christmas cards

i've tried to get ahead of the game for some things this year, as we are often in such a hustle & bustle time around here this time of the year (holidays, birthdays, etc.)  we had the tree up before thanksgiving - something i thought i'd never do.  oh, never say never.  & oh, it was so nice to come home saturday night after thanksgiving & plug in those lights to our decorated tree.

tonight, the kiddos dressed up & gave me their best poses for our christmas cards.  these 2 are hams, it was fun & i think we got one that works.  here's some several of our outtakes:

hello, tall man (her middle finger stuck up).

wishing you peace this christmas.

hark, the herald angels scream!

i don't know what to say about this one..

ben is the funniest brother in the world!

rockin around the christmas tree

huggies!

mr. muscles

this was a contender

big cheese!

peek-a-boo!

you wanna mess with my brother? i don't think so.

she's choking me!

throw your hands up!

throw your hands up!

& the winner for this years card is... 

just beautiful i think!  

graditude is an attitude & contagious as can be..

that little ditty from our kids' worship @ one life in the month of november has been stuck in my head.   how true that song is.  it has helped me to focus on the good this past month & thank god for that instead of my too often complaining.
on facebook, i tried to list what i was thankful for each day.. didn't make it every day, but here are the things that came to mind (in reverse order i posted on facebook):

getting to share thanksgiving & the weekend with family & friends

our swagger wagon (our minivan)

forgiveness

love, laughter & fun that fills our home. someday, i know i won't be stepping on that hot wheel that was left out going to bed & our home will be clean - but i will sure miss the excitement & joy the these 2 kiddos & their friends bring to our home.

our teachers, my kiddos have some awesome ones this year! i love that they are keeping that love for learning alive in my kiddos. it has been amazing to watch ben's eyes light up with each new word he learns to read & spell. i am thankful for the teachers i have had in school that helped me with more than just book smarts, but were there for me when things were bad. don't know what i would have done without them. & my teachers outside of school to help me learn about life.

thankful for our friends Melissa & family. i don't know what we'd do without you. in any moment of need, you guys are right there for us! (like yesterday & many days with the kiddos). we love you guys so much & are blessed to call you all our friends! so thankful for you!!

finding my cell phone

for my dayquil & the kids being on a short round of antibiotics/ steriods to clear up the junk they have. hoping for some healthy days soon!

our "dance parties" at home. even though my kids are already telling me i don't know how to dance. just wait till i get to chaperone one of your dances, mr. ben & i will really bust a move.

our veterans, past & present for serving our great country. thank you.

extra super thankful for kate & dave's new bundle of joy today!

my 2nd cousins/big sisters/best friends/mentors, janet & lori. i don't know what i would do without either of you. i love you both so much. thank you. & happy birthday today, janet!!

our freedom here in the united states of america. the right to vote, to worship, freedom of speech. things we often take for granted.

being a stay at home mommy. i love watching our kiddos grow and discover new things every day. these moments are priceless & am so glad i've got to experience each & every one. i am grateful for a hard working man to make this happen.

our church family, One Life West / One Life Henderson, our small group we meet with & our church leadership. kitten & trey: i don't have words to describe how thankful we are for you. i am also thankful that my cousins lori &randy sponsered us 3 years ago to go on a tres dias weekend - what a life changing time that was for us! thank you.

Charlie's Mongolian Barbeque. & that we got to see some of our favorite friends, the Chaffins, there today!

my mom, dad, extended family & my in loves.

 the 2 precious kiddos god has blessed us with. never in my life could i have imagined how awesome being a momma could be. they bring so much joy, laughter, silliness & love into our home. i am so thankful that whenever somethings wrong with anyone gracie will say "let's pray for them/that." & we do. i love who they are & watching them grow more awesome every day. benjamin & gracie faye - you kids rock!

justin. my super duper husband & best daddio to our kiddos in the world. he has taught me so much through the years & am so thankful for his blessing in my life. i love you!

there is so much that i often take for granted & this month has been a good one to actually reflect on things with our family & share in the blessings we have.

it's been a while..

since i have written anything down.  the poor blog has been neglected. let's see what has happened since my last post.
beano & gracie had their last soccer games.  hurray!

  

beano was a scoring machine & gave it his all.  good job, buddy! 

with his crew after the game.

 now, for miss g's last game...

she was a body on the field

attached to her daddio's leg.

i thought it was cute.

we had a super fun shower to celebrate the upcoming arrival of kate & dave's baby.  we are all looking forward to that bundle of joy- any day now!

the baby blanket i made for their little nutbrown.

game on lock shirts - justin's idea.  don't ask - i don't get it.

the happy parents to be & all of us!

justin & i had our 7th wedding anniversary.  not a day goes by that i don't love you more, my love.  i can't put into words my love for you.


we've been sick.  a lot.  i think that's the big reason why the blog has been on hold.  the late nights up with coughing, wheezing kiddos can do that. 

one day during their illness, we went out to get some fresh air.  benj wrote me the sweetest note.

i love you too, buddy.  forever & ever. 

playing outside that day was lots of fun.  the kiddos were striking poses for me. 

these are their "angry" faces.

yes, benj, you are bigger!

i love the look grace is giving her big bubby here.  too sweet.

halloween happened. 

the kiddos were mario & tinkerbell.  i curled up miss g's hair & put on some makeup.  she was loving it!! 

visiting neighbor john's house.

mario was bugging tinkerbell.

& she let him have it with her fairy wand.  don't tink her off!

 i was just a mom for halloween.  a tired one. 

& this was ben at the end of the night.  a self portrait he took with my camera.  lovely.

the leaves have been coming down & down & down in our yard.  gracie gets very upset when i bag them up.  they are to be jumped in & slid into & played in & thrown up in the air- not trashed!  they are indeed fun!

that's been the goings on lately.. 

where is thumbkin?

miss gracie had her speech evaluation with the school this week & passed their testing no problem.  so, no speech with evsc at this time.  but momma is working with her the best i can & will look into other options.  i am very thankful that she herself is not concerned about the fact that some can't understand her.  but i want her to be able to sing one of her favorite songs "where is thumbkin?" without sounding like she's saying the f-bomb.  i'm sure the music teacher at her preschool church blushes when she hears that being belted out!   & those tricky k sounds (that sound like a t - kitty with a t is said quite often) & gr sounds (her name is not tracy, folks).  momma & daddio both had to take speech when we were little & she's kinda destined for it i guess.  not a biggie.  she'll get those words. she's one smart cookie & doesn't give up.

the goings on lately..

soccer.  big surprise!
after gracie's triumphant return, the next game was against the team she played the first time.  & that team was why she didn't want to play anymore.

 

i think the girl standing next to her was one of the shorter ones on that team.  they were good.  really good. and aggressive.  really aggressive for a 4-6 year old league.  they never let up & bit much i thought, but that's momma bear here.  i was proud of our girls for not giving up though.

that game caused her breathing issues to flare up in a major way.  friday, the day the kids had out from school we were planning on something super special while ben was at a birthday party.  it ended up being a doctor visit.  not too special.  by the time we getting the prescription, reality set in that we weren't going to the fall festival or to chuck e cheese (the special things we were thinking about doing).  she was mighty upset about this fact & started crying in the drugstore that turned into a cry you just can't stop.  i was holding her while in line & talking to her, trying to make her feel better.  a lady in her 60's got in front of us in line & told gracie to be quiet, she was being bad & nobody wanted to hear her.  really??  i told my gracie girl it was ok, she is a good girl & i was sorry she was sick.  & i did then tell the lady that my daughter was sick & upset.  quite the drama scene in walgreen's.  another lady about the same age then offered gracie a piece of candy from pocket (that kind that my grandma always carried).  god bless her.  

we've put up a soccer goal in our yard & ben wants to play all the time.  he's getting pretty radical (one of his new favorite words), i must say.  he just kept scoring & scoring on saturday. 

at one point, coach daddio told him to pass it to another teammate or wait for them at the goal to let them score.  & he did.  he had taken that ball down the field & kinda stood in front of the goal, dribbling, waiting on a teammate.  he wasn't showing off, he was really trying to do what coach said. the other team eventually kicked it away, but that was ok.  he was trying to share.   daddio said he gave him a big smile after that.  i love that boy.

 

miss gracie was sporting the tie dye dress we made for ben's soccer games & my sunglasses.  too cute if i do say so myself.

we've started some "chores" around here (help with bed, clothes, teeth, dishes in sink or dishwasher, help with picking up).  the kiddos will get either a quarter or a treat if they do what they are supposed to all week.  of course, benj was immediately trying to negotiate a better deal of a daily payment.   

here was the list ben created of his to do's: 

 what they are.. i'm not quite sure.. those first words no clue... but make my bed was the end of the first one.  

gracie's list she helped make included 5. have fun  6.feed froggy 7. patience 9. pray 10. bed  

 they did get a "treat" for completing their first week of helping more around the house.  the game Guess Who? from the basement stash of toys.  & they love it! (they love every game - especially ben)

today, we went for a scooter/trike ride in the neighborhood.

check out their new shirts.

 

 it's a picture ben made in art class & they sent home paperwork to have it made into a shirt.  we scanned his artwork & ironed it onto shirts we had.  

this yard decoration is at a home in our subdivision.  it just doesn't seem safe to me...

 it's right by the road.  i'm all for shabby (a bit too much daddio would say), but rusty spikes just don't seem like a good idea to me.   

1/2 way through, gracie just left her trike to the wayside & then ben did.  

 pretty typical for our walks.   

gracie had a wipeout too.  she said she wished the roads "were made of pillows to soften her landing." 

racing time.

 

someone got a head start!  

worn out time.   

 she just plopped right down on the road.  silly goose.  she got carried / pushed most of the way back, as she was wiped out & couldn't breath.  at least now we have an inhaler for her.  get strong lungs, grow strong!

& i have to add another going on... toots.  i guess it's a boy thing.  i asked ben if he had to go to the bathroom yesterday.  he replied,"no, i just like to toot a lot."  what a stinker.