Faithfully Fit: ......savoring small, savoring ordinary.....

.....my husband has redefined the word disciplined in my vocabulary.....since January, he has been studying for his CFA (level III)......and for several years now, on January 2, he carefully selects one of the eight books he memorizes throughout the six month study schedule......he begins the tedious process, just on the brink of the Christmas let down; preparing ever so carefully, so he can apply this knowledge to the seven hours of questions he must carefully analyze and answer come test day.....he puts in 6-8 hour days on weekends.....he arrives at work while it's still dark to study before the day gets crazy and then winds the night down in a coffee shop with his books in hand.....he's tenacious, driven, and focused......in fact, the CFA always reminds me of the many traits that first endeared me to my beloved so many years ago.....

....but this three year test is vicious......it has a 38% pass ratio and Stefan will not be grouped with the 62% who receive their letter in July with the word FAIL typed neatly at the bottom of the page.....so he studies and he studies hard......and when his nose is in a book, a calculator or his flash cards, it makes for limited Daddy/hubby time.....so to say that our entire family is on countdown mode is an understatement.....we are ready to have our Daddy back full time and we get him back on Saturday night......

....however, there have been a few rare occasions when he takes a prolonged study break.....just long enough to surprise two fancy princesses at the park.....and we have savored those special occasions.....

....the week leading up to the CFA is always Memorial Day weekend.....it is always such divine timing for my own self wallowing that has been building since January.......I can't get too wrapped up in my own emotion of missing my complete family because this weekend, Memorial Day weekend, especially reminds me of the men, women, husbands, wives, sisters, sons, daughters and families who sacrifice for all of us so that our independence can reign true.....our six months of CFA prep is nothing compared to what so many others have endured and what so many are currently sacrificing to give our country the freedoms we have today....I am humbly reminded of that several times a year, but especially this weekend when the longing for our party of five is at its height.....

.....so this weekend we have savored it all.....mostly small, mostly ordinary......but it has been nice to slam on the brakes and stop to enjoy the small and tiny minutes that add up to one big grateful weekend.....so, without further adieu, here have been my favorite sweet and savory moments........

.....corn on the cob for lunch.....

....who needs a grill?.....we city folk can pretend our stove and oven are the same thing.......and the girls' faces were a prize when the answer to what's for lunch? was corn on the cob......Momma likes to keep it spicy around here.....

....and I don't know about your BBQs, but mine are not fully complete without watermelon.....corn on the cob and watermelon are two necessities or it just doesn't count......

......at least not in my book.....

.....making memories through messy play......

.....fortunately or unfortunately, whichever way you look at it; we have been too busy lately for taking the time to hang out when you make the ordinary extraordinary......

....our little man likes to take out all of the crayons, study them, turn them around in his fingers, chew on a few while he's at it, and then put them all back in the box.....

....sort of.....

.....these shoes were made for walking.....

.....it's hard to believe that this was Brody three weeks ago.....please disregard the over zealous Mommy voice.....even at baby number three I get ecstatic when they start to walk and this was his first big debut.....I am so lucky I got it on camera......

.....he is sturdy and fast now, so we made a family trip (minus Daddy) to pick up two pairs of really good walking shoes to support our new little sprinter.....

....not only is he sprinting, but he can finally get to the exact place he wants to go.....

.....which is usually in the tail wind of his two sisters.....

.....moments with Daddy.....

......Daddy is off work this week so he can use his work days to study......he is out of the apartment by 6am and comes home for intermittent breaks throughout the day......and if the kids are around when he walks through the door, he doesn't have much time until he is swarming with the children.....it's like living with a bee hive when he's around......

.....and in those instances, I take the chance to recharge my battery.....so on Saturday, he was the bee hive for our little bees and dinner time had already passed......Stefan suggested I run out for burgers so he could have a bit of time for the babes......

.....gladly....

.....so while I was waiting, I sipped on a cold draft beer and flipped through the pics on my iphone that I took of my kids that afternoon......

....comical....

.....good eats.....

......despite a night of burgers, we have been eating well and enjoying some new recipes that I have found on pinterest......I haven't cooked with sun dried tomatoes in forever, so this chicken with sun dried tomato and basil sauce was as fun to make as it was to eat......add a small serving of whole wheat pasta and it's a hit.....the easy recipe can be found here.....

......bon appetit....

.....raspberry ice.......

......Elsie has been dying to have a lemonade stand since her friend Sydney had one last weekend.....I found an old piece of cardboard shoved in the back of a hall closet and cleaned out my cabinets looking for lemonade packets.....instead, we chilled and mixed some crystal lite raspberry ice and we were in business........

.....we lasted for 30 minutes before Callie poured most of our pitchers into cups for herself, leaving Elsie quite upset that we would not have enough left for our customers.......

......Callie's stash began to pile up and in the frenzy of keeping Brody off the streets of New York, raspberry ice being poured (or should I say sloshed) everywhere (it stains, by the way), and several (did I say SEVERAL) relaxed New Yorkers stopping by for a cup or two, I can't quite guarantee that some of Callie's stash didn't get thrown into the mix of what was served to our loyal patrons......

.....it was a busier activity than I thought it would be......many people find two little girls hollering, Raspberry Ice for twenty five cents quite endearing......they made $12.75 in 30 minutes and I felt like each of them saving six one dollar bills in their piggy banks was a fantastic first day......but luckily, a lot of our patrons are good friends who offered wonderful distractions so I could wipe sticky raspberry ice off everything and ensure the ice cubes that went into customer's drinks were not touched by grubby little fingers.....

......so the newest baby in the building making his Memorial Day debut was a perfect distraction when I let the girls know that it was time to shut it all down.......a newborn can take the brunt out of any bad news because the girls did not even flinch as I packed up our table......they had other things on their mind......

.....meet Ryan Blackburn.....

.....20 days old and the most alert and sweet newborn who has captured all of our hearts......