"Who can take a sunrise, sprinkle it in dew...."

"Cover it in chocolate
and a miracle or two?

The candy man mama can

cause he she mixes it with love and makes the world taste good

Who can take a rainbow
Wrap it in a sigh

Soak it in the sun
and make a strawberry lemon pie?

The candy man mama can

cause he she mixes it with love and makes the world taste good

Who can take tomorrow
Dip it in a dream

Separate the sorrow
And collect up all the cream?

The candy man mama

The candy man mama can

cause he she mixes it with love and makes the world taste good

And the world tastes good cause the candy man mama thinks it should"

-Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

10 Months!

Dear Newbie,

Let me start out by saying I am eternally sorry for not bringing your blankie to G-Mama's house today.  You are in your bed protesting to no avail, and I'm not entirely convinced we're even going to get a nap out of you today.  Bless your heart.  I promise I'll try not to ever, ever forget again.

On a lighter note, Happy 10 Month Birthday!!!

I simply cannot believe it has been 10 months since your tiny pink feet hit the planet.  I have adored every minute we've gotten to spend with you, and I am overjoyed at the sight of the sweet little boy you've become in the short time you've been here!

*You're doing all kinds of adorable things these days, but one tops the list by far.  Lately, your daddy has shown you how to "play football," and you LOVE it.  You find your football, and you tackle it then hold it up over your head while you screech and scream.  Then you slam it down on the floor, roll on top of it and yell, "goo goo gah GAH!!!" It is absolutely hilarious, and you did it all afternoon yesterday after Daddy left for work.  I got down on the floor and played with you, and your belly laugh sounded through the whole house! I think you just might turn out to be one tough little ball player!

*You are standing up on your own now, and we are convinced you are going to start walking any second!  You can stand up in the middle of the room by yourself and get back down to the ground without falling. We love watching you do this because you look like such a big boy!

*You are almost sleeping through the night again.  We're on a bad cycle right now where you're up from 4 to 5, but then you sleep until about 8.  I can't decide if I like that or not, because I do like sleeping in past 6...just not sure if the awake time from 4 to 5 is worth it!  Your naps are fantastic now; there's one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and one of them is almost always at least 2 1/2 hours long.  You even treated Mama to a three hour nap two days in a row this week!  Woohoo!

*You are eating Gerber puffs like crazy.  If we let you eat only those all day long, you totally would.  You're still eating lots of veggies and fruits, and we've got you going on chicken and turkey and beef now too.  We still let you have a little bedtime snack of oatmeal to fill that little tummy up before you go to sleep for the night.  In addition to all the yummy food, you're still nursing like a champ.  With all the grub you're getting, I'm surprised you're not more roly poly than you are!  You must burn a lot of calories playing football and chasing Opie. =)

*Opie is one of your best buds.  You like to scream at him, and you still think he's the funniest guy around.  You're a big fan of Griffin and your Aunt Corndog's new puppy, Mimzy too, but Opie is your buddy.  You love all kinds of animals.  You've got a couple books with pictures of real animals in them, and you always flip to the page with the kitty and laugh and squeal when I say, "Meow, meow!"

*You're in size 12 month clothes now.  I've tried to stick you in some of my favorite 9 month outfits, but your little torso is just getting too long!  You look like such a big boy in all those grown up clothes.  We don't have any spring/summer clothes for you, so we're going to have to talk with your daddy about a little spring shopping spree soon if this winter thaw keeps up!  I can't wait to see you rockin' some plaid shorts this summer. You are one good lookin' little guy. =) Still in size 3 diapers, and it feels like that's the size you've been in forever.  Pampers must really like us, because we sure have plowed through our fair share of size 3 Pampers the past few months.

*You love to sing and now you've even started dancing!  Daddy and I laugh each time because you start dancing any time you hear music.  Whether you're in your high chair, or standing in the living room, or digging for a toy in the den, your little head starts bobbing, and your knees start bouncing, and it makes me melt each time because it is just so stinking cute! You also LOVE to sing along with the radio in the car.  If you aren't sleeping, about 15 minutes into a car ride, you are just about guaranteed to start singing at the top of your lungs.  It is so funny; I laugh every time!
 
*You are completely in to cell phones and TV remotes.  Anything fancy that has buttons or lights up trumps absolutely all of your toys.  You will make a mad dash for my phone any time its within your reach, and you are always going for the clicker too.  You keep Daddy and I on our toes!  The only way I could get you to sit still for your 10 month pictures was to hand you my cell phone.  =)

I love you so much, sweet boy!  One of my favorite parts about being your mama is seeing that heart-melting smile you've got that just beams from the tips of your toes to the top of your head.  You are just bursting with joy, and I am so blessed to have such a happy little boy!  Your daddy and I love you forever and for always, and we are so grateful God brought you into our little family.  We just wouldn't be the same without you, Sweet Bug!

Love love love,

Mama

PS- Can we get a round of applause for the mama today because she just got back from the dentist and has NO cavities!  When I told the Hubs he said, "Wow.  I don't know how that is even possible.  You just eat so much sugar."  Ba ha ha!  I know how to rock a toothbrush, baby!

Wishing you all a happy and cavity-free Tuesday!

Baby's 1st Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

Newbie's first Valentine celebration was a rip-roaring success last night.

The Hubs really stepped up to the plate to sweep me off my feet.  The roses were beautiful, but what really got me was the overwhelming supply of chocolate.  Yum yum yum!  And a ridiculously funny card.  He is always great with the funny cards.

Newbie loved his new sippy cup (ha!) and his book, I Love You Through and Through. The story is a precious read- just perfect for Valentine's Day, and who doesn't love a new sippy cup? He also got some snacks that had him smelling like syrup all evening, so we're passing those along to a certain birthday boy this week in hopes he will enjoy them more than we did, because if there's one thing that drives me up the wall, its the ever-present smell of maple syrup.  Whew! If the birthday boy doesn't want them, we'll just pass them on to Opie.  Opie is the one guy we know who will not pass up a single edible or inedible treat.  That's just the way he rolls.

As for the Hubs, I gave him this couples' devotional book and made him the dinner of a lifetime.  He ranked the lime chicken fajitas I made for him yesterday right up there with my venison roast, and if you know the Hubs, that's really sayin' something. It was good eatin'.

Today Newbie and I are laying low, hoping to hack through some more laundry and see how many toys we can scatter across the den.  There may even be some craft time involved.  We'll wait to see where the wind blows us.  I am so blessed to have a little Valentine to spend the day with while my Big Valentine is off working to bring home the bacon. 

If you haven't checked it out already, hop on over to this post from yesterday and share your brilliant ideas!  I need your help brainstorming ways to engage our kiddos in loving God and loving others this Valentine's Day. =)

Hope you all have a marvelous Monday and that you get your hands on some chocolate!

Start 'em Off: Kickoff Sunday

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

Proverbs 22:6

Today I'm starting something crazy and ambitious and fun.  This is the first of what will be many posts throughout the coming months aiming to share ideas about how we can "start our children off on the way they should go".  I'm kicking off "Start 'em Off" this Sunday with a few family favorites around here and hoping y'all will join in the fun and share some ideas too.  I want to know what you do, have done, or hope to do with your kiddos to introduce them to, and walk them through, the beauty of loving God and loving others.

I'll go first so it's not as scary.  =)

I'm going for a double-whammy this week because I've been chomping at the bit to do this post, and I've got two goodies to share.

First up: Seeds Family Worship

The Hubs and I adore this CD.  Well, this line of CD's actually.  They put Scripture to music in a completely corny/cheezy-free way and are a fantastic way to teach Newbie (and Mama!) some memory verses.  These suckers get stuck in my head, and I end up repeating encouraging words from Scripture to myself and Newbie and, let's be honest, Opie, all day because I am a belt-it-out-at-the-top-of-your-lungs kinda gal when it comes to singing along. 

Our little family plays this music all the time, and I've found it to be a fun tool to help memorize Scripture in a really non-overwhelming way.  I'm easily overwhelmed, and this music makes it a piece of cake. =) And the best part?  Each CD comes with two full CD's so your kiddo can share with a friend!  Love love love. Click here for the link to our favorite one so far...it's a winner!

Start 'em Off tip #2: Prayer Page

I wish I prayed so much more often than I do, and I wish I didn't toss the 'ol "Lord, please be with the people we love and the people that need you today" at God as much as I do, but busy becomes a habit, and I end up blanket praying a lot.  I want to become better about praying intentionally and more often in my own prayer life, and I want to teach Newbie how to have a healthy and active prayer life as well.

[Enter: awesome get it all in Prayer Page.] 

In hopes of filling our day with intentional prayer, I filled several 12x12 scrapbook pages with family and friends and all kinds of people and things we want to pray for, then hung it up in our dining room where we plant ourselves at least three times a day.  Each time we sit down, I point to the pictures on the Prayer Page and we pray for those people.  We rotate the pages each day or multiple times a day depending how on top of my game I am that particular day, and multiple people get prayed over each week. Wah-la! 

It's super easy to make:

Just grab yourself some scrapbook paper, tape, and pictures.  I added a small plain white piece of paper to write down anyone we didn't have a picture of.  Stick the pictures on the paper, like so:

Then find a fun clip that will hold a good chunk of paper.  I used a binder clip we had laying around. 

Decorate it for funsies, because a decorated Prayer Page is more fun than an undecorated one. =)

Clip your pages together, hang your clip on a nail on the wall somewhere in your home where you will see it often and TA-DA!  You have yourself an awesome Prayer Page ready to rock and roll!

 I would love to pick your brains and your thoughts and come up with some fun and enriching ways to teach our kiddos how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. (Ephesians 3:18-20) There's nothing I consider a higher calling as a mother than to pass on a love for God and a love for others to my son.  I believe God has entrusted him to me for that purpose, and all our children to us for that purpose, and I am head over heels in love with the mission of starting them off right so that when they are old, they will not turn from it. 

I have hopes.  High hopes.

Hopes of harnessing the wisdom, creativity, and fun of others out there who have some brilliant ideas to share. So pretty please with sprinkles and sugar and a cherry on top jump in with your ideas about how to help "start 'em off" with a heart of love for God and for others.  No idea is too small or too big or too simple or too fun!  A craft, a prayer, a verse, a song, a book, anything.

Calling all creative hearts and minds out there: If you've got something to share, leave it in the comments below or, better yet(!), post about it on your blog and comment with a link so we know where to find your ideas!

Help a girl out, will ya?! Don't be shy! =)

Puppy Dog Tails

You, God, are my God,
   earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
   my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
   where there is no water.

 I have seen you in the sanctuary
   and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life,
   my lips will glorify you.
 Psalm 63:1-4

Happy Sunday, Friends!

We're celebrating Newbie's first Valentine's Day tonight with a big dinner and some fun gifts because Daddy-O has to work late tomorrow.  I wrapped their Valentines in blues and teals because it just didn't feel right wrapping Valentines up in pink and red for my boys. They're just too all boy for a frilly Valentine's celebration.  So its lime chicken fajitas and probably some rugby on TV for us tonight.  Woohoo!  When you're surrounded by testosterone on a pink holiday, you just have to embrace your reality and enjoy the snakes, snails, and puppy dog tails. =)

Two of my troublemakers waiting for Daddy-O to get home from work last night...

Wishing you all a Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow, and hoping you experience the love that is better than life!

Please Pass the Sunshine

It's 30 something degrees outside here on the home front, and while that's a lot warmer than it could be, I am forced to face the reality that it is just too. stinking. COLD.

Let's all go to a happy place, shall we?

Ready?

Close your eyes.

Now take a deep breath...inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth.  That's what they told me to do while I was in labor and it worked wonders, so I'm thinking it will help in this situation as well because it is EXTREME.

Close your eyes again.

Now open them...

Ahh...

The sand.  The sun.  The lake. The beach-side refreshments. Delicious.  

At this point, it doesn't even have to be the beach. I will gladly take the smell of wet mud.  And grass.  And tulip blooms.  Anything.  Anything that suggests it will not be this cold, stark winter forever.

Spring and Summer, where are you? Where are the warm breezes and the walks in the park and the ice cream cones and the tans?  We're ready.  Please hurry.  

I hope your Saturday is full of summer day dreams. =)

Thursday Treat

I had to toss in an extra post today because we had some special visitors tonight...

Newbie's Grandma and Grandpa came over and they came bearing gifts of pizza and Valentines!  Now that's my kinda company. =)  Newbie got some fun Valentine gifts and a container of Puffs. His grandma sure knows the way straight to his heart!  He is a HUGE fan of the Puffs.  He screeches for them any time we put him in his high chair.  The boy knows what he wants!  He was smitten with his grandma after finding those in his bag.

He had a blast playing with Grandma and Grandpa and showing off some of his latest and greatest tricks.  He even slipped in some boogie time.  Micheal Buble on the player- you just can't sit still when you're listening to some good Buble.

It was a quick trip because it was a busy week night and a little somebody doesn't make for great company after about 7:15 or so because that's when the bedtime routine sets in, and he's is ready to rock and roll into his pj's and hit the sack.  But we made the most of it while they were here!

Now our little man is crashed and Mama and Daddy-O are gonna sit back and watch some TV before I go upstairs and stick my nose in my Book Club book. I've got a couple weeks to finish it up, and its amazing how much time I don't have to read when Boris is busy annihilating my laundry room.  I am, however, happy to report he shrunk in size today by about four loads, which is not as great as it could have been, but its a far stronger blow than he's been hit with all week, so I'm counting it as a win.

Hope y'all have a great night and a fabulous Friday!