Cupcakes!

Our friend Addison's Mommy had the cutest first birthday party! 

Here are the center pieces, with a helium balloon attached to each.

 Cupcakes, cupcake cake pops, cupcake cookies, popcorn and goldfish

 Birthday girl with her smash cake

 Who doesn't love a ball pit?

9 months old

Bristol is 9 months old for a few more days at least... at her check up she weighed 14.5 pounds and the doctor was a little concerned that she could have a thyroid issue. We took her for a blood test (from her arm!) and everything came back normal. She's just petite! She is now over 15 pounds and has made it through her first ear infection. She's close to crawling- she rocks back and forth on all fours. She has 2 teeth. 

 She likes to eat. Baby food, table food, a little table food, toys, paper, whatever she can get her hands on really. And she thinks her mom, dad, brother and sister are pretty hilarious.

 Sisters

 She still likes to suck her thumb, preferably while holding her hand with the opposite hand.

 She's usually a little weary of Brinley holding her...

 Brinley's baby, Baby Dear, and one of Bristol's babies

Honesty

Thanks to my friend Lauren over at Confident of This for being honest on her blog. Like me she has three young children, close to the ages of my kids, and shares many of the same struggles I do. This week she posted: 


"I want to make this day count. I want to choose my words carefully and speak gently over her [daughter]; to raise her up to be a godly woman after kingdom things. I want to yell less and listen more."


The "yell less and listen more" part really hit home. Happens way too often at my house and that's one thing I want to change in 2012. 


I also heard on the radio this morning about a family who tried for ten years (YEARS, people!!) to have a baby and then we they did finally have a baby girl, she only lived for 29 days. That had me almost in tears and reminded me to really cherish the times that we have as a family and our sweet, healthy, lively, creative, hilarious, loving, lovable children. This parenting thing is hard and most days I am tired. But it's such a sweet gift!

Brinley

Each night when we tuck our kids in bed, we listen to their prayers and then ask about the best part of their day. The other night Brinley replied "coloring" for the second or third night in a row. Here's how the rest of the conversation went:

Me: You love coloring! I think you're going to be an artist when you grow up.
Brinley: No! I don't wanna be an artist!!
Me: Okay- what do you want to be?
Brinley: A mommy!
Me: How many babies do you want to have?
Brinley: Ummm....just one. A girl.
Me: What will you name her?
Brinley: Lucy.

Ornaments

I found some really cute ornaments on Pinterest that we will be making at MOPS this week! They are so easy and don't require a lot of craftiness. You can jazz them up as desired. 

The first one is an old favorite, from a cookie cutter.

 This one is so cute! Popcorn inside the glass ornament. Amaze your kids!

 Swirled acrylic pain inside the ornament, a photo tucked inside, and the popcorn ornament.

 Brayden had fun building a bookshelf with his Daddy this weekend, too!

 Bristol is starting to stand while holding on to things!

Truth in the Tinsel: Week 2

Things got a little crazy for a few days, so we are playing catch up.

Day 6: Mary & Elizabeth

 Day 7: Mary's song (glittery!)

 Day 8 & 9 (they decided they should go together...): Sun and Josephn

My kids are excited to work on the "project" each day!

The Reason for the Season

Brinley, age 3 1/2, and I were talking today and it went something like this:

Brinley: Mommy, who is the Savior of the World?

Me: Jesus!

Brinley: And God!

Me: Yes. Jesus is God's Son and came to save us from our sins.

Brinley: I know Jesus. I love Jesus and Jesus loves me. And God!

Be still my heart!