the storyteller

Grey could sit and listen to us read The Jesus Storybook Bible for at least 45 minutes at a time. We gave it to him last Easter knowing that he would grow into being able to sit and listen to the rather long "stories." Well, he has reached that point sooner than I thought and I am loving it. When Tucker goes down for his morning nap, Grey goes upstairs and gets his Bible. We snuggle on the couch and I read and read and read. 

Grey has always loved to be read to and can memorize the words quickly. He is very quick to correct ANY word that you may have confused. He is always very particular about which story we read and in what order. I pretty much always end up in tears from reading to him from the above mentioned Bible. It's simpleness of the TRUTH that gets me every time. It sparks really great conversation for us and I am able to use the "stories" (which I always stress to him, they are true) in our everyday life. What a blessing this Bible has been to us! 

Grey has started using his imagination more and more. I love watching it develop. One particular morning last week he was playing in our bathroom in the empty tub and acting out the story of Noah and mixed in a little Joshua and the Battle of Jericho. It was quite entertaining so I caught a little on camera. He was obviously very into the stories! 

I pray the truth of who God is in each story would take root in his heart and blossom into salvation one day. 

preparing to plant!

The warm weather took us outside to play and to work.

After dressing himself on Saturday morning, Grey wanted to go out and start digging. 

Just so I was clear about what exactly he was doing he kept reassuring me, "Mommy, I'm just doing my job."

Tucker also did his job. 

Cleaning up the yard, getting it ready to FINALLY plant some real grass, and being in the warm sun got me excited about all kinds of gardening. Saturday night I sat down to do some researching on gardening in different parts of our yard. I came across this awesome site that is really very helpful! Check it out and it may help you too in your spring fever state.

I cannot wait to get my hands in the dirt and watch God's beautiful creation bloom! Here's to spring! 

valentine number one

I had a cowboy for a valentine. He is so super cute. 

He loves to dance. and I love to dance with him.

I think the left over snow and the cowboy hat really made him jive. 

I loved spending the afternoon with him even if he did have ANOTHER fever.

My sweet sweet boy. 

He even bought me my favorite flower.

What a perfect little cowboy valentine!

the making of...

We had the privilege of having Haley come stay with us for the weekend. We gladly welcome her sweet self any time she needs a break from school. Grey adores Haley. He made her a very special Valentine and talked about her all week before she got here. We got to play in the snow and she helped build our snowman. 


Grey couldn't wait to make a snowman. We waited until late in the day so the snow would be a little more workable for this long awaited event.

Gathering up the bottom of the snowman.  Grey apparently needed a break to dive into some fresh snow. 

My very particular child likes to instruct everyone on the way things should be done. I believe he is saying here "Daddy, you have to pack the snow just like this."

Get it!! That's my husband.

Again, I'm sure Grey is instructing Haley on how to make the perfect snowman head. Thank goodness he let her help.

Lift!

An immediate love for the snowman developed. 

We scrounged around the garage to find eyes, a nose, a mouth, and buttons. I won't tell you what we used.

We asked Grey what we should name our snowman to which he enthusiastically replied "Haley!" So here's to Haley the snowman. She's STILL standing outside, a little weathered, but still there. He goes to the window every morning to make sure Haley the snowman has not melted yet. 
What a fun memory!

as usual

I took a ridiculous amount of pictures in the snow. here's a sampling. more on the making of our snowman in the next post. 

"super edited" grey with a snowball

delicious!

From the time I can remember, I would climb up on the barstool at our counter and sit for long periods of time just watching my mom "create" in the kitchen. It was a prime seat that I often took advantage of. I would watch how her hands formed dough, how she chopped vegetables, how she put together a healthy meal for a family of five. I would watch and have good conversation with my mother. She would ask me about my day and we would talk while she worked. 


When I was old enough, I got off the barstool and worked right alongside her. She taught me my way around a kitchen and gave me confidence by allowing me to work on my own. I learned recipes like the "memorized" homemade biscuits (her recipe from her head) that I could make myself. She gently instructed me and I developed a love. I learned to cook.


I believe this instruction brought me to love cooking now in my life. I love "creating" meals for my family. I love finding new recipes and spending time in the kitchen preparing. 


I get to enjoy one sweet little face looking at me while I cook as well. Grey will climb up onto the stool and watch just like I used to. Hopefully all of my children will do the same. I can't wait to have them right alongside me learning to cook themselves. As of now, I do have a little helper that is already right by my side throughout the day and gets so much joy helping me cook. I know this will develop over the years and want him there as long as he will stay near. 


As I have been busy making some delicious recipes I was thinking on all of these things. I wanted to share a few. Did I mention they are delicious? because they are. mmm mmm.


First of all my dear mom that was mentioned above, made The Pioneer Woman's Salsa while I was at her house. 

Oh wow. I came home and decided to try it myself. I don't have a large food processor or a blender so I was perplexed at how I was going to accomplish this massive making of salsa. I decided to use our smoothie maker and it worked like a charm I tell ya! Matthew and I have devoured an entire recipe ourselves (it makes a lot) and I just made another batch today! Check it out and try it. You may find yourself eating it at EVERY SINGLE meal like we have been. Yes, even breakfast.


I decided since that was so delicious I would spend some more time in the kitchen making Cajun Chicken Pasta by PW as well. 

After Matthew had his first bite he confidently told me it was the best homemade meal he'd ever had. Pretty lofty exclamation but I have to tell you there are no words for this. 


Grey and I have been taking advantage of some rainy days and baking in the afternoons after his nap. Here's that little fella ready to roll. (yes he is STILL in his p.j.'s. there really was no reason to get dressed)

My February issue of Southern Living has many many corners turned down marking all kinds of delicious things I would like to try. Grey and I have tried the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies (we excluded the pecans because i was fresh out!) and they were YUMMY! 


Poor little guy woke up this morning with another fever. (silly mono just won't skiddadle) It was his Valentines Day Party at school today and he was absolutely crushed that he wasn't going to get to deliver these treats. We worked on them earlier this week.  

I decided we would have our very own Valentines Party here at home. We had been planning to make some cupcakes (also from Southern Living) and I finally found the miniature cupcake wrappers I had been looking for to make them. We geared up and jumped into yet another baking day.

*these are the Bite-Size Sour Cream-Pound Cake Cupcakes  Fresh Citrus with Orange Buttercream 


Grey mostly watched as not to breathe on everything. But after his nap, he got to indulge in a tasty treat himself. I think it's safe to say they are YUMMY as well! 

I plan to try another PW recipe this weekend, her Mexican Lasagna. I'm sure it will be terrific as well. 


I better go tend to my little Grey Bear. Really hoping he can shake this mono.