November

 yum.

 This is the day of his half birthday.  

Its just so crazy to think about- we are half way done with the first year.  I feel like I had a grasp on what the beginning would be like (no, I didn't really- I was completely baffled at what it would be like to have a baby again), and its been long enough that I've completely forgotten what its all like for the second half of the first year.

All of that reading up I'd done & the experience... How much food do they need to eat?!

His profile all of him is breathtaking.

 For the first time ever, we did Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes.

I had the passing thought that maybe this year we could be a little more "pro-active" in our Advent/Christmas experience, instead of just surviving.  So we did this.  It was pretty fun, but also sorta real close to the line of making us crazy.  We went out too late one eve on a school night to shop.  And then I had a case of major frustration/impatience when we were trying to get out the door to go and take the boxes them after dark one eve.  And all I could think of was Isaiah 64:6...

All of us have become like one who is unclean,
    and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
    and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Oh, but for God's grace, I could never stand.

As I apologized to the kids for my behavior & that Mommy has sin too, 

Jesus I come came up on the CD player (thanks, Sarah!) and I was so overcome anew at how good the news is that:

Out of my shameful failure and loss...

Jesus, I come. Jesus, I come.
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross.

 Could there ever be too many sleeping baby pics?

 On election day, friends came over to play... here are the pics from my real camera.

this pic to me is a flash forward ;)

 This girl saw me cleaning the bathroom and wanted to help.  She actually did a great job.  She was using Windex and I'd already cleaned, so I let her go at it without being too grossed out for her.

 She looks like a little SWEET pre-teen.

 I really love this pic of her little braid, her natural highlights, and her pretty cheek. :)

 Celebrating Holly's birthday with her at the river

 Maw and her little BD

 Pretty Lil on a fall day at a park

October Phone Pics

Seriously, I am not a great blogger.  But I sorta like it.  I don't "crave" blogging like I used to. I enjoy the freedom (altho its never felt like an obligation... clearly) but then when I, every once in a blue moon, upload my pics, I feel I must post them because they are so darn cute and its just fun to remember the little moments.  And I thoroughly enjoy looking through old blog books/posts. :)

This boy becomes a hip baby.  

I really do know/ have known that it goes quickly, but this baby feels exponentially fast.  Like its been the blink of an eye and yet, I know that every day we are in this house & we try to soak in every minute of this long awaited baby.  But it just all morphs together into a blink.  One day closer to eternity and we will be glad it was a blink.

 Last fall, I took a picture like this in the elevator at our OT place. I had a baby bump then.  So when we walked in this fall to see all this goodness, I could hardly believe the joy!

 Snuggling with this guy one morning after the bigs head off to school.

It hit me one morning that OH, in the Lord's timing, I get to spend the whole day with this guy ALONE vs my timing (of years ago) and splitting my time between him and his sibs. :)

 And those lashes and cheeks.

This is the outside view of our window (look at those sun rays!).

I took the kids to my parents at the end of Oct while M headed off with friends. 

This guy got a bath in the sink and is he not the cutest thing?!  That swirl on the crown of his head, and the arm chub.

 Got my craft on in the last hour before bus stop time one afternoon and it made me happy. :)

 More of the lion cuteness...

Brothers

  Peter is such a doting, caring, engaging, proud big brother.

Benjamin has brought such joy into our lives and home.  I mean, he only smiles.  No grumping or complaining, unless there's a legitimate reason.

The pictures are enough.  They are better without words!

 We've been teaching him: "How big is Benjamin?!  SO BIG!"

I could just die at the bounty.

Halloween 2014

I've been getting to go into Lily's class on Fridays when someone can watch the baby to help with a short craft project.  How fun is that?!  I am also the Room Mom, which has been neat as well.  We are at a school this year that is much more culturally diverse than our school last year.  So I have to say I have really enjoyed getting to know the kids.  Going into the year, I thought that I didn't really know much about this culture (or honestly, feel like I had a heart for it, to love them).  So its been sweet to get to know the kids, learn to pronounce their names- they are really beautiful, and feel the love grow for the kids.  And I want to feel like I had a sense for what's going on with the kids since they are no longer with me for a large portion of the day.  

Yesterday, I got to go in for my usual help in Lily's class and then got to read in Peter's class, too.  :)

I am loving the 'kids in school' schedule!  Can I get an AMEN?!

(or maybe its that this week felt extra luxurious b/c we didn't go to OT & TKD)

Here is the sweet scene after school.  They are always so thrilled to see the baby.

 And can't get enough of him.  :)

 Lily likes to run home lately.  Peter half likes to run too and half the time I can convince him to walk with me and hold my hand. ;)

 We carved pumpkins after school.  We've never been early at things like this.  Add in homework, and Friday afternoon it was.  Peter had the great idea of making his into a "jail" and I quickly jumped on carving some straight lines. :)  Lily mentioned hearts so we did hearts and a cross.  It doesn't annoy me as much as it has in the past but I don't love (at all) how we can celebrate "Halloween" at school with witches, mummies, etc but there is only a "winter" celebration.  I was sure to make a point that ours was a "Fall" party.  So we thought we'd go with a 'cross and love' to be light instead of darkness to our friends and neighbors.  I love the dress up and community aspect of Halloween.

 For trick or treating, we had a pirate, a princess (she hoped to be Elsa, but settled for Cinderella), and a lion.  I found Benny's lion costume at a thrift store for $4 and then made the mane.  I found a hoodie in a box of handmedowns and sewed flannel to it and then cut it into strips.  It was nice to have just a small little crafty part for their costumes. 

In Process

There were two main spots in this house that we wanted to have improved.

We wanted to take out the wall b/t our kitchen and family room. There aren't windows in the kitchen (gasp!) because of an addition on the back.  The lack of a wall will allow more light into the kitchen.  There also wasn't a window in our dining room.  That former window became a doorway into a room that's part of the addition.  

Before: 

(family room looking into kitchen)

 (dark dining room)

Progress:

 (windows in)

(trimmed out opening to kitchen)

Things are mostly finished, even more so than these pics show.

The bay window is more and better than I expected, which is always nice.  It's our first time to have a big project like this done.  I was excited but trying to manage my expectations.  The window has proven to be so great (its much more elaborate than I thought it would be).  I hadn't planned it or anticipated it but I feel like with the bay, it reaches out to grab the light for us.  Surprisingly, it gets both morning AND afternoon sunlight!  

I am the painter for this job.  So I have plenty of work ahead of me, also involving caulking and priming.  There are now many rooms that need to painted (I started in on our room during this project.)  Surprisingly, I feel pretty relaxed about it.  When there is more room to spread out, it doesn't feel quite as urgent.  :)