Splash in the Rain Puddles

Ahhh .....the calm after the storm. A great storm. A storm of food, family, and lots of fun :) It's hard to believe that my project for today is taking down all of the Christmas decorations. But what a wonderful season it was. The parties, the Christmas programs, the gifts....all now memories tucked away in my heart. There really is nothing like the excitement of Christmas when you are sharing it with a 4 and almost 2 year old. Jack in particular, could hardly contain his excitement on Christmas morning. Then after opening his gifts he attempted to use them all at once.....riding his bike, while holding his umbrella, looking through his binoculars and holding a plastic candy cane filled with M&M's. And I found it interesting that suddenly Jack was interested in "sharing." Meaning with every gift his little brother would open he would say, "we're gonna share that, right Chase????" oh dear. Chase of course enjoyed the continuous smorgasbord of food...

Only 4 more days until Christmas.  And I have to say I think I am just about as excited as my 4 year old!!  We have been counting down on our advent calendar ever since December 1st and the closer we get the happier I feel.  I cannot wait to see the joy in the faces of my boys as they open the gifts that I have chosen specifically for them.  Giving gifts is the greatest.  And it's not the quantity or size that matters, but it is what the act of giving stands for that is so important.  God gave us the greatest gift we could have ever imagined when He sent His Son.  His Son......a perfect symbol of love.  When I give a gift, that is the type of love I am thinking of.  Giving gifts to loved ones is a way to demonstrate the love and joy that God gave each of us.  All we have to do is receive it....and that perfect love is ours. The next few days will be spent cooking, baking, wrapping, singing, and s...

The blessing of having a close knit family overwhelms me at times.  How fortunate I am to have been raised in a Christian home by godly parents who always had my best interest in mind.  And how fortunate I am to have a husband who was also raised in this way and whose family now loves and accepts me as one of their own.  And now to see that same love surrounding my own children nearly brings tears to my eyes.  My boys have had the privilege of being born into a family where they are loved from every angle.  What a rare gift!  What a gift that there is no discord among the two sides of our family.  Sure there are bumps along the way, but there is this feeling of an unbreakable bond that only God can and will supply.  I am so grateful for this blessing in life and never want to take it for granted.  It is the gift I am most thankful for this Christmas season.  So to each of you, my wonderful amazing family.......

The other day Jack was playing outside and found a caterpillar.  Which he loved.  And he called it a "fuzzy worm".  He kept it in the cup holder of his gator and was so proud of his new little buddy.  At lunch we were discussing this fuzzy worm and Jack says with some frustration, "but he's not turning into a raccoon."  A raccoon???  Hmm, how to make sense of this?  So I ask why the fuzzy worm would do that.  "You know," he says, "how he turns into a raccoon and then becomes a butterfly." Oh right.  "You mean a cocoon?"  "Yes!" he says with a shy little grin on his face, "that's what I meant." Love it.  Happy Thursday!  Grandma and Grandpa come tonight from Ohio for a weekend visit.  We. Are. Excited. 

I still remember the day that Jack first noticed the moon.  He was just starting to talk.  He and I were in the car and he points up to the sky and says, "ball!".  He has been fascinated with the moon ever since.  Even now at 4 years old he still gets so excited about spotting it, especially when it is full and bright and shining in all of its glory.  Last night was just such a night.  We had returned home from the children's Christmas program at church and Jack was asking if we could go outside and find the moon.  So we did.  He walked out of the garage and up the lane a bit, stopped, and looked up.  For about 30 seconds he just stood there, so still, and looked up at that big bright ball of light.  (And trust me, 30 seconds is a long time for this child to be still.)  Then he turns around and with nothing but seriousness he says, "I wish I could go to the moon."  I ask him how he is going to...

On Thursday Jack's 4 year old class took a field trip to Loblolly Acres Christmas tree farm.  Here are a few highlights.... Listening to thirty 4 year olds attempting to say "Loblolly" Watching thirty moms attempt to put gloves on their 4 year olds.  (This is by far one of the most frustrating mommy jobs associated with cold weather.  Why those 5 little fingers cannot just slip into those 5 little holes is beyond me) Hearing Jack tell Santa that he wants a big Case tractor for Christmas.  Jack asking me how Santa is going to get back to the North Pole and "why is he already here????" Watching Jack and his little friends feed Russell the goat Fruitloops out of their palms Squeezing together on the hayride in attempt not to FREEZE! Spending one-on-one time with my firstborn.  love that.

Holy smokes.  What a week.  Talk about kicking off the Christmas season!  The first part of the week was filled with baking Christmas cookies and finishing decking the halls of our home.  Jack and daddy picked out a fresh cut tree to bring home.  Jack and I had so much fun decorating the tree together.  Chase had fun taking a nap while this happened.  When he woke up and saw the tree fully decorated and the lights sparkling I thought I may need to resuscitate him from the deep gasps he was taking while pointing with fervor at the tree.  It's such fun to see him take everything in.  Chase has also developed a deep love for Christmas cookies.  For those of you who don't know...Chase is our eater.  Loves. To. Eat.  The mention of any food, desserts in particular, usually brings a huge smile to his face along with lots of clapping and gasping.  He gets that from his daddy. :)  The weekend rol...

So excited.  Losing my voice and can't really talk.  But it's ok....still so excited.  Packed car.  Two happy boys.  On the road to Ohio.  4 traffic jams, 8 hours of driving, still 2 more hours to go.  Two not so happy boys.  Lots of Bob the Builder and Thomas the Train.  Mom and Dad's house in sight.  Relief. Rest. and sweet baby Riley. Chase wonders why he's not in his own crib.  lots of crying.  Ends up in bed with mommy and daddy.  Jack has pink eye.  Yuck.  AMAZING Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings.  Nap time is heaven sent.  Oh no, why are my eyes red?  Mommy has pink eye.  and still no voice.  But it's ok....I'm still excited.  Early Christmas celebration with my family.  Lots of presents and very happy boys :).  Shopping.  Warm sunshine.  Haircut.  Christmas parade....

Today I am thankful for peace.  The peace that I am able to find in my heart when life seems anything but peaceful.  I am thankful for the peace of the morning.  The quietness of the rising sun, the stillness of the dew as it lifts.  The simple act of making my bed each morning brings me peace.  That is one of the first things I do and something about smoothing the sheets and placing the pillows where they belong is calming and helps me feel ready to begin the day .  And yes I do realize that perhaps I might be over the top with this practice on those mornings when I subconsciously start making the bed while my hubby is still in it ........ love you honey :)  However the true peace is found in those few quiet moments that I am able to open my bible and spend time with God.  He is the true source of peace when we simply ask and allow Him to work.  I know that I have about an hour in the morning of l...

Yesterday marked the first of what I'm sure will be many school programs that I will attend.  Jack's preschool class had their Thanksgiving program and it was priceless.  It was the first time he has been up on a stage and I felt my heart swell with that proud mama love that made me want to stand up and say...."see that one, he's mine....the one with the big brown eyes...the one that catches my eye and starts to cheese and wave but then stops himself because he remembers he must take this task seriously....the one who is bouncing a leg, twitching a finger, always doing something to release all of his energy....the one who may look small, but in his mind is the biggest boy in the room...that one is mine."  Great job buddy.  We are so pround of you!

We are in the midst of my favorite season.  The time when God transforms his creation into a beautiful array of all of my favorite colors....red, orange, yellow....I love them all.  Right now when I look at the woods line behind our house, the colors are simply striking on a bright sunny day.  This year I have a partner to take in the beauty of the leaves with me.  Jack has been amazed by the changing of the seasons from summer to fall.  We have taken several drives on the back roads....taken rides across the ferry to admire the reflection off the river...just to find the biggest and best trees.  It's amazing to me that a child as high wired as Jack actually wants to take the time to enjoy something as simple as colorful leaves.  But I love it.  I love that it's something we can share.  Just another thing that tells me my little boy is growing up.  Chase on the other hand...he just wants to know when it's ti...

My nineteen month old is in that great stage of learning new words everyday.  So. Much. Fun.  He tries to repeat everything.  He rattles off entire sentences in his own jabber and then looks at you with his big blue eyes like there is no reason that you should not have understood exactly what he just said.  Right now one of my favorite things is his constant need to celebrate and be acknowledged for pretty much everything he does.  Finishing a meal, turning a page a book, taking off his diaper (yikes.), stacking blocks, taking all of my dishes out the dishwasher.  Things of that nature.  After accomplishing any of these very exciting tasks he raises both arms in the air, usually high enough so that his little belly button is peeking out, and exclaims, "Ta Da!!!!".  And regardless of how many times a day I've been hearing this lately it has not gotten old.  Not even once.  Happy Saturday!

I'm counting down.   Counting down the days until we pack up our car and hit the road for our annual Thanksgiving trip to Ohio.  It's become a tradition.  Every year since we've been married my hubby and I have made this trip together....the years have passed we now get to make it with our two little guys in tow.  For most this may just sound like another family weekend spent together.  But for us, it's something more.  Farming life does not allow for many family trips let alone just having a Saturday to spend together.  The boys and I have done a fair bit of travelling but it's never the same without daddy.  The Thanksgiving trip is one of the few times when we are all together.  Finally, after the demanding hours of the harvest and planting season....we will be together and it will be wonderful.  It will be wonderful even with all the potty breaks that are required when making an eight ...

I always find Monday mornings to be refreshing.  It's the time when I tear all the sheets of the beds and replace them with fresh crisp ones from the linen closet.  The time where I tackle the giant pile of laundry that has built up over the last several days.  I make my menu and grocery list for the week and by the end of the morning I am feeling ready to take on the week that lies ahead.  However this morning I am also reflecting on the weekend.  This month in my quiet time, each day I am specifically acknowledging something I am thankful for.  Today it is thankfulness for the body of believers.  We are studying Genesis in our ladies bible study and last week we talked about how alone Noah must have felt when such wickedness filled the earth that God was left with no choice but to, "wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth"...."but Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord."  Talk about...

Today is a special day.  Not only is it the day that my mother-in-law and father-in-law celebrate another year of marriage (Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad), but it is also the day we celebrate the birth of their firstborn....aka my hubby :)  The man who captures my heart like no one ever has or will.  I love you sweetheart.  Happy Birthday! 

Isn't it amazing how fast the phases of life fly by?  My boys seem to change right before my eyes.  And I must say that "it's just a phase" has become a staple phrase in my household.  The need for my 19 month old to always be at my side....just a phase.  The need for my 4 year old to always bite off the top of his Popsicle and save that bite until the very end....just a phase.  Realizing that dates with my husband are things of the past...just a phase.  These are the phases that will not leave us sad when they have run their course.  The other side?  There are phases to cherish.  Right now my children are filled with awe and wonder at most new things they see and learn.  I love this phase of innocence...like when Jack tells me that he wants to go to God's house up in heaven.  And he is going to get there on his rocket ship...that he bought at the rocket ship...

I've finally done it. I have started a blog. After much prompting from many of you I came to the conclusion that yes, this could be a good thing. A creative outlet for days that at times seem to lack any type of creativity whatsoever. So "Splash in the Rain Puddles". A title that is true to what I hope is my attitude in life. Life is a gift. There are always good things to be found in it. On rainy days when my 4 year old asks, "Mommy can I go play in the rain puddles?", I want my response to be "yes, and I'm coming with you!!" It is so easy to get bogged down with the busyness of my days, the challenges of mothering little ones, the somewhat overwhelming task of living out holiness in an unholy world. But at the end of the day, there is joy. Joy when I kiss my babies good night and when they come running for hugs in the morning, joy when my husband walks in the door after a long day of work, joy in the quietness of the morning when I meet with Jesu...