Fall Bucket List :: Go on a Walk and Find Colorful Leaves

We have actually found LOTS of colorful leaves in LOTS of places! My kids pick up leaves everywhere they go. Outside our house. At the park. In every parking lot. There's hardly a place they have gone where they have not stopped to pick up a leaf or two along the way. I find leaves in their carseats, in their pockets, and in their play room. I think it's safe to say my kids love leaves :)

The other day, though, we did actually go for a walk, and my kiddos picked up some leaves along the way. And they were all too happy to show off their fun finds!

Even Aiden got his own leaf!

It's the little things, right? Here's to the sweet, little things :)

Bible Study in the Season of Littles

One of the hardest things I have discovered in this season of raising littles is the difficulty in staying consistently in God's Word. And yet I have found myself needing to cling to scripture more than ever.  There have been a lot of ebbs and flows over the past few years, and Bible Study has seemed to look a little bit different in varying stages of motherhood so far. I certainly haven't figured it out, and have learned that it is just going to be a daily battle. But it's a battle worth fighting!

When the twins were born, we basically lived in survival mode for the whole first year. My normal routine of sitting down in the quiet, with a hot cup of coffee, and uninterrupted time reading my Bible was no longer possible. I tried. And failed miserably. Listening to the Audio Bible became my lifeline. Once babies were sleeping a little more, I found myself sitting in one place A LOT while feeding them. So we listened to the Word together during those 8-10 scheduled feeding times. I also listened to a lot of sermons, as well as several gospel-focused podcasts. And my sweet friend Laura also came to my rescue, asking me to do a Bible study with her. So then I could get into the Word with some accountability, without having to leave my house, which we were just not prepared to do yet haha.

After surviving that first crazy year, we were already preparing to add a third, and now Eli and Maddie were running around all over the place. They were sleeping more, yes; but my body was in recovery mode from all the lost sleep, and I found it really difficult to get up any earlier to have quiet time in the Word before the crazies were up. That's an excuse, I know. Full disclosure: I chose sleep during that time. So I continued listening to my Audio Bible. I also would read short devotionals before I went to bed at night. Definitely not the meat that I would normally recommend, but thankful for a small way to stay focused on God's Word. 

Before Aiden was born, I got the idea in my head that I could be part of a weekly Bible study that I could join via a video call. BSF offers satellite discussion groups, where you can talk about the weekly lesson with a small group via a Zoom call, and then you can get the lecture and notes online. I was super excited to join this study! I thought, surely I can make this work if I can do it from home, right? Well, enter newborn baby #3 who wasn't exactly on a schedule yet as a tiny 3-week old baby, the craziness of 3 under 3, and then my unexpected hospital visit that just threw all of life upside down. I felt so sad to have to leave that group, but the few times that I actually made the video call, I had to be on mute the whole time because Aiden was screaming in the background, as I was trying to feed him without flashing my poor Bible study group. So not exactly the organized/focused study I was hoping for...

During that time, I continued to listen to my Audio Bible, and I was meditating a lot on specific scripture verses. As I struggled with Postpartum Anxiety, one thing that really helped was to have Bible verses taped to my walls and written down within easy reach. So again, not the in-depth, pick-apart-the-passage study that I am used to, but still a way to stay connected to God's Word. 

And now? I felt like this summer I was finally emerging from the fog and chaos of new motherhood. And I was determined to get to a formalized Bible study. So I signed up for the Acts and Letters of the Apostles study with BSF, and I committed to get all 4 of us out of the house and to class. It has been HARD. Every Wednesday morning is nothing short of chaos. And I am completely exhausted by lunch time. But to be back in the study of God's Word, week after week, with other women who are earnestly seeking Jesus in this season of motherhood...it has been balm to my weary soul. I didn't realize just how much I had missed it. And I love that my kiddos are getting to study the same things that I am studying, just at their level {even Aiden!}. 

So what's the point in sharing all of this? Part of it is my own record; being able to look back over this season of motherhood and "remember when." But mostly, I want to encourage any other mamas who might be struggling. Mama to Littles, I want you to know that you need God's Word to make it through this hard season. Don't give up. It's going to be a daily battle, and it's not always going to look the way you thought it would {or should}. But keep fighting. It's 1000% worth the fight to stay in God's Word, whatever that looks like. Use this unique season to choose specific verses to spend days meditating on. Post it on your bathroom mirror, by your kitchen sink, somewhere you will see it all day long. 

This season is intense, and I know for me, it just seems like all you do is pour yourself out for other people. Which is why it's so important to be sure you are filling your soul so that you can sacrificially and daily serve your little people well. But Mama, give yourself some grace too! I had to let go a little of my "vision" of what Bible study should look like during this season. And I had to recognize that it is just that: a season. This grace isn't a free pass to drop God's Word or find some watered-down version of Bible study. But it is a recognition that God's Word is sufficient, and He is our strength and our shield. We can let go of the legalism of checking our Bible study box, and ask the Spirit to bring His scripture to mind throughout the day. We can find grace in digging back into God's Word, no matter how long it has been.

But whatever Bible study looks like in this crazy, unique season, I highly recommend having a Laura. Everyone needs a Laura in their lives {for multiple reasons!!} But what I mean by that is, make sure you have accountability. Have the friend who is going to constantly ask you what you have been studying in His Word. The friend who will walk through a book with you and have the craziness of all the babies in the background and love you when you didn't quite finish answering all of your questions again. The friend who will send you links to encouraging gospel-centered podcasts, or have an Amazon delivery sent to your house with a pretty devotional book. I am forever grateful for my dear friend, who is constantly pointing me to Jesus, and doing so in a way that lovingly keeps me focused :)  {Love you, friend!}

Hang in there, Mama to Littles! You can do this. Cling to God's Word however you can! I promise, it's worth it.

Eli & Maddie's THREE-esta

We got to celebrate Eli and Maddie's birthday this year with a THREE-esta! :)

This year was more fun because Eli and Maddie were excited about their party! We have been talking about their party for weeks now, and they have been looking forward to celebrating with "cousins, balloons, and cake!" Any time we would talk about who was coming to their party, they would list out {by name} all of their cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. So sweet!

The decorations/prep for this party were really fun- lots of bright colors! I bought several things at a Fiesta store in San Antonio, but I also made several things as well. Tissue paper Fiesta flowers are so easy and cheap haha. We also decided to do a taco bar for lunch, a simple way to stay on theme :)

And of course, sweet Aunt Lindsay made our cake and cookies! She's just so talented, and it was extra special that their cousin Sarah got to help decorate the cookies too. She's got a lot of Lindsay's talent, and I love that they got to work on Eli and Maddie's birthday cookies together. My kids were SO excited to eat cake {another thing we have talked non-stop about the last few weeks!}

I just couldn't resist making Aiden this shirt...

We had another fun-filled family birthday, and it was so sweet for Eli and Maddie to have all their cousins here to play! We definitely missed Grumpz and Uncle Michael, but we are so thankful for family who loves on our kiddos.

Having all the cousins together is pretty sweet, especially since they range in age from 17 to due-to-arrive in January!

The moment he has been waiting for haha

They LOVE cake!

They have also been talking about presents! Something that I haven't mentioned, but somehow they figured out on their own. They really hit the jackpot this year and got several fun and soon-to-be-favorite new toys.

Sneaking around the loot :)

After everyone had gone home, and we were cleaning up from the party, we found this little one enjoying his brother and sister's spoils haha. When I got up close to take his photo, he definitely said "cheese!" His second official word {because he definitely told Aunt Lindsay the other day "dane do" {thank you}.

Cutie pie :)

Eli and Maddie had such a GREAT birthday party, and we are so thankful for family who loves and dotes on our kiddos. It was fun to see them run and play with their cousins. When everyone went home, they couldn't wait to dig in to their new stash of fun new toys!

Happy Birthday, my sweet ones! We love you more than we can ever say, and we hope that you had a really fun THREE-esta!

#reallife

Eli + Maddie :: 3 Years

Happy 3rd Birthday to my favorite twins! :)

E L I J A H      W I N N

Sweet Boy,

You are my little Type A, firstborn child :) You like things a certain way, and you definitely let me know if/when we deviate from the routine. In your mind, things should be just so...the books should be stacked in a specific way. Your blanket should be "bigger," covering your feet, and with your "hood on" {covering your head}. You have to wear pajamas and socks to sleep, every single time. And while things can be very frustrating for you when things are not just so, it is amazing to watch your little mind work, organize, and figure things out. 

The last couple of months, you have really struggled with sleep. You started waking up in the middle of the night, upset that your blanket had come off, wanting us to put it back on for you. We have progressed to you taking your own blanket off, placing it on your dresser, and then screaming for us to come put it back on for you. Or you want a different blanket. Or different socks. Or your pajama button came undone. And somehow you are just absolutely helpless to fix any of these things yourself, and the whole world is ending because of it. So we're currently trying to figure that out. Because everybody is exhausted, Buddy. We know it's a developmental issue, and your little brain gets overwhelmed pretty quickly. But we are definitely praying this phase passes SOON.

You still love your Daddy the best and love to just sit in his lap or close to him. Most of the time you are pretty serious, but when you get bit by a silly bug, you can get pretty goofy pretty quickly. It has been so fun to see you start playing with Maddie and Aiden more, though you are still our little independent one, preferring to play solo.

Buddy, we love you SO much, and we are so excited to watch you grow and learn! 

Stats :: 30 pounds, 37.75 inches tall

Eli-Phrases to Remember :: 

• don't change your mind! I tell him this often, to help reinforce confidence in the decision he makes {and so I'm not putting socks on, taking socks off, putting socks back on, etc.}
• kiss it! The instant he hurts himself. I am clinging to the days that a mommy kiss heals all and makes everything all better instantly.
• that's silly. This is obvious, it's just so funny to hear it come from his little voice :)
• that's a BIG truck! Anytime we see a truck. Every time we see a truck. The boy LOVES trucks!
• I still poopin'. He likes to inform us that he's not quite done {whether we ask him or not}.
• I went poo poo, change my diaper. But the instant he's done, he's ready for that diaper change. I'm hoping it's signs of potty-training readiness, but I don't think he's quite there yet.

M A D E L I N E      G R A C E

My Sweet Maddie Girl,

You are still my little wild and free child :) You have a big, feisty personality, but you are just about the best little snuggler there is! I often think of you as my little sour patch kid {like the candy}...first you can be sour {hello opinions and strong will!}, but then you can be oh-so-sweet {I want to snuggle, Mama}. You drive your twin brother crazy, because you bring chaos and change and messy to his orderly little world haha! And I really think it's going to be really good for both of you as you grow up together.

You and I tend to go head to head A LOT, little sister. You know how to push my buttons, and you definitely test those boundaries like no other. You can be pretty defiant and disobedient, often spending long periods of time in time-out, because when I ask you if you're ready to listen and obey, you adamantly tell me "no!" and really mean it. But I know that your passion could be one of your greatest strengths one day, and I pray for the wisdom and strength to help guide you to use it for the Lord and for good. 

While we struggle sometimes to understand your stubbornness and strong will, you have the most tender of hearts. You freely give hugs and want to snuggle, and you can be such a nurturer. You are the absolute BEST sister. You take such good care of both of your brothers. You love and take such good care of your baby doll Lucy. You can be such an amazing little helper. And your sweetness can come out of nowhere, and it just melts my Mama heart. In those sweet moments, I know we're going to survive this crazy toddlerhood :)

Lady Bug, we love you SO much, and we are so thankful for you!

Stats :: 40 pounds, 40.25 inches tall

Maddie-Phrases to Remember :: 

• cray be the Lord! Haha, she loves singing "Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah!" and she says this instead of "praise be the Lord!" and I love it.
• Jamammies. This is my favorite mispronunciation of "pajamas."
• See? Look at this! She gets so excited about something and this is her go-to phrase to get our attention and point out her excitement.
• What am I doing? Haha- she asks this A LOT, and it's usually when she's doing something she should not be doing. Though sometimes she uses it for silly things too. It's like she's telling on herself.
• Can you read this please? I hear this no less than 50 times a day. Sweet girl LOVES her books, and that's all she ever wants to do, is sit down and read them ALL.
• That's my Mama. This is hands down my favorite phrase. She will look at me with those sweet hazel eyes of hers, point to me, and then say "That's my mama." And it melts my heart EVERY SINGLE TIME. Yes, Baby Girl. I am your Mama, and it is the absolute best title in the world. 

2019 Goals :: October Check-In

I am currently working to persevere to the end of the year with my goals. I am definitely losing some steam on things, but I think I have developed some good new routines overall, so that's got to be a resolution win, right?

Goal #1: Drink 60oz of water every day

I did well at the beginning of the month, but as it got colder, things started dropping off again. I tend not to drink as much {of anything} when it's cold outside.

Goal #2: Increase my fitness level

I increased my fitness from last month {which isn't saying a lot, considering that I didn't do anything last month haha}, and I have just resolved that my grand plans of fitness just aren't going to happen right now. I'll keep trying and working at it, but right now I am doing well to just remind myself to stay active. Having toddlers helps that, it's just not the fitness active that I would prefer to be. Maybe I can pursue more specific fitness goals later, when I can carve out a little more time for myself. For this month though, my "increase" was just more walks with the kiddos while the weather was nice.

Goal #3: Listen to the Audio Bible daily

Again, still listening to the verses in my BSF study, so less quantity, just more frequency. This month I listened to Acts 5-11.

Goal #4: Read 55 Books

I read 4 books this month. It felt good to be reading again :)

Goal #5: Participate in the #150hoursoutside project

For a good part of the month, we had GORGEOUS weather, so that made getting outside so fun! The past week or so has been super cold and rainy, so we didn't make it outside for several days haha. We'll just plan to enjoy the outdoors when we can!

Goal #6: Do something creative every month

This month, I worked on decorations for Eli and Maddie's third birthday! I'll be posting about their party soon, so you can see what I have been working on then :)

Goal #7: Be more intentional with discipling Eli and Maddie

We have continued with our Acts study in BSF. Eli and Maddie are still loving their class, and I love hearing about all they are learning! We also finished up the attributes of God from Tiny Theologians, and then started the names of God. These cards are really pretty...but not exactly toddler-friendly. Since the letters are in script, my kids don't recognize them. And the names were a little hard for little ones; I haven't heard my kids repeat the names as often as they did the atributes. We will still finish the alphabet and use them in the future, but they are definitely geared more for older kids {probably more school age}.