What do you do during room time???

Today, like all days, Chloe was having room time while Eli napped and I had some quiet time.

I can hear her feet stomping upstairs...and then I hear a shout.

I hurry up to her room to see the corner of her small piano sticking through the curtain of her secret closet...the light on...

"Chloe, are you okay?!"
"Yeah." (in a 'ummm....why are you asking' voice)
"I thought I heard shouting. Were you just shouting?"
"Yeah. I was singing to the Lord."
(very matter of fact...it is completely normal for her. It is what she does during room time.)
"Oh, well...GREAT!"

Then I quietly returned downstairs.

Love. That. Girl.
Love how she loves the Lord.

Mornings with E

Just a little morning routine I want to remember...

"Clink, thump. Clink, thump..."
The sound of Eli crawling upstairs with monster truck or choo-choo Thomas in one hand, blankie in the other.

He continues to be an early riser...the first couple weeks following Daylight Savings Fall Back have been rough..."Hello, son, it is 5 o'clock in the morning...why are you crawling into our bed??"

But, for the past several mornings the wake up crawl has been creeping toward tolerable...between 6:15 and 7:15 am... not too shabby.

That in itself is celebratable (yes, I just made up that word) but the part that has been super precious is his cuddles. I am loving that he is laying STILL with me in the morning (for awhile at least.)
Lots of snuggles.
Lots of driving monster trucks or choo-choo Thomas on my face, arms, and legs.
And then finally, the pulling off of my covers, reaching for my glasses on the bedside table and "Mama, I hungy."
I roll out of bed, grab his blanket, swing it over my left shoulder and hoist E up into my arms.
He then rests his head on his blanket and we whisper to each other as we walk downstairs...trying not to wake up Sissy.

It is becoming our morning routine and I am kinda liking it...while I do still have to remind myself to savour it for the first few minutes of waking up...
it is such precious time to spend with my little man.

Grateful for...

...the little things...and some bigger things...

011. Summer-like weather in the month of November.
012. Red shoes.
013. Hubby home for dinner tonight.
014. The vibrant colors of Fall.
015. Proverbs. 16: 3-4
016. Eli's growing vocabulary..."Mama, come pay choo-choos me?"
017. Arm socks on Chloe. (smile)
018. Clean water.
019. Quiet.
020. Rainbows.

Ida have a smoothie if I were you...

What did you do during Hurricane Ida? (or was it Tropical Storm Ida??)

We decided to start a smoothie business...on our front porch...with near freezing temperatures outside...

It all started with breakfast.
Chloe decided to make a new 'very special' smoothie recipe. We enjoyed it as a family...and Kevin made the comment that we should try to sell them...Chloe thought this was a FABULOUS idea and her little entrepreneur brain started spinning...

WE NEED A SIGN!

AND CUPS!

AND A TABLE!

AND A TABLECLOTH!

AND A TOWEL! (in case our customers spill)

AND MUSIC!

AND THEY WILL BE FREE!!! (oh, so we are a 'not for profit')

I had to text Kevin for the recipe...he is our very own Smoothie King...this was his text in response:


"Write this on a card because it is exact:

Honey Nut Cheerios-until Chloe says stop
ummm...bananas which we're out of - you could use half a can of pina
aaaa...5-9 strawberries
several spoons of yogurt
4 good glugs of milk"

Let me just say, that the Cheerios in my mixture were OVERPOWERING!!!!

But Chloe thought it tasted awesome and was not concerned in the least.

So we made our sign: LONGVIEW DRIVE-THROUGH
and gathered everything.

This is Chloe standing at our front door holding her sign for all passer-by to see...

fully expecting customers.

And I quote, "Maybe the fireman will stop by...you never know!"

Yes...you are seeing EVERY plastic cup that we own

Patiently waiting.
(This is when I started texting and calling my friends to have them stop by.)

Do you see the wet porch...it was SO WET and SO COLD.

We took a short lunch break of hot tomato soup and grilled cheese.

Immediately after finishing lunch,

"Mommy, we need to get back to work!!"

At last, customers arrive!!!

(Thank you Moores and Scott!!! You saved the day!!)

What do you see here?

A sink full of dirty dishes?

The endless job that is keeping your family fed and your kitchen clean?

More work??

Me too, usually...

Lately I have been asking the Lord to give me eyes to see His beauty...

...and today He showed up in my sink.

On this day, I saw a rainbow...

Do you see it...look closely...red (okay, pink), orange, yellow, green, blue...

He has been showing me rainbows lately...and reminding me that He keeps His promises...

I am needing to be reminded that He keeps His promises.

Current Faves

Puzzles. She. Loves. Them.

Any kind of puzzle. Wooden ones. 25 piece ones. 100 piece ones. Bring them on.
"Puzzle Race Champ" at school.

Actually...these were his summer fave.

Wore them C.O.N.S.T.A.N.T.L.Y.

Would have slept in them if we would have let him. Tried several times.

Two words = STINKY. FEET.

(Miraculously, we have transitioned into shoes that permit socks. Thank you, Jesus.)