the lunch room

a reminder ...

tonight's post is purely something I need for myself.  to look back on ... some day, far in the future.  to be able to remember that tough times come, but they also go.  so, here goes ...

dear future self,
do you remember May 5, 2011?  yes, it was your mom's birthday but does it ring any other bells?  how bout the rest of that month?  do you remember September 2011?  do you remember March 31, 2012?  do you remember April 23, 2012 (or April 21, 24, 28)?  no?  GOOD.  now remember that you don't (hopefully) remember!  and the next time you're having a bummer of a day and you're just so upset over any little thing ... remember that later you won't remember - therefore, it's not such a big deal!


now, self, let's ask another question:  do you remember where you were living during those dates?  do you remember the many people you met, the people God brought to you, the people that were a part -any part- of your life?  yes!  GOOD.  say a prayer for each one of those people right now and thank God for the experience of meeting people He cherishes and loves.  


and, finally, self ... smile.  think of all the things you've accomplished and overcome!  are you a different person than you were back then?  have you made improvements?  what are the things you are still working on?  how has God worked in your life?  thank Him.  thank Him for loving you through your challenging days, thank Him for giving you peace, thank Him for showing you that those yucky times can be turned around and used for good ... most importantly thank Him for helping you to be still when you knew you couldn't be on your own!


sincerely, your past self

and by the way self, I know you ... I know that once this is printed into a book you'll look through it ever so often - as you love to look back at your photos and remember your kids when they were smaller and be sentimental and all that.  this means you'll read this more than once, probably many many times over the years!  this is a good thing, because it will also serve as a reminder to evaluate where you're at and where you're going.  keep on keeping on, you'll never be perfect ... that's not the point!

(5-5-12) p.s.  the dates really don't matter ... I could recall dates for all my life, but once again that just proves a point!  even some of the crap I can remember, I don't remember the date it happened!  I just want to be able to look back some day and see that those days hold nothing (hopefully, that is) despite the ugly they may hold at one time!  I also thought about this and decided that it's one more reminder to focus on and remember all the good!  (5-5-12)

daddy-daughter time ...

... it occurs to me, right this moment, that I've yet to mention that my hubby will going to Korea (again) for a year (again)!  given this fairly recent info, I'm trying to be sure and capture some good pics of him with the kiddos - and I'll be making a photo wall for them to enjoy while he's away!  so, that's where these pics come in - it was shortly after we found out he'd be going ... I think I caught some wall worthy ones for sure!

our trip: some "official" pics!

so, given that I hadn't yet done Liam's "four year" photos ... oh heck, I wish it was only his - the most recent birthday - that I hadn't done yet!  but, as is evidenced by the lack of "proof" here on the blog, I hadn't done any of the kids "official birthday" pics.  Not Liam's, not Zoey's, not Jericho's, not even Annicka's ... and her birthday was three and a half months passed by the time of our trip!

so, I decided the Golden Gate Bridge (which I must mention that Annicka was semi-astounded by the fact that it's not actually gold in color - lol) might make a pretty neat background ... and a rare one at that!  the big problem was that I didn't know where to be to get a good angle for a background - none the less, I did still take some time and get pics of each of the kids to be their finally "official" b-day pics!

it was quite interesting to be there alone with four kids trying to do "good" photos ... with many people all around (which also made it hard not to get those people in the pics and required either waiting for the perfect moment or just getting the strangers in my children's photos) and the normal chaos of being out with four children!

but, we pulled it off ... good enough anyway!!!

so, here are the best of the bunch ... and some of the good "out-takes" too!  these pics are cute, hilarious, precious, beautiful, sweet, "perfect" captures of a moment in the lives of my children ... they definitely show character, and that I love!!!

(btw - these pics are in very random order)

Annicka - at eleven she is so not into the photo thing, this is what I got when asking her to please -for heaven's sake- open her eyes!  oh yes, my lovely Annicka, you are a beautiful girl - very impatient for photo taking on this day - but this is you.  you are eleven (and three plus months) and today you found a love for being behind the camera ... that was quite exciting for mama.  but, still, we shall be working on the in front part as well!!!

Jericho - at seven he is refusing to smile ... but I'll get it out of him!

we're getting there - but this is sure a silly look ... from an absolutely adorable little boy!

trying not to smile, still!  look at that cutie boy - oh my Jericho you are quite the boy, indeed!

he was just biding his time, waiting to be allowed to do a silly face - I figured I should oblige!

Liam - at four years old!  cherub face, big beautiful blue eyes, and your recent onset of excema!  I love you so much and love our days together with Zoey while the big kids are at school ... you're very bright and you make me smile ... you're also very ornery and have a habit of being very hurtful with words, we're working on that!  we LOVE you Liam, I promise that one day you'll realize that our refusal to let you have your way with everything is actually due to our love and how much we care about you!!

now that's one FAKE smile!!!

looking at the sights with big sissy!

the boys!

HA!  I caught a smile, a real smile!!

Zoey - two years old!  it took a "cookie" to keep you occupied just enough to get some photos, which meant lots of gooey drool and lots of wiping it away (which hadn't happened for this pic)!

sissy is holding Zoey's legs so she doesn't fall (she's on a bench) and I think she was

tickling her or being silly and got her laughing - so cute!

this is about the time she started doing this "strike a pose" thing!

she bends her knees -sometimes real far- and gives the camera a big, cheesy smile!

LOVE IT!

making a run for it!

Annicka got this one while I was unloading little kids!

this kid is awesome ... he just, IS!

air guitar.

loving it!

four beautiful blessings!

love. her. so. much.

so mischievous!!  so cute!!  so silly!!  so him!!

she's annoyed ... can ya tell?

the end.

and that wraps up our trip!

our trip: the randoms!

our trip: the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco

 this was after we crossed it, looking for a better spot for pics!

(via the GPS - and of course I didn't have enough cash

to pay the toll here or at the bridge on the way home!  ... 

I had enough cash for one toll bridge that day, not three - so 

in the end I paid $60 extra in fines - boooo)

I was driving, so had Annicka snap some pics ...