Our First Noel

Christmas this year marks a first for us Longmires.  It was the first Christmas that we spent just us 4....at our home.  We really felt like adults this year.  We truly missed all of our family and being with our parents, aka, Grandmas and Grandpas, but the Christmas season was blessed none the less.

Our little home was constantly being served with boxes for the week leading up to Christmas and Bob and I had a blast playing Santa' helpers at night after the girls went to bed. We made the BRILLIANT call and let our girls open 1 present every day for the 5 days leading up to Christmas.  This spread the wealth out and made Christmas morning much less overwhelming (#firstworldproblems).  

I have very few pictures of us Christmas morning with very good reason.  As much of a blessing my photography business has been, it has taken me away from the girls and our family time a lot this Fall.  On Christmas morning I made the choice to be fully present and fully in the moment and I don't regret it one bit.

This year we had the awesome chance to reconnect with all of this AMZING extended family.  Some of these folks I haven't seen in 5 years!  No kidding.  It is really fun to see how our families have grown and how big and beautiful everyone's life is.

Our First Noel was a special one filled with presents, love, tickles, caramel turtles, home projects (yes more of those), parties (there may have been a dance associated with this)..................

running, biking, swimming, wrapping, decorating, and celebrating the King.  

What Matters Most......

It's Christmas Eve and I find myself so beyond behind in my personal blogging expectations.  Oh how I have longed to just find time in my schedule to blog more.  I feel like I have so much to say, to write down and remember about this season of life.

Tonight as I sit here listening to the excited giggles of my children calling for me to "Come play the slopey couch game, Mom,"  I am hit once again with the changes happening in our lives and how the seasons are most certainly changing.

I simply don't have that down time anymore.  Over the past month, out of necessity, we have taken away Evie Bee's nap time during the day.  We got to the point where it was either cranky baby at 5:30 but sound asleep at 7pm or happy napping baby awake until 10PM.  We erred on the first one and its been quite the change.  With Lily I was always able to keep "rest time" in the middle of the day.  I could always eek out 2 hours of down time in which to blog, reconnect with friends, make phone calls and catch up on life's chores.  It should have been that same way with Evie, but now we are wrestling with a 5 year old who has sat in school all morning who needs to run WILD all afternoon.  Down time?  I think not.  We are now in this new and interesting phase of no longer having children that need naps.  Its just new and kind of disruptive :)

My girls are intense creatures and from 6AM when their light turns green until 7PM it is constant, non stop, constant referring, finding games to play, making forts, cleaning up messes, getting dressed, brushing hair, eating, getting juice......the list goes on.......and that is only everything before 8:45AM when we have to leave for school.  They need me, want me, all the time and I wrestle daily with potential regret.  Will my kids miss out on me? How do I do it all?  How do I play all day, but get things done?  How do I do me and our family when all your kids want is for you to be with them playing pirate ship?  How do you stretch time?

These past few months have been unbelievably rich in blessings.  When not being Mom I have been out training hard for IMAZ, meeting new people and taking pictures.......a lot of pictures.  I love, love LOVE what I do.  Taking pictures is so satisfying to me.  The only downside has been the hours of editing my time with all of these amazing friends has produced.  I have been less than completely present with my girls and have traded time editing for time blogging....and time playing.  I am learning about balance and with the change in my general daily routine I have found myself smacked in the face with the reality that there are truly not enough hours in the day.

I have also found myself awash with trying to figure out what we want our holiday traditions to look like this year.  Amidst all that we are doing on the house and our professional, personal and parenting lives I have just not stopped long enough to really think about it.  I now am here on December 24th wondering should we have done "Elf on the Shelf," or purchased an advent calendar, or had an advent devotional.  Did we talk about the real Reason for the season enough or did we miss the boat wrestling with Lily's questions about Santa.  Speaking of the SC, where do we sit on that?  How do we talk honestly without robbing our kids of the fun.  We didn't go caroling or get an Operation Christmas Child Box done.  We didn't adopt a family this year or even attend Christmas Eve Service. Should it matter?  No....all families are different, but its now the day before Christmas and I have been hit with all this stuff that might have deserved some of my intentional thought a month ago.  It's been a busy holiday season.......

But........Thankfully I know a Jesus who is more than enough for all of my short comings.  I may not blog as much as I would like and my house is most definitely not going in a magazine.  I DONT have time to do it all........but I am living and loving and finding my way.

Prince of Peace you are welcome here.

Little Packages

"Good things come in little packages...little packages wait and see...

Good things come in little packages....just like ME!"

Our holiday season has been busy...too too too busy.  I haven't blogged.  Oh how I have wanted too, but life has been so busy!  Goodness.  Lily has been  singing bits and snipits of her Christmas program for the last 3 weeks and I must say I could not wait for the night her program arrived!  I was so excited to hear each of the songs.  I thought I knew what she was singing, but Lily had her own rendition of each one.  Joy to the World was Joy to the Lord and so on.  I just couldn't wait to hear all the kids together.

As we were headed out the door for the program I pulled everyone aside for some family pictures.  Its usually kind of a circus getting all of us in a picture with our faces smiling in the same direction.  As shown above we usually have fun just being silly.

We arrived early and got front row seats.  Evie was so excited to see Lily and we were all antsy to hear these songs all the way through!

There is NOTHING more satisfying as a parent then watching your child do something that brings her joy.  It is so special.  Lily was completely into the motions and knew all of the songs.  I had such a fun time watching her.

The poor little dear was so tired and she spent much of her time attempting to sing and do motions through her yawns.  She is so cute.  

The program was a sweet 20 minutes, but I LOVED every single minute.  Evie was so excited and kept saying "Hi Lily!!!!" all throughout the evening.  I am a blessed Mommy.

I Swear I Lived

I'm in a really interesting and awesome space in my life right now.  It's a bold, brave and fierce space.  Exhibit A:  I "Pink" ed my hair last night.  Pink is a popular singer songwriter.  I love her because she sings empowering music and is herself a force to be reckoned with.  She is strong and fierce, not tied to the trendy whims, but confident in herself.  She has not catered to pressure and become the thin stick figure singer so many young women are and has instead become and even fitter, stronger woman who swings on silks over her audience.  She isn't a media hype and instead is just good at what she does.  She's bold......I have always been drawn to her.  Her look requires a mostly shaved head and I just didn't think I could do it.  Too big. Too Bold. Too Dramatic.

Until this year.......

One Republic has this amazing song out right now that is all about living life to the fullest:

I................I did it all

I owned every second that this world could give

I saw so many places the things that I did

With every broken bone, I swear I lived.

This could not be a more perfect song for the space of life I am in.  I want to live, I want to do things, BIG things.  I want to love and dream outlandish things.  I want to take risks and believe in the impossible.  I want to shave my head and get a tattoo.  I want to say YES to the things I would have so easily said no to 5 years ago.  I want to live.........without looking back and wishing I had.

I want to live abundantly.  I want to pull up to the pearly gates knowing without doubt.........I lived.

Saying YES to life is a powerful thing.  This is especially true when saying "no," "maybe tomorrow" or "when the kids get older" is so much easier and safer.  Doubt, uncertainty, fear and worry will ALWAYS linger.......they will always be there inviting you back into the safety of no. Saying YES takes balls and bravery.  Saying YES to new people and places is one of the most life giving things I have done, and I have had to do it much.  Want to really "live" your life?  Start saying yes to living......and no to the things that try to steal the living from you.

I am acutely aware of the things that steal my joy right now and am also acutely aware of the things that speak life and power into me.   I have surrounded myself with the latter and have all but removed the former.  Don't need it.......don't need the news, don't need the drama, don't need to consistently bear the what ifs and burdens of "this world."  I'm not of it anyways......I was given life in abundance.....and right now I am embracing it.....fully.

 I came that you may have life, and that you may have it more abundantly.

-John 10:10

STOP....... Be Thankful

I'm finally doing it.  I am buried in a mountain of pictures and editing to do as well as a host of other things but tonight I am just going to stop.....and be thankful.

This year I hosted my very first Thanksgiving.  Bob's family was going to be in town this year and I was only too excited to have my home be the place for celebrating.  I must say I missed my Momma and Daddy, but I did enjoy thinking through and planning for my very own version of the holiday.  I decided to make chicken instead of turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cranberry sauce and of course Grandma Fran's pumpkin and dutch apple pie.  Aunt Linda brought green bean casserole, corn casserole, bread and sparkling cider while Great Grandma brought her yummy pistachio salad.  So delightful....our table was most definitely full!

We only had one minor setback which of course happened in the whole "cook the chickens" process.  I had one of my chickens in my glass baking dish that I have had for years.  I add water to the bottom of my pans while my chickens cook and after years of doing that it finally gave in and went BOOM!  Glass baking dish shattered filling my oven and house with greasy chicken smoke.  I had to laugh......of course that would happen :)

Which brings me to one of the many things I am thankful for......good friends.....and closer neighbors.  My dear friend Sarah graciously let me borrow her oven for 40 minutes and effectively saved our Thanksgiving day.  Bob was such a doll to take over the cleaning and before I was back from the neighbor's house the oven was clean, dry and ready for sweet potatoes and casseroles.  Yes, I am thankful.

Dinner only arrived 20 minutes behind schedule and it was worth the wait.  Thanksgiving isn't really about the food anyways and I sat down thankful for the reminder.  As we went around the table saying what we were thankful for I just smiled and realized what a sweet season of life we are in.  We have Great Grandma and a host of Aunts and Grandmas that love us, we have a beautiful home, healthy family, an IRONMAN goal, gorgeous girls and a future that is bright and beautiful.

Tonight I want to stop amidst the busyness that inevitably surrounds me, be thankful for the incredible season of life we are in and remember the year I hosted my first Thanksgiving.  

Fun

I have been so busy this Fall.  It's good.....just busy.  There have been countless mornings, evenings and weekends where the girls have spent their time with Bob.  Thank goodness for the man. He loves to let these kids play.   I think he has decided that if he ever writes a parenting book its going to be....."Just Play with Your KIDS!"  

And let me tell you, these little girls LOVE him.  They are constantly dirty, with crazy hair and whatever they ate still on their faces, but man do they have some fun.

I couldn't believe the other day when I came outside and found Bob with the leaf blower in Lily's face.  She was giggling up a storm and had the biggest smile on her windblown face.  I would never think of doing that with my girls, but it wasn't even a hesitation with Bob.  I am grateful for that.

I have simply no doubts that as these little ladies get older they will always remember and love their Daddy.  He's fun and they have fun together. 

He has set the fun standard high and for that I am truly grateful.

Journey to IRONMAN: A Year Away from Glory

I can see it.....

The finish line......

Everything hurts.  Its been such a long, long, LONG day.....

I don't know why I am doing this and I have fought myself and my aching body for 13+ hours...

But

There it is.  Right down the line.  Only a few more steps.....just a few more seconds.  The crowds get louder, their cheers bringing me to the end.  I feel my tired body reenergized, "You did it!" I say to myself.  Allowing the reality of a dream come true overtake me, I speed up, against the screaming in my legs.  I raise my arms in victory and cross that IRONMAN finish line. "Bethany Longmire, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!" I hear.  A victory cry escapes my lips and I fall into the arms of my loving family having done it.

A Dream Come True.

Do you see that picture above.....I AM REGISTERED!  My journey to the title of IRONMAN 140.6 has officially begun.  The place is set, the date is set, the money is paid.  I am headed to IRONMAN.

And I am SO EXCITED!

This past weekend was spent out on the course volunteering and cheering many of my AZ TRI Club members onto glory.  It was incredible.  To truly see the human spirit, go to an IRONMAN, volunteer for it, be with the athletes, see their struggle and witness their victory.  It. Is. INCREDIBLE.  

The race this year was brutal.  Our sunshine state was covered in clouds and rained ALL DAY.  It was cold, windy, wet and for many....miserable.  A true test of will.  So many people said to me, "well this will make you never want to do and IRONMAN!"  

They don't know an IRONMAN.  I was so empowered.  IRONMAN isn't about the day.  It isn't about the race.  It is about the journey.  The months and months of training, the people, the sacrifice.  The race day is the victory lap for months of commitment.  You never let bad weather wreck your victory lap.

In order to ensure a spot for myself in next year's race I volunteered at one of the run aid stations for about 5 hours.  What an experience.  It was so incredible because I got to see the lead elites as they finished the final leg of their IRONMAN race. WOW.

After a long day of cold, wet spectating, I came home exhausted.  Boy it's a long day.  I had to be back at the race start by 6:30 this morning to register.  Yes, I had to take the girls.  This morning we headed down to the Tempe Beach Park where I waited in line, paid my money and confirmed that I am on my way. My girls did great.  They are gonna be the best little fans. 

The countdown is on to IRONMAN AZ 2016.

I'm coming for you M dot.

She is BRAVE

5 years ago as I was holding a little tiny, not sleeping baby I remember thinking to myself......man some day this little girl is going to be 5.  I don't know why 5 was the magic year I was thinking about, but I just remember contemplating the reality that she wasn't going to stay my little baby forever and that one day....she would be 5.  Well, that day was FRIDAY and look at this beautiful Lily.  SHE IS 5!  She is almost a Kindergartner......she is a blossoming little girl.  My baby is growing up.

And so so SO beautifully.  While I was editing the picture above I actually shed a few little tears.  She is a breathtakingly beautiful, full of life little girl.  Bright, hopeful, joyful and fun.  I am just so proud of her.

This year Lily decided that she wanted a BRAVE theme for her birthday party.  Merida is the princess and she is a determined, unyielding, passionate, opinionated, beautiful, strong and brave princess.....just like Lily.  Merida is an archer and Lily has taken to her little bow and arrow with style.  Memaw got Lily completely outfitted in her Brave attire including matching sandals, tiara, dress and bow and arrow.  Lily was the part.  Lily is BRAVE.

Lily got to invite some of her very best friends over for a morning party complete with archery contest, cupcake decorating, pinata smashing, playground time and presents.  

Lily Grace has such a big heart when it comes to her friends. You can tell she is well liked by all and loves to be part of everyones fun.  

Katie

Jade

Katie

Colton 

(Lily wanted to invite our neighbors so Colton got to be surrounded by the ladies! He fit right in!)

Makensie

Hayden

Kayden

Tatum

Evie Bee

Cupcake decorating was a blast with the kids.  Each of them got to decorate 2 cupcakes and I loved watching the creativity of each kiddo.  

This little girl loves to have people sing her Happy Birthday.  She sat in her chair like a princess just smiling and soaking it all in.  

Our last big event for the party was to whack the pinata.  This was the one request that Lily had for her party was a pinata.  I found us a little horse and filled it with chocolate.  So much fun.

I think the best part of the weekend was having all of this amazing family in town.  My Mom surprised Lily last Thursday and we had Grandma Jill, Grandpa Steve, Great Grandma and Aunt Sue in town too.  

Happy Birthday Lily.  A lot of people LOVE you, especially Mom.  Although we may disagree sometimes, you are one of the brightest lights in my life.  I love you to the moon and back.  You are big and strong.  You are Brave.