Christmas Holidays

We are well into our Christmas holidays, and with Christmas Day only 2 days away, I thought I'd stop for a moment and record some of the memories we have already made before the big day arrives!!

B and I started off our holidays with something that we have now officially declared a tradition...

Every year we have watched this movie, and every year before we start it, I worry that it won't be as funny the 10th time around, but thus far, Sparky has yet to disappoint!! Each year it's a different scene that gets me, this year it was Cousin Eddie and his too tight, white v-neck sweater with his black dickie-turtleneck underneath!

The next thing on our agenda was taking the kids on the "Polar Express" train ride! What a fun night! It was just the five of us. The kids were so excited, and looked so cute in their Christmas pajamas, if I may say so myself! This has been the year of the "big question"....is Santa real??? We haven't said yes or no, we just turn it around and ask them what do they think, and so far, I think they all still believe, but Jake is a little skeptical. I really think deep down he knows it's B and I, but he still plays along. I was worried that when Santa made his big appearance on the train it might freak Ellie out a little, but boy was I wrong! She didn't even flinch! She loved him! It was a fun family night!!

Looking out the window at the North Pole...
Getting some Hot Chocolate, yum!!
Three little cuties...
The big man himself!!

Ellie getting a jingle bell from Santa!

The next week was full of class parties and last minute gift shopping! After that, we spent Sunday at Maw Maw's for Christmas with my Dad's side of the family. We used to do this on Christmas Eve, but since all of us are married now, with kiddos of our own and in-laws to visit, we have moved it to the Sunday before Christmas. Christmas Eve at Maw Maw and Senka's is a big part of my Christmas memories from childhood. One of my favorite memories is when we all crammed in and spent the night over there, and my brother Donnie and I decided to sneak in to try and see what Santa brought, not realizing that my aunt Janet and uncle Benny were asleep in the den and we almost got busted! :)

Yesterday we delivered some goodies to our sweet neighbors and friends, and today after a couple more deliveries, we are now home for good. The weather is cold and rainy, so it makes for a good day to stay in and slow down! My goal is to try and soak it up this year...every moment. Not to let the craziness get to me, and to keep my heart focused on Christ. It seems that I have this goal each year, but in the hustle of moving three children from celebration to celebration and all of the unwrapping and gift giving, I can get caught up, or even worse, grumpy, and before I know it, the day has come and gone and the moment has passed. Oh I pray it is different this year! :) So, I'm off to do just that, slow down and enjoy my kiddos!!

From our family to yours...Merry Christmas!!!

Sorry this is so long, I was having a moment!

Today we began the process of putting up all of our Christmas decorations. We've got both trees up-one half decorated and the other waiting patiently in our formal room for it's turn to be adorned with lights and ornaments. My mantle is covered with garland, waiting for stockings to be hung-and the other three tubs of Christmas trimmings will soon be emptied out until almost every nook and cranny is a display of Christmas cheer! In the midst of emptying tubs and checking lights, my decorating frenzy was brought to an abrupt halt, as one particular corner I was decorating revealed something that I could not ignore...

This will be our first Christmas in this house. The Lord blessed us this year with such a wonderful place to call home-nothing spectacular or "jaw dropping" compared to many homes around town, but to us, a perfect place to settle in and raise our children. So, with this new home, came a new decorating challenge...where to put all of our Christmas stuff?? Last Christmas was a no brainer-in our old home I knew where everything went-kid tree here, big tree there, garland here, snowmen there, and so on. But not this year. So, I spent much of the morning eyeballing different shelves and corners trying to mentally place everything. When I pulled out our nativity scene, I headed towards the table where I've placed it for the past 7 years, but before I reached it, I spotted a place on our bookshelves that I thought just might work. The bookshelves are the focal point of our Family Room and I liked the idea of the nativity being where we spend most of our time, a place where we could enjoy it and it would hopefully serve as a reminder of what this season is really all about. I began to move some things around to make room, and when I finally had everything positioned just right, I stepped back to take a look...and that is when I noticed something. It was a large cross (that I have there year 'round) hovering, overshadowing, our nativity scene. It sent chills down my spine. How perfect. The cross overshadowing the manger, foreshadowing the very reason why this birth is worth celebrating. My redemption-birthed of a virgin, paid for by the precious blood shed on the cross. What a powerful picture it was for me and a perfect start to this season. Shortly afterwards, I sat down to read, and my Bible fell open to Philippians 2:3-11.
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Lord, may this be my attitude this Advent Season...may I remember not to look to my own selfish interests, but to serve my family and others in humility, always mindful that You came to Earth as a helpless baby, taking the very nature of a servant to save me from death, so that I may live to proclaim that You are Lord, to the glory of God the Father, amen.

A Good Day Indeed...

Today our Thanksgiving Holiday officially began...the boys are out of school all week, and Miss Ellie is out too! We are having Thanksgiving here this year, so we have no where to go, nothing to pack, and really nothing we have to do, so that means we'll be taking the days slow, and doing lots of playing and hanging out. Just my style!

Today, we definitely started out slow, the boys just got back from a boys weekend with Daddy, so they were slow to wake up, but things sped up quick once they realized that Daddy recorded Rocky 3 for them. They quickly stripped down to their "boxing shorts" and went after it! After that we cleaned up the house, I started some laundry, and one of Jake's friends from school came over to play. After lunch, we took Jake's friend home, put Ellie down for her nap and I poured a cup of coffee and read a little while the boys played. Once Ellie woke up we worked on our Thanksgiving tree, then headed outside and played a little "Horse", some "Mother May I" and finished off with a round of "Red Light, Green Light". We came in and warmed up with a cup of hot chocolate, and now I am off to get ready for a date night with Hubs!

Yep, I'd say it's shaping up to be a good day indeed!

Twelve Years Ago Today....

B asked me to marry him!! On a random Monday night-Veteran's Day, he completely surprised me by proposing. It's hard to believe that it's been twelve years, but in some ways, it's hard to remember life before him. He truly is my best friend...and so much more!

So, in the midst of our crazy life, I just wanted to stop and tell you, B, how much I love you...I love our crazy life together, and I love what God is teaching us, even today, about this life He has called us to! I can't wait to see where the next twelve years take us! It is my privilege and honor to be your wife-I love you.
M.

Fall Favorites

Today the weather is beautiful. So pretty in fact, that Ellie and I decided to have a picnic lunch in our backyard. As we were eating our lunch, I began thinking about all of the reasons why I love Fall. Reasons like cooler weather, the leaves changing colors-who doesn't love that?-pumpkins, scarecrows, mums, pumpkin patches, college football-HOOK 'EM, #1, how 'bout that??!!-my pumpkin spice candle, Trick-or-Treating with my kiddos, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and then I thought about Deer Season. Okay, stay with me...

I grew up in a hunting family...between my Papaw, Daddy, brothers, uncles, etc...come Fall season, someone was heading somewhere to kill something! Now, my mother has never been much of a hunter, but growing up, somehow my Daddy convinced us to tag along at least once or twice during the season. Thinking back over those trips today has brought back some special and fun memories of our times together as a family...here are a few of my favorites.

~playing "freeze out" on the way down to the lease-when it's really cold out, you roll down every window in the car and the first one to roll their window up was the LOSER!
~watching for deer on the way down
~all of the "rabbits" that would suddenly jump in front of our car, causing my Daddy to SLAM on the breaks just as one of us was drifting off to sleep! (sound dangerous??)
~road burgers
~'neakin in the deer lease truck
~all of us crammed into the tiny camper
~watching Daddy jump out of the truck and kill what I thought was the biggest deer I had ever seen!
~deer lease breakfasts-yummy!
~sitting around the campfire at night listening to Jeff Foxworthy's tape "You might be a Redneck"...right after it first came out
~killing my first doe with Daddy
~laying in bed that night and listening to my older brother tease me with cries of "Mama, Mama", when I told him how her babies were right there when I killed her! (Sidenote: I did not know they were right there...Daddy had me looking through the scope which only let me see what was directly in front of me...smart move on his part, 'cause had I seen those babies, I don't think I could have pulled the trigger!)
~singing Ray Charles songs as we rode around the lease looking for deer
~listening to Brooks & Dunn's song "Neon Moon" over and over and over again, all because a certain someone in our family was missing another certain someone-who, by the way, is now a part of our family! :)

I know these memories don't make any sense to most of you, but to me, these are precious memories of my family. We weren't perfect-FAR from it, and we didn't always get along, (still don't), but we are family. I think that is really why I love Fall so much. When the weather changes, it makes me want to pull my family close and snuggle, when the holidays come-I want to be with my family, when I'm watching the #1 Texas Longhorns (sorry, I had to put that in there again-it may not last much longer!) there is no one I'd rather watch with than my sweetheart, and nothing makes a Pumpkin Spice Latte taste better than when it's shared with someone you love, (or delivered to you by someone you love)!

So, go and enjoy your family this Fall!

No time to Blog

Well, I guess technically I am blogging right now, but I am only blogging to say "I have no time to blog"! And really, as I type this, I realize that this probably isn't necessary because the few people who actually read this already know that I have no time to blog, because they have listened to me vent about how crazy-busy life has been lately. :) Anyway, really, I hope to catch up soon, and post pictures of baseball, playing, birthday parties, etc....but for now, I am spending my "free time" catching up on laundry, ironing, playing with kids, and out at the ballpark...and when I can, enjoying a quiet moment here and there. :) Hopefully, I'll be back at some point with some pics!

School Days

Well, 2 weeks in and we've already been bit by the bug! :)

After 2 days in preschool, Ellie spent the weekend producing some diapers of "questional" proportions! She never acted like she felt bad, but her appetite was definitely decreased, so I figured something was up. Then it happened...last night at about 9:30, Jake came out of his room to inform us that his stomach didn't feel quite right...an hour later, he was producing some vomit! On the up side, it seems to be a "one and done" virus, meaning he went to bed and slept all night and is driving me insane today wanting to go outside and play football and all sorts of forbidden activities for "sick" children!!! I don't think I'll have to worry about him trying to play "hookie" anytime soon-he has figured out that staying home from school=no fun!!!

Despite our bug infestation, the first two weeks of school have been wonderful! Trent LOVES Kindergarten and is really into reading books now! Jake has stepped right into 3rd grade without missing a beat. He is the type of child that really thrives in school- the structure, the schedule-he is very self-motivated, so unlike me it's not even funny. And sweet Ellie, she loves preschool. She loves her teacher, her friends, her "pack-pack"-so much so that I am having to remind myself not to get my feelings hurt when she walks right into her room and never gives me a second glance! :)

I am enjoying getting back into a morning routine. My favorite part is getting up early with B and drinking our coffee and having our quiet times side by side. I used to have my quiet time in the afternoon during naps, but I realized this Summer, I couldn't wait that long! I pretty much need to soak myself in the Word first thing, before I have an opportunity to do any permanent damage! :)

And as an added bonus, the weather has been glorious here!!! Have I mentioned that Fall is my absolutely favorite season? (Followed closely by Christmas) I love the crisp mornings, the changing leaves, the pumpkins! I am fully aware that I still live in Texas, which means tomorrow it could be 100 degrees, but I am soaking this cooler weather up while I can!!

So, here are a few pics of the kids on their first day of school: