"swamp dig" boys at play

The sun has returned! I tell you if I wanted gloomy skies I should have stayed in Oregon. We have had two beautiful days and despite the temps still being low the boys have been eager to get outside and so have I.

 This morning I bundled them up and kicked them out (nicely of course) and soon became curious about the fact that they were playing in one tiny spot in the yard. I headed outside to see what they were looking out. Turns out there was a thin piece of ice that Bear had broken through to reveal this very muddy, kid of gross hole in the ground. At least that was my description of it. To them it was a "swamp dig" where they were fishing, and finding fossils, and identifying animals. Bear would pull out damp limp leaves with a stick and say "look mama here is a fish and there are the fins". This continued on for nearly two hours.

One tiny hole.... two hours. Gross mud... swamp dig. Sometimes "become like a child" is the hardest thing for me to do. To look at things simply, the pure beauty of just believing. This was a a swamp because that's what is was.

Life has been bringing forth changes, good ones really, and sometimes I just can't believe it that they are really happening that the Lord would really bless our family with some of our biggest desires. Am I really worthy.. good enough.. loved enough that these things could really happen? Will I actually count my blessings as they come or will I just hold my breath and wait for the next hiccup in the road and say  "see I knew it, it was just too good". I'm choosing to do the first this time. Because that REALLY was a swamp dig and these moments are really that good. Easy as that.

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Bear: this little boy is more and more like his papa each day

Wolf: Woke up with a 24 hour bug last week fever and all so glad we all seemed to have dodged it and it left quickly 

Hawk: Oh you know, just a six month old starting to scoot around. No big deal. 

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 Bear- Sous Chef
Wolf-  prepping for his eye test next week
Hawk- a rarity

Health

Like so many others on New Years I set out a few goals for myself. Yes the title of my post means the obvious... (because let's be honest three boys in three years can sort of change your body) but it's more than a scale, a dress size. I want to be healthy in life. Love bigger, grow in relationships.

I have been reading this book lately. Teaching ones self to be grateful for everything, training your thanksgiving more like a muscle. It has really gotten me thinking of how the mere fact that I am alive today is enough to be grateful for, tack on having three awesome little boys and a best friend for a husband well I should be over the moon. Yet often those very best things in your life start becoming a challenge lack of sleep, overwhelmed ( I have mentioned that is very easy for me) or simple disagreements can often lead to an ungrateful and kind of yucky heart. So what does this have to do with health? This year I want to really grow that thanksgiving muscle finding beauty in the mundane, enjoy simple duties more, show my boys how to love the way the Lord loves us both ourselves and our neighbors, Show them to be content (this one will be the biggest personal challenge) and really truly find love and peace in our relationship with the Lord and within our family.  

So there we go what I strive for health to look like for me and my loved ones in 2014. I am thinking of a way to bring this challenge into my blog  and really journal and challenge myself with this goal. Any ideas?

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One picture a week of each of my boys for a year 

Bear: Building a fire
Wolf: Art time
Hawk: First hike

We are at this again. I am excited to challenge myself a lot more this year with my photography, try new things, bring forth new stories, and capture these genuine memories with my boys. Here we go.


Linking to Jodi's 52 week project 

Best of 2013

It's that time of year again and once again I am oh so lucky to be participating in this year "Best of" blog hop hosted by the Kids Blogger Network where we share some of our most popular post of the year. So what was my most viewed post this year you ask.... (drum roll).....

It was my Brown Bear {Color of t he Week} post.  Who doesn't like Eric Carle and an adorable bear snack?  It was one of my personal favorites although I think dying yarn with the boys might have been my most favorite activity we did all year. What will 2014 hold for the boys and I as far as learning goes? I am excited to find out. 

 Below you'll find over 50 Kid Blogger Network members coming together for The KBN Best Of 2013 Blog Hop. We know you'll find tons of wonderful ideas to browse, pin and share. We'd love for you to join the blog hop and share your favorite activity of 2013 too, and make sure you're following the

 Kid Blogger Network on Pinterest.