Grateful

Blessings this morning:

*crisp mornings

*fuzzy socks

*being organized

*the laundry being caught up (even if it is only for a day, or an hour...)

*children who decide to sleep late

*a few moments to myself before the day really begins

*happiness

I have to put the things that I am grateful for before I put what I am  not.  It seems like the right thing to do.

Not a blessing:

*t.v.  (The source of so many arguments between myself and a certain 5 year old.  Anybody have this mastered???  He can lose his mind over it and I feel like the battle is so redundant and yet, necessary.  I do not want him to value that time over time spent using his imagination and being active.  I feel like I have tried everything... So. Frustrated.)

*garage sale preparation (ugh.  Just ugh.  I hate going through all the boxes of "stuff".  It will be worth it, right?!?)

That's all I guess.  So the good outweighs the bad.  That is a blessing, too.

Also, thankful for these goons...

Love & Laughter,
abby

Random

Ok, most of my posts are about my family. 
(OK..... most are about my children.)

So I am going to mix it up and blog about something else.  Me.


My FAVORITE Things:  (Cue The Sound of Music...)


Favorite Food:   Really delicious Italian   (I know that's not really one food, but it is the truth.)

Favorite Color:   Yellow   (Funny story to go with this.  In "pre-have-a-baby-class" they ask you to write stuff down that is calming to you.  Favorite places, smells, colors.  Then, your husband is supposed to remind you of these things while you are being ripped apart by labor pains.  Cory thought yellow was the funniest word to throw around before I went into labor.  A month out he would just look at me and say "yellow", and we would both crack up.  During labor he tried this really long, strange sounding "Yyyyyeeeeelllllllllloooooooooooowwwww........" Not funny during crazy pain.  But, very funny afterwards.)  (Was that story funny to anyone else?  Maybe you had to be there.)

Favorite "Spare" Time Hobby:   Reading

Favorite Cleaning Product:    Vinegar and Water  (Really! Works on so much.)

Favorite Spot in My House:   My dining room table.

Favorite Song (Current):   Your Great Name  by Natalie Grant

Favorite Song (Past):    If I Could Turn Back Time  by Cher  (Yea, Yea...  make fun if you want.)

Favorite Snack:   Nut Thins  (Has anyone else tried these??  Awesome delicious.)

Favorite  Book:   A book of poetry my mom gave me on my 16th birthday  AND  Pride and Prejudice  AND  Heaven is For Real  (Yes, again, that is more than one favorite.)

Favorite Movie:   Love Actually  

Favorite Time of Day:   When my kids are first waking up in the morning.   (I can say this because they get to sleep until they feel like waking up.  There is no moodiness, usually!  Those 2 beautiful faces, so excited to see me.   Aahhh.... bliss.)

Favorite Treat:   Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt  (TRY IT!)

Favorite Vacation Spot:    Anywhere near the ocean.

Favorite Bible Verse:     Philippians 4:6   Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God

Favorite Scent:    Cinnamon

Favorite Holiday:    Thanksgiving   (I know most would pick Christmas.  Which I do love.  But Thanksgiving is all about food and spending time with family.  Minimal stress.  LOVE it.)

Favorite Thing Around my House:   All the black and white photography we have.  (Some day I want one room devoted to it.)

Favorite Sound:   My kids and husband giggling together.

Favorite Season:   Autumn

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor:   So many..... If I have to pick one.... Cappuccino Chunky Chocolate

Favorite Word(s):    I love you.


There!   Maybe you learned something about me you didn't know.   Maybe too much...


Love & Laughter,
abby

Yes. More Cooper-isms. Enjoy.

Cooper asking for something for the umpteenth time...
Me: "I don't think so buckwheat."
Cooper: (Laughing hysterically... "HA HA HA... Don't call me a butt-leak, Mom!"

Eating dinner with Uncle Teague and his new girlfriend the other day...
Cooper: "SERIOUSLY... You HAVE to stop changing girlfriends all the time.  And if she starts laying kids, my treehouse won't be here for them."
(I about fell out of my chair from laughing so hard. If she sticks around after that welcome, she definitely belongs!)

Dinner time prayers...
Cooper: "Please God, we can't be with all those kids in India.  So, please give them food.  And, be with them so they can grow up big like me."
(So sweet.  And got me thinking how we could help those kids in India???  Where did this come from?)


At the zoo, Tigers are pacing and looking a little ravenous...
Cooper: "Good thing I am protected by this AMAZING forcefield called glass!"
(I think that came from a movie. Hysterical use of it.)


Bossing Carter around in the car...
Cooper: "Carter, you ARE taking a nap when we get home!"
(Carter is shaking his head and saying NO with all the enthusiasm he has.)
Me: "Coop, the last time I checked, you were not in charge."
Cooper: "Check again MOM!! Carter... You are taking a NAP!"


Eating dinner...
Cooper: "I don't like squash!"
Me: "Good, it's sweet potato."
Cooper: "Well.... hm. It smells like I don't like it."


He can always, always, always make us laugh.  What a blessing to have someone like that in our lives.  SO MUCH JOY!


Love & Laughter,
abby

Guess what his favorite word is...

Some Carter cuteness to enjoy!

Oh, that boy is full of it!  "NO" is still kinda cute at this age.  Almost. 

Love & Laughter,
abby

Three Word Thursday...

Lizard lovin' dude...

Love & Laughter,

abby

The first week

Cooper is so happy to be back at school!

His first day photos...

He loves his new teacher, Mrs. Kristi!

Blurry thumbs up shot. :)

I swore I was ready for it, too.  More than ready.

But, golly, I miss him.  And his brother roams the house looking for him, so sad.  We are adjusting.


Today, Cory and I were able to pick him up together after school.  The first item of business he had to report was that he had been kissed.  Excuse me??!  Yes, kissed.

He gave the following explanation...
"Well, she asked me to be her friend and I said ok.  Then she told me she was going to kiss me, AND SHE DID!  She wasn't even joking!  It wasn't on the mouth, just on the cheek. (With a look of relief on his face.) I thought she was joking.  I didn't kiss her back, I promise."

When I replied he could be friends with anyone, just not the kind that kiss, he replied...

"I didn't want to hurt her feelings, I wonder why she doesn't know that I am too young to kiss??" (Insert quizzical, angelic expression!)

Cory and I were trying so dearly not to laugh.  (Well, Cory looked a little too proud.)
I let him know that it was wonderful to make a new friend, but if she tried to kiss him in the future he would have to let her know that he wasn't allowed.

To which he replied, "I made LOTS of new friends today, but that was the only kiss.  I can't remember any of their names... Another girl asked me to be her friend, and I asked if she liked superheros.  She said Spiderman was her favorite, so I said we could be friends." (He wore a Spiderman shirt to school today, naturally.)

He could only describe the kiss from a girl wearing a princess dress during "dress up" and that the teachers didn't see it.  I should say not.  :)



Oh dear. 



Dear School Year,
Be good to my boy.
Please let the kissing portion of the program stay away for another 20 years.
Thank you very much.

Love & Laughter,
abby

Help

Go here, please.

:)

Can you spare $5 and help a beautiful boy come home?


Love & Laughter,
abby

Aahhhhh....

This morning I woke with complete peace.

This is huge.

I have been battling with so many emotions since the miscarriage.  So many.  I didn't think "normal" would return, ever.  I've worried about everything.  Stressed about so much.  Cried more than I'd like to admit.  What would "normal" feel like???

I don't think I can even call this normal.  This is peace.  What does peace feel like?  All I can say is it feels like happy.  Like joy and excitement.  Like the truest form of myself.

I have had fleeting moments like this in my life.  Looking forward to a special occasion, or watching my children.  Having proud wife/mother moments can generate this feeling.

This is different.  This is nothing "special" around the corner.  Just me.  Just so happy and so thankful and so much bliss in my life.

Thank you to all who have been there as a shoulder to cry on and your prayer time.  My family and friends are so, so special.  You are all a blessing.

I feel so much joy and I want you all to know you have been instrumental in that!

Blessings, Love & Laughter~
abby