Sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy

I love this time of year in the Pacific Northwest because we start to get windows of beautiful weather, and I know that the rainy season will soon be behind us. There's still a chill in the air but not enough to stop us from soaking in some vitamin D. It's amazing what a little sun & fresh air can do to your overall demeanor.

Harrison thrives in the freedom of our backyard and I think it just does him good to not be constricted to the four walls of our house. He loves to take his lunch on the back steps where he can take a bite, run a lap, dig a hole and come back for a handful of goldfish. Yes......his sandbox is actually my planter bed but for now it's his construction site and a place to get his hands dirty. 

Harrison's days revolve around trucks of all kinds and we often sound like Forest Gump & Bubba rambling off all the ones we know......dump truck, backhoe, bulldozer, firetruck, flat bed truck, on and on. By far his favorite is the monster truck and, thankfully, we live close enough to the country that his eyes get their fill. 

Harrison is a good subject for life style photography because he's not big on the whole "look at the camera" but he's happy to cooperate if you want to take pictures of his trucks. Rocks and dirt are totally his jam.

I love life style photography because you catch moments that are spontaneous or little things that your kids do that melt you.....and you know they will soon be a distant memory. When Harrison really wants me to do something he puts his hands together and says "puweeezzzz"......he wanted me to quit taking photos and play soccer {because I'm awesome}.

If you're wondering what sister is up to during all this glorious outside fun.....well she's stuck watching through the sliding glass door. Girl needs to be contained until the grass dries a bit, but by summer she will be up, walking and joining brother in all his glorious dirtiness. 

Here's to sunny days ahead, lunches in the yard and trucks.....lots of trucks!!

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. - John 1:5

A Heart Full of Joy

I became an aunt {again} today ❤

My brother texted me a picture and you could see it in his eyes......his heart had instantly doubled in size making perfect room to love his new little boy. What an amazing blessing God gives, as parents, that we get to experience a glimpse into the measureless love He has for us as his children. That's joy I tell ya!

Speaking of joy.....

these 2 fellas filled my cup this weekend. On Saturday morning we did breakfast in Ballard at Portage Bay, ran around in the grass at the Locks and drank strawberry lemonade as we cruised Shilshole Marina {daydreaming about one day having our own sailboat}. I attended a sweet friends baby shower, while Jody took Harrison for a ride in the burley. The evening weather was nice, so we grilled chicken and veggies then proceeded to stay up way too late.

We celebrated the morning of Mother's day at church and the early afternoon relaxing. We hit up the zoo after Harrison's nap and, as you can see, he enjoyed himself. Jody & I concluded the evening with some fresh shrimp on the grill {delicious}.

I will always have mixed emotions when it comes to Mother's day, since I know it is such a hard day for so many women, but this year I have so much to be thankful for. God's timing is perfect and, because of that, there are several girlfriends of mine who will celebrate their first Mother's Day {some with baby in arms and some still in the womb} who struggled with long battles of infertility. I can also celebrate the continued love and support of my own mother and my very precious mother-in-law......what a gift both of those ladies are in my life. I'm also crazy blessed to have the most amazing sister-in-laws who have given me lots of nieces and nephews to love on and continue to be great examples of how to parent well. Though not a woman, my greatest joy comes from my husband who continues to be my biggest cheerleader. He is such an encouragement in my life and is always making me feel like I have this mothering thing in the bag. I respect his patience with me, as I fumble my way through this child raising thing, and his kind words. More joy!

Of course it's not all rainbows and unicorns at the Duvall ranch.....I do have an almost 2 year old......but today I will focus on the gifts and blessings. The fruit of the spirit is Love, Joy and Peace {Galations 5:22}......and heaven knows we all need a little bit more of those things in our lives.

Oh remember those fresh shrimp we grilled? Well Jody caught them! Last weekend he went shrimpin' with a buddy of his, on Whidby Island, and they hit the crustacean jackpot. Now, I'm not the hugest lover of food from the sea, but these shrimp are good eatin' and luckily we have a freezer full. We plan on sharing our shrimp harvest with Jim & Jill {my in-laws} when they are in town next week. Why are they going to be in town you ask? Remember I'm having a baby......

next Tuesday!!!! Here's to the JOY of becoming a mother of two ❤

The Rough Life of Harrison Dean

We had a nice quiet week with nothing too pressing on the calendar.

What hasn't been quiet is our doorbell.

The mailman or UPS guy has been visiting on a regular basis and it's been like Christmas everyday. 

Harrison thoroughly enjoys ripping into all the packages and has been enjoying his new treasures. 

Here's some random photos of the dude.....{because I think he's the coolest cat in all the land}

Monday -
H insisted on wearing his new vest, from Uncle Jay, sans pants.
In Harrison's world, pants are always optional.

Tuesday -
Grandma & Grandpa Duvall sent him this sweet tricycle and I thought his head was going to explode from pure joy.
He can't quite reach the pedals, so H is currently using it as a jungle gym and a place to sip his favorite beverage.

Wednesday -
Harrison had a playdate with his best buddy Will, who just moved outside of the Seattle city limits
The drive home from the burbs must have gotten the best of him because he fell asleep, on the couch, during Mickey.

Thursday -
We ventured out for a little indoor play at Twirl. I knew Harrison was ready to go when, after 1 1/2 hrs of non stop movement, he sat down in this chair for a little relaxation.

Friday -
I made him earn his keep and vacuum the windows.  
He's such a big helper :)