Ten Smile Tuesday

What fun it was to check-in today and find comments on my post from those who hadn't been able to comment before! It's ten smile Tuesday though, so I will get right to our smiles. (By the way...I've had people ask if I mind if they "steal" the ten smile Tuesday idea...and I definitely don't!...by all means, start posting your ten smiles...and let me know because I would LOVE to come by and see what you are smiling about!)

1. HOPE. I have shared some about our struggles in adjusting to having two little ones...and to be honest, I think much of that struggle was our frustration and exhaustion when it came to discipline with Elizabeth. This week I was so blessed to have one of my friends (one who is so full of incredible biblical wisdom and counsel) walk me through some "training" when it came to getting Libs to sit in her chair and actually eat the dinner we placed before her (I know...this might sound silly, but it was becoming SUCH an exhausting daily battle...and one that we were not experiencing much success with!). Though it was a long battle, it was a HUGE turning point for us...one that ended with a MUCH happier Elizabeth and a renewed sense of hope and purpose for me. Mike and I have spent much time this week thinking, talking, praying, and reading about (really just getting more serious about things we already knew...just weren't doing really well in practice) biblical discipline and training. Isn't it amazing how doing things God's way brings such hope, encouragement, and relief...I'm telling you, this has brought about a much happier Elizabeth.

2. A freezer FULL of food. I mentioned my church cooking night yesterday, and let me tell you, it was such a fun time. I worked the sweet BBQ meatball sandwich (think stromboli) station with one other gal. We made a grand total of 72 meatball strombolis...meaning we had the privilege of spreading out 72 balls of uncooperative dough! :) How exciting to have our freezer stocked with 28 tasty, homemade, ready-to-go at a moments notice meals to enjoy...or share with others who are in need of a meal!

3. A lovely afternoon out with my husband dearest. We enjoyed a lovely lunch at Maggiano's with a gift card (always nice to eat for "free") and then some time just being together as we browsed through some stores. Mostly it was great to just have the chance to connect without the girls and really talk to one another. Equally nice was knowing that while we were enjoying this time together the girls were enjoying some special time with poppy and grandmommy!

4. Rolling over...Yep, she did it! Friday Kate finally flipped from her tummy to her back on her own...and then last night she mastered the art of getting to her tummy from her back! Hooray! Of course, she mastered the back to tummy roll for the first time when I wasn't looking...just like her sister did. I was in the kitchen getting stuff together for my cooking night, and when I looked over she was on her tummy...though I knew she had been on her back. So I flipped her back over and watched as she immediately worked her way right back to her belly! Go Kate!

5. Felting my stockings (I'll post pictures in the next day or so!)....and the time spent with my mom while doing the felting.

6. Having Mike home with us all day Friday...after he'd put in a long week of overtime. Mike and Elizabeth enjoyed some special time bouncing at the Jump-n-Play Friday morning!

7. A barking pug dog. Yep...Mugho is back to himself...barking, playing ball, eating treats, tugging with Elizabeth. So glad he is feeling better!

8. My new look. I picked up my new glasses on Thursday, and I'm excited to have glasses I actually don't mind wearing now and then. I've always been a huge chicken about picking out glasses on my own...I always love the eyewear others pick out and think it can look so "fun" these days (my husband is probably laughing right now as he reads this..."fun" isn't the word he would apply to clothing or accessories!)...so I finally got brave!

9. Our little singer...I know I mentioned this one yesterday as well...but, seriously, it is so cute. Elizabeth sings constantly these days...her favorites, "Jesus Love Me" (she wowed the nursery workers at church by singing it word for word), the "B-I-B-L-E" song (the other day I could hear her upstairs singing (well, shouting really) this one to her animals before she fell asleep for her nap), her ABCs, and "My God is so Big" (complete with super exaggerated motions...what a card!). It is really amazing what she picks up...in the car this morning she was singing along to a song on one of my CDs (thats a smile in an of itself...we weren't listening to the Veggie CD!) and getting the words perfect!

10. Rice krispie treats...especially when made my Mike and Elizabeth...so fun to listen to the two of them working together. Of course, ELizabeth was thrilled to have the "marshmallow treat" for dessert as well.