A purpose in heaven

Just want to say 'thank you' for all the kind thoughts, prayers and phone calls that were sent our way after miscarrying baby#3 last week. Even though we had only 4 weeks to revel in our new growing bundle of joy, it was still difficult to say goodbye to someone that was very much a part of us. Comfort comes from believing that our little one has a unique purpose in heaven and that one day we'll all be united again.

Our Little Soldiers...

Gotta love Grandparents for assisting in the costumes...this was our first year adopting the tradition that we'll spend money every other year on a "new" costume AND this was our year to be creative or wear last year's duds. Our boys chose to wear what they had and had they did...lots of army gear and it's hard to believe that there were zero fights over who would wear what...yay!
We had a great night visiting neighbors and then heading off to my cousin's house for a bit of trick or treating in Leland Grove...that was a new experience for me. WOW! There were a few houses with tables lined up with a spread of full size candy bars laid out for the taking. Definitely made me appreciate the less is more philosophy...for many reasons. It was a great night! Only caught Ethan in bed with candy under his pillow the following night :) You can always count on the younger brother to keep you posted on what the older one is up to :) How much longer will that last? Hmmm...love and adore my little soldiers...

Pumpkin carving night

At least this year I brought the pumpkin inside the night before so our hands wouldn't freeze :) The boys' faces say it all as far as how much they enjoyed 'helping'. I think Nolan held his nose the entire time; pretty funny. It doesn't exactly smell like pumpkin pie. So...it wasn't so much about enjoying the process, as it was delighting in the end results! Happy Halloween!

Our exciting news...

Baby #3 is on the way! I guess you could say this is our tenth anniversary baby...what better gift could there be? How fun it will be to hold little fingers and little toes again...to be a part of all the 'firsts' for a third time...to be the receiver of unwarranted sparkling smiles...a baby...

Children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Psalm 127:3

An inspiring twist on jack-o-lanterns...

There were two...now we have one...

It was a sad day in our house last week (Actually, I guess it depends on who you ask)...We had our first pet guinea pig, Jackson, die on us. Thankfully there's most often a physical heads up when it comes to pets passing on, so the boys were aware that he wasn't doing well. Nolan had the hardest time with it shedding quite a few tears and petting him. Ethan was sad and just looked at him. So, it was a good time to talk about death, etc. (keeping it very simple) I think they're at a good age to experience and to begin to process how final death is.
A burial and short service was performed in the back yard a few days following. He was a good guinea...So...Thomas seems to be enjoying having his 'home' all to himself. AND I'm thinking he's a little friendlier as well (which confirms my thinking that by having two they're less interested in human interaction). Josh is happier, too...thinking there's only one more to go. I think he secretly likes Thomas, though :)

A little paper craft for the season...

Just felt a little crafty and decided to create something new to decorate with...Of course it uses Close to My Heart products (the Enchanted papers, Autumn Terracotta ribbon, Friendship Alphabet and Rustic Alphabet sets). Hope you're enjoying the fall season, too.l

Small things...

Whenever our family walks in the door from being 'away', our boys bee line it to the office where we have a floor full of little legos strewn all over. Gotta love the little legos; they seriously have provided hours upon hours of imaginative play. I have to admit there's something that especially draws me to the little people legos...they're just too cute AND everything is removable (which isn't so good when it's time to vaccuum...oops) But I began to wonder why is it that we (ladies) have such a fascination for small things? AND the cute factor goes through the roof the smaller things are: baby onesies (the preemies of course take the cake), small cards w/envelopes, mini lego people, teacup puppies, bite size hors d'oeuvres, butterflies, toddlers hugging, clown fish, the iPod shuffle, jewelry charms, baby penguins and pandas, and the list could go on...
After I googled 'cute factor', I ran across an article from The New York Times and it said: "Cute cues are those that indicate extreme youth, vulnerability, harmlessness and need...Cuteness is distinct from beauty, researchers say, emphasizing rounded over sculptured, soft over refined, clumsy over quick. Beauty attracts admiration and demands a pedestal; cuteness attracts affection and demands a lap." The older I get, the more I like and am embracing cute and simple...If you didn't catch the Republican National Convention, you've got to watch this clip of Sarah Palin's daughter...it's the epitome of "cute"...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iET30hB7_MY

One love, ten years...

I woke up this morning with lots of emotions, unexpected feelings of deep gratefulness and pride...Ten years ago today I married my best friend, THE ONE and only for me...Earlier this week I made it my goal to sit down and think of 100 things I love about my man. It was great to recall some forgotten little moments and to see in black n' white the long list of great attributes Josh possess. Here's my top ten highlights:

I LOVE...
...the thought and planning he put into proposing to me
...that he sacrificed possessions, time, energy and his own wants to pursue and fully support my dream of being a potter
...that he can pick out a gift for me without knowing it was something I had wanted and yet never verbalized to him
...that he'll cry with me
...that he wrote me a love note every day after our wedding till the end of that year
...that when he gets me flowers, he goes above and beyond by going to my favorite gift shop to pick out the perfect container to take to the florist to then have filled
...when he picks out a book for me to read
...that he's such a man who will shop for fabric with me
...that he rarely let's my water glass sit empty
...that his faith is united with mine and ALL that that means...

To sum it up...He fulfills me in EVERY way...I am big time blessed!

Happy Anniversary, Josh!

ABC's and 123's

Nolan started Pre-school last week...He was soooo excited! He skipped on the way in wearing his back pack and smile...The room is just too cute, with shapes, colors, a calendar and a weather chart on the walls. It's so bright and cheery...Got me thinkin that K-5 should be like preschool...learning through play. Sing some songs, get messy, ride big wheels, have a snack, swing, and play some games. What more does a kid need in a day?
His class is small (which I love) only 10 kids. A little dominant on the girls, but he's already made a friend named Jack. So, I'm enjoying my two hours of quiet at home three days a week and look forward to his hugs when I pick him up. He's a true delight!

Slow down, you move too fast...

The title should be sung to the tune of Simon and Garfunkel's "59th Street Bridge (feelin groovy)" song...
We've had another milestone in the Hughson house...Nolan is now two wheelin' it! Ba bye training wheels! So...I'm beginning to think that my boys need to slow down in their growing up :) Isn't there a pill for that yet?
Go to the vimeo link below to watch actual footage of his new feat and don't miss the phone call to Grandma & Grandpa...he's just too cute...
http://www.vimeo.com/1641947

Love this research about play!

Just caught this clip from this morning's edition of the Today Show...It's a must see...Less really is more...

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/26421059#26421059

1st Day of 1st Grade...

The BIG day arrived! We've entered 1st grade public elementary school...All in all I think it was a good day. Ethan talked my ear off for an hour after walking home. The highlights for him were P.E., playing on some sort of play equipment they brought in just for the day, having the responsibility to 'care' for the lunch boxes when necessary and asking his desk neighbor (Jack) to be his friend and that he accepted :)
The worst part of the day happened at recess...It seemed he looked around and could no longer see his class or teacher. Thankfully a Kindergarten teacher saw him in tears and took him by the hand back to his class. Not something I want to hear about...my critical self couldn't help but wonder why Ms. Hubbs didn't assign buddies to everyone?? And doesn't she remember that this is all new to him and should be treating him with extra care? (a little tongue and cheek on that last one) Lots of boys in the class - 16 out of 22. So...I'm looking forward to getting to know Ms. Hubbs along with the other kids in his class. Some PTO volunteering will be in my future...
A couple of highlights for me today...First, Ethan just seemed like he was blindly ready for it all, so mature. Second, it occurred to me that my faith will be stretched and challenged far more than if I were homeschooling in the comforts of our four walls. I still and will always recognize the advantages/perks of homeschooling but this is not one. It's that releasing and trusting my child to others that will draw me closer to God in providing me the needed comfort and peace. I've already been on my knees more in prayer and it's only the first day! Lastly, Ethan came out of his classroom with a smile...

Lincoln Art and Balloon Fest

As part of celebrating my Mom's birthday, we all headed to the balloon fest on Saturday night. It was a little iffy at first whether or not the balloons would lift 'off' due to some rain clouds and wind. After 6:30 though, all was clear and calm. It's amazing that the general public is allowed to be up close and personal with the balloons and pilots. Most bring their lawn chairs and sit in the distance to watch, but we all loved walking around in the midst of it all. So fun!

A big week...

This past week has been jam packed with activities...Nolan turned 4 on the 19th, so we celebrated 'Wall E' style. Wall E shoes, Wall E cake with Wall E decorations! All cute just like he is :) One of the cutest things he said (there's many but this is my favorite) was on the morning of his birthday...after giving him a good morning hug, I reminded him that he was now 4 years old. He grinned and slowly looked down towards his feet and after a few seconds slowly looked up and said "I don't look like I'm four." ...I guess he somehow had it in his head that on your birthday you have a growth spurt of some sort. So the days were followed with playing hours on end with his new Lego people set and transformers (throw in some good army dress up time, too).
Next...We took Ethan out on Friday morning to Panera Bread for a sort of 'Last Breakfast' out before school started on Monday. He just seems so at peace with going to first grade...it goes without saying that comforts me. The fears are creeping up on me in my own head...Will his teacher accept and connect with him? Will he be right there with the 'rest' academically after a year of homeschooling? Will his teacher think outside the 'box'? Will he eat his lunch? And the list goes on...

A great book to challenge your faith...

Looking for a good book to read? Put this one on your list...You'll chuckle, cry, be challenged to walk the talk, and get a glimpse of true unconditional love. It brings to the surface, "What do you want to be remembered for?" So...not exactly a light read, but truly inspirational.

A couple of cards...

These were both created using the NEW Close to My Heart Fall/Winter paper and September stamp of the month set (Treasure Life). Just a little eye candy for ya...

Dirtbike roots being passed down...

Ethan just got his first dirtbike on Saturday...After months of watching for one on Ebay and Craiglist, Josh found one near St. Louis that was available and at the right price. It was a total surprise to Ethan. As we pulled into the owner's driveway, the lil honda was just off to the side waiting for us and Ethan's eyes got really BIG.
After arriving home, Josh pulled it around back to give Ethan his first lesson. Having not really thought too much about getting one,etc...I wasn't expecting to be moved by the father son(s) dirtbike riding session, but I was. Josh was so very patient in teaching Ethan about where and what all the parts were on the bike and how to lean side to side. Ethan was a little intimidated at first and Josh was so good at calming his fears and bringing out a smile. I kinda stepped outside of myself and reveled in watching the two of them interact...seeing the joy/peace in Josh as he was sharing his knowledge of riding a dirtbike and watching Ethan's apprehension turn into trust and excitement...understanding, for a moment, how the 'wild side' of a boy's/man's heart needs to be fed...
And then I came back to reality and my thoughts went to wondering how many ER visits we'll have in our future...Mothers of boys surely have more gray hair?!

Our future free-diver??...

This was absolutely amazing to watch...All of us were in the pool this afternoon and Josh and I were encouraging Ethan to put his head under (he's done it many times during swim lessons, but only a few times at home in our pool) with little success. All of a sudden Nolan takes a breath and goes under head and all! The excitement of the three of us led him him to do it again and again. After several times we pointed out to Ethan that his little brother was gonna pass him up in his swim lessons this week. We have some diving fish that we encouraged Ethan to try and reach down to pick up. After a few tries, he got one. Nolan of course had to keep up, so under he went and picked his up on the second try. He held his breath for sooo long, I ran to get my camera (Josh was still with him) to capture his amazing feat. He's a natural...So, we have a lego engineer and a future diver on our hands :)

I'm a blogger...

When my oldest son was small and learning to talk in sentences, we would be heading somewhere in the car and whether it was pouring down rain or sunny he would always say "nice day, Mom". It always stopped me in my tracks and helped me to keep things in perspective. What a blessing to have little ones around to keep my mind 'childlike'. Hence the inspiration for the name and poem on my blog. So my purpose? I'm hoping to capture moments to later scrapbook and to hopefully offer encouragement during the daily grind of life.

The Whip Guy...

What a show we saw yesterday at the public library! The boys were mesmerized in jaw dropping awe over this guy. He was educational and entertaining hitting the mark on the hearts of boys. He's scheduled to attend the IL State Fair in August, so I would highly recommend taking your kids (especially boys) to see him. He was FABULOUS! In the mean time you can check out his site www.thewhipguy.com

Cards...close to my heart...

A few good songs...