oliebollen in April?

 why not?!  

turns out they are still delicious even outside of New Years!  cheers!

Iceland

yah, so Layla went to Iceland back in February.  our free spirited adventurer decided to trek through Iceland on her reading with a lifeguarding friend.  

they found tremendous beauty there!

these two are brave and gritty and just overall cute...there were many ways they prepared and researched, and still ended up "winging" things spontaneously along the way.  your love of life and adventure is beautiful Layla!  looking forward to seeing where it takes you next!

hey Ann, wanna have lunch?

when people ask the question "if you could have lunch with anyone you've never met, who would it be?" for me, that's an easy answer.  no inner debate.  

yep...i often joke, but secretly hope one day there will be some miraculous, chance meet-up with 

Ann Voskamp herself...

nothing drawn out or fancy, lunch will do.

chances are slim...slim to none actually (but hey, a girl can dream)~ after all she's a best-selling author several times over, she's a busy wife, mother to seven, and speaker.  still, i love her honest and transparent heart, and her words have helped to redirect my heart and reset my perspective more times than i can count.  she is the real deal, and i will forever appreciate how her life experiences have been pivotal in connecting me with mine, and drawing me closer to God's heart.  she is counter cultural, to be sure.  she isn't selling the latest "self-care" methods that are so wildly popular with influencers and authors alike.  no, her focus is certainly more on "soul care" and for me it's been a healthy practice to read and re-read her books, and check in online with her often to remember what i know to be God's solid truth in the core of my being.  

so maybe one day i can pick up the lunch bill? ;)

also, check out her books if you haven't yet done so!  here are a few.  soooo good...

One Thousand Gifts

The Broken Way

Waymaker

and more pretty chalk art, by Layla

mat rat

 this child loves so many aspects of wrestling tournaments, but usually it's not the things you'd expect.  like watching a match or cheering on people he knows, while they compete, isn't a super high priority for Cree.  side note~ he's also not a fan of the loud gymnasiums~ with spectators cheering and whistles blowing.  he does his best to tolerate those parts.

nope...much more fun is the warm-up, when he's out there on the mats doing the same routines as the big kids before the tournament is even underway.  he also loves the familiar faces of the friends he's met over the course of the season, both from our club and outside of our club.  but probably his favourite activity is the "tear down" at the end of the tournament.  any chance he can squeeze in there and help pull up the mat tape and roll up the mats or mop the floor makes him soooo happy!  on this particular day the older volunteers~ all three pictured above, were most tolerant and kind to include Cree in the part he loves most! 

florida 2024

 Florida in photos, to summarize another amazing week in the sunshine state.  

really felt the void of the missing kiddos, but we made the best of it and still had a great time!  

sure thankful it happened.  

my personal sous chef

 there isn't a day that Cree doesn't drop whatever he's doing to be my personal sous chef...if he hears the big heavy cutting board land on the counter or a knife chopping anything at the kitchen island, he's there!  he loves to help.  recently he's even started chopping on his own, with a very dull knife.  

he also had the ingenious idea to put on the construction goggles when peeling the onion.  i was super impressed.  and the earphones might have been to tune me out~ not sure, he didn't say.  

not sure what i'd do without his help in the kitchen! ;)

cutest sous chef ever! ❤

19

 my boy is 19.  it was so nice to have him home to celebrate his birthday. 

 there was some shopping, a haircut, family celebrating, a birthday meal and cake!

love you so much Hudson, praying this coming year is your best yet!