Thankful for Grace

Goodness, I love this day.  Lots of food, family, Kevin off work, no presents, just thanks.  AND the fact that it's on Thursday and Kevin takes Friday off...that is just a little piece of heaven.  

I have so much to be thankful for this day.  This year has been fast and hectic and crazy and wonderful.  God has been giving me so much grace through the growing pains of figuring out how to raise two littles.  I have been hard on myself and have, at times, thought about raising the invisible white flag.  God always steps in and give me what I need when I need it.  When I am covered in milk because every sippy cup we have leaks (if anyone has a magic sippy cup that doesn't leak, call me) or I am vacuuming one handed while I hold Lily in the other (it's a workout) or I have put Luke in time out for the hundredth time because he thought it was awesome to show Lily how to climb on a chair or I just yearn for an adult conversation without a child interrupting me...those are the times I ask for patience and lots and lots of grace.  

Although those times are tough, when I sit and reflect on my day after Luke and Lily are in bed at night, I sometimes pinch myself because God is so good.  I love my life and am thankful for all of it.  The good days.  The bad days.  The sippy cups I get to have in my cupboard because I have two littles that need them.  The aching arms I have after vacuuming our main level, because I was able to put a smile on Lily's face.  And the hugs I get after Luke comes out of time out and smiles because he knows I will love him no matter what he does...just as our Heavenly Father loves us.  That is what I am thankful for today and everyday.  Oh, and I get to go on a date with my husband tomorrow...I am super thankful for that!

The good stuff...

Tot School: Letter C {36 months}

We have been dragging our feet a bit with Letter C.  We haven't been at home the past week, so we have been slowly completing all I had planned for this letter now that we are moved back and settled in.  Luke asked to do his Letter C activities this time around and my heart jumps every time.  He sometimes reminds me to do them.  My little Type A personality baby boy...gosh I love him.  Here is what Luke did this week...

Letter C

Activity:  I introduced the Letter C with a Bible verse and then we found all the magnetic letter C's.  Finding the letters is probably Luke's favorite part.

Resource:  Letter C Bible Verse

Activity:  We brought out the easel and I drew pictures of items that started with the letter C.  Luke loves watching me draw, which makes me feel good, especially since first graders draw better than I do.

Activity:  We got out some transportation ABC cards I gave Luke awhile back.  He loves these and now carries them around.  He found the letter C in the stack.  I love getting old things out that somehow become new again.

Resource: Transportation ABC Cards (I printed four to a page.)

Activity:  Luke stamped his letter C with a cork.  This wasn't his favorite.

Resource:Giant Letter C

Activity: Luke rolled a dice and then counted out coins to put in his piggy bank.  His one-to-one correspondence is not there, yet, but I am still trying to model as much as possible.

Activity:  Luke found all the Cs on the letter blocks.  He then counted how many C blocks he found.

Activities Not Pictured:

Activity:  Luke wasn't really into writing this week.  He traced some of the 'Getting Ready for Letter C' page, but didn't want to write the Cs.  I didn't push it.

Resource:  Handwriting Letter C

Activity:  We read Luke's letter C book as well as lots of alphabet books.  He loves this.

Resource: Letter C book

Activity:  Luke isn't a huge arts and crafts guy.  However, I did get out some cars and he dipped the wheels in paint and drove or painted on paper.

Random Picture Friday

Another Friday is here and we are excited to celebrate my cousin's wedding this weekend.  Have a blessed one!

Playtime at the zoo on a beautiful day! (Iowa folks, this was last week.)

On Luke's actual birthday we went to a model train museum.  Luke loves that place.

And Olive Garden for lunch.  (He picked out his outfit.)

A cupcake for dessert.  He loves the trick ones.

Measuring his height.  This kids is exceeding expectations.

And a little bit of Lily...

A yummy playdate at the park with cupcakes.

Luke was pretty pumped about his Thomas cake.

Free entertainment...Lily was watching a guy fix our door.

Sweet Baby Larry

My sister's family

Luke has put his new chainsaw to work.  He has cut down every tree we have...twice.

That light...those fingerprints.

We love Target.

Luke enjoyed his first cup of whipped cream from Starbucks.

Two Birthdays, One Party

As many of you know, my two sweets were born just two years and one week apart.  The closeness of their birthdays has lent itself well to hosting just one party for both of them.  I love parties, but I definitely am not disappointed about having just one party for both of them at this point in the parenting years.  Instead of telling you all about it...I am going to show you just how much fun we had this year...

Pretty flowers in my Grandma's china

Peanut butter and jelly bar

Kevin's artwork...and crockpots

Isn't he the cutest?

My sweet friend Paige and Cooper drove over for the party...it was so fun to spend some time with them!

We tried to get all the kids in for a picture...it was comical.

Sorry, Todd.  I couldn't resist.

Hay rack ride...thanks Papa Gary!

My sweet boys

We had so much fun seeing Uncle John, Aunt Hillary, Katie, and Baby David.  Katie even let us borrow her tractor for the day! :)

My sweet cousin and her daughter, Sadie, drove my Grandma over from Ottumwa.  It was so fun to see them and show them around the farm. :)

These cookies were a hit with Luke.

Claire and Lily

It was the sweetest thing to watch Luke while everyone sang Happy Birthday to him.  He was mesmerized.