Blessing Bags!

A few weeks ago, we got together with our fun playgroup friends and made Blessing Bags.  Shelley read about these bags on a blog and shared the idea with us.  We loved the idea.  Todd and I are in the middle of reading Francis Chan's Crazy Love with our small group.  It is intense and quite possibly the most challenging book I have ever read.  It has left us searching for opportunities to love the way that Christ loves. "He gave us something for which we could never repay.  Him.  And then He asks us to keep giving like He gives."  Making these Blessing Bags for the less fortunate in our community was a great opportunity to get our children involved in answering the Lord's call for a spirit of giving.

We each chose five or six items and brought six each of them. Toothbrushes, lotions, chapstick, tuna packets, deoderant, peanuts, a pair of socks, etc.  Then we laid them all out on the table and the kids divided them into gallon ziploc baggies. 

Now, we will carry our Blessing Bags with us in our cars so that when we come across someone in need- along the side of the road, in a parking lot, or elsewhere we will be able to hand them our bag of essentials and hopefully provide a blessing in their lives!

Thanks Shelley for the great idea and the fabulous pictures!!!

Daddy's Home!!!

Todd got home from his trip to the Grand Canyon last Saturday and there couldn't have been three happier kids. I was pretty excited to have him home too!!  They immediately started climbing all over him and telling him all sorts of stories about what had been going on while he was gone. 

Then he pulled out all the special treats that he got for them while he was gone.  Starting with water out of his Nalgene that came out of a spring in the Grand Canyon!!!

They were a little more excited about the books, puzzles and stickers that he brought for them.

Goggles!

The kids got these goggles with the toy lawn equipment that my mom gave them for Christmas.  We haven't been out playing in the yard much since then, but we did recently discover the fun that the goggles have to offer! 

Movie Night!

Todd went to the Grand Canyon with a friend last week.  They drove all the way there, hiked down to the very very bottom, camped out for two nights and climbed all the way back up.  His pictures and videos are incredible.  His stories and accounts of the whole thing are even better.  I love him and his adventurous spirit!  I was worried about a whole week without him home with us, but we did great.  The kids definitely missed him.  His car was parked in the driveway and every single time we got back home, a chorus of excited, "Daddy's home?!?!" came at me from the backseat.  I had to keep reminding them that he rode in Bobby's car, so his car in the driveway didn't mean he was going to be inside.  One day, when it started getting dark outside, Laney said, "Yes!  It's almost nighttime!"  I asked her why she was so excited about nighttime and she said that it was because each night meant that she was one day closer to Daddy being home.  So sweet, it made my heart ache!

One of our nights home, we decided to get jammied up and  have a movie night, which could also be defined as an episode of the dreaded Fresh Beat Band accompanied with our new bean bag chairs and some yummy popcorn.

 Sam wasn't feeling quite as snuggly as Laney and Miles.  A little more sprawly.

 We had the cozy benefit of our new slippers!!!

Books with Bobbis!

We often times get surprise visits from my mom whenever she gets off work a little early.  It is a treat for everyone.  I love talking to my mom and my kids love playing with Bobbis.  My friend Elizabeth recently gave us this precious book called Little Miss Spider.  It is a sweet story about adoption, and I don't know how I have not fallen in love with it before now.   Miles and Bobbis are here, in the process of falling in love with it too.

Sam introduced Bobbis to a book he loves about tractors!

Building Towers!

Laney and I were building towers the other day while the brothers were sleeping.  She was really loving it.  It cracks me up how some toys can see almost no action for months and then, all of the sudden, they are completely loved again.  These legos are experiencing a burst of love lately.  Laney requested a picture with our construction!

 Then she really wanted to take my picture with it.  And she wanted me to hold the pole to her umbrella just like this. 

Playing Around!

One day, last week, I picked Laney up from school and her whole class was "skating" around the classroom on paper plate ice skates. Laney was desperate for me to buy some paper plates, so that she could replicate the fun that she had with her friends!
All three of them were sliding all over the kitchen, but I only grabbed my camera in time to catch Miles Man in action.

My kids love to dump out the big legos that live in this bin and turn it into their car. It is pretty cute. I love hearing their vroom vroom noises and seeing those silly smiles. (probably won't have any repeats of this car game while the lego box is on top of the coffee table.)

No room for a third passenger. We need the SUV size lego bucket!!!
Loving this sister/brother playtime!

Tessie's Party

Tessa had a friend birthday party at Build a Bear back in December. We didn't get to go because Sam had a high fever, but the Goods picked up Laney and she got to go celebrate with her sweet cousin!
Laney was somewhat anxious while in the Build a Bear store. Evidently the bear stuffing machine was way too loud for her! Luckily Uncle Jack was there to hold her the whole time and make sure she was okay.

They went upstairs to ride the carousel and eat lunch. Laney had so much fun!! I wish that we could have been there!

Snow....ish!

While we were at church on Sunday it started snowing. I picked Laney up from her Sunday School class and she was so so excited about the falling snow.  By the time we got home from church and ready to play outside, the snow had let up a little and was kind of rain/snow.  Kind of a mess and definitely not for snowball fights and snow angels, but they had lots of fun out there!