The beauty of nature

I have been a part of several conversations with church friends in the past few years talking about times when we have felt closest to God.  It is amazing (or perhaps not so amazing) how many people's answers involved nature - a sunset or sunrise on a beach, the breathtaking scenery from the top of a mountain, the view of the sky from an airplane window, the beauty of a single flower.  Most people I know have stories about the beauty of nature.  (And I don't take it for granted that I am one of those people.  Can you imagine growing up in an inner-city and never seeing what's outside it?  It happens...)

So as I was cuddled by the warm fire last night, reveling in the sounds of my laughing baby, the satisfaction of a delicious dinner in my stomach, and the anticipation of a day at home with both my boys, I was horrified to see that the storm that was fairly innocently passing over my home is on a path to decimate so many others.  It's one thing for me to enjoy a windy, rainy day from the comfort of my electricity-powered, weather-proof home.  It's another for me to know that that wind and rain is going to make this week pretty atrocious for millions of others.  There is really no really no big takeaway from this post.  I guess I, like so many of my other friends on Facebook, felt like expressing my horror and awe at the power and (yes) beauty of creation...

"You alone are the Lord.  You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, and earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them.  You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you."  Nehemiah 9:6

Birthday fun

Last Friday was my birthday.  And although I'm now one year closer to the big 3-0, I like to adopt my grandmother's attitude, which is that if you're not growing older, it means you're dead.  So yay birthdays!!  The only way I can think to talk about my wonderful day is to share with you all the people who made it special for me...

Hubby T...bought me a pumpkin spice latte on his way home from work on Thursday, stashed it in the fridge overnight, then heated it up and brought it to me in bed on Friday morning, along with the first clue of the birthday scavenger hunt he made me!  I went to the pantry first, where I found a coupon for a date night out at Sweet Frog in my sugar container,

Then I went to the piano where I found a coupon for iTunes money,

Then I went to the bookshelf where I found a coupon for two dinners out at Panera Bread where my book club meets.

Don't I have a thoughtful husband?!  He's not normally this creative, so he gets a lot of credit for starting my birthday off with a bang this year:)

Gramma P...who spent Thursday night with us, rolling out my birthday "cake" of pumpkin cinnamon rolls at 9:30 that night so that they could rise overnight and then be enjoyed by us all for breakfast.  (Totally worth the effort, by the way.)  She took us birthday shopping on Friday morning and out to lunch.  It just seems appropriate to spend your birthday with your mom, the woman who gave birth to you.  Thanks for everything mama:)

Grampa....who couldn't spend the day with us but sent me some awesome spices from Penzy's.  Chinese cinnamon anyone?  Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet but it'll be great!

My friend...who stopped by in the afternoon with a gorgeous flower arrangement for me.  She even knew not to ring my doorbell because the boys were sleeping.  I don't think the power of surprise flowers can be underestimated.  Thank you again for your thoughtfulness friend:)

My small group...who braved traffic on Friday night to come up to our house for a game night, along with candles and dessert to sing me happy birthday.  You all know who you are, and how much I love you.  Thanks for ending my day on a happy note:)

Here's to another wonderful year filled with amazing family and friends.  Thanks for making my birthday so great everyone:)

Fall Fun

We sang a song at story time last week, to the tune of Frere Jacques, that goes, "Autumn leaves are falling down, falling down, falling down.  Autumn leaves are falling down, we love autumn."  Each child has a colored piece of fabric that they can throw in the air and watch fall to the ground like leaves while we sing.  It's fun.  But mostly I like the song because I, too, love autumn!

It's my favorite season.  I love pulling out my coats and hoodies.  I love cuddling under my comforter.  I love the smell of the cinnamon broom that accosts you as you walk into the grocery store.  I love baking things with pumpkin and cinnamon and nutmeg and allspice.  And I love doing fall things.  Like apple picking!  Except the farm near us doesn't have an apple crop this year, sad.  So we bought apples instead and still made an apple pie (which, incidentally, is a million times better with vanilla ice cream, which I really need to not forget to buy next time I make apple pie!) 

We had an extended visit with Hubby T's parents last weekend, who came down to celebrate my birthday and Mom-Mom's birthday and Baby B's overall every day of the year awesomeness.  Being the rock star preschool teacher that she is, Mom-Mom brought all kinds of treats for the boys, including play-dough, animal shaped magnets for the doodle pad, and her apple peeler/slicer tool.  The boys have never been as helpful in helping me cook anything as they were by peeling and cutting up apples for the pie:)

On Saturday morning, after a stop at Starbucks for Mama P's birthday pumpkin spice latte (something else to love about fall), we explored a fall festival!  I walked Baby B through the hay maze, which he wasn't so sure about...

But then we let him sit on a tractor, which he was a bit more enthusiastic about...

He was also very enthusiastic about the two mini-pumpkins that Mom-Mom bought him (one for each hand, thanks for that little bit of spoiling Mom-Mom:)

 I'm loving this fall thing so much that I kept the fun rolling today, when we had even more pumpkin excitement at Pumpkinville!!

I love how this hay ride brought out both of their personalities.  Baby D sat perfectly still next to me almost the whole time, quietly taking in the unfamiliar but not unwelcome experience.  Baby B, on the other hand, wanted off as soon as we got on, and wouldn't stop wiggling until I pointed out the tractor that was pulling us.  From that point forward, he kept excitedly exclaiming, "I on tractor!!" and constantly moving around as far as my arm would let him go.  After the hay ride we ventured into the corn maze, and if you're wondering if having two little boys with four legs and only one of me with two legs in a maze was slightly nervewracking, you would be right.

I love fall.  I love activities that you can only do in the fall.  And I love sharing them with these two wonderful boys.  So keep bringing on the fun autumn!!   

Rainy day

Rain rain don't go away...we love playing inside all day!!

This was their idea to play in a waterless bathtub...leave it to little boys to think outside the box:)

Such strong, determined, helpful boys!!

"Ga-bage tuck!!"

My little Elmo watching his little Elmo

Nice hat Baby D!

"No no!" as in "No no, don't you dare take this from me!"  Baby B is trying very hard to "discipline" Baby D the same way I do these days...

"Hide in the corner!"

Thank goodness this rainy day was enjoyed with smiles:)

Butterfly garden

Swings and slides are all very well and good, but every once in awhile it's good to shake things up a bit.  So today we went to a different kind of park.  A park that inspires little boys to act as elusive and energetically as the park's inhabitants.  We visited a butterfly garden:)

Ready, set...

You can't catch me!

 Off we go, into the wild blue yonder...

Bridge was a new concept today...when we came home the boys unrolled my yoga mat and ran back and forth on their own "bridge"!

 The boys didn't pay any attention to the beautiful plants around them, but I loved this purple berry bush:)

 Baby D chase!!!

My little explorers

We will definitely be bringing some friends back here to play.  Hooray for public parks, beautiful nature, and two fantastic little boys to enjoy it all with!