ceyda & celeste.

When I received a message from Ceyda in mid August about planning to visit me for my birthday I was  so excited. I hadn't seen her since I left Utah in 2008. Seven years isn't too long when you keep in touch via facebook and talking on the phone every now and then, but still...seven years is still a long time when you're longing to see a familiar face. 

I would love to go back to visit Utah someday, but these days it's almost impossible for a family of six to fly across the country. I have been blessed beyond measure with friends who take the time out of their busy schedule to make me and my family a priority in their lives. I hope to go back to visit all of my wonderful friends that I left behind. 

Since Ceyda's arrival we've talked, laughed, and cried happy tears throughout our conversations. We mostly talk about our children, and their well being as well as how we see them (or how we'd like to see them) in their future. 

We see our little ones growing up way too quickly in a world that is different when we were their age. They are speaking in clearer sentences, talking among each other like small adults in a language that is their own, and playing with iPhones as if they've been using them their entire lives. It's pretty scary yet exciting at the same to think what they will be exposed to next when they are in their teens. Every day they learn something new, and their intelligence continues to enhance. 

Being that Ceyda is from Honduras and having moved to Utah when she was 18 has never had the privilege of venturing out to the east coast, and so far she loves it!

She loved Ocean City & the boardwalk...

Eating good food (and boy did we do a lot of that today), Shake Shack burgers, polish water ice, and having a Philly cheese steak sandwich at Johnny Rockets was among her favorites. 

The fact that we're together brings us a solace that we have been longing for seven years! Seeing our children meeting for the first time and warming up to each other right away with hugs and smiles was a breath of fresh air. Makes me wonder why we as adults can't be like that with other adults when small children do it instantly without regard. 

They are a reminder to me that life is beautiful, and what a blessing it is to witness it through their innocent eyes. 

Every friend that has visited me from afar is my solace and I'm so grateful to have kept them for all these years!

These are the joys of life in friendships, and no matter where they live... they are the precious gems to my everyday living.  

my loves of ocean city.

Two more weeks of summer are left before school resumes here on the east coast, and like many other families we too are taking advantage of the nice weather. Crowds of people covered the boardwalk in Ocean City, and many families are taking advantage of summer having their last minute vacations at their beach house. I see a lot of families with small children & this is definitely a quaint town with a kid friendly beach. 

Smiles are exchanged as we passed people by. Tons of kids were lined up at Playland's Cove to enter inside the amusement park. It's a quaint park, but after going to Coney Island many times in the past our kids long for those Nathan's hot dogs & the fact that it is a landmark in Brooklyn makes it more fun for them. 

Walking down the boardwalk, eating a sno cone in the flavor of tiger's blood (and preferred over any flavor in water ice), salt water taffy, homemade fudge, and spending time with my family in OC are treats that I love...especially when summer is coming close to an end.

ocean city.

I had been longing to go to the beach again, and with the weather cooperating with highs in the 50's we decided to go to Ocean City. We took Chelsea, and Noah with us and once again we all enjoyed the blue skies, the sound of the waves crashing, and the sun shining in our faces! It's a good thing we headed out to the beach earlier so that the time spent there was enjoyable and not so rushed. 

Since Jon had this whole week off we were looking forward to a date night last night, but to no avail. We had planned on staying in Ocean city for the evening, but realized there wasn't too much to eat at the house, and even though our two oldest daughters are self-sufficient, and can find something to eat (we do have a lot of staple food) I felt bad. When we got home Sierra had mentioned that she and Alexandra were invited over to a friend's house for a movie night. 

Like the awesome parents that we are, and because Sierra is in need of 'girl time' these days we decided to forego our date night so that they could go out. We ended up having a high carb dinner which included mac and cheese, instant potatoes, and some tortillas. Hey...it's food. 

We tended to Noah and Chelsea, and watched some movie on the 'This is philadelphia' channel. I really don't know what movie it was, and wasn't really paying attention. All the while Noah was sitting on my lap laughing at some of the vines on my phone from fellow viners. The stuff people post nowadays can be pretty silly, and dumb. He always enjoys seeing himself on camera. Here is Chelsea in the water, and then I caught them on the boardwalk. 

I absolutely enjoy the days spent with our children, and this beach is perfect for our family. With Noah at the tender age of three I am reminded of when Sierra was that age. 

While living in Utah we would always go to Texas twice a year to visit family. The 25 hour drive down in anticipation of going to Padre Island was worth it! 

Every now and then as I look at Noah's little body, and round face flashbacks begin to form. It's then when I don't mind spending a lot of time with our children. I want to take advantage of these two before they reach their teens. I feel as if time spent with Sierra literally slipped right through my fingers because it just went by too fast. All I have are good memories saved in a scrapbook. Now that she is 17 going on 18 next month, I feel that I am more mature now, and that my level of motherhood has reached a higher capacity to be better. I am treasuring my moments with her even more. 

Just as I am with this little guy.

Chelsea is a given. She is eight, and somewhere in the moves between Utah, and North Carolina to New Jersey she just blossomed overnight. I also try to give her equal time as I do with all of our kids.

I'm thankful for this day spent with these two, and Jon & I will have our date night soon! This day was too beautiful to pass up to watch them run, scream, and just being little. Being surrounded by one of God's amazing creations reminds me of being a little bit closer to Him, and I don't mind having these two with us when we take in all The Lord has blessed us with.