Love.

Solar systems and tin whistles. That was a big part of school today. As we get more and more into the groove this year, I'm just loving our school. Grace is the best teacher and I feel more and more connected to the other moms. It's fun to all be in this together. :) And what great kids these are! I really love Jude & Selah's class.

The kids memorized the planets last week and discussed the size differences in each today, and then they did a fun, hands-on solar system craft.

Grace did an excellent job teaching the kids about the music staff, treble clef, whole notes, half notes, each note on the scale/staff, etc. today... then they played the first half of Mary Had a Little Lamb on their tin whistles. I love that music is a part of their school and that Jude and Selah have personal interest in the piano at home. Music has always been a special thing in my life and my family, and I love that the kids are interested too!

Selah keeps me really busy with crafts these days! She is a crafting maniac. ;) Always whipping up something, or drawing, or coloring... we bought this little tree last weekend and Selah couldn't wait until after Thanksgiving to decorate it. :) She made her own extra ornaments for it last night too, and worked on it until bedtime. I love this time of year! 

Josh is such a great dad. He is an all-star at work, then comes home and is an all-star at home. Some nights he walks through the door, takes off his shoes and he's instantly in story mode with the kids. Hasn't even taken his coat off yet. I love him. Our kids are blessed. <3

We had a nice weekend. I was sharing with Josh that life these days was beginning to feel a bit too much like groundhogs day. Same thing every day. School, dishes, meals, editing, laundry, meals, errands, parenting, meals... good things, but tiring too. So we mixed it up this weekend and it was nice! We got out and had a great family day together and got some Jude's Foods work done all together in Portland too.

Beautiful November day!

Beautiful sky at sunset!

I had to take this pic the other morning. There was something about Selah's skirt hiked up high, and her Pippi Longstocking legs, and Benjamin getting his toothbrush ready that made me just think, Man, I'm going to miss these moments one day! Such cuteness!

We are blessed by these years we have with these little treasures!

I saw this on Pinterest the other day and it made me think of being a mom...

What a gift it is to be a mom, and to show love to our littles. I'm always being stretched to work on choosing love (patience, kindness) over tasks. I'm sure many of us are.

And what unfathomable love we've received, that God loves us SO much, He loves us just as we are. He loves us with patience, kindness, and compassion. No condemnation. 

"With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs." Zeph 3:17

We love because He first loved us. <3

So many parallels between His love for us, and our love for our kids.

And for one another.

Speaking of love... I love this guy. Oh, did I already say that in this post? :)

JJ Heller sings a lot on the topic. We went and saw her and her husband in concert recently and had the best time! They are so great on stage! Ivan & Hayley invited us to go with them and I'm so glad they did! The concert actually took me back to the days of driving the kids to school from Tigard to Sherwood each day and how we'd listen to JJ Heller on our drive each morning/afternoon. If you haven't listened to her music before, take a listen. (I love this new song of hers!)

It was really wonderful spending time with Ivan and Hayley and grabbing tea/coffee after the show and spending some time at their new home. Hayley has been a close friend of mine since grade school and Josh and Ivan have known each other since middle school! A couple years ago we were playing a game all together one night and Ivan and Josh were creaming me and Hayley and there was no stopping their winning spree and they somehow got dubbed as "Shock & Awe". So that's what we call the boyz. ;)

I hope you are enjoying a lovely November so far, my blogging friends! :) 

xo,

B