For unto you....

This month the boys have been working on memorizing Luke 2:11 in preparation of Christmas.  Honestly I was a little worried about it being longer than our normal verses, but I thought it'd be a good challenge.  Well apparently I need to challenge them a little more because they picked it up very quickly.  So without further delay, here are Luke & Levi practicing Luke 2:11...

Merry Christmas from the Brooks!

Santa, I know him!!

Last weekend we took the boys to meet Oma & Grandpa at the Bass Pro shop to see the "free" Santa.  The boys did so much better this year than last year.  I'll let you decide which pictures are from last year!  :)

 

All the boys had a great time.  They raced cars and trains on a track. 

Drove a big boat with Dad. 

Made snowmen ornaments with Oma.

And spent good quality time with Grandpa.   

More than Santa, the boys just had fun hanging out with Oma & Grandpa.  Plus there were tractors & boats to play on which in their book makes for a great day!  So greatful for the time we get to spend with family during the holiday season.

Random Updates from the past few weeks

The past few weeks we have seen cold weather and Christmas decorations at our house.  So I thought I'd post some pics from our happenings. 

On the 27th of November, look who turned 4 months old!  I know everyone says this, but it is going so fast.  Titus has discovered his feet and is rolling from belly to back, and almost back to belly.  His smile and laugh will absolutely make any heart melt!  He is such a joy.

Our new favorite treat is hot chocolate (with one ice cube) after playing outside in the cold (anything below 60 we consider cold here)!  The boys think they are so big drinking out of coffee cups.

Last week, we got our Christmas tree up.  This year is going to be so much fun with the kids.  The twins are understanding so much more this year, and are excited about celebrating Jesus' birthday.

Over the weekend took the kids to Santa's Wonderland in Aggieland to look at all the lights.  They loved it.  Of course anytime Aunt Randi, Uncle Scruff and Uncle Cody come to play they have a blast.  

We also had some friends make the drive with us.  These are the twins absolute favorite kids ever!  Love that they are starting to have "friends," and they couldn't have picked better ones.  We love these guys and their family!



Titus even stayed awake for the whole experience.  He got very excited about the lights too!

Hope you and your family are finding ways to celebrate the birth of Christ this season!  

So thankful

Last year I read Noel Piper's Treasuring God in our Traditions, and absolutely loved many of her ideas.  She had such wisdom to impart on being intentional with your kids and the traditions your family has around the holidays as well as the every day.  One of her ideas was a "thankful tree," which we adapted in the Brooks household this year. 

 

Now I know this is the envy of every Martha Stewart decorator out there, but it works for us.  To begin, we went on a treasure hunt (in our backyard) for some great sticks to build our tree.  The boys loved hunting for sticks!  Since then each day, during our Bible time we have talked about what we can thank God for.  Many days I have asked them leading questions, like "what is your favorite toy you can thank God for?" or "what is your favorite dinner?" or "who do you love that you are thankful for?".  Then we write them on a leaf and put them on our tree. 

Here's a list of my personal favorite leaves on our thankful tree...

• my firetruck and its batteries
• Nona J is feeling better (this was listed only once, although mentioned nearly every day after her surgery)
• my tools
• chocolate milk
• Baby Titus
• Isaac & Luke (their best friends from church, this was the other thing named nearly every day)
• Tux
• Chick-fil-a, ketchup, and french fries (they got very specific with this one)

I loved doing this activity each day, and served all of us with a great reminder of all our many blessings and ultimately the Giver of all good gifts!

 

I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart!  Psalm 138:1a

 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Backyard photo shoot...

Last week we had some amazing fall weather, so we soaked it up every chance we got.  Here's just one afternoon from the place we seem to spend the most time, our backyard!

Doesn't that smile just melt your heart?!?!

Not sure what it is, but they find every stick imaginable.  However, they also pick all the flowers (notice Levi's hand).  Very well balanced in their adventures if I do say so myself.

Even dad enjoyed the day.  Love having a portable office!

Can't think of a better way to end my day! 

Hope you had a good week.

Quiet TIme

Last week, I institued a new routine to our day. Really it was more out of desperation than anything else. First let me explain, I have 3 boys! That's it, the only explanation really needed. After lunch one day the two boys that can walk were playing chase around the dining room table and yelling back and forth to one another (again I have boys). Since the noise level had reached an all time high I decided we needed to do something new after lunch time. Thus quiet time began.
I instructed the boys to go pick out two books and sit quietly on the couch to "read" them. Here's how they did on the first go around....

1. Quietly reading their favorite books. Pretty good, huh?

2. Inching ever closer to brother to see brother's favorite book?

3. Forget two books, we just need one!

And when I mentioned having quiet time to Titus, this was his response.

Hope you find some "quiet time" in your week!

Happy Halloween

I'm that corny Mom that tries to have the kids follow some kind of theme for Halloween.  I mean, as long as they don't have an opinion yet why not, right?  So this year we had a couple of firemen and the faithful fire house dog.

We're appeasing Mom and trying to sit still.

All three of them have the same expression..."I cannot believe my Mom is making me wear this ridiculous outfit!"

This year our church hosted block parties in a couple of neighborhoods to celebrate Halloween and get to know our neighbors better.  The party hosted by our community group was a blast.  The twins LOVED the bounce house, also known as a wrestling ring.

Then it was time to hit the hood for a little trick or treating.  They got the hang of this very quickly.  After the second house Levi looked at me and said "We have got to find more candy!"  I like the way you think kid!  :)

You can keep your candy, I'll just work on these!

Happy Halloween!

 

Finally Fall!

Last week we had a "cold front" come through just in time for a trip to the pumpkin patch. I think our high dropped into the 70s, but no worries I'm pretty sure we hit 90 again this weekend.
A group of the moms from our church headed to a farm near by to celebrate with all the kids the arrival of fall. I have gotten to where it doesn't really feel like fall until I've taken the boys to a pumpkin patch. I just love fun family traditions.

Just a small town girl..

This past weekend the boys and I headed back home to visit all the grandparents while Jonathan had a much deserved football weekend in God's County (College Station) with the guys.  It just so happened to be the opening weekend of the Brazoria County Fair.  Now when you're from a small town fair week is a really big deal!  So I decided the boys had to participate in all the festivities. 
First we went to the parade...

But we had to cut out early because we didn't want to miss kick off.  The Aggies were getting ready to BTHO Baylor, and as important as the parade is we have to keep things in perspective!  :)

After a decisive win against the Bears & nap time, we took the boys to the fair to meet the animals.  Fortunately I had help...3 boys took 3 adults!  Oma and Nona J were such troopers on our adventure to the fair.  I love extra hands (especially grandma hands)!

First we learned how to milk a (fake) cow. 

Then we got to visit with a couple of real cows.  However, these cows were very talkative and LOUD!  Every time one of the cows let out a moo, the twins jumped and held tightly to whoever was near by.

But everything was better when we found a race car to drive!  This was a race car the sheriff's department had on display.  It even had sirens, and yes the boys got to turn them on (and then they figured out how to do it over and over again)!  It's funny how that loud noise didn't seem to bother them. 

And all the while, Titus sweetly rolled along with us, napping and grinning as we went.  I think this was the "tell those boys to turn the sirens off, some of us are trying to sleep around here" face!

After such a fun adventure, all 3 boys cuddled up with Oma to check out the Cars characters! 

We had such a great weekend visiting all of the grandparents, and the twins are still talking about the cows they met.  Hope you had a great weekend too!

So independent

All three boys seem to be growing in their independence.  A common phrase from our toddlers is "look I did it all by myself."  Sometimes this is followed by intense laughter on our part, and most of the time we get to celebrate them learning to do something new.

Luke & Levi have really been working on trying dress themselves.  The other day I discovered them trying to put their pj's on all by themselves.  Please note: Levi has his completely backwards.  Shorts on his head, and shirt on his legs.  At least he tried!
 

On the other hand, Titus has completely given up on waiting for mom to bring his binky.  Instead he has found a new love, the thumb!  I just think this is absolutely adorable, but then again I'm the mom!  :).

   

 

Around here, every day really is an adventure.  Never quite sure what that adventure is or how it's going to play out, but it's an adventure none the less.  These boys keep me laughing (and sleeping really good at night)!!  Just another week in the Brooks house with 3 growing boys!