A pinch of this and a dash of that...

I'm having one of those moments where I know it's time to blog because so much is changing around here that I don't want slipping out of our memories.

Things we'd for sure forget ever happened if I didn't haul out my camera and snap that there moment in time.

Like just how fiercely Chandler clasped his matching-jammied teddy bear that night he was scared and came down to sleep on the couch.

Or how every time I poke my head into the playroom, Rachel is perched on her favorite chair with a book.  

Or how Hallie decided to do this when I told her to look at me and smile one Sunday afternoon when the sun in my living room was just right.

In fact that Sunday was dreamy for me. 

I allowed myself to sit back and really feel the joy that is mine.

And I'm sure glad I did because stopping to live in the moment treated me to this scene right here:

 And these ones:

Chan smushed himself into this wet-wipe box:

Then I wanted to snap one with his hat off, which I should have known would upset him, but it lead swiftly into something I would have missed...

....like a concerned little sister who came rushing over to comfort her pouting hatless brother.

And after observing and assessing the situation she stood up and smacked his head with both hands just as fast as she could.

And I'm pretty sure she's the only person on the planet who Chandler would let get away with that kind of "comfort".

She's a little partial to boxes too.

Hallie is a bonafide book worm.

And I love it.

Last weekend Elon took her up to Bangor with him for an outdoor stake service project, and she came home with this present for me:

And they're still doing great :)

She also came home from said project elated because she had been interviewed by Fox news!  She had a tiny little portion that we all watched over and over again, but are sad that I can't seem to access the link again.  

And then one day recently, Rachel was ecstatic with the fact that she could fill Hallie's water bottle cap full of bite sized pieces of sandwich.

And I think the snot bubble is the icing on the cake.  

Chan's favorite outfit this past winter/fall are these navy blue sweats:

He actually asked me to take a picture of him making that silly face :)

Then the other night our niece Katie marched right on out of High School.

Which brought me right back to the primary room at church after having just moved to Maine 18 years ago.  As the prelude music was playing, a pregnant young mother was slowly walking up the isle and smiled at me. I don't remember much else except that I learned what a warm smile can do to a nervous soul, like my 11 year old one.

And if you're lucky, it will one day call you "sister- in- law" ;)

So how could this girl with wavy locks and awesome wedged shoes have possibly been that little baby inside that pregnant belly?

It's beyond me.

We sure had fun trying to keep our kids from running away and making loud noises during the ceremony.

But it was so fun to see her afterward in all her graduation glory.

The Dudley family is shrinking at a rapid rate :(

Which makes me happy I shot this one when I had the chance.

And even though I need to accept the fact that these kids are growing into exceptional adults, and are soaring into the arms of bright and noble futures, it still leaves me bitter.

Because I'm selfish like that.