Brotherly {Love}

Jack Cruz is a ROCKSTAR.  Sweet buddy has been so very brave during his transition into our family.  We have a long way to go before everyone is completely adjusted to our new normal, but I can honestly say he is a PERFECT fit for our family.  And I'm thankful he's home every. single. day.

My Sweet P is AMAZING.  He had his world rocked too.  He went from being the center of our world, to having to share it with his baby brother... who really isn't so much of a baby.  And likes to play with all of his special toys.  And even though its been hard to watch Perry struggle, it's also been one of the very best ways to help illustrate to him love, compassion, mercy, grace, and forgiveness.  

And slowly, but surely, we are getting there.  Month by month.  Day by day.  Minute by minute.  

Slide by slide.  

Brotherly Love.  One of His Greatest Gifts.

{thankful for}

the little playground at the end of the street

evening light

a warm January day

a healthy day

fresh air

His love shining down

Baby It's {COLD} Outside

January has been pretty bitterly cold and wet, so we have done lots of fun activities inside.  Including but not limited to: bubble baths, painting, side walk chalk in the 'foyer' and on the walls, and rolly toys.  

My boys headed off to the Monster Jam in Atlanta for some much needed "Man Time."

Little bit and I stayed home as I had little desire to strap him in a car seat for a few hours drive.  Did I mention he has decided the car seat is not cool?  Unless, of course, I give in and allow him to watch Peppa Pig, in which case he's golden.  Sign him up for a cross country road trip.  

We were gifted (the most amazing gift ever!  seriously people.. listen up for future gifting ideas) a family membership to our local children's science museum.  Hello bonding time. I think we've been four times already.  Pman loves the shark/stingray exhibit and Jack Cruz is seriously infatuated with the bubble station.  It's been a more than perfect place to take the boys on these frigid cold days to allow them a place to stay warm and dry and play and enjoy themselves.  With Jack Cruz still learning that we are 'forever,' its also a great place to pop him in the carrier for some face time or to provide a big, happy 'shared' environment for the boys to bond.  You know... a place where the toys don't belong to one child or the other so there's no dominance, there's no cat's tail to pull, or beautiful picture frames of Mommy's to break.  

Yeah.  It's pretty blissful. 

And with a membership, we also get a discount at the food court.

We may not can keep our children in a bubble, but at least we can photograph them through one! ;)

Life literally feels like a hurricane right now.  But see that smile on my face?  

It's a good kinda hurricane!

We were thankful we went soon enough in the new year that the Winter Wonderland exhibit was still set up.  Second from Coke, Jack Cruz's favorite thing in all the world is trains.  

Or water.  Maybe its water???

Thankfully, the weather was GORGEOUS for the past five days, so we were able to enjoy some MUCH needed outside time.  But, we're already right back to snow flurries and rain.  Boo.

I'm thinking McWane is back up on the schedule soon.  

{thankful for}

gifts that give adventure

heaters

rainboots

wind shield wipers

the amazement of jelly fish 

The {Greatest} Show on Earth

Perry's Kindergarten class took a fun field trip to the Circus this week.  It was really one of the best circus performances I've ever seen and we had a great time!  Here's our recap:

Starting off.  Pricing.

H-I-G-H-W-A-Y R-O-B-B-E-R-Y I T-E-L-L Y-A

Holy Cow.  

$14 Cotton Candy.  SERIOUSLY?!

I 'bout died.  

So, instead, we opted for a large coke, nachos, and a motorcycle.  Oh yea, and $8 parking.  

And of course, the tickets...

All worth it for the fun and smiles! 

Okie dokie.  This lady?  This Jemma girl.  

Yeah.

She's certifiably crazy.  

I believe they said this was her 468th time being shot out of a cannon and she is the youngest human cannon ball on the planet.  I'm not sure I've ever seen this stunt before and if I have I didn't remember it.  I was super impressed with how gracefully she flew through the air.  And her somersaulting at the end was quite the delicate little landing.  

The clowns are never my favorite and to be honest, I never really think their skits are all that entertaining.  But, they are a vital part of the industry and therefore photo worthy.  

As a former gymnast, this type of flexibility and strength is simply astounding to me.

For real... how cute is Dumbo?!

I always leave the circus wanting a pet elephant.

These girls weren't very entertaining to me, but this upside down splitter was so sweet and came over to the side to smile and dote on a few little girls.  So she won my heart.  And their costumes were the sparkliest things I had ever seen in my life, which I loved.  

And if we thought the cannon ball girl was cray cray, meet this guy.  Yeah.  I just simply can't imagine.  He was in that cage with 15 tigers/lions at one point.  I couldn't stop myself from thinking that I hope he knows Jesus.  

He totally upped the vulnerability when he decided to do a handstand on a stool and let this roaring animal jump through his legs.  I was seriously impressed.  

The poodles were simply amazing.  They were sooooooo cute and had the entire audience laughing.  They were P's favorite and a very close second for me.

This act was the flying trapeze replacement.  Kinda boring, but cool costumes.  

Again, I wasn't thoroughly entertained by the tightrope walkers, but this girl doing the splits up there really amazed me.  

These trampoline guys were INCREDIBLE.  

Words could never do them justice.  I snapped a few shots and then sat in my seat completely mesmerized.  My favorite part!

{thankful for}

a Mommy Perry day

a Daddy Jack Cruz day

that everyone had a GREAT day

the safety of all the performers

nachos cheese and hot peppers

a large coke

belly laughs

steel city pops

my favorite coat

Pman's rainboots

Welcome Home {Isaac Paul}

On January 1st, we got to do one of our very favorite things ever:   

Welcome home a friend from South Korea!

I'm always at the airport during the day, so it was neat to see it all lit up and pretty.  They also still had their Christmas decor up and it was really cozy and sweet for a homecoming.

After having a MELTDOWN because Mommy wouldn't {couldn't} open up the gigantic glass display case of the ducati racing motorcycles, he decided playing on the luggage belt would suffice.  

And about two seconds after this picture was taken, that entire Mountain Dew was emptied into my BRAND NEW leather purse.  The entire bottle.  All of it.  And I spent the next 15 minutes sitting on the airport floor with all the contents in my purse spread out in front of me trying to salvage what all electronics I could.  :X  Oiy.  Never a dull moment.  Never. 

{thankful for}

friends coming home

having Jack Cruz home to dump Mt Dew all in my purse

my keys still working

Happy {Korean} New Year!

I need to catch up this blog... in the BIGGEST way... like our first Korea trip is still not chronicled.  So is life.  I think my game plan is to keep trucking along with my Korea posts and then just back dating them as they're done, but meanwhile, I wanted to get a leg up on keeping it more up to date in the new year.  So here goes...

We started our new year a little early at 10:00am on December 31st... New Year's in Korea!

We ate traditional Tteokguk soup, cooked by our resident Korean cook, Liz, which grants the consumer luck for the new year and also gives you a year in age.  Mr P was super stoked that he turned six years old five months early! ;)   

After lunch, we hung out while I enlisted the help of my fellow friend and photographer, Lauren, to get some photos of my boys in their handboks.  It's amazing how still my boys will get when it's not me behind the camera!  (HUGE thank you Lauren!)

And after our mini photo shoot, we let the kids play on the swing set, slide, roll in the mud, and borderline ruin a few hanboks... ahem.   

Among the casualties, I will just say, someone modified their hanbok to a halter top... just sayin.'

Where is that laughing-till-you-cry emoticon when you need it?!

{thankful for}

a friend that knows how to cook Korean

a friend that gets fabulous shots of your boys

several more friends to share a culture that your heart so dearly loves

hanbok clad children

a crisp shiny morning

new beginnings

the promise of a good dry cleaner