365.190: Pilgrims' Feast

Holden's preschool class had a Feast this morning (or "veast," as he pronounces it) to celebrate Thanksgiving. Parents were invited, which I was just totally eating up. For some reason, I just love watching Holden in his "big boy" environment. And I am relishing the fact that he adores it when I show up. He lights up and wants me to stay right beside him the whole time. I know that won't last long, so I am treasuring it now.

He was so proud of the placemat and Pilgrim hat he made!

Lining up 16 four-year-olds for a picture is no small feat.

Holden at his "Veast!"

365.189: Lifegroup Thanksgiving

Tonight for Lifegroup, we shared a Thanksgiving meal together. It was so delicious and fun, except for my children acting like little crazies who must have been raised in a barn. Here is our group! (Shockingly, all 12 children are with their matching parents.)

L to R: Ryan and me with Turner and Holden; Christine Smith with baby Noah (her husband Nathan and daughter Annaleise were at home); Jenny and Chase Thebault with Susanna, baby Sam, and Evie; Mattisa and Jason Dumas with Diane, Jace, and baby Daniel; Alex and Christie Finch with Autumn; and Cory and Elisabeth Gouldman with Chloe and baby Jackson.

365.188: Little Chef

Holden just loves to cook with me. When we were finished cooking our sweet potatoes today, Holden wanted to create his own dish. Without a recipe. Or help. This is what we got:


Mmmmm..who wants a bite?
He put in flour, raw ginger, scallions, frozen peas, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lots of cinnamon, among other things.

Watching him "cook," I was taken back to my brother Clark and I as kids. We used to love making up new recipes. We would pull a million things out of the refrigerator and put it all in the blender. Think ketchup smoothies.
So I guess the apple isn't falling far from this tree.

365.187: Cover Art

I've started the cover art for my new journal (which is the third I've had since moving to Waco). This is just the very beginning.

365.186: Pink Eye

So...this happened.

365.185: Mischief

This morning I made the mistake of believing I could unload the dishwasher in peace while the boys played quietly with their toys in the living room.

What a rookie.

I found them in the bathroom, where they had filled up the tub with water, most of a bottle of soap, every single one of their washcloths from the linen closet, every bath toy we own, and (the kicker) lots of paper bags that they had been using as boats. That is, until the paper disintegrated into tiny shreds of soggy, elusive, particles floating in the tub, waiting to clog the drain. And the boys were sopping wet like five minutes after getting dressed.

Luckily, I have a new phrase for my response: smh.

365.184: Portrait

"This is you, Mommy!
This is what you're gonna look like when you grow up.
You're gonna have curly hair like me."
~Holden, 4 1/2