pool day in Haiti

Hudson spent fourteen months living at an orphanage in Haiti.  this amazing place was life-changing for him.  they were the "game-changer" that began to get his little life heading in the right direction~ toward health and wellness and family.  God's Littlest Angels orphanage continues to stay-the-course in Haiti, consistently developing new ways to meet the needs of its country's littlest ones.  they clearly care about these kids in a deeply sacrificial way that speaks to the hearts of those that oversee this ministry.  check out God's Littlest Angels pool day to get a small glimpse into a very exciting day they recently shared with the children.  for many of these toddlers and kids it must have been a few hours of pure delight...i can't help but parallel our own experiences this summer, where my kids have access to a swimming pool each and every day if they wish.  they have green space all around to explore and play.  more than that, they have a forever family where the question of permanence never has to enter their minds.  there is little thought or concern about the future for them.  they do not share the same uncertainty these kids face....all that considered, a fun, splashy, silly pool day at GLA must have meant that much more to them.  such a treat!!

bliss

a summer stroll, watching my boys on their bikes with arms in the air, soaking up summer....

 

 

life is good....

 

more than just a haircut

an old camp friend visited a few weeks ago.  well, he's not old, but our friendship is old.  :) or maybe long-standing sounds better.  tried and true.  comfortable.  cherished.  we have been friends forever  (since we were around 13, we figure...) and the friendship was solidified every year at youth retreats and summer camp. such fun times!!!  it was an absolute joy to revisit old memories, make new memories, and just connect with him and his sweet wife and family over a couple of days, together with another dear family of long-time friends.  the older i get, the more this sort of stuff means to me. 

 

one of the highlights for me, on many different levels, was watching C. give Hudson a haircut.  out of the blue he offered to cut Hudson's hair, and Hudson of course jumped at the idea.  what started as a very handsome fade, turned into more of a faux-hawk that Hudson had requested.  either way, it was very special and so much more than a haircut...

 

 thanks C. for sharing a bit of yourself with our dear son.  he loved it~ as much as he loves his new haircut.  your hair skills are solid :), your kindness is genuine, your presence was meaningful.  thanks, my friend!

lunch

summer lunches are so much more fun and relaxed than the rest of the year...

 

 

i read about this muffin tin idea on another blog a few years ago~ hardly anything i do is my own creative genius~ just being real! :)  anyway, it's funny how giving lots of choices to kids is always a successful way to get them to consume healthy foods.  i also read that many years ago.  and it's true!  when given the choice between two healthy options you allow the child the control to choose, and therefore distract from the fact that the choices usually aren't Twinkies and Swiss Rolls!  mmmm, it's been too long since i've had Swiss Rolls....

anyway, this is a fun way to present lunch in the summer.  throw in some ranch dressing or veggie dip and it also helps.  this is another secret i found worked well when my kids were small and even now.  when there is something to dip into, such as salsa, hummus, yogurt, etc....it makes the meal more interesting.  interesting is good when it comes to meals that have a way of getting repetitive and boring over time...

other muffin tin ideas~ popcorn, carrot sticks, celery, dried fruit, apple slices, cut up watermelon, pineapple, crackers, nacho chips, pretzels, cheese cubes, etc...you get it, right?