Pom Pom Hats and Mitten Prayers

My poor kids have been braving the November cold sans mittens and with Isaac wearing my green cable-knit hat to keep his ears warm. I've been watching for winter attire, though, and finally made some great finds today!

First, the obligatory matching pom pom hats:

You don't know what it took at 5:10pm to get a picture that looks even that composed. Maybe somebody should be starting dinner instead of blogging, *ahem*.

But then I spotted some mittens on a yardsale site for M. Jackpot! The mom selling them lived only three minutes away, right in our small town, so after naps we loaded up and went. (I love how that sounds so simple. But really it entailed me messaging said mom multiple times with messages like, "They just fell asleep, so we will probably be later"..."Ok, they JUST woke up and are eating crackers, be over at 4:15", etc. And then of course coats, shoes, deciding WHICH hats to wear since we got new ones at Second Street this morning. But anyway...)

The really fun part comes when we pulled up to the "house with the mittens" as M dubbed it. Let's just say it was the sort of neighborhood that makes you self-conscious about paying for your fifty-cent mittens with nickels and dimes. Kind of like paying for lunch with laundry change in college. We had two pairs of mittens from which to choose. Trying them on, M discovered that the purple pair, which obviously were the ones she really wanted, fit perfectly AND had a heart on the back of each hand that (sort of) matches her purple heart-covered coat! She naturally declared that she would wear the mittens ALL DAY. Oh glee.

I paid the lady in toddler-offering-plate-currency and we headed out. M exclaimed, "Bye house, see you the next time! When we come back! Bye bye house!" I told her that now she and Isaac are both ready for the snow to come. She exclaimed (she does nothing BUT exclaim, btw), "My mittens will keep my hands DRY in the SNOW!" and then "I can put it on the GROUND and make a SNOW MAN!!" I agreed with everything she said because it's easier that way, and told her we could ask God to send us some snow. She promptly clapped her hands together in preparation to pray, and the flood of emotions that washed over her little face as she realized that you can't fold your hands to pray in mittens!! She looked shocked, horrified, devastated, confused - would God still hear her little request? Oh, it was all I could do not to laugh.

And then when she did pray, it was "Dear God, thank you for that we can send snow. In Jesus name we pray, Amen." Precious.

Also, as we drove to get the mittens she kept saying, "Can we shoot back home?" I finally said, "Ok" just to acknowledge her, even though I had no idea what she meant. She responded with, "Ok, let's turn around then." So she apparently uses grown-up jargon now to talk about where she wants to "shoot" in the car.

These kids are just too much. I know this was mostly about M, but little man has had his moments today, too. He woke up from his nap all kisses and snuggles, and crawled into M's bed with her to bestow all manner of toddler affection on his sister. And soon directed it toward Momma as well. My melting heart, that would have been the perfect opportunity for him to ask me for a new tractor or jungle gym or M&M's for life. Putty in his hands. Let's hope he never realizes it!

Here's a bonus picture just because I'm feeling generous. The doctor's office this morning was giving out free reindeer antler hats. The look on I's face about sums up his feelings on the whole ordeal. M, of course, wanted to wear hers ALL DAY.