Toddler approved

These long, cold, snowy days seem endless. Ari keeps asking: "can I go out and ride my trike now?" One of these days I'll be able to say yes, but until then I'm always looking for ways to keep her busy indoors.

Introducing:

Stamps and play dough!

She loves using ink pads and paper, too, it just takes a little more oversight with a two year old!

Ari is already a huge play dough fan, so this was a fun, new activity that she enjoys, too. 

What are your favorite ways to play indoors with littles during the long winters?

My Little Man

A year ago I was snuggling my newborn, amazed at his perfect little size.

Now I'm watching a little boy waddle around the house; listening to him giggle and laugh at his sister's antics; picking up after him as he displays his increasing delight in the law of gravity; and constantly, constantly feeding him.

His top 10 favorites are currently:
time with Daddy
bananas
music
dogs
bananas
peek-a-boo
bath time
bananas
bedtime cuddles
...and did I mention bananas?

Happy first birthday, my sweet Caden James!

What a face. 

#meltmyheart

Looking ahead

Wait -- is it too late to share some of my goals for this new year?

I'm attempting something new as I look at things I hope to accomplish this year: instead of a list goals, I'm going to focus on something different each month. As I learn to balance wife/mommy/home/personal responsibilities, I'm looking forward to using my little bits of extra time and energy to push myself in 12 different areas this year. (Is it a cop-out to admit I don't have each month's theme planned quite yet? I like to call it being flexible for the needs that might arise!) 

For January, I prioritized health and fitness.

My specific goals were:

--work out 3-4 times a week 

--drink more water each day

--experiment with egg/dairy free options for Caden

I was so excited to find a few other mom's who wanted to exercise consistently, too, which not only pushed me, but also held me accountable! Three mommies, six kids -- and we made it happen 4 or 5 times each week this month. I have discovered that when I exercise on a consistent basis, it makes me think twice about what I eat, it makes me pay more attention to my posture, and reminds me to drink more water! What benefits do you find when you exercise?

Did you write up goals for this year?
And can you believe January is almost over already?

#helloFebruary

{the best is yet to come}

After five years filled with everyday responsibilities and date nights, love and laughter, loss and tears, faithfulness and patience, diapers and drool, my heart still skips a beat to hear Dan say "I love you."

I vividly remember the first time he told me...and when he whispered it in my ear on our wedding day five years ago today. I've heard it every day since. I've seen it in action over and over again. And his love still amazes me. 

Love that surprises me with flowers.

Love that gives sacrificially of of time and energy.

Love that gets up and goes to work each day, never complaining.

Love that slips his arm around me at church (when both littles are behaving!) 

Love that asks the hard questions.

Love that prays for me and encourages me in Christ.

Love that calls me beautiful with all the changes that happen during pregnancy (and after!)

Love that sends a text that makes me smile the rest of the day.

Love that helps me understand in a grander and fuller way the love that Christ has for His bride, the church. 

Love that gets on the floor to play with our children, even tho it's been a really long day.

Love that is patient and forgiving of my failures.

Love that makes me laugh and adds just the right humor at needed times.

Love that makes me want another 100 years + a day.

{bunny trail: when you bribe your-bottomless-pit-man-child with popcorn, 

a few pictures will definitely turn out with him reaching for the bucket behind the photographer!}

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, 

and forget not all His benefits...

who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies..."

Psalms 103:4

married 5 years

moved 4 times

blessed with 2 precious littles

excited to meet 1 baby in heaven

 2 bar exams passed with flying colors

photo credits:

the wonderful Kori Wissmann

II Thessalonians 3:5

"May the Lord direct your hearts

 into the love of God,

and into the PATIENCE of Christ."

 

1 Chronicles 29:13

"And now we thank you, our God,

And praise your glorious name."

Though I strive to make gratitude a habitual attitude, taking time to stop and reflect on the blessings that abound in my life on this specific day of the year always brings me joy...as do these sweet, little people in my life who call me "Mommy." 

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all! 

#NineMonths

 

Our sweet Caden is nine months old today-- which called for an impromptu photo shoot to capture a few smiles of this lil' man who takes up such a big part of my heart (and day!) 

He'll be walking and blowing out his first birthday candle before I know it.

#dontblink

Two steps forward, one step back

That has been my mantra this week.

After a wonderful, packed summer with weekends spent traveling to see family, a camping trip,  catching up with friends, photographing a wedding, and numerous other everyday responsibilities, this week was one of trying to be consistent with a few things that I let slide over the summer. (Three cheers for potty training, sleep training, and continuing to work with my little guy's eczema).

Thrilling successes. Disappointing failures. But we're all learning, right?

Two steps forward, one step back is still progress.

[photo credit: Hannah Wissmann]

Any of your goals or projects not go quite as planned this week?

Here's to the weekend -- and more days to try, try again!

#EverydayMoments

"Dear Jesus,

Thank you for the strawberries & blueberries & corn & carrots & cucumbers & ranch & little spoon & chapstick & birds. 

AMEN!"

#MorningSmiles

"Worship is forgetting about what's wrong with you and remember what's right with God. It restores the joy of your salvation.

It re-calibrates your spirit. It renews your mind...

Is it easy? Absolutely not. But one of the purest forms of worship is praising God even when you don't feel like it, because it proves your worship isn't circumstantial."

Mark Batterson

In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day

#LittlePeople

"The glory of motherhood comes camouflaged in so much chaos."

Surprised by Motherhood

#LoveInAction

"You hold me, 

You guide me with your counsel.

My flesh and my heart fail; but You are the strength of my heart and my portion FOREVER."

Psalm 73:23-24

#SheLovesPuzzles

"Motherhood is the sacred marriage of the eternal and mundane."

LisaJo Baker in

Surprised by Motherhood

#HappyWeekend

"A seriously neglected aspect of the art of appreciation is the habit of noticing... delusions keep us looking ahead or abroad for happiness, instead of enjoying the small pleasures right around us here and now."

David Dunn

Try Giving Yourself Away

#BreakfastForDinner

"Dreams are still achieved one opportunity at a time...

The genealogy of success always traces back to mustard seed opportunities. Don't fail to seize the small opportunities because we're looking for the big opportunities. Do not despise small beginnings."

Mark Batterson

In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day