cute girl in new jammies

There's nothing like a cute little girl in new pj's.

I am pretty good at being frugal and resisting the urge to buy lots of cute clothes and things.

But every once in awhile I see something that just looks like Ella, and I just have to get it! I just love these cute new jammies on her!

Please excuse the tired, pregnant, make-up-less mama in the background :) It's been a long week.

Books.

Our kids LOVE reading books with Daddy at bedtime.

Really, they love reading books with us at any time. It is one of our favorite things to do as a family!

Ella used to get frustrated when we read to her, but now she can't get enough! She has her very favorite books, and we must read them over, and over, and over....

Goodnight Gorilla

Are You a Cow?

and

Big Red Barn

are some current favorites.

But mostly Goodnight Gorilla. She is getting really good at "reading" it to me, too! Not that she really talks much at all. But she's got the falling inflection of the word "goodnight" (which is really a grunt) down pat. And she is amazing at the GASP of the zookeeper's wife when she wakes up and realizes her bedroom is full of zoo animals; she is also very good at the gorilla's snore on the last page.

Our Buddy Boy also loves to read. He is getting pretty good at sounding out small words on his own, too! But he loves it when we read aloud to him.

He and I have been reading The Indian in the Cupboard books recently. We are on book 3, and just got book 4 from the library!

These 3 are good book buddies every night, cuddling in Brother's bed. Each kid also has to go to sleep with a few books in or nearby their bed as well, for a little nighttime or morning reading. We often notice Ella in her bed in the wee hours of the morning, quietly reading book after book.

I also find it cute and hilarious the books they choose sometimes. We have this encyclopedic set of woodworking and home repair books that we bought at DI a few years ago. These books are definite favorites of both of these kids. 

How many kids fall asleep reading "Masonry" or "Doors and Windows"?? Ours do. They can't get enough.

friends

I just love these sweet pictures of Ella playing the piano with her friend Abi.

And I can't believe how fast these girls are growing up! They were born six days apart. And now they are both about to become big sisters in the coming months!

Abi's mom, Nichole, commented that they looked like mini versions of us :) (Can you believe how much the girls have grown since this picture was taken??)

We are grateful for good friends!

our little sickie

Sweet Ella has had a stomach bug these past two days (crossing my fingers it's just a 24-hour thing and we're done...!!). We've had lots of cuddle time (today she and I were practically joined at the hip, I held her for two naps - so comfy!), lots of Busytown Mysteries and Dora on Netflix (mostly for sleeping to), lots of baths, and lots of playing outside in the fresh air.

 

Today she played with this watering can for about half an hour straight - I'd fill it up, and she would pour the water out all over her toes. Then we'd do it again.

Feel better soon, Sweetheart!

Why I Love Texas in January

We've been hearing all sorts of things about freezing rain and other crazy winter weather from friends and family in Utah.

Meanwhile, we're outside, sitting in the dirt (and maybe eating a little)...

...enjoying beautiful 75 degree weather!

And these kids are just loving it!

James keeps asking if we can get out the wading pool.

Maybe next month, bud :)

We love Texas!

love multiplied

As my kids grow I am amazed at their unique and adorable personalities; I love that they each have a special place in my heart. I am coming to realize that as you add more children to your family, although you do have to divide your time between them, it's almost the opposite with your love - it really does multiply! They each hold such a special place in my heart, as unique and individual as their little selves. I love each of their little quirks and personalities so much.

I loved watching Ella this morning, drinking milk from her cereal bowl in earnest; long eyelashes, milk mustache, her morning hair all nice and clean from last night's bath. As soon as she downed the bowl she held it out for a refill (actually, refill #4 - this girl is serious about her breakfast cereal).

This sweet glimpse of our girl is in nice contrast to her ear-piercing shriek she has developed just in the last two days. It comes out especially during moments of frustration, particularly while playing with mega blocks (can't....get....them....to....go...on...straight!!), or when bugged by her brother. She also has a new-found fascination with the big-girl potty and particularly with toilet paper. She can't get enough of sitting up there like a big girl, then pulling out as much toilet paper as possible and shoving it between her legs into the potty.

You can almost see the wheels in our James' head turning as he makes and designs things and comes up with all sorts of ideas. His recent love is the show "Mythbusters" - he thinks it is the coolest thing ever, and loves watching all of the crazy experiments and things that they do. You should see the machines and things he designs on paper - I think he's going to be some kind of scientist or engineer someday.

James wakes up around midnight (I haven't yet gone to bed), bleary-eyed and a little disoriented. "Mommy?" he says, then wonders aloud if it's time to get up or not. I take my sweet big boy back to bed, tuck him in and snuggle with him for a few minutes. He is becoming such a big boy these days, yet he still has such a special place in my heart; he’s still my baby. I love that he will still snuggle with me, and that he still waves, blows kisses and calls out “I love you!” (multiple times) from his line of classmates at school when I drop him off each day.

A Great Lady

Today as I was walking by my sewing desk, I noticed the program from my Grandma's funeral (I'm not quite sure why I keep it there, but it's fitting since she was quite the seamstress). I realized that today is her birthday - she would have been 87 years old.

My Grandma was quite the lady. Always singing, a song for every occasion. You could say anything and Grandma would break into a song that related to what you said. 

Songs that remind me of her - "Bushel and a Peck," "The Trolley Song" (zing zing zing went my heartstrings!), "Side by Side" (hers and Grandpa's song), "Jim" (she once told me that this song was a bit of a joke between her and Grandpa when they were dating - something about Grandpa - Jim - giving her a bouquet of wheat instead of pretty flowers).

Grandma LOVED to sew. I remember her sewing closet with pegs for all of her thread, every color imaginable. She used to make us matching dresses when we were little. She made the blessing dress that I was blessed in and Ella was blessed in. In memory of Grandma, Ella wore one of the little dresses made by Grandma to her funeral.

Our family at Grandma's funeral - Ella in a dress sewn by Grandma

She passed on her love of sewing to my mama, who passed it onto me (at least I am working on learning...you can't let a legacy like that go to waste).

She was a great cook. I have memories of her in her kitchen frying tacos for the whole family. 

She loved old movies. Several times she'd have all of her granddaughters over for a double feature of an old classic movie and a modern remake (like "The Shop Around the Corner" and then "You've Got Mail.")

She never complained (even with years of declining health) and she LOVED to laugh. One of the funnest things was to get Grandma to laugh really hard. My favorite memory of her laughing is one evening she was over at our house, and I played for her the piano piece "Flying Leaves" (which is the English translation; my family lovingly calls the song "Loose Bladder"  based on the German title). The song consists of phrases of fast eighth-note runs followed by some quarter notes and then ending on a staccato note with a big rest at the end. My Dad loved to slam doors and cupboards in time to the music, right on that last note of each phrase, and thought it was just hilarious. Well, Grandma was over for dinner and I played the song, during which my entire family slammed anything and everything in the house that would slam shut at the end of every phrase. I don't think I have ever seen Grandma laugh so hard. She was just crying. 

She and my Grandpa are such wonderful examples to me - of a wonderful marriage, of raising a great family, and of dedicating themselves to serving the Lord. They served a mission to Ireland together when I was a preschooler (we lived in their house while they were gone). I love these two!

This is how I remember and picture my Grandparents.

Leaving for Ireland. I'm the cute one on the very left.

Jonathan and I had the opportunity to live with her in her home for a year and a half, and I will always cherish those times we had together! We moved in right before James was born. She LOVED watching James grow, and even though he can't really remember it, I am so glad that he got the chance to see his great-grandma on a daily basis.

She loved having our little family there, and we really enjoyed spending time with her. Some favorite memories from that time include:

Watching the entire Gilmore Girls series together!

Asking Grandma questions about her life and hearing all sorts of stories about her boyfriends and all the guys who wanted to marry her (quite an impressive number, if I recall!)

Playing Uno and Yahtzee

The way she called Jonathan "George"

Feeding her dinner most nights - we had the same favorite meal, Souper Meat & Potato Pie

Bringing little James upstairs to visit her a few times every day - he learned to stand holding onto her walker

Realizing that I inherited her loud sneeze - thanks Grandma!

I am so glad that she could meet Ella when we visited last Christmas. She sure loved her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. These are dear pictures that will be such a treasure to have.

So, Happy Birthday, Grandma! We hope you had a wonderful party with Grandpa up in Heaven. :) 

We love you!

Gwen Glenn | 1926-2012

my girl

Could this little girl be any cuter?

As I was cleaning applesauce off of her face, arms and hair tonight, we chatted and read the words on the wall (she points out things on our wall and likes us to read them to her - like "home is where your story starts" and "The Family: A Proclamation to the World"), and then she started giggling and shrieking and splashing in the water. I just love being a mama! 

As we played in the bathroom I remembered a great post I read the other day about the importance of getting IN the picture with our kids, so they can look back and see how much their mama loved them as they grew up - and got Daddy to hurry and grab the camera. It's so easy to stay behind the camera, but what a treasure to have more pictures together. This girl is my little buddy. We girls need to stick together!