O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

Every year I paint this magical scene in my head about what Christmastime is going to be like in our house. Picking and decorating the perfect tree, snuggling up to Asher while we watch old school Rudolph, baking cookies...you get the picture right? I mean, it's probably pretty unreal.

((((Big Sigh)))))

We ended up at a new tree farm this year...small, quaint, nice...picked a good tree in 75 degree weather. (failing in my mind #1...sweating)

I asked my hubby 5 times if he thought our tree stand was big enough. All 5 times he said yes. (Back up a year ago, we eventually had to cut TWO feet off our tree AND nail it to the ceiling with wire so it would quit falling over. There were many broken ornaments and an over-emotional pregnant lady involved).

By the time Vaughn got the tree in the stand this year (and after I sent him out to buy a bigger one after a unsteady moments with new tree!) the moment was nothing magical...more along the lines of grumpy. (Failing in my mind #2)

We kept Asher up until 10:30 decorating the tree (failing in my mind #4). I forgot to put his Christmas jammies on him (failing #5).

He had a great time, but still not the way I had played it out in my head!

We are going to the Christmas parade this Saturday in Atlanta. Magical, right? I know something will go awry...most likely it will have to do with getting there...on time...I digress.

I realize none of these things is what the season is all about. I am in constant prayer that God would help to focus on celebrating the Divine birth of Jesus Christ, and not all the "magical" moments I build up in my head.

Here's to having fun, but focusing on what CHRISTmas is all about!


And to leave you on a funny note...a couple from Asher.

Mistletoe? We have the mistleTOAD!

Candy Canes? How 'bout Candy Corns!

Mommy, "I heard my name in a Christmas song! (You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and...)

12 Days of Thanksgiving Catch Up

I have NEVER been so busy before in my life. Seriously ever. In the past 3 days I have made 1 Harry Potter birthday cake, 12 cupcakes more than 50 cakes balls, and around 125 decorated sugar cookies.

I have been up WAY past my bedtime (still am!) and waking up at the crack of dawn to get busy again. I even had to hire a babysitter yesterday...the first time EVER someone other than family has watched the kids. Insane. I am pooped big time.

And all this cake and cookie business has a mean learning curve. I shipped 40 cookies to Ohio and lost $10 on shipping b/c of the Thursday holiday. And my profit margin is not great enough to eat $10. I seriously paid myself about .50 an hour for 15 hours . Yes, very mean learning curve.

Oh, ok, back to the 12 days of Thankgiving. I'm going to wrap it up in the post b/c I just don't see it happening tomorrow.

Day 10 - I am thankful for the seasons. I love Fall, but I am excited about welcoming the Winter weather too. As Asher and I took a walk the other day I commented on how I wished the leaves could always be so pretty. The moment I said it I thought that if they always looked so beautiful, colorful and perfect, I certainly wouldn't appreciate them the way I do now. And so is life, don't you think?

Day 11 - I am thankful for good health for my entire family. At times, I am plagued by fearful thoughts of something happening to myself, vaughn, the kids, my parents, etc. , and I am so blessed we are all healthy. Seriously Thankful.


Day 12 - I am thankful for God given perseverance and seemingly endless energy. He will supply my every need, and give me rest in him when I can no longer go. But until then, I give thanks for running the race...uphill, through the rain, past the nut house....ha! :) Really, it's only by God's giving that I make it through some days.

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

12 Days of Thanksgiving-Day 8 and 9

Ah, I knew it would happen. Blogging everyday for 12 days was definitely a near impossible task. And here I am in the wee hours trying to get 2 days worth of thanksgiving thoughts out. But, this one is easy. At least in my head it is....hopefully my tired eyes can type coherently.

So, on day 8 and 9 of the 12 days of Thanksgiving I am thankful for my family and my brand spanking new Kitchen Aid mixer they all pitched in to get me for my birthday (which in fact is already today seeing as it is past midnight!)

I hope the mixer doesn't make me sound materialistic! But with the hours I am spending in the kitchen these days baking, it is such a blessing. I mean a major upgrade-I was using a Sunbeam that was 20yrs old.

I mean really, how awesome is my family?

I love them dearly with or without the mixer :)

Ah, Thankful...so very thankful am I.

And how boring is this post without pictures??? I forgot my camera at my parent's house over the weekend. And I'm sure there were some good ones of our little birthday celebration!

12 Days of Thanksgiving- Day 7

Today I am thankful for this little guy.

He's my source of energy.

What gets me out of bed and moving in the morning.

He's goofy, silly, loud, rambunctious.

All things little boy.

I love the way he mixes up The Lord's Prayer and The Pledge of Allegiance when he's saying his bedtime prayers.

I love how he needs me so...

And I love him more than I can put into words.

So very thankful.

12 Days of Thanksgiving-Day 6

Today I am thankful for opportunity.

Many of you might know I have a hobby/passion for edible art. In other words, I love designing and decorating cakes, cookies, and cupcakes.

A few months ago, after much encouragement from my friends, I decided to put myself out there for hire...by people I don't know. Scary...on so many levels for me.

Some weeks are slow, some weeks are crazy, but God continues to bless me with opportunity. Opportunity to build my skills, meet new people, network, fulfill my need to be creative and help me provide for my family.

And for that, I am very thankful!

12 Days of Thanksgiving-Day 5

Today I am thankful for rest.

Seems like 75% of the time now, we go (or at least I go) 90 to nothing. Our days start and end pretty blurry! We're up, coffee, breakfast, school, errands, play time, chores, chores, chores, emails, phone calls, more errands, dinner, bath, bedtime routines. I love it all (ok, maybe not the chores), but it sure doesn't leave me worn out and weary on occasion.

Once the kids are down, I usually have some sort of project to work on...cakes, cookies, decorating, home projects, still unpacking boxes, the list is endless. And finally, bed.

For a few hours at least until waking once or twice for sweet Maryclaire who is not yet sleeping through the night.

But on occasion (like 5 occasions so far!) I will get a glorious 6 hours when little Miss sleeps like an Angel. And I do mean glorious...I'm pretty sure I can hear the Hallelujah chorus when I wake up. And last night, dear readers, was one of those nights.

And for that, I am very thankful.

Day 4 of the 12 Days of Thanksgiving

Today I am thankful for my job...or I guess I should say the lack there of! I usually tell people I don't work outside the home, but I sure do plenty in it! Everyday I am thankful that I have the privilege of caring for my children and that I don't have to pass them off to someone else each day.

As financially tight times get tighter, and the possibility of having to go to work looms, there isn't a day I take for granted.

These sweet days are fastly fleeting and I welcome the sacrifices we make to have me at home with my loves.

It is only by the hands of God that I am living my dream and for that I am very thankful!

Happy 11th Month, Maryclaire! Day 3 of 12 D.O.T

Happy 11 months, Maryclaire! Sweet girl, I just couldn't love you any more! At 11 months you,

1. I'm guessing you weigh about 16 lbs. You are in 6,9, and 12 month clothes. I moved you up to sz 3 diaper, but I think I going to have to move back down b/c you are just so skinny!

2. Still going to bed around 7:45 and sleeping 11-12 hours. You usually wake up 1-2 times a night, but you did sttn last night. Maybe you'll do it again soon! Fingers crossed! You nap twice a day around 10 and 3, usually one short nap and one long nap.

3. You are such a little piggy girl. You eat mostly table foods. I actually don't even remember the last jarred baby food you had. You love mixed veggies and bread. You are a messy eater and I might as well put you in the bath after a meal. You will drop the dogs little pieces of your food.

4. You started weaning yourself last week. We had began struggling with your interest in nursing about a month ago, and last week you were just done. I'm very sad...I was certainly not ready. I am still trying to nurse you in the morning and evening, but it's not going so well in the supply department. I feel like I failed you not making it a year. :(

5. You are just busy, busy, busy. We still have to put you in the playpen to keep you out of trouble. You like going on short walks in the stroller with me and brother. You have finally quit putting everything you pick up off the floor in your mouth.

6. You have started showing your temper at your brother and it is hilarious and sad at the same time. Y'all have started getting mad at each other over toys! I can't believe it starts this early!


7. You are usually shy to strangers and people you don't see often. Sometimes, you'll get very upset around men you don't know.

8. You understand much of what we say to you. You'll give kisses, wave bye bye, play peek a boo, and babble constantly. You say mama, bubba, night, night and I think blankee and doggie.

9. This month's picture was hard to get. You really didn't want to sit still in your chair.

And for day 3 of the 12 Days of Thanksgiving,
I think it's fitting to be thankful for YOU!

12 Days of Thanksgiving-Day 2

Today I am thankful for God's provisions.

Our needs are always met, the bills are always (ok, mostly!) paid. We are never hungry, unclothed or unsheltered.



When I am weary, he gives me rest. When I am down, a song in my heart. By the world's standards, we don't appear to have much.


In my heart, I am blessed beyond measure. But, my God is always faithful.


Asher had his last soccer game on Saturday. He's by no means a gifted athlete, but he had fun and definitely improved. It was a great season for the fire ants!

12 Days of Thanksgiving-Day 1

Today I am thankful for my (very helpful) husband.


It's Saturday, my catch up day for all the stuff I didn't get done during the week. My hubs is always more than willing to hang with the kids so I can try to get it all done. He'll even let me go run errands solo.

He watched Christmas Vacation with me tonight even though it's only Nov. 12th and he doesn't really even like Christmas movies.

He'll even fold the laundry as long as there's a football game on TV he can watch.

He's my calm when I'm going a little crazy.
He's a great dad.
He's a wonderful husband.
He's cute :)

My Little Lady

I'm being sarcastic, of course. While I am up to my elbows in frosting, flour, and fondant this week, enjoy this little video of Maryclaire.

She's goes around ALL the time making this noise. Lady like, huh? I guess I'll have to teach her better when she get's older....but for now it's just so darn cute!

More Fall Fun

Asher's pre-school had a fall festival today. The kids sang a few songs during the service. He goes to a very small school with only 12 students. I think about half of them came...a few were too overwhelmed to stand up with their classmates.



Asher stood up there, but that's about all he did.

And we battled over that shirt of his being tucked in. It basically became a battle of wills and obedience and less about that silly shirt.




To give you an idea of how small Asher is, the kids on each side of him are in his 4 yr old class. The kids on the right end (the ones he is the same size as) are 3 yr olds. Vaughn is really starting to be concerned about him going to kindergarten next year.
We'll see, I suppose.



Vaughn and I got to go see the movie Courageous this weekend. A dear friend of my mom's insisted she treat us to go see this movie...she said we needed to see it. We loved it. It was a very powerful, moving story. Definitely inspiring.
If you haven't see it, DO!


Y'all were too kind with your comments to my last post. I hate to admit it, but I am not that mom that can do it all gracefully. There are usually lots of deep breaths, frustration, short tempered remarks, and ordering around that can only rival a drill Sargent's. And lots of late nights!

Catching Up

We had a busy weekend indeed! Friday I went to Asher's school for some Halloween festivities. I don't have a single picture. Shame on me. Asher got to wear his costume and he and his classmates sang songs and did lots of cute crafts. I handed out these as the kids trick or treated through the building.



We carved our first pumpkin with Asher too! He had fun and wanted the face to look like a ghost's. Vaughn doesn't like to get his hands all in the slimy insides, so I got the pleasure. Nice.


We packed up and headed to Callaway Gardens on Saturday morning. We met my entire extended family there for my aunt's 60th birthday. It was a very short trip, but so nice and perfectly cool, crisp Fall weather. Maryclaire kept me busy as she decided she was terrified of anyone who even so much as looked at her.



We took Asher trick or treating around the neighborhood Monday night for about an hour. It was nice to meet some of our neighbors since we just moved in about 6 weeks ago.


Isn't he just the cutest spider you've ever seen. I was spent after finishing Asher's costume and obviously didn't put much effort into Maryclaire's.

We'll let Asher be the star of the Halloween show one more year before he has to share the spotlight!