With All the Madness in My Soul...

Our Love Story

A Bruce Springsteen Soundtrack

Chapter 1

“You can’t start a fire without a spark” – Dancing in the Dark

It’s true. You can’t start a fire without a spark. Just the same, you can’t start a journey in love without that one moment in time. That moment, those coincidences that put you at the same place at the same time, at the right time. Oddly (and unromantically) enough, that place for us was human anatomy lab in graduate school in the summer of 2005. Scott was the graduate assistant helping my class learn our gross anatomy that summer. He was tall and handsome, with eyelashes any girl would kill for. He was confident but quiet and so smart. He was quite the catch, but I was too focused on that intense seven week course to think much of it.

Chapter 2

“Except roll down the window and let the wind blow back your hair.  Well the night's busting open these two lanes will take us anywhere” – Thunder Road

We coexisted on campus with not much interaction for the next 9 months. Then one day while I was stressing over finals Scott asked me (well, actually he told me) that I needed to take a break from my vigorous studying. He picked me up in his jeep and I was introduced to a Rock and Roll legend that would become a bigger part of my life than I would ever imagine. We drove to the restaurant where we had our first date with the lyrics of Springsteen serenading us along the way. 

Chapter 3

“Everything dies, baby, that’s a fact. But maybe everything that dies someday comes back” – Atlantic City

Summer quickly came and we moved off campus back to our hometowns. Our very new relationship wasn’t strong enough or serious enough to survive the distance. We went our separate ways with just our memories. Scott even ended up a few states away for an entire semester the next school year for an internship, so the distance became an even bigger factor in our separation. We kept in touch intermittently that year but just as friends. Randomly a full year after our first date Scott called me and asked if I had any interest in going to a Bruce Springsteen cover-band concert with him. I told him I would think about it. Almost a full week later I let him know that I was in! I made the two hour drive to his hometown on June 16^th, 2006 and we spent the night dancing, swaying and belting out the lyrics to Bruce’s finest songs. Later that night Scott told me that he loved me for the first time. He told me that he had the entire time we were apart over the past year. I melted and was his…

Chapter 4

“Barefoot girl sitting on the hood of a dodge, drinking warm beer in the soft summer rain” – Jungleland

That summer of 2006 was the quintessential summer romance. It involved lots of sun, fun, cruising in the Jeep with the top down, of course more Springsteen music and falling more in love all with a beautiful lake and mountains in the background. We had 100 miles between us that summer but we managed to spend nearly every weekend together. I had found my one and only.

Chapter 5

“I’ll love you with all the madness in my soul…” – Born to Run

Two years later, in 2008, Scott asked me to marry him. It wasn’t a grand proposal but it was sweet and thoughtful. He had been listening when previously in our relationship I told him a story about the meaning of an oval cut diamond. I had learned along the way that an oval ring represented the dining room table and the time you spend around it as a family. That had struck a chord with me and apparently it had with him too because on October 17^th, 2008 our puppy came down the stairs with a beautiful oval cut diamond ring on her collar and a note from her asking me to marry her Daddy. Of course I said yes. We planned our wedding for a beautiful sunset ceremony on the beach in Cancun with 40 of our closest friends and family in attemdance on July 8^th, 2009. We both wrote our own vows and appropriately enough, incorporated a Springsteen lyric into them. We both had ended them with the words “I’ll love you with all the madness in my soul.” To this day that is our sweet little phrase that we write in our cards to each other or jot down at the end of our notes to each other.

Chapter 6

“I’ve got somethin’ in my heart I been waitin’ to give. I got a life I wanna start, one I been waitin’ to live” – Leah

We were ready to start a family pretty soon after being married. We knew it was the life we wanted and were excited to begin our journey. We soon welcomed our first daughter, Adalyn Rose and within two years after her birth were bringing home our baby boy, Mason Scott. I thought I loved that man during our first summer of falling in love. I thought I loved that man during our wedding in paradise. I never knew I could love that man as much as I did the moment I saw him holding our babies, the moment I saw the tears in his eyes when our daughter was born and the pride in his face when he met his son. It was the life I was waiting to live with him.

Chapter 7

“At the end of every hard earned day people find some reason to believe”
Reason to Believe

The first five years have not been perfect. Or easy.  But we are blessed.  I am blessed. That man does so much for our family, and I’m sure he would say the same of me. It’s not easy to maintain that spark when you are exhausted and working and maintaining a home and have two little ones in the house. I love him in a way that is different from the way I first loved him. I love him deeper and more fully than before. And it’s true what they say… a melody does sound like a memory. All it takes is a few chords of a Springsteen song and I’m reminded of our story and why and how I came to love this man so much.

Chapter 8

“Precious memories, how they linger, How they live in my soul
In the stillness of the midnight, Precious sacred scenes unfold” – Precious Memories

These photos are a celebration of our five years together as a married couple. They are priceless memories that we have now to share with our children and for them to share with their children. They alone tell a story that doesn’t need words. Look at the way he looks at me. Look at the way I lean into his kiss. That’s what I want my children to remember about their parents. That we loved each other endlessly. That we loved each other with all the madness in our soul.

Chapter 9

“Now everyone dreams of a love faithful and true, but you and I know what this world can do. So let’s make our steps clear so the other may see. And I’ll wait for you… should I fall behind wait for me.” – If I Should Fall Behind

Our journey isn’t over. It’s just beginning. I’m so thrilled and blessed to be able to spend many many more years on this journey with the love of my life. I know that there are highs and lows in the years ahead but I have confidence that I will have this man, this love and this music to carry us through.

My brain on yoga...

Six months ago I started doing yoga. It started out as a workout and then it became more of an escape. It was 1 hour plus drive time 2-3 times a week of silence, without kids. It's blissful... 100 degree room or not, it's blissful.

The yoga teachers often talk during class about dropping your thoughts and focusing on your breath and your movements. I'm getting better at it... but it wasn't always that way. My first few sessions of yoga were more think sessions. You know... Mommy brain on speed. One thought led me to another and another, until I ended up 693 thoughts later in final Savasanna.



A mommy brain on yoga...

"Music, soft lights, incense... is this heaven?"
"Child's pose. Sure I can do that. But can we not mention kids again. This is my safe place. Kid free, mmm-kay?"
"Ahhh a little reading to start class. How nice"
"Crap. She must have read my facebook post earlier today. That reading was directed right at me, I just know it."
"First downward dog of the day. Ok. I'm tired now, can't we just skip to that part where we lay down and listen to nice music."
"I guess not."
"Ommmm." "Ohhhhhmmmmygosh I was way off key on that."
"Do I have a man voice? Maybe my inner voice just sounds deeper than it really is. We all sound different than we hear ourselves, right?"
"My leg won't go any higher than that."
"How the hell does her body do that?"
"She's a freak of nature. No other explanation."
"Ugh. This is not an inversion friendly shirt. And now the world knows about my stretch marks. Great. Perfect. Well, take this out of the yoga clothing rotation."
"She said breathe in, breathe out. She didn't say do your best Darth Vader. Geesh lady!"
"How does that girl not sweat at all during this? I'm the freak of nature. A sweatastic freak of yoga nature."
"I wonder what my kids are doing."
"You aren't supposed to be thinking about your kids, focus on your breath."
"I hope they are driving my husband crazy. They drive me crazy. Why shouldn't they torture him too?"
"Oh no, not the balance sequence."
"Should I explain to her after class that my ankle ligaments are shot. I can't help it I'm unstable."
"I feel like she's judging my tipping over every 3 seconds."
"She's a yoga teacher. She can't judge you. That goes against every principle of yoga. She accepts you, tipping over onto that girl next to you and all. Relax."
"I'm hungry."
"I hope whatever he is making for dinner is healthy. No sense in sweating like a pig to go home and gorge on carbs."
"Actually, I'd love a huge bowl of macaroni and cheese."
"Oh no, those weren't hunger pains. Please don't fart out loud, please don't fart out loud."
"Oh thank goodness it was silent."
"Shit, silent but deadly."
"Act normal, no one will notice. It's 100 degrees in here. All these sweaty people... It stinks enough that no one will notice."
"Warrior One. Am I the only one that wants to yell "Super Star" and pretend I'm on Saturday Night Live right now?"
"I'm thirsty."
"These pretzel's are making me thirsty."
"I miss Seinfeld. Is it even on any more?"
"You know what else I miss? Saved by the Bell."
"Mmmmm Mario Lopez."
"He'd probably be grossed out by how sweaty I am right now."
"Happy baby pose. Crotch-shot for the yoga teacher."
"I'm way too immature for yoga."
"Abs. Just what I needed. Obviously since she stressed to suck it in like 900 times this class."
"She's trying to kill me."
"She looked at me and said "Breathe". Oh crap. How long was I holding my breath?"
"Lay down? Don't have to ask me twice!!"
"Ahhh yes, the music part. The laying down part. I'd pay the class fee just to do this for an hour."
"It's so quiet in here."
"At least I don't have to fart now."
"Now let your mind be empty."
"Focus on the music, on your breathing."
"Geez, enough all ready Darth Vader."
"I've never even watched a Star Wars movie."
"Wahhhhhh. I don't want to sit up yet."
"Another Om. Keep it on key this time, would ya?"
"Ommmmmmmmmmm"
"Did everyone open their eyes yet? I don't want to get caught peeking. Don't want to be the last one with my eyes closed either."
"This yoga thing is confusing."
"So much for losing my thoughts. I went from Darth Vader to Mario Lopez tonight."
"I'll do better next time."

If you aren't exhausted you aren't doing it right...

Ever have one of those days? You know the kind of day when you are just D.O.N.E? The kind where being a mom seems like the worst job ever? When the noise level in your home is so deafening that you feel as though your head may implode? When you would just about kill or give your right arm to go back to the days pre-children where you would come home after a day at work, throw on some relaxing music and cook a dinner that didn't involve chicken nuggets or macaroni and cheese without a crying child hanging onto your leg? The kind of day that if you have to endure one more single second of arguing, whining or crying you may lock yourself in a closet and ignore them until their father gets home? The kind of day where you have separated hands from hair and toys from double death grips so many times that you consider letting them just fight to the death because surely one kid is easier (and quieter) than two? The kind of day where you remember a time when you didn't mind cooking, cleaning and laundry so much because when there were only two of you in the home there was 500% less of that to do?


You haven't? Then you aren't a parent. Or you are lying!


Have you ever had a day where your husband calls to check in from work and between the kids screeching and the dogs barking you just hang up the phone mid sentence because you can't hear a damn word he is saying anyway? How about the kind of day where you text your husband BEGGING him to get home 10 minutes ago because you seriously are on the verge of a break down? Or the kind of day where you find yourself alone at the gas station, pumping gas, and for a split second consider driving the opposite direction of home and just disappearing forever...?


You haven't? Then you aren't a parent. Or you are extremely well medicated.


Ever have a day where you consider never cleaning your house again until your children leave for college because right after scrubbing the kitchen floor your child throws their entire dinner onto that same floor? How about those days where you clean your home so well and finally feel like a champion and then bend over to pick something up off the floor and happen to look up and notice the inch of dried food your toddlers have wiped onto the underside of the kitchen table unbeknownst to you?


No? Oh you must have a cleaning lady.


We wait and wait for our children to utter those first adorable words "ma-ma" and get emotionally heartbroken if "da-da" happens to come out first. Until we realize that the old adage "Be careful what you wish for..." is oh so true. If I hear "ma-ma" one more time...!!!! I remember getting so mad when the string of "Mom! Mommy! Mommmmm! Mom!" would come out of my little mouth as a kiddo and the response I would get would be "She's not here" or "She changed her name" would get fired back from my mother. I get it. I completely and utterly get it.


I've been a mother for less than 4 years. I have cleaned poop out of tubs, I have wiped smeared poop off of walls and windows and tiny crevasses on my oldest child's face. I have been head-butted violently during toddler fits of rage.  I have left full carts of groceries in the middle of the store. I have fought a child for 10 plus minutes in the heat of summer to try to get him/her buckled into their carseat. I rarely get to go to the bathroom alone when I am at home. And speaking of the bathroom don't get me started on bath time... I eff'ing loathe bath time. I have cleaned up a dumped out bag of all purpose flour off of my living room floor. I have neglected my home completely because I can't do any maintenance to the outside without my child trying to run into the road. I have neglected the inside of my home because I can't paint or do repair work until 10:00 at night when everyone is asleep and out of the way, and by then after a full day of work it's the last thing I feel like doing.


Some days I sit in my home and look around and cringe. Some days I nearly cry. My home is messy. It is disorganized. It has primary colored toys clashing with my décor. It has dings in the walls+ from rough playing kids. What seemed like a big enough home when we purchased is now over-run with kids "stuff" and we are busting at the seams. I'm discouraged.


I'm also exhausted. The amount of cooking/cleaning/laundry that these two monsters generate is impossible to tackle in the few hours I get after work to deal with it (all the while breaking up fights, removing children from dangerous situations, and just trying to exist in this freaking three ring circus). Kids are freaking life suckers I tell you. Some days running into oncoming traffic seems like a fantastic idea.


I guess if I wasn't doing it right I wouldn't be tired. I guess if I wasn't parenting and letting my kids learn, play and grow into the amazing individuals they will become than I wouldn't be so exhausted. I guess it's just the norm to feel so run down as a parent to two little kids. I guess it's just nice to vent it out and maybe have a mom or two agree with you so that you know you are "normal" and that eventually this too shall pass. I guess it's just a fact of life with toddlers with determined, exploring and investigative personalities. I guess I'm lucky to have such active and excited kids to parent and guide. I guess I wish I just had a bit more energy and patience to enjoy it a tad bit more some days.




Public Service Announcement: I promise I love my kids endlessly and immensely. I promise I don't need an inpatient hospital stay to deal with these feelings. I promise I do probably need more yoga and more wine in my life. But other than that... I'm doing just fine.

Half Way to Four!

Can't hardly believe it, but it's true. My baby girl is half way to four!

THREE & A HALF YEAR OLD INTERVIEW:

What is your name? "Adalyn Marek. I'm three"
Who is your favorite pet? "Veyda"
What is your favorite thing to eat? "Chicken nuggets and hot dogs and ketchup"
What is your favorite color? "Purple"
Who is your best friend? "Macey and Maddie"
Who is your teacher? "Mrs. Gavio and Mrs. Radishofski"
What is your favorite thing about school? "Playing princesses with Macey"
What is your favorite movie? "Frozen"
What is your favorite television show? "Peppa Pig"
What is your favorite thing to play with? "My horsey"
Where is your favorite place to go? "Birthday Parties"
What is your favorite animal? "Sheep"
What is your favorite thing to do outside? "Kick the pink spotty ball"
What is your favorite drink? "Chocolate milk with chocolate"
What is your favorite snack? "Animal crackers"
What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy? "Football"
What is your favorite thing to do with Mommy? "Frozen princesses"
What is your favorite thing to wear? "My Frozen shirt"
What is your favorite letter? A
What is your favorite number? "I lie 3"
What is your favorite book? "10 in the bed book and the Tikki Tikki Tembo book"
What is your favorite song? "Let it go from frozen and The first time in forever from Frozen, all of them, I like all of them"
What is your favorite animal to snuggle? "Mooshka" (her ring around the rosy doll)
What do you want to be when you grow up? "Four and go to Disney"

Can you tell the new Disney movie, "Frozen", is all the rage in our household right now?

The Parenting Paradox

We, as parents, all have one of "those" friends. The one who has no children but seems to know everything about parenting. (Insert eye roll here). Heck, I would venture to guess that most of us, especially the women, were that person before we had kids. "I'll never feed my kid fast food." "I will never stand for my kids screaming in public like that kid over in the cereal aisle." "I'll never cook two separate meals so that my kids will eat dinner." "I'll never buy those loud annoying toys, or stuffed animals... They are annoying and/or a waste of money." Yada, yada, yada. The list goes on.

Well, I can tell you that after 3.5 years of parenting... all those "I'll never's" go out the window really quick. Wanna know why?

Because a quick trip through the drive thru once and a blue moon for chicken nuggets and French fries is a heck of a lot easier than dragging a toddler and a baby on the hip into an establishment (by yourself in the pouring down rain during your two hour drive to visit your parents) to get something healthier. It just is.

Because your kid, at some point in time, will likely be the one throwing a fit in the middle of the store. If it's like my most memorable experience, it won't be because they want a toy or want to get out of the cart... It will just be a spontaneous no good reason melt-down requiring you to leave an entire cart of bulk items in the middle of an aisle at SAMs club while you walk out with a flailing child under you arm. It's the parenting version of the ever famous college "walk of shame."

Because at some point, watching half of the meal you cook end up on the floor will likely push you to the toddler diet menu. And unless you and your husband intend to pack on the parenting 20 (it's kinda like the freshman 15 only it involves chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese and PB&J instead of kegs of beer), you will find yourself cooking separate meals more often than not.

It's amazing how much we think we know before we have kids, and how much we realize we don't know after we have them. They really turn our world upside down (in a great amazing wouldn't trade it for the world kinda way). But, they kinda make you a bit bipolar too. And by that I mean... It's insanely crazy how these little creatures can make you feel in a single moment. They can literally make you feel two completely opposite emotions in the exact same second.

I'm sure stay at home mom's feel this even more intensely than I as a working mom. But have you ever been home, just you and your kids, and feel a little bit lonely? Like you can't wait for your husband to get home? Or you wish you had a friend nearby to visit that day just for a little adult conversation and a break from the monotony? And in that same second you are feeling lonely a little face appears from the other side of the shower curtain. Or a little hand slides under the bathroom door while you linger in there for a few seconds longer than you need just because it's quiet. Or you have two children fighting for position on your lap and you catch an elbow to the jaw. There you have it. The bipolarity. I'm lonely. Would you just leave me alone for a few minutes? I wish I had some company! Where can I hide for a few minutes?

Thank goodness for the motherly instincts and love we immediately have for our children and that those feelings continue to blossom as we bond more with them. The amount of love we have for our children is unparalleled. It's the strongest love there is. And while we love and adore and breathe every breath for our kiddos when someone offers you a respite you can't find your keys and start the car fast enough. Heaven forbid they change their mind before you get out of the driveway. It's like we have this undying intensely wonderful love for our babies but we can't wait to get away from them when we are given the chance. Is my comment about having children making us bipolar with emotions making sense yet?

How about that baby fever we all get? It never fails that the moment you want a baby everyone around you starts growing little bellies. You hold a baby. You smell a baby. You swoon. Babies. Babies! BABIES!! "I want just one more." I can't count how many times I have said that. I also can't count how many times I have called my husband at work begging him to come home before I placed our children out on the edge of the street with a sign that would read "Free to a home." Yep, you read that right. There have been times that "Free to a GOOD home" wouldn't have even been required. More likely than not those same nights I made a comment to my husband about having another baby. See? Bipolar.

And my newest favorite paradox as a mother of two. One boy. One girl. Different ages. Different genders. Different toys. I think most parents have children and think to themselves "I want my kids to have a better life than I had. I want to give them everything I can." And the grandparents... Oh the grandparents. What is it about grandparents and buying "stuff". While us as parents appreciate the thoughtfulness and the love and adoration they have for our children... Our 1600 sq ft home does not so much. "I want to give them the world" often results in a house full of toys. LOUD annoying toys. A room full of stuffed animals. And the cycle never ends. They just keep coming. And while we want to give our kids everything that we can... We want to get rid of it so badly. I live to purge my house of kid crap. I live to make my home not look like a dysfunctional daycare center. But guess who will likely be bringing another stuffed animal into the house this weekend? Yep, that's right. This sucker.

We spend our entire life as parents stuck in a paradox of emotions. And these are little kid problems. Someone once told me "Little kids, little problems. Big kids, big problems." If big kids bring bigger problems I can imagine that means more confusing paradoxes, more confusing emotions, more questioning of your sanity.

So I'll wrap this up with one final thought. The biggest parenting paradox of them all:
"My life is so complete by having my children in it. What the hell have we gotten ourselves into?"

Mason's Half Birthday

My little guy is a big one and a half years old. Ok, he's 19 months now and I've been slacking on my blogging... Here goes, better late than never, right?

Dear Sweet Mason,

Hey big boy. 18 months old already! It's been the happiest, most (wonderfully) stressful, love filled, insane year and a half of my life.

You are growing like a weed at 33.5 inches and 27.5 pounds. You are slow to use words but quick to let us know exactly what you are feeling. Your emotions are big. When you are happy you are one of the happiest kids I have ever watched. When you are angry or frustrated you throw fits like NO other kid I have ever witnessed. When you are sleepy you are the sweetest snuggly little bugger ever. You love to curl up in mama's lap and lay your head on my chest. I soak in every single second I can when you do that. I know it won't be long before you don't want to cuddle up to me... I hope it's further off than I think, because it's seriously some of the best moments of my life and it makes my life feel so much more worthwhile than I ever imagined it would.

You love your sleep. You never fight bedtime or naps. You snuggle up in your crib with your soother singing you to sleep and your nightlight casting stars on the ceiling for you to gaze at. Often when I lay you in your crib you wrap both hands under your head with your elbows out the side and you just lie there contently watching the glow of those stars. It's hard for me to walk away from you some nights... I just want to stand there and watch you like that. Remember you like that forever. So peaceful, so content, so wonderfully perfect.

You love Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Peppa Pig on the television... they are the only two shows that really keep your attention. As for toys, your favorites lately are your shape sorter, cars and trucks, Mr. Potato heads, and puzzles and books, especially your truck book. You have started to push cars on the floor, wall or my arms and head and make adorable "vroooom" noises. You love to be involved with whatever your sister is playing with but don't quite know how to play with her yet. You can be quite destructive of her castles she builds or zoos she constructs for her animals. You love jumping on the couch with her and chasing her around the kitchen.

Some of your favorite foods are cheerios, graham crackers, eggs, refried beans, berries, applesauce and of course, chicken nuggets, French fries and macaroni and cheese. You love giving kisses and in my opinion have the cutest pucker ever. You are newly excited about waving hello and goodbye to everyone and love to go places in the car. Often you will run to the closet and bring me your coat randomly even if we aren't planning on going anywhere.

You, my little boy, have brought us so much joy. Daddy is so happy to have you in his life. He says often how he can't wait to do this with you, and can't wait to go here with you. He's ecstatic to have a little man in his life to share all of his hobbies and adventures. I'm thrilled to have YOU in my life because you make my day brighter, every day. You are my sunshine. And I will continue to love you every moment for the rest of my days.

Always and forever,
Mama

Tis The Season

Tis the Season For...

• Sharing Kindness
• Two of my best girlfriends and I spent a lovely day together completing random acts of Christmas kindness. It was one of the best days we have ever spent together. We were all impacted that day and loved what we did so much that we plan to make it an annual outing!

• Visits with Santa
• Mason was less than enthused over the Big Guy this year and we didn't manage a single photo of him sitting on his lap. I'm not sure if he was terrified or if he just had no interest in sitting still. Adalyn, on the other hand, happily sat on his lap to run down her list of must-have's for 2013. Topping the list were a Ring Around the Rosie doll and a keyboard. We also had breakfast with Santa again this year!

• Playing in the Snow

• Celebrating the Reason for the Season
• Our yearly tradition of birthday cake for Baby Jesus

• Spending Time with Family

• Giving to others to bring happiness and joy

Fall Fun 2013

I am so behind on blogging it's just flat out sad. Let's rewind a few months (actually an entire season) and get back to the lovely crisp autumn air and changing leaves. Gosh how I would love to be in that right now! Right now we are knee deep in winter and ready for some nicer weather...

Anyway. Fall. Leaves. Pumpkins. FUN!

Knoebel's 2013
We had our yearly trip to Knoebel's in October and it was a perfect day. The weather was amazing. The kids were great. Mason went on his first solo rides (well, with big sister by his side) and we had lots of yummy food too!

Look at his little hand on her knee. Too much cuteness!

 



Roba's 2013

Our third year of an annual trip to Roba's Family Farm. This place is amazing and we always have so much fun that this year we convinced a whole group of our friends and their kiddos to join us! We rented a tent and a campfire to roast marshmallows and just enjoy some (COLD) fall weather together. The kids, although chilly, had an awesome day!

 

 

Trick-or-treat 2013

When Addy told me she wanted to be a "really really fluffy soft kitty cat" for Halloween I immediately knew what Mason would be to complement her! So I put Scott to work constructing and then I added some finishing paint touches and the costumes turned out perfectly, if I do say so myself. I love being able to make the kids' costumes every year and hope that it is a tradition that they allow me to continue as they grow each year!

I present to you... the cutest cat and mouse you ever did see.

 

And just a few photos from Adalyn's Preschool Halloween Parade... 

 

 

Baltimore Zoo 2013

Daddy had to go away for a weekend for work and we were blessed with some unseasonably decent weather in early November and were lucky enough to share it with some of our best friends at the Baltimore zoo. It was a perfect day!! Adalyn was loving spending some quality time with her favorite girls and Mason was such a trooper with all the girls!

 

 

 

And last but not least my beautiful little family on Thanksgiving. These are the people that I'm most thankful for every day!