Pumpkin Patch 2018

We have 9 children this weekend. 

So of course we decided to take our insanity to another level and go to the pumpkin patch! The weather was just too perfect.

We had plans to recreate an old favorite family pic in an orchard of redbuds, but McGarrah’s have replaced the orchard with you pick blueberry fields! Reese and Quincy recreated a pic from 7 years ago though so that’s cute! 

2011

2018










I hate blocking our faces of the children in our pics, but protecting identities as well, here, so blocking is pretty necessary, so here’s our current “family pic”, minus baby M, who slept soundly in the stroller the entire time! I love this family of mine. We are loud and crazy and someone is always missing shoes or pouting.       But here we are, trying our best to do what’s best.  

Things that are the Best: October part I

Just a little list of joyful things that are my fave right now. 

1) Twinner bedding is the best

Carly’s bedding caught my eye in a Marco Polo and I had to ask where it’s from. Our white ruffled duvet is no longer white and has seen better days. I was delighted when she told me it’s from IKEA! Best $30 ever spent. 

2) double rainbows are the best

Arkansas skies are the most gorgeous I’ve seen. These beauties made a full arch all the way across the morning sky on Friday after some heavy rain. 




3) soundly sleeping children are the best. Once so restless and fearful as bedtime approached to the point of shaking with actual terror, or fight unseen demons and disassociated screaming and rage. Now, peaceful, snuggly, hugs and kisses. Sometimes some giggly chatter or singing as they drift off into a safe and sound sleep. Tonight, this image caught my eye and brought me to my knees in gratitude. The difference sometimes  still really gets to me. I love them. I’m so happy that my home and family are safe places for healing. I feel joy in their peace. 

4) Corbin whittling is the best

After two times catching Corbin using my Pioneer Woman kitchen knives on a scrap block 2x4, I could tell he was feeling the itch to build. I understand this itch, and recognize it as God’s gift to me I be able to create. This outlet brings me so much joy, and I think that legos and crayons are such popular toys because of the human need for creativity.  Aaron gave Corbin his old pocket knife and Corbin sawed away at a piece of scrap wood all afternoon. 

5) Autumn Crafts are the best.

 Missed stake conference yesterday staying home cleaning up after some midnight crib throw up. Not my fave, but since the kid was laid up sorry watching a movie all morning, I did some crafting. 





6) time with a friend is the best

Tia invited me over to make a clock. Kids ran wild in the rain and loved every minute, even though they trashed her basement, I’m sure. Sloane got a black eye from an angry twin, and Tia and I made cute stuff! Good company and crafts? My love language. 

Corbin Plays Soccer: Fall 2018

Corbin is on Team Nitro and has some tough coaches, this year!  Practice runs from 5:55 until 7:30 firm, and every Monday night, Corbin’s team was running drills and doing burpees until long after the other fields were empty. (Typical parks and rec soccer practice for U9 teams run from 6-7pm). Same for games. The bots were to arrive at 8:20 and had a 30-40 minute pre-Game practice and a good run around the fields every week. The coaches ran a military style team, with drills, sweat, more drills, consequences for mistakes, and no praise for mediocrity.   This is the first great Corbin questioned his love for the sport, but he also strengthened his skills and knowledge of the game. They took a hard loss the very last game of the season, which was a tough way to end the season, but I think Corbin enjoyed playing.   He had many many good assists that led to wins for his team throughout the season. He also played excellent defense and became very skilled in using only his left foot during drills. 



The coaches two sons (the two shorter boys) have played club soccer until now, when their club schedule conflicted with their baseball schedules, so they had to switch to parks and rec, so the dads played the boys up a year and paired up to coach and Team Nitro got a taste of what club soccer practice looks like. I have to say Corbin has zero interest in the military style, Jon affectionate yell-coaching. I think he learned a lot though. And I learned that I have a tender hearted son. Thankful for any parent who steps up to coach, because it’s definitely not in my skill set or agenda to do so. I became very good at hollering rebuttals of “good effort!” to lift discouraged low hanging heads after letting the ball get away from them, or a missed shot and took on the role of  “A for effort mom.” 

Later night practices offered us some beautiful sunset backdrops.   The boys are so lucky to have such s beautiful place to play a game they love. 

Soren Gets the Big Three

Soren Beck, you’re just the awesomest abd everyone knows it!  Even Mrs Southworth commented on how Soren’s gift of obedience is a blessing in her classroom as he is an example to his peers. Soren received the Big 3 Award for October at Cooper Roundup. Way to go, Soren! 

A Wave of Light

Last week, Jill told me she was headed to Nick’s grave to participate in the Wave of Light event, to sent love abd light and hope across the world in remembrance of babies who have died during birth or pregnancy.  Danielle asked if Jill was wanting to participate alone, or if this was something she was ready to share with others.  When Jill said she’d love company, it did not take ANY convincing at all for many many sister friends to surprise her by showing up to surround her and Nicholas in love and light as we mourned with her and remembered with her.  The wave of light is intended to be symbolic, but a very tangible warmth was felt, truth was testified, and love was witnessed. 






Jill had brought a light and a ribbon for each of the babies on Nick’s row in the cemetery to remember them, too. She mothers him well! As each friend arrived, we added lights for Nick, and as we huddled together on a freezing evening, sometimes visiting, sometimes crying, and mostly just hugging and remembering and loving, we all felt the heat coming up from these tiny flames. There was so much warmth between us and it was just a beautifully peaceful evening.  


Look at all that love for Nicholas and the Smallwood family! 



A few special things that happened were when the mother of the very first baby on the row, had been just driving by the cemetery on her way home and saw all the lights and women over on her son’s row and she got out of the car to come join us. Then she called her family and they came too. She told us her story, and we spent a time honoring him, as well. 

Before they left, we spontaneously decided to sing “Be Still My Soul”. We surrounded Jill with her family song and her “carry forward anthem hymn” and surrounded baby John and his family, including his living twin brother with lights from each of us, too.  

Watching this bereaved mother (who’s baby’s headstone spent years all alone over in this very special corner of the cemetery) embrace our Jill and give her empathy that can only come from one who has experienced and truly knows her agony was a sacred thing to behold. The Lord knows us each so well and so individually. The cemetery cannot provide contact information for the parents, so it is a tender mercy that He provided a way to connect these brave mothers, precious daughters to have a moment to mourn together and lift one another up. This mother spoke to many of us friends, too. 




I don’t know why Nicholas did not get to live and why Jill has to spend an autumn evening in a cemetery’s to be with her son.  I still feel very sad that this Jill’s story, instead of a story where we are passing around a cute little baby Smallwood when we gather as friends. I do not understand and do not really try to understand the why, because I DO know that God’s purposes are often far beyond my limited ability to see. I accept this and instead ask to see the Lord’s guiding hand in our lives. 

Being together with Jill and so many loving women gave strength to my knowledge of the existence of eternity, forever families, and of the great power of pure love. I felt this love so strongly as I hugged these sister friends. Love between each other. The love we have for Jill and for the importance of Nick’s place in her family. The mother love Jill has for her son. The love of Jesus Christ, who brought all of us together, and the power that his Redeeming Love has to steady us, lift us, and close the gaps that separate us in life and death.  His love and is perfect and it perfects us.  I’m thankful to remember Nicholas and his gift to us that night, in letting us feel a massive wave of the Saviors love and light.  Thank you to Jill for her brave vulnerability in sharing Nick and the evening’s powerful connecting peace with all of us. 

Craft Fair Season 2018

It’s Craft Fair Weekend in NWA! This means that last week I hit up Vintage Market Days with Lady, and wandered around Spanker Creek, this morning, with Val. 

Craft Fair Weekend Thoughts: 

I love autumn and colorful leaves and the pretty drive to the fairgrounds. 

Going to craft fairs makes me want to craft! I’ve got so many things I want to create! 

I already regret not buying that cute vintage red lantern, and I will double regret it when I’m putting up Christmas.

Valerie and my mom are so fun to shop with. 

Craft fairs are so nostalgic to me. I think of my childhood and my mom, Pat Tranchell, and Anne Hepner setting up assembly lines in the game room getting for their booths at the Wheeler Craft Show. Lots and lots of fun memories sanding and staining and playing with Emily and Breanne while our moms crafted. And later, crafting with my sisters on thanksgiving weekend. Craft fairs just feel like home and holidays and sisterhood. All happy good things. Plus, they sell a mac n cheese sandwich at Spanker Creek, so just sayin’...what’s not to love?! 

I think I could probably find something I really need in just about any booth. 

Sloane doesn’t know how much fun it is to go craft fair-ing yet, but it’s in her blood, so I’m confident she will catch on that this is super fun, soon. 

I’ve been craving artichoke spread, raspberry jalapeño dip, and fancy mustard since I tried a bunch of more-ish samples last week. 

I saw so many cute things, but didn’t get enough of a fix. I may just have to hire a sitter a way out to War Eagle or Bella Vista Craft fairs this weekend.  So much to see!

I’m ready for Christmas. It’s not even Halloween, but I’m craving cozy blankets and a fire and carols and a hallmark movie and a great big slow down. 

Lol I don’t know who just hijacked my phone and typed that 👆🏼magical nonsense. Christmas is far from slow or down.  December is officially insane with concerts and recitals and birthdays and court hearings, and about 100 things on the calendar. But regardless of reality, I’m craving stretchy pants and cocoa. Maybe if I just put up the tree, the week of Halloween/red ribbon/parent teacher conference madness won’t see me hiding under a blanket and the ghost will leave us alone pass right over us. I’m truly tempted to conveniently forget to sign anyone up for basketball season...which is even crazier than soccer season, if you can believe it. I digress. Here’s out my craft fair fun so far! 

I just thought this performance sign was hilarious. My mom suggested I hang one at my front door. Or the kitchen table. 😂😂😂

Dolly Parton’s [can’t say Dixie] Stampede

All the years we’ve lived in NWA and of all the times we’ve visited Branson, we’ve never been to the Dixie Stampede. You are on the north or south side of the arena and root for the red or blue and are served a four course meal, much like at medieval times. 

We. Loved. It. 

Instead of rooting for Rebels or Unions, we saw a new, “settlers of the Wild West” celebration show. It was fabulous and very old west, all American, with beautiful riding, music, and dancing. The kids especially loved the sideshow comedy and magic tricks. Dinner was a bowl of soup, cheesy biscuits, a corbish hen, a slice of pork loin, roasted potato wedges, lemonade, apple turnovers, and corn on the cob.  All delicious. I knew the kids would not be impressed by the finger food concept, so I smuggled in some plastic ware to keep everyone satisfied. Huge win, and it was a super fun time with my kids while they were on fall break. 

Also, the preshow was a 3 man bluegrass group that had everyone on their feet clapping and dancing. Our other favorite part was everyone standing for the giant flag holders on horseback finale. We just loved it all.