For mama Astrid...

He almost came as close to the white tiger as she did a few years ago... But it was a bit bigger than the kitten Astrid got to bottle feed at myrtle beach! ;)

Not sure too many moms bring a 3 year old and a 4 month old to an NFL game

And I certainly wasn't planning on doing it for the first time without the husband.

It all started when I planned a late nap for all 3 of us yesterday... We were up by 4:30 and eating dinner an hour later. We video chatted with my mom, played outside and by some miracle 7pm rolled around and both my kids were still in good moods. So we set out for Patriot Place (the outdoor mall right next to the football stadium) my plan being to hang out there for an hour or two, get some Godiva in honor of my moms birthday, and walk around the mall in an attempt to gague little d's interest in the football game (since it would be playing through all the speakers and on every TV). When we got there the traffic was pretty crazy still (half an hour after preseason kickoff) but we were able to park not terribly far away and had a good time walking around for awhile till grandpa mike (who was working at the game) shot me a text asking to meet us so little d could use an extra ticket to see a few minutes of the game. He was super excited to see the football guys and to my surprise when we met up at the stadium there was a ticket for me too! I did have to take my stroller back to the car first (gosh I miss the BYU stroller parking!!) but it was well worth it to see the smiles on both my kids faces for an hour (past bedtime, might I add... Thank goodness for the naps!). The seats were great and everyone around us marveled at how cute and well behaved both kids were (myself included!). Since it was preseason it wasn't too loud and I was even able to nurse baby girl during halftime. The only thing missing was mr. D, We came home at 11, and all fell asleep within an hour. It was a good day.

Happy birthday to the loveliest mama (and grand-mama!) I know!

I've seen better days

Some days You try to get you kids out the door, planning on it taking and hour and it takes two. You let your toddler drink too much water and he completely misses the toilet and you have a whole mess (including shoes) to add to the never ending pile of laundry. You make it to the gym on time for once only to realize you forgot to pack your baby's bottle and have to nurse her in the gym, which of course makes you late. You try try try SO hard to make it to the temple and completely miss the session, while the poor people watching your kids are dealing with way too many tantrums to make anything remotely enjoyable. You decide to swing by the mall since you don't have kids, try on 30 swimsuits and finally come to the devastating epiphany that you may never find a swimsuit that will actually simultaneously provide support to your chest (which will be completely flat by next summer anyway) and properly cover your wreck of a post baby stomach while also looking cute. You try to swipe your credit card(s) at the redbox and they don't work. To top it off, baby's not sleeping well (again) at night so you are exhausted and crying while sitting in your car in the driveway, trying to savor a few precious moments of quiet while both kids are asleep. A pounding migraine has been incessant since He left and even though its almost dinner time you have yet to make it to the gym and therefore haven't showered for the day. You miss your other half terribly.

Then if you're terribly lucky like I am, you open the mailbox to find a four page letter from your little sister who is serving a mission. And the letter speaks to your soul and heals it in a way no one else could. I know there is a God who loves me and works his love through others and I could not be more grateful for his tender mercies. This week has been the worst and its only Wednesday. But today, thanks to Sarah, I know I am capable of difficult things. And I will rise above this.

And thanks to that incredible husband of mine, I received the last few years of blog books published today. And let's be honest an unexpected package always makes things better. Tomorrow will be better.

Playing with her food

If you can even believe it, yet another beach day

Planes with mom and uncle mike

The Dowling wedding take 2

The first time he has ever rushed to my side at dinnertime

Sharing some lobstah with Cassie's dad... His first!

"Mommy are you gonna eat dat?!? Me have a bite?" (He did and he did NOT like it)

My view at dinnertime (little a with mama catch... Oh and the Atlantic Ocean, no big deal)

The happy couple

Us and uncle mike 

Mama c and grandma c... Both so darling!!

Little d with grandpa mike

And this makes two family pictures in as many days... I think we just doubled the amount of family pics we have (the hospital, baby blessing and Ohio pics are the only other ones). LOVED the harbor view at dinner. Legal sea foods is the way to go!

Oh and we ended up at the north end for mikes pastry desserts. Little d ate his whole days worth of calories in that cookie and little a just stared at me the entire time I was eating my cannoli. Even though I fed her right before we left she was more than happy to get some cannoli milk as soon as we got home ;)

Exhausting few days but good ones... Tomorrow is the reception! The dowlatoorians:

My favorite shot of the day... Issac the baby whisperer and miss a! (With me photo bombing of course)