There is nothing quite so wonderful after a busy season than a trip to the beach where you have absolutely nothing to do. And last week we got to do exactly that.

We spent 5 fantastically uneventful days down at Amelia Island just connecting as a family and enjoying our time with each other. There were no fancy meals. Every day was spent barefoot and in the sand. And there wasn’t a single day on the trip that Thomas and I both didn’t get a long, glorious afternoon nap. It was good for our souls.

The kids loved the lazy days and playing in the surf and we loved that since it was the week before most schools get out we didn’t have a crowd of battle for the best spots in the sun. It was just the most ideal vacation for this season of our life. And, as a bonus, we got to celebrate Mother’s Day down at the beach where I was spoiled with breakfast in bed, cards, drawings, flowers, and a fun vintage silk scarf. It was, in a word, dreamlike.

We took a few pictures on the beach for Mother’s Day and even though I know on a daily basis how blessed I am to have these kiddos there is something so concrete about photos that makes me see my blessings frozen in time and my heart soar all the more. It is when I look at these pictures that I realize just how at home I am as a mother and how happy I am to have so many little ones who depend on me and who love me and who make my Mother’s heart whole. I never quite feel so complete as when I have a lap full of children. I am a mother through and through. It is my life’s calling. After 8 years and plenty of momentary lapses with self-image, I know that now. A mother is who I am. No matter what else I will be in my life I am at my core the mother of my children and for that I am eternally grateful. There is nothing I would rather be.

Today was the last day of our “official” homeschool year (though we do a scaled back version of school all summer long) and I am ready for long days in the backyard with sprinklers and kiddie pools and popsicles at the end of long afternoons. I am ready to see my children brown from the sun and tuckered out in their pajamas and watching movies into the night. Summer days are such fun days and even more exciting, I think, when you get to see them on the other side of adulthood. Every year since my kids began school, summer has felt like this long amazing stretch of possibility. There are so many things I look forward to filling their days with - even if 90% of those days are spent simply enjoying childhood. So, now is the time to enjoy the blank canvas of summer possibility and all the fun that promises to be lurking over the horizon.

I wish that those days will be filled with light and joy and fun and laughter and sticky popsicle fingers and freckles and big smiles. I wish that for each of my kids. And I wish that for each of you…

Oh, yeah, and just because I can’t get enough of these kiddos I’m leaving you with some pics of my babies from the beach. You’re welcome, Mom and G-ma! : )

I used to think that at some point you just got the hang of parenting and it ceased to be so much of a challenge. I just assumed that when it came to the little things it was all pretty standard and there was a one size fits all solution. I’m pretty sure the last time I thought that I was pregnant with my firstborn because I KNOW that I couldn’t have thought that after actually having kids. The thing about kids that you may not realize before you actually have some of your own is, they’re human beings. Unique, individual, different, challenging human beings. So you never really get the hang of it anymore than you can get the hang of dealing with the rest of humanity.

Case in point, my Juniper. You have never met a sweeter, more lovable girl. She is so easy to snuggle and she loves nothing more than to be in your arms. She’s laid back and happy. Unless, that is, you take away the one thing she loves the most in this world. Her mom. Or, perhaps more accurately, her mom’s boobs. She is a breastfeeding fiend. It was rough for a while because the child has never taken a bottle a day in her life. Not when I spent two whole days pumping enough milk so I could go on a date (I’m miserable at pumping). Not when I made Dr. Sears’ goat milk formula for her. Not when I broke down and tried regular formula. Or whole milk. NEVER.

But we muddled through that time because (and this is my M.O. for getting through tough parenting seasons) I knew it couldn’t possibly last forever. And I was right because she will now happily take a sippy cup. With watered down juice. Not milk in any way shape or form. Juice only. But, and correct me here if I’m wrong, I’m thinking when babies turn one they need whole milk, right? Or is that one of those mainstream parenting myths? Because I’m not quite sure what to do since she won’t drink milk or water on its own.

She still nurses on demand so I guess she’s getting most of what she needs that way but I can’t let go of the thought that she needs to be transitioning to some other kind of milk at some point. Unless I want her to breastfeed until she is five. And despite all my hippie dippy leanings, I do not feel like nursing her until she starts kindergarten. So, tell me, oh crunchy granola mothers of the internet world, does my baby need to transition to milk (breast, whole, almond, coconut, etc) in a sippy cup or is she okay to be nursing on demand and drinking a bit of super watered down juice in a sippy? I’ve truly never had a kid refuse to drink from anything other than, well, me. : )

Okay…its been a long, long time since I blogged. Here’s what you missed:

Juniper’s first Halloween (she was an owl!)

And Traveler was Braveheart…

My obsession with painting peg dolls for our handmade Christmas!

2012 started with a bang and its been one wild and crazy ride but we managed to sneak away to Disney for a few days.

We’ve celebrated birthdays for Traveler, Juniper, Kai and after one more birthday (Ivy!) in a few weeks we’ll get ready to plan the big summer birthday bash. I can’t wait to plan the party this year!

I’ve missed this space so much for the last few months and since my super sweet & talented husband gave my blog a make-over I thought it was about time I sat down and updated. I keep promising myself I will be better about updating. And hopefully it’s a promise to myself that I will finally keep…

1. “Shark Teeth” is the word for when your child grows permanent teeth behind their baby teeth without losing the aforementioned baby teeth. “Freaked” is the word to describe my reaction to seeing two sets of teeth growing in the exact same place in my 5-year-old’s mouth.

2. Hobby Lobby will not make you pay (no matter how much you insist) for the $6.99 decorative plaster ball that gets chucked violently across the store and decimated by your 2-year-old in his fit of rage at the indignity of being forced to ride in a shopping cart. Thank you, Hobby Lobby. You have earned a customer for life.

3. A bank-wide computer glitch can prevent all bank customers from accessing any money for an entire day and in those instances there is nothing at all that can be done to get your money while the computers hold it hostage. Scary but true. The moral of the story? People who hide cash in their mattresses or floor boards might not be as crazy as I thought.

4. When you’re at your son’s first dentist appointment and he has an epically dirty diaper just moments before getting in the chair and you realize you came to the dentist with diapers but no wipes it is good to know that Trader Joe’s Oatmeal Make-up Remover wipes also work on the other end of the human body.

It’s been a busy day around here. Can’t wait to see what I get to learn with the rest of my week…

A couple of weeks ago Traveler came running up to me yelling, “Booobies! BOOOOOBIES!  Look, Mommy, I found boobies!” At which point I found him holding this block:

I must admit, he does have a point.

A few weeks ago a good friend from college began working with Stella & Dot and selling their jewelry in trunk shows. I offered to host a trunk show (I was convinced by the offer of free jewelry!) and when I saw it in person I fell in love. I’ll be honest, I’m not usually the get dressed up in jewelry type. At least not on days when I’m destined to spend the majority of my time wiping baby spit-up off various parts of my wardrobe.

But, I’m looking to make a change in that area. I’m wearing jewelry and make-up (okay, tinted lip balm. But still…) and working to get out of my rut. So, I decided to launch my own Stella & Dot business to have a fun money making outlet that gives me an excuse to dress up, have fun, and hang out with girlfriends on a regular basis. My first couple of parties have not disappointed and I am having so much fun with it!

(One of the first pieces I bought for myself. I LOVE this necklace!)

I decided that I’d extend my launch to the web and host an online trunk show for Stella & Dot! And since S & D is all about sharing fabulous jewels with women I figured it would be in the spirit of the company to host a little giveaway along with it!

Here’s what this means for you. You can go online, check out my Stella & Dot boutique and then enter to win the oh so fabulous Vintage Twist Bracelet! To shop the show, head over to my Stella & Dot site and click on find your hostess. Enter “Jen Loving” as the hostess and shop away. The show runs today through August 16th at midnight.

And if you’re local (and I know some of you are!) shoot me an email about hosting a trunk show live and in person. I hosted my first one for the freebies and the average hostess gets $250 in free jewelry of her choice plus gets the chance to shop the line at 50% off. There’s no big hard sell presentation. Just friends, jewels & sparkly drinks are all you need to have a fun and low key time.

Now, back to the giveaway. Here’s how you enter -

1. Go to my Stella & Dot page HERE and look around. Come back & let me know which piece is your favorite in the comments. And you’ll be entered to win the Vintage Twist Bracelet.

You can also earn extra entries by -

Liking my page on Facebook. (One extra entry)

Blogging/Tweeting this giveaway. (One entry per Blog post/Tweet for a maximum of two extra entries per person)

Now go on and have some fun window shopping! I look forward to hearing your wish lists!

(The winner will be chosen August 17th by random number generator and I will contact the winner directly. Be sure and leave an email address for me to get in touch with you if you win! Winner has 48 hours to claim the prize or a new winner will be selected.)

Alternately titled: I have a blog?

Forgive me bloggers for I have sinned. It has been 28 days since my last blog post.

Seriously. There was a time when I blogged 3-4 times a week. Sometimes twice in one day. And now? Well, you know.

I’m trying to determine if I have less good blog material (I don’t.) or if it is that I have less time (yep, that’s it) and so somehow documenting my mom days is just getting harder and harder. For instance, I’m less than a paragraph into this post and I’ve already been interrupted three times to answer questions about booby milk, put socks on  my toddler’s hands, and explain to my kids why they cannot have coffee this morning. Good times.

So, the point of this post? To let everyone know I’m still alive. And to get back in the habit of writing something - anything - again. After a month long break it feels kind of daunting to get back in the blogging saddle.

Okay…I’m off to break up what sounds like a mini brawl in the kitchen. Apparently decisions regarding who gets which cup for their water is threatening to destroy the very fabric of my children’s relationships. Ahhh…family fun.

I love parties. LOVE them. And since our kids’ have birthdays within a three month stretch we decided that each year we’d just throw one huge party and celebrate everyone’s birthday then. We’ve actually been throwing big parties ever since Kai’s first birthday when I discovered that kid parties are just about the coolest thing ever. And for her 2nd birthday we threw a luau. You may remember me posting about it here.

As much fun as it is to have strippers at your kids’ birthday party, we decided that this year we’d revisit the luau theme with a bit more wholesome fun. And so the Loving Beach Luau was born. And I think it may just have been one of my most favorite parties ever.

First we started with sand.

LOTS of sand.

We had some great Hawaiian food like Mana Pua, Frushi (that’s fruit sushi and it was oh.so.yum!), pineapple boats, and Huli Huli Chicken. And the cakes? Oh the cakes!

We had a Tiki cake made my a good friend of my sister. And it was nothing short of delicious!

And since we had a last minute cake crisis that threatened to leave us without a cake I ended up ordering cakes from two different places and forgetting to cancel the one from Publix so we had TWO yummy birthday cakes. Which ended up being a good thing since we had a cake craving mob of 70 friends & family to feed.

We had a homemade beach boardwalk that my husband pulled off extraordinarily well the day before the party. It was perfect! We had flower leis, tiki cups, and even a bit of Hawaiian wildlife!

One of my favorite things was the dressing rooms my husband built so kids could change in and out of their swimsuits in private. I’m totally moving one of them into the backyard now so my kids don’t have to strip down naked in full view every time they get too much mud/sand/chicken on their clothes. And I think I may even be able to convince my husband to put an outdoor shower back there so we can hose them off before they drag their messes in with them.

We continued our tradition of having picture frames to sign but decided this year to consolidate the pics into one frame since we did the math and realized having four kids birthday party frames for every birthday equalled more wall space than we have available!

In the end we had a ton of fun, a TON of sand, and a wonderful time with our friends and family! (Oh, and did I mention we had a TON of dishes to clean up? We did. And sand. Lots of sand. Sand everywhere. In our house. In our shoes. In our beds. EVERYWHERE.)

Still I think the aftermath was worth it!

Summer is in full force around here and I feel a little like I slept through Spring. We’ve been so busy with kids and getting into a new rhythm as a family of 6 that time is flying by faster and faster. Juniper is suddenly cooing and smiling and entering into the golden age of babyhood. I love the days when babies start to reveal little bits of their personalities through smiles and raspberries and coos.

We’ve been trying to make the most of the fun that Summer has to offer and that means keeping busy. Our days have been full of outdoor playdates, kiddie pools in the backyard, strawberry picking excursions and a trip to the beach. Summer has been delicious.

We had the opportunity to take a beach trip as a family last week and it was a much needed break from the hustle & bustle of the real world. Words cannot describe how much we needed this break. We spent an entire week together as a family without interruption from work, drama, or even too much technology. It was a perfect break for us and it made me realize how many distractions we have in our daily life that take away from the joy of family. When all the pressure is lifted and the distraction of technology is out of reach and we’re left to just our family moments it is amazing how different life feels. Bedtimes aren’t quite so stressful. Routines don’t feel so urgent. And the bumps in the road don’t shake things up like they do at home.

Maybe its the age our kids are at now but it feels like we’re beginning to build important family memories. Ones the kids will laugh about when they’re grown. Granted some of those memories may involve crying tears of terror throughout the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum or getting Reese’s Pieces stuck in noses, but they are memories nonetheless. And when my sisters and I get together and talk about our favorite family memories they are always the ones that were vaguely scarring in a hilarious way. Its the craziness that sticks with you when you’re an adult. Its the craziness that keeps it fun and interesting. And craziness is definitely something that we have in abundance in the Loving family.

Love means holding your sister’s nose because the kitten that was going to the lady your mom met on Craigslist pooped in the fish bowl you decided to carry it in and the smell was causing your sister to gag and retch because both her hands were busy holding the poopy kitten in the glass bowl and she couldn’t cover her nose.

And, clearly, these sisters love each other…

Please forgive the bad cell phone pic. I was too busy trying not to double over in laughter while tears were streaming down my face because that moment in the car was positively hysterical. And that look on Kai’s face? That’s not a smile. It’s a combination of horror, disgust & tears of desperation. Those three emotions have never been so funny.