a rainy day in november.

Today is a happy friday rain dance day ;)

a... play on the front porch in your pjs day.

(making sure little brother doesn't fall in those puddles. thanks sweet caleb)

 ... climb on brother's bike day.

 ...watch and listen to rain day.

...craft your heart out day (with stickers and crayons, we do it up big around here)

 

 

 ...get dirty and play day

 ...do things and build things day (not even sure what's going on in this pic below)

 ...keep on feel'n the magic day ('blocks' latest visit to the north pole included stopping in at the north pole library for some christmas stories)

 (snow and angels and such...block's first nightly adventure in our house)

 ...cuddle on the couch and play with puzzle books day.

 ...read new books from the library (and feel inspired) day.

via image

 

 

...walk around in mom's flip flops and then build a fort day.

 

a plan and prep for the beginning of advent day. 25 Promises. (love this idea to go with our sticker advent calendar grandma and grandpa sent us. thank you!)

 

Happy Friday!!

 

What are some rainy day doings you like to do?

 

a rainy day in november video.

So here's what we've been doing around here with all the rain! Be warned, the video is kind of long! This is really for my record keeping :) but enjoy if you wish! A couple things captured...some of lucas' words "da da and huh oh" and Caleb cutting with scissors :)

come sit awhile with me.

and you will see...things are not always as they seem.
you say 'your house is so clean' , but don't you see little fingerprints on the wall and toys beneath the couch and sink. What about the dirt dried old, maybe you missed the pea from weeks ago, hiding on the floor beneath it a chair it seems. the endless loads of laundry and the dishes piled in the sink. They always seem to lurk and wait, they like to tease me is what I think. Just when something's sparkly...more dirt creeps in with a wink.

you see the picture with the smiles, but you don't often see the tears that followed.

you see a sweet and cautious child, he seems so polite and mild mannered...you wish for yours to stand at your knee, but please, look more closely...it is something calle spd. His senses are much different, did you know? Please don't judge..before you know. We look at others lives, they seem so perfectly. But we don't always see; the tears, the trials, the struggle...we often don't look past their smiles.

you wish your children played as good as they, but you don't see...the sweet hugs that can turn to hits so instantly. Their mama reaches in to help with words that guide. Do you see the lines beneath her eyes?

A little boy in big boy unds seem so grown up, but you weren't there don't you see...when held down was he, with big fat rolling tears, the transition for that one thing, led to melt down, hugs were given, but sometimes it is hard to see beneath the picture perfectly.

So many families with stories of their own. A child sick, a child mourned, the poor who struggle to feed their little ones, the rich who miss moments with their own. A parent gone, a child missing, a fight that changed their lives. A mother loved who grows so sick, a father whose working and oh so missed.

It's hard to see, a picture perfectly. We see only what we believe. The struggles, the trials, why do we try to bare alone? What if we....could look more closely. Lift our heads and reach our hands? Often times what we may hide can bring another out of fear, out of pride. Often times what we don't tell, can lift a person up who may have fell...

So, before you look and think you see just sweet smiles, remember too, the sweet mixed sad..they have stories that mold and shape... those sweet, sweet smiles.

via image

 

These thoughts came to me today, as we finished our James Study this week. There is so much good stuff in James. And I think just one of the many things I took away from this study was that as we face our trials, we should face them with JOY. Becuase we know that God is working through us, that his glory will be revealed. God also touched upon my heart other things through this study, but I today, I wanted to share this scripture. We started out our study with it, and it carried us through. I am trying harder to consider my own trials, a JOY. I'm prayfully trying to Let Go and Let God. And one thing I'll always struggle with is the taming of my tongue!! Oh how I need His Grace on this one.

 

some tidbits from our morning...

a puppet show at story time today for Lu and I. I get a lil sad that C misses out on story time with us on Thursdays, but I try and focus on the sweet alone time I get with Lu while C gets great therapy.

Despite a melt down for C over the bathroom this am, Caleb did great in OT today. Lots of engagement/following directions/task persistence (yay C!)

Cold and dreary weather continues, but I'm actually loving it this week (not feeling sad about it yet....that'll come after Christmas I'm sure!)...more cozy candle burning, christmas music playing, and wagon walking to occur this afternoon. I love this time of year....(it is post Christmas that I usually go into my winter funk).

But with all this cold weather...my runs? not going great! just call me a chicken that's plucking up with fat stores come winter. ;)

 

Happy almost Friday.

 

 

The Magic of Christmas Traditions...old and new.

magic. i always feel that when i read her words. she creates it for her girls in so many ways...and I want to create it for my boys too- in our own kind of way. Family. Memories. Old traditions and new ones. This season offers up a lot of opportunities for traditions...ones we re-create for our boys from our own childhood...and new ones, just the four of us.  It seems right somehow, as the boys get older, to create some of our own special ones this year. I want them to experience the magic and hope this season brings. I still remember the magic I felt as a child this time of year. I want to do new things...giving (having the boys pick out an animal to give to a child somewhere else in the world)...a north pole party ...I so want to have a north pole party (it looks magical doesn't it?)...maybe this year, maybe next. 

 For now...I'm content with these simple ones we started this week.

moonlight wagon walks to look at Christmas lights.

 bringing along friends. Tiger and Roo...catching a leaf or two ;)

 Watching the moon peek out from behind the trees.

 Staring and silent. Basking in the beauty of the Christmas lights.

 Lu loves to point and 'talk' to the lights. He gets really excited.

 Snuggling close with Roo.

 Happy after our short lil walk around the corner to look at lights in the cul-de-sac.

 A new tradition...Elf on the Shelf. I love this idea found here! a great way to keep Jesus at the center of it all, even with Elf on the Shelf :)

We braved a rainstorm walk to get this book. (I admit I didn't know it'd be raining cats and dogs moments after we left the house...thankfully it was a short walk to target to get it!)
What an adventure though!! We, I mean  I was laughing all the way!! The boys stayed dry under the stroller cover and I got soaked ;) Not that I minded, Love the rain and it's sweet smell! Caleb informed me when we got home "I'm coughing from the rain mom, I'll drink some water" ...pitter patter to kitchen for water..."i feel all better now mom" Glad to hear Caleb :) Lucas just watched all the rain pouring down, then tried to crawl out in it after we got home....Anyway.... Our elf's name is blocks. In case you were wondering....(Caleb named him of course)

Next up...I'd like to find a good Advent Calendar for the boys. One that has little stories or scripture to go with each day.   Here is a DIY I've found online...now If I can get out my craftastic skill...hm...
advent calendar (I like how it has different scripture to go with each day)..

otherwise this looks nice...the mini stories (I think Caleb would be super excited about the mini stories)
.story of christmas advent calendar

Any advent calendar ideas your family does?

We have a sweet nativity set the boys can set out and play with through this season (thanks aunt mary and uncle craig)...

As for the tree...I'm thinking up good ideas to prevent Lucas from getting all up in it after we put it out...any ideas?..so far I like the idea of wrapping big diaper boxes (maybe filled with rocks to weigh it down) and putting that in front of the tree as a barrier/something to distract.

I am just so excited to pull out our decorations this weekend ;) To pick out our tree..to bake our Italian Christmas cookies...I'm getting ahead of myself here, but there's so much good stuff!!

Oh yes...and the Christmas movies..I love Elf, It's A Wonderful Life, and The Nativity Story. Obviously the boys are still too young for these, but D and I can enjoy them this season :)

Lastly...I discovered this gem. I forgot all about the mini-dance party the boys (and nani and papa) had on Thanksgiving :)


Happy half way through the week Wednesday!!!

Enjoying the rain, my salt city Christmas candle, and the warm scent of soup filling up the kitchen :)

What are some of your Christmas Traditions?

sneak peek...and other things.

 here is a sneak peek of our mini photo shoot.

My sister Jenny, took some pictures of the boys this weekend. She posted a couple on fb last night and I was super excited ;) I'll be getting the rest soon...she kindly took our christmas pictures too. She's pretty amazing!!

 

Next up.. some park pictures from our day today in Morgan Hill for C's OT. (instagram style..these are not nearly as nice as the ones above!!)

exploring a new park with lu.

and meeting a new friend who made us feel welcomed.  

I love this little bit of alone time I get to have with Lucas while Caleb gets to nurture a relationship with someone outside the family on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I love that Caleb is doing so many new things in the two months since he started OT.

 

what waking up at 5am will do to ya. (last five minutes of our long drive home...thankfully this did not screw up afternoon naps! whew)

we heard some encouraging words from C's therapist today. He attended for a sitting activity for longer than normal and did some 'wall push-offs' which normally are a struggle...also he was really engaged in the different OT activities with lots of energy. It always feels good to hear encouraging words from not just his therapist but from family and friends who notice little things he is able to now do that he struggled with before :) Sweet boy! We are so very proud of you Caleb Lincoln.

 

Now onto Children's books ;) ...

found here

I wanted to share another favorite Christmas story of ours. I cry in this one too. It is about an angel who calls the animals and asks that they carry "the greatest of them all" The proud horse chooses the soldier 'strong and tall', The strong ox chooses the 'goodly kind samaritan', the camel chooses the wise man...'but none the greatest be' says the Angel...it is the donkey who chooses "not good or great or tall, but the lady waiting here who needs bearing most of all " The angel responds "then you must take, your burden preciously for she herself a burden bears that shall the greatest be" The verse and rhyme in this story are rich with language. It ends with "He carried Mary gently and brought her to his stall, where Jesus Christ, her child is born, the greatest of them all!" This is another sweet animal story the boys really relate to. I wish I could share the whole story right here on the blog, but you'll just have to read it yourself to see what I mean when I say what a great Christmas story it is:)

 

I also wanted to share some of the words from our other favorite Christmas book right now,

"Who is Coming to our house" It is short and sweet, but I think very powerful all the same.

 

found here

"Who is coming to our house?"

"Someone, someone," says Mouse

 

"Make room," says Pig.

"I will butt aside the rig."

"We must clean," says Lamb.

"Dust the beams," says Ram.

 

"Who is coming to our house?"

"Someone, someone," says Mouse.

 

"Sweep the earth," says Chick.

"Stack the hay," says Goose, "and quick!"

"Spin new webs," says Spider.

"I will line the crib with eider."

 

"Who is coming to our hosue?"

"Someone, someone," says Mouse.

 

"Someone's coming from afar."

"I will nose the door ajar."

"But it is dark," says Cat.

"They will never come," says Rat.

 

"Yes, they'll come," says Mouse.

"Someone's coming to this house."

 

"I will lay an egg," says Hen.

"I will spread my tail for them."

 

"Who is coming to our house?"

"Mary and Joseph," whispers Mouse.

 

"Welcome, welcome to our house!"

 

(I love how mouse whispers at the end of the story..and the welcome, welcome!! can't you just imagine...mary and Joseph were turned away at each house, but it was the simple and humble animals that opened their home to them.)  Little children can so relate to this story!

 

Have I mentioned my love of children's books?! Yes I could talk about children's books all day long. All books for that matter. Always have been and always will be a book lover!! And I hope to instill that in the boys as well. I love the language and illustrations in childrens books. Do you know that I still remember all the stories my mom read to us growing up? Maybe one day I'll write my own children's book :)

What are your favorite family Christmas stories?

 wagon walk under the moon to look at christmas lights :)

Happy Tuesday!

soaking up each moment of this christmas season with my boys. Oh how I love them so.

Thanksgiving 2012.

Warm. Cozy. Delicious food. Baking and Cooking. Beach walks. Family Photos. Memories stored forever.

lucas and lil roo. (from winnie the pooh)

 

that picture is my favorite. the knee high sweats. the bare toes. the little hand wrapped between roo's ears. the stance lu's in. I love everything about this picture. Funny thing is, I think Dave must have snapped this, I don't even remember if I took it.

 

I love everything about this picture too. And this moment (right before I saw the sign, no pics) I love how the boys are peering in on Santa. I love how Caleb held santa's hand and when Santa asked "what would you like for Christmas" Caleb response was... "i don't know" in that sweet tone of his. I love the way Caleb looked Santa right in the eye and went in for a hug. I love how Caleb sat all by himself on Santa's knee, safely snug between nani and aunties and mom and dad. I love how this was the first time the boys met santa...and it was perfect. Another first. I love the firsts. And I love how certain little moments that might have been too hard to try in years' past are happening now...I love watching my sweet firstborn bloom.

this may be bad quality. but oh the faces. jolly and bright were we! I think we may have been more excited than the boys..do the blank stares give it away?...guess what...we got to sit with the real santa...same santa from my little girl days.

I love the magic of Santa. But I love the Hope of Jesus even more. I love how sprinkled in with Santa and Elves, we get to more importantly teach the hope and belief of Christ our King, who came on Christmas Day, humbly in a manger...for us...because He loves us that much. And I'm loving all our Christmas stories we are reading...and understanding. (my favorite right now? who is coming to our house ...a story about the animals preparing their humble home for Mary and Joseph. What a perfect story to read for two little boys who love animals...I just love this story) Polar express is pretty great too. I cry everytime I read it. There are some great ones out there and I love sharing these beautiful stories with the boys. What are your favorite Christmas stories to read together? 

 

 I love that there was a random train we got to go on, Christmas music and all.

most of all... 

I loved our time together this weekend with family. Feeling grateful for our many blessings. I loved watching the boys interact with their grammy great. (my dad's mom. 91yrs)

 

 I even loved how Caleb jumped around and hammed it up. (jumps that he couldn't do two months ago)

Lucas loves dogs. He loves to bark at them.

 And he really enjoys watching them.

I loved spending time at my sister's new apartment, eating dinner together, dancing, watching a movie. Seeing her happiness, it felt good. I loved baking in the kitchen with the boys Thanksgiving morning. Caleb helping. Lucas watching. I love that we get to do all this family time next month at Christmas with Dave's family. More family time, more memories created. All so special.

And I so loved our date nights! a beach walk, movie night (breaking part 2. yay!) dinner just the two of us. I always soak those moments up!

love watching them sleep.

 

I love the magic and the hope this season brings.

Excited to sprinkle our house with lights this week. To bring in Santas and Angels. To go tree pick'n and to pull out all our special ornaments as we remember sweet childhood memories (this year sharing those with the boys). Excited to bake Christmas cookies, to spread cheer, to give to others, to count our blessings. To spend time in prayer.
Believe. this season.

 

*excited to share more pictures from the weekend...thanks to my sister taking the time for a lil photo shoot...coming soon!