a happy week with fun adventures-

jon's banking on that golf scholarship for lu ;)

lucy's secret rock collection, found stuffed into the back of her nightstand drawer :)

zoo day with my college roommate, sweet kendra & her precious walter-

meet the teacher- eloise is so so proud to be in the classroom lucy occupied last year :)

my girls :)

"a sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost"

xoxo, 

-ivy

total eclipse of the heartland 2017

we took part in the total eclipse fun today! it was the first time in 99 years that a total eclipse of the moon & sun has happened- visible throughout the length of the country, starting in the pacific northwest, making its way through the heartland and down into the southeast. we headed to the jansen's farm, beat the crowds, dined on chicken nuggets & played in the dark! it was so much fun for everyone :)

what would we do without the jansens?! we have mirror lives, with the exception that tarah had 3 boys in 3 years. truly our kindred spirits & the best of friends!

& now, we sleep!

xoxo, 

-ivy

my beautiful girls this week-

thankful, always, for 3 unique & tender-hearted daughters :) i really do feel like the luckiest mom in this whole wide world. 

xoxo, 

-ivy

a fun week & our final week of dance before we have [almost] an entire month off from activities & school! i'm so excited to be able to slow down & enjoy having our days to go to fun places without rushing out of the door in the mornings, followed by the worry of making sure we're home with enough time to rest before heading out for evening dance lessons. i know we'll be ready for everything come september, but for now, this break is speaking my love language!

lucy's artwork-

& eloise's :)

smooches for daddy :)

lucy & her tiny team, celebrating the end of summer session with water balloons :)

gmom & beabea snuggles-

last round of baby shots in the books! not sad to close this chapter ;)

we had a whole different experience at the farmstead today. lucy has taken a deep interest in native americans as we've gotten further along in the little house series, so the teepee & the one-room schoolhouse were major hits for my big almost 5 year old!

we've continued loving the new lenexa rec center- the girls ask to go to the childcare room to climb the rock wall & play on the iPads that they never get at home ;) i'm loving taking classes to break up our day & there is a super neat pool jon is going to explore with the girls tomorrow! i feel like we're over the baby hump that we've been in for so long [almost 5 years for me!] & all of a sudden, i'm breathing clearer & life has gotten easier to manage. being able to freely get away for a bit & recharge my batteries with the childcare at the rec center, the little trip jon & i took, and really anything has been huge for me. i am so grateful to have had the support & knowledge to nurse my babies the way that i was able [& betsy does still nurse before bedtime if i'm the one to do nighttime], but because she no longer nurses during the night or throughout the day, i'm all of a sudden free, in a sense, for the first time since i was 25. i'm a more present mom because of it!

also, never want to forget lucy waking up one morning this week & telling eloise, "sometimes, i like to die. in heaven, i can eat whatever i want!"

happy weekend :)

-ivy