Today...

Today I spent a good portion of my time with this girl and her brother.

We enjoyed a slower start to the day, followed by errands and donuts at the park. The rest of the day was spent at home doing things like rollerskating, napping, reading a few books, coloring, and shooting hoops on the mini basketball hoop that's become a semi-permanent installment in the middle of my kitchen.

These days that seem so simple are a treasure to me. The business of having young children at home is challenging and refining...but it's also a delight. Days like today...with a slower rhythm...serve as a reminder of how much I love being a mom. Thank you, Lord, for calling me to this life.

The past 2 months...

Two months, friends! It has been way too long since I've given a thought to my little blog...are you still there? Since I last posted, I think it's safe to say we've emerged from the doldrums of winter. Although, we're actually having a snow day today. In April. God bless the Rocky Mountains and their fickle spring weather. Yesterday we were playing in the backyard in t-shirts. And we'll probably be back out there by the end of the week. But, today it's all pajamas, forts and Easter candy while the wind and snow rage outside. I quickly pulled out a few favorite pictures from the past couple of months to share with you...I know I'll never go back and actually post about each individual happening, so this is it....our February and March in a few favorite shots!

Ah, this boy...my little Truett. He is growing up so much. He makes me laugh, he keeps me on my toes, and he provides great entertainment for our small family. He's my snuggle buddy, he loves to color (endearingly, he calls it 'yellowing'), he's recently discovered the wonder of bugs in the backyard, and he plays basketball almost all day. Really, the kid is obsessed with sports, and is surprisingly singularly interested in balls. He knows the difference between a basketball, soccer ball, golf ball, football, baseball...he takes a ball to bed with him, wakes up asking to 'shoot it', is quick to point out any object resembling a ball while we're out and about. I'm not sure if this obsession will stick, but for now we're enjoying his exuberance over all things sports.

Maren continues to live in her little pretend world where she takes the best care of her babies. I'm sad to say her imaginary friends (Sokie, Beboke, Hoha, and Deets) are making fewer appearances these days. August continues to be Maren's favorite doll, followed closely by the twins, Rainbow and Brett. Yup...she's got a doll named Brett. I think it's hilarious. We spend lots of time doing crafts together, and my sweet girl has recently discovered how fun girls nights can be...we enjoyed a night out, just the two of us, and had Chinese food (per Maren's request...she wanted egg drop soup!) followed by Easter shoe shopping. Maren has a creative way of thinking about things and of talking about the world around her. She asks thoughtful, interesting questions. I love the little glimpses I'm catching of a more grown-up girl. She is a treasure.

I love this picture so much...not sure what they were looking at, but Truett's morning hair and our family pal, Bo make quite the pair.

We had a fun little visit back in February with my brother's family. We didn't see much of the kids, since they were up to their own antics somewhere in the basement most of the time. See that little bundle in the middle? That's Isaac and I was sure to get some good baby snuggles in while they were here. Cousin visits are the best!

Hey, there's my best friend, Jaime! We spent a few afternoons making a quilt for her baby girl...who will arrive any day now! 

And, Easter! What a gift to have a sunny, warm day on which to celebrate the Resurrection!

An Easter picture with 2 smiling kids! These two make life so full...I realize I say this often, but it is a gift to be their mom. They've each taught me so much, even in their few short years. 

It was a special treat to have my parents here for Easter this year. They drove in from Michigan on Saturday afternoon, and spent a week with us in Colorado.

Us!

After my friend, Naomi, shared about visiting the baby chicks at the local farm store, I knew we had to go. Maren and Truett both LOVED the baby ducks, geese, and chicks.

Please note: Maren dresses herself most days. She was also wearing pink cowboy boots. I think she wanted to fit in at the farm store.

Brett took a couple of days off while my parents were visiting, and we spent a day in Woodland Park. We started at the Dinosaur Museum, had a delicious lunch at our favorite greasy spoon, and took a drive through the mountains.

And, this is my view almost all day. Truett, of course, got a basketball hoop for Easter, and it somehow ended up in the kitchen. As it turns out, the pantry door is the perfect place for a hoop!

 I imagine you all are enjoying the early signs of spring wherever you may be. I'll do my best to write again before June...until then, happy Tuesday!

Oh, mercy

 What a day...Truett was sick earlier in the week, and I was relishing in the fact that the rest of the family had escaped this bug unscathed. Boy, was I wrong. We went to a friend's house this morning, and not 5 minutes after we'd arrived, Truett threw up all over me. So, we packed up and headed home. Ugh...some days are so rough. Brett came home for lunch and after he left I was looking forward to a little quiet time while the kids napped. Wouldn't you know, about half an hour into nap time I heard an ominous sound coming from upstairs. It was Maren...getting sick all over the hallway and bathroom. Poor, sweet girl just looked at me with sad eyes and said, 'sorry.' So, I got to spend the remainder of nap time scrubbing the carpet and wiping down the walls and floor of the bathroom. This motherhood business is not glamorous, and it's certainly not for the faint of heart!

So, we've spent some quality snuggle time on the couch with Netflix Kids and orange popsicles this afternoon...counting down the hours until Daddy comes home and the weekend begins.

I have this amazing friend, Jaime, and she brought over some Pedialyte popsicles for the kids and a little treat for me. Yup, she's a keeper.

Today I was thinking of how awful it would be to have sick kids, and no way to help them get better. Even on sick days, God graciously reminds me that it is a blessing to have clean water, extra clothes and sheets, friends who drop off treats, and a Godly, loving husband who will be here any moment.

A gift of calm

Truett was under the weather yesterday. He napped most of the day and went to bed for the night around 6. Poor guy did not feel good at all. Illness tends to befall us at the most inopportune of times. However, the further into this journey of motherhood I get, the more I am attempting to embrace what each day brings. Clearly, I would never wish sickness upon either of my children. Still, I am seeing God's grace and goodness in each moment. Unlike Maren, Truett turns into a cuddly, snuggly little boy when he feels sick. He spent his few awake hours yesterday in my lap resting his sweet head on my shoulder. Sure, I had lists of things to be done, but God had other intentions for how I would spend my day.

There are things to be learned in the calm, quiet moments of daily-bustle-interruption. I was able to think about and pray for some friends I know are hurting. I was able to enjoy some loving from my typically-busy-beyond-belief boy. I read some books...with pictures and without. Most of all, I was reminded of the sweetness that comes when we slow down a bit. 

Friends, don't wait for a sick day to bring pause to your daily happenings. Take a break today and make time for some stillness. Enjoy just sitting with your children. Read and listen to music. Watch and listen for the Lord to teach you something new. Often times, we simply need to quiet down a bit to hear His voice.

On loss, grace, and being a mom

Last week was an emotional week for me. If you know me in real life, you might be surprised to hear it. I guess I am able to hide emotions when I feel like it. Also, as an introvert, sometimes I find it best just to mourn quietly. It was what I needed to do last week.

I had tea with a dear lady from my church on Monday, and I cried through a good portion of our time together. My intent was to talk with her about potentially leading a Bible Study for some women in our church. We ended up sharing about loss...which brought on the waterworks. She listened and hugged me and made me feel safe and loved. Turns out God new exactly what I needed in the moment.

Last week was the week that our third baby would have been due. I was just nine weeks pregnant when we found out that our baby no longer had a heartbeat, but of my 3 miscarriages, this was the hardest. We had seen our baby through an early ultrasound, and had even seen the heartbeat just a few days prior. I'm amazed at how much bonding can happen in just a few short weeks. We went from being shocked and surprised to planning what our life would be like with a third child. For five weeks I threw up every day, dreamed about having a fuller, nosier home, prayed for strength to somehow know how to parent 3 children with 2 being just 19 months apart in age. I made the difficult decision to stop nursing Truett because of some medication I was on to help with the health of the pregnancy. So, losing a baby at 9 weeks left me deeply hurting for all that might have been.

Thankfully, my God is one who restores. As Brett and I have learned countless times before, God's grace is sufficient to carry us through the most difficult of seasons. A long-time favorite verse of mine is:

2 Corinthians 9:8

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

Last week we experienced record highs here in Colorado. The kids and I spent lots of time outdoors, and it was refreshing for all of us. I like to think that it was a little gift from the Lord during a week when He knew I would be hurting.

I was also reminded this week of the miraculous gift that both of my children are to our family. The Lord alone is the author of life...and it is a privilege to have been called to serve as their mom. 

Truthfully, it seems like many days right now tend towards the longer, harder end of the spectrum. I'm learning to parent and discipline Truett. At 19 months, he's full of energy and brings plenty of challenging and puzzling parenting moments into my day. Don't get me wrong, he is an absolute delight. But, if you've been around a 19-month-old boy for any length of time, it's likely you can relate to the bursting-at-the-seems-energy-and-curiosity-and-general-craziness that fills my days. At the same time, Maren is starting to care more about her stuff and her space, which proves to be a difficult combination along with a curious and exploratory little boy. We're learning and growing together. And God is so gracious to grant me the patience and wisdom to face each new day. But, wow, do I ever need His guidance right now!

Happy Monday, friends. Thank you for sharing in this journey with me!

Oh, and Brittany...you won the giveaway! I'll be in touch shortly with the details!

Lately...

I don't know why it's been so difficult for me to get into the habit of writing in this new year. I suppose life has just been a flurry of activity...and I have so many things rattling around in my head these days. It's hard to know where to begin.

I've been reading this book:

I don't recommend picking it up unless you are prepared to be profoundly challenged...and changed. Honestly, I can't say much about it quite yet. But it is pushing me towards growth in a magnificent way. Also, it's taking me a long time to read. I am typically able to make it through just a few pages before I need to set the book down in order to engage in some serious thinking and praying. But it's good...so very good.

Brett and I also embarked on a reading-the-Bible-in-a-year plan. I've never done this before. Should I be embarrassed to say that as a 32-year-old? Truthfully, I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about the whole practice. To me, it seems to take a fair amount of time, without allowing for much in-depth study or contemplation. (At least during this season of life...as a mom of 2 small children, I just don't have hours on end to spend daily in the Word.) The time I do spend with the Lord is so precious...but often brief and/or interrupted. I welcome the interruptions, as I know this is the season of life which God has called me to at this time.  So, all things considered, I'm reading the Bible through in it's entirety this year. The discipline has been good for me, and I am learning and growing. I'm especially looking forward to when the time comes to read through books I'm less likely to visit on a regular basis. Have you done this before?

I've spent a significant amount of time thinking about my Etsy shop. I'm hoping to make some changes in the coming month or so. I have some new products to list...and I'm researching some ways to get more traffic. The changes aren't really for me, though. I've been feeling a tug to give more away...we've been blessed so incredibly. The Lord has given me a passion for creativity...and time at home with my children. I'm praying about ways I can better use the resources He's given me to honor Him. I'll share more about this as it unfolds.

Well...if you're still reading, thank you!

How about a little giveaway? I've been doing more letter-writing this year, and I'd love to send one of you a fun little package. So, leave me a comment about something you're reading or learning about right now, and you just might get some fun mail from me next week. I'll announce a winner on Sunday!

Washi Tape Birthday Cards: A Tutorial in iPhone Pics

Good morning, friends. And happy 2013.

I've got a week's worth of posts in various stages of completion (or non-completion)...waiting to be finished. I intended to start the year off with some sort of deep, introspective post. Instead, a little washi tape tutorial. There you have it. And I'm using phone pictures. Welcome to the new year.

I ordered a collection of these cute washi tape spools from Le Box Boutique a while back, and have loved having the variety to play around with in my packaging. Stick around until the end of the post...I might just have a little discount code so you can pick up some washi for yourself.

One of my goals/plans/intentions for the year is to be better about sending birthday cards...good old-fashioned-post-office-mail. We're also trying to make better financial choices (hello, my husband is a banker). So, I spent a bit of time in my craft room last week making up a little collection of birthday cards to have on hand.

If you're human, you probably can look at a picture and figure out how to make these, but I'll go ahead and show you what I did.

1. Stamp something fun onto a gift tag...you could swap out any stamp to make a more generic card.

2. Choose some coordinating washi tape, and rip off a big piece to adhere the gift tag onto the card.

3. Add a second smaller piece of tape for a little added interest.

4. Wrap another little piece of washi tape around the envelope, just for fun.

5. That's all. So easy...but cute, right?!

You could also add some baker's twine to the top...

...embroidery thread would work, too.

So, go visit Lacey's shop: Le Box Boutique and use code OHWRITE10 for 10% off your purchase. Lacey sells washi tape by the foot...so you can start or add to your collection with some great variety.

You'll also find inspiring packaging supplies like these pillow boxes...

Happy shopping!