today (in an extremely long run-on sentence)

Today my girls woke up happy and chattering to each other and stayed in their room playing long enough for me to get a shower and some precious moments in front of our icons and then perched on the couch, Bible in hand, listening to the rain, and I wish every morning started like that,

and then they asked for oatmeal for breakfast so I didn't even need to convince them that it would be the perfect fare to fill our bellies with its warmth and goodness

and then I let Aida make a huge mess with watercolors on the kitchen table and Sophie make a huge mess in the bathroom washing her toys because they were happy and independent and I made muffins and folded that basket of towels and rags in the laundry room that never gets folded (only to fill it up again with more clean towels and rags...such is this endless cycle)

and after we cleaned up 2 huge messes and changed into different clothes we ventured out in the rain because we could not wait one more day for a trip to Costco for wipes and nighttime diapers (since they're still just 3) and the girls had their thrill of the week because we had a hot dog there for the first time ever (please forgive me, I know it is the Fast, but this pregnant mama needed protein and B vitamins and truckloads of mercy and grace)

and after quiet resting time (during which Sophie bounced 2 slats out of her bed again) the girls dressed up in princess dresses and pink boots and mittens and flew on their horses to several places, namely Nana and Grandpa's house, the beach, Batman's house (?), and the Nashville Zoo and I wish I had pictures but somebody let her camera battery die

and we read and read and read and read and waited for Daddy to come home and played with Playdough and I had 2 little helpers in the kitchen to make dinner with me (like every night)

and we lit our Advent wreath and read about the Israelites passing through the Red Sea and halfway through the (very short) reading Aida asked if she could open her Christmas book now, and when it was finally time they opened up Merry Christmas, Amelia Bedelia! which we read together

and then I got to have dinner with some lovely people while Elijah gave the girls baths and put them to bed and did the dishes (he is great like that)

and it was a good day.

Halloween 2010

We're still battling colds around here, but we managed to fit in plenty of fun this weekend between carving Jack-o-lanterns, making pumpkin bread AND pumpkin pie, and fantastic Halloween fun at Grampsy and Grammy's house. Lots and lots of pictures:

The lovebugs:

The girls got to trick-or-treat at each of the 4 doors at Grampsy and Grammy's house - perfect for them this year!

Then it was off on some hayrides (courtesy of the mower) followed by pumpkin patch croquet.

We finished off the night with hot dogs and marshmallows roasted over the fire. My little lovebugs had a happy, happy day.

playin' in the rain

Every part of me wanted to say, "No." I may have even half-heartedly breathed the word.

Aida had just said, "Mommy, I want to go outside."

Of course, my children had steadfastly refused as I had practically begged them to go outside yesterday when it was 77 degrees and lovely outside. Today, it had dropped 20 degrees in an hour and was raining. I wanted to say, "No." But then a little voice in my head said, "Why not?" I want to be a Mommy who lets my children play in the rain, who cultivates in them a sense of creativity and spontaneity and gratitude for every blessing. It's not always easy (convenient, conventional, painless) to be that kind of a parent. But I had just been presented with an opportunity. I wanted to take it. So I let my girlies put on their rainboots, grabbed our coats, and we headed outside.

It was so much fun. The girls got soaked. We tracked 600 leaves and a gallon of water into my mudroom. I put Aida and Sophie into a warm, deep bubble bath and let them soak for a half hour. We had vanilla chai and graham crackers and snuggled on the couch waiting for Daddy to get home.

It was the perfect way to spend an afternoon - much better than sitting around inside, staring at each other. And it was a good reminder to me that I need to just go with it, go with it, justbe present in each moment, sending up prayers of gratitude for each sweet moment, rain or shine.

just a day at home

Nana is in town for the week but none of us were feeling super great so we stuck around the house today. We were lucky to have a visit from Aunt Jac and the indomitable Robert Gordon this morning - I have never seen a kid go down the slide like that one does.

"Quiet Resting Time" was a disaster - sisters were screaming, threats were made, tears were shed. You would have thought the world was ending (it sort of felt like it was for a minute there). I find it happens like this so often - when I feel desperate for a rest my children refuse to work within my own will and instead insist upon exerting their own. Which usually does not involve resting. This always presents me with the question - am I humble enough to surrender my own desires and attend to that which God has given me? With His grace - and a thousand whispers of "Lord, have mercy" - sometimes I am.

So we were out of bed and treading that ever-so-thin line between boredom and peace. Working to find our rhythm, we did find peace - in a glance at rain showers, in candles and tea, in building and watching fall, building and watching fall, building and watching fall. We snuggled up to some Veggie Tales silly songs on Nana's computer and to lots of books. We tickled and kissed and cooked. We painted and played and pretended. I prayed, seeking wisdom and patience, offering gratitude and thanks for these precious days at home.

the pumpkin patch

Well, God is merciful and the throwing up didn't begin in our house until after Elijah made it home. We are doing much better now but are still kind of in recovery mode - so I thought I'd just offer some more cute pictures from our trip to the pumpkin patch and call it a day.

So excited for Hayride #1:

The wheat:

The tire swing (such joy!):



Just before it all completely fell apart:
Hoping for health for all of you!

apples, anyone?

A few weeks ago we had a glorious and all-too-short respite from the ridiculously hot weather we've been having. The girls and I piled into the car while a thunderstorm loomed on the horizon and prayed we'd make it to the little apple orchard out (way out) in the country before the rain began to fall. We made it just in time.

The apples were small and there weren't very many of them, but that didn't stop us from thoroughly enjoying ourselves. As you can clearly see:

After we picked just enough apples to make a pie we plopped down for a quick snack before the drive home.

Both Aida and Sophie were very concerned that their chocolate bunnies get ample camera time.

The rain started to fall as we headed home, where we got right to work on our apple pie. I wish I had pictures of that, but both my kitchen and myself were - literally - covered in flour. Much fun was had by all, and the girls couldn't wait to dig into that pie after dinner. When the pie-eating hour finally arrived, they both took one bite and then said, "I'm done." Oh, well. The process was fabulous, if the product was not.

So, on this ridiculously hot 2nd day of Autumn, here's to the hope for crisp, cool evenings, pumpkins and cinnamon, cozy oatmeal mornings, warm cups of tea, candles, leaves, and lots and lots of apples.

oh Saturday, how we love you

Saturday, we love you because you don't mind if we pair rainboots with Elmo panties

or a pair of rockin' cool sunglasses.

Saturday, we love you for all of the donut-happiness that you share.

And Saturday, this week we love you because you were so beautiful, beckoning us into the woods to enjoy the beauty of God's creation. (Although I think Sophie needs a little more help in "nature appreciation." We rolled down the windows as we were driving through Percy Warner Park and she begged us to close them. When she realized she would not win that particular battle, she announced, "It stinks. It smells like..." Before I could pipe in with "yes, it smells like dirt and trees and that's the smell of the forest" she finished with "...cat poop." Awesome.)

(Yes, my skeptical "nature stinks" child was racing down the path with joy and enthusiasm by the end of our walk, slowed down only by - no, silly, not cat poop - horse poop. I guess it's what we get when we go walking on the "for horse riders only" trail.)