is it really december 10th?

i'm trying my best to be intentional with the boys this year as we celebrate advent. i planned something to keep us focused on either christ, our family or others for each day of december. it hasn't gone as smooth as it sounds but i figure a 60% success rate is ok with a 2 and 4 year old.

here are the first 10 days...in no particular order:

we made cookies. they tasted ok but were totally ugly. i had to take them to a cookie exchange and it was horrible. i may not be invited to participate next year ;).

i read luke 2 with kellen

we enjoyed hot chocolate with giant marshmallows...kaysen liked it a little bit too much

we bought a christmas tree. it's a super cute tree and very special to me. we didn't think we were going to have a tree this year so this gift is very meaningful. it's symbolic of many many amazing things that have happened to our family this season. 

we delivered food to a local food bank. there were many many many mothers there with strollers picking up food for their families. in. my. town. something to think about.

we delivered a handful of christmas cheer packages

we made paper snowflakes that we hung from the ceiling. they looked pretty for 13 seconds until kellen started beating them down with a stick. ripping them to shreds. awesome.

we watched christmas movies

we went to story time with santa

we opened our new christmas book

we've also made a few christmas gifts and decorated our home - kinda. pictures later.

it's a blueberry morning

happy monday morning!

we thought we would kick off a fun-filled week with a yummy french toast breakfast- just the way my boys like it.

sourdough bread with a splash of vanilla, pampered chef's cinnamon blend and fresh blueberries, of course!

served on a nice white plate at the table for wonderful morning conversation...

NOT

this is how we roll...

on the floor!

stealing eachother's food.

yelling.

spilling.

i can't believe they were using forks! ;)

i can believe kellen threw his mouth open for the picture!

thankful

i've noticed a sad pattern in my life.

i'm finding i spend much of my days consumed with things that rob me of the simple joys God has blessed me with. i think way too much about bills, cleaning, weight loss, others opinions of me and our future.

tonight i caught up on a blog i started reading a little over a year ago. written by a mom. i found her blog shortly before the plane crash she was in with her husband. tears streamed down my face as i reflected on the past year of her life. i realized how much i really take for granted. i have to evaluate where my soul is and how i would respond to such heartache and trial.

i have today and i praise God for that. my life can be simple, if i allow it to be. God's been way too good to me and i praise Him for sparing me from what i truly deserve.

today. praise God for who He is and how He has blessed your life.

(all photos taken by "sneaky sam" aka kellen)

i always find his photographs when i upload.

i always wonder where i was during the shoots!

sneaky sam alright!

check out the nie nie blog...it's on my left sidebar

my new addiction

I discovered TEAVANA a few months ago and have been hooked since first sip!

They have something for everyone and will custom blend the perfect tea for your tastes and needs.

Can you see all of that yummy fruit? I wish you could smell it right now!

I like my tea SWEET. Experienced tea drinkers will tell you to dump the white sugar and honey because it's hides the flavors in the tea. I use this German Rock Cane Sugar. It's unrefined and delicious!

Here are some of my favorite teas right now:

Fruity Diet Blend

Frutto Bianco Pearls White Tea

Pear Luna White Tea

Sweet Fruit Garden Herbal Tea

Plum Harvest Herbal Tea

Zingiber Ginger Coconut Rooibos Tea with 

Apple Lemon Pomegranate Rooibos Tea

...just to name a few!

 I'm studying the amazing health benefits of drinking tea. I'll post as I go!

Stop by your local Teavana and have their experts custom blend a tea for you.

break is over

So. What the heck have we been up to?

Honestly...SURVIVING! 

I've been cleaning up some of this (Kaysen's crib):

Cleaning up some of this (playroom):

I'm happy to announce it finally looks like this...not decorated yet, of course:

Oh, and this lovely morning I came downstairs to this (Kaysen again, of course):

And I can't continue without mentioning the glitter spill we had last week. Picture hasn't been uploaded. Please just use your imagination.

I've been in pure toddler boy mode since the move. It was quite an unexpected adjustment. I haven't baked, created, cleaned, decorated or cooked anything to toot about since we moved. 

I'm back now though...

Until next time...check out some summer goodness from Kaysen as we premiere his (nearly) 1st time surfing just days ago at Doheny:

check these guys out!

you are special today

today was a BIG day. kellen went poo in the tiolet.

it took 3 1/2 days...but he did it.

i was so excited that i cried.

then he got the treat he had been working for....an m & m cookie.

i thought it was worthy of the "you are special" plate.

kaysen LOVES potty training.

he also got an m & m every time kellen pee'd.

i wasn't going to cut him off on this glorious occasion.

bra-tee got an m & m cookie also!

i'm sure he was thinking...

"hey, this potty training stuff ain't so bad!"

it's been a draining week.

i need a nap...or a coffee...or a drink now.

peace!