outside weather

There has been lots and lots of (mosquito free) outside playtime.  Logan would love to stay outside every second of every day and his brothers are not much different.

We are loving taking care of the crisp cool days and my brain and patience are loving boys getting all their energies out!

new blanket

I bribed my oldest baby boy with a snack from the 

QT gas station to go to a yard sale that a friend had driven by.  There were hints of antique furniture and that was enough to get me going.  We walked around for a bit.  They had some great tables which I didn't need but I found two large baskets to use as hampers and an old cabinet door to paint for my Christmas mantle maybe. 

 However the treasure find of the day goes to that precious boy who had to be bribed to go in the first place.   Piled on top of an old chair was a crocheted afghan that he just HAD to have.  For $3 we took this thing home, I threw it in the washing machine IMMEDIATELY and by that night he was snuggled up with his new granny blanket and has slept with it every night and has brought it down to breakfast every morning.

My baby boy will be 7 in 3 months and he reads like a maniac and picks apart pieces of music just like his daddy and keeps getting taller no matter what I do and moments like this where I can see that the child is still fully present makes my heart happy.

sunday song

Desert Song

Hillsong

This is my prayer in the desert
When all thats within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides

And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flame

I will bring praise, I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice, I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on its way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

I will bring praise, I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice, I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

All of my life, in every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship, oh yeah

I will bring praise, I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice, I will declare

God is my victory and He is here

And this is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will sow

ncts fall festival

Saturday was the fall festival at Micah's school.  The boys had a really fun time even if it was a bit/very windy!

Connor won some cupcakes from the sweet walk.

Micah played a few rounds of ga ga ball

There was a giant human hamster ball

Every once and awhile they would line up a group of kids and let the ball run over them.  Micah thought it was awesome.

Connor in the hamster ball

Micah in the hamster ball

He knocked them all over!!  I didn't get a picture because Logan was in my lap trying to eat something not edible.

Then we played a little Lacrosse

There was also some fishing, obstacle course running, beach ball hockey and a walk through the spooky hall.

My personal favorite was the raffle because I WON!!!!  I won a pampered parent basket which included a gift certificate for an hour long massage, a manicure, hair highlights (which I'll be regifting), a super comfy robe and slippers, some great bath stuff and a few other things!! Happy early birthday to me!

a life of thankfulness

November is my favorite month, and not just because of my birthday.  During November, the leaves are in their best color changing stage, the weather is usually cool and crisp (but not

 too cold yet), and football is in full swing. Thanksgiving brings us deliciousness, and everyone is focused on being thankful.  

On Facebook, many people share a different thing they are thankful for each day, and it's wonderful to see so many people sharing their hearts and life.  In classrooms, kids write thankful papers. At home, you share what you are thankful for. In children's church, we are focusing on thankfulness lessons and sharing verses that talk about the same thing.  This focus, in my eyes, is a wonderful reminder, but so often it is only a focus this one month of the year.

I have come to realize that thanksgiving is not only a season, but it's a life need.  It is a tremendous need in the hearts, souls, and minds of us all.  When we are told to preach the gospel to ourselves daily, being thankful is the root of that. We are thankful that He did what we couldn't do in living perfectly, and we are thankful that He did what we were supposed to do in dying for our sin.  We are thankful that each day we do not have to live life alone with our own power, but instead through the power of the Holy Spirit. Just knowing this should be enough to keep a thankful heart. But God never does "just enough" in the everyday of our lives. He also gives us constant reminders in the form of big things, little things, seemingly normal things, good things, and even difficult things, because of His love for us.  These are the things we should be oh so thankful for.

A few years ago, a friend shared a book with me called 1000 gifts, that talks about the very things found in 1 Thessalonians 5, Ephesians 5, Colossians 3, Psalm 138, and so so so many other places.  Being thankful in ALL circumstances, in EVERYTHING.  This book changed the way I look at circumstances, and I have shared it with others as well.  I have been given so much, and in everything there is something to be thankful for. At the top of that list is my Heavenly Father sending down his son to be my Lord and Savior who died, rose, went back to Heaven and sent His Spirit to walk me through my life. 

I am so thankful that I can rest in the fact that I'm an imperfect woman, married to an imperfect man, raising imperfect children, living in community with imperfect friends, and members of an imperfect church, covered with the PERFECT love of Christ.  

Thankfulness abounding!

diy jerseys

While "real" baseball jersey are definitely awesome they are also insanely expensive!  I took the boys to Target and they picked out Braves shirts from the clearance section that were made with that dri fit type fabric so they were more jersey like.  Those plus 40% off iron on numbers and letters from Hobby Lobby finished them off.  I did have to buy baseball pants and a belt for Connor since he hasn't played baseball yet but I know he will so I just got a jump start on something he would already need anyway.

If you are ever making jerseys an hour before trick or treating and going so quickly that you spell Freddie's name Ferddie instead just soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and let it sit on the iron on letter and it will peel right off using some tweezers or good fingernails.  You know just in case you ever run into a problem like that.

Ta Da!  Freddie Freeman!

eye ball cookies

For a Halloween dessert, you know pre getting pounds and pounds of candy, we made eyeball cookies.  They were fun and easy and yummy.  Win, win, win!