ten (er...thirteen) smile tuesday

can you believe another tuesday has rolled around already!? before we know it thanksgiving will be here...then Christmas...and then a whole new year! my oh my...time flies! after thursday's "emotional" post and then a friday of being completely wiped out by some stomach bug i'm glad to be feeling a bit more like myself today...even found the energy to get up and work out this morning. anyway...i think i could come up with ten smiles just from the past two days...so here we go, counting the many blessings of the past week in our little fam.

1. moonlight strolls...the kind including the whole fam...even mugho. its crazy how early its dark these days...but this was a nice chance to get out of the house before the really cold weather set in, and the huge moon fit well with "m" week! :) (it was only 6:30 in the evening when we went for this walk...but it felt like 9:30!) i love how kate leans over and helps walk mugho from the stroller...

2. loving words and encouragement. so many of you left such dear and genuine comments...you are such incredible women...who definitely bless my heart in so many ways. not only that, but God has been so gracious to bring phone calls, hugs, and those "how are you really doing?" questions just when my heart needs it the most...and that is on top of His Word that is always accessible for comforting and encouraging.

3. a thumb and a blankie. sweet kate...we've finally discovered the source of her recent bouts of clingyness and tears...four molars....all breaking through at once. our sweet girl has been extra attached to her blankie...even to the point of toddling to her room, fishing it through the slats of the crib and then dragging it along with her throughout the house. poppy...she'd be making your heart melt! :) i'm loving that of all the many blankies she has, she chose the one i made for her...makes a mommy's heart smile! :)

4. the sweet blessing of growing closer and closer with my big sister...we weren't always close, which makes it all the more precious to my heart. i'm so thankful we are friends and that we're able to call on one another for both the fun times and the emotional ones. i know i've mentioned her lots lately...but seriously, this has been such a precious blessing to my heart. love you me-shell! :)

5. some deals and steals. i headed out of kroger yesterday with all this loot for just $5....that includes 3 things of tylenol, 3 containers of huggies wipes, 2 packs of TP, 2 4 packs of activia yogurt, 6 cans of carnation evaporated milk, 3 canisters of oats, a box of vital wheat gluten, and some chips...a 96% savings over regular price!

6. my loving husband who let me simply rest and relax friday when the "icks" took me out. my husband who bears with my restlessness and does things like journey out for shopping and chick-fil-a on saturday evenings. my dear sweet husband...striving to grow as a husband and daddy...loving us, serving us, leading us, bringing us laughter and smiles...

7. this fun little spa basket that arrived yesterday...compliments of a giveaway over on nancy's blog.

8. spending the afternoon with my mom and grandma yesterday (or as the girls would say, grandmommy and GG). they stopped by before heading to the airport so GG can fly back to florida. we've been SO blessed to have her closeby this summer, and it is incredibly precious for me to have my girls spend time with her...creating memories...i will never forget oh so many special moments with my own GG. GG...we'll miss you while you are in florida...and look forward to lots more smiles together when you head back up to the north! :)

9. spontaneous cuteness. i love, love, love when my girls play together happily...even better, when they play happily together with me...the icing on the cake...photographic proof! :) elizabeth was sitting on my lap, telling me a story, and kate came over and climbed right up with us...we giggled, we tickled, we loved...and daddy grabbed the camera to snap a shot of his ladies!

10. the peppermint chocolate milkshake from chick-fil-a....YUM! i splurged and tried one of these saturday night...it. was. delightful.

11. these socks...just waiting to become Christmas mini-sock monkeys...i can't wait to whip one up and show you...and i'll be adding some to my etsy shop just as soon as i do that. and, i'm thinking they'll look adorable peeking out of the girls stockings (right next to the black apple dolls i plan to make them) on Christmas morning...the perfect compliment to our handmade Christmas for the girls attempt. (have i told you that my hubby dearest is planning to carve them gospel blocks and perhaps craft some cars and pull toys...i'm SO excited!).

12. wrapping up some leftover cinnamon rolls to stow away in the freezer for a sweet treat some morning. i made these for my Bible study brunch this morning, and it makes SO many...even after leaving some for the nursery workers i had enough to "savor" for later!

13. my girls. the source of so much joy and laughter...the mirror that has revealed so much of my own sin and "ick"...the sweet little blessings who can clutter a completely spotless room full of toys and books and "stuff" in ten seconds flat. elizabeth and kate, you keep me on my toes...to say the least. sometimes you even bring me to tears...but, girls, i LOVE you...aside from your daddy, you are the most incredible and precious gift God has ever decided to bestow upon me. i love you...sticky fingers, runny noses, ornery moments and all. i love your 'nuggles, your tickles, your kisses...your sweet words, your zest, your twinkling eyes and your compassionate hearts.

candid giggles with my matching girls...

{i love that elizabeth wanted kate to sit on her lap...this CRACKS me up...mostly because kate is quite nearly as big as elizabeth....as in just 3 pounds lighter and a few inches shorter...what i love just as much, kate sat there...yes, my movin' and shakin', busy, non-stop girl simply sat there...as if enthralled by the fact that her big sissy wanted to love on her...PRECIOUS!}

i could go on and on with smile...isn't our God just like that...on what feel to be some of my roughest and most down days and weeks, He is so faithful to shower His mercies upon me through the "little things". oh Lord, may i never lose sight of those "little things"...the ones that really matter...the ones that heap up and pile together and flood over the edges of my cup-o-blessings.