ten smile tuesday

this most definitely encompasses more than just the past week...but i suppose you will have to forgive me...i'm not sure where one day ends and another begins these days! :) we had a fun-filled whirlwind week of VBS last week...and while i had a blast helping out and the girls had a blast hanging out, i must admit i am thankful for a more restful week this week to relax a bit and catch up around the house! hopefully i will have time in the next day or so to work on a post that has been rolling around in my head the past few days...related to the motives of the heart...particularly when it comes to "mommy-hood"...inspired by our sermon this past sunday. but for now, i simply share some smiles!

1. a freezer stuffed to the brim with yummy food...preparations for both now (when i find myself exhausted most days) and after the baby arrives. mike has joked with me that i must stop cooking and find some other outlet for my nesting instincts...as we are really and truly running out of freezer room! the latest additions to the freezer were our favorite berry waffles (and i must brag on my husband...though i mixed the batter, he was the one manning the waffle iron!) and these oh so delicious pigs in a blanket (and my variation...'lil smokies in a blanket...a quick breakfast solution, which has been a huge hit around our house!)


2. the joy of dessert...kate was quite delighted by this pudding cup...and whats better than an ooey-gooey chocolaty grin! :)
3. VBS...elizabeth LOVED her week of VBS....incredibly creative crafts...lessons saturated in Biblical truth...having bike parades during recreation time...the gospel fuzzies (and she is loving walking around the house singing the song to go with her fuzzies). she woke up every morning eager to skip out the door and into her classroom....this little smile plastered across her face. almost makes me wish VBS was two weeks long...but oh my, not sure i have enough energy for that! :)
4. our annual neighborhood ice cream social...and a husband who was loving enough to walk home alone to get the van in order to spare an exhausted, swollen ankled mama the walk home!


5. afternoon naps...seriously, can't get much better than that these days!

6. delightfully (and unseasonably) cool weather...it feels more like spring or autumn around here lately. how lovely to open up the windows and feel the breeze...and to actually enjoy sitting outside on the porch in the evenings, playing with (or watching) the girls. one evening we even enjoyed a nice cook-out on the back porch...a nice change of pace since the heat had me pretty much hiding out inside!

here the girls are trying to "plant" the flowers (err..weeds!) they picked in the garden...as you can see, we didn't quite get around to planting the garden this year...but there's always next year!

7. a Saturday morning home alone...mike took the girls and met his parents at the zoo--giving me the chance to simply put my feet up and relax for the entire morning. it was fabulous...and definitely much needed after the week of VBS. and i just might have ventured out for a trip to the local bakery for a fresh-made donut for breakfast while there wasn't anyone around to ask for a bite...just maybe!

8. our evening at the county fair

9. having our dear, dear friend miss jill (not to be confused with aunt jill!) and a few of her friends visit our church sunday morning. it was so enjoyable to catch up...even if briefly. it did make me wish we were a wee bit closer on a regular basis!

10. this fabulous CD...i mean FABULOUS--encouraging, mellow, worshipful...i can't stop playing it!

11. ...and in the next few days/week i am anticipating the arrival of the girls' bunk bed, the pedicure i just scheduled this morning (even better that most of its cost is covered by a gift-card...and oh my, you ladies know how much i am looking forward to this since i can't even reach my toes these days!), a date with my hubby, and even tonight's dinner...an experiment of sorts, a ham, provolone and honey mustard "stromboli" wrapped with pretzel bread instead of pizza crust...

and well...i'm sure there are about a million more "smiles" i am forgetting, but for now, dear friends, elizabeth's interest in her play-doh and cookie cutters is wearing thin, and while miss kate (who turns two in just two weeks--can you believe it!) is tucked snugly away in bed, i think i will snuggle up with libbers for some stories...and then we will turn in for a nap of our own!