everyone loves to snuggle by this little star when he is sleeping.

We are all over the place with our random acts of kindness event for December so I am not even going to try to post about it.
Just a little disappointed in myself..we are striving to get more done in January!

Tried our hand at gingerbread houses this year..kids had fun!

Yup ..big kids cleaning and organizing their closets.  Going through clothes and chatting about good stuff in the process.  Love this time with my kiddos.

Basketball season has started and Jeremiah is having a lot of fun playing on 2 teams this year.

Dave and I both have upcoming appointments at Mayo Clinic for 2 days..say a prayer all goes well please!

Braces off

$6,000 and 22 months later...  

She loves her new  smile!  

Meal prep

I have always done meal prepping on Sundays for the week.  Somehow I am out of food I prepped by Wednesday.  Crazy healthy eaters here which I love!

(I hide hand shredded zucchini in everything)

We are a home made😉 kinda family.  We have always all worked together in the kitchen. Sometimes I feel like that's all we're doing.  We pretty much live in the kitchen, living room and dining room.   It's part of homeschooling and the best way for the kids to learn!

(potato chowder)

(chicken noodle without the chicken)
and below with chicken

Apple pie blessing..thank you Sue

Seriously food just disappears here

Yup in our house you clean up your messes no matter how big they are.

Black bean burgers..which we've made for many years but I still haven't found a recipe that I love 

(Abraham's picture taking skills)

and sometimes I have fires in my kitchen

Have a wonderful Monday!

Ordinary 

Sometimes I think us moms look at the highlight reel of the world and grade ourselves on a scale that forgets that ordinary is perfection and all the rest is simply a bonus. Every day that we get to spend with our kids – those ordinary days  we get to clean up the messes – those are all days that we so easily could take for granted.

Those are the days of ordinary.

Ordinary doesn’t mean easy. It doesn’t mean there won’t be slammed doors or late bills or comfy pants that no longer fit or kids that sass back or issues with  friends or sickness or really really being tired. There is so much tired in ordinary. But even tired is good.

But, in the scheme of the world, ordinary is perhaps the greatest gift of all.

So tonight, today, tomorrow, I celebrate our ordinary.

Celebrate your ordinary you.

Ordinary motherhood and days and a life.

Sweet mom, sweet sister, our ordinary is profoundly beautiful.

his favorite spot

I think since this guy was littler he had a favorite spot...
love these sweet moments at home homeschooling my stars!

He will carry your kids from womb to tomb, and that includes all the parts that come

after their education. Their stories belong to God. So no matter what

trials or temptations come their way someday, if they’ve put their faith in

Him, the final line of their story will surely read, “Happily ever after.”

Extras

We always have lists of extras to do in our house.  The kiddos can pick and choose to do one for money or wi time.  It has worked great for all these years.  Of course the good extras go first.  Jonah found quite a treasure under the stove!

This was the best gift ever...

My zucchini muffins that I can't get enough of every morning
(gluten and dairy free)

This little star is loaded up.  He's got bombs and weapons of all sorts.

Love all this beautiful white stuff!

Gabriel has been drawing a lot of animals..love these.

Apparently this wasn't enough for one day..geez these kiddos can eat!

The weekend was good.  Finally trying to get back into the swing of things here.  I did a mile walk today for my first time which was nice.  
Going in for more leg work twice this week so we shall see how that goes.  

Christmas parade fun every year!

Thank you all for your prayers and continued love!