Thanksgiving

We listened to the story of the first few thanksgivings in our country while we drove to grandma's house. It was so good to be reminded of the value of thanking and praising the Lord for his provisions in difficult times. Thanksgiving is really a meaningful and wonderful holiday.

We then got to take part in a lovely family gathering. There was feasting and merrymaking. It was a good day.

Photo credit must go to my brother and my mom. Thanks, guys!

And I'm not a Black Friday shopper. I don't think I've ever been out on that day. But I needed some fabric, and I'm glad a went! Flannel for a $1.74/yd! What a deal!

We love Grandma's house! Always a good view!

30

It's just an arbitrary number. But this year's birthday has me a little bit contemplative at the very least. It feels a tad like youth is behind me. But I'm sort of looking forward to wiser years ahead, God willing. 

It was a lovely day, regardless of the deep undercurrents. And all we have is today, anyway! I got to snuggle in bed with my baby girl while my husband made me breakfast and tea. Such a relaxing morning. And that loveliness was followed by a browse through my very favorite store and fish and chips at another favorite restaurant. Then, we discovered a new bakery! So much fun in one day! 

That last one shows Evie's present to me. She gave me a pair of her stick-on earrings. :) She treasures them, so I felt quite honored. 

My baby is FIVE!

I'm not sure how it happened, but Evelyn Grace is 5 today! Where did that tiny baby go? I still remember two days after she was born, sitting in the hospital waiting for Daddy to pull the car around. I looked into that tiny sleeping face, and I knew a new love. It hit me with a wave of tears. I had never loved like this before. It's unexplainable until you feel it, and when you do, you know. A mother's love. Evie-girl, I thank God that He let me feel that love for you. 

Her day started off with balloons and presents and her special requested breakfast...get this...YELLOW oatmeal! Ha! She cracks me up!

A puzzle!

Special socks!

Winding up her very own paracord "just like Daddy."

She shared a piece of her bubble gum with me, and I tried to teach her how to blow bubbles. 

The sticker earrings were a big hit!

This is a magnetic building set. I got a kick out of the "garden" that Libby built and garnished with fancy socks. 

The day continued with a piñata party with our wonderful friends from up the hill (although missing our other set of hill-dwelling wonderful friends!). 

And it was here, right when I went to record a video of Evie blowing out her candles, that my phone said, "sorry, lady! I'm out of memory! No more pictures or video for you!" Ah! The timing!

So I have no pictures to prove it, but fun was had by all, and my big girl got to celebrate with her buddies. She even got to go pretend ice-fishing with her new hand-made flies and lures! Thanks, friends! 

It was a lovely day for my girl. 

Breaking the oatmeal fatigue

My middle girl is not a huge fan of oatmeal. I don't blame her one bit. But my oldest loves it, and it is economical. So they eat it for breakfast a lot! Anyway, every now and then I have pity on Libby and try to shake things up a bit. Today's version used cocoa powder and rainbow sprinkles. It went over quite well!

Fun with hair and other happenings...

As my mom pointed out recently, my girls' hair has become an outlet for creativity. It's just FUN for me to figure out something new or try a creative idea I find online (the cutegirlshairstyles YouTube channel has been a recent source of tons of beautiful do's!). 

Here are some of the latest experiments:

Lucy has been showing an adventurous side lately...

Evie has discovered the joy of picking out her clothes AND her sister's clothes...

She is also getting more creative in her artwork. 

And here was an afternoon project:

I think my photography needs some work, because despite the amateur  artists, the leaf wreaths turned out quite pretty. This picture doesn't do them justice. 

And that pretty much sums up the last month!

Happy Saturday, y'all!

Better Late Than Never

Lucy Irene is 7 months old!

She brings me such joy!

Quiet Days

When I was single, I used to call them my quiet days. 

I'd hole up in my room with a book or a movie or my journal. I'd put on "elasta-pants" (as a good friend used to call them) and a sweatshirt. I wanted peacefulness around me. Candles. Worship music. But the most common factor to those days was the lack of human interaction. 

Some might say that makes me an introvert...the fact that I'm recharged by these quiet days. I probably am. But there was probably a hormonal quality to those days too. I've had my share of lessons in hormones since those days. Since then, I learned that there really are hermit hormones! Did you know that prolactin (a breast feeding hormone) can actually cause a woman to feel like secluding herself and her baby from the world? 

Regardless of the cause, I have my quiet days. Only these days, they certainly aren't quiet. How does an introvert recharge with three chatty girls to tend to? Well, I haven't figured that out yet. But in the brief moments that I do have alone with my thoughts, I think this lack of quiet might have something to do with denying the flesh and relying on Him. 

He knows my needs. AND He made me mommy to these adorable noise-making, inquisitive creatures. 

I don't have this figured out. I fail. I fall. I snap at my girls. I sigh. I repent. I ask for strength... For wisdom and endurance. I receive. I hug that girl. I squeeze out a kind word. I hold back that rebuke. I resist the urge to hide my head under a blanket. Ha. Maybe not quite literally. But I get the sense that I couldn't do even that without Him. 

For the mommas out there serving their babies when they feel like hiding, I hear ya. I don't have the years of experience to have the whys and how's of all this, but I know there is purpose in it. 

And while I wonder, He has given me three undeniable blessings at which to marvel. 

They may be loud, but they are precious.