fig tree freedom

guest blogger: Heidi

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Can you believe my mama took pictures of my sad face instead of picking me up right away?


She said it's the cutest sad face ever.


Don't worry. I'm over it, but could someone please help me get down from this bouncy seat?

I think I am stuck.

Apparently the walk home from church is exhausting.

This is my twelfth time celebrating Aaron's birthday. The first time, in 2000, was during a Student Council thing in high school, before we were dating. We (all the Student Council folks on the trip) went to Ruby Tuesday's for lunch on the way back to the school. When Aaron went to the bathroom, we told the waitress it was his birthday. She appeared later with a cake and the rest of her staff singing Happy Birthday to Aaron. I've never done that to him again, but I like to laugh at the memory. (On the next month's Student Council trip, someone [name intentionally withheld] lit an entire box of matches on fire at the Applebees while we were eating, and it was the first time I'd ever seen Aaron laugh so hard. In hindsight, that probably would have been a better birthday celebration than the singing waitstaff, though probably not a smart or safe one.)

Happy Birthday, Aaron! I'm so thankful you were born. It's mind boggling to think that without you, there woul…

Lydia and Heidi share a room, but Heidi naps during the day in our room. Heidi is always so excited to see Lydia (contorting into some strange positions to see her sister), and Lydia chants her shared enthusiasm, "Heidi's awake! Heidi's awake!" (To give you the effect: Heidizz uhhh-waaaake.)

Life gets tricky when one little lady wakes up the second the other little lady goes down for a nap. So with a pile of dishes in my sink, a clean dishwasher to be emptied, and toys cluttering the floor, I leave you to go pick up the crying babe. I shall attempt to post again later today.

Happy Monday!

Heidi is learning to make new noises everyday.

guest blogger: Heidi

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Just watching some football with Big Guy and Uncle Derek before Adam & April's wedding.


Nonna thought this scene looked familiar.

Remember when I said I'd try to do better taking pictures at the wedding than I had at the shower? I failed.

The bride was beautiful. The wedding was beautiful. I loved everything about it - the colors, the reception venue, the ice cream (yay Seneca Farms!) instead of cake. Plus it was so much fun! I've declared it my favorite wedding to date. I am pretty sure I noticed each and every DIY detail April had accomplished, though I didn't manage to capture pictures of them all. April is my DIY hero. I wish she lived closer so we could craft together. =)

From the wreaths on the doors at the church


to the napkins she chopped and serged from bolts of fabric



to the thank you jars of homemade strawberry jam


to those yarn balls you can kind of see beside the candles


to the map with two red hearts (and more yarn balls)



to the burlap table runners and the pillows for the bride and groom


to the ice cream signs (pay no attention to the groomsmen watching a football game on the iphone)


…

guest bloggers: Lydia & Heidi

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Lydia: The other day I showed you how I line up my toys, like these rings.


Sometimes I put these rings on my wrists like bracelets.



Then I shake my hand real fast so that they rattle. See?


Heidi: This is what I do with the rings.

guest blogger: Heidi

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It was lovely last weekend, so we went to the park. The swings were full except for one, so I volunteered to share my first turn with Lydia.


I thought it was great!



Lydia wasn't enjoying it.


So she got out while I kept swinging.


Anyone else want to share my swing?

guest blogger: Lydia

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This is where I play. I spend most of my day playin'.


I like to line up my toys.



I also like to line up Heidi's burp cloths.


Heidi likes to play with these rings all connected. I think they're stuck and need help taking them apart so that I can line them up. My bubble wands are in the way here. Excuse me, bubbles.

There was a lot of running last weekend, but there were a couple quiet moments.

My grandma was also at this weekend's festivities, so she got down to play with the girls.




Here's Great-Grandma with her three great-grandbabies.


Lydia wanted nothing to do with this picture, and I wish I had the picture of me and my cousins from when I was her age to show you right now. Next time I am at my parent's, I will have to scan it and share it with you. Let me go put that on one of my many to-do lists before I forget.

We spent last weekend celebrating this cute couple: my cousin, Adam, and his fiance, April.


They are even cute blurry (because I failed to adjust the shutter speed correctly).  (I'll try to do better at the wedding.)


Here's a glimpse of the dinner crowd.



It was a fun weekend with family. Then the car ride home was delightful as there was a lot of this going on.



I love sleeping babies, especially when the babies are my babies. =)

Lydia's Big Guy and Nonna gave her a play kitchen for her birthday last year. I've enjoyed stocking it with empty cans and boxes throughout the year.





She even has a spice collection.


Don't worry. It usually looks like this.



I just organized the cabinets for the photo shoot . . .  because I apparently don't have anything better to do during nap time? Eesh. Now this post is just embarrassing.

Happy Tuesday!

(Guess I should clarify that I have the Pampered Chef Smooth-Edge Can Opener that cuts through the side of the can, not the top, leaving no sharp edges. So I just gorilla glue the lid back onto a rinsed can for Lydia's kitchen. And I think after almost a year, she's finally stopped asking, "Open it.")