Getting Cozy for Fall

With Fall (supposedly) approaching I have been wanting to cozy up our home a bit. Since we're fairly new to this house, and there are a lot of blank walls that I have no clue what to do with, I've been struggling with how to make our house more homey. Enter pillows, my go-to home decor element that seems to instantly adds a statement to any room. I've had these on my agenda to make for a while...I got the burlap coffee sacks off of Etsy a couple months ago...but I never found time (or made the time) to make them 'til today. And no, I certainly did not let Johnathan watch a couple hours worth of his favorite Huckle shows while I made them so that he would stay out of my way, of course not! ;)

I got all my sewing stuff out during Eli's naptime and got them pretty much made before he woke up. I am so happy with how they turned out and I love the warmth and texture they bring to our living room. Tell me what you think!







*Grace*

Silly Sleeper

Last night, during the middle of the night, I was awakened by the sound of Johnathan coughing...just a few little coughs, no biggie. You know how when you're woken up by some kind of noise and you have a hard time recalling what the sound was? Well last night the coughing I heard didn't sound like it had come from the baby monitor that I keep on during the night on my nightstand, but then again, I wasn't fully conscious when I heard the coughs, so who knows.

Anyways, I got up and took a quick trip to the potty and decided to check on the boys before I went back to sleep. Eli was sleeping peacefully in his crib and Johnathan was...he was...where was he???!!! He wasn't anywhere in his room and I hadn't seen him in ours. Sometimes he will sneak in and curl up on some extra throw pillows from our bed that I place on the floor, but nope, he wasn't there. Then, I remembered the cough, how it had sounded like it came from close by but not the baby monitor. And so I looked under our bed, and sure enough, there was Johnathan, all curled up and sleeping like a little cat. Goodness, what a place to sleep! I pulled him out from under the bed and made up a quick pallet for him beside our bed using a throw blanket and those extra pillows. He sort of woke up as I dragged him out of his safe sleeping place, and I suppose I could have just left him there since he was asleep after all, but somehow I just don't think I could have fallen back asleep knowing my child was on the floor under my bed. Although he was no monster, ghost or goblin I still don't want to sleep with anything or anyone under my bed! ;)

These little dudes of mine are always surprising me with their silly little antics, and you can bet from now on when I hear one of them coughing or making strange noises at night I'm going to check under my bed first!

Happy Sunday Night!
*Grace*

My Little Nakey-Nakey

The other day I went in to check on Eli during his nap and found him stark naked, diaper on the floor, in a deep sleep. He was so cute with his little body all curled up, heiny straight up in the air and arms and knees tucked under his belly. I of course took a picture (but for privacy reasons won't share it here) and just laughed at the sight of my little nakey-nakey sleeping like an angel. I thought I'd have a big mess to clean up (poop or at the very least pee) when he decided to wake up, but thankfully he held it until after he woke up and had his diaper on again! ;)

Anyways, just a cute little anecdote about my little dude. I remember finding Johnathan like this too around the same age as Eli...and it was cute then also! ;)

Happy Sunday!

*Grace*

Bb is for Betsy Bee

Yesterday Johnathan came home from school so happy and vocal about what he had learned. When I picked him up he told me that he had had such a fun day and said, "I didn't miss you at all, Mommy!"...haha, I was glad though because that meant that he was kept busy and had a good time...it's hard to miss mommy when you're having so much fun learning...although he did say that he missed Eli...and Dada...and BoBo...haha! ;)

When we get home from school we always take out Johnathan's green folder that all his little papers are in. Yesterday he was so excited to show me and wanted to get them out himself and show them to me one by one. He worked on the letter "B" yesterday and kept singing "Buh, Buh, Buh for Betsy Bee"...and it was the cutest thing. Each letter of the alphabet has a cute little animal or bug to go with it so the kids can learn it easier. "A" was Alexander Alligator and "B" was Betsy Bee. He also worked on cutting with scissors, painted a letter B, practiced gluing little bits of paper to the letter and and did some other fun "B" related activities.

Each day I get a little "report card" saying what the class did that day and what Johnathan in particular enjoyed. I love that I feel like I know a little better what he did during the day, and I always love seeing what he liked best about the day. I am saving all his papers in a binder that I purchased yesterday and I know I will treasure looking back through them in the years to come.

I made a cute little "gallery wall" to hang up Johnathan's school papers and special pictures. It also has our calendar and Johnathan's Chore Chart. I love that I did this because it makes it very easy for me to go over with Johnathan what he's learned during school. We practice the alphabet and number(s) that he has recently learned and I really think that this is helping him to retain it. Plus, it's pretty cute! ;)






Happy Friday and Yay for learning!!!

*Grace*

{7} in Heaven

Today marks the 7th "Heaven Birthday" of our sweet, precious Daniel Cole. I can hardly believe that it's been seven years since we last saw and felt our sweet baby boy. Wow, seven years.

This evening we went on a family walk together and saw a snake that had died on the sidewalk. Johnathan said that Jesus was going to make the snake better and "make him alive again"...oh the wonderful gift of a childlike faith, believing that Jesus can make everything better...just as He is able to do.

We told Johnathan that sometimes when things or people die that they go to Heaven, even though Jesus has the power to heal and even raise from the dead. Then we told Johnathan again about his big brothers in Heaven. Sort of odd maybe, to transition from a dead snake to talking about his brothers that sit in the arms of Jesus, but it is something that he understands and it brings it home a little more for him.

So, sweet Daniel, know that you are talked of and loved and very much missed. I can't wait to see you again some day, to shower you with hugs and kisses and to hold you and never let go. You are and always will be my baby, and I love you so much.

Happy 7th Birthday, Sweetheart. Hug Gideon for us and kiss the Angel Babies.

Love, Mama & Dada and your Little Brothers

Asthma - A Great Way to Bond, Haha! ;)

When you're little cousins growing up together there are a lot of fun times and experiences to share...trips to the park, hanging out at each others houses, playing at the grandparents together, wrestling and pretending to Nacho Libre (or Kung Fu Panda or whatever character you are really into at the moment!). However, Gwen and I have found that one of the best ways for our boys to bond is through asthma breathing treatments!...totally kidding of course, we would much rather our boys didn't have to deal with breathing issues, but these poor babies are tainted by our husbands inferior genes, haha! (of the 3 brother-in-laws/son-in-laws that have joined the family all 3 of them have a history of asthma, thus the gene tainting, heehee!).

Miles and Eli were pretty cute doing their nebulizer treatments together. Usually Eli hates them, but he did great since big cousin Miles was doing it along with him...




And, not wanting to miss out on an opportunity to bond themselves, Johnathan and Levi were little mischief makers while their brothers were otherwise engaged...look at them! Too cute!




So that's how we roll with asthma. We don't let it get us down, it's just another opportunity to hang out and bond, ha! ;)

Have a great weekend!
*Grace*

A Day of Firsts

Yesterday two of my favorite people had some big firsts in their life...Aaron (a.k.a. "Favorite" to me, Dr. Aldape to others) started his first day in his new practice, woohoo!!! He is officially now a practicing physician...sorta funny how they call it a practice tho...kind of like they still need to do things a few more times 'til they get it right, haha! ;) I can assure you that Dr. Aldape knows what he's doing and is going to be a great physician to those blessed enough to have him as their doctor!

Also, my sweet Monkey Boy (a.k.a. Johnathan!) started his first day of school yesterday. We enrolled him in a two days a week Mother's Day Out that has a preschool curriculum. It is pretty structured but has a fun environment that I am sure he will love more and more as the weeks go by. He liked his first day, but was more than happy to see me drive up in the carpool line to pick him up...and you know what, I was pretty happy to see him too, his big smile shining at me through the glass doors. I missed my little dude a lot! ;)

So, I guess our "fall" has officially started. New schedules and routines to get down and lots of new fun experiences for everyone!

Happy Middle of the Week to Y'all!
*Grace*

Superhero!

Context: Aaron is out on the couch giving Eli his breathing treatment. Eli is screaming his head off because of said treatment. Johnathan and myself are in our bedroom getting PJs on for the night.

Johnathan: Mommy, what's wrong with Eli?
Me: Oh, he is just crying because he doesn't like his breathing treatment.
Johnathan (donning his hooded towel): I am going to be a superhero and go rescue Eli. I am going to get up on the couch and roar really loud in Daddy's ear and get Eli from him!
Me: Okay, buddy, go be a superhero!
Johnathan: Mommy, do you want to see how loud I'm going to roar?
Me: Sure, bud.
Johnathan: RRROOAAAAARRR!
Me: *laughing my head off!*

Aah, good times with my little dude!

*Grace*