Favorites

This "grabber" is my constant companion as bending down with these achy hips is such pain (literally!)

I {heart} the Fernando Ortega station on Pandora with Selah and Watermark for variety.  I turn it on especially in the mornings and evenings for a peaceful tone.

This tea with lots of honey has been a staple in this pregnancy.  I have totally given up decaf coffee because it just does not taste good to me right now.  Also, hot chocolate...I love it with LOTS of marshmellows.  :)

Blessings + favorites

This morning, I caught a glimpse of this:

and it took my breath away.  

How many moments, like Mary, mother of Jesus, have I treasured up all these things and pondered them in my heart?  (Luke 2:19)  More than I can count!  It's one of the many things I love about recording our memories here on this blog.  These memories are a treasure, a gift from the Lord.  

I'm not raising the "savior" but raising a child is hard, holy, precious work.  The other night, Dan said, while watching the kids, "I'm trying my best to engrain this moment into my memory."  I smiled and laughed!  I couldn't have said it better!  I feel that way hourly, it seems.  Even in the hard moments of mothering, it seems that God ,in his rich mercy, provides perspective and grace.  I know that these precious moments with our children are just a blink in time...in the span of their lives.  What a privilege to witness the making of these future man and women. 

That candle is one of my favorites!  It is some type of fresh pine scent from Mrs. Meyers brand.  I burn it from morning till night.

I think Trader Joe's makes the YUMMIEST semi-sweet chocolate chips!  I've been enjoying them   all by their yummy little selves, but I can't wait to load up some homemade cookie mix with these bad boys and some pecans, too!

My favorite Pandora station "George Winston (holiday)" plays all. day. long. in our living room.

I discovered "kits" this week at our public library.  Each day, for the first thirty minutes of quiet time, Graham reads his chapter book (currently reading "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever") I lay down with Camille for the first part of her nap, and I've needed something "independent" for Reecie-our beginning reader.  I was looking for the old school tapes with books at the library, but these are even better! She LOVES following along with the books on cd and it makes her feel so big to have her cd walkman and headphones on.

We have been working on memorizing Exodus 20 with a song and hand motions this semester in Classical Conversations.  I put the self-timer on my camera to work so that I can remember these precious moments with our children!  I didn't notice at the time, but the way Reecie is helping Camille with her motions makes my heart just ache with love for them!

I feel like this Christmas/advent season, I am moving slower, enjoying the ordinary, savoring these moments more than I ever have before.  I'm just so grateful for God's grace and the opportunity to set a comfortable pace.  No rushing, no hustle and bustle, no unrealistic expectations on myself or on the kids.  For me, this has been one of the greatest blessings in our home school journey so far.  Pacing ourselves.  Being intentional.  Not feeling the constant external pressure to be, do, and fulfill obligations.  I am a happier, more content person, and I think it is making a difference in the way that I nurture and love our children.  So thankful for these people God has entrusted to Dan and I!

Hannah Reece's "holey" smile :)

Reecie pulled her 2nd and 3rd teeth...all by herself!  And within one day of each other!  That dern tooth fairy was somewhat delayed due to a stomach virus.  Yuck.  But word is, she's making a special double delivery tonight.  :)

While I'm thinking of our special girl, she snuggled up next to me and wanted to chat yesterday.  She wanted to tell me about all of her favorite things...

I like to play my guitar.
I like to listen to my cd player (my favorite cd is taylor swift).
I like to watch The Greening of Whitney Brown and Curious George.
I like to play with my friends.
I like to play PBS Kids on the computer.
My favorite colors are turquoise and purple
My favorite foods are beans and rice and mac and cheese.

Hannah Reece always wears a little cardigan or shrug with her tops.  Sometimes I'll tell her it's too hot for that, but she insists on being "modest".  I'm so grateful that daddy encourages modesty by taking her shopping for clothes, affirming her beauty and helping her pick out appropriate clothes.  She handles "no" to inappropriate clothing SO well and we just stay positive about it saying, "well, guess we'll just have to KEEP shopping even longer!"  And she smiles.  May the LORD be glorified in you, as you honor HIM with your modest beauty.  May your beautiful heart and godly character SHINE, Hannah Reece.  I think you are positively radiant.

Last week Hannah Reece expressed that she wanted to have a special mommy-daughter date.  I just happened to have a coupon for a free brownie sundae burning a hole in my pocket!  So we headed over to the "Chic" and shared a yummy treat with a heaping side of giggles.  Maybe it was the sugar?  We could not stop laughing.  It was the most fun I've had in a long time!  :)  I asked Reecie if she wanted to play on the playground there for a couple of minutes.  She had the whole thing to herself and momma's undivided attention.  She was a little nervous to go in the tubes alone.  I encouraged her to go on and give it a try, so she did.  I heard her shoes banging the side of that tube slide and then jumped when I heard a loud "MOOOOOOO!"  Well, I think my girl was surprised too, because she came wide-eyed FLYIN' out of that tube!  Ha!  We laughed so hard.  I love you Reecie-boo.  xoxo

It's the little things...

Our little toddler is keeping me on my toes!  And as you can see...

 my time online is limited these days because my hungry baby might just eat the computer.  Ha!  :)
The slower pace of summer is just what we needed.  Here are a few of the "little things" that I'm relishing lately...

Oh, for the LOVE of babies with bed-hair.  Babies with bed-hair until 1:00?  Thank you, summer vacation.  Lots of playing and swimming going on around here...but one little activity we're all enjoying is keeping a journal.  Sometimes they write freely, and sometimes I give them a little prompt to get those creative juices flowin'.  ;)

 I think sweet baby hair swirls and curls are one of life's sweetest sights to behold.

 Charly...where are you?  Or as Camille says..."Ca-ow Ca-ow, aaaa oooooo?  This girl doesn't go anywhere without her huge purse hanging on her arm.

A new discovery (thanks mom, for the idea!) Almond butter+oil on top=a big giant mess to stir.  Enter the hand mixer.  It works!!!  Took a little muscle, but it really works.

The ONLY show on tv I care to waste my life away watching enjoy.  :)

Only one more day of work for my man before his two week vacation....that REALLY makes me smile!! :)

Yes, please!

mmmmmmm....

February Favorites: Coffee

Dunkin' Decaf...french vanilla creamer...
cinnamon sprinkles...
this is a cup of hot delicious-ness.  :)
What's in your cup?

February Favorites: Rollerball Fragrance

When Dan and I lived in Memphis, Tennessee, there was a great little shop that carried essential oils and such for aromatherapy.  They had a create-your-own rollerball fragrance station!  You could mix oils together to come up with a personal scent...mine was cucumber and rain.

Well, since then I found something I like almost as much...B*th & B*dy Works has a line of roll-on aromatherapy that smells wonderful, not-too-strong, and they're portable-I can toss it right in my purse, without worrying about leakage.  Best of all, I love that I can roll it on and not feel like I'm going to knock someone else over with the scent...I love the stress-relief aromatherapy.  Hannah Reece loves to dab a little on her wrists, and even my perfume-hatin' hubby thinks they smell good.  :)  

My mom, Santa-put a "Sweet-Pea" scented roller in my stocking....so I guess B&BW is extending their roller-fragrance line...oooh, just g**gled it and they're on sale for $2.00 each!!!!  Now that's a fragrance I can afford y'all!!!  What's your favorite fragrance?

February Favorites: Marshlands

With all of the memory-keeping catch up going on at my dining room table, I've completely fallen off of the blog-wagon...   although, I'll admit, it's been refreshing to have a little techno-break!   ;)

So....I was thinking it might be fun to get back at it with a little series of blog-posts "February Favorites"...where I'll post some of our favorites....places, products, foods, events, etc.  Maybe some of you who also blog will join me!?

I LOVE the marsh/wetlands....most folks have one thought when they think of marsh "STANKY!"

I think this little love affair with the marsh began during my last year at FGCU (Fl*rida Gulf Coast Univ*rsity) during a required course (SW Fl*rida Colloquium).  We took fieldtrips every other week to immerse ourselves in the environment that is so unique to Florida.  Did you know that the Florida Everglades is the last self-sustained natural environment left in the continental U.S.?  I thought this class would be SO boring, but it actually turned out to be one of my favorites.  I'm hoping to pass my little fascination on to the kiddos with outings like this one....but they may think the marsh stanks just like their Daddy does. :) 

Now, my most recent marsh/wetland fascination is between Florida and Georgia on I-95 North...and trust me...we've driven through it PLENTY in the last few years as we make our regular journey between Florida and North Carolina.  We've driven this stretch during all hours of the day and night...and we can always "smell" it coming!  :)  It's kind of a joke in our family now...one of the kids will say "somebody pootie-tootied!!" and Dan will say, "nope-it's just mommy's marsh!" and they just laugh.

My favorite time is at sunrise and sunset... it looks so calm, peaceful...but under all of that water and grass-it's positively TEEMING with LIFE!  I guess in a way, it's the state of mind that I hope and strive for in this season that is so full of life.  Peace amidst the activitiy.  Beauty among the stank ;) sorry, I just couldn't resist! ha! What is your favorite natural environment?

 

Favorite Links

Here are some sites that I frequent...please share in the comments if you have any sites you'd love to share, too!

*Looking for an easy way to organize meals for a sick friend, a neighbor who just moved, or someone you know who just had a baby? Look no further! Food Tidings is an organizational tool to eliminate all of the forwarded/cut/paste emails when you're trying to arrange meals for others. Plus, they offer ideas for recipes that "share" well.

*When Graham started Kindergarten this year, Hannah Reece wanted to go to "school" too. This website, Productive Parenting has SO many neat (low/no prep.) activities to do with a pre-school aged child. Just enter your child's age and a few other tidbits and the activities come right to your inbox 5 or 7 days a week (your choice, also).

*Mentoring Moments for Christian Women is like having that wise group of ladies at church at your service anytime! ;) Really though, their website is just CHOCK-FULL of wisdom, super tried-and-true ideas that will enrich you and the life of your family, recipes, and so much more...you can subscribe to this one, as well.

*As we entered part-time employment/full-time student mode last March...one area I needed some extra help with was cost savings-especially when it comes to grocery shopping. Southern Savers has been an awesome resource to me...I still would love to attend one of their workshops! People contribute their good-bargain findings (discount/freebie codes) plus you can read primers (how-to's) on how to get the best deals at some of our favorite southern grocery and pharmacy stores.