Tough Guy

Bear's new favorite pose. 

Pretty Cute, and I ain't Lion

Christmas 2013

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the Mots!  If we would have actually sent out these Christmas cards, you surely would have been on our list! 

 

 

 

With much love, xoxo 

Commence the Christmas Celebrating!

 

Gearing up

We are gearing up for...
*Christmas!  The stockings have been hung by the chimney with care, cookies have been made, presents have been poked by both Superman and Bear.

*Having a big-boy on our hands.  Bear has officially given up his nap.  What??  Where's my baby?  He's sleeping so much better at night now (yay!), but is having a hard time making it through those last two hours before bed.  Next thing you know he'll be telling me how to spell words, like his brother.   

*Foster care!  Our home study is finally done!  We did respite care for a friend the other day and had our first little guy over.  He was a peach and loved shoving raisins in his mouth.  Although he was younger than my two guys, I think he could've eaten them under the table.  It was a good first run for us, but we did realize that a certain little boy (whose name rhymes with Lolly) definitely showed some jealousy at having to share his mama and his beloved favorite guy.  Pray for us!  Pray that God would use us to help families get back on their feet!  Pray that our kids and family would be strengthened and encouraged during this endeavor.  Pray for our little ones' hearts that they would be open to sharing their parents.   

 

 

I think this may be the only time I can get away with showing you a picture of a foster kiddo.  Since we were doing respite, we didn't even know this little guys' full name or anything about his birth family.  Basically, I feel comfortable showing you his cutie-pie, raisin-eating face while still protecting his anonymity. 

The Happiest Christmas Tree

Superman's Christmas program!  Fun for all!

For some reason beyond me, I can't get this video to post, so head over to youtube and take a look at the happiest Christmas tree!

Ababa

Doughnut Date!

partly cloudy, high chance of snow

Superman's going to be a meteorologist when he grows up, just so you know. 

Long Live Spinach Artichoke Dip

Agh!  A week since Thanksgiving?  Now I can't even remember the highlights to share.  See?  This is why I blog.  I can't remember anything that happened a mere week ago. 

Hold on... spinach artichoke dip is coming to me.  (I wish.) 

Jon and I were going to have a party a week and a half before Thanksgiving that no one wanted to attend, (my feelings aren't hurt and there was a logical explanation, it just sounds more dramatic to phrase it that way) so along with all the usual Thanksgiving deliciousness we also had plenty of sangria and spinach artichoke dip.  

Here is a confession.  I have tried (without any success) to lose a few pounds.   I can clearly see why.  At a delightful family holiday all that sticks out to me a week later was eating an entrée-sized portion of an appetizer.  Spinach artichoke dip, I do love you. 

Perhaps I should move on.  I'm thinking you were wishing that after the second paragraph.

Josh was here, which was lots of fun.  We roped Mimi into babysitting and us grown-up Mots went to see Catching Fire.  Quite good, I must say.  I was happy to see that overall it remained true to the book, even down to the script.  A younger, handsomer Finnick and a more subtle relationship with Gail were in order, but then again I'm nit picky about books turned movie.  I also subjected us to the worst movie I've seen in years that I checked out from the library.  Whoops.

In my opinion what made this Thanksgiving one of the very best was watching our kids.  Our family is doing well and our kids have come such a long way, but we do still have one little guy that is quick to over-stimulate and has a pretty short fuse.  Extra family or people in general, days completely off routine, and not our usual food can all be the makings for some major meltdowns.  At the end of the day, rather than the feeling of "Whew.  We all made it", I think everyone truly enjoyed themselves.  And that is what Thanksgiving should be all about.  Except maybe poor Josh.  He was fighting off something fierce.  A cold maybe or the flu?  Hopefully he truly enjoyed himself except for that he felt terrible. 

Uno.  The love continues.  We play at least 10 games a day. 

Getting the nativity scenes back out!

Bear writing his "name".  Lots of O's and L's!  (Side note for people looking way to closely at this picture:  He is not a lefty.  I am not sure what he was doing when I snapped this.  Crossing things out, perhaps?)

A morning of trains!

"Take my picture!"

Hard at work!  Superman, Bear, and I made and painted some salt dough ornaments today. 

My first attempt at microwaving our ornaments.  A smoken hot boot. 

 

Jon came home later and asked what was outside the back door.  I was busy cooking dinner or something and only responded, "a boot".  We have two extremely tired boys on our hands from some ear infections and a combination of bad nights of sleep so when Jon asked how our day was, I answered that it wasn't our best.  Later he confessed that when I had said that there was a boot out our back door, his first thought was that Superman threw his boot in the fire and that is why I gave a mediocre review on the day.  Needless to say, it cracked me up.  Imagining Superman throwing his boot in the fire on accident or in some fit of rage and me fishing it out of the fireplace and hurling it outdoors was enough to make our tired, whiney day look golden. 

   

Thankful!

I may have to declare 2013 as my very favorite Thanksgiving ever. 

 

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossions 3: 12-17