early morning date (and a cute "third wheel")

(for the record, we didn't mind a bit..)

Thanks

So very thankful, for...

- lots of parties and oodles of good eats

- a baby that doesn't mind being passed around to scores of doting friends and relatives all weekend long

- dinner and dessert with some new family

- advent decorating and my faithful helpers

- Levi's curiosity

- rollicking arguments discussions with Bri

- Dad's joke attempts

- Kimmie's visit

- the fact that Nana makes her delicious "figgy" pudding, even though only she and I eat it

- affirming parent-teacher conferences

- cousin Jeff's new job

- Jonny's enthusiastic love for his nephew

- talking to relatives in Papua New Guinea via skype on Thanksgiving

- a Sunday afternoon birthday party, the birthday girls, the crock pot chili, homemade bread and yummy dessert. 
- this cheeky little pose, this soft baby skin...

This Moment - the center of attention

{this moment} - A Friday ritual

Joining with SouleMama

pouring out all that fullness

*A prayer of praise and thanksgiving, written by the puritans, from The Valley of Vision

These days I'm...

- putting away warm weather clothes (still holding on to my beloved flip flops, though. crazy.)
- digging out the sweaters, hats and mittens
- watching Levi scootch and writhe, wanting so much to move, move, move!
- knitting my husband a scarf..
- ..learning that it takes infinitely longer to knit things when your hands are always full
- planning surprises
- making lists
- being thankful for a husband who sacrificially loves his family every day
- drowning in laundry...
- ..learning not to mind
- enjoying art explorations with awesome kids
- watching the leaves fall
- wondering why I decided to make this for Christmas (it's only $20 at Target...but it's not as special, right? right??!)

- getting excited about a new forming community of believers in Salem-Towne!

- trying not to be such an "elder brother"

- listening to the baby talk and sing and make "raspberries"

- buttoning my old jeans (yes!)

- coming to terms with the fact that my house probably won't be clean in the near future (or possibly 18 years)

- enjoying life as a family of 3 more every day

- giving thanks, for all

Painted Paper Collages

My elementary kids have been creating some beautiful collages out of textured papers.  They made these papers themselves, using oil pastels, q-tips, combs, brushes and tempera paint to create as many different colors and textures as possible. After these were dry, they ripped, cut and glued their papers to create either an animal (1st grade) or a landscape (2nd-5th grade). Every class loved this project and they could have gone on for weeks, if I had let them. In fact, my 4th and 5th graders begged to take the leftover papers home to make more art. Yes, yes, yes!

(and there's always one, or two if you're lucky, who marches to the beat of their own drum!)...

 "Look at my beautiful textures, Mrs. James!"

Thanks

Now thank we all our God 
With heart and hands and voices 
Who wondrous things hath done, 
In whom his world rejoices; 
Who from our mothers’ arms, 
Hath blessed us on our way 
With countless gifts of love, 
And still is ours today.

So very thankful, this Thanksgiving week...


- breakfast with Auntie Kate and Uncle Matt, and a fun Christmas card photo shoot, despite the wind
- secret projects and the season of surprises
- Thanksgiving week
- inquisitive looks
- friends who love Levi and save the day
- a creative husband
- a photo shoot job and a sweet little family to capture
- cream puffs
- feeling better
- cry room friends
- a third service feast and heartfelt testimonies
- sister Kimmie coming home!
- my family. every one.
- God's steadfast love; it's better than life