happy things.

*snow fall on a Monday morning. It provided such a pretty view of the sky out of my home office window... and an even prettier view when seeing it melt on the street. ;) I love snow up until about January, but am not quite ready for the first blizzard yet. This light snow was pretty and perfect.

*fall cleanup Sunday. Cody had a free Sunday since the Bucs were the Monday night game this week. He and the boys spent a couple of hours outside cleaning up the yard while I stayed inside and cleaned up the house. It felt so good to be productive and get things done... it doesn't happen a lot in the Fall with our busy football schedules. Our yard was a mass of heavy leaves thanks to the big trees on our lot. I love those trees in the Summer as they provide a lot of shade and actually lessen our cooling bill, but they tend to make a big mess! Jaden learned how to use the leaf blower and the big riding lawn mower (with Daddy of course), and by the time they were done, I could see my green grass again! While they worked outside, I focused on the little projects inside that had been accumulating -- specifically, our basement. This basement of ours gets used a lot and serves a very important purpose as playroom and football-watching man cave. However, it's also an area of our house that I find myself avoiding spending time in. It's been a hodge-podge of football décor, Panther décor, and random décor -- none of it matching. Throw in a lot of toys and disorganization, and it just hasn't been a place that I have felt content in. I'm working on changing that. First off, Jaden and I went through all of their toys and picked out things for them to give away before Christmas (all the while talking about giving/receiving) -- and making room for the new stuff we will get this year. After that was done, I rearranged all of our décor down there to make it more cohesive -- moving some of the décor to the upstairs to our kitchen and bedroom and getting rid of items that just didn't even make sense. I finally settled on a theme and colors -- red and black for Cody's Tampa Bay Bucs and AP Falcon interests (it is his man cave, after all) -- and because we've received some pretty nice gifts over the years that go along with that color scheme. I'm looking forward to finally making that a focus for some home decorating, and it's amazing how much more comfortable I already feel in my own basement now. Just in time for the winter months and cabin fever!

*speaking of the basement... Cody acquired this shelf for free from a guy that was just going to throw it away. I immediately knew we needed to use it downstairs for our games and puzzles as the boys are getting more interested in playing and learning board games, and I wanted them to be easily accessible to them. The addition of this shelf to the basement added a more cozy feel, as well -- and it even provoked a Sunday game night downstairs. It works fine as is for now... but I have future plans for some white paint and some decorative paper backing on the inside.

*parent lunch at the daycare. Our daycare throws a lunch every year for the parents of the three, four and five year olds. Last year we attended with Jaden, and this year was Brandon's turn. The kids all make a table decoration that we can bring home with us, and Brandon was in rare form --- so excited to have Mommy and Daddy eat lunch with him while surrounded by his buddies. He was a little chatterbox - while eating all of mommy's fruit and sharing his chicken sandwich with Daddy.

*my little office art gallery. Brandon is our little artist in the making and is so proud of his coloring and projects he works on at preschool and daycare. He always wants to hang his pieces up somewhere the minute we get home at night, and he spreads the love between his room and my office. He knows where to find the tape in my desk drawer, and he takes it upon himself to hang his pieces up along the wall right next to my desk chair.

*a Christmas card order. I planned and designed our cards in October knowing that Shutterfly usually has a huge discount on cards in the early part of November. Sure enough, their 40% off sale was going on in addition to free shipping -- and I received a 20% off gift code in my e-mail -- all sales expiring on the same day. In total, I saved 60% - and received the free shipping -- for a savings of $51.00! Another item checked off my holiday preparation to-do list!

*a surprise check in the mail. We paid off one of Cody's student loans this fall and apparently over-paid a little bit, resulting in a surprise reimbursement check in our mailbox this weekend. Just in time for Christmas shopping. His timing... :)

*speaking of Christmas shopping, I have begun... and already have a few items in hiding from the boys!

*and speaking of Christmas... the anticipation of holidays is a very happy thing right now. I have some fun and exciting ideas and plans up my sleeve, and I'm looking forward to cozying up in our little snow globe and living out the magic of the season. Life is good!

Wordless Wednesday

when daddy's away//november nights

 

"skyscrapers are THIS big Mommy!"

thankfulness and reflection

"What I am doing, you do not understand now. But you will understand later."

- John 13:7

This past Friday afternoon, I received some really good news that I was not at all expecting. In a way, it kind of rocked my world a little bit, and I've been in a fog ever since. A good fog. But one that I haven't come out of yet. And I think part of the reason that it has shaken me so is because I feel God in it so much. I feel like that phone call had His hand prints all over it. I believe it's true what they say. When He seems most silent is when He's working hardest on your behalf. When you're wondering where He is in the chaos of the day-to-day, He's putting your puzzle together piece by piece until it all fits together in a way that you couldn't have completed on your own.

"God is making things happen for you. Even when you don't see it, even when you can't feel it, even when it's not evident... God is working on your prayers."

And the timing is just wild. In the last two weeks, not only have Cody and I received big news, but good things have happened to both of our families that shows when one door closes, another - often times better one - opens. In November. A month that already serves as a reminder to be thankful - a season filled with red holiday cups, twinkly lights, Christmas wish lists and happy traditions.

I believe it to be so true - an answer of "no" to a prayer is often because He is protecting you from less than His best. His timing is never my timing but it's always better. He is the best story writer. So many "no's" have turned into even better "yes's."

I don't know exactly what's next. But I know He knows. He's already blessed me in ways I never would have been able to imagine. And so in my foggy state of mind, I wait. Knowing He's got this.

"Have patience. God isn't finished yet."

-Philippians 1:6

my favorite halloween

It's no secret that I don't get into the Halloween hype. It's never been my favorite, and if I didn't have kids, I'd probably ignore it altogether.

But this year was one for the memory book.

Our boys loved it. They were BOTH the perfect ages to really get into it... both old enough to take part fully but still young enough to find immense joy in it. They loved the Halloween specials on TV all month, picked out their costumes a couple months ago and frequently tried to scare each other and Mommy at random moments all month by shouting "Boo!!!" whenever the opportunity presented itself.

And the day of Halloween... giddy happy all day long. Nothing is better than seeing so much excitement on your kids' faces and hearing it in their speech. I have wonderful memories from this year's Halloween that I know I will cherish one day when my kids are no longer trick or treating and I'm the one handing out candy to other parents' littles.

My favorite memories of Halloween '13...

*both kids deciding a couple of months in advance that they wanted to be Ninja Turtles. They have fallen in love with the original movies from the '80's, and luckily the turtles are making a comeback so I had no trouble at all finding a costume for each of them. It's pretty nice when you don't have to come up with a costume idea on your own. Next year, Jaden has decided he wants to be a football player, and Brandon wants to be Superman. We'll see if that sticks. :)

*surprising Brandon at his preschool costume parade. He didn't know I was coming, but since I had a light day at work, I decided to show up at the last minute. When I got to the church, they were just lining up in their classroom, and when he stepped out into the hallway with his costume on - the second in line - and saw his mommy standing there - his face was priceless. Sweet, innocent, happy. He grabbed my hand, squeezed tight and asked me to walk with him in his class line throughout the entire parade of the church. He wore that costume proudly, and when the church staff and other grandparents and parents commented on that "cute Ninja Turtle" his cheeks would turn a little bit pinker. When the parade was over and we got back to his classroom, Mrs. W lined the kids up for a class picture. I thought he would be a little upset to leave my side but he proudly took his place with his class and smiled from ear to ear for all the cameras that were going off. When I had to say goodbye, he gave me a little kiss, an "I love you" and went to sit down for carpet time. I could tell that it meant so much to him to have me there, and I'm so grateful for a job that allowed it. He'll only be three at Halloween once.

*Jaden's class party. I didn't remember doing so, but I apparently signed up to be a parent "party helper" at Kindergarten registration in August. So at the end of the school day, I went to Jaden's class and helped 20-some Kindergartners put on costumes, open juice box straws, tie shoe strings and answer the same questions a dozen times - "Are you a mommy? Are you Jaden's mommy?!" Those kids were so sweet - still at the age where they will soak up love from whomever will give it to them. It didn't matter that I wasn't their mommy... I was someone's mommy. One little boy kept calling me Nicole as if he'd known me his entire six years. I later found out that his mom's name is Nicole - so he must have felt extra comfortable with me. ;) Jaden also was so happy to have me there, and I soaked it up -- knowing that it won't be quite as cool to have your mom help out in your classroom when you're in sixth grade. :) When the school day was over and kids were getting on their coats, I got to watch Jaden complete his "job" that he had applied for a couple of weeks ago. My little chair helper diligently stacked those chars on top of each desk - not distracted at all by the chaos around him. His teacher whispered to me how grateful she was that he was actually doing his job in the middle of a party!

*Arriving at my mom and dad's before trick or treating. The kids were full of energy and so excited to tell Nana and Papa all about their day and the evening ahead. They both ate their Happy Meals quickly because they knew as soon as they were done eating, it'd be costume time. Brandon's excitement bubbled over as he repeatedly exclaimed to my mom and dad, "WAIT until you see my costume!!!!" It was a huge difference from the last few years when Brandon was hesitant to put his costume on at all. And when they were all dressed up, I actually got them to pause for pictures. This is the first Halloween where they both have been ready and willing for me to take a few, and that in itself made my night.

*the actual trick-or-treat part. Not shy this year at all, they marched from house to house - learning about only going to the houses with the lights on - ringing doorbells or knocking on doors. Brandon loved it when the doorbells were low enough for him to actually reach them, and both kids did a great job of actually saying "trick or treat!" and "thank you" at every house that opened its doors. We didn't go for too long - it was cold! - but they came away with more than enough candy, and the turtle costumes were a hit with everybody that we ran into.

 

*post trick-or treating. This was more fun than the actual event. We warmed up over our buckets of candy and let the kids each pick just a couple of things to eat right away.

 

 



*and their favorite part of the whole night. Handing out candy themselves when the doorbell rang. They took this job very seriously, and we let them do this for about an hour. They had a system down - Jaden would open the door and close it - Brandon would put one thing of candy in each visitor's bag. He was so in the zone with his job - he was polite but so in awe of everyone's costumes that he never said a word to any of the trick-or-treaters that he handed candy to.

*Brandon sneaking candy for his own bucket. When there was a break in the action, he would put on his most mischievous grin, grab one thing of candy out of my parents' candy bucket, and sneak it into his own bucket. When it was time to wrap it up for the night, he wouldn't leave his spot at the front door. I jokingly told him that since Halloween was over, Santa was now watching him very closely. He whipped his head around, eyes big, to look out the window. He literally thought he would find the jolly old man standing in his red suit right there in the driveway. So funny!

And now... we get to look forward so many more good things. Tonight, the boys and Cody are getting fitted for the tuxes to wear in James and Cassi's wedding in a few weeks. Thanksgiving is coming, Christmas trees are coming. And our first gift of the season has already been bought and is hiding in my office closet. Bring on turkey and stuffing and Peppermint Mochas! Happy first day of November... where is the time going?!

"Kow-a-bunga!!!"