fall ball 2012 . . .

Socrates is our resident baseball player... he loves it . . . loves hitting the most, most boys do right?  he is the smallest and youngest boy on his team this year . . . but next year, watch out!  

for now, we are telling him that "little" is the new "big!"

he has a powerful hit

enjoy!

daisy bow . . .

this pink daisy bow was a gift, but one of the only bows we have that ALMOST sticks up further than Sweet Pea's hair!  her hair is quite impressive.  out of all our babies, she surely has the most!  

it matches her stunning eyes!

enjoy!

morning visitor. . .

living in florida, we see so many different types of wildlife . . . especially since our property backs up to an impressive greenbelt.  

this was our visitor one morning a few weeks ago!

stunning!

enjoy!

eleven ! ! !

six days after socrates turned 9, Spielberg turned 11!  yes, two birthdays back to back.  

socrates had a few friends over, dinner, his favorite foods for dinner, presents and his favorite dessert.

we all enjoyed our time together.  

so hard to believe that he will be in middle school next year!  ahhhh!  

even scarier and sadder is that he will graduate and be gone in seven years . . . oh, it breaks my heart just thinking about it.  

for now, we will enjoy today!

he just realized there is money in each of the balloons!

love this boy!

enjoy!

nine ! ! !

Socrates turned nine in september!  he is really into rocks!  so, that black blob, on the top cake stand is a geode. . .

when we cut into it, there was blue and green rock candy pressed into the hollow in the center.  

he loved it.  

we had a nice time celebrating with friends and family.  the drink dispenser on the left has rock candy covering the bottom and then we poured 7-Up inside and the the green leached up in to the 7-Up and flavored it with it's watermelon flavor.  

love this boy!

enjoy!

cutie . . .

. . . or not so sweet . . . i guess it is only appropriate to stick one's tongue out as an infant.  

if not appropriate . . . still cute ; )

i love this picture.

two months . . .

Sweat Pea is two months . . . well, she was on september 6, when these pictures were taken.  none the less, here they are.  she does not even look like a newborn in them any more.  as we all know, it goes so fast!

lil' strong one . . .

 . . . "look what i can do!"

so loved . . .

This little bundle of love . . . is just sooooo loved!  Spielberg and Socrates love her so very much and are such wonderful big brothers to her.  what a wonderful way to start life!

yumm-o. . .

i love cookies!  i admit it, i do.  i love to bake them, eat them and, most importantly, share them!

these are my new favorite cookies.  and, although slightly labor intensive, well worth it!

they are raspberry-cream sandwich cookies . . . delectable!

HERE is the link to try them for yourself!

enjoy!  

and, if you do get a chance to make them, i'd love to hear what you think!

home-keeping 101 . . .

 . . . i have had 12+ of these metal storage container for over 12 years.  i bought them because they were sleek and classic and i figured that i would have them for years to come.  even though i was right, there is a drawback: although the top is clear, the sides are not and on the shelve, i cannot see what is inside.  so, i always forgot what was in them.  i few weeks ago i was going through them and found dried beans from, well 12 years ago, when we lived in California (i know they are from CA because they were the Vons' brand).  i figured, what good do these cute littler things do, if i continue to forget what is in them.  sooo, i got out my die-cut machine and some vinyl paper and made labels.  cute, right?  and, form meets function because i actually know what is in each one!  yay!

by Spielberg . . .

 . . . our little "director," Spielberg, took a WONDERFUL picture or Sweet Pea.  i absolutely adore it.

four little blessings . . .

i wonder how long it will take for me to realize that i am really a mother of four!  this concept still amazes me.  for many years, i have felt that we had a person missing from our family.  i am not sure if it is the psychological aftermath of having a miscarriage, or if God was preparing my heart for our fourth child.  either way, i think we are pretty complete here in the lee household.  

here is the first picture of all four little blessings together.  

mamma has a happy and grateful heart.

enjoy!

first day of school . . .

better late than never, right?  they were not really cooperative, but it is our first-day-of-school picture, none the less!  I can hardly believe that Spielberg is in the 5th grade, Socrates is in the 3rd grade and Sunshine is in the 2nd.  all parents know that parenting is filled with long days and short years and that we are so very blessed to be a part of this process.  blessed, blessed, blessed!

resemblance . . .

 i know that the pictures are a lot different . . . but anyone see a resemblance?  we could have the same nose ; )

(work with me here, people!)

one month . . .

guess who is already one month old?  

yes, our little sweet pea!

she is already starting to chunk up.  i am so excited for those legs to get nice and chubby so i can tickle them . . . i just adore cubby baby legs.

when i told spielberg this, he looked at me with a bewildered face and asked, "you WANT her legs to be chubby?"  to which i replied, "oh, yes!  chubby baby legs are the absolute best!"  with the same bewildered face he said, 

"i don't think i'm a chubby legs guy."

bath . . .

sweet pea i not a fan of bath time, except when the water is streaming over her head . . . 

but she sure likes being cuddles AFTER her bath!

smiles and snores . . .

little sweet pea loves to be on her tummy . . . 

see  . . . 

but she can only take so much . . .

newest lil'lee

July 6, 2012

7 pounds, 1 ounce, 18 1/2 inches

Wesley Chapel, Florida

i have a confession to make. . . 

throughout the last nine months, i had a very emotional, and physically draining, pregnancy.  i'll tell you, it is much easier to be pregnant in one's early 30's over late. . . very late 30's.  this little person growing in my womb was a huge surprise to my husband and me (and most likely everyone else).  

life was starting to get "easier."  i went back to work (more money for the family).  our three kids were all in school and capable of doing many things independently from mom or dad.  as a matter of fact, just a few weeks before we discovered this little miracle, i said to my husband, "wow!  pretty soon we'll be able to go out to dinner by ourselves, while the kids stay at home with no baby sitter!"  

as usually, God had different plans for our family.  the most difficult thing for me to grasp was the concept that i could possibly have enough emotional and physical strength the raise a fourth child.  how could my heart love another as i have already loved on our other three?  i even started crying on the way to the hospital, and in delivery because i was overwhelmed with fear that i would not be able  to be a sufficient mother to her.  

well, the moment i held her in my arms, all that fear subsided.  

daily, i will need to draw on the strength of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, because i truly am not sufficient for the task or raising 3 children, let alone 4, but it is amazing what He has given me already.  

she is delightfully precious and i can, now, not imagine life without her

i look at her and my heart just explodes with delight.  

truly blessed!

please, join us in welcoming her.

left-over frosting . . .

. . . what to do with left-over frosting?

my mom always used it to make graham cracker treats.

personally, i like them better than the actual cake.  

i make as many as i can with the extra frosting, and put them in the freezer.  

then, when the cake is gone, we still have some treats on hand.

mmmmmm

sunshine is seven . . .

sunshine is seven!!!!  i can hardly believe it!  as a sweet friend once said, "parenthood is filled with long days and short years."  boy, was she right.  

sunshine wanted a rainbow dash cake (from my little pony) and this is my attempt:

her unopened plunder:

such a happy girl!  

i just wish that i was feeling better and had more energy to my her party more special . . . hopefully next year.  i think that she had a good day though