The moments that are joy...

Me with my sweet snuggle-bug.

Haul out the holly...

Tis the season to celebrate!  :-)

We're deep in celebration mode around here...

making ornaments

decorating the tree

enjoying Christmas parties

baking cookies {healthy cookies, of course!}

making homemade gifts

shopping

battling colds {doing a lot of this, yet being so thankful for good health overall}

pondering resolutions for the year ahead

gazing at the Christmas lights

trying to balance generosity and frugality

wrapping gifts

taking pictures

talking about Jesus and His birth in a stable

singing Christmas carols {LOVE the way my girls sing them}  :-)


In other news, my husband started a new job yesterday {such a blessing}, so there is lots of working going on too...finishing out his last two weeks at the old job and working into the new one at the same time.  Changes in life, trying to maintain some kind of routine amidst it all, thinking ahead, planning, realizing that the new year is just around the corner...how did it sneak up so fast??

I'm loving that as the children get just a little bit older their understandings of Jesus and our celebration of Him, is deepening.  I know that things should be more crazy as we celebrate the Joy of the world, our Savior, The Changer of our lives, yet at the same time, we try hard to keep it simple, so that we can focus on Jesus without too much distraction of hustle and bustle, so that we can teach our Children what this season is really all about.

Making homemade gifts has been so much fun.  It's ok if they're not perfect, it's about the love and the time spent to bless another person.  I want to post more about what I have been making, but haven't had the time yet.  Maybe soon.  Remember, we can teach our children to delight in the simple.  No need to spend lots of money for it to be special.  Last year my hubby made the sweetest doll house for our girls {I've never showed it to you, sorry!}  Here are a few simple, last minute ideas that are DIY projects I have featured in the past.  These would make wonderful gifts!  :-)

Girl's Ruffled T-Shirt Skirt

Girl's Ruffle Pants

Boo Boo Rice Pack

Felt Pizza

Massage Oil

Braided Fabric Necklace

Photo Frame Hair Bow Holder


I'll tell you some of the things hubby and I are making this year...

Magnetic Cookie Sheet Bulletin Boards  {tutorial to come soon}

Sweet Sleep Pillows

Ruffle Aprons {tutorial to come soon}

Doll Bed {out of a pallet}

Doll Bed Bedding

...and some surprises for hubby, but I can't tell you yet!


Happy week before Christmas!!

From our family to yours

Wishing you all a Christmas season full of God's joy and peace!!

First Haircut

I gave my little girl her first haircut in October.

It was probably way past time for it to be trimmed, but I'm kind of sentimental about these things.

Before:

I saved most of what I cut off in an envelope with the date on it so she can have it when she grows up.  Is that over the top?

After:

It does look better.  What a cutie I have!

What's going on

Here lately we have a lot going on...I figured it's time for an update.  :-)  Seems like we've been doing a lot of just living life {in a good way}, but there hasn't been much time to blog about it {or about anything, really}.

~ My oldest just turned 4 years old.  Four!  Hard to believe that I really have a 4 year old.  We are so thankful for our Abigail.  She is thoughtful, smart, creative, curious, and loves to help.  Four years ago she made me a mommy, and I wouldn't trade being a mommy for the world!

~ We've been having lots of playdates.  It's fun for the kiddos and I usually get a little adult interaction too, which is great!  I struggle with getting so absorbed with house work and cooking sometimes that I kind of just bury myself right here in my own house and don't get out with the little ones enough.  It has been really great to get out and just drop everything and have fun for a while.

~ Micah has changed a lot over months 6, 7, and 8.  He got two teeth at 6 months {he has 4 now}, sat up on his own, and started saying mama a lot.  He says dada too.  Somewhere in the 6th or 7th month he started crawling everywhere!  He is my first to really get into so many things.  He likes to play with electrical cords {!!}, stand up to the bathtub {and everything else!}, knock lamps over, climb into the dishwasher, pick up trash off the floor {and eat it!}, plus more.  He also pinches and bites a lot.  Just saying.  He'll want to remember that one day maybe.  :-)

I think it was at 7 months that he started pulling up on stuff.  Now he is a pro at it.  He even stands up to moving objects like people and curtains.  :-)  He also lets go and stands by himself some, and he is transfering from one thing to another.  I think he will be walking soon.  He doesn't like his jumperoo much anymore...in fact he doesn't like anything that keeps him contained and restricts his exploring.  :-)  He still loves avocados, baby cereal, and lemons and he is starting to eat more foods.  He loves to eat things I just smash between my fingers and feed him off my plate.  He doesn't seem to need things pureed much, just smashed up a little bit.  He finally decided that he does in fact like banana {yesterday!}.

He also says "Nana", "bye-bye" and "banana" now and he is working on "hi" {sometimes I think he is saying this}, and he likes to wave.  He loves to go outside and pretty much would dive out of our arms to get there if we didn't hold him tight.  He likes to dance and sing too.  Oh plus he sleeps the best, and he is still THE happiest baby!!

~ Matt and I started leading a small group at our church.  We both have a heart for ministry and we love that we have this opportunity to be involved.  We are really enjoying building relationships with the people in our group and getting to know everyone better.  Best of all we love being able to study the Word and learn and grow with our group!  We are excited to see what else God has in store.

~ As our girls are getting a little older, craft time has become pretty big around here.  We've been busy making all sorts of things {that I plan to share here soon}.  It has been lots of fun!

~ I have about onehundredeleventymillion things to blog about...all spinning around on the endless brain track in my head.



~ Emma and Sophia have a birthday coming up too.  Amazing that they are going to be 3 years old!  Time really does fly faster and faster the more children you have.  Sometimes I just want to stop it, time, that is, because it feels so out of control and I get so emotional thinking about how my babies won't be babies much longer.

~ I know it is God's plan for my children to grow up though.  My job is to make sure they are as prepared as they can be.  On that note, we have been having Bible time with the children every night for several months now.  They have memorized a bunch of Scriptures, Catechism questions, and some songs too!  We are working on separate verses during the day also and they are memorizing so much so fast.  A child's mind is an amazing thing!

~ With Matt's work schedule he is home in the evenings most days now, which means less time for blogging after the kiddos are in bed, because I just can't resist spending time with my Love.  It's so nice having him here, but that is another reason I've slacked on blogging.  Well, that and the fact that all four kiddos rarely nap at the same time {or at all} anymore, and it only takes half-a-second for Micah to eat some paper or trash or tissue off the floor or for the girls to get into something they shouldn't.  I kind of feel like I'm going around and around in a constant circle checking on one child then the next and and the next and the next and back around to the first again all day.  Hmmmm, maybe that's why I'm always so tired?  ;-)

~ Even in all our busyness Matt still finds time to romance me.  :-)  He is constantly bringing me little surprises and writing me little love notes and such.  He is great with the children too and lets me get out for little breaks pretty regularly.  Even if it is just to go grocery shopping alone sometimes...I enjoy it.  :-)  He listens to me and studies me and I can tell he takes mental notes, because the things he does for me so many times are things that I have mentioned or things I specifically love and not just random things.  I feel so very blessed to be married to such an amazing man and I am so thankful for how he loves me!

~ I hope you're not too bored after reading all about what's happening in our household these days!

G is for...

Grandparents, Grandbabies, and Great fun!!

Here are a few photos from a shoot that I did this Summer and never got around to posting yet.  :-)

 

Siblings

Took this photo of my sweet littles just this morning.  Makes my day to see those smiles!  :-)

It has begun

Micah is crawling like a pro now.  :-)  Which means he is all into whatever the girls are doing.  The other day it was puzzles...he wanted to work them too!  He crawls right up into their laps all the time, and it is so cute!  Usually they love to hold him but sometimes I hear them saying "No Micah!" and I find them trying to scoot with all their stuff so they can get away from him.  :-)

Sorry the photos are so grainy.  We have horrible lighting in our living room {especially on cloudy days}, but I hate using the flash.  Oh well.  They're cute anyways.

What I came home to...

Aren't my husband and kids the sweetest??  I just went out to run errands the other night and they did this for me.  The girls said it was my birthday surprise and told me to open it up {it's not my birthday, though, they just made that up}.  :-)

Always there with me to greet the day

Waking up with this little head in my bed each morning...

 Makes each morning fabulous.

Those eyes and those lips and that little nose.

His face is like sunshine...

 His smile irresistible.

And the cuddles and the giggles...words cannot describe...

He loves to play with his toes!
 

What an incredible and precious gift from God!

Sunday Randomness

"Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
- Colossians 3:12-14

Matt works most Sundays now.  We don't like it, but there isn't much we can do about it at this point.  That means that I am trying to manage four little ones 3 and under in church without him.  Can I just say that is super hard?  But we do really feel strongly that we want them to stay with us in church and to learn to sit and listen.  Abigail is getting really good at that, but the twins still have a ways to go.  Usually one has to be right next to me or in my arms, or major, all out screaming will occur.  :-(  That is extra hard since I have a baby too, and I'm usually out of the service with him some because he needs to nurse or is just being loud.

So we practiced "church" at home today.  Everyone sat in a chair all in a row and we sang and prayed, and then listened to a sermon by our pastor.  I'm really hoping that this training will carry over to real church.  :-)  Only one out of four had to be taken out several times for discipline.  That's a good start, right? 

Anyone else in the same boat, or a similar one?  I'd LOVE to hear what works for you.  I just keep reminding myself that it will get easier someday!

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
- Galations 6:9

I'm working on getting my menu together for next week.  The weeks just fly by, don't they?  Pressing on with the 200 Challenge, even though this hasn't been my best month.  More on that later. 

Micah is growing so fast!  He is 6 1/2 months old and in the past few weeks he has started getting on his knees & rocking back and forth, scooting, sitting really well, talking a lot, saying mama and dada, got his first tooth, clapping his hands, and maybe more that I can't think of right now...I just know it's a lot!  He continues to be the happiest baby EVER and he is such a sweet blessing from God!  :-)

 

Look for evidences of grace in others, instead of looking at what needs to be changed.
- C.J. Mahaney (I couldn't find the exact quote)

Twin Love

I need to capture more of these precious moments.  There is something special about that twin connection.  :-)

 Cheesy grins.  We're still working on the normal, natural smile.  :-)

First Taste

Micah had his first taste of food yesterday.  Avocado!

Already trying to feed himself...

He liked it, but he wasn't really that interested in eating...

He just wanted to chew on the spoon!

Sweet Sleep

Micah sleeping, while Daddy listens to lectures...or sleeps.  :-)