Car shopping...

We need advice. What do you drive and do you like it? We're beginning our search for a new (to us) car. We'll be moving soon and will probably need to become a 2 car family. This car will serve as the "family car" which means I (Jill) will be driving it most of the time. We are leaning towards getting a full size sedan (maybe a Camry?) but are looking into smaller SUV's and maybe vans. That's a big maybe and I will have to swallow my pride for that one... but seriously they seem so practical. Anyway, any advice?

Graduation

(click photo to enlarge)

Congratulations to Paul on his graduation from Yale School of Management! This has been such a fun chapter in our lives and we will be sad to leave New Haven and the friends we've met here. These past two years have gone by too fast... stay tuned for where we will go next!

Gwen's Blessing Day

It's been a whirlwind weekend with family in town for graduation and Gwen's blessing. Both were special events and we feel lucky that we were able share it with them.
Gwen was given a beautiful blessing from her father and it was extra special that both of her grandfathers were there to participate in the blessing.

She was blessed in the same dress that Kate was blessed in over 2 years ago and I was blessed in 27 years ago. The pink satin quilt is just as old and was made by her great-great grandmother, Ansley.
It was a beautiful day and we are so happy to have Gwen in our family. She is already a peacemaker and calming force in our home. And yes, I just said that about a baby. Our baby. We're feeling pretty good about that!

Get Ripped

Over Christmas break we were at my place and my brother and his wife had this exercise DVD that they do called "Get Ripped and Chiseled" - so we made a "backup" of the DVD and brought it home. Well lately we were feeling out of shape so we've been getting up early and doing the video a couple times a week while Kate runs around dancing to the techno music and doing half lunges and squats. Gwen just lays there looking at us weird.

Anyway, today we're eating lunch, and out of the blue Kate says, "THAT'S TOUGH. BUT TOUGH PEOPLE LAST, RIGHT?" You kind of had to be there, but we were cracking up - maybe she's going to be a personal trainer when she grows up.

our life lately

Mothering is...

joyous. exhausting. fulfilling. fun. a sacrifice. a blessing. character building. rewarding. challenging. exuberant.

Happy Mother's Day to the Mothers in my life.

...As I'm reading this again, I realize it sounds a bit like a cheesy greeting card. I'll try harder next time.

smiles and chubby cheeks

We took miss chubby cheeks to the doctor this week. She barely made it onto the charts at 13 lbs 4 oz. The doctor threatened to put her on a diet. Not really, but told me maybe not to feed her every time she starts to fuss. I disagree. She's happy and in just a short time she'll have skinny toddler cheeks like her sister. I think for now I'll enjoy all the baby rolls and kissing those chubby cheeks. Even if she is bigger than 99% of the baby girls her age.