few words. it's all i've got.

Aldi shopping.  at the beginning.
about 4.25 minutes before fussing broke out
and again i remind myself, it's so worth it.....
the prices are so worth it......

lego guys are in battle
but these 2 brothers are playing together like BFFs
LOVE

cousins.
look alikes.
cutie pies.

fazolis for sunday lunch.  {BREADSTICKS}
when you get in the car with the hubs after church and he suggests eating out
you submit.  that's what ephesians 5:22 is all about

matt and me on a sunny afternoon
{shadows are so fun}
especially when you're 32 4.

i love these two guys
and i love their intersecting striped shirts

truffle pie at bakers square
i'm sorry if you don't have one in your area
and i'm sorry it's only on the february menu...which ends in 5 more days
{it was our pie date together.}  and this was one amazing pie to share.

the next night was my pie date with this guy
 and when the waiter asks if we'd like anything to drink 
Caleb says, "diet coke, please"
really?!  cracked me right up.

3 day week of school.
thursday = helping mom make cookies
jon adds the whole bag of white chips.....hello goodness.

meanwhile, charity found the beater on the table
and.....this must be a nature thing cause surely she's never seen her mama do this?!
smart girl.  i don't need to teach her a thing about chocolate.

i'm getting in some extra cuddles these days by saying to charity
"would you like me to lay you down for rest or rock you?"
and she points to the rocking chair.  i know.  i'm stealth like that.

snow is not all fun and games.
6:27AM this morning
i'm glad to be the one snapping the pic from the cozy indoors

Dear Babe,
this is me attempting to make my own breakfast.
you make it better.  please never leave for work early again, k?

1 DS
3 boys
30 minutes of entertainment....more if i'd allow (tempting.)



cookies from the phew
{yum.}
thanks josh!

{kids church project}

this has just been 'one of those weeks'
everyday i thought it was one day further into the week
so waking up and having it be friday (again) today was pretty disappointing.
ever been there?  mercy.

while i've got some pretty deep thoughts rolling around in my head
{hard to believe i have those somedays amidst diapers and laundry and crockpot creations}
i am too weary from the day-to-dayness to put them into complete thoughts
but i'll leave you with this
a verse i've been turning to while getting dressed and folding laundry
and one that i shared with my mops group this wednesday morning....

isaiah 26:3-4
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast
because he trusts in You
trust in the LORD forever
for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock Eternal


and that's all i really need to know to get me through
the daily dailyness of life. 

i hope it encourages your heart
have a super weekend, all!

linking up HERE

insta(almost wordless)friday.

happy friday to all!

have a weekend as funny

as jon thinks our silly family chat at mcdonalds is.

{throw in a chocolate shake to make sure it's good}

                                                                        linking up HERE

       @ LifeRearranged

9.

dear jonathan

what a joy you are in my life

i can't believe you are 9 today

but i also can't believe how blessed i am by you

you are my oldest, the one who constantly teaches me and 'grows me up' in a way

i can look back on these 9 years together with you

and i am overwhelmed with memories of wonderfulness

you have such a heart that explodes with compassion for others

and that shows in the simple ways

you treat your little brothers and sister with kindness

(even as i write this you are making up a game for caleb and matt

and cheering them on)

and it shows in the way you give of your money

for missions and compassion international

and any need that you become aware of

-----------------------------------------------------------

i love how easy it is to make you laugh

and when you laugh

you light up a room.

you're so much like your dad

and that's pretty much the best compliment ever.

you two laugh at 'americas funniest home videos'

and even though i firmly believe that stupid show is staged

i end up laughing because you are laughing and it's so contagious.

you laugh when your new helicopter charges into the wall

because you're still learning to fly it...

and you laugh when charity does the arm pump of excitement because of chocolate

and you laugh when dad makes a joke

and when i'm trying to be funny after a long day.

you laugh all the time.  never stop. it's a gift.

-----------------------------------------

as your mom, i think of your future

and nothing excites me more than to know your desire is to serve Jesus

and right now you are drawn to China.

you've always loved missions and learning about different cultures

and you were the only one at our table last tuesday night

who ate the whole bowl of food from mugina

when we learning about our church's work over there.

whatever you do someday

in whatever country you do it in

i will pray for you

as i do now

that you will know

deep within your soul

that it's not really about what you're doing for Jesus

or where you are doing it

but that you are drawing near to Him while you are doing it

that it's not about being 'perfect'

(as if any of us could live up to that)

but shining in His perfect love.

never lose your sensitivity to sin, son of mine,

but also never lose sight of grace.

i know God's got something great in store for you.

so keep shining for Him on the playground and at the lunch table

and in church and on the basketball court and in our home.

---------------------------------------------------

who you are

is exactly what your dad and i want

we love you just for being you

i'm looking forward to the next 9 years of watching you grow

(and of course 9 after that....and more)

now,

let's go to wal-mart together

and pick out some cupcakes for school tomorow

and you know you'll talk me into playing one of those arcade games in the entryway

 i love you so incredibly much

love, mom

***happy feburary 12, everyone***

it's a great day to celebrate

{we're going to buffalo wild wings, the birthday boy's choice!}

insta {don't read this if you're hungry} friday.



we've been doing a lot of par-taying around here
3 party weekends in a row
one light saber cake--check
one basketball cake--still to be made for this weekend
and one cake this mama decided to make as easy as possible
{and it got rave reviews from the eaters of said cake pictured above}
here's what you do......
make 2 brownie mixes
pour into 2 round cake pans and bake  
melt a container of chocolate frosting in microwave for one minute
pour a little on top of first brownie
add second layer and pour the rest of the melted frosting on
sprinkle it up
and call it a birthday cake



then have the partay where the boys score lots of goods
booyah.



100th day of school on wednesday
(rumor on the street says 80 left)
Caleb got busy counting out 100 m&ms for the kindergarten snack mix



he also made this book in class that day
all about 100.
this page says, "I wish I had 100____"
and Caleb filled in 'moms'
that could either mean he thinks i'm such a great mom he wants 100 of me
or i need to step it up in the mothering department
because he thinks he needs 99 more
to pick up my slack
i'm going to go with the first option
and smile at my son's preciousness.



my mom's b-day was this week, too
and i decided to be uber sentimental and make this caramel frosting
she mentioned her grandma used to make
i googled "caramel frosting" and got like a million options
i tried one and failed miserably
so i added the word "easy" to the phrase and found the following recipe:

NEVER-FAIL CARAMEL ICING:

1 c. butter
3 c. brown sugar
6 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. baking powder

Combine butter, brown sugar, and milk. Bring to a boil.
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and baking powder.
Beat well and spread over cake.

(found here)

 


as you can see i got lots of help making the cake part
but i worked on the caramel while the kiddos slept
i poked holes in the white cake (from a box) and poured the icing on
it also got rave reviews....
from some very biased family members, i know
who were probably glad i was the one getting my bake-on this week and not them
but my mom said it was like her grandma's
and that's really what mattered
(happy birthday, mom.  i think holly wants to make the cake next year)

 


i'm sorry this is turning into a food post
but that's pretty much what i took pics of this week
this sandwich is yummy, yummy, yummy
but you have to like avacado
it's a grilled avacado, turkey, provolone sandwich
and it's magical
i'm going to call it an ATP. 



i took this pic when i was waiting for matthias to be done with miss jenn 
charity was in the backseat all snuggly warm and listening to KLove
i took advantage of my 'free' 12 minutes
and did some more of my Bible reading
i'm working on reading through the Bible chronilogically in 1 year
and it's amazing. 
i keep getting a little behind and then catching up
but i'm learning so much
right now i'm working through exodus and seeing things i never saw before.
i love that.
i love how the Word of God never gets old.
it's just as amazing this time through as it was 10 years ago
when i read through it for dr. marty's old testament class at moody.


i wish i had deeper thoughts
but that's about all i've got as i wrap up this blogging sesh

i'm exhausted.  it's a happy exhaustion.
but exhausted nonetheless
{bring on the sleepover birthday party saturday night
for jon.  who's turning 9.  yay!}

have a super friday and
a super weekend...
{maybe trying these?}

they're supposed to look like hearts
{just put a marble between cupcake liner and tin}
don't fill them as high as i did or they lose the heart effect
and your child asks you why someone took a bite of the cupcake
so just learn from my mishap and fill more like 1/2 full, k?
4 more days til Vday, people.  get your love on!

 linking up HERE
                                                                       with LifeRearranged

hello monday and a clean quest

hello monday.

hello organized purse
3 tubes of teething gel may have been excessive
or maybe the 5 packs of dinosaur fruit snacks?

{mercy.}

hello godiva truffles
and surviving 60 days of winter
HELLO

Hello McDonalds playland
you are price.less in the winter

hello cinnamelts
you are worth the embarrasment of the drive-thru lady recognizing me
"didn't you just eat here?!"
yes, ma'am.  but i didn't order the cinnamelts.  and then i realized i needed some.
{and thanks for reminding my kiddos what i ordered.  then i had to share....}

hello toats adorbs daughter
who thinks that by donning a hat and backpack
she can join her brothers at school
monday mornings.  {sigh.} 
i love the weekends as a fam.

hello pretty flowers
you remind me of spring
and make me smile that my sweet matthias
wanted to spoil his mama

hello clean nissan quest
let's have a fun week together, shall we?!

happy monday!
{linking up HERE today}