days like these...

"...what if you wake up someday, and you're 65, or 75, and you never got your memoir or novel written, or you didn't go swimming in those warm pools and oceans all those years because your thighs were jiggly and you had a nice big comfortable tummy; or you were just so strung out on perfectionism and people-pleasing that you forgot to have a big juicy creative life, of imagination and radical silliness and staring off into space like when you were a kid? it's going to break your heart. Don't let this happen." 

- Anne Lamott

*quote found via herwelshness on IG*

today was another one of those wonderful summer days...they seem more and more common around these parts. I'm not sure if it's me and my attitude or just the sun and warmth...but I hope know these days will continue appearing:) 

today was my cousin's Baby Shower:) She's due to have a little girl in one month! We're SO sooooo excited for her!!! I'm a huge fan of showers and weddings and all things party/celebration but these baby-related-gig's are most fun with a baby already planted in my belly:):) Just gets me that much more excited about what's to come for us as well:)

i like to take any opportunity we have to get a "sister pic"...although, we are in the same room way more than the average family. Like uhhh-lot more. ANNOYING LUCKY are we - for real:) Annnnd there's bound to be at least one photo-bomber in our lot of 13 kiddos;)

theo daisy photos courtesy of: Courts

theo is my right-hand gal at the moment - and by moment I mean the last 6 months;). Where I go...she goes...in my arms...on my hip. You will not catch me complaining about this. I don't hate having a built-in best friend:):)

buttttt she will go to Me-Moo:) Me-Moo is her only other friend in the world;):) 

i had Courts quickly snap a few photos while we had the beautiful weather and I had put on something other than yoga pants;) I'm so glad I did, especially after reading the quote above. Life is WAY too short not to just DO...or to do silly things like stand in front of the mirror and dissect your body. Jeeesh. I mean, 3 hours prior to this photo I was quoted telling Jacob that this dress made me look like a "hippopotamus" - no offense to hippos, who are freaking AWESOME;).  

Sure...I do feel like my ass is competing my belly for attention...and some days that just isn't the way I want to feel or look. BUT for my baby girl's sake...I need to cut out any negativity about my body that may still exist. Most days...I do love my body...and that includes my body after baby:) Jacob still seems to dig it - I can't go into the details about how I know that...but Ew;)

And good golly, I love being pregnant...and I love food...I also love walks and a very veryyyyy minimal amount of exercise. So basically...fuck it:)

19weeks:)

the kids left with a Prius-sized amount of loot - party decor, flowers and balloons;)

i worked this morning and then the Baby Shower and no naps - and it needs to be noted, NO FITS - for the kids...so we were pretty wiped out by the time we got home but I'm very happy we pushed through. A walk and watermelon and finishing a book by the fire. I meannnnnn...summer, you're killin' it:)

we loved this day and I already love this summer so hard:)

xoxo, The Smith's.

summer: to do.

"Do you believe in reincarnation?" I asked as we looked together at the intricate drawings, reading bits about them in the paragraph on each page.

"I don't," he said. "I believe we're here once and what we do matters..."

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

With your one wild and precious life?

Mary Oliver

"The Summer Day"

that may be a little deep...so I'll do my best to lighten the mood from here on out;)

i'm currently reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed. It's good. And I've got to say, a reminder of why I love to read. You find things in the pages that mean something to you. Maybe not to anyone else...but the words above really resonated with me in a few different ways. 

i tend to over-think a lot of things. Am I doing enough? I'm not doing anything... Do I have enough? I don't have anything... And then I get frustrated with myself. Frustrated that I don't feel like what I'm doing is enough. Frustrated that I don't feel like what I have is enough. Why isn't a roof over our heads enough, why do I want a sparkly new kitchen...when in reality, I'd trade all that in to travel the world with my family? 

i'm a firm believer in: It's All About The Memories. I mean...what else is there (this coming from a girl with 2 grandmother's - one has since passed - with Alzheimer's:/). I want this summer to be one filled with down-time and relaxation and as little stress as possible! This revelation couldn't come at a better time, seeing as I'll be growing an itty bitty baby and the less stress, the better...for all of us;) But I know that some things are just out of our hands but I'm going to do my best to turn any 'rough patches' or 'unplanned/unfortunate surprises' into something less than awful - and let's just cross our fingers that nothing of the sort comes up anyway:)

i'd like this summer to be one where I learn to relish in the simple things. Growing a plant. Picking a flower. Reading a book. Sitting back while the kids enjoy the warm days:) I want that to be enough.

i was just getting my hair done and was speaking to my brilliant hair dresser (at this appointment we named our next book: Bitches Who Teach You How Not To Be An Asshole...I told you she was good;). I was talking about having children and how I just love having the kids. They're SOOOO fucking hard. Oh lord, they are. But them and Jacob and the family we've created...it's the only thing that's seemed absolutely, completely right to me. And then I think...what about me? When am I going to find what it is I'M supposed to be doing? But she helped me realize that right now, at this moment in my life...being a mom is it. And that's enough...that's beyond enough:)

first order of business...getting this up on the wall and beginning to cross things off:)

#sweetsummertime

i could suffer through this weather for a wee bit longer;)

it's September 17th and we've had to turn the heat on in the house already. Puke. The weather swings from low 50's one day to almost 70 the next. We almost forget how to respond when we get one warm day amongst all those cold ones. But we're doing our best to soak up the sun whenever it's given!

but as soon as the cold sticks...I'll be logging an unhealthy number of hours on the computer, searching for warm - affordable - vacation destinations:)

#sweetsummertime

it's scary to think that summer is really coming to a close. TEARS. I'm a lot NOT okay with that. A big part of me feels like we have SO much left on our DO THIS SUMMER list. But my overall feeling is that we've been outside. We've worked in the garden. We hit up a pool. We drank in the sun:) We took a road trip. We left the state!! We hosted Bag Night a Cookout and outdoor Birthday Party! We spent 2 days at the beach. We ran through a sprinkler. 

it's been another incredibly good summer:)

these photos are from earlier in the summer. We spent the afternoon at Pigg's:) I don't feel like we got as many warm days as we've gotten in past summers (horse shit). But we took advantage when the weather did warm up enough to warrant diapers and nothin' else;)

here's to hoping fall holds off until Oct. 31:)

#sweetsummertime

a baby + 72 degree days + a cold drink = my idea of bliss:)

this will *hopefully* be a new series: #sweetsummertime

(you can follow that hashtag on Instagram - caseymsmith is my user name)

i'm posting this and then heading to Target. But that place makes me feel warm and happy as well...Target is really the only way I survive WI winter's;) But after THAT...gonna enjoy this weather;)

happy summer!!:)

boom. the holiday:)

holiday's are always the best time but with Homer they've gotten even MORE fun:) Last year on the 4th of July he was only about 2 months old! This year when we watched some fireworks, I had a hard time watching the fire works because I was watching his reaction! It was pretty cute...he didn't love them but he didn't seem to hate them. Just watched...tried covering his ears and blinked with every boom:)

yet again, I was working this entire Holiday...the 4th and the entire weekend following it. But we still managed to really enjoy it and I think it helps to know that this may have been the last Holiday I'll work for a while, with my new job:):) 

anddddd cause I forgot to take my camera with me anywhere...these are all iPhone photos from our Holiday:) Enjoy!

on the 4th, after I got done with work, we - and by we, I mean myself, Homer and my sister....I let Jacob take the day off to go fishing:) - went to my Cousin's house to have a cookout. Such a relaxing afternoon. And something we look forward to every year!:) 

getting photos with my man, Nasher:):)

on the 6th...we celebrated the 4th with friends at their Annual Shindig:) This is where we actually got to see some fireworks...we were home and in bed by the time the fireworks started on the 4th! Oops;)

Every year I think...oh, no big deal if we watch them. And then when we DO watch them...I realize how much I love them all over again!

 

we hope you had an amazing holiday!!!:)