Good news is that my jaw is much better. Bad news is that it’s not all better. And I am grouchy and not motivated to do anything. So I am skipping my Happiness Project for now. It’s probably one of those self-fulfilling prophecies but there we are. I promised myself that I’d get back on the horse tomorrow.

Nathaniel sat down for the first time today and David saw it first and exclaimed and yelled for me to capture it.

And then I took a shot of him. Those eyes.

I love watching my kids play.

Especially when they look up to me with a wide smile.

And I love when they tickle each other and giggle and giggle.

And then quietly play some more.

Life is good. I need to work on being less grouchy. Life is good.

Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that despite my crabbiness, I got a lot of work done today.
2. I’ve been scrapping a lot lately. Just for fun even. I love that. I am grateful for it even more than usual.
3. I am grateful for good audiobooks again today. Been listening to Lonesome Dove as I scrap and I love it.

Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. my legos.
2. playing with Yona’s toy.
3. daddy. (this is a standing item now.)

I woke up this morning at 5am to excruciating pain. My jaw was in so much pain I could barely see. And all day I’ve been taking as much Advil as it’s safe to take just to keep the pain down. This seems to happen to me about once a month for a few days lately. I think the camping exacerbated it. It’s been hell so I’ve been lying on the couch, feeling sorry for my poor self, listening to my book and scrapping.

David has been quiet and helpful and kind.

for the most part. Nathaniel, too. Playing and going through everything.

Coming over to visit me.

Bothering David.

And playing with everything inside all the drawers in the kitchen. I’ve already had to move everything glass from anywhere he can reach.

I wonder if all this is conspiring against my happiness project. Then I tell myself, it’s ok. Take another day off, it’s no big deal. Your body and mind need the rest. And so does my jaw, apparently. So I am resting.

And telling myself it’s ok.

Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful for Advil today. It’s working its magic.
2. I am grateful that for the most part my kids are amazing, kind and understanding.
3. I am grateful for scrapbooking and for the two awesome packages I got in the mail today. Happy mail!

Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. Legos.
2. playing with my toys.

We left home early Sunday to go camping at Samuel P Taylor State Park which is about 90 minutes north of where we live. We decided to camp for one night since it was Nathaniel’s first time and we had no idea how he would do.

The only slot they had open was #18. By the little stream but also relatively close to the road so we could hear cars driving by. Still, it was a beautiful slot. I loved being near the water. I think water always makes me happy.

And among the redwood trees. The magnificent trees which always make my troubles seem small.

When we got there, we immediately got to setting up the tent and the kids had to wait in the car to make sure we could do it quickly and efficiently. They were quiet and nice for a while but then got cranky.

When we were finally done, we got them out and Nathaniel took a while to get acclimated, especially to his shoes. (Actually those were David’s old old shoes, too big for Nathaniel, but I couldn’t find his shoes somehow.).

So Daddy held him most of the time. (Neither was complaining about the setup.)

We then sat to have some food. Most of what we are was cheese (and salami) sandwiches, grapes, strawberries, nilla wafers, etc. Simple, easy things.

Then we took a little walk up one of the trails. A very short one before we turned around cause all of us were tired.

Here’s my single most favorite photo from the trip.

Some of those yummy wafers.

Nathaniel liked them just as much as David. (which was a lot)

Daddy loved playing with both of the kids.

I was worried about Nathaniel going to sleep but he was a champ. We brought his pack’n’play which fit inside the tent easily and he slept on a sleeping bag, covered with lots of blankets. He only cried for a few seconds before he lay down and went to a deep sleep. We ended the day with some delicious s’mores.

After the food, it was getting cold and I was way too tired. So around 7:30pm or so, we all got inside the tent, and I think I was sleeping within minutes. Which is probably why I woke up at midnight and I was in excruciating pain. Which never went away. David then peed through his clothes and had to be changed, Nathaniel woke up a few times and whined but nothing so extreme. I think the night was hardest on me.

Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am so grateful that we live so close to such a magnificent state park. It’s such a luxury.
2. I am grateful that both of the kids had a blast camping. They were so happy and neither whined for one second.
3. I am grateful for a wonderful fourth of july day with my family, in the middle of such beauty and peace.

Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. daydreaming (he dreamt about a nice raccoon, he said.).
2. daddy.

Today started slow and complicated. I am still feeling exhausted and unable to rest for some reason. So I had a slow start. I did get better and the kids were angels but I am still feeling worn out.

David’s been playing with his legos still. Loves them.

And the little boy is playing with his legos/blocks too.

Look at those little toes.

I even scrapped. Doing more layouts for CHA. I am trying to pace myself and just do one a day and see how it goes. Let’s see if I can manage it. Next week promises to be crazy with more layouts for CHA and then the AMM kit. So trying to take it easy now.

Plans for tonight are to rest and possibly read some. Lonesome Dove, here I come.

Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. Grateful that my kids are so good on their own.
2. Grateful that I am getting some good nagging tasks done. Ones that need doing.
3. Grateful that I am now starting a 4-day weekend!!

Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. lego men.
2. daddy

Fair warning: this post has a LOT of photos. Even more than my usual many. So if you don’t like seeing a ton of photos of my two boys, feel free to skip it. (having said that, if you don’t like seeing my boys, you’ve likely long stopped visiting my blog.)

I got home at 2:30am last night from the movie and wasn’t even tired. So, of course, this morning, I was. Tired and grouchy and cranky and so much more. I yelled, threatened, whined, sulked. And yet. My kids were mostly unfazed. Bless them. I captured tons of hugs, laughter and love so I wanted to post it all mostly to remind myself that even I can’t get in the way of their joy (not that I should be trying to, I need to be on better behavior.)

love.

He’s trying so hard to make Nathaniel laugh.

and succeeds easily.

he kisses him.

watches him.

hugs him.

hugs him some more.

and he hugs back in spades.

my toothless boy.

laughing together.

Nathaniel discovered a drawer full of plastic cutlery and has been playing with them nonstop. He gets very focused.

In the afternoon, we took out some time and all 3 of us played legos. It was really wonderful.

And then there was more hugging.

And I am so glad I caught this face. It’s one Nathaniel makes too often and always cracks me up.

I feel all out of sorts for the last two days. I am hoping it will be better on a good night’s sleep which I plan to get tonight. Let’s hope I do.

Note to Self:
In the beginning of this month, I worked on some layouts for an upcoming free BPS workshop called Big Idea Festival. I haven’t seen the other designers’ work but I am pretty sure it will be fantastic and it’s totally free so you have nothing to lose. Click here to sign up. (And that’s my layout there on the right, love me some orange.)

Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. Lego time with David (and Nathaniel).
2. My husband letting me sleep in this morning, I surely would have fallen apart without it.
3. I am thankful for my kids putting up with me on days like this.

Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. playing legos with mommy.
2. daddy.

I know I didn’t put up a Crafting with David today but I have a very good excuse for it:

Remember when I said David had a bump on his gums that I was going to call the dentist about? Well I called and then went and it turns out his fuzed tooth is all infected cause of a crack in and they had to pull it. Ouch. They had to give my little boy a novocaine shot which was really painful and then they yanked the tooth right out, which was also very painful. But my little boy was super brave and really so amazing (As he always is.) and I’ve been working hard to pamper him since we got home. He got to have chocolate pudding and watch TV and relax as much as he wanted.

That’s gauze in his mouth which he had all day. He didn’t complain or whine one bit. And now he’s super excited about the tooth fairy (who is going to bring him a small little toy since we’re not into doing the money thing just yet.)

While David watched TV, Nathaniel tried to carry as many legos as he could at one time.

Here he is, trying not to drop them.

He really loves the legos. I love watching both my kids enjoy them so much. I’ve always been a huge fan of legos.

And Nathaniel’s really interested in books lately, too. Not in my reading them to him but exploring them by himself. You know that makes me happy, too.

And I’ll end with a little shot of the toothless boy. His bottom one is moving like crazy too and is bound to fall at any minute. Which will make taking portraits that much more challenging.

To be honest, those are my favorite shots. The ones with character. So I look forward to capturing them.

Since we ran to the dentist first thing this morning, and then went food shopping for david, most of our day went wonky. Naps were all over the place, Nathaniel is still lying in his bed, staring at the ceiling. I am wiped and wiped.

Note to Self:
Amazing how things work out sometimes. I am really sorry that we let David’s tooth be sick for over a week. I am glad he didn’t have pain but here’s an instant where I would have otherwise worried and taken care of immediately. Thankfully it didn’t have huge repercussions but it could have. It’s so hard to know when to take action immediately and when to sit and wait a bit.

Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that the dentist took us immediately and took care of David right away, thankful for dental care today.
2. I am grateful that my kids are so wonderful and Nathaniel behaved wonderfully the whole time we were at the dentist and made it easy for me to focus on David and hold his hand, etc.
3. I am thankful that I will get to go see Eclipse tomorrow!

Two Things David’s Grateful For:
1. lego magazine that he got in the mail.
2. daddy.