Happy Mother's Day...to me

Typically I am one of those "want the house clean before going on a trip" kind of people...I just don't seem to be able to relax well when my home looks like uttter chaos. So it's a treat for me & I like to have things picked up when heading into a special day so I can just relax and enjoy the time with my family vs constantly trying to ignore my Type A side wanting to tidy up.

And yet with Mother's Day a few minutes away I am not heading up to bed with a spotless house & that's ok. When I look around me I see a home that bears unmistakable signs that 6 children live & are loved here & I wouldn't have it any other way. Thor's mighty war hammer is sitting in the plant next to me...in it's most recent of hiding spots in Ryan & Aiden's game, Jabba the Hut & a Storm Trooper minifigs are hanging out on the kitchen counter, Liam's stuffed duck from his Davis siblings is on the table, Batman is guarding our stairway, & I know of at least one Littlest Pet Shop peacocks hiding in a plant in the living room.

I am a mother. I have been blessed with smart, loving, energetic, rambunctious, quirky, hilarious, compassionate, resilient.... amazing children. I live every day praying that I will do my best by them & fearing that I am doing my worst. I routinely send all but one of them away to another parent who loves them just as much as I do, entrusting their safety and well-being to them and The Lord. I know that He loves them and watches over our babies when we can't, and I know He helps me when I am not equal to being what my children need, if I but ask. I know the fear of sending your oldest child to kindergarten & crying on the phone to your own mom from the floor of your closet because you worry he will be laughed at or get lost trying to find the bathroom. On more occasions than I can count I have gone to work, church, etc with spit up & other random kid body fluids on my clothes and wasn't even phased. I do at least a dozen loads of laundry per week and there is never enough room on the fridge for all the heartfelt crayon drawings and school work. Some days I feel I break up more fights than a referee in the WWE & I have changed more diapers than I would want to even estimate. I never knew I needed so little sleep, or could sleep with so many little people in our bed with us...and I have never been happier or known more joy in life than my children and family have brought to me. I am a mother.

So happy Mother's Day to me...and to all the mother's and women in my life. And thank you, to the wonderful men who made us so, and who love us and support us throughout this journey.

Amish Cinnamon bread- no "start" required

Trying this today, I've always LOVED the Amish Friendship bread but I can never seem to get my hands on a start. So excited to see if this is the same!

Amish Cinnamon Bread. No kneading, you just mix it up & bake ♥

Batter:
1 cup butter, softened2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk or 2 cups milk plus 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda

Cinnamon/sugar mixture:
2/3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cream together butter, 2 cups of sugar, and eggs. Add milk, flour, and baking soda. Put 1/2 of batter (or a little less) into greased loaf pans (1/4 in each pan). Mix in separate bowl the 2/3 c sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 3/4 of cinnamon mixture on top of the 1/2 batter in each pan. Add remaining batter to pans; sprinkle with last of cinnamon topping. Swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min. or until toothpick tester come clean.
Cool in pan for 20 minutes before removing from pan.

Liam's paparazzi

We had a blast doing Liam's very first photo shoot the other day with Mandie from Captured Moments. She was amazing & so patient with him. Thanks so much! We just love how well she captured our precious little guy.

Little Mr. Liam...rockin' the frohawk

We are all just so in love with this little guy!