November in a Nutshell

Today I feel to blog.
Some days it comes on strong...the need to speak, to get my words out there...the need to shamelessly scatter pictures of my dear ones in a never-ending vertical line to be scrolled through.
Even when there is housework. Lots of housework. I so badly want to have a clean house. I so badly want to forget that panicked feeling that happens when the doorbell rings unexpectedly. I so badly want to be confident that my children are running around barefoot on a floor that will not leave their feet sticky and/or crumb-laden.
But, apparently, I so much more badly want to blog. And snuggle kids during a few moments of their rest time. But I already did that.

So, on to a quick episode of blogging. About last month's general activities/non-activities.
Let's dive right in.
(Do I host my blog like it's a business meeting?)

We painted faces again for the first time since summer.
It was fun to do it again. I notice that now since we have been doing it for fun for a while, I am less and less a perfectionist about it and more just want to get them painted up so they can go play!
Here's Bethany with an angel on her face, wings outstretched over her eyes. She always wants an angel. It becomes her.

James wanted to be a pirate.
For some reason I laugh so hard when I see him like this.

And Ben wanted to be "Squeaky."
You know, the little green men from Toy Story?
This was the first time he (and James for that matter) let me do his whole face.
And he was so excited!

They always go play after they get their faces painted! In character of course.

A random moment from November...my Rosemary Plant blossomed...?
I didn't know Rosemary did that. This is the first year it has if I'm not mistaken.
Guess we truly do all blossom in our own time.
They were this gorgeous lavender color!

One night as we were sitting down to dinner, I called for Ben.
He wouldn't come. He likes to hide.
So, I called for him again and told him that it wasn't time to hide, he needed to come upstairs.
He still didn't come.
After a few attempts to get him upstairs, I headed downstairs to find him. I couldn't find him. So I recruited JC to help me. By that time Ben was in big trouble because he was continuing to hide when we were both calling for him.
We yelled his name, counted him to time out and yelled his name some more.
Then I walked to the other side of the red couch.
Guess he really did need a time out.

In more on the move, we finally got all the junk cleaned away from the side yard that had accumulated during demolition.
We rented one of those portable dumpster things from the city (town) and JC spent random mornings carrying out that duty.
James liked to help. By running into the dumpster. Ew.

But, really, the boys and I did help.
See?
You may be wondering why we were throwing away a chair.
You may even be one of those who refers to it as "a perfectly good chair."
But let me tell you.
There was no coming back for that chair.

Look at James go!
(And look at us go, finding a Spiderman hoodie at a secondhand store for a steal.)

More work.

Then rest.

That same day, I caught some good pics of the boys eating their morning snack on the stairs.
I think on this day it was a banana and pretzels or something.
I like how you can tell they are having a conversation.

And sharing!
Aww, sharing.

Scout wonders why he's not shared with...

I honestly can't remember what I went out to do...it's driving me nuts that I can't remember...
but one evening I was out and JC took these pictures of the kids falling asleep during a movie.
I don't know why I love pictures of my kids sleeping.
Well, I mean, I know why. They're adorable and quiet. What's not to love?
But why I choose to share them...?
Oh well. You like them too. Admit it.
I think the blanket Ben's snuggling with is just the right size for him.

James is on the bean bag. With what the kids call "The Joseph Blanket."
Joseph is one of our most favorite scripture stories.
It helps that there is an awesome movie made about it.
And a musical.
And...well...you know the story in the Bible is pretty good too.
MUCH more scandal, that's for sure! Joseph's brothers selling him into Egypt is like a misdemeanor among federal offenses on their rap sheets...
But anyway...James sleeping.

And, of course, Lady Bethany is too big to fall asleep.
And whether asleep or awake, so so pretty!

Moving back to daytime play...it has gotten COLD!!!
It moved straight from too-hot-to-keep-the-kitchen-door-open-all-day to too-cold-to-keep-the-kitchen-door-open-all-day.
Darn it.
Someone owes me some kitchen-door-open-time. That's my favorite time of the year!
But, the good thing is, the kids get to play outside all bundled up! In pj's of course.

Us too.

Speaking of federal offenses, the boys committed some sort of crime against their brotherhood by fighting over a toy and JC sat them on the couch for a talking-to. JC is not the type of dad to favor swatting them on the behind and sending them away to their rooms.
He is a talking-to Dad.
And I am an inappropriate, take pictures of the talking-to kind of mom.
Here they are listening intently. You can kind of see the shame on their faces.

And Ben's disappointment when Dad's verdict didn't go the way he would have liked.

And, sitting across the room, there's Dad.
Commanding in his arm chair.

Moving on to scenes I wasn't in trouble for taking pictures of...
JC fixed the kids' computer! It has been broken for so long!
Now we are back on SesameStreet.org and Starfall.com with a vengeance!
Funny, I've gone on Starfall.com with Bethany since she was not even a year old. Then she goes to kindergarten and they use it for some of their computer time. It was so exciting for her, already being familiar with the website and feeling fancy.
Me too. I always like when my kids are well-prepared for something in life.
You know, like kindergarten computer time.
James really likes when he gets a turn on the computer by himself when Bethany is at school.

...He likes it a little too much if you ask me.
JC and I couldn't stop laughing at this picture. Why is it that all the pictures that inspire that reaction in us involve James? Hahaha
My rule is that if I say your name three times and you don't answer, you lose your turn.
As you can see, we need that rule.
(And forgive me for giving three chances but I have to allow some leniency because, let's be honest, how often do they say my name more than once before I manage to register it enough to answer? I would lose all my cooking, cleaning and pioneer woman reading time and JC would completely lose his cell phone.)

So, there you have it.
A little glimpse into our month. Last month, to be exact. Man, they go by quickly lately. I didn't think that was supposed to happen until the kids were older. Like, really older. But apparently, as soon as they start to leave the nest for things like preschool and kindergarten, my mind starts screaming "STOP GROWING UP!"
It happens.
I've been in a bit of a funk lately I think...something seemed to impose on my days and try to stop me from seeing all that I love about our life...not that I was not loving it but I couldn't seem to find that same joy that motivates me through the day so often. The joy was lacking.
I don't really know what happened to cause that. And I don't really know what caused it to reverse. But today, I felt that joy set in again. And I'm grateful.
I really do really really love life.
I really do really really love my family.
And I get so excited to the point of giddiness sometimes thinking about the years ahead of us we will get to spend together.
Family life is such a blessing. Even with its hiccups. And it has them. :)
I am so glad I was able to find that joy again just in time for the most joyful month of the year!
Oh man, it's going to be awesome.

Time for me to sign out and go get Bethany from preschool. Fun weekend ahead...sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa's while JC and I celebrate our anniversary with a little at-home-vacation (I am still banned from the word 'staycation') early before it gets too holiday-busy!
It will be so nice. Harry Potter, the last of Christmas shopping, hanging out at home...maybe a nap?
It will be great.
The End.