"You're gonna miss this."

"I can't wait till the kids get older."

"I can't wait till Carter grows out of his super 'needy' stage."

"I can't wait till life's a little easier."

"I can't wait till Annabelle can..."

"I cant' wait until..."

All things I catch myself saying that are actually not true. 

Today, I had about a million bags and lunchboxes hanging off of my arms, as I was pushing a stroller through the cold rain, and wrangling another child while saying, "please just keep walking".  I saw a mom in the same parking lot who has two older children, like elementary age, and I said under my breath, "I can't wait till the kids are older".  In moments where I am chasing both kids around the car, and loading them into the car while they are cranky, hungry and tired, I say that, too.  When my arms are not only full of stuff, but also BOTH children, I say that.  But, it's not true.  I don't actually wish they were older.  And i CAN wait until they are older.  I love the stage that they are in, and really want to soak it all up.  I don't want to rush life, and then miss it.  

Carter has been a very 'needy' little boy.  And for some reason, the times he needs me the most seem to be the times that I am busy.  He tugs and my pant legs and pushes me away from the counter when I am in the kitchen.  He follows me around the house crying when I am trying to get housework done.  There have been times that I will hide around the corner in my own house just so he doesn't see me and realize he needs something.  That sounds funny, but it's true.  Some moments I feel like the demands of him, housework, Annabelle AND being a wife are just too much for one person to handle.  My own needs and desires are always pushed aside, and that can be a little draining.  In those moments, I say things that aren't true.  Things like, "I can't wait till Carter grows out of this stage."  As if, in that moment, it would be just so much easier.  But, I DON'T wish him to grow out of this stage too fast.  I know that someday I will look back and miss his extra hugs, his extra snuggles.  I will miss that he needed me so so much.  

Having young kids is a challenge in so many ways.   But, I love those little whipper snappers so much.  It's awesome watching little people grow up. As a mom who is with them, well, ALWAYS, it is a lot of pressure to make sure that they are growing up in a good way.  That they are being molded and shaped into little people that will impact the world around them.  The responsibility I feel every day to take care of them is more than I can bear sometimes.  But, I feel that this is where God wants me to be.  To understand that in my own strength,  I can not love and raise those children.  The Lord's strength is the ONLY thing that will get me through each day and each little moment every day.  The moments when I lie to myself and wish that something was different.  THOSE are the moments when I need to totally be drawing on the Holy Spirit to help me live the life He has given me.  I get to unwrap new gifts from the Lord every day, and how rude of me to complain about those gifts, wishing they were bigger or better.  I desire to live in a state of dependence and thankfulness to Him. 

LOVE this song so much...

OH, and I am pregnant with my third sweet baby!  More on that later.  But, after watching that video again, I am just an emotional ball of tears.  Will hold my sweet kiddos tight and giggle about these tears in a sec...

December.

WHAT?  December?  November left as quickly as it came.  I knew it would. November was a very busy month.  Busy and awesome.  But, where is 2013?  It has flown by.  Maybe faster than any other year I have lived.  It has been a sweet year.

Here are some November highlights...

Our little family took a road trip to see family and friends.  A very long road trip.  Craig and I have been wanting to take this trip for such a long time.  I am so super thankful that this trip finally happened.  It only makes me wish it could happen again.  

Here are the kiddos.  This was the first five minutes in the car.  They did great on our first stretch of the trip.  We drove through the night to allow the kiddos to sleep a bunch, and they did.  Of course it wasn't perfect.  There was a little crying, but nothing bad at all.  I was so proud of them.  

FIRST destination!  MADE IT to Grandma's!

We were blessed with a GORGEOUS day and the kids played outside most of the day.

A long awaited hug from Uncle Chad.  Such a sweet picture...

Snuggles with grandma...

Annabelle was enjoying vacation!  :)

Got to see an old friend from Bible School.  It was super awesome to see her and catch up.  

Love this pic.  Minnesota is full of a lot of people we care about. I was lucky to join this group of buds by marrying Craig.  ;)

Annabelle was not feeling well one morning, and layed around wherever she could.  Bop Bop decided to join her, and it was so cute. 

One thing I loved about this trip was being able to sleep close to my kiddos.  That may sound crazy to some parents, but it was one thing I was actually looking forward to about this trip.  When we stayed at Nana and Grandpa's, Annabelle and I actually got to share a bed.  I loved coming in at night and seeing her like this...

The kiddos enjoying the North woods...

And "sledding" with Nana in the dirt.  We missed the Minnesota snow by only a couple weeks.  

Sweet family time with Grandpa and cousins...

Coloring with Aunt Heidi and cousins...

Headed HOME. We drove during the day this stretch.  The third and last long part of this trip.  It was a very good idea this time around.  They did pretty good for the most part.  Of course, not perfect, but really did better than I expected.  

This 10 day trip had it's ups and downs.   There were a couple of days that Annabelle wasn't feeling well, things didn't go as planned or expected, but it was still an amazing time.  Traveling with two kids is a lot different than just one and a WHOLE lot different than none.  I wouldn't trade the memories of those days for anything.  We loved seeing family and friends and visiting familiar places.  I can't wait till we do it again.  

The day after we got back, I got SO sick and was pretty much down for like 5 days.  It was awful.  I prayed and prayed that neither of the kids or Craig would get what I had, and God so far has answered that prayer.  Thankful!  

Thanksgiving week was a good time to kind of relax and get back in to the swing of things around here.  We hosted my family this year at our house.  I love love love having Holidays at our house.  I love setting the table and making delicious food.  Craig also loves to entertain and have guests, so it's a good thing we both love it.  

a little place card for my little niece...

The day after Thanksgiving, we went to see some of my family to celebrate my grandma's 90th birthday (my dad's mom).  It was another sweet time this month of amazing time spent with people I love.  It was only for the day, so it left me wanting more.  Growing up, we always had Christmas with my dad's side of the family at my Aunt's house.  That house holds SO many memories from my childhood.  It is a place of peace and comfort, and always has been.  Being there again this year, with the house filled with at least 3-5 times more people, was just as special.  It was so neat that everyone came out to celebrate "NANNY".  

And now, it's December.  And I am sure it will fly just as quickly.  Looking forward to the rest of 2013, and to whatever 2014 holds.... 

These pictures were just taken this week.  Sunshine and fall leaves!  It's been so nice outside, and according the weather news, this weekend is supposed to get crazy cold.  Crazy cold for Texas anyways.  So far December has been pretty nice and warm, so We will see.  

Speech

Happy November!  This is the month many stop more often to remember what we are THANKFUL for.  There are SO many things that I am thankful for, that there would be no way I could ever thank God enough.  My words fall short.  But, today, I am specifially greatful for my sweet little Annabelle.  Specifically, the way she communicates.  I really do love the way she communicates with us, but some days I have to remind myself to be thankful for this specific part of her.  Because it is also very hard for me.

Annabelle is an amazing and spunky 3 1/2 year old little girl.  She has much to express.  Through actions, sign language and words.  Unfortunatly, we don't understand most of those words.  Which make her actions to express those words, actions of frustration and anger.  She also uses actions to show us that she is thankful, and loves us, and is excited, happy, and content.  I've been having a harder time lately with this.  Sometimes tears well up in my eyes when she is trying so hard to tell me a story, or tell me something she wants or needs.  I try to hard to understand her.  It makes me sad that she doesn't sing her favorite songs along with us.  And it makes me sad that she can't tell me a story about her day at school.  BUT, she DOES sign language to her favorite songs.  And she does sign language to tell us things she wants.  And I am hearing more clear words come out of her mouth.  So, I am also thankful.  

Even though I am so thankful for who Annabelle is and for the way she does things, it doesn't change the fact that it is still hard.  

BUDDY WALK was awesome this year.  Annabelle wore herself out.  We had had about 20 people on her team this year, and I am always so thankful for our friends and family who come out to support Annabelle and DSACT.  

Oh, check out these cute kiddos in the pumpkin patch.... Happy FALL!!!!

Anyone else think this boy needs to get discovered?!?!? GOSH he's handsome!  

All the cousins...

Picture day!

This week we had picture day at school. Look how cute they are. It's hard to get good pics when you want them. so this is what I got before school. :)

He hangs out with me before school starts. And I love it. 

Annabelle putting her " makeup" on...

Just C.U.T.E.

My kids are cute. I like them a lot. I've said all this before, yes?

They went to their first costume party this past weekend with Craig and me. Annabelle was a fairy and Carter was a sailor. I could not find a costume for carter, and I totally refuse to pay $30-$40 on an outfit they will wear once or twice.  Not happenin'.  So, I found a sailor hat at a resale shop, and he wore a white polo and navy pants. The hat made the outfit anyway. See... 

This weekend was sweet with my awesome little family. The weather here has been SO amazing and I have been soaking it up.  We went to the park on Sunday to enjoy some outside time.  Here are a few pics...

Craig kneeling, talking to Carter.  Can you see them in the background?

There was an ice cream truck that came driving through the park and we HAD to get something.  This particular ice cream truck looked identical to the ones that were around when I was just a kid.  White van, playing music out of a rickety, fuzzy speaker and faded pictures of all the ice cream treats plastered on the side.  Kinda creepy.  Good thing everything comes packaged.  Somehow that makes me feel better about it.  Carter loved this Jolly Rancher bomb pop, even upside down...

This girl loves pictures of herself.