Lankford Love

These last few weeks we have been taking advantage of this amazing weather that has captured the metroplex! The docket has been full and keeping us super busy - because we all know this weather doesn't last long!  Lilleigh has been begging for months to ride on the Dart, which is our city's public transportation system. She specifically wanted to ride the light rail. So a couple weekends ago Brendon and I loaded up our girls and rode the Dart from our local light rail station (just a few miles from us) all the way downtown.  Adeline thought the train was a little loud.  Once downtown, we walked a block and hopped onto the trolley, which is always free, and took it to Klyde Warren park. Klyde Warren is this genius of a park located in the middle of downtown Dallas. It's located on top of the freeway. There's always lots going on - everything from a kiddie playground to an open lawn with live music and even yoga to food trucks lining the park. An all-around awesome place....

These two girls keep their Mommy and Daddy so busy! In the very best way. Lilleigh has started to stay up listening to audiobooks, reading books, or quietly hanging out with me during rest time. As long as she's quiet and has some time to herself (and Mommy has time to herself), I'm good with it. And for those of you wondering, she has been going to bed easier! I don't think it's solely just the rest hour thing though. I think it's also a combination of: the novelty of having little sis in her room has worn off; Adeline is in her trundle rather than sharing the big bed; and we started to be more firm on bedtime. So it's probably the perfect combo. Either way, bedtime has become easier. Does Lil still sing herself to sleep? Sometimes. :) Adeline is used to it. Lilleigh's answers questions, answers, and stories keep me laughing. The other day I overheard her talking to her friend. Friend: What's your Mommy's name? Lil: Ashleigh. Friend: What...

For anyone who knows me, you know I hate being crazy busy, yet I have a tendency to become that way. It makes me crazy. Any who, this weekend was super busy, but in the best possible way! We totally crashed last night, and the girls are still asleep. Actually hubby is too... On Saturday morning, Brendon took the girls to the local art festival, while I held a garage sale with a couple friends. A reason for Starbucks. Good. Decluttering. Good. Extra money. Also good. Then that afternoon Brendon and I loaded up our crew to go meet some of our favorite friends, the wonderful Widemans, to go camping!  Lilleigh and Adeline were actually awesome campers. I'm not sure I should be surprised. Lilleigh is older and is just glad to do anything with our family - and with her sweet friend McKinley! And Adeline just loves being outdoors and doing anything big sister does!  For the record, Sammy did actually sleep on the foocot with Lilleigh ALL night, which you would think was ...

Some days our homeschooling looks like a field trip to The Heard to see animals and nature up close.  And some days it looks like giving into Lilleigh's itch to learn to sew and wash dishes.  Carole Joy Seid says, "Give them {real} tools, not toys." She also says, "Put in the hard work when they're young {teaching them to do chores, even if it seems too hard}, and they'll serve you when they're older." Done and done. Lilleigh will be getting sewing supplies and a scrub brush for Christmas. And she will love it. 

Adeline is TWO! I can hardly believe it's been two years since she entered our family. I can't imagine our family without her. She brings so much spunk, energy, and laughter! One single word to describe Adeline: Determined . She is always on the go. She gets her mind set on something and doesn't veer from the task at hand, which many times results in temper tantrums or discipline. She will be warned against a behavior (say, kicking) and then give me a look of testing and do it again. She's bold. It doesn't work for her, but one day she will figure that out. She certainly does keep me on my toes though. This determination can be a great thing too. It worked out great for day 3 of potty training when she was set on getting as many jelly beans (for going in the potty) as possible. Since then though, the jelly beans don't seem to be as motivating, so her focus has moved on. Oy. Mommy needs to come up with better incentives. Anyone have some that don't involv...

We recently traveled to Houston to see Meredith (Brendon's sister) get married to Danny! Here are some photos from the big event! Lilleigh was thrilled to get to go with the bridesmaids to have her nails done! Being a flower girl is a very serious job. Hubby and me at the rehearsal dinner. Getting ready on the big day!                                                 Because Lilleigh has this habit of making a terrible fake smile and clenching her teeth, we took some selfies beforehand to practice our "real smiles." Grammy with the flower girl and ring bearer. Meredith and Danny's first dance. Connor and Lilleigh dancing. These two love each other. They never cease of being together, which is amazing to me. Even when we go on week long trips together, these two are joined at the hip constantly. Glow necklaces at the reception wer...

I don't know where to begin. I've told this story two hundred times, and yet the emotions are still raw.  We found out mid-May that we were pregnant. We were thrilled! A little nervous, I admit, but thrilled. Lilleigh was over the moon excited, and Adeline just got clingier by the minute at all the baby talk going on. I had all the pregnancy symptoms - nausea, exhaustion, a growing baby bump...  At 12 weeks, the day before Brendon's and my 8 year anniversary, I confidently went in for my midwife appointment. When it came time to hear the baby's heartbeat, my midwife could not find one. When she switched to a sonogram, the baby only measured 8.5 weeks, no heartbeat. Apparently babies start to break apart after the loss of a heartbeat. Our intact baby meant that this loss has happened fairly recently. To say we were shocked is an understatement. Stunned. Spinning. Baffled. These words don't do justice to what we were feeling.  The next immediate feeling - heartbroken....