Happy Advent!

Remy's face as John was lighting the candle was priceless. Priceless.

Josephine's Baptism

We welcomed Josephine Rae into the Catholic church on November 24th, 2013. She screamed her way through approximately 80% of it. Girl's got a glorious set of lungs.

This was our family's 2nd baptism in less than a year. How blessed are we?

Not starting over.

I'm not a writer.

I've realized this after taking many months off of blogging. 

It's not that I don't have much to say (gosh, anyone who's ever met me can attest to that!) it's that I am not comfortable turning my words into paragraphs. I can talk your ear off, but then I come to this space and just stare at the blinking cursor, unsure when to even begin.

I'm not much of a photographer anymore these days either.

Toting out the camera is often the last thing on my mind. But I want to change that. I want to start capturing the everyday ins and outs of my family once again. But the part where I share words? I don't know if I'm up for that. We'll see eventually.

I'd hesitate to call this starting over. How about we just pick up where we left off?

Hi.

So, I'm back. I think. I hope.

Honestly, I'm hesitant to declare myself back to bloggy-land when my main goal at the end of each day is to remember to wash my face. 

I would blame laziness for my departure from this space, but I am certainly not lazy. I don't have time to be lazy. Hell, I have to include normal, simple hygiene (like washing my hair) on my daily to-do list to make sure that it gets done.

But with all that said...

I am so stinkin happy, it's stupid.

Like, even though my kids are literally sucking the life out of me most days, I get on my knees and praise God every night that this is my life. Cause it's good. And full and noisy and chaotic and everything that I could ever want.

I mean...c'mon!

I get the privilege of bringing another new life into the world. Who, by the way, is a beautiful, healthy baby GIRL.

A girl who will be called Josephine. Or as Remy likes to call her..Jo-sha-sheen.

Just the other night, as I made my way to bed, I tiptoed from room to room, taking a moment to watch each one of children's chests rise and fall, safe and secure in their beds. I silently thanked God and decided that if this is as good as it ever gets for me, well then..I've made it.

Life is so full and so sweet. And that's where I've been. 

Quick Takes.

Linking up with the cool kids today!

1. This week has been one giant ball of blah. Minus Wednesday, because HELLO.

I'm not really sure why I'm so blah this week. Maybe a combination of the stupid time change and the overwhelming feeling that winter is just never going to end. EVER. 

2. Remy has declared war on naps this week. Again, another casualty of the stupid time change. By 4 o'clock in the afternoon, he is a monster. A sleep deprived, overdone monster who terrorizes people twice his size. 

3. Sometime between the hours of 8 and 10 AM today, my dear pest control company is coming out to seal up my house to protect it from the enormous community of bats that live in my neighborhood. On one hand I'm thrilled that my house will be less likely to experience unwanted guests this summer, but on the other hand I'm outright peeved that I have to pay someone an ungodly amount of money to ensure my husband doesn't have to chase winged mammals around at 3AM.

4. This popped up on my reader this morning and I wish I could print out a copy and give it to approximately everyone I know who isn't Catholic. The amount of anti-Catholic rhetoric and absolutely ridiculous misconceptions about the Church that I heard this spouted off this week was enough that I feel like a trip to the confessional to unload my disdain is imminent.

5. I just sound like sunshine and roses this morning, eh?

6. Something happy..something happy..oh! Owen and Olivia both had artwork selected to be displayed at the local middle school's art show. Super proud mom status.

7. Only about three more weeks until I can officially say goodbye to the first trimester and the first trimester hormones that have obviously turned me into a rage monster! Sorry, I guess? 

....

Habemus Papam!

It only felt right to drop in and acknowledge today.

Seriously. The Holy Spirit never disappoints.

Pope Francis! 

Learn more about our new Supreme Pontiff.

Such a joyful, joyful day.

Everything is a damn production.

I know, I know.

Whining isn't cute. 

But it's all I really can muster up the strength for lately. (dramatic much?) I can say two things for sure about the past couple days:

1. The day that I can get these children in and out of a vehicle without it feeling like climbing Mt. Everest with the World's Heaviest Carseat will be a cause for immense celebration. Getting from the back door to the vehicle in the garage goes a little something like this:

Remy. Remy, stop taking off your coat. Okay, now let's balance an eleven pound diaper bag with the World's Heaviest Carseat containing the World's Chubbiest Baby and while trying to shimmy a very impatient two year old into his coat. Now, Remy..can you open the door for Mommy? Good boy! No, no, no! Don't run into the back alley! No, you may not step in that snow drift. Remy Allen Helm, get in the garage. No, but don't touch the weedeater! REMY! Haphazardly sets down World's Heaviest Car Seat to catch the World's Naughtiest Two Year Old and finally, mercifully..strap him in his car seat. Oh and let's not forget to get the baby in the car.

Every single time we leave the house. Forty-seven times a day. 

2. I solemnly swear that even after my children are grown, I will not turn into one of the 'sneering ladies.'

Oh, you've seen them. Especially if you have a toddler. And especially, especially if you have a noisy toddler who doesn't care to listen to its mother. Deep in throws in another public tantrum, there will inevitably be the one lady (who am I kidding? Usually multiple people..) who gives you the World's Most Obvious Stinkeye. Because yes, I totally enjoy scraping my two year old off the floor in public and I make sure that he does this just to annoy you, lady. 

See also, the lady who sits two pews in front of us in church who refuses to acknowledge my 'sign of peace' whenever my kids make any kind of audible noise. 

...

That's all folks.