snow play

If you are anything like me, {ahem, immature}, you probably did a double take on the post title.  After I wrote it out my first thought was not snow. Just sayin'. Hey, it's Friday.

Now to more of the family friendly stuff.

Earlier this week it was warm enough for me to get the boys up in their snow gear. Seriously. What an effort it takes to dress two little people in sixteen different layers to play in the snow for thirty minutes. As soon as I got Roman outfitted I sent him on his merry way. To say he was excited is an understatement. He ran out into the snow, dropped to the ground and made a snow angel right then and there. How did he know how to make one of those? NO CLUE!  Because I surely didn't teach him.

We also have this snow mound from where Jeff shoveled the snow from our driveway. Big Brother just climbed right on up it, no inhibitions...which is kind of saying something for him. It was so fun to see him purely enjoying himself as a three year old. 

Viggo, however, preferred the sidewalk. Each time I'd encourage him to go play with Roman his face turned all disgusted and he whined 'uh uh'.  I'd pick him up and walk in the snow, try to set him down and he would start crying-ish and lift his arms up for me to rescue him out of the sea of white fluff.

 this is about as far in as I could get him

mmm, rosy cheeks.

Toward the end of our fun, I encouraged Roman to eat some snow, making sure to emphasize only eating the white snow.  You should have seen the look in his eyes when I said that  He could hardly believe it. He was so wanting to share this new excitement and delicious fun with Little Brother, but that wasn't going to happen. Probably next year. 

I'm actually a little excited for the next snowfall with decent accumulation.  It's fun to be a kid with my kids.

george

So I added another photo off to the right, if you didn't already notice.  That, my friends, is George Patrick Okello.  The newest member of our family.  Though we don't know him, {yet}, we love him.  He has the sweetest smile and amazingly white teeth. The small amount of information we have tells us this: he's twelve has six siblings, lives with them and him mama and doesn't know how is dad died.

I am so smitten with him.

God has been stirring my heart lately.  I wasn't sure exactly what I was supposed to do with the new emotions I had. You know the ones.  Feeling the need to jump into something you don't know much about, or even just knowing something different needs to happen but not knowing where to go with it??  {how many times can I say 'know/ing' in a sentence...}  I have been convicted of being overly selfish with my time and money and anything else in my life.   The guilt I have for my kids is ridiculous. Roman constantly asks me to play with him and I'm always 'doing it later' or 'I have to do ____ first'.  What a lame mom!  While there is a balance to playing with the littles and keeping up with other things around the house, we were off.  So, thanks to God, and reading this, the direction I needed to take was a little clearer.  I need to be okay with being less comfortable in my life.  No, I don't need that coffee, those clothes, all that home decor. Because George needs a meal, George needs clean water, George need medical supplies, George needs to hear about Jesus!! And not just George. James 2:14-17 folks.  It hit home with me.

So.

Jeff and I sat down with Roman before bed last night and scrolled through several photos of children needing our help,  and let him pick out the child he wanted to sponsor.  Super cute side note here- Roman saw this photo of George and as I said his {George's} name, Roman perked up and with an excited voice said "YEAH!! Like in the movie?! With the monkey!?? That's George!"  Obviously we clarified that while he was right about the same name thing, our George was indeed not a monkey, but a little boy who were were going to send money to every month so that he can eat, drink clean water, get medicine if he gets sick and be taught about Jesus.  Oh the mind of a three year old. So sweet.

Anyway. We are so excited to be called to help 'the least of these'.  Here's a powerful video that makes me cry every time I watch it.

I'm excited to see where God takes this!

being present

Yesterday began {for Roman} at five something a.m.  Seriously. That's just disgusting to me.  I made him hang out until a little closer to seven. When I rolled out of bed I was worried that, like most other mornings, this was just another Monday morning to be angry at, only this one would be worse because it started far to early by my standards.

God had other plans.

I was updating myself from what I missed online during the overnight hours while the boys ate breakfast and ran across a friends blog post. Conviction. I so desire a comfortable life. Who doesn't.  Perspective set in and God was eager to extend it. In response, We're going to change things around here. Shake up our 'routine' a little.  The boys are going to start sponsoring a boy from Africa and I am so excited to help them find ways to earn money to do it!  I desire for them to have a heart for others- especially those who we are called to care the most for. Orphans and Widows. However, in order for them to care, I need to care. Lead by example, right?

So I am thankful to God, from whom all blessings come, for the motivation and energy He's gave me yesterday. And He gave me extra patience, to boot.

All that said. We have had a really great day.  In few words, here's what we're enjoying.

post bath curls.

breakfast in the castle.

body art.

his new-found love of drawing.

 {a spider}

new uses for old things.

pants that are too small.

peek-a-boo.

BOW!!, he says. so cute.

And it's only Tuesday.

I made that:: {ruler growth chart & burlap wreath}

Oh Pinterest.

I have been working on a few crafty things around here. I have no original ideas, just so you know. Both of these crafts came from Pinterest. Do you love pinterest as much as I do?

Craft number one.

DIY ruler growth chart.  The tutorial I used I found at 517 creations. It's stupid easy, really, and it only cost me about seven buck for the wood. I had the stain, paint pen and stencils on hand already.  I have yet to hang it up on the wall, but it will be six inches up from the floor when I do.  So excited to have something to measure the boys heights with!

Craft number two:

Burlap knot tie wreath. Tutorial found at farm house porch.  I had all the supplies on hand for this one too! Love when that happens!  Not sure where I'll hang it yet, but when I figure it out, I'll post a photo.

Happy Tuesday!

according to roman

At the table during lunch, Viggo was chocking on some water and I raised my hands up in the air knowing he would too.

R: Now put your arms like this {elbows close to the body, hands up}
I obliged
R: now hands on your penis
Me: uhhh...laughing hysterically due to the unexpectedness of what just came out of his mouth.
R: But you touch your butt.
Me: re-directing conversation topic.

*****

I was sitting on the sofa with my feet on the coffee table looking old photos of Roman when he stands at my legs and says,

R: mom, I need to go force
Me: you need to go force?
R: no, I need to go forTH!

Roman got this Bible for his birthday. I'm not exactly sure where, but there's a story in it that he and Jeff were reading about a big beast coming forth out of the water or something to that respect. Funny what they remember!
*****


While messing with his jeans in the butt region:

Me: Roman, what are you doing?
R:  my underwear is going in my body!

viggo verbiage

While he's not quite talking in full sentences yet, he is saying or doing some really cute things. He's really good at saying 'mama'. He follows me around the house with his ecru colored blanket on repeat: 'mama', 'mama', 'mama', until I acknowledge him. Then he just wants me to pick him up.
*****
He is also really into quality time (hence the following around and holding), books in which he hands you the book and turns around, backs up to you lap and plops down. It's super cute. His favorite book right now is "Go Dogs Go!" He yells that every time he wants to read it, but it sounds more like "doh dah doh!!"
*****
Viggo knows what a cow, pig, dog, duck, horse, lion, monkey, bird, and donkey say. I'm sure there are other animals I'm forgetting.  He also says 'nana' for banana,  "wayyo" for yellow, "all done"
*****
He is a very strong willed little boy. If he doesn't get what he wants, he gets ALL dramatic on me and cries, mouth WIDE open, like this:

throws his body the opposite direction of me and, if possible, finds something to throw. It's really funny and kind of makes me nervous at the same time.  I think he'll be my spirited one. I love his little personality.