Easter Weekend: Part 1

Our Easter weekend started off with a trip to the zoo, just me and my girls.  The 
weather could not have been more perfect: one of those glorious Louisiana spring days 
that make you want to stay outside forever and ever.  We walked around and looked at all 
our favorite animals, rode the train and visited with the Easter bunny.  After a trip to the 
mall to pick up new spring sandals, we headed to my aunt's house for our family's 
annual Good Friday crawfish boil.  After setting out the traps and collecting crawfish in 
the bayou next to our house, my uncles and cousins set to work boiling our favorite 
seafood.  The little ones  climbed trees while the grown-ups talked and watched the 
sunset.  We ate and ate and then ate some more, talking long into the night while the 
cousins all fell asleep together on the living room floor.  It was a wonderful day and I went 
to sleep so happy.  Tired, but full and happy.

Steppin' Out: Easter Sunday

Happy Easter dear friends!!  I hope that your weekend was filled with peace and love.
We had an amazing time with our family, celebrating this most beautiful holiday and
enjoying our favorite traditions.  We took a trip to the zoo, ate crawfish, dyed dozens of
eggs, and then hosted our entire family at our house for a very special Easter Sunday
dinner.  The hardest part of this weekend was that Shawn was away for work.  There's
really nothing worse than being separated during such a special time but we made the best
of it and are eagerly awaiting his return home tomorrow.  We saved him lots of chocolate
and made his favorite egg salad with all the leftover eggs.  After such a beautiful couple
of days together, jumping into his arms as he walks through the door will be icing on
the cake.

I have so many photos to share, after we take a nap or two.
Until then, here's what we wore...   

Mama>>Dress and belt: Old Navy//Belle>>Dress: Sweetheart Rose via Zuilily,
Sandals: Payless//Brees>>Dress: Laura Ashley via Zuilily, Sandals: Payless

This Week's Favorites

Favorite photo...

Favorite quote...

This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a 
mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; 
the being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and 
grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.  
~George Bernard Shaw

Favorite links...

I love this family so much.  They are so full of love and embrace life in such a 

beautiful way.

Nichole captures the beauty of simplicity in a way that takes my breathe away.  

She inspires me daily.

This blog, this moment, these photos: WOW.

An incredibly smart, articulate post on vaccines.  I have wanted to post on this topic 

often but have feared the backlash.  Dani manages to capture my thoughts and had 

me nodding in agreement.  SO refreshing to read this point of view.

One of my new favorite blogs.

Favorite recipe...

Foil pack chicken and broccoli dinner

Favorite pin...

Source

Favorite moment...

After a busy afternoon playing outside in the garden and a very messy dinner on the 
back patio, I picked Brees up and brought her inside for bath time.  She threw the 
temper tantrum of the century, complete with screaming, head butting, and thrashing 
limbs.  She ran for the door and tried to get back out, a true lover of the outdoors, not 
wanting her time in the yard to end.  I took a deep breathe, picked my mad little girl up, 
and carried her upstairs to the bath.  I filled the tub with warm water and lavender, 
placed her favorite duckies in the water, and stripped off her dirty, sticky clothes: all 
while she screamed bloody murder and attempted to crawl, kick, and scratch her way 
to freedom.  I have never seen her so upset and was truly taken aback by her behavior.  
But I just kept patiently trucking on, methodically running through our night time 
routine, staying calm and putting her gently in the tub.  When she got into the water, 
she instantly stopped crying, looking up at me with her big brown eyes.  She scooted her 
way to the side of the tub where I was leaning in on my knees, ready to wipe her tears 
away.  Our eyes met, she let out a huge sigh, and then she wrapped her arms around 
my neck.  My heart completely melted in the floor as my tired, dirt streaked baby gave in 
and relaxed.  We sat like that for a while, me leaning into the tub, her leaning out of it, 
our arms wrapped around each other.  I scooped water onto her back slowly and 
hummed "Strawberry Fields Forever" into her ear.  Her breathing slowed and her tears 
were gone but she didn't let go, she just listened and enjoyed the water as I scooped it 
over her back.  We held each other close, the warmth of the water and our hug 
comforting her.  After I had gotten her as clean as I could, I picked her up and put her 
jammies on.  I brought her to the nursery and rocked her to sleep, her arms still 
wrapped around my neck.  This moment was my favorite for two reasons.  One: It was 
one of those tender, beautiful moments in motherhood that take your heart and make 
it bigger.  My little girl threw her tantrum but then gave in to the love of her mama.  
Two: I kept my cool and parented out of love.  I didn't get frustrated, I didn't react to 
her negative behavior.  I remained consistent and allowed the predictability of her 
routine and my calm and cool vibe to comfort her.  As a parent, that can be an 
incredibly challenging feat.  I am thankful for and encouraged by this experience.

Spring Break

This week has been a spring break heaven.  Isabelle has been out of school and is on 

break from all of her extracurricular activities.  No waking up early to catch the school bus, 

no sitting around the kitchen table with a big stack of homework, no rushing to and fro: 

just being together and enjoying the outdoors.  Because my work schedule is so flexible, 

I've been able to take advantage of this time and get an extra hour of sleep each 

morning, making my girls pancake breakfasts and having extra snuggles in bed.  The 

only rushing I've been doing is rushing home to play outside, tearing off my scrubs 

and throwing on my favorite jean shorts and flip flops.  We've enjoyed many bike 

rides, trimmed the rose bushes, made mud pies, and enjoyed supper on the back porch 

every single night.  

I remember being little and waiting for my mom to get home from work so that I could 

jump into her arms, tell her all about my day, follow her around like a little duck.  I 

remember burying my head into her neck and the smell of her scrubs, listening to her 

stories about the patients she had cared for that day.  And now I am a mama and my girls 

are burying their love in me, giving me their hearts when they squeal in delight at the sight 

of my car in the driveway.  The love that started with a young boy and a free spirited girl 

has now grown into a family, a true blessing in every way.  Waking up to the sounds 

of giggling girls who crawled into bed with their mama and daddy, starting our day as a 

family and ending it in prayers of thanks: for these things I am so grateful.

Tiny Dancer

Last week, Isabelle and her dance company took their annual portraits.  I helped
my daughter dress in her newest tutu, strapped on her ballet slippers and beamed as
she posed with toes pointed and arms in fourth position.  This marks her fifth year of
study with Motions Dance Studio and her talent has grown by leaps and bounds, literally.
I stood back and watched as Belle stood patiently in line with the other students, waiting
to have her photos taken.  She walked confidently in front of the camera, took direction
from her teacher, smiled her beautiful and enchanting smile.  My heart felt so proud as
I watched my graceful daughter, witnessed her fully alive and in her element.  She
loves dancing and performing so much and it shows in these pictures.  I am proud of
the confident and charismatic young lady she is growing into.  Dancing is her creative outlet,
it is her God given talent.  Every week, she attends dance class and gives it her all,
dedicating herself to being the best ballerina she can be.  She practices in our kitchen while
I make dinner, showing her baby sister how to bourree and developpe.  She talks of
someday performing professionally.  I have no doubt that this little girl could make
that dream a reality.

Isabelle, you are truly a shining star, inside and out.  Continue to follow your dreams
and dance like no one's watching.  Work hard and enjoy each moment you spend on stage.
We are your biggest cheerleaders, your proudest supporters.
I love you and all that you are.

Photos courtesy of the very talented Chris Brouillette.  

Steppin' Out Saturday

Saturday was a laid back, BBQ with family and run through the yard in bare feet kind 
of affair.  I was on call and had to leave for part of the day to check on patients, 
making rounds and mending little problems.  I made it home just in time to catch my 
little girls waking from their naps, looking so sweet and rested and happy to be home on
 this lovely weekend.  We got dressed and spent the evening at my aunt's house, filling 
our bellies with good food on her porch overlooking the bayou.  It was a sweet, relaxing 
night in the country: watching the cousins play baseball in the pasture, listening to the 
men talk about fishing, rocking my baby to sleep with a cicada lullaby singing softly in
 the background.

Mama>>Linen pants and top: Old Navy//Sandals: AE

Belle>>Skirt and top: Old Navy

Brees>>Top and bloomers: Hand me downs from ME!!

The top and bloomers that Brees wore on Saturday were hand made by my mama and 
worn by little baby Liv way back in 1980.  Also, these photos made me giggle as I 
realized that some little lady has been watching her big sister and learning the fine art 
of posing.  What a couple of hams...