It's Friday!!

And this mama is so thankful for that

 I am looking forward to having Max home all weekend and having some solid family time + sleeping in past 5:30.

It will be bliss, let me tell you.  

 My week may have started out a little rough, and it didn't get exponentially better.

I may have locked the kids and I out of the house one morning (good thing Max taught me how to "break in" to our house!)

 I may have lost my toddler son on a walk one afternoon (let's just say it scared the heck out of me + made me incredibly thankful for kind, observant neighbors + caused me to rethink some of our trust/discipline strategies with the kids + put things into perspective).  There may have been tons of messy moments - tantrums and timeouts, spilled rice (one of the WORST, cause it's sticky and hard to sweep, ha!) and milk, poor responses and reactions.  

BUT, the week also held it's share of beautiful moments.

Siblings loving on each other and playing kindly.  Sweet snuggly babes.  Trips to the park in the glorious sunshine.  Bacon and coffee.  Half-eaten bags of peanut-butter M&M's "left" at home by Max (don't worry, Netta, that was before we started!).  Toddler watercolor masterpieces hanging in the window.  Family "wrestling"/tickling matches one evening before bed.  Silly conversations with silly toddlers.  The girls ROCKING their blood draws at the lab.  Nap time quiet and work on my trunk.  Quality conversations with my dear husband.  Sweet Skype and phone dates with dear friends.