buddies

look at that kick!

One day this week the kids were banished sent outside after school while Porter napped, and Landon got a game of soccer going. (To make the teams 'fair', Landon was a floating player between teams who helped whoever had the ball at the moment :)

I love those times (even when they are just moments)  when the kids are such great friends to each other. We got home today from picking up Ellie and Owen from school, and they headed straight downstairs to work on a secret project together. Those are just the sweetest times!

Bikes

Today I'm thankful for my great little bike buddy Ellie and for our fun family bike rides. Yesterday we were biking downtown for a family 'date night' dinner out. Some time along the way I noticed Ellie and I were both humming out loud, our own little tunes - two happy girls :)

This afternoon we all ran our Saturday errands together by bike, and enjoyed maybe one of our last warm Fall days. (Though I feel like we've been saying that since mid October, so maybe there are still many more beautiful days to come!)

We're loving our perfect bike set up and have had such fun on our family adventures this summer and fall!

Also today, a little yard work, a Saturday morning sleep in/ made by Jordan special breakfast for the kids, backyard soccer, tidying up,  and playing with the Brough's at the park + a fun dinner out.

My family

"Jordan, Porter, Owen, and Ellie Landon Love Debbie" (Ellie and Owen's secret project today)

I'm so thankful today for this family of mine that I love so much too!

New Computer!

new computer + (my favorite part) a new colorful case

I'm thankful today for my new computer! When I stopped teaching, we bought a white macbook for me (the same type I'd used as a teacher). Eight years later, after saving up for a few years and then waiting, waiting, waiting... finally, I lost a deal with Jordan and his prize was for me to finally make the switch to a new computer -  change is hard for me even when the change is a fun one!

I'm still in the process of moving everything over, but I'm liking it more and more. Besides being super fast (and new and shiny!), I only had to charge it once last week (which is about a million times improved battery life from my old and dear computer :)

Sleep

sleeping  Porter, 2 weeks old

When I was pregnant with Porter, I read a sweet blog with a phrase that jumped out and played on repeat through my  mind for months (though now amazingly I can't remember it exactly!) It was something like this though

"Babies are meant to rock our worlds for a little while."

And goodness, this little Porter rocked my world :)

I can't say for sure whether he was our worst sleeping baby yet (but if not, he certainly came in a close runner up to baby/toddler Landon), or if it was just 8 years without sleep that finally brought me to my breaking point...

But, oh! this year without sleep was sure hard on me.

And now that we're to a more livable routine (still up a few times most nights, but quickly calmed and back to sleep till at least 5:00 most mornings), I feel overwhelmingly grateful for the sustaining power of prayer through the hardest days. And when I wake up in the early morning every once in a while and realize I've slept all through the night, (like last night, woohoo!) I still want to celebrate every time!

Also, I'm grateful for such soft and warm pillows and blankets to return to after each Porter wake-up call. :)

Owen's Reminders

Owen, our happiness maker

Today I love...

Owen's reminders for me to be the kind of Mom I want to be. More than I wish, I'll get upset and it will be only a moment before Owen repeats back to me my own instructions (completely gently, innocently and happily) "We need to use kind words. Even when you're upset it's important to talk kindly." And, oh I'm grateful for those sweet reminders!

Also, I'm thankful for the happy time I have with just the little boys after Ellie and Landon are off to school. Today, we played Alligator and Lion and Porter (the one and only roaring Alligator) and Owen (the Lion who patiently waited to scare me until the Alligator could find me too) followed me around the house, finding all of my hiding places with roars and a race to the next hiding spot. 

A sweet goodnight

Oh, I love this boy!

For a long time, I've had the habit of checking in on the sleeping kids with a 'Mama loves you' and a kiss before I go to bed. The last little while I got out of the habit a bit and have had to remind myself to do it. Last night I was heading to bed early and almost just climbed into bed, ignoring that reminder in the back of my mind. But I'm working on just doing those good things I know I should/want to do,  so I took the minute to go in and say goodnight to my sleeping little ones. A kiss for Owen and Ellie and then to Landon who surprised me, still awake. "Come here" he whispered, arms around me in a hug "You're the best Mom in the world." What a sweet ending to my night.

Brownies/Sharing the Gospel

image

A sweet older lady at church shared her testimony a few years ago, and I've remembered it so often since that I thought I'd finally write it down. Mid-testimony she stopped and said something like this,

"Now, since I have you all listening, I want to tell you all something. I have discovered a delicious brownie recipe! I've been wanting to share it with everyone I know because they are just the best I have ever had and so easy, and here it is -- it's the recipe on the back of the box of the Duncan Heines brownie mix! And I promise they are just the best brownies I've tasted and I'm so happy that now you know too! And you know, this is just how I feel about the gospel. I love the gospel and I just want to share it with everybody I love and really everybody I know so they can enjoy it just as much as me!"

Also, along the same idea -

A Normon's article about why we share the gospel

Elder Bednar's great Conference Talk (with his sons' funny story which has been told in our Sacrament meeting a few times already :)

Though I'm not the greatest example of sharing the gospel, I do love it and I'm grateful today for my testimony and the strength it gives to my life.

Windy day

Sometimes I can't believe we live in such a beautiful place!

Today I loved...

Jordan gathering up the kids and taking them outside to play in the wind. (And Owen fighting the wind with a great big stick, and how the wind eased up just as his fight began so he felt like a true save-his-family-from-the-wind kind of superhero.)

Also today -  an early morning trip to the temple, lots of yard work, leaf raking, house cleaning and toy sorting, hot dogs for lunch + a Sam's club trip, a much needed nap for me (plus more leaf raking for Jordan), and a loooooonnng kitchen sink bath for Porter while we cleaned/took turns supervising.

Happy November!