Day 5

I can't believe this is the last day of my staycation with the kids! Not that the fun has to stop here...but I really do need to get back to a more realistic schedule. I actually took a picture of my filthy kitchen floor yesterday, intending to post it as proof that I haven't done a stitch of housework this week. For some reason the bazillion crumbs that can't be missed in real life are totally invisible in the photos, so I decided not to bother.Anyway,...

Read More

Day 4

I cheated today, so I'm not sure I can really count this as the official Day 4. Between grocery shopping this morning, a women's Bible study luncheon, and an afternoon visit from the Cooper clan (who brought us dinner, BTW...how sweet is that?!), the kids and I didn't really have much focused time together.We started with a trip to Hoover's, a small produce market not far from our house. This drive always leads to a game of "Who can spot the covered...

Read More

Day 3

After a blissful nine hours of sleep, I woke up much improved this morning, ready to tackle another day of storytelling, pretend play, and silly songs. The kids were eager for me to be up and about, as they knew we were going to be visiting one of their favorite people in the McLennan universe: Jenny Strayer. And her fabulous playroom, of course, complete with chalkboard wall, race track carpet, and its very own TV and DVD player.It was nice to chat...

Read More

Day 2

Today started off a bit rough, with Liam vomiting before breakfast and me waking up feeling like I'd swallowed a double dose of Nyquil. The groggy feeling held on through most of the day, long after Liam recovered and got back to eating everything in sight.Thankfully, we were all able to enjoy one another in spite of my less than ideal physical state. We started out slow, fulfilling Liam's request to watch a tornado chase a train on YouTube. Yes,...

Read More

Day 1

It's amazing how love works. I expected to be utterly exhausted tonight, ready to pawn the kids off on Tim for the bedtime routine after our day of play. Instead, I enjoyed tucking them in, and even doubled our typical book time for a few extra minutes together. Don't get me wrong...I am exhausted, but I'm also saturated in love for my precious kiddos. They're such a gift, and seeing how they soaked up my attention today reminded me of what an awesome...

Read More

Mommy, Annabell, & Liam's Staycation Week

About three weeks ago Annabell walked up to me and asked in a quiet, sad voice, "Mommy, why don't you have time to play with me anymore?" Obviously, I wanted to cry. I've known for months that I wasn't giving my kids the attention they crave. Life has been so incredibly busy - preschool shuttling, Bible study responsibilities, increased office work due to business transitions, and hours upon hours of planning for our adoption fundraiser. In response to my daughter's honest question, I set down my laptop, took her hand, and walked over to our gigantic...

Read More