Remembering the Good Days

These kids of ours.  They are creative, joyful, loving, sweet, funny, and just awesome, but they are also sinners too fighting their own demons. They may seem like small temptations to me but in their world they are just as great as mine.  I took these pictures of them playing together with blocks because they were getting along so well and I wanted it to be a reminder that not everyday is hard and long.  We do have our good moments too. But sometimes it is hard to remember that when you don't know what you are making for dinner, or you are trying to nurse the baby and do homeschool at the same time, or when your potty training toddler has already had three accidents.  Sometimes it feels I am needed in five places at once, but I'm only one person.  Those days, those days are when I need to remember there is joy and peace in our home.  And I think the goods days do out weigh the rough ones. 

Note: The block pictures are at the bottom of the post, I got distracted and started posting other sweet pictures. 

Thanksgiving 2014 (i.e. meat smoking and stomach flus)

 Yay!! Nana and Papa, Aunt Abbey, Uncle Paul, Vail, and Pilar came to visit!  They were here the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving.  Thank you to everyone for making the sacrifice to see us.  Everyone (I hope) had a wonderful time.  The kids did great and played well together.  Dad tried out our new smoker.  Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of pictures of Athanasius because he was outside a lot with Dad tinkering in the garage.  Probably trying to con him into letting him use his pocket knife.  One of my favorite moments was when Dad ran to the store with Athanasius and Boaz in tow and Athanasius asked, "Papa are you going to buy us junk?"  So far, my healthy habits and efforts have not worked on the boys.  Eleanor is convinced though and will warn the boys that their beloved bar b q sauce has corn syrup!  We all look so happy and like life is going great and it was, UNTIL...after the visit when we all started dropping like flies from a stomach flu!  Thanksgiving in our home went out the window and I had planned on preparing everything Sunday and didn't because no one seemed interested and I didn't have the energy.  I guess at some point in your life you are bound to have the flu on a holiday.  Next time, I am rubbing everyone down with essential oils.  And we can not wait for the next time!  It was so fun!! With stomach flu and all it was worth it.