ten smile tuesday

apparently it wouldn't be ten smile tuesday around here without a million and one pictures! i tried and tried but just couldn't pare them down more than this. though it isn't that much easier per say, i think they girls are both at such fun stages...so many fabulous moments to giggle, savor and share in together. here is the weekly slice of our little life.

1. "Great God Who Saves" by Laura Story....my current fav cd (current meaning, well...today...and surely for some time to give). my friend jamie just passed a copy on to me...you really should go here and have a listen.

2. coasters...i've been working on some of these for MOPS speaker gifts...and some to add to my etsy shop (i promise that someday soon i'll actually put something up for sale...really!...and when that day comes i'm even planning a giveaway on my blog...someday!)


3. MOPS. our year of MOPS started thursday. so great to get back into the swing of things....catch up with moms i haven't seen since last year...meet new moms (and babes!)....enjoy a fab brunch....see the fruits of our planning. good stuff.

4. an impromptu afternoon with mike's parents. we ended up meeting them downtown for a saturday afternoon lunch and then strolled on over to the zoo. it was a gorgeous day to be outside; we even sat outside for lunch. (and this day out led to one pooped kate and one goofy elizabeth on the ride home)




5. the start of "E" week...and what better to kick it off except that "E is for Elephant"...and Elizabeth, of course! elizabeth had a blast helping with the lacing and gluing of this critter.


6. E also stands for eclairs....we whipped up a batch of these puppies yesterday afternoon....a treat for daddy (who is working lots of overtime) to take to work to share with his co-workers. "aunt" jamie and elizabeth worked hard to pipe the filling into the pastries while kate, alex, and mugho looked on waiting for scraps! these were delish...(of course jamie and i had to test them before sending them out the door...and i did send some home with jamie as well....)



7. bargains. you all know i love a good buy...even better when it involves shoes....and even better when they are super cute shoes in just the right size for elizabeth's growing feet. i picked these puppies up for $2.50 at kohls on sunday night....they were the only pair left and just happened to be just right for libs....who proceeded to tote her box around the store as proud as a peacock!


8. those shoes were just perfect for elizabeth's ever expanding bike-riding skills. seriously, i feel like in a matter of days she's riding like a champ all by herself...steering to stay out of the grass and everything.



9. jackets and jeans. i must admit that i am more than slightly ready for fall...for jeans and long sleeves...for autumn leaves and cool breezes....applesauce making and pumpkin patch visits. when i heard the weather report for today and the temp this morning was in the 50s i was thrilled to bust out the cutie jackets GG bought the girls. elizabeth was thrilled that it had a "hat"...and kate, well, she was just enthralled by trying to peek her hands out of the sleeves. i know she is super blurry in the first pic...but i just LOVE elizabeth smile and had to include it. as for the jeans part...there's just something about little ones in jean. i think kate is fascinated by her legs being covered, as she just keeps running her hands over the fabric again and again!







10. a girl and her mugho pug....i was sitting on the floor reading a story to kate, and when i glanced up this was what i saw (so, of course, after savoring the sight for a moment...and almost crying at the sweetness of it...i grabbed my camera). you can't see it through the window, but they're watching the train pass by...and you can't hear it, but elizabeth is launched into a full scale intense conversation with mugho. in fact, she is telling him all about the lyrics to "mighty to save" (from smile #1)..."mugho...my God can move a mountain. my God is mighty to save. mugho, Jesus conquered the grave...yes, He conquered the grave." precious moments to cherish...makes the frustrating moments worth it all (because yes, though i am not mentioning them in my "smiles" we do have plenty of those around the yak house!).


oh how i could go on...our lovely walk last night...a bridal shower for my dear friend lora...rain landing on our parched lawn...an organized hallway linen closet....the grain mill and fresh, farm grown whole wheat headed our way...my hard working hubby....friends....oh how blessed we are.

but i leave you with this wild and crazy reality...see this face and these feet....can you believe that this sweet little girl turns three in less than a month!? craziness i tell you! i'm so up in the air about her birthday...she is old enough to get it...old enough to have requested a "choo choo birthday party"...and yet i'm still not sure what we will be doing. with an upcoming wedding, crazy work schedules, family out of town (with their own schedules) i'm just not sure when to do something or what to do...but oh how i long to have a celebration for sweet libs....how i long for her to have a day filled with hugs and kisses...balloons and cards....shiny paper and bows....and so i will keep thinking and planning. any ideas!?