Lighting McQueen Has Nothing On These Two!

Oh my goodness, one of the absolute sweetest things about our new house is the fact that Lauren and Easton are finding new ways to bond as brother and sister. We have hardwood throughout the bottom level and it has proven to be the perfect race course for these two race car drivers!

Start your engines!!!!

Easton's in the lead....but not for long! 

Re-start....

This boy is going to be trouble! He is soooo fast in his walker race car!

Cutest little racing girl I have ever seen! 

The race is broadcasted here:

Still Here

It seems when things get a little busy in life the lights shut down on this blog.

I hate that.

Because we are still living life! There are memories I need to be documenting! There are pictures that MUST be seen....:) There are pictures that NEED to be taken (where oh where is my camera? My iPhone one just isn't cutting it!)

We are loving our new house. Things are really starting to feel like home here. Can I just say how wonderful that is? We have plans for a kitchen demo soon. Like our fridge doesn't fit in the previous fridge spot so it is in the laundry room/mudroom soon. I'm just a tad bit giddy about it. Lots of ideas and I think we are going to do something different than we did with either of our last two houses. :)

One way that God has already blessed us is that we have great neighbors!!!! You don't know how hard I prayed about that very thing before we moved in. We never got to know our neighbors at our last house...in fact it was more than just a little strange. But here, we have already met several of our new neighbors and I am just beyond thrilled. How wonderful to see how God provides even the littlest of things for us. :) Sometimes, those mean the most, right!?! I am so excited and my sweet mom helped me make up our family chex-mix recipe to use as little Thanksgiving gifts for our new friends! I need to make the bags pretty today! :)

I have been dreaming of Christmas but trying to stay in Thanksgiving mode. I don't want to rush past this wonderful season for reflection. I have so much to be thankful for this year. So. Much. I sense a post on that very subject is in order. :)

Here

We are here. All moved in. Not unpacked. Living out of boxes.

I'm happy and excited and I feel so thankful for our new home.

I'm sad and nostalgic and wondering if this place will ever feel like "home."

We have so much work ahead of us and I just feel so unsettled that I am just struggling right now. I KNOW it will be okay and I AM thankful...just working through the emotions that come with change. Trying to find my new normal. Trying to find my niche again.

The kids are adjusting well. Lauren loves her new purple room and hasn't had any problems sleeping in it. Easton is doing well on the hardwood floors. (A worry I had before moving in) The playroom will be great when we figure out a storage system for all the toys.

It's been rainy and gray here the last few days so I know that hasn't helped my mood...but today it is sunshiny and bright. I'm thankful for that.

Trying to fight off the heaviness in my chest and just enjoy these moments.

Moving Day...

Well, today is moving day. I am so excited to be in our new house and settle in, but I am feeling so nostalgic about our old one. It is just so bittersweet. I really hope that this new house feels like home. As Shawn reminded me...what makes a house a home is the people you share it with. Love that man.

Happy 7 Months, Easton!

Dear Easton,

You are seven months old today!!! Wowzers, right? You are definitely growing into your own little person and I am catching glimpses of your toddler years, oh dear. ;) You are still just the cutest little man I have ever seen and I absolutely adore you.

You, mister, are a HUGE mama's boy. I mean huge. You always want me to hold you. If your feelings get hurt or you bump your head you cry until I hold you. If you are tired, only I will do. If you see me across the room you will do everything you can to get to me. Of course I love that you love me so much, but there are other people in your life who love you and want to hang out with you too. :)

You are army crawling!!! You actually just started this week. You are too cute scooting around and I know it won't be long before you catch on completely and take our house (and worlds) by storm. Even though I am so proud of you for growing up and learning this new skill, I am still just a bit terrified! It's time to start baby-proofing everything!

You are super inquisitive. You'd much rather investigate the vacuum cleaner than play with a silly old baby toy. You also put everything in your mouth. Some of your favorite toys right now are your taggy blanket, noisy blocks, and your sister's play hammer.

You have four teeth! You have two bottom teeth that have been in for a while now and you just recently got your top right front tooth. The latest one to come in is the one to the right of your right front tooth. I don't know if that makes sense, but basically instead of having two front teeth, you have a front tooth and the one right next to it....we hope the rest of them come in correctly! :)

You are doing much better sleeping through the night. You usually go to bed between 7 and 7:30 and will go until 3:30 or 4:00 before needing to eat again. Sometimes you will also wake up between 7 and 4 but just usually need your pacifier.

As far as eating goes, you have really embraced solids! You are still nursing through the day but you sure do love your sweet potatoes and squash and carrots! You also love the baby food that has fruits and oatmeal in it. You are a very messy eater and you grunt and get super excited as you await the next bite.

You are mostly wearing size 9 month clothes but you have a few 12 month things that fit you. You are in size 3 diapers. Nammy just bought you your very first pair of real shoes! They are so cute and they are a size 3! You have a big foot! :) You don't mind wearing them so far and I think they make you look so much older.

We absolutely LOVE having you as a part of our family. Your sweet smile and precious personality bring us such joy. :) I can't wait to see what the next month brings our way!!!

I love you to the moon and back fourteen million times!

Love,

Mommy

Mama's Helper!

So, don't let this photo fool you....she isn't always this willing to help out, but I thought this was just too cute not to document!

We've been really working on small chores for Miss Lauren to do around the house. :) I love watching her succeed and then seeing how great she feels about herself when she does!!!

I love my little girl so much!

My Little Superhero

Easton is getting SO BIG. Let's not even talk about the fact that tomorrow he will be seven months old. How is that possible? Seriously, wasn't it just last week that I was in the hospital having him? No? Hmmm...sure seems like it!

My mom found him these size 12 month pjs (and they barely fit!) and I just couldn't resist putting them on him. He looks like SUCH a little man in them. I could just eat him up!!!

I spiked up his hair after bath time. :) Lauren looked at it and said, "Awww, look at my handsome boy!" Hahah!!!!

Easton's eyes are phenomenal. I seriously cannot believe how blue they are in real life. I'm praying he uses them for good in the future. :)

Lauren had on her new pjs too! Aren't they cute? I also like how Easton looks all like, "Hey...whazzup?"

I can imagine that this little man will be his mama's superhero often in the years to come. Who else will save me from the imaginary bad guys and all forms of mischief? I can't wait.

30 Days of Intentional Kindness

I am so excited to team up with Jenae from I Can Teach My Child for her awesome 30 Days of Intentional Acts of Kindness with Your Kids Challenge!!! The month of November can get extremely hectic (and IS for us with us moving) but I don't want that to get in the way of us taking time to model and teach our kiddos about being kind! I am so excited to get started (even though we are a couple of days late...we'll just tack on a few at the end, haha) so here are a few of my ideas!!!

1. Write to our sponsor child, Leo.
2. Pack one (maybe two) Operation Christmas Child boxes.
3. Bake banana bread (or some sweet treat) and take to our new neighbors.
4. Leave a "Welcome Home" gift at our old house for the new occupants.
5. Write handwritten notes of encouragement and include pictures created by the kiddos.
6. Leave a thank you note/gift for our new mailman.
7. Take a meal to a friend in need.

Do you have any great ideas? I am really praying that this month will open my eyes and help me be more thankful and more generous! I am praying that these intentional acts of kindness will help replace my old ugly selfish desires with putting others first! I am excited to start!!!

I LOVE FALL!!!

Today was one of the most beautiful Fall days we have had so far. The leaves have been falling all day and the weather is gorgeous.

I took the kiddos outside today for a little while to explore and play in the leaves. We've been reading Fall books over and over and over and Lauren couldn't wait to get outside and kick those leaves!!!

I love his little chubby hands on those leaves!

It is kind of sad to think this is the last year those kiddos will ever play in the leaves in this yard. Thankfully there are lots of beautiful trees at the new house. :)

Worst Mama Ever

If you are wondering where our pictures are from Halloween this year....you won't find them. Because we didn't dress up. I didn't even buy the kids costumes. We didn't trick or treat. We didn't even have candy to pass out.

Yep. I get the award.

I hate that I feel so guilty about it. But I do. The kids were sick anyway. But they won't have pictures from this Halloween. They don't even know that their mama dropped the ball this year. But I do. I. DO.

My parents had a hay ride. We didn't go. I hate that. I wish we would have.

Next year, right? I mean this year is just absolutely too stinking crazy for words. We are literally living between houses. Packing and cleaning. Packing and moving. Packing and being super exhausted.

But, still...no trick or treating. Ugh.

I'm sorry kiddos. I'll make it up to you. Pinky promise.