Creating

Just finished a Christmas present that I'm SO excited about! Wish I could post it, but I can't yet because I know this person's mama reads this blog...

I have to say it is much more calming to make my presents in my living room than to go shopping this time of year! :) At least once my children are asleep that is!

thankful

thankful for my Savior's love and grace that covers me and surrounds me. thankful for second and third (and forty ninth) chances. thankful for new beginnings and old friends. thankful for little boys, their unadulterated laughter, and even their dirty shoes. thankful that He knows what I need long before I realize.

thankful for these boys.

Craft Night

Last Friday night, Jamie, Erica, and I had a craft night! Pizza, brownies, candy, soda, sewing machine, ribbon, scrapbook paper, leaves, laughter = good times together! You can see Jamie starting to teach Erica how to sew in these pictures.

Xavier and I had picked up leaves a couple of weeks ago and dried and Mod Podged them. Erica and I strung them to make a garland for my fireplace.
I got two other projects done, but I can't show you yet! Jamie made 10 burp cloths with fabric and ribbon sewed on for her booth at a craft fair in December. We stayed up until 1 am talking and working!

Halloween

Halloween is not too big of a deal to us. That being said, we had 3 different opportunities to dress up--at our Little Lambs playgroup on Friday morning, Trunk or Treat at church on Friday night, and a little trick or treating with his dad for Xavier on Saturday night. Here are my boys!

When I asked Jordan what he wanted to be for Halloween, he told me he would to wear Xavier's hand-me-down costumes for, oh, the next 7-10 years. How convenient. Thanks, Jordan! He is wearing his costume here on Sat. morning at the LHSN district cross country meet.

Notice Xavier's handmade treat bag made by his Aunt Jamie! It had an "X" appliqued on one side and a pumpkin on the other.

Xavier LOVES his helmet! Thanks for the costume, Grandma Hill!

Happy Birthday, Rebekah!!

Xavier also wishes you a happy birthday, but he says to tell you that he no longer participates in any type of posed photo shoot and to instead refer back to this.

We love you!

Silly boy

Today in the middle of church (combined Reformation service for the North county churches), Xavier decides he's ready to leave. He pats Grandpa's leg and says, "Stay here, Grandpa" and tries to walk away.

Pumpkin Patch

Two weeks ago we went to the pumpkin patch with my parents and Erica on a rare day this October when it was NOT raining. (It was already kind of muddy then and it's rained SO much since then!) But we live about a two minute drive from Thies Farm and I'm so glad Xavier got to go to their "Pumpkinland" on a nice (albeit a little cold) day! Jordan stayed sleeping inside his stroller except for a few pictures. And I did take a LOT of pictures that day! Here's some of them (okay, it's a lot, but Grandma in California who has never been to a pumpkin patch is waiting to see them)!

Big tire that spun around...Xavier would have just stayed in here the whole afternoon!


And Erica could have done this all day...and she pretty much did!

Big tire swing

Sitting at the top of the slide...smiling in anticipation (notice the lady behind him wondering when he's going to finally go!)


Smiling down at Grandma

The maze for little ones


Loving the big slide with Daddy..."Again?" (must have gone down a dozen times!)

This picture makes me mad. Seriously mad. I have so many perfect pictures of them together. But how often is there a good picture taken with me in it?! Ha!

Nope, it doesn't happen. I even changed out of sweats in the off chance that we could get a family picture. Should have just stayed comfortable ;)

Jordan says what the heck is going on?! (Nice shoes...thanks, Aunt Katie and Rylee!)


Ready for a wagon ride

Smiling at Aunt Erica who was swinging with him