memorial day weekend | nyc

mikey and i just got back from sneaking away for a long holiday weekend to visit chris & alexa in nyc. we walked for miles, exploring pockets of manhattan & brooklyn, central park & the sunday farmers market. our hosts took us on the most fabulous food tour of the city ... we dined on italian (supper) and thai (land thai), breakfasted on bagel sandwiches, funky donuts (the blood orange doughflower was my favorite) and massive cinnamon rolls, and shared plates at maison pickle. we even managed to snag pie at four & twenty blackbirds late one afternoon. we rode the carousel in central park and picked through the brooklyn flea, scoring treasures and keepsakes that'll be in our family forever (him: a genuine european field jacket / her: a massive american flag for our wall). mikey also came home with several new paperbacks; he's currently into hemingway. we talked of dreams and life, things present and future. we made plans to globe trot together, all kiddos in tow. 

mikey & i always suggest a weekend a way from kiddos to just be together. we're thankful for family to keep our boys so we can do it. seriously, i don't even think they missed us. we're thankful for dear friends who'll play tour guide over their long weekend, who'll share their favorite spots and dreams with us. 

currently

currently...

 

reading: notta 

playing: Ray LaMontagne (on Pandora) 

watching: Sherlock (the newest season!) 

trying: to organize stuff for the yard sale @ Connor & Dusti's this weekend 

cooking: lots of burgers ... needing new ideas for the summer! 

eating: peanut butter + apples & peanut butter RX bars

drinking: Coke Zero & coffee 

calling: no one 

texting:  haley, amber & ashton

pinning: New England road trip ideas for this summer 

planning: our long NYC weekend with Chris & Alexa

crafting: nothing lately 

doing: editing the sweetest prom photo shoot 

going: to enjoy a weekend of no diaper changing (!!) 

loving: that Solomon is finally interested in potty training 

hating: that Solomon is finally interested in potty training (haha) 

discovering: that baby bump no. 4 is already saying helllllloooo 

enjoying: summer weather & evening walks with all of my boys 

hoping: for a laundry fairy to move in with me ... so.much.laundry.all.the.time 

celebrating: lots of new babies in our tribe 

smelling: summer rain 

thanking: amos for sleeping in his bed all night, every night for the past several weeks 

considering:  renting our house on airbnb (some) this summer

finishing: work on the bathrooms at our white house (whoooohooooo)  

starting: to finally get over the nighttime nausea 

weekend

This past weekend we spent a few glorious days at Mimi & Papa's lake house with our sweet buds, the Davis'. The boys played with cars and threw rocks into the water for hours. On Sunday we decided to load up and find some water (the lake is super low) .. so, we took to the woods and found a nice little spot on the Chattooga (thanks to Mike Mike). We've loved watching this herd of boys grow together. I pray over their friendships, that they'll be long-lasting, Christ pointing & adventure seeking always. 

[same porch shot from 11/16]

martin band of brothers | may 2017

Amos 4.5

Solomon closer to 3 than 2

Ez 14 months 

You boys are the delight of my heart. We're in such a fun season with you all right now. Ez, you're almost walking. You're snuggly and so full of joy. You love to be outside, period. Solomon, my little lover boy. You tell me, "mama, i wuv you" all day long...and that you'll take care of me when I'm old. You're crazy brave and keep us on our toes. I'm honestly surprised we haven't had an ER trip for you yet (knock on wood). Mosie, you know all there is to know about volcanoes. You can tell us what states / countries have them, what the types are, all about the explosions...can we just have a volcano school project already?! You're so smart. We really love watching your little mind work. Sometimes we forget that you're only 4.5 (and not a teenager / adult) because of your facial expressions, understanding of things like sarcasm and your reasoning / bargaining skills. 

I love you boys to the moon and back. 

Celebrate | Bennie's (surprise) 30th!

This has been the year of 30. We've celebrated with dinners and cake, lots of cake, surprises parties and gifts shared. We love every season with our village, but this next decade has already started with blessings of new babies (seriously, our group is having our own baby boom in twenty seventeen), new houses, traveling and slowing down for weekends together. 

Sweet Em planned a perfect surprise evening for her Bennie. We arrived early and mingled with friends & family until they arrived. We laughed as sweet Wren ran for what looked like a bear hug for the birthday boy & last minute swerved into Em's arms. We shared everyone's favorite sweet potato cake and stayed late for poetry and stories from the past several years. If this is what the next decade holds, I'll take a double serving.