Friday Favorite Things {13}

We have our first week of school under our belt and we survived it!

It wasn't picture perfect - there were meltdowns and accidents and frustrations - but it was good.

For that I am grateful!

One of these days I'll attempt to capture some pictures of the challenges in our days but usually I'm so busy averting a crisis or kissing a boo boo or calming a meltdown that grabbing a camera is the last thing on my list!

For now, here are some of my favorite moments of the week!

Little sister curiously watches math lesson proceedings.

Some days, keeping little ones occupied and happy during lessons is nearly impossible.

Then there are such sweet moments as this.

Taitum's lesson for the day was learning how to bounce and catch a ball.

This turned into a whole lot of craziness - balls flying around the room, children diving every which way and giggles galore!

Mashing bananas.

The hardships of a three year old.

First ever tea party complete for this little one!

She is so pleased to be a part of things!

Friday Favorite Things {12}

"You don’t get to keep. You get to witness."

~Ann Voskamp (from this post)

Mathematical magic.

Joyful observer.

Swing set ecstasy.

Times two.

Simple pleasures.

Complete concentration.

Post playdate fatigue.

A perfect pose.

"There are times to stand on sidewalks and hold signs, but holding a sign isn’t what makes a mother pro-life. Being pro-life means putting the life of another ahead of your own. It means being daily grace to the small souls nearest to you. It is not just an opinion or a position or a lobbyist group. It is the glory of maternal self-sacrifice that begins at conception and runs through labor and midnight feedings and diapers and sandwiches and crayons and homework and flu seasons and graduations and on into grandkids. It is an avalanche of small and large sacrifices. It burns bright in kitchens and bedrooms and backyards. It is the real life of the pro-life movement, and it will change the world."

~Rachel Jankovic (from this post - a must read!)

Friday Favorite Things {11}

"Gratitude turns what we have into enough."

Quiet library concentration.

One of our most favorite days of the week.

Little one always goes searching for the Karen Katz baby books.

Sickness strikes and Daddy becomes the smoothie making hero.

Ren relishes being syringe fed blueberry smoothie.

She might be spoiled...a little...

We're slowly becoming bird watching enthusiasts.

Little feet come pitter-pattering from all over the house whenever I shout "There's a robin in the tree!" or "I see a junco!"

Sick days include a lot of extra love!

She's on a mission.

She practices every day.

Spontaneous little notes.

We had a giggle at 'bad mom'.

When I first pointed it out to her, she felt so awful and apologized profusely.

I assured her I knew she meant to write 'dad' and she then shared in the humor.

Early morning flossy head.

New favorite imaginary adventure: monsters....RRRROOOAAAARRR!

Asking to go out to her swing.

All. The. Time.

Catching raindrops for science.

I love their eagerness and curiosity.

Favorite moment of the week:

Our 'Japanese' lunch.

Complete with kimonos I made them for Christmas and PB&J sushi eaten with chopsticks!

I almost took another picture from a different angle so you wouldn't see my piles of laundry waiting to be folded in the background.

Then I decided not to.

In years to come they will look back at these pictures and see these perfect moments were perfect even despite such imperfections!

Friday Favorite Things {10}

When your life is filled with the desire to see the holiness in everyday life, something magical happens: ordinary life becomes extraordinary, and the very process of life begins to nourish your soul!

[Rabbi Harold Kushner]


A chickadee sighting.

Condolence cookies.

(People have so warmed my heart this past week. We need each other, don't we?)

Reaching new heights.

A pile of pots.

(New pots! So excited!)

A girly game.

Homeschool organization at it's finest.

 An afternoon siesta.

 A tea party for two.

A sunny spot.

The best of times.

Friday Favorite Things {9}

One little favorite thing at a time

They all begin to pile up 

And I am overwhelmed by the goodness of it all...

This was a week of recovery

Which meant finding scenes like this one 

Tait climbed up on her sister's bed and fell soundly to sleep

This day was one where I was tired

And nothing seemed to be going the way I'd wanted it too

Which is hard for me to deal with when I'm lacking sleep

So I was cranky about the whole day

Then I was given this normal, everyday moment

I was reminded to look at it differently

My perspective changed and I felt such an overwhelming sense of gratitude

For the little girl peeling carrots

The baby sitting in her car, chattering away

Another sitting on the counter finding letters she knew on the things stuck to our fridge

"Now is not a forever grace but amazing grace.

Do whatever it takes to wake to wonder right here."

This is how our mornings often begin.

I count it as school (fine motor skills right??).

This one - my messiest child.

Yet she cannot stand stuff sticking to her fingers.

Babe's first time actually IN the snow.

Usually she is tucked into her sled.

She was so delighted about digging in the snow and watching Mama whip snowballs at her sisters.

Her laughter is a gift in and of itself.

 Watching her crazy Ma climb the tree to hang bird feeders.

She is forever observing my every move.
(Usually with that little half smile on her face!)

Family obsession.

Heart day breakfast.

The little things create the fondest memories.

Friday Favorite Things {8}

After a desperately difficult week, I'm so thankful for the habit of gratitude.

Sick children are mentally, emotionally and physically draining.

When it all began to feel like too much I would begin sifting through all the things I had to be thankful for in the midst of all this...

A hubby's frequent and concerned calls throughout the day.

A meal cooked for us (with dessert!).

Easily accessible meds to rein in out of control fevers.

The security of knowing medical help is readily available if we need it.

(My doctor's office rocks - they happily take my calls and provide advice that keeps me cool, calm and collected. They don't even make me feel bad for interrupting their day.)

Knowing my kids have healthy bodies that can fight the illness that assails them.

Soft lotion tissue for sore noses.

Library movie rentals and mountains of books.

Anticipating Daddy's arrival at the end of each long, hard day.

 Imaginations still intact.

(She watched Tangled for the first time while sick. Now she bounces around the house with blankets on her head yelling "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your HAIR!")

Pom pom flowers to fill my empty dandelion vases.

They might be a little cheesy but they make me smile.

Sometimes you have to just let the littlest things bring you some cheer.

My dainty little yogurt eater.

She didn't eat much once she got sick.

It broke my heart to see her so miserable.

There is nothing more pitiful than the first time your baby gets sick.

I am so thankful that I can just be home to hold her and comfort her non stop.

I'm grateful that we are nearly through this.

And we're all O.K.

We can do hard things.

Philippians 4:13