthermore she decided she would let him. Sweet.

Dear Daddy

I miss you! Mom's all right and all, she just doesn't squeeze my cheeks like you or give the same cuddles before bed and kisses on my face like you. She does fill up my tank, so I guess she is good for something. Anyway, come home quick.

Love, Bennett

Love Number 3

3. Chubbies

So my kids tend to measure on the big side...you know, 97% in weight :) I love it. There is a lot less to worry about when there are extra rolls on your little ones thighs (which have been present on Bennett's sweet little thighs for weeks now. In fact the little guy went to the doctor yesterday to check his reflux medicine and he weighed in at almost 13 lbs. Yes, my child is 5 weeks old. No wonder his medicine wasn't working, it was only half of the right dosage!

To the point. It makes me so happy to look at my kids' squeezable cheeks AND thighs. I love the rolls that form on their wrists. Even their biceps look chubby. Ava is slowly growing out of this extra fat, but let me remind with a few pics. Try to tell me this doesn't make you smile too!

Doesn't it look like those legs are going to burst!

I need to capture Bennett's chubs and post a pic of him too.

Love Number 2

2. Twins

When I was a little girl my mom would take me to the mall and she would always give me a penny to throw into the little water fountain and make a wish. (Ah, the simple things in life- now we go to the mall and our kids are bombarded by $1 and 30 second rides) For about 2 years, every wish I made was that I could be a twin. Eventually, I realized that myself being a twin was no longer possible. So I decided from there on out to wish for one of two things, either to have twins or to marry a twin. Lo and behold, I got my wish. I married a twin.

I love that Tyler is a twin. He has a great relationship with his twin brother, as do I. They have some pretty funny "twincidences" as we like to call them. If they are ever going to the same event, there is ALWAYS a call to discuss what clothes each other will be wearing. They have shown up in the same outfit far too many times. Why do they have the same outfits you might ask, because when they go shopping, separately, they inevidably come home with the same clothes. They have a lot of differences don't get me wrong, but definitely some strange similarities. Tyler and I were married first, which made me try to have influence on who mr. twin would marry. I couldn't have picked her better myself. Mr. twin and his wife live way off in London for a few years, but since the boys have to chat at least everyday we've all come to conclude that we must settle down in the same place (meaning town, not house-although Sara and I have considered that too).

So I got my wish, and I love it. I'll leave you with a funny trick these two played on an innocent little boy who hadn't seen his daddy much for awhile and surely didn't mind a "filler dad", but got real confused when he was faced with both.

My Loves...

I am starting out behind, but better late than never! Last year I did 14 days of love and it was lots of fun. So, here we go again.

1. Sleep

For someone who is not getting a lot of it right now, I can confidently say that I LOVE sleep. But even more than my own sleep (if that is possible) I love to catch a moment with my children when they are so peacefully sleeping. I love to feel the innocence that seems to radiate around a sleeping child. It doesn't matter how naughty a child might have been, at that moment they are the sweetest thing in the world. I love to sneak into my kids rooms and lay down next to them and have these moments.

Attention all shoppers!

So my friend is the Queen of all good deals. Really, the queen. Who knows where she finds all the deals, but I gladly accept the info she displays on her Savvy Shopper blog.

So, she has a sweet game going this month...Come play along!

Go check it out, and don't forget to give credit where credit is due!