{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~  
Every Thursday, at Like Mother, Like Daughter!
{pretty}

We had a lovely Assumption tea party yesterday! Mom and I attended the vigil Mass with the kids, but Zach had to go at noon yesterday (he is done with finals and finished with A's in every class! HURRAY!), so we waited and had a bacon and eggs brunch with lavender shortbread cookies and tea! I used this recipe for the shortbread cookies (the second option, with cane sugar, which I don't usually even have in my house...), and since I wasn't prepared enough to have fresh or dried lavender on hand, I used 1/2 teaspoon of organic lavender essential oil (from Mountain Rose Herbs). They were so delicious!

These flowers have helped me keep smiling. There's another bunch on my nightstand. I am always in awe of the beauty in God's creation.

I think this was take 5...Emma is looking a little tired of smiling, and I was lucky to get Tony to look my way.

This child-sized table was a birthday gift from Tony's Dee and Grandpop and has been indispensable with having extra children in the house. Do you see the pretty colored glasses? I have 3 sets of them, thanks to my Mom. They're Italian, I think, and awesome. (Marshalls/TJ Maxx/Ross carry them - go pick up a box!) They also make it very easy to keep track of cups during the day (unless, of course, you have more than 6 children....).

We continued our celebration at dinner - grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, sweet potato salad, and potato salad with homemade mayo and PICKLES! Our CSA has had an abundance of cucumbers, and I finally got my act together and made a batch of lacto-fermented pickles. They are really yummy. For dessert we made the LMLD brownies, and topped them with ice cream - like heaven in your mouth. It was quite a feast!

{happy}

Apple picking! There is an apple tree on campus that is laden with fruit, so we went over the other day and picked a bunch. They're smaller, slightly tart green apples, but still tasty enough to eat right off the tree, and I've already made one crockpot of applesauce. The rest will probably be diced for the freezer (this is laziness you hear - who wants to peel a bunch of small apples? Not me. Mom offered, but hopefully we'll be busy with a baby soon enough and she won't have time either.).

Tony helped out by putting the apples in the bag. He loves being given a job. Sometimes I forget how badly toddlers want to be involved, and that it's important to find them something productive to do so they don't end up being destructive.

Emma with a *shiny* apple.

{funny}

This was Monica's pose of choice. I love kids. (Yes, that sweater is about 3 sizes too small. We did not expect to be needing JACKETS in August, and they came a little unprepared. Raiding Tony's closet, this is what she found.)

{real}

I never thought I would still be pregnant today. After having Tony at 37.5 weeks, and going on bed rest this time, I anticipated having a week or two old baby by now. Mentally, as far as I'm concerned, I'm two weeks overdue. Which might sound silly, but based on my experience, that's how it feels. However, God seems to be continuing my lesson of how to let go of things that are out of my control. Which is okay. Babies have to come out, I know that. They come in their own time, I know that, too. When this one finally decides to put in an appearance, it will hopefully be quick and easy, since I'm already 5cm, and the baby is low, low, low. (No, I don't listen to FloRida, that just popped into my head and I couldn't help myself.)

Please keep us in your prayers for a safe and healthy birth!