Kim 365

Deacon is five months old today!
He had a great time hanging out with his Grandpa this afternoon.

Anytime I have posted a photo of a sewing project, I feel the need to be punny with my title. I'm sew sorry. wah wah.
Here I am finishing up my tiny Christmas stocking advent calendar project. December is coming!

Julia, always game for something goofy!
So today was a major cookie baking day at my mom and dad's house. Some to keep, and lots to give away. My contribution was these sour cream cutout cookies, and browned butter triple chocolate chunk cookies.
You're welcome.

It's not really midnight, but that's beside the point. I needed to eat something redeeming after all the cookie dough that made its way into my mouth this evening. Some of my sisters and I are meeting at my mom and dad's tomorrow to bake up a storm before Christmas, and I was getting all my dough ready so I can hit the ground running in the morning.

One of us has gone on strike, and I'll give you a hint: it's not me.
If he's not drooling, he's coughing (had him at the doctor yesterday and he was confident it's just a virus that will pass soon). When I do get him to sleep, he wakes soon after, raring to go again. At least he's happy about his decision to be awake! He has also decided to be very particular about where he will nurse - only lying down in bed, and only if my attention is undivided! It's hard to get much done when he won't nap and wants to be held a lot, but I'll take it. All the wet faced kisses and the snuggles...I'll take it. These days will be over before I know it.
(Thanks to Clay for taking this shot for me)

Markus received some lego for his birthday back in March, and it was a hit for a few weeks, then was put aside for other tried and true toys. That Lego has emerged from its storage box in the pantry, and I don't think it will be going anywhere for a very long time. Hours have already been spent building and playing, and I know there will be many more to come. Now the challenge is to keep it from drifting all over the house...

Do you ever get a book in your hands that you are thrilled to begin reading, but filled with holy dread at the same time? That's where I'm at with Give Them Grace. Having read a few blog posts by the book's author, Elyse Fitzpatrick, I've been amazed and convicted each time. I want to read more, but I know it's going to be hard work on my hard heart. Here are two posts for you you read, if you dare :)
Do you teach your kids the gospel or law? and,
Dazzle your children with the gospel of grace.

We came across some police officers a few days ago when we were out of the house. The kids kept their distance. Then one of the policemen asked if the kids wanted stickers. They looked at them, with this stunned and awed reverence - tongue tied, they slowly nodded. They quietly uttered their thanks, and came back to share the earth shaking news with me.

A white iPhone. Whatever will I do with myself? I'm too cool for school now.
Mostly I'm excited that texting will no longer be a laborious chore, and that I can now have a digital grocery list when I go shopping. Clay's excited that we can do FaceTime calls.

I think the kids are just happy there will be another device in the house that they can use to play Angry Birds.

I was unaware of how cold it was outside this morning. All I knew was that the front sidewalk needed to be shoveled, and it was a good excuse to get the kids out of the house with me for some fresh air. It wasn't until after we came inside that I went to the weather network site to see how cold it was out there, -28C with the windchill. Yikes! I wish I were Deacon, sleeping peacefully through it!
So after we came in, it was time for tea to help us warm up.