"c" is for...

we loved having ella home from school for the "c is for columbus day" weekend.  she was quite excited to help come up with our ideas for "c" day!

c is for coloring, coloring, coloring!

c is for cereal necklaces (a healthy version of candy necklaces!)

c is for cute cows at davis farmland

c is for cantaloupe

 c is for climbing

 c is for concentration (can you say intense?!)

 c is for cars (of course!)

check out our other alphabet adventures here & here 
and linking up to life made lovely

thankful tuesday, 10/11

i have been blown away recently by so many kind & encouraging words about this little blog. from family, friends and frequent readers. from FB friends i didn't even know were reading. from perfect strangers.  you've been too darn kind, filled my humble heart with joy and for sure made my cheeks blush with your sweet words. i'm increasingly grateful for this little space - thanks for being a part of it and sharing it with me.

i thought i'd add the button over on the right column - if you could to take a second and join/subscribe.  it's a fun way for me to see who is a bits & bobs reader!

and now for this week's thankful tuesday!

• gorgeous october days
• mom's babysitting gifts
• date night with hubby
• ella's shopping list games with anya
• tornado relief in brimfield with our church family
• baby news from a friend & co-worker
• bennett's "i love you guys"
• baby calves at davis 
• candy corn potty training treats
• sharing sunday morning with a friend
• walk-off grand slams in the playoffs (go rangers!)
• a throw down with my brother that turns sweet in the end
• sweet email from ella's teacher
• bennett asking if he can go with wes to play ball when he gets big
• birthday party in the park with dear friends
• cherishing the end of a novel with ella
• bennett's missing "st"...tore, tuff, top, tister (store, stuff, stop, sister)
• holding trains hostage to keep a little boy from being fresh at bedtime
• apple cider stand with friends
• that the tastiness of a caramel apple is always worth the mess
• reading through proverbs
• kiddos carving a pumpkin with grandpa
• sea salt
• praying for logan & tanner
• wes' tough love

apple cider stand

we had a great time this summer with our first lemonade stand...so we thought we'd put a fall twist on it with our first apple cider stand. local cider, friends and fall treats - a great way to celebrate fall! 

pick-up sticks

we joined over 100 members of our church family for some tornado relief efforts in brimfield today.  our mission: pick-up sticks!

words cannot describe the destruction, nor how your heart breaks for those that lost so much. this beautiful spot will never be the same.

but there were bright spots for sure. of stories from the owners and how they are being encouraged. of friends & family rallying together to rebuild and restart.  of answered prayers. of these flowers found in the midst of the wreckage.

it was an honor to serve with our fellow brothers & sisters. to show our kids what it means to dig deep and do for others.

as you can see bennett was really into it...and had the dirt & grime to prove it. man o man was this kid filthy...and loved it!

and ella's highlight was planting tree seedlings. she's asked if we can go back and check on them to see how they are growing.  how overwhelming to think it will take hundreds of years for this area to be the wooded treasure it once was.

a great day. a hard day. an emotional day. and we loved every minute of it.

encouraging others linking up here

"b" is for...

bennett! it was definitely a milestone, "b is for big day!" 

b is for bye bye binky...

we seized the opportunity to tackle our "b is for battle" against the "b is for beloved binky."  it was time to say goodbye to these little guys.  a milestone that is so very hard and sad, yet in the end really rewarding.  we cried, binky detoxed and celebrated.  

b is for blue bike...

the binky fairy brought a blue bike in replacement for the binky stash.  a reward that definitely lessened the blow that morning when he woke to find them gonzo.

b is for baking...

we laced up the apron for a little "b is for baking" with chef bennett!


b is for bats & boogers

he wore his bat shirt...and apparently thought it would go well with some icky boogers!

b is for bus

after picking up ella from the "b is for bus," we opened her backpack to find this beautiful bus drawing...how perfect for b day!

b is for big boy bennett

hooray for b day for our favorite little b!

b is also for balling your eyes out...
later that night when i went in to kiss b goodnight, and saw him sleeping without his binky i proceeded to ball my eyes out.  hysterical. slobbering. "b is for begged" wes to go dig through the garbage to find the stash of binkies to keep as keepsakes.  it's so hard to say goodbye to this little piece my "b is for baby." so hard. but he is a big boy...bye bye binky!

thankful tuesday, 10/4

"every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."  james 1:17

• missing her while she's at school all day
• days off from school
• pumpkin gifts
• small group sillies
• being a part of a vibrant & growing church
• 1st shepherd's pie of the season
• a milestone "b" day for bennett
• new puppy cooper at grandma & papa's
• ella recites the pledge of allegiance as learned in school
• all sitting on one side of a booth
• the lord's hand in all things
• wedding excitement for cheryl & richard
• cousin shrieks & giggles
• being thrown into new responsibilities at work
• accepting a challenge
• big girl gymnastics
• sunday with the weimers - and picking up where we left off
• ella's 1st mrs. french's bible verse tootsie pop reward
• tears over that moment - and getting to share it with a friend
• cheering for the rangers (and that other texas team that makes my hubby crazy)
• thomas adventures & memories
• blowing the grocery budget when we all go together...so many ideas for treats & snacks
• celebrating autumn's treasures
• a sweet card from my grandmother
• ella's first school field trip - and hearing the adventures from her day
• her joy over sitting with her teacher on the bus
• laughing with bennett over the book, i love you stinky face
• fall playdates with friends

the cheeky one

it was a moment. a special moment. a really special moment for our no.1 fan of the little no.1 blue engine...the cheeky one...thomas!   a fun day out to edaville that went a little something like this.

with tickets in hand - and no real clue what he was really there for, our little train conductor waited his turn to board. then the magic started to happen. off in the distance we could hear the whistle.  off in the distance we could see the steam. we looked and looked...and then we saw the little blue engine coming around the bend.

bennett sweetly whispered..."thoooomassss"... "it's thomas, the no. 1." he couldn't believe it. he looked at me..."mama look it's thomas." it was so sweet...and then i started to cry. yes cry. tears rolled down my cheek. i felt it coming on when i heard the whistle in the distance - but then to see my little boy's face and to hear his sweet whispers, it was more than i could handle.

we boarded and had a nice little ride. he was of course thrilled and it was really cute. the only exception being my left over tears and admitting my moment to wes while getting strange looks from fellow passengers and their families.  get a grip lady, get a grip.

a fun outing. and apparently quite emotional as well. but hey - he's only this size for a moment...and like he said at the end of the day "mama, i weally weally wove thomas." and i weally, weally wove him.