Fun Friday

Today Connor, Lindsay and I had our friend, Emelia over to play.  What do you do with a 4 month old and two 3 year olds????  You keep the 3 year olds busy.  :)  So, I asked them what kind of cookies they would like to make...and in typical 3 year old style, they replied, "Christmas and Pumpkin"!!!!

So, I set out to see how to make this happen...while I let them color some cookie boxes with Valentine themes...from the dollar store bins at Target (love).

Busy at work.  They were overheard talking about staying in the lines, about how they listen to other grown ups but not their parents (YES!!! YOU READ THAT RIGHT) and about whether or not each of them were "he's" or "she's".  I love listening to 3 year old logic.

Ready to bake!

And, always a favorite...licking the spoon.  I mean, what kind of mom would I be if I didn't let them lick the spoon?

Our pumpkin cookies on my new Silpat...LOVE! These cookies turned out perfect!  No more burnt bottoms!  It is amazing! I am so excited to be back in the cookie making business!

Lindsay Jane was happy in her bouncer (see back of picture), Emelia and Connor were happy making Valentine picture frames and I finished baking with my beloved Silpat.

A fun time was had by all...and I got to french braid Emelia's hair...preview of my life with a little girl! :)

Ice Day Fun

We had a great winter's day, spent cuddling, playing with our playgroup friends and each other, baking, sipping hot chocolate, reading and ending with family game night.  Here are some pictures I managed to sneak in along the way...

Connor still wants to hold Lindsay.  She is getting more and more brave...

 And a little "rascally"- look at that face!!

Landon came home from school early and snuggled on the couch watching Ningago while I actually got a work out in because Lindsay and Connor simultaneously napped!!  What?!

Then, Landon and I set off to do our very favorite thing together.  Baking.  :)

Mixing the dry ingredients...

Posing with the three balls of dough before adding food coloring...

Getting his hands all in the food coloring!  You think he liked it??

While we had to wait 2 hours for the cookie mix to chill, Lindsay and Landon bonded as well.  Look at her little face.  I think she already knows she has her brothers wrapped around her finger...

We decided to wake Connor from his nap and the boys enjoyed hot chocolate with peppermint marshmallows!

Landon let Connor help make the cookies...

A very proud young baker!

Cookie making is serious business here at the Cole Household!

Landon lined up his cookies on my new Silpat.  I am ecstatic about how evenly cooked these cookies were! They were delicious and really pleased the boys and me.  We enjoyed these Fun Cookie Suckers on this icy North Carolina winter day!

We ended the day playing the game Mousetrap as a family.  All five of us cuddled by the fire together.  It may be cold outside, but my heart is very warm.  :)

Supersaturated

I read a devotional describing God as a supersaturated cloud, pouring peace into my mind.  Supersaturated. Well, I tried looking this word up and found a lot of physics...  I even found one definition for a child and I still didn't understand it.  As it relates to this post will be my own interpretation, so all you physics folks out there, be easy...

When I think of God as a supersaturated cloud, I smile.  I envision a white puffy beautiful always overflowing mass of vapor.  The state of being constantly overflowing allows a continuous dripping of peace and love and all things so good.  The things of God, the good things.  

When life gets harried, and believe you me...it does with three kids...  this picture of God as a supersaturated cloud centers me.  His goodness never fails to rain on me.  Despite my own failings, there is nothing I can do to stop the constant drip.  

If I think about it, I can even hear that drip, much like a leaky faucet.  Constant, rhythmic, soothing.

As I view my daily life, I think of the constant dripping in my life, the constant blessings.  The richest of these is His presence.  His love. His grace. His peace...  When I take time to hear and feel that dripping, I am amazed at the surface area one drop at a time can cover.

With each drop, I breath.  I thank God for my life.  I thank God for my health.  I thank God for my husband.  I thank God for my three healthy children.  The list goes on and on and is endless as a stream that is ever flowing.

Let me share my ever flowing stream...

My three happy little ones.  Stan and I were standing behind the camera singing, saying silly things and just loving these three sweet smiles.

Connor continues to be enamored with Lindsay Jane.  He still wants to hold her, even though she is getting to be quite big these days.  I imagine these two in the future, and I think her brother will always hold her.  So so sweet.

The boys continue to get into everything.  Here, they are behind the couch, making a fort.  I usually don't let them move the couches, but I am softening with my older age...  :)

I love this picture.  Stan has become quite the photographer with our new camera we got for Christmas.  The boys love riding bikes and are getting quite good at it.  I am so very thankful to live in a neighborhood where they can ride.

My little joy.  Lindsay Jane is all smiles and is just such a fun baby.  She just had her 4 month check up and weighed in at 14 pounds 9 ounces, 7 pounds exactly past her birth weight.  She is growing too fast!

My boys are really into legos these days.  It has been a nice change for them as Santa turned their train table into a lego table. They were really proud of this creation...you got it, angry birds and legos together...a little boys heaven.

One of my very favorite pictures to date of Miss Lindsay.  She has a way with her smiles.  You just can't help but to smile back at her.  She is really this happy most of the time.  What a precious gift.

Here is Connor saying, "CHEESE".  He has become quite difficult to photograph.  He is constantly moving and being silly.  He also has about the biggest heart ever.  He continues to think of others and is very protective of "his family".  Wow to anyone who messes with any of us (esp. at the rate he continues to grow)!!

Landon taking a walk around down memory lane.  We put out our "walk around" for Lindsay and the boys acted like their long lost friend had finally returned home.  So funny.

Lindsay Jane on her 4 month birthday.  Notice her bibs in every picture?  I know I have mentioned how smiley she is, she is equally as "spitty".  She is what us GI folks call, "a happy spitter".  It is hard trying to find bibs that aren't baby pink to match her little outfits.  Oh, the trials of having a girl... :)

Landon and his birthday gift from us, an "X-Wing" from Star Wars.  Stan and Kim (our super duper babysitter) worked very hard to put this puppy together.  It is one of the few toys in this house that has not been smashed.  Landon is quite proud of it!

Hope you enjoyed my update and a little bit of reflecting.  I wish I had more time to write but, I am busy playing legos and reading with Landon, teaching Connor how to bake and make crafts and figuring out new ways to make Lindsay giggle...

Kerplop

So, interesting title, eh?

I have been milling so many things around in my head lately.  I know we all do this and I have truly found that writing makes me feel so much more peaceful.  I am not sure why, except for the fact that I can complete sentences and reflect in even a brief time and see a post to its completion.

Life with three kids is so unbelievable, in so many ways.  Unbelievable in the fact that I have been blessed so immensely.  My children are healthy.  They are happy.  Stan and I both have faith and a wonderful marriage.  We are teaching our children together, the way of the Lord.  We are ourselves, learning the way of the Lord through our children and our weaknesses that raising children will certainly point out to you.

It is hard to feel so pulled in so many directions.  I often yearn for time by myself.  I yearn for time with the Lord.  My heart is full with thanksgiving but it is also yearning to understand some of the other things that having three kids have shown to be unbelievable.

Unbelievable that some people don't understand.  Some people forget.  Some people have very unrealistic expectations for what I can and cannot do as a mom of three young children.

I really feel that God has been teaching me through disappointment and disillusionment.  I feel like, in all times when I have learned the most, I have had to "kerplop" right on my head.

In the middle of the night, my brain will race, trying to make sense of my disappointments.  I have a tendency to spiral and also have to be very careful due to a history of post partum depression.  I reach out, only after I "kerplop". 

Unbelievable that God reaches down, reveals himself and picks me up from the floor.

I hear him say, "I am here.  You are mine.  I chose you, YOU, to parents these three children.  I chose YOU to be who you are and to have the family and friends that you do. I LOVE YOU!"

Unbelievable.

Unbelievable that my quiet times (though short) have been about the Garden of Eden and God's original purpose for our lives.  He did not want us to suffer or have pain.  But, WE did.  WE are to blame.  Unbelievable that I am still not punished for that and that God sent the ULTIMATE sacrifice for a sinner like me.

Unbelievable that God has blessed me in very visable ways.  I have support from my Christian family, more than I can believe.  Let me count the ways!  

All of these people are in my family of GOD! I have a neighbor who is a teen who walks to my house and helps me twice a week with my kids so I can get some things done.  I have several friends who offer to keep my kids without being paid, so Stan and I can spend time together- on our marriage!  I have the best nanny/babysitter in the world.  She takes care of Lindsay Jane while I am at work and is really another member of our family. In fact, Connor will include her in family pictures.  I have a mommy support group, all precious friends who cook, sit with my kids, call, email, text, love my family.  I have a church family who I am in constant communication with.  Different members have brought meals, sat with my kids, given me girl clothes, taken me to lunch, called to check in and have brought me coffee and wine.  :)  

I have the best friends in the world!  I spoke with one last night who has a dying family member.  We talked about God, about how he is with us and we are never alone.  Though people on this earth may not act how we want them to, God is always there, sticking closer than a brother, loving us like no other.  He is real. He has brought me to "kerplop" and that is something I am so thankful for.  For when I "kerplop", who better to pick me up and remind me of something like the following that one of my precious sisters sent me:

“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”

Landon Turns Six!

And in a flash...he's six.  That baby I rocked to sleep.  That toddler I watched walk for the first time.  That waddler I heard saying words.  That 2 year old I saw playing with Thomas the Train.  That 3 year old I saw adapt and fall in love with his baby brother.  That 4 year old I saw racing Lightning McQueen.  That 5 year old I saw running through the house in his superman cape.  I blinked.

This six year old loves Star Wars...apparently most boys his age do.

I am really glad we got this picture.  I do love this little spirited cutie pie.

Connor was "helping" with the cake...

I think it was a hit!

Landon let Connor help him open his gifts.  He was probably the most gracious he has been yet with sharing with his brother.  Sweet moments.

We took Landon and his friends bowling.  He had never been and as you can see by this smile, he had a blast.

The boys, checking out their scores!  Landon did quite well!

Full on concentration.  Look at that face!

The girls posing for a picture!

We were so excited that Emma, Brynn and Heather made it!

Porter and Landon dancing the freeze dance.

 I think he was happy with this venue.

Happy 6th Birthday my dear sweet Landon Dow.  Seeing your smile in these pictures is warmth to my heart.  You look so happy and I am so thankful.  I love you, my little buddy.  Now, stop growing up so fast!

Resolution

Resolution: the mental state or quality of being resolved; firmness of purpose.

Happy 2013 from our crew.  We had a great time with the boys last night ringing in the New Year at the ripe old hour of 9:30.  They were quite tickled that they got to eat ice cream cones after the movie, esp. since they were coated with chocolate...

So, I had a lot of thoughts about what to write in this post, but I am getting more and more limited on time...for reflecting, for writing, for finishing sentences, for using grammar correctly.  I recently wrote a possessive for what I meant to be a plural...on (public, everyone can see what you wrote), Facebook.  Oh well.

I like the definition of resolution, firmness of purpose.

I intend to be firm in my purpose for the following in 2013:

• Buy as little clothing as is absolutely necessary.
• I have way too many articles of clothing.
• Stop raising my voice at my children.
• I can use many more creative ways to get my rowdy boys' attention.
• Spend quality time with each of my children every day, even if just a few minutes.
• If I have time to look at Facebook, I have time to spend purposeful time with each of my three children.
• Spend time with God every day, even if it is only one minute.
• I sit down almost every morning with my coffee to do this.  I get interrupted about a billion times.  But. I. will. still. sit. even if it is for one minute of peace, to feed my soul.
• Exercise 2 times a week.
• This is what I consider reasonable.  I have been exercising since I was 17.  It is hard to realize that I cannot just hop on the treadmill during a nap time anymore.  I have three kids. I have a husband.  I have a job.  I have a home to keep.

Well, my baby is crying.  My husband needs some of my time and I have to read my work email before seeing patients tomorrow.  

Happy 2013.  Hope you and I can be firm in purpose in the New Year!