A cold day with warm moments :)

We had a full day planned for today to sum up our jam packed weekend of Christmas parties and festivities.

Then my poor husband woke up with a terrible stomach virus and has been so sick and miserable all day long.

So I took the kids to church while he rested up at home. That's not so bad since they go to nursery while I get a whole entire hour to myself without being distracted by being licked, pooped on, or caught in the crossfire of a wooden spoon turned pirate sword.

but

the rest of my day....

was a little bit rough.

And while I was nursing my poor sick puking [cranky] husband back to good health, he pretty much almost made me cry like ten times.

Lets just say his persistent puking and stomach pain left no tolerance for: the wrong flavor Gatorade, Adeline's whining, my rubbing his back, my moving the remote control and his phone out from under him, a licking puppy, my choice of Walgreens over a gas station for his drink, and my speed at which I'd done so.

Soooo while normally I'd be pretty peeved at the backlash, I'm letting him have his sick time and I'm trying to be sympathetic and helpful ...no matter how sharp a tone I'm given.

Because truth is, I know how he feels and I know how bad it sucks, and since he put up with me like this for nearly 2 years of our marriage, he can have his day!

[Lord have mercy, I hope this only lasts a day.]

So in effort to take some of the loudness out of the house, we went.... well........ out of the house and in the back yard.

 I made a big production out of going on a special adventure and doing something exciting, but really all I had was a couple of blankets and some Christmas stories, which lucky for me suited the both of them fine.

So.... unedited and straight out of the camera I am here to share with you a glimmer of glory in this hectic, dirty day.

Normally I just grab what I can easily carry out of the door, and I already had two blankets, three books, a baby, and a puppy, but after teeter tottering on the edge of the doorstep I decided to run back in for my camera too. Mostly because I love both outfits the kids were wearing today and we were working on a sunset so the light was good. I was instantly glad I had my camera though after reading one of our Christmas touch and feel books and watching in complete delight as both of my children felt each fabric swatch on each page. Gah, it was cute.

and then, right when I finished The Night Before Christmas I laid the book out on the blanket and opened it up to the first couple of pages that are just full of illustrations of candy.

The babies like these pages the most, and since this was my book as a kid and these were my favorite pages too, I took pictures of them running their chubby, cold fingers over gingerbread men and candy canes.

 and SWEET CINNAMON BUNS I'm glad I did because is this not the cutest, sweetest brother sister picture ever. And ooph! A sun spot too!

Can you say framer?:

Yep.

There was a whole lot of warmness in my heart, and that says a lot because it was semi freezing out there.

A little bit of sun ray on our pale, freckled skin was just what we needed.

Outside is such a great place to be.

 The air is fresher, the color is brighter, and perhaps best of all my 2 year old's fits are reduced by 50%, and well I'll take anything in the reduction of temper tantrums.

I really needed this forty minutes of heart smiles.

I enjoyed watching my little girl skip around and giggle at the puppy nipping at the hem of her dress.

I loved the belly laughs Gideon so easily gave me when I wrapped him up in a blanket and invaded his personal space with Eskimo kisses.

It was one of those evenings that I'm glad I went back for my camera, otherwise I may not remember how effortlessly the sun bounced light off of each and every one of their strawberry blonde hairs.

Praise God!

aaaaaaand then I went inside to our usual chaos which this evening consisted of  Adeline throwing a category 5 tantrum where she decided kicking me would fly, Gideon getting his finger smashed in the puppy kennel, and me stepping in dog poop.... and those are just the highlights people. ;)

I can't complain though. I'm blessed these are the extents of our problems.

:)

So while I sum up this blog post, proof read, and go for the publish I take a big heaping sip out of the coffee mug next to my computer................... that I left their this morning.
Yea left over freezing coffee with probably pretty spoiled milk.
Looks like I'll meet you in the bathroom honey.