i've intended to blog several times in the past time. i've actually had a lot of bloggity thoughts started...more serious, thoughtful posts...but every time i sit down i just can't find the words (or the time to actually process). and so, here i am, on tuesday again...recapping our week via ten smiles. in the past week or so i must admit, i am "fighting" for joy...fighting to delight in the little things, the little moments...to not be consumed by how the days sometimes run together...the way the kitchen is a disaster ten minutes after i clean it. i'm fighting to remain...to receive the grace He offers each and every day...to remember that when mama feels sick (and mama does!) it is okay to slow down, to not be as "productive" as i might like. and friends, it is a fight...isn't it?! a fight to choose to believe God and not this world...to believe Him and the enemy's whisperings in our ears. and so i smile...
1. ...about thing like the sunshine outside my window...and the hour between lunch and naps we spent out in that sunshine...sidewalk chalking the driveway, running up and down the sidewalk, jumping, giggling, picking up jilly's toys as she dropped them out of reach again and again. joy.
2. ...about our double date night last week. we enjoyed a game night "in" (on a rainy evening no less...making it all the more delightful to just stay in other than dropping the big girls at the sitters)...pizza, games, good conversation...while our children enjoyed some time playing with friends. (oh...and some oh-so delicious brownies with peanut butter frosting provided by this sweet lady)
3. ...about sink baths. jillian had her first successful sink bath friday night (i attempted once before...not sure what i was thinking because she was NOT sitting up on her own super well at that point...so that plus a slippery sink was not a good combo!). she LOVED it...giggled, grab everything, splashed. and, honestly, being able to bath her sitting up in the sink is a fabulous thing these days since she is so into gumming on frozen waffles or crackers while we eat dinner...which is, of course, messy....and means more frequent need for cleaning! :) she has also added sweet potatoes, butternut squash, yogurt, and applesauce to the foods she enjoys...and she will tolerate sweet peas and carrots, though they still need a good many bites of banana in the mix to keep her interested. banana remains, solidly, the number one food in jilly's eyes
4. ....about "painting on the back porch season"....seriously excited about this one!
5. ...about "Ee" week...elephant masks(that is what kate is painting above), egg hunts, Humpty Dumpty (because he is an "e"gg, after all!)...and culminating the week by dyeing and decorating eggs saturday. (the girls did a FABULOUS job this year and really enjoyed it)
(daddy and jilly helped too!)
6. ...about a saturday morning outing with my kater gator...love me that spunky lil' wild child!
7. ...about family movie nights.
8. ...about a church that preaches the Truth...even when it is the kind of Truth that pierces you right to the heart...the kind of Truth that makes you uncomfortable and convicted...the kind that ultimately brings you to your knees before Jesus.
9. ...about some tasty new recipes we've tried lately...baked potato soup, spaghetti pizza, and shepherd's pie...all healthy versions...and oh so delish...elizabeth favored the shepherd's pie (even leftover!) and kate ate three helpings of spaghetti pizza the first night we served it! we've also been savoring lots of delicious fresh fruit...plums and pears and even some strawberries...yum!
10. ...about marshmallow fish. this was this morning's project...after all, we've moved on to Ff week. both girls had a blast...and jillian enjoyed hanging in the highchair watching. i was amazed that they finished the entire outline of their fish before even thinking about tasting one marshmallow. we also read about Jesus feeding the five thousand before starting this project... and, yes, they did thoroughly enjoy eating the remaining marshmallows in their bowl when we were finished. (and i found out that perhaps my eyes are going...those orange and pink marshmallows are super hard to tell apart!)
and that...dear friends...is a bit of our last week. i've also put the finishing touches on their Easter dresses, and i'm looking forward to a mommy night out tomorrow with a couple of friends. our little life...in a nutshell!
1. ...about thing like the sunshine outside my window...and the hour between lunch and naps we spent out in that sunshine...sidewalk chalking the driveway, running up and down the sidewalk, jumping, giggling, picking up jilly's toys as she dropped them out of reach again and again. joy.
2. ...about our double date night last week. we enjoyed a game night "in" (on a rainy evening no less...making it all the more delightful to just stay in other than dropping the big girls at the sitters)...pizza, games, good conversation...while our children enjoyed some time playing with friends. (oh...and some oh-so delicious brownies with peanut butter frosting provided by this sweet lady)
3. ...about sink baths. jillian had her first successful sink bath friday night (i attempted once before...not sure what i was thinking because she was NOT sitting up on her own super well at that point...so that plus a slippery sink was not a good combo!). she LOVED it...giggled, grab everything, splashed. and, honestly, being able to bath her sitting up in the sink is a fabulous thing these days since she is so into gumming on frozen waffles or crackers while we eat dinner...which is, of course, messy....and means more frequent need for cleaning! :) she has also added sweet potatoes, butternut squash, yogurt, and applesauce to the foods she enjoys...and she will tolerate sweet peas and carrots, though they still need a good many bites of banana in the mix to keep her interested. banana remains, solidly, the number one food in jilly's eyes
4. ....about "painting on the back porch season"....seriously excited about this one!
5. ...about "Ee" week...elephant masks(that is what kate is painting above), egg hunts, Humpty Dumpty (because he is an "e"gg, after all!)...and culminating the week by dyeing and decorating eggs saturday. (the girls did a FABULOUS job this year and really enjoyed it)
(daddy and jilly helped too!)
6. ...about a saturday morning outing with my kater gator...love me that spunky lil' wild child!
7. ...about family movie nights.
8. ...about a church that preaches the Truth...even when it is the kind of Truth that pierces you right to the heart...the kind of Truth that makes you uncomfortable and convicted...the kind that ultimately brings you to your knees before Jesus.
9. ...about some tasty new recipes we've tried lately...baked potato soup, spaghetti pizza, and shepherd's pie...all healthy versions...and oh so delish...elizabeth favored the shepherd's pie (even leftover!) and kate ate three helpings of spaghetti pizza the first night we served it! we've also been savoring lots of delicious fresh fruit...plums and pears and even some strawberries...yum!
10. ...about marshmallow fish. this was this morning's project...after all, we've moved on to Ff week. both girls had a blast...and jillian enjoyed hanging in the highchair watching. i was amazed that they finished the entire outline of their fish before even thinking about tasting one marshmallow. we also read about Jesus feeding the five thousand before starting this project... and, yes, they did thoroughly enjoy eating the remaining marshmallows in their bowl when we were finished. (and i found out that perhaps my eyes are going...those orange and pink marshmallows are super hard to tell apart!)
and that...dear friends...is a bit of our last week. i've also put the finishing touches on their Easter dresses, and i'm looking forward to a mommy night out tomorrow with a couple of friends. our little life...in a nutshell!
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4 comments:
Look at you, beautiful mama, creating so much beauty and health and love. Love your lists so much! We are in it together, Amanda. Letting go because of kindness. :) Love you. xo
your smiles are making me smile. oh how i need to blog more!! i hear ya on the "fighting" for joy...oh boy am i there with you!
the pics are super cute. we attempting to eat more healthy over here as well...going pretty good.
i have to say...you sure come up with some creative crafts for your letter weeks!!
Sweet sweet pictures and smiles! Keep fighting for that joy because it is so worth it:) Have a wonderful week!
Your smiles make me smile. :-) See? I love that I can see your special tea towel in your kitchen...that Jilly was so excited to have a bath...that you've had a good date night, and a girls' night coming up...and excited to see the girls' Easter dresses! I'm sure they are beautiful!
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