30 November

I know God has given me all these extra challenges because he think I can handle them. Some days, I'm not so sure.

29 November

Just an awesome day today.

Spent the morning out Christmas shopping and had lunch with a best friend.

She helped me pick out my new phone.

No, I don't really "need" it, and I'm worried about the extra distraction (and the 80 bucks a month is a little hard to swallow), but It's so fun and it feels so good to be connected with all my people:)....Plus the camera is so cool!

Then I went to the salon for two hours of having my hair pampered and drove home as relaxed as I could be. Merry Christmas to me:)

28 November

Just a few more favorite shots from the Thanksgiving holiday:)

27 November

Today"s Sermon:

Went something like.....Life is continually changing, we only create the illusion that things are staying the same for our own comfort. Think of the one reason that you were put on this earth right now at this very moment. Life is short, we must continually count the blessings of each passing moment. Anyway, I want to remember those words today b/c these things are constantly in my mind, how fast things can change and are changing. AND, on a lighter note our halls are 75% decked (the Santa in the front yard......not my idea). Now, WE just need a tree!

26 November

Today....

My girl and I got all dressed up in our holiday best and attended our very first Nutcracker ballet show. She LOVED it, clapping and smiling through the whole two hours. The costumes were fabulous, the dancers were incredible, and me, I absorbed every minute of special-ness with my favorite girl:)

25 November

"Time is an enormous, long river, and I’m standing in it, just as you’re standing in it. My elders are the tributaries, and everything they thought and every struggle they went through and everything they gave their lives to, and every song they created, and every poem that they laid down flows down to me – and if I take the time to ask, and if I take the time to see, and if I take the time to reach out, I can build that bridge between my world and theirs. I can reach down into that river and take out what I need to get through this world."
~ Utah Phillips

24 November

Thanksgiving 2011. We missed the cousins so much but we feel so lucky that we got to skype with them. We are just so blessed to get to spend another holiday with our grandparents. Four generations of women cooking the Turkey with all the fixins.... with kid-made paper turkey and candle centerpieces........just Fantastic:)

23 November

Look who lost her first tooth!

22 November

Over the River and Through the woods.......

21 November

Love You. Love that your transitions at school are going much better over the last few weeks and love that you are so close to losing that first tooth:)

20 November

Congrats to Josh who just finished the Philadelphia marathon (his third this fall---crazy!!) After all that exercising, I think he's really looking forward to that Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday:)

19 November

I heart Breakfast.

Oldest Boy: Koala Crisp or cheerios, milk, fruit,vitamins and yogurt.

Girl: Honey Sunshine,milk, apple juice,vitamins,sometimes fruit and a cheese stick

Youngest Boy: Whatever his oldest brother is having, and vitamins, sometimes a granola bar and a "warm"V8 fruit juice

Mom: Plain Puffins, Milk and Green smoothie, vitamins, sometimes oatmeal or yogurt

Dad: Eggs, and egg sandwich or a peanut butter sandwich on pita bread and coffee (lots of it!)

Weekends: Sometimes pancakes or waffles.......for a special treat, "real waffles" and bacon or sausage:)

18 November

Yep, it's before Thanksgiving but we HAD to break out the Christmas movies tonight for "movie night" (every Friday). Elf was the kids choice (they love the snowball fight part...). And the Christmas Music, yep, that will be out this weekend as well. There's just so much good stuff to look forward to.

17 November

Lately.....

our game of choice is war, and I'm pretty impressed on how you already knew how to play (including the values of the face cards). And oh, the funny things you say......

"I wish my birthday was everyday and I wish my star could come to me....."

'I love all types of pie except Shepard's..."

"I love riding on planes b/c you get little snacks and stuff."

"You add such a warm bright light to these colder, darker afternoons:)"

16 November

You taught Lucas how to play Texas Hold 'em, and you guys play ALL the time. The other day I think I saw him running for his wallet so he could pay you a penny. Really.

15 November

These origami Yodas and Darth Vaders' are literally taking over the house.

14 November

Love this.

(Lucas 11-11, 4 years old)

13 November

My favorite part of November. The in between. In between back to school, soccer and the holidays. Where we are anticipating and planning the bustling season of many wonderful family times and celebrations that are right around the corner, but life slows down, just enough to do this on a weekend afternoon.

12 November

First game of the season.

11-11-11 11:11

cool.

11 November

Today.

I'm grateful for the fact that when I asked you to empty the dishwasher.....you did it, and when I told you to get outside to play, you did it (by yourselves:)).

11-11-11 Thank you.

Thank you brave, courageous soldiers, and thank you brave courageous families waiting at home. Thank you for your sacrifices so I can be free.

10 November

I want to remember........

Every morning we walk to the bus stop together at 7:45, the sun peeking through the trees is just beautiful and the leaves are shimmering, usually we can see our breath in clouds of smoke as we walk. I want to remember how you usually walk a little slower than I kicking stuff along the way , and we usually always have some type of debate going about how homework is not necessary, and how it's going to be so much harder in middle school (because you have read Diary of a Whimpy kid, you know all about middle school.) I want to remember how you are just teetering on the brink of the knowing everything yet forgetting everything stage.

I want to remember......

how every afternoon, your little brother and I bike or scooter down to the bus stop at 3:15. We always bring your helmet, bike or scooter with us. He is always excited to climb the tree, write his name in the dirt and play with the other younger siblings at the bus stop. He ALWAYS has to pee in the woods because the bathroom at home is just not as good and he never realizes that he has to go until we get down there (luckily he is a boy!) When you get off the bus you run to the neighbor's house to play tackle kickball while we are waiting for your sister. I want to remember how we all walk and ride home together and how the youngest one always seems to "win"!

I want to remember.....

These school days and the joy of what stays the same day after day.

9 November

Mom, the best thing about today was when I got to have a friend over and play hockey in the living room all afternoon.

8 November

Voted. Keep your fingers crossed that our kids get the new school they desperately need.

7 November

Because when you are four and you spend most of your preschool days outdoors and you live in Maine where you could get mud season in October, you need some serious BOG boots. Love you:)

6 November

Weekends.

a few years a go I would have never imagined that kids would be playing by themselves outside all day while Mom and Dad winterized the house/yard and got about fifty chores done (that were all put off during soccer/marathon/dance season). It felt so good to come in at the end after being out ALL day and plop down with a warm drink and dream ahead to planning all the upcoming holiday season celebrations. I can't wait, it's Good stuff.

5 November

She's a star:)

And Miss Vanessa, we love you for giving our girls this opportunity.

4 November

Loving......

my new boots:)

3 November

::Right Now::

I want to remember

how these sports games are your go to thing,they come out every day. I love how She brings them up from downstairs by herself and puts them away every day.

how our new pellets are so great, and warm and cozy for afternoon family time

How we practice our math facts every night (and it helps when the adults practice along side of the kids), and how proud you were to finish the speed quiz tonight with 100% correct. You will get it with hard work (as with anything in life).

How Lucas needs to have his own "homework" folder too (buddy, you will have real homework soon enough).

How we love adding to our thankful poster and Gratitude box at this time every year.

How grateful I am for the camera and some new upcoming projects that cause me to pay even closer attention to the little details of our life right now.

"I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?"

~Mary Oliver (from "The Summer Day")

2 November

Every week Bre brings home a special envelope full of little books from school that she can read. Every night, we sit down and practice reading them together. Tonight, she chose to have "Nemo" do the reading and she said, "Nice Job Nemo". I'm loving this little ritual:)

1 November

Just Finished the Marine corps Marathon on 10-30-11 in 3:38 :) We're so proud of you guys!