"ha-wo-ween is coming!!"

That's what my 3-year old keeps saying, "Ha-wo-ween is coming, mommy!" Nearly every morning he asks me if it's "Ha-wo-ween" yet. He's can't wait to dress up as Buzz Lightyear, for D to be Woody, and mommy and daddy to be potato heads. Ha! "All these things, mommy! Dress up all together and get candy!" 

I guess that about sums it up.

Halloween is probably my least favorite holiday, not far behind Valentine's, but I am a sucker for any excuse to do fun things with my family. Halloween isn't a free pass to celebrate death (what is this zombie thing?? I really don't get it) or scare the stink out of the little people, but it is fun to dress up goofy, play pretend, visit with neighbors, do silly things with pumpkins, and eat as much sugar as your tummy will allow. 

So, with this weekend being the last one before the big night, I thought I'd share some ideas to get in the Halloween-mood with your little ones:

put on a costume and have a picnic at the park

get outdoors! this is the best season of the year, and it's beautiful outside. who says you have to wait until halloween to play dress up. the little ones love it, and they love it even more when someone else will play along with them. pick up some candy corn, a pirate patch, and enjoy the cooler air!

make a costume

speaking of costumes, if you don't have one , you could make them together this weekend. in this great age of pinterest, we don't even have to be creative to come up with something. just search on pinterest for "homemade halloween costumes" and you'll find all sorts of ideas, see here, and here, and here, and here, and here. now you don't even have to search!

visit a pumpkin patch

here are some toddler-friendly patches we enjoy in the Dallas area: Dallas Arboretum, Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch, The Big Orange Pumpkin Farm 

go to the zoo

most have some sort of halloween-related activities, I'm taking the little men to the Fort Worth Zoo with my parents this weekend

decorate a pumpkin

decoupage with tissue paper (we all remember how well ours went), carve it, paint it, whatever your little heart desires to give that fruit some personality! better yet, invite neighbors over and do it together.

build a fort with your kids and play pretend

put that eye patch back on, build the biggest fort you can make, and pretend like you're captain hook trying to find peter pan and tinker bell. or, put on that plastic tiara you still haven't thrown away and pretend the fort is your castle for a tea party or protection from the big bad dragon that's trying to take it down. this is the best part of halloween--using your imagination!

Anything I missed on my list? What other fun things will you do this weekend to get ready for Ha-wo-ween?

via

pinterest fail: decoupage pumpkins

So I came across these pumpkins one morning while browsing The Inspired Room blog. 

I thought they were super cute, but didn't really think of them again until I was talking to a couple of moms about a play date. One mom mentioned wanting to decorate pumpkins with her kiddo, and I thought what a great, fun little project! The kids can hunt for leaves (which they do anyway), paint on some Mod Podge (which I know they're capable of doing because I get all kinds of crafts back from school), stick a leaf on (or more if they're in a patient mood), hit it until it's on there well enough (which what toddler doesn't like hitting something!), add some more Mod Podge, and it'd be good to go. Simple, easy, the kids will enjoy it, and they're pretty. I figured it'd be something easy enough to keep the kids' attention, and might even turn out presentable enough to put out in the house. 

These decoupage pumpkins are not only in a magazine, but there are plenty more floating around the pinterest universe. How could this not go well?

via 

See.... they're everywhere. Don't I have the best ideas?

The answer: not so much. Here's how it turned out:

Pinterest {miserable!} fail. Maybe I should have actually read the Country Living blog post, instead of just admired the pretty pictures. Then I might have learned that they used pressed leaves. {oops}

Luckily the other moms came doubting the success of the leaves and came with back up plans: stickers, paint, tissue paper (which worked really well!), washi tape, and eye patches--which was the most obvious answer, every pumpkin needs an eye patch.

The final result: 

Needless to say, it won't be going on the mantle anytime soon. This one is special and just for H's room!

For any of you looking to do some pumpkin decorating with your kids, try Mod Podge with tissue paper. It really is pretty (and the pinterest pictures prove it)! 

busyness

You laugh, but it's kinda scary how realistic that cartoon is!

I think it's a mom thing. Or maybe it's just a general life thing. I am always busy. Always. I like it that way, though. Being busy keeps me from being lazy, and as crazy as it sounds, having a million things to do energizes me. Confession: I was that kid in high school, involved in everything under the sun. It seems that "OA"-personality (as my health teacher called me... an over achiever, I think she meant for it to be negative, jokes on her!) has transitioned into mom-hood. I don't get involved in things because I feel some nagging pressure, or to impress others, I just genuinely enjoy it. I love being around people. When I really started understanding the gospel, the thing that got me was the idea that life isn't about me. When it's less about me, living is less stressful, it's freeing.

I don't think I'm alone in this busyness thing. I think it's common to feel like the normal is when you're going 90-to-nothin' 24-7, and sometimes you feel like you squeezed an extra few hours into your day. Hopefully we enjoy what we're doing--at least most of the time. Working isn't a bad thing, Adam and Eve were told to work before bad things ever came into the picture. And, what God made was good. 

In our busyness, though, it's easy to get carried away with our to-dos and forget to worship. The spiritual disciplines (prayer, scripture reading, meditating, fasting, etc) are all good things, but let's be real: we don't have 8 hours a day to commit to these things. I'm lucky if I get 30 semi-quiet minutes. I can promise you, they never look like this: 

Ha! As if. (It's usually more like the first picture, just with a bible in my hand instead of a phone.) While we still fight to have any sort of precious time, it's good to find little things that also stir our affections for the Lord and to do them often.

At home group last night, just the girls met and we talked about a few things apart from the traditional disciplines that make us thank God for being a good God that gives good gifts. Here are a few:

music

any: christian, pop, rock, folk, whatever floats your boat. for me, it's good music that makes you dance. i dare any one of you to listen to red hot chili pepper's hump de bump as loud as your speakers will let you and not dance around to that mad-awesome electric guitar

people

this one is my #1. i love people, all kinds. the more amounts of different people who can come together and enjoy each other the better. in college, i'd walk around campus and enjoy how creative our God is to make so many uniquely wired, beautiful souls. diversity stirs my affections like no other.

being creative

doing whatever it is you love to do to feel creative, free from distractions. this was one of my favorites from last night. just make something pretty, it doesn't have to be perfect, turn off the tv and radio and just let your mind wonder.

running

i didn't resonate with this one as much, but for so many people just getting outdoors in fresh air and wondering whether you are going to survive the next block really stirs their affections. i don't get it, but it definitely is a thing.

a deep breath in cold air

i love this, it's so simple. just breathing and enjoying the change of seasons reminds us that God is a good gift-giver.

nature

in Dallas this one is a little more difficult to find in our concrete jungle, but going outdoors and seeing pretty things that our good creator created for us to enjoy. and, to think, this creation we know is not how it was created and will be even greater one day. that blows my mind when you look at something like this:

beautiful.

What about you? What little things remind you God is good? 

bread for the eater

Come, everyone who thirsts,
   come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
   come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
   without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
   and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
   and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
   hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
   my steadfast, sure love for David.
Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,
   a leader and commander for the peoples.
Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,
   and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,
because of the LORD your God and the Holy One of Israel,
   for he has glorified you.

Seek the LORD while he may be found;
   call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake his way,
   and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,
   and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
   neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
   so are my ways higher than your ways
   and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
   and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
   giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
   it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
   and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

For you shall go out in joy
   and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
   shall break forth into singing,
   and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
   instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the LORD,
   and everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

{Isaiah 55}

Isn't that the most beautiful thing you've ever read?!? I love it. Everything about it.

When scripture has "LORD" in all caps, it references the Old Testament reference to YHWY, or "Yahweh", which is a name for God the Hebrews used to enunciate his you-can-never-touch-this holiness. These verses tell of the LORD having compassion on the wicked, satisfying the thirsty and hungry with the richest of food when they came with nothing to offer, claiming his people for himself and making promises of delight, welcoming strangers who run to his people because these strangers see God and want him, recognizing that some things we won't understand or fully know because his thoughts are higher than ours, and maybe one of my favorite illustrations of the redeemed creation of the mountains and hills bursting into song and the trees clapping their hands in praise of their creator. (Can we say run-on sentence? Warning: that happens a lot when I get excited.) All of these rich truths, and it's written like a beautiful poem.

I just love it. All of it. I feel like I could just post Isaiah 55, conclude this post and each of you would leave this blog more in love with Jesus. Instead, I started this post to explain why I named the blog what I did, so I will.

When I first fell in love with this chapter, it was in the NIV which phrases it a little bit differently, "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." (v 10-11)

God's word makes life flourish, and in this poem the picture is for a sower and a bread eater. I don't sow, and am finding I'm also not-so-good at sewing. I do, however, eat bread frequently. I make food daily for all 3 of my men, I enjoy cooking,  I like making meals for friends to help them out in small ways during busy or hard days, and I absolutely love gathering around a giant table with friends for a meal. I can identify with the bread eater in this poem.

I titled the blog "Bread for the Eater" from Isaiah 55, my favorite chapter in scripture. It's used to convey how the Lord's words are not empty. Hopefully this blog shows tiny little pictures of how his word is satisfying because it reveals the intimately personal, abundantly giving, compassionate, and praiseworthy Yahweh.

a new favorite necklace

Do you ever find something spectacular online and literally have dreams about it? Maybe that's just me, I might be a bit obsessive at times--or maybe it's just stubbornness, I'm not sure. Either way, whether or not I can stop thinking about something is my gauge for whether I really like it, like really really like it a lot alot, or if I just think it's pretty. For instance, these TOMS wedges have not left my mind since the day I saw them online and they will be a part of my fall wardrobe.

Mark. My. Words. They are mine. I've already decided they're going to be a birthday present, now M and my parents will just have decide which one is getting them for me. It's happening. (See... stubborn.)

For a lot of what I see online I have to fight a compulsive urge to buy it right then. I may put it in my digital cart, but it never leaves cyberspace to come into my home until I've given it some thought.

Besides those glorious shoes, I've also been giving some an obsessive amount of thought to this necklace. It's now on my need must have would really like list.

Not only is it simple, beautiful and reasonably priced (three of my requirements for a jewelry purchase), but I love the symbolism behind this necklace. It's a Lisa Leonard Design necklace and it's called the "Heart Made Whole".  A heart needing to be made "whole" infers it wasn't whole before. If you haven't read her blog before, you should. Lisa talks often about the idea of finding beauty in brokenness, which one of my favorite biblical truths: God is actively restoring what is broken to something new.

So this necklace will be added to my birthday, or Christmas list, either way this also will. be. mine. Muah-ha-ha-ha-ha!

What's on your "I really really want" list? Tell me.... Or, maybe not. Not sure I need to add to mine.

loving my boys and a printable!

So I'm a stay at home mom of two boys: H who is 3 years old and D who will be one at the end of November. Some days staying at home with them is just like what most people (who are not a stay at home moms) imagine what it is like: we smile and laugh, do fun things, make cute crafts, take perfect instagram pictures, and say please and thank you while frolicking through a field of flowers and honey bees that don't sting while holding hands and laughing. During these days showing my kids how much I love them is easy-peasy.

More often than not, that's not how my days go. My wardrobe is mostly from Old Navy and Target because by the end of the day (even if I'm lucky and have showered within the last 3 days) I end up with a stretched out shirt with stains from dirty little boy hands, or the common bodily fluid mishap of a baby. (Why spend more than $10 on a shirt, am I right?) Kids scream when they don't get their way, and they have a very specific radar that chooses exactly what you don't want to do at that moment. Kids don't eat what you make, and if they do it usually ends up all over the floor and their freshly laundered clothes, which leads to the most dreaded chore of all--laundry. Kids cry a lot when they're tired and this side of glory I don't think I'll ever understand why they put up so much of a fight when someone offers dark, quiet room with a big fluffy bed and white noise right when you get into that afternoon lull. M travels about 10 nights a month so there are weeks when these things happen days on end without a break and without a conversation with a person older than 3. Kids are crazy. They are hard. During these days showing my kids how much I love them is a lot more difficult--not because I love them less, but because mama. is. tired.

I have this little phrase I use to remind my boys how much I love them. H is forced to repeat it every night after his prayers, and after every time he's disciplined. I say it to D when he's a bit whiney, and it makes him smile, probably because he thinks a tickle is coming next. I knew I needed some phrase to remind them, and myself, how much I really do love them--when things are easy peasy and when we're all a little worn out. I also want to teach my boys in a way that it's easy to transition truths mom and dad teach to truths scripture teaches. Then I thought of these verses:

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in you inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." {Ephesians 3:14-19}

I want my boys to know the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ. Right now, they can hear and see and understand who mama is and how much I love them. So, my phrase for my boys is, "I love you as high as the sky, and as wide as the mountains, and as deep as the ocean." One day I hope they'll understand God's love for them is infinitely bigger!

So here's a simple 8x10 print I made for their room to remind all of us, and I thought I'd pass it along to you guys. I'll be printing it and putting it in one of these pretty frames. Enjoy!

Do you have any special phrases you share with your little ones?