Imperfectly Wonderful World

February Phone Pics

2012-02-11T12:00:00.003-06:00

Someone abandoned this giant Valentine's bear on a bench in the store. Ben wanted to take him home.

This is Ben's closet. Toys everywhere!

Will was super excited when he realized we had matching boxes of Apple Jacks.

I took a photo because it made him happy.

Crafting fun

You can read more about the vintage soda crate used for art supplies here.

Valentine's gifts for Will and Ben's teachers.

My boys really like their water bottles.

I saw this in a bookstore. How sweet! I like the idea of lunchbox letters to encourage your kids at school.

Taking a bath is fun!

Pei Wei

Nom Nom Nom

Rudy's BBQ

Mark and I love Texas BBQ. Rudy's is about 30 minutes away. The only negative about eating there is that we smell like smoke, ha! Other than that it's awesome.

and

Life in an Instant

Kids Stuff World

Show Us Your Life--Working Moms

2012-02-10T16:00:00.001-06:00

Stay At Home Mom or Working Mom?

It doesn't matter.

We're all in the sisterhood of being mothers so we should unite. All mothers have the most important job in the world--raising our children.

I'm not going to go on and on about how my choice is the "right" choice. I'll just say it was the right choice for our family, and as you all know, no families are alike.

So, Moms unite and let's learn from each other and encourage each other!

If you are visiting from Kelly's Korner, let me tell you a little about myself. I've been a junior high history teacher for 11 years. I've been happily married to Mark for 10 years and he's a teacher, too. He teaches math and we work together at the same school. Our boys are Will (5) and Ben (2.5). Will was born in November during the middle of the school year and Ben was born in June at the beginning of summer vacation. I wouldn't change a thing about when they were born. It was perfect timing.

When we decided to start a family, I never considered being a stay at home mom. I had always planned to go back to work full-time as a teacher, but my ideas about being a stay at home mom changed when I had Will. You know if you're a mother that once the baby is placed in your arms your heart, soul and mind are changed forever. Our lives suddenly revolved around this new person, and I completely forgot all of the other cares of the world. My biggest concerns were my nursing schedule, dirty diapers, diaper rash and staring at our new baby for hours on end. It was then that I thought it would be ideal to stay at home for the first year with my children, and then return to work after that. I would have loved to have been at home to see my babies grow and change their first year. I think it would have been ideal for practical reasons, too. For example, nursing...moms out there who have pumped at work, I know you understand how much work that it is and what a commitment it is! The reality of it all is that we don't live in a perfect world and me taking a year off wouldn't work for us. If I took a year off, I wouldn't be guaranteed my teaching position and I truly like my job and didn't want to give it up.

I was fortunate to have about 10 weeks off with both of my little guys before I returned to work. The biggest blessing that gave me peace of mind when I returned to work was that my mother-in-law kept the boys. I'd often joke that they were better taken care of by her than me because she's such a natural with babies and children. I was blessed to have my boys taken care of by a family member, but I know there are quality day cares out there who care for and nurture children, too.

I was nervous about going back to work, especially with Will. Luckily when I returned to work the days went by quickly. I also enjoyed being out of the house and talking with my co-workers. In a way, my time apart from Will and Ben made me more appreciative of the time I get to spend with them. The best part of my day is seeing my boys after school. I love it when we go to pick them up after work and they run up to us smiling and give us a big hug.

Mark and I value our weekends and make it a top priority to spend time together as a family. Another bonus about our teaching schedule, is that Mark and I have a long Christmas break, Spring break and two and a half months off for summer vacation. Will and Ben sort of have a stay at home mom and dad during the summer months, and we all love it!

Here are some struggles I face as a working mom.

Balance

Oh, the balancing act of working full-time and raising a family! If someone figures it all out please let me know ASAP!

My family is my top priority but it's a constant struggle to find enough time, energy and strength to love my husband and children, do a good job at work, fulfill responsibilities and commitments at church and maintain a house that's in some sort of order.

Housework

Being gone from the house 40 hours a week is demanding. Finding time to keep a clean house is a constant struggle.

When I was younger my wise grandmother told me something that's always stayed with me. I didn't understand it at the time, but it makes perfect sense now. I was telling my grandma about visiting some one's house and it was a mess. (By the way, my grandma always kept a clean house.) She told me, "Michele, when you work a full-time job and have kids, it's hard to keep a clean house." I was young, naive and judgmental when we had that conversation years ago. I'm thankful she called me out for my judgmental attitude and corrected me. From her experience of working full-time and raising 4 boys she understood the struggle that working moms face.

I'm very lucky to have a husband who helps out a lot. Mark is great with laundry, unloads the dishwasher and helps with Will and Ben's bath and nighttime routine. He makes my life so much easier. Sorry if you're jealous, he's taken!

Cooking

I like to cook and bake, but after a long day at work, I'm exhausted. Coming up with healthy meals for my family is a challenge. And, don't get me started on the clean up after meal time. Ugh!

Me time

I know this might sound selfish, but I think many moms (myself included) are guilty of putting themselves on the bottom of the to-do list. My blog is my "me time" outlet. I started my blog in May 2010 when Ben was about to turn one. Life with two little ones was starting to get easier. The blogging community has encouraged and inspired me. Now that the boys are older, I'm getting out more with the girls. Also, Mark and I are able to spend time together as a couple. Most importantly I'm able to focus more on personal growth and Bible study now that Will and Ben are getting older.

Things that I think have helped me most as a working mom.

Remember that you can't be all things to all people.

Say no.

Ask for help if you need it.

Do the best you now how. (Thanks, Papa Ralph!)

Be in the moment.

Love this quote "Enjoy the little things in life, for someday you will realize they were the big things."

Remember the big picture.

My ultimate goal in raising my children.

3 John 1:4 (NASB)

I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.

These guys are the best!

Flashback Friday: February 2010

2012-02-10T06:00:00.000-06:00

Flashback Friday: February 2010

Something about this photo is so sweet.

Will had just turned 3 years old a few months earlier

and

Ben was 8 months old.

It's one of the first photos I have of Will and Ben together where they are

grinning from ear to ear.

I just love 'em so much!

Just Pin It

2012-02-09T23:29:00.001-06:00

I have over 4,000 pins total and almost 250 pins on my "Words" board. I've always loved writing inspirational quotes or Bible verses on note cards and keeping them on my desk or mirror. Now there are so many creative folks who have turned quotes into art. I am amazed how people have taken meaningful words and made them so beautiful. Kind of makes my old note cards look simple and plain.

Keeping in the theme of love, I'm sharing some of my favorite pins that remind me of my husband and our marriage.

Source: Uploaded by user via Michele on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Michele on Pinterest

Source: seattleshowposters.com via Michele on Pinterest

Source: yellowsongbird.blogspot.com via Michele on Pinterest

Source: theamateurwriter.blogspot.com via Michele on Pinterest

Source: piccsy.com via Michele on Pinterest

Source: brassyapple.blogspot.com via Michele on Pinterest

Check out more at Pin It Friday

Storage for Art Supplies

2012-02-07T06:30:00.000-06:00

Will and Ben have so many art supplies, and I decided to put them all in one place. One of the first things I pinned on Pinterest was a vintage soda crate used as storage for art supplies. I'd never really found a good use for the crate that I bought back in 2010 at a local trades day until now.

The art supplies are easily accessible when the boys want to make a craft.

A place for everything.

Everything in its place.

The boys love art time at school and at home, too.

Masterpiece in progress

Extreme concentration

It's a paper plate.

It's a hat.

Misc. Monday

2012-02-06T06:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Monday!

Random thoughts to start the week.

Our women's Bible study at church is going great. We're studying the Gospel of John. I'm learning so much since my friend and I are helping lead the study. If you haven't ever taught a class, I'd recommend the challenge for your own personal growth. I haven't blogged as much lately because it takes a lot of time to prepare. Parts of John are deep and hard to understand, but with study and discussion with my husband and others, I think I'm understanding it more and more. I'm currently using the ESV and NASB version of the Bible to read and study. I also rely on some online commentaries for help.

I have a framed print in the living room which displays a Christmas banner and the Christmas cards we received. Well, it's February and I still haven't take them down. I guess I should get around to doing that this week, ya think!?!

Art supplies

Will and Ben love to use their art supplies.

Tomorrow I'll have more photos of their crafting fun this weekend.

Saturday the boys played in the backyard for a long time.

Ben had batting practice.

Will and Mark played catch.

Ben's running after something.

Just before the sun started going down Mark had time to pull the boys around in their wagon.

Mark and I got engaged in February 2002. I found these old photos of us back in 2001 and 2002. It's kind of neat to know we've been a couple for over a decade. It's even cooler to think we'll celebrate 10 years of being happily married in June.

Gosh we look young!

linking to lowercase letters miscellany monday

InstaLife

2012-02-02T22:54:00.000-06:00

It's been a good week.

The warm weather this week has given the boys extra time to play outside. We also had the opportunity to spend time with family and friends, which is always a blessing.

Here are some moments I captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app and Instagram app. Mostly I take photos of my boys, but sometimes I mix in random items that catch my attention.

Will and Ben have taken advantage of the warm weather and their sandbox is seeing some mid-winter action.

This watering can is from my great-aunt's house. I found it in her garage. I think about my sweet family when I see special things like this around the house. I like the way it looks, but I like it even more because it's sentimental and reminds me of my aunt.

Baby Swing

I'm afraid it's almost time to put it away, sniffle-sniffle!

The baby swing won't be needed much longer because Ben thinks he's as big as Will. You can see how serious he is and how tight he is holding on to the swing.

Will just learned to swing all by himself!

I don't have to push him anymore!!!

Here are more photos of his newest feat.

Enjoying more fun outside

This print is hanging in the boys' bathroom.

I bought it here.

We've been staying in our small town more and driving into the suburbs of Dallas less. Since I'm shopping less at Super Target, I'm shopping more at our small town's grocery store. This vintage scale is still in use.

Nothing beats a play date at McDonald's

Well, I'd love to spend that time at a coffee shop, but I think others would frown upon me letting my kids go wild so we'll stick to play dates at McDonald's where it's loud and crazy.

My niece, Maggie, took this on her phone. Love this photo of Ben!

Will and Ben spend two days a week at their grandparents and three days at daycare. Mark's dad just bought this tent and he put it up in the living room so the boys could play in it. They had such a good time.

My precious grandmother and I.

The boys giving Mama Winnie some love.

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Life In An Instant

Kids Stuff World

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Story of My Life

Who Knew?

2012-02-01T22:43:00.001-06:00

Lately I'm having more and more moments where I say "Did you know he could do that?"

The latest moment was when Will got in the swing yesterday and started swinging back and forth.

All by himself!

I was so surprised.

I looked at Mark and said, "Do you see this? He's swinging! Did you know he could do that?"

My second thought was "Hallelujah!" I don't have to push him in the swing anymore.

The next thing I thought was, "Wow! He's getting big!"

I can't leave out little brother.

Recently Ben's learned to take off and put on his clothes. I had no idea he could do that. I noticed that he would be in different clothes and I thought Mark had changed him. I finally realized he was changing his own clothes a couple of days ago when Ben came into the living room wearing something different. I knew Mark didn't change him, and I asked Ben if he put his clothes on and he said he did. He still needs a little help with his pants but he can get his shirts on and off.

This new found independence is bittersweet. It's exciting to see Will and Ben grow up but at the same time sad to know it's all happening so fast. It's so cliche but they don't stay little for long.

Someone cue Taylor Swift's "Never Grow Up" and hand out the tissues, ha!

Children's Museum

2012-01-31T22:43:00.002-06:00

A couple of weeks ago the boys attended the birthday party of my cousin's son. We don't see that side of my family very much and it was good to catch up and spend time with them. We'd never taken the boys to the children's museum where the party was held. It's only 25 minutes from where we live, which makes it easy to get to. Now that the boys have been to it, they have been asking to go back. That let's me know they had a great time, and I'm pretty sure we are going to have to take them back this summer.

Ben is all about tractors and he loves anything John Deere. He played on this riding lawn mower for at least 30 minutes.

The pretend play grocery store was a big hit. My boys spent another 30-45 minutes shopping in the grocery store.

Since it's a local children's museum, they have items from around our area. This brought back childhood memories. I grew up in a rural area and we'd cross the railroad tracks to get to our house. I can't tell you how many times I heard my grandparents give directions to our house "Go about 3 miles on the FM road and we're the 3rd house on the right after you cross the railroad tracks."

There's an airplane in the museum and the name of the museum is painted on the side.

The honorable Judge Will

Being a history teacher, I'm loving the mock setup of a courtroom.

It's always a challenge for me to select what photos I want to share on the blog. I took over 50 at the party. I hope these few give you a good time had by Will and Ben.

I'm having a little (big) winter blog funk. I have lots of things I'd like to share, but I'm lacking the time to write the posts. Maybe I'll get back in a routine soon.

Hope you're having a great week!

Family Fun

2012-01-27T06:30:00.000-06:00

It's Friday!!!

That means the weekend is near and I get to spend time with Will and Ben. Things are so hectic during the week, and the weekend is my time to relax and recharge. In the past we were guilty of trying to cram too many things into a weekend. That's all changed since the beginning of 2012. We've stayed at home a lot since the beginning of the new year because one of our resolutions was to save money. One way we are saving money is driving into Dallas less to save gas. (You know we live in the middle of no where so we have to drive at least 20-45 minutes to get to civilization.)

For the first 3 weeks of January, we didn't make the drive into the suburbs. That's right, no Super Target for 21 days! We had to run some errands so we ended up in the north Dallas burbs last weekend.

On Friday we ate pizza at our favorite pizza place, Grimaldi's.

We try to limit eating out to once a week (another new year's resolution). Since eating out is a treat now, we try to choose a place we really like.

Brick oven pizza

While we waited on our pizza, the boys played with pizza dough. It kept them happy.

This is Ben's "fish" face or at least that's what he calls it.

I texted this photo to my sister-in-law because I knew she'd be excited. It's opening 30 minutes from where we live. The suburbs of north Dallas keep growing and so many stores are now within 30-45 minutes of where we live. My husband probably broke into hives when he saw the sign. He doesn't like Hobby Lobby or Michaels, and I'm pretty sure he won't like Jo Ann. I could spend hours in each!

I know shopping usually wouldn't be considered "fun" for my boys but they are pretty good in two stores: Gymboree and Old Navy.

Will tried on some sunglasses while we spent our 'gymbucks' at Gymboree. They love watching the Gymboree TV.

Ben likes petting the dog and talking to the mannequins at Old Navy.

The boys are worn out from shopping.

This photo is thrown in just because my boys are cute!

And you can see the vintage sports pennants that I finally hung in Will's room. You know I started redecorating his room over a year ago. Maybe I'll finish it before he graduates from high school.

Staying at home has allowed us a chance to play games with the boys. Will loves playing board games. Ben is just a little bit too young to really play along, but we try to let him be involved as much as his attention span will allow.

Family fun can be simple

Ben and Will seem to think climbing on their daddy is great fun.

The only thing better than getting to watch TV in mommy and daddy's room is getting to use daddy as a pillow :) Will seems to be pretty comfy.

The last thing I love about spending time at home with my family...

wearing my PJs!

Happy Friday, Friends!

Have a great weekend!

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Life In An Instant

at Kids Stuff World

Family Photos

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-06:00

In November we had Will's 5 year photos taken and our family photos taken for our Christmas card. I've shown you our Christmas card, but I don't think I ever showed you other photos from that day.

It was a cool, cloudy day when we met Lauren at the Dallas Arboretum--perfect for photos.

We took this photo at the end of the photo shoot. Both boys are happy. Ben loves to ride on his daddy's shoulders and Will is laughing at something, probably Papaw Jerry.

Mark's parents were with us and Lauren took this group photo of all of us.

I really like this photo of Mark's parents.

The boys look really good in this photo. My hair is a mess. The wind started to blow just as we sat down.

This is the photo we used on our Christmas card.

Some of my favorite photos from that day were taken at this temporary castle that was constructed at the Arboretum.

Will looks so big here!

Ben's getting so big, too!

This photo is framed in our bedroom.

I wish I could enlarge some of the photos on my blog so that you could see them better. If anyone has any tips on how to adjust the margins, please let me know.

There are more photos of the boys that I'll share later. Just wanted you to see these. Lauren is a pleasure to work with and I'm always excited to see the images she captures of our family.

My Boys, Music, Movies, Pinterest and John

2012-01-25T06:30:00.000-06:00

My Boys

Sometimes Mark and I can't get over how lucky we are. Our boys aren't perfect, but they are pretty special to us. They are smart, funny, sweet and loving. I took this photo after church on Sunday. They weren't very excited about posing for a photo. They were ready to change into play clothes and eat lunch.

Music

I’m currently crazy about The Head and The Heart.

My old roommate in Seattle (Kayreen) has knack for finding good music. She’s my cool, hip, go-to friend for recommendations on music and movies. Kayreen and I only lived together for six months, but we became fast friends. She was such a good friend when I lived in Seattle, and her friendship is one of the reasons I still have such fond memories of living in the Pacific Northwest. I’m so happy that we’ve recently reconnected. I finally got a smartphone and now we can text back and forth. {Side note: I’ve also reconnected with another dear college friend, Andrea. She doesn’t do facebook or blogs, but she texts! She and I text photos back and forth of our kiddos and other random things. I wouldn’t have been such a holdout on getting a smartphone if I’d known how much fun it’d be. }

Back to the music…

The Head and the Heart—You should really give their album The Head and The Heart a chance.

Another group you should checkout —The Civil Wars, their album Barton Hollow is excellent.

You know I can’t talk about music and not mention my loyalty to The Avett Brothers.

Ben (he’s two) has been requesting the song “Horchata” by Vampire Weekend. For a two-year-old he has great taste in music. Will’s always had good taste in music, too. He’s been a big fan of The Avett Brothers and Sarah Jarosz since he could talk.

Just to throw in something random from years ago, The Bends by Radiohead is still a really good album.

And, because we love Christmas music so much we still listen to it even though it’s the end of January.

Movies

Mark and I used to go to the movies almost every weekend. Each week we had our Friday ritual of reading movie reviews and deciding what we wanted to see. That was all before we had children. Since I’m away from the boys during the week, I want to spend as much time with them as I can on the weekend. Toddlers and movies don’t mix so we haven’t gone to the movies very much since having children, and I don’t think Winnie the Pooh and Cars 2 count. I know we could get a babysitter and go, but that’s expensive and I’m a weirdo who doesn’t like leaving my children with a babysitter (other than family). Call me overprotective, it’s a label that fits me.

What got me to thinking about movies is the recent Academy Awards nominations. They have me interested in the seeing several movies that I’ve missed. There are a few on the list that I’ve seen thanks to Amazon video on demand, but there are a lot that I’d like to watch. The last movie that I watched that was nominated for an award was Midnight in Paris. I really liked it.

Pinterest

Is Pinterest your "happy place"? It's definitely mine. I have almost 4,000 pins.

John

We have started a ladies Bible study at our church. We are studying the Gospel of John. I led the class one week and my friend, Jami, led this week. John is such a great book to study because it’s so different than the other gospels. This week we are studying Chapter 4 & 5. The most exciting thing so far is friends who don’t go to our church are attending our Bible study. It’s been such an encouragement to study the life of Christ with the ladies of our church and our friends. Another thing I love about our Bible study group is that the ladies are all various ages. For example, we have a younger lady who just graduated college and older ladies who are grandmas. It’s refreshing to have the perspective from the younger ladies and the wisdom of the older ladies. Thank goodness the older ladies bring knowledge, insight and understanding that I lack. If you are interested in studying the life of Christ and the gospels, a very helpful resource I’ve used in preparing for the class is The Fourfold Gospel by J.W. McGarvey.

Easy Rider

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-06:00

The warm weather this January couldn't be more opposite of last years--snow, snow and more snow! We had a beautiful day at the beginning of the month, and the boys were able to ride their new bikes. Will was adamant that he didn't need to wear a coat because he was too busy riding. The driveway at our house slopes so we headed over to Mark's parents' house. They have the perfect driveway for bike riding. It's long and level.

We scored at the after Christmas clearance at Toys R Us and found Will's bike for a super deal. Ben's bike is used but new to us. Some friends passed it down to Ben.

Will is so proud of his new bike! We're so proud of him for learning how to ride it. He learned (with training wheels) much faster than we imagined. Look at that big smile on his face. My boy is growing up!

Will's passing up Ben.

Ben was more reserved on his bike. He was more comfortable straddling the bike and scooting with his feet. He's still little and there's no hurry. I'm thankful our friends gave him the bike so he didn't feel left out. Also, I'm thankful we didn't have to buy him a bike since he's really not big enough to ride it.

Just a little accident while making a turn. He feel off the driveway onto the grass. No harm though because he's still smiling.

Just a little help from Mamaw and he's back in the saddle. Ben hurried over to make sure Will was okay.

There you have it. Will and Ben's first bike ride.

Life Made Lovely Monday

Texas and More

2012-01-19T21:27:00.002-06:00

I love Life in an Instant and InstaFriday. I can share all of the moments captured on my phone throughout the week (or in this case the last couple of weeks.) I'm mostly using the hipstamatic app but I've used the instagram app a couple of times.

Over the Christmas break we stopped by Central Market in Plano. (Nicolle, this photo is for you!) Central Market is a fantastic grocery store that carries a lot of local Texas fare and produce and they support Texas farmers and ranchers. They have this giant painted Texas flag in the entrance.

God bless Texas!

On Monday, we were invited to celebrate the 3rd birthday of my cousin's son. They had the party at a local children's museum. What a terrific idea! My boys had such a great time that we had a hard time getting them to leave. This is a colorful mural painted on one of the walls at the museum.

Forty-two, anyone? Do you play dominoes? My grandpa used to play dominoes every day with the old men in our small town.

Ben thought it was pretty neat to throw the dominoes and because of that I had to quickly take the photo so I could tell him to shuffle not throw.

We haven't had a very cold winter, which is great, but I miss having chili on a cold night. We had chili last week when we had a cold front. This chili mix is made by my cousin and her husband's family. Their line of gourmet dip mixes and other goodies is phenomenal. You must check out Pepper Springs. Mark and I love the Manana Mexican Dip and the Baked Enchilada Dip as well as JR's Chli Fixins'. Delish!

I made frito chili pie.

To redeem myself for the unhealthy frito chili pie, I also made something healthy. Whole wheat penne pasta with spinach, tomatoes, olive oil and a little Newman's Own light Italian dressing.

Lately my boys have been all about these smoothies.

Last Friday we went to visit my grandma in the nursing home. On the way there, the boys watched some movies using their headphones. So darn cute!

Poor Will scraped his hands when he fell at daycare. Can you see the band-aides on each hand?

We had another wonderful visit with my precious grandma. She lives in the nursing home because of her advanced Alzheimer's. Mama Winnie was in a pleasant mood.

After the nursing home we treated ourselves to some Tex-Mex at our favorite restaurant. Yum-o chips and salsa!

Last week it was a beautiful day and we walked to the library after running some errands downtown. Our small town has a really nice public library considering the size of our town. We are definitely going to take advantage of it this summer.

Ben

Will

Will and Ben

One more thing...

On Monday on our way home from the birthday party, we saw this beautiful sunset. This was our incredible view while driving down the country road back to our small town. We probably didn't pass 10 cars the entire 30 minutes we were driving home. This is one of the benefits of country living--a beautiful, peaceful drive.

Also linking up to Life in an Instant
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Kids Stuff World

How Sweet!

2012-01-19T06:00:00.000-06:00

Emily at Trailerhood Aristocrats so kindly passed on the Liebster Blog award to me. Emily and I are new blog friends. She lives in Colorado with her husband and sweet little girl. She and her husband are making plans to build their forever home and so are Mark and I. It's been a lot of fun to read her blog and follow her Pinterest boards as we make plans for the future.
Thanks for the Liebster, Emily!

So what's the Liebster?

This award is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers, in the hopes that it will bring many new friends/followers.

Liebster is German and means 'dearest' or 'beloved' but it can also mean 'favorite'. The idea of the Liebster award is to bring attention to blogs with less than 200 followers. So, in the spirit of good fun I am passing this award on to five other bloggers. Please stop by and visit them.

The Rules are:

1. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.

2. Reveal your five picks for the award and let them know.

3. Post the award on your blog.

4. Bask in the love from the most supportive people on the blogshare-other bloggers.

5. Finally and the best rule of all..........have fun and spread the love!

And the Liebster goes to...

Angela at Unexpected Elegance

Kathleen at Simple Silly Life

Paige at this little life...

Shannon at Upon A Dream

Lorri at Lizards and Lollipops

What I Wore Wednesday 1/18/12

2012-01-18T16:47:00.002-06:00

What I Wore Wednesday 1/18/12

Gray pants: Old Navy

Flower top: J Crew outlet

Black Sweater: Banana Republic outlet

Shoes: Privo bought at Nordstrom Rack

Jeans: Seven A Pocket

Striped Hoodie: Forever 21

Shoes: TOMS

Jeans: Old Navy

Striped top: J Crew outlet

Brown scarf: REI

The North Face fleece: gift from husband

Shoes: TJ Maxx

It's finally been cold enough to wear my warm scarf.

My favorite outfit of the week. Similar to an outfit last week.

Skinny jeans: Target

Brown and white Shirt: Old Navy

Rust cardi: Target

Boots: DSW

Earrings: Ike & Co

Dress and tights: Forever 21

Black layer top and boots: Gap outlet

Scarf: Made by my sister-in-law Andrea

I didn't really like the rest of the outfit, but I like the top and necklace.

Striped top: Ann Taylor outlet

Black cardi: Gap (circa 1998)

Necklace: Lisa Leonard family tree

Walk in the Woods

2012-01-12T00:30:00.000-06:00

On Christmas day, we walked through the woods on the land that we own. This land is where we hope to build our forever home.

We won't start building this year, but the closer it gets to becoming a reality the more I realize that we need to start seriously planning. Just recently I was talking to someone about getting dirt work done for the site and pad for the house. They were telling me that it's really important to prepare the pad and let it set. I'm not sure the time frame that it should set, but I know that it's good for the foundation if you do. Again, it takes planning to get things like this in order.

Mark and I are excited and overwhelmed with all of the decisions we will be making.

Right now since it's not in the near future, we're enjoying walking through the woods and dreaming about our forever home.

Through this clearing is where I'd like our private driveway. It's secluded and I love the way the trees frame the path.

Mark and his dad walking down what I hope is our future driveway.

On the path, you pass by this exposed rock.

And here it is!
This is where we'd like to build our forever home. It would be to the left of where Mark and his dad are standing.

The cedar trees need to be cleared and we need dirt work done, but we feel like this is the perfect spot.

There are paths all over the land, thanks to Mark's dad.

Wouldn't it be amazing to take a walk through the woods every day?

This is who I get to plan and dream with. I'm a lucky girl!

While we live in the present, we dream about the future.

Sharing at Casey's at Deb's.

What I Wore Wednesday 1/11/12

2012-01-11T00:00:00.000-06:00

What I Wore Wednesday 1/11/12

Happy New Year!

My first WIWW of 2012.

It's been a while since I shared a WIWW post. No matter how many WIWW posts I do, I still feel awkward and silly. By all means, I'm not a fashion blogger. If you are looking for true inspiration, go here. I do it to remember what I've worn, for the encouragement/motivation to be more creative in what I wear and to meet new people. This is a fun link up that Lindsey hosts.

The clothes, in no particular order.

Scarf, rust cardi & boots outfit
Skinny jeans: Target
beige top: Gap
Rust cardi: Target
scarf and bracelet: Old Navy
Boots: DSW
earrings: Premiere Designs
Ring: Sundance

Ruffle cardi and skinny belt outfit

Glen plaid pants: Old Navy

Ruffle cardi and black top: Banana Republic outlet

Belt: Gap

Black necklace: Gap outlet

Earrings: Old Navy

Black wedges: Target

Tights & black sweater outfit

Sweater: Old Navy

Plum dress: Banana Republic outlet

Tights: Forever 21

Black boots: Gap outlet

*the boots look dirty but it's really my mirror

Someone loves his John Deere cap

What a handsome little guy!

Skinny jeans & Anthro top outfit
Skinny jeans; William Rast for Target
Gray cardi and layer cami: Old Navy
Black boots: same as above
earrings: Ike & Co

Church outfit

Dress: Banana Republic outlet

Cardi and patterned tights: Old Navy

Black wedges: Target

*sorry about the fingerprints on the dirty mirror!

Close up of the detail on the tights

I like the buttons on the cardi and the detail of the neckline on the dress.

Regular scarf worn like an infinity scarf outfit
Dress: Target
Tights: Vera Wang Kohl's
Brown Cardi: Old Navy
Boots: DSW
Scarf: my SIL Andrea
It's not an infinity scarf but I took the ends and put them together with a ponytail holder to make it one. It didn't show where I connected it because it was in the back turned under.

I like the texture on the tights.

Can I still post about Christmas?

2012-01-10T05:00:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, I posted my New Year's Resolutions for 2012, and today I'm doing a Christmas post. I'm all over the place!

It's never a good time to blog during the holidays because things are so hectic. Once they are over, I realize that I've skipped over some things that I'd really like to include on my blog for memories for my kiddos.

Christmas Eve at with Mark's family

We eat breakfast/brunch and then open gifts.

Will with his gifts.

Look closely and you'll see that Ben received a few dollars in his card. He was just as excited about it as he was the Lego Cars set. One of our favorite moments was when Ben opened his first gift and said as happy as could be, "I got a box!". He was thrilled with his new box!

Will was happy with his new Winnie the Pooh movie and Wii game.

The boys each get a gift from Mark's parents and from each of his brother's families. It's just the right amount of gifts. It's not excessive or out of control. I really like that about Mark's family.

This is Carol's Anthro mug. Will was talking to his Mamaw the day we bought the mugs and he told her, "Mamaw we bought you a mug today." I overheard him and told him she wasn't supposed to know because it was a gift. He told her, "Don't tell anyone, it's a surprise." Bless him!

Carol surprised Jerry with the Biggest Loser cookbook. They both made resolutions to eat healthier and lose weight in the new year.

Christmas Eve At Home

Christmas Eve at our house was more successful than last year. The boys and I made and decorated cookies for Santa. We also had carrots to leave for the reindeer.

Hope Santa and his reindeer enjoy!

One last thing to do before they go to bed, check Santa's location on NORAD's Santa Tracker.

2012 New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-09T00:30:00.000-06:00

I'm one of those people who likes to make lists and making resolutions each year goes right along with that. Last year I had 11 resolutions for 2011. I'll admit that I didn't go 11 for 11. I failed to keep several, but like I said last year, the resolutions can only make me a better person so why not give it a try.

1.
Learn how to use my DSLR on a setting other than auto.

I've pinned numerous tutorials on Pinterest, but I've yet to read through any. I'd like to invest in a new lens for my camera, but I don't think it would be a good investment if I don't really learn to use the camera.

2.
Save money

It's not polite to talk about money, but I'm going to go there. Mark and I have been a little too relaxed with our finances. When we first got married, we saved money and were so frugal because it was a necessity. Our salaries were much lower and we were paying off debt. As we've gotten older, we have less debt and we make a little more money. Well, we have started to spend more money. Most of our debts are paid off, but when we stop and think about what we have to show for it, some of it makes us feel good but some makes us feel bad. We spend a lot more money on stuff like eating out, clothes and non-essential merchandise than we should. When we were first married, we never ate out, never purchased new clothes and we didn't buy extravagant gifts. Lately, we've found ourselves spending more and doing without less. That's not the example we want Will and Ben to see as they grow up. We work hard for our money and I think God expects us to be good stewards of what we have been blessed with. Kathleen said it best when she said she had "stopped recklessly spending our money." I immediately commented and told her that was exactly how I was feeling. I have recklessly spent our money and justified all of my purchases one way or another. Mark and I are both ready to change this bad habit, and we are committed to saving money this year. Our future plans include traveling and building our forever home and those won't be a reality if we don't show more discipline in this area.

Eat out less/Eat at home more

I like to cook. I feel like I have a nice kitchen. I have lots of cookbooks. I don't really have an excuse not to cook healthy meals for my family. It will take a little more preparation on my part, but I'm excited about the challenge of eating at home more.

Lose weight

I think #2 and #3 will help with this resolution. If we eat out less, we'll save money AND consume less calories. Fast food is so convenient but it's really unhealthy. Mark and I are committed to exercising more and eating healthier food to make this resolution a reality. We're not going on a fad diet or taking a supplement. Our plan is to drink more water eat smaller portions, less sugar and exercise.

5.
Read the Bible more

Really, does this need an explanation?
Psalm 119:105 (ESV)
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

6.
Be more creative with Will and Ben.

Be willing to do craft projects. It might be messy but encourage them to be creative.

7.
Be more patient/Be in the moment
I have a problem with losing my patience. I have to constantly remind myself to relax, take it easy and not be so uptight. It's okay if there are dirty dishes in the sink, piles of laundry or stains on the carpet. Those things really don't matter. Spending quality time with Will and Ben is what's important. Don't let the stress of insignificant things ruin the moment.

8.
Be conscious of my actions and speech.
One of my favorite quotes is, "Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words." Francis of Assisi
Sometimes I feel an overwhelming amount of guilt about this. I don't know if my actions and words always reflect a Christ-like attitude. In fact, I know they don't.
This verse comes to mind,
2 Corinthians 2:15 (ESV)
For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,

Best of luck with your new year's resolutions!

Here's to a great 2012!

PJs, Bikes, Anthro, Lovely Things, Warning, Good Deals

2012-01-07T10:48:00.000-06:00

It's my weekly phone dump with photos of what's been happening lately.

Matching PJs

Don't the boys look adorable in their matching PJs!?!

Cuteness overload!

New Bikes!

Will has a new bike! He's been given money in the past for a new bike and we end up getting something else for him instead. This year my brother sent the boys money for Christmas and we decided to buy a bike for Will. It would eventually end up being Ben's so they both would benefit from it in the long run. Will's also finally big enough to really ride a big (with training wheels, of course). We had to go to Mark's parents' house because our driveway has a steeper slope. They have a perfect driveway for riding bikes. It's long and level.

Will surprised us with how quickly he picked it up.

By the way, we got a great deal on Will's bike at Toys R Us. We bought it on clearance the week after Christmas. Bonus--it was already assembled!

Ben's bike is used but new to us. It was passed down to us by some friends. Their little boy had outgrown it and it was the perfect size for Ben. Ben's not too sure about riding it but he's content to straddle it and walk around. The only new thing we had to purchase for him was a bike helmet.

Lovely Things

Look what Santa left in my stocking. I'd been wanting a mug with my initial from Anthropologie. I gave my mother-in-law and sisters-in-law one for Christmas.

If I'm not enjoying hot tea in my lovely new cup, this is a delicious treat.

Milk glass

Do you follow me on Pinterest? I have an entire board dedicated to milk glass. My sweet aunt gave me this lovely hobnail vase for Christmas.

My precious grandmother, Mama Winnie.

We visited her at the nursing home on Friday after school. It was a good visit. She has Alzheimer's and sometimes she is very confused and upset. Friday she was in a great mood. I miss my grandpa and I miss my grandma--the grandma that I grew up with. Alzheimer's is a terrible disease. We've dealt with it since 1998/1999. We are thankful she is with us and for the time we get to spend with her.

Impromptu family reunion in Wal-Mart.

We rarely get to see my younger sister (remember I have a complicated family) and we ran into her at Wal-Mart. It was great to see her and catch up.

Look at this pretty apron my sister-in-law, Brandee, made me for Christmas. Love the pattern and fabric!

And, it's reversible.

The boys were given money at Christmas for Chick-fil-A. What a perfect gift! Is CFA only a Southern thing? Sorry, if you've never experienced it. So tasty! My boys always eat their food there and they have a blast playing in the play area.

Warning

There should also be a "Warning Sign" that warns parents of small children to watch out for pre-teen, unsupervised, out of control children in the play area. Nothing frustrates me more than children who are too old to be in the play area playing rough and intimidating the younger ones. Also a pet peeve is unsupervised children who do not play nice. I still love Chick-fil-A, but I watch my kiddos closely at any and all play areas. It's just the right thing to do. I'm finished with my semi-rant now. That is all.

Good Deals

I may have gone a little crazy at the 75% sale at Bath & Body Works. I also had a coupon for $10 if you spend $30.

The mini hand sanitizers were 50 cents.

The little plastic case for it was 12 cents. (I bought 6!)

And, I bought a few other goodies!

Funny thing at Bath & Body Works, we ran into my in-laws and two of my nieces. They were having a sleepover with my in-laws and were at the mall. We never shop at that mall but we happened to be at stores next to each other at the same time. Fun coincidence!

AND linking up to Stacy at Kids Stuff World for Life in an Instant :)

Me, A to Z: 2012

2012-01-04T00:30:00.000-06:00

Last year, I did a getting to know you post. This one is different but still fun.

Me, A to Z: 2012

{Photo by Lauren}

A. age : 34. I'll be 35 this year!

B. bed size : Queen

C. chore you hate : Cleaning the bathroom and dusting

D. dogs : no doggies

E. essential start to your day : Checking email, having breakfast

F. favorite color : Blue

G. gold or silver : Gold

H. height : 5'5"

I. instruments you play : None. I took piano lessons for several years when I was a child, but I wouldn't practice therefore I do not know how to play.

J. job title : Mommy, junior high history teacher

K. kids : Will and Ben

L. live : Small town Texas

M. middle name : Elaine

N. nicknames : Cheles

O. overnight hospital stays : Twice when I had Will and Ben

P. pet peeve : People who are dishonest, inconsiderate, gossips and rude.

Q. quote : I have more than just one.

Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. Abraham Lincoln

If you judge people, you have no time to love them. Mother Teresa

I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has had to overcome while trying to succeed. Booker T. Washington

Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words. Francis of Assisi

Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart. Anne Frank

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Nelson Mandela

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, "What! You too? I thought I was the only one." C.S. Lewis

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep, loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

R. righty or lefty : Lefty and let me just say it's a right-handed world.

S. siblings : 3, Brian, Chris and Kirsten. I don't talk about them a lot because I have a complicated family.

T. time you wake up : 6:10a.m.

U. university attended : East Texas Baptist University (first two years) and I graduated from Texas A&M University. Whoop! Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2000

V. vegetables you dislike: Olives

W. what makes you run late : I waste time doing things in the morning. It's not totally useless or aimless but I get easily distracted doing dishes, folding laundry or picking up the house when I should be getting ready for wherever it is I need to be.

X. x-rays you’ve had :: my arm when I was young because of trampoline accident--no broken bones; foot--no broken bones and the standard dental x-rays

Y. yummy food : Tex-mex, frozen yogurt with mochi

Z. zoo animal favorite : tigers, elephants, penguins

Me with three of the most important people in my life :)

2012--Ready or Not Here We Come!

2012-01-02T00:30:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure where to start with this post so I'll just jump in. I'm writing random and linking up to misc monday at lowercase letters.

{one}

Christmas break is over. It was truly a fun-filled break, and I'm a little sad that it's over. We did so much that I'm not sure I can pick a favorite thing. We slept late, watched a lot of cartoons (especially Peanuts), cuddled on the couch, baked cookies, went to the movies and spent time with family and friends.

Here are the boys at the Dallas Arboretum on the first weekend of the break. It was a beautiful day for the middle of December. They didn't even need coats.

{two}

I didn't blog a lot over the Christmas break. I had to make a choice--be in the moment and enjoy it or blog about it. I chose to be in the moment. I'm sorry if I haven't commented, responded to emails or been a very good blog friend. I think almost all of you would agree that cherishing the moments with my family was the right decision. You know, these are the moments that I'll never get back. This is good stuff!

{three}

I'm working on a list of New Year's Resolutions. I followed through on some of mine from last year, and I still need to keep a few from last year on this year's list.

{four}
Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
I think this is something I need to focus more on this year instead of seeking after insignificant things. I'm excited about starting a Bible study over the book of John with the ladies of my church. I hope and pray that the study will help me do just that. I'd also love to hear about any resources you've used that were good when studying the book of John or the Bible in general.

{five}
Genn listed some things she's looking forward to in 2012. I thought that was a great idea.
Here's my list:
*Spring Break--I want to go camping.
*Mark and I will celebrate our 10 year anniversary in June.
*Will starts kindergarten in the fall.
*Ben will hopefully be potty trained before he turns 3 in June.
*Summer 2012--We have a couple of things planned. We are hoping to take a trip to Vegas for our 10 year anniversary. We also would like to visit family and friends on the East Coast or take a road trip to Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons National Park with Mark's parents. We're not sure which of those will take place.
*Start making plans for our forever home. I have some photos of the land to share with you soon. So exciting!

2011 Year in Review

2011-12-31T22:50:00.000-06:00

January

We started the year with an unusual amount of snow. We enjoyed more snow days than we've ever had.

Love this photo of the boys in their monster sweaters.

February

More snow!

Ben's first haircut

March

Ben started showing interest in potty training...and almost a year later we're still working on it. No hurry and no worries is my approach.

I love this photo, he's so proud of this mess.

Will helping prepare the soil for planting flower seeds.

My grandparents.

As most of you know, my grandfather passed away in September 2011. I'm so happy I went through my photos for the year and found this sweet photo of my Papa Ralph and Mama Winnie.

April

Easter egg hunt with Mark's family

May

I don't think I ever posted this photo on the blog. Just had to add it :)

I planted a garden this year.

Sadly this was its prime.

Since we had a record setting heatwave and drought and my little garden withered away.

The only Rangers game we attended this year. We usually go to more but we just never seemed to make it to Arlington to the Ballpark. We're still huge fans and were super excited that the Rangers made it to the World Series again.

June

Ben turned 2!

We celebrated with family and friends with a "Go, Diego, Go!" themed party. Ben was so into "Go Go" in the spring and summer.

Family Vacation to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee

Our road trip continued on to Georgia where we stayed with family and met up with my blog friend, Katie.

This is the arch at the University of Georgia in Athens.

Will's first swim lessons were a success.

July

The boys decided to take a bath with their clothes on. There's never a dull moment at our house.

Mark turned 38!

August

We repainted Will's room. It's still a work in progress. That should be a new year's resolution for 2012 to finish decorating his room.

September

I turned 34!

Will planned a special birthday dinner. That's right, I said Will planned it. I'm not really sure how he came up with the idea but he told Mark that he wanted to take me to the Olive Garden for my birthday. Mark's parents joined us for a fun night celebrating my birthday.

October

Ben moved to a big boy bed. We took off the front of the crib. We also gave away the glider and ottoman that we've had since Will was a baby. Our boys are growing up!

Mark and I attended the Avett Brothers concert in Dallas. What an amazing show! We had a difficult August and September dealing with the stress of sick family members and the loss of my grandfather. The concert was something fun and carefree and just what we needed. We hadn't had an overnight date out on the town since we've had kids so this was a huge treat.

We carved a pumpkin.

(By the way, this was the first time we carved a pumpkin as a family.)

November

Will turned 5!

We had a monster-themed party that was a blast.

December

Christmas Eve

Will and Ben leaving cookies for Santa and carrots for his reindeer.

Will lost his first tooth at the end of December!

New Year's Eve

We had a fun day spending time together as a family. We took the boys to one of our favorite yogurt places, Yumilcious.

Will says it's yummy!

You can see that Ben's enjoyed it. It's all over his sleeves :)

I spent over an hour going through all of the 2011 photos on my hard drive. It was a good reminder of all the blessings in my life.

Happy New Year, dear friends!

May the Lord bless you in 2012.

In loving memory of Papa Ralph.

June 1916-September 2011

I miss him every day.

Christmas Break

2011-12-29T22:25:00.000-06:00

Many happy memories have been made over Christmas Break 2011.

The first Saturday of the break started with a party where the boys decorated Christmas cookies.

I wrote about the cookie party here, but I didn't show you the photos I took with my phone using the hipstamatic app.

Santa was at the cookie party. One of the funniest moments was when Santa asked Will about his "big brother" shirt. Santa asked him if he wanted any more little brothers or sisters and Will said "Nah, one is enough!" and we all got a big laugh out of it.

After the cookie party, we went to the Dallas Arboretum because we'd heard that Santa's reindeer would be there. Sure enough, Santa had left Dasher at the Arboretum while he attended the cookie party. Will was able to pet Dasher, but Ben didn't really want to get that close. The boys were pleasantly surprised to see Frosty the Snowman at the Arboretum, too.

On Sunday, we had our annual Holiday cookie exchange for the ladies from our church. The ladies never disappoint with their delicious cookies. So pretty and tasty!

We made several trips to Wal-Mart and Target to get a few last minute things for Christmas gifts.

While in Wal-Mart the boys found this police car, which Santa did not bring to our house on Christmas day (thank goodness!).

Mark's still good friends with one of his childhood friends Durwood. I think it's pretty cool that they've known each other since they were born. Durwood has a little boy the same age as Will and each year Will, Ben and Dade exchange books at Christmas. This year on Thursday the 22nd we met up at a restaurant that's midway for both of us and the boys traded books.

Since we made the drive into civilization, we stopped by Whole Foods before we headed home. We don't have a real tree and I think they are so beautiful. I took a quick pic of the boys in front of one.

On December 23rd we went to visit my grandmother and great-aunt at the nursing home. My uncle and aunt met us there. We had a wonderful visit and enjoyed our time together. After the nursing home visit we decided on the spur of the moment to take the boys to see the Chipmunks movie. They had been wanting to see it and we didn't have anything else to do so it worked out perfectly.

On Christmas Eve we celebrate with Mark's family. We have a breakfast/brunch at his parents' house.

I gave my sisters-in-law and mother-in-law a pretty mug with their initial on it from Anthropologie. I printed monogram initials (from Martha Stewart) that I had seen on Pinterest and attached it to the box.

It's the A, B, C gifts--Andrea, Brandee and Carol

Now that Christmas is over, I can finally show you the beautiful bracelet we gave my mother-in-law. It has the names of all of her grandchildren. It was my sister-in-law's idea, and I think it turned out so much prettier than I had imagined. We purchased it from the Vintage Pearl. My mother-in-law loves it. She has worn it almost every day since we gave it to her.

Christmas morning

Really, I don't need to say anything about this photo. It makes my heart happy.

After church on Christmas day, we stopped by Mark's brother's house. Will and Maggie checking out Maggie's new DS.

We own some land that connects to the property of Mark's brother and his wife. This is where we plan to build our forever home. The area to the left of the photo where the cedar trees are is where we hope it will be. Obviously the trees will have to be cleared, but it seems like the perfect location. I have a lot more photos to show you from our walk in the woods on Christmas day, but I'll save that for its own post.

After Christmas, I was lucky enough to have some free time to meet up with some friends for lunch and shopping. We enjoyed lunch at the Cheesecake Factory.

We shared the tiramisu cheesecake.

Mark and I had to run some errands in Dallas and we ended up at the Dallas Galleria mall. The Christmas tree is ginormous!!!

I think Will and Ben would have had fun ice skating but we'll save that for when they get just a little older.

On Thursday night, Will lost his first tooth! I'll admit that it made me a little teary-eyed. I can't believe he's old enough to lose teeth. My little boy is growing up! He's putting his tooth in a special pouch (actually, it's a James Avery jewelry pouch) so that it doesn't get lost and the tooth fairy can find it.

He's getting ready to put it under his pillow. We had to google the going rate for the tooth fairy. Apparently the tooth fairy is more generous than when we were kids!

Now here's some holiday randomness!

I like egg nog once a year and this reduced fat version was a bonus.

We gave in and bought the holiday edition Coke cans. We rarely buy soda for the house, but it was a holiday treat.

Run, don't walk to your nearest Target and get some Peppermint whipped cream. It's amazing on hot chocolate.

Happy Holidays dear friends amd Happy New Year!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-26T09:51:00.000-06:00

Trains, a tent, hot wheels and flashlights.

Santa knew he was stopping at a house full of boys!

Will and Ben were thrilled to see the train and train table they had asked Santa for. They were having such a good time playing that it was a challenge to get them to take a break from the trains so they could open their remaining gifts.

This was what the train table looked like before they woke up.

Merry Christmas Will and Ben.

Love, Santa

Will and Ben were given a new play tent because their old one broke.

Lots of goodies in their stocking--an apple and orange, Reese's pieces, a retro slinky and other fun items. At Will's request, everyone in the family was given toothpaste and a toothbrush in their stocking.

Mark and the boys with their flashlights from Santa.

Since Christmas was on Sunday, we only had a short time to open gifts and play and then it was time to go to church. This was the best photo I could get with the boys.

Mark's photo with the boys was better than mine.

Finally after all the excitement of Christmas day was nearing an end, the boys had their annual book exchange. It's a family tradition we started when Ben was a baby in 2009. Each year the boys give each other a new children's book. Of course, Mark and I have had to select the books so far, but pretty soon Will and Ben will be able to choose a book for each other. We hope it's a tradition that continues on even when the boys are grown.

This year Will received Blueberries for Sal and Ben was given Frederick. Each year I write inside the book who it was to and from and include the date. I was so happy to get a photo with the boys and their books from the last three years.

Since having children every year Mark and I say this, but I think this year was the best Christmas ever.

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T21:22:00.000-06:00

Christmas Eve at our house with two little boys anxiously awaiting Santa.

Will and Ben are checking Santa's location on NORAD's Santa Tracker.

As I type this I think Will is still awake. He's just so excited about Christmas this year that he can't go to sleep. I hope he does very soon so Santa can come to our house.

Merry Christmas!

C is for Cookie

2011-12-21T21:49:00.002-06:00

Over the weekend I attended not one, but two cookie parties! The boys were invited to a Christmas cookie decorating party and I helped host a Holiday cookie exchange party.

{Christmas Cookie Decorating Party}

On Saturday, Will and Ben were invited to a Christmas cookie decorating party. We've become friends with our family photographer, Lauren. Lauren has twin daughters, Emma and Ava, and a little boy, Jaxon. Emma and Ava are Will's age. Ava assisted her mommy at our family photo shoot in November and she and Will really hit it off. Will has told me he already wants to invite Ava (and Emma) to his birthday party--which is 10 months away!

Since Will and Ava became instant friends, Lauren thought Will and Ben would have fun at the cookie decorating party. Well, she was right! They had the best time decorating AND eating cookies.

Lauren's from a family of talented photographers and she and her mom took photos on Saturday. I'm so glad they did because I only had my camera phone. Lauren said she didn't mind if I borrowed a few photos of the party from her facebook album to share with you guys.

I love this photo that Lauren took. It's my facebook profile pic now.

The boys didn't really want to stop decorating to take a photo but we told them to be Cookie Monsters and that's how we got this pic of both of them looking.

We have more photos of Ben because Will was eating cookies.

I really like this photo of me helping Will. I'm usually the taking the photos so it's neat to have some photos of me with the boys.

A few shots before the party started.

Lots and lots of colorful icing.

Even more cookies. There were hundred of cookies!

Such a cool shot of the festive trays, sprinkles and toppings.

Emma and Ava are in the matching aprons. So adorable!

Santa was also at the Christmas cookie party!

Will was so excited when he walked through the door. He ran up and gave him a huge hug.

Ben is all about Santa this year. No tears from my little guy.

Both boys went home with a festive tray full of decorated cookies. They had such a good time and talked about the party all day.

{2nd Annual Cookie Exchange Party}

On Sunday, the ladies in our church gathered together to exchange cookies and have a good time. This is the second year that Jami welcomed us into her beautiful home. (I think of Jami as my real-life Pioneer Woman friend. Her home is stunning but she's as down to earth and nice as anyone I've ever met.) Last year we had a great turn out, and this year was just as good or even better.

I love this group photo. I love even more the mix of young and old. We are so fortunate to have a mix of ages at our church. There's so much wisdom to be gained from the older ladies. Love them!

This year I made place cards for the cookies so we could see who made what.

Cookies!!!

My very favorite photo of the night. All of these women are dear friends. We are so blessed to be a part of a close knit church and I treasure getting to spend time together with these ladies.

I was able to get a photo with Jami at the end of the party. She's known my husband Mark forever. They were in the same class in school (by the way, in a small town there were only about 45 people in their graduating class.) Also, Jami's mom is a good friend to my mother-in-law. They were a big help preparing things for the cookie exchange.

Jami's gorgeous tree.

Well, now I guess I should go workout on the elliptical since I've eaten so many cookies!

Our Home at Christmas

2011-12-15T22:35:00.004-06:00

Last year I spent more time taking photos of our home at Christmas. This year I took a few photos and threw together this post. I was planning on putting forth a lot of effort to make things look just right, but whenever I make that attempt it usually never works out like I've planned. It was cloudy and rainy today, which made it hard to photograph inside without using the flash. The photos aren't great, but despite their poor quality I'm still happy to show you our home. By all means, it's not pin-worthy, but it's still our home and it's comfy and cozy to us.

Our Christmas tree 2011

No theme, other than being full of sentimental ornaments from our childhood, first years of marriage and ornaments the boys have exchanged for the last couple of years.

The boys in their matching Christmas pajamas in front of the tree.

Beside the tree I have picture frames from Will and Ben's first Christmas and a photo of the boys in 2009. That was such a special Christmas because our little family was complete. Most of our Christmas traditions started that year after Ben was born. I also have the Isaiah 9:6 art print from here. It's probably my favorite addition to my Christmas decorations this year.

Will's first Christmas 2006. Sweet Santa Baby.

In our living room, on top of the built-in I added some large ornaments. This was my first year to decorate that area. I'd like to add more nutcrackers to the collection but there's no rush. I'll collect them over time. That's what makes collections special. Our stocking are hung on knobs or the edges of the doors on the built-in since we don't have a fireplace.

Here's another view. The room looks a little empty because I'd removed everything to steam clean the carpet.

Also in the living room, I added a small tree to my great-grandmother's sewing machine.

I wasn't sure where to put this "merry christmas" banner so I hung it on the curtains behind the sewing machine.

Our little tree in the kitchen has cinnamon salt dough ornaments that the boys made this year. I shared some photos of the boys making the ornaments here.

Christmas is such a special time of year. As the boys get older, they get more and more excited about Christmas and all the traditions we've created as a family.

"Sleigh Ride"

These wonderful things are the things

We remember all through our lives

More than anything, I hope our home is the center of those wonderful things and that their memories of our special time together last forever.

Joining the Christmas tour of homes

here, here , here and here.

Christmas Parade and Goodies

2011-12-15T06:00:00.001-06:00

I decided to share my phone pics on Thursday. If I can get it together, I'll show you what our home looks like at Christmas on Friday.

At the beginning of December our small town had its Christmas parade. We've badly needed rain, but we didn't want it at 5p.m. when the parade was scheduled. All day it rained on and off, but not enough to cancel the parade. Due to the rain, attendance and participation in the parade was lower than normal. The parade was abnormally short--it lasted a whole entire 5 minutes! We arrived at 5:05p.m. just as the fire trucks were rounding the corner to our town square. We heard the sirens and saw the lights flashing. We found a spot under an eave/overhang and watched the parade. When it was over and we headed to the car, I looked at my phone and it was 5:10p.m. I'm not joking. The parade was 5 minutes. The boys had fun but were a little confused. I think they thought it would last a little longer. We thought it was kind of comical. Bless anyone who made the effort to still participate despite the crummy weather.

Here's a pic of the boys in the rain at the parade.

One of the festive floats.

Part of our town square decorated for Christmas.

This one is really blurry, but I had to include it because one of my dear teacher friends is the sponsor to this group. She walked in the rain for this parade and she's 9 months pregnant! Now that's dedication!

I just can't resist limited edition Christmas goodies. I thought about writing the caption "Oh, no you didn't! Oh, yes you did!" I know, I know, I didn't buy just one bag, I bought three bags of cookies! I'm so bad, but let me tell you that they are so good.

Speaking of cookies, our annual cookie exchange is this Sunday. (Can something be called annual if this is only the second time we've ever had it? I'm going to answer yes.) These are place cards for the cookies. Last year we had so many different cookies that it was hard to know who brought what. I made these cute place cards so we could label the cookies and give credit to who baked them. I cut and folded scrapbook paper and used a paper punch to make the decorative edge on the white cardstock glued to the polka dot and striped paper. I don't scrapbook, but I could see myself making banners, cards and signs if I had a Cricut. It's on my wish list.

I took these treats to a Christmas party last week. The Hugs Kisses should have melted just a little more. Super easy and tasty! I'm sure you've seen this floating around on pinterest. That's where I found the recipe.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

2011-12-12T21:54:00.006-06:00

Christmas!

It really is the most wonderful time of the year.

So far December has been full of fun and we still have a couple of more weeks until Christmas. This list reflects things that make Christmas so special.

{one}

Christmas cards

My Christmas cards are in the mail! I originally ordered 85 cards, and then I decided to add 20 extra. That's a grand total of 105 cards! I know it's a lot, but it's the one time during the year I still keep in touch with dear friends from the past--old college roommates, friends who have made cross country road trips with me, bridesmaids. We all have very different lives now, so we don't keep in touch as often as we'd like. It's nice to exchange cards during the holidays.

I posted a similar photo on facebook this weekend with this comment "If you receive a Christmas card from our family and the stamp is a little crooked, it's because I had a helper (Will) who didn't think it mattered." Notice the crooked stamps. He was so proud to help with such a "big responsibility" that I didn't have the heart to correct him. It's pretty cute!

He took his job adding the stamps very seriously.

105 addressed and stamped Christmas cards!

{two}

Friends

Spending time with friends is always special at Christmas. All of the ladies in the photo are friends, but this is my first time to attend one of their parties. Usually the group is made up of elementary teachers (remember, I'm a junior high teacher) who go out to eat once a month--I think they call themselves Sisterhood of the Traveling Forks. Pretty cute, right!?! They decided to add a few new faces to the group and I was included. There would have been more people, but it's a busy time of year with basketball games, band concerts, and other activities. Despite the small number we still had a great time at Annie's beautiful home. Annie's dog Gordon was a party favorite.

There's still more fun in the near future. We plan to take the boys to a cookie decorating party on Saturday and then on Sunday I have a cookie exchange with the ladies of our church.

{three}

Family traditions

Are you tried of hearing about the Christmas tree in the kitchen with salt dough ornaments? If so, sorry. I'm going to talk about it just a little bit more. The boys and I made cinnamon salt dough ornaments over Thanksgiving break. I think we might do this each year and make it a new family tradition.

I included a photo of our little tree here.

{four}

Packages in the mail

My brothers who live in Virginia are always good about sending Will and Ben gifts. My brother Chris and his wife Laura sent the boys a huge box. They just couldn't wait to open it so we decided it would be fun for them to have something to play with before Christmas.

(the living room looks so empty because I had just steamed cleaned the carpet)

(that would be a Hallmark Christmas movie on the TV)

{five}

Christmas books

I have a long list of others on my amazon.com wish list, but this is enough for this year.

{six}

Matching Christmas Pajamas

I can't help myself when it comes to buying matching clothes for Will and Ben. I'm sure there will come a day, much sooner than I'd like, when they will tell me enough with the matching clothes. As for now, I will coordinate their clothes while I can. Since Ben was born each year the boys have had matching Christmas pajamas.

{seven}

Photos in front of the tree

Ben has the cute red dot on his nose from daycare. He was Rudolph.

{eight}

Christmas music

Last year I shared my list of "Best Holiday Music Ever". Mark and I love Christmas music and that's been passed on to our boys. Will and Ben love Christmas music as much as we do! Makes me so happy!!! I have a little editing to do to my list and I'll re-post an updated version soon, but here's last year's list--Best Holiday Music Ever. If you love Christmas music you must check it out. Let me know if I left off any of your favorites :)

{nine}

The Reason

Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

Cookie Exchange 2011

2011-12-08T21:15:00.003-06:00

I love cookies, link up parties and new recipes!

And, I adore Mel's blog!

Her virtual cookie exchange party is the perfect combination of my favorite holiday things.

Last year my friend Jami and I hosted a real cookie exchange party for the ladies of our church. You can read all about the festive fun here.

I took these delicious cranberry orange cookies to the cookie exchange. They were a hit in real life so I figured you guys out in the blogosphere would enjoy them, too.

I found the recipe here. I Googled "cranberry orange cookies" and this was the first recipe on the search results. It looked easy enough so I gave it a try. I highly recommend the recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups chopped cranberries

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

3 tablespoons orange juice

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2.In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg until well blended. Mix in 1 teaspoon orange zest and 2 tablespoons orange juice. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the orange mixture. Mix in cranberries and if using, walnuts, until evenly distributed. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Cookies should be spaced at least 2 inches apart.

3.Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

4.In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, 3 tablespoons orange juice and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over the tops of cooled cookies. Let stand until set.

Santa Photo 2011

2011-12-07T22:05:00.002-06:00

Santa Photo 2011

This year over Thanksgiving break we took the boys to see Santa.

Usually one of the boys is almost in tears...

but not this year!

They had the sweetest smiles!

Sorry about the terrible quality of the photo. Our scanner broke and I had to use the junky one that is on our printer. Despite the poor quality of the scanned photo, I still think the boys look adorable.

Each year we take the boys to the same mall to see Santa. This year the theme was Ice Palace. While you wait in line to see Santa there are fun activities to keep the kids entertained. For example, the boys compared how tall they were to life-sized Polar Bear cutouts.

While we waited in line, I heard someone yell my name. I turned around and saw a teacher that Mark and I worked with last year. She had her girls at the mall and they were in line behind us. Keep in mind we both live in the same small town 50 miles away so I never ever expected to run into someone I knew. Will and Ben had fun waiting in line with the girls.

Here's a close up of the sign above.

The kiddos compared their hands to a polar bear's paw. There was a block of ice below the sign. The boys thought that was so neat. They liked it almost as much as Santa!

Will showing off his cold hand.

Ben measuring up his hand and feeling the ice.

We're getting closer to seeing Santa. A quick pic on the ice throne wasn't very exciting to the boys. Can you tell?

Maybe the ice throne wasn't exciting, but the giant snowglobe was!

The boys loved it! There was fake snow falling and they had a blast playing.

Hey Santa!!!

The boys asked Santa for a "choo choo train" and a Thomas and Friends DVD.

InstaSaturday

2011-12-03T15:17:00.002-06:00

We were busy yesterday so I didn't have a chance to post all of my phone pics for the week.

Hope you don't mind that it's a day late. Instead of InstaFriday we'll have InstaSaturday. I doubt anyone was holding their breath waiting to see ;)

We started off the week with the perfect day on Sunday. We attended church and then spent a wonderful afternoon together on Sunday doing fun Christmas stuff.

I love this season!

On Sunday the boys and I made cinnamon salt dough ornaments for the mini Christmas tree in the kitchen. The cinnamon makes the house smell amazing. It feels like I spend a lot of time washing dishes and looking at this little tree with its sweet ornaments makes me happy. I used the recipe found here.

While the ornaments baked in the oven, I watched a Hallmark Christmas movie. Do you love them as much as I do? This year, I've been watching Trading Christmas over and over and over. The movies are also very family friendly so it doesn't matter if the boys are in the room while they are on.

Sorry if this offends anyone. Maybe I'm easily amused. Mark and I searched and searched for this limited edition ice cream. It was tough to find. It's name comes from a hilarious SNL skit with Alec Baldwin and NPR's Delicious Dish. Google it and watch the video. FUNNY!

Have you tried Peanut Butter & Co peanut butter?

The White Chocolate Wonderful is indeed wonderful! The Dark Chocolate Dreams is delicious, but I prefer Nutella for a chocolate fix. I've been having the white chocolate wonderful for breakfast each morning on a piece of whole wheat toast.

Fast food is limited in a small town. This isn't even in the small town where we live. We only have a Sonic, Dairy Queen and some local restaurants. This is in the small town a few miles away. I didn't feel like cooking so this is what was for dinner one night.

We made a trip to IKEA to get some storage units for Ben's room.

Will didn't want to stop spinning in the chair for me to take his photo. He's not very happy about being interrupted.

Ben found a spinning chair, too.

There they are spinning away!

I haven't been to IKEA in a couple of months. These cute fruits and veggies were new.

I treated myself to a large Peppermint Hot Chocolate, which I think ended up being a Peppermint Mocha.

Mark made a Starbucks stop and got his usual--Chai Tea Latte,

Earlier this week we had to pick up a few things from Wal-Mart. The boys love putting money in the red bucket. Years ago my grandpa used to volunteer to ring the bell. Seeing this made me think of him.

I was raised in the country. If you didn't grow up in rural area, maybe you don't understand the simplicity and ease of country living. I love living in the country. I enjoy the convenience of being close to the Dallas suburbs, but I'd never want to live in the city (been there done that). Nothing can beat a peaceful drive through the country. We barely met a car on this drive.

Happiness Is...

2011-11-30T21:02:00.003-06:00

Happiness is mailing Christmas cards to family and friends each year.

Receiving Christmas cards from family and friends makes me pretty happy, too!

I just placed our order for (85) Christmas cards tonight! I can't wait to get our cards in the mail so that I can turn around and mail them to all of the special people in our lives.

Here's a preview of what it looks like.

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

A special thanks to our favorite photographer Lauren Wensel. She took all of the photos for our Christmas card. She's wonderful!

Linking up to Walk with me by faith Christmas Card Carousel 2011.

*After I posted this I realized that I still needed more cards and I ordered 20 more!

What I Wore Wednesday 11/30/11

2011-11-30T07:10:00.000-06:00

WIWW 11/30/11

Only one outfit this week :)

Saturday: Birthday party celebrating my cousin's daughter turning one

and

Tuesday: School (I'm a history teacher)

Skinny jeans: Target

Sweater: Forever 21

Boots: DSW

Earrings: Ike & Co

Ring: Sundance

Happy Wednesday and thank you for stopping by!

No Photos. Just Words.

2011-11-28T00:00:00.002-06:00

Today my Monday morning randoms are just words. I've had the camera out a lot lately, but I didn't want to take the time to upload photos, edit, upload to blogger, etc. Do you ever feel that way?

I'll be linking up to lowercase letters.

{one}

Did you survive the gluttony of Thanksgiving?

We did, but I'm afraid the scales don't lie and Mark and I are going to have to get back on a healthy eating and exercise regimen. I hate to admit that we are too easy to stray from the course.

I'd love to blame our lack of self-control on our busy lifestyle, work, children or family commitments, but I can't. It's simply weakness. My lack of self-control reminds me of this verse.

Proverbs 25:28 (NIV)

Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.

Something to think about and consider.

{two}

Let me tell you about our unconventional Thanksgiving day. We've had a non-traditional Thanksgiving for the last three years. Since my grandmother went to live in the nursing home in the summer of 2009, I've had a very hard time celebrating Thanksgiving. That was always a holiday I associated with her. She exemplified the Proverbs 31woman on this day. She selflessly served her family and did so with such joy. My grandmother had tables full of food--the most savory cornbread dressing and turkey, delicious homemade pies and a fruit salad. When she didn't live at home anymore, it just didn't seem right to celebrate Thanksgiving without her.

So, here's where I'm going with this. On the first year she was in the nursing home we went to visit her on Thanksgiving day. Not very many restaurants are open on Thanksgiving day so we ended up eating at McDonald's. We did that three years ago and this year, too. Last year we ate at the assisted living home with my grandpa. It was extra hard this year with the passing of my grandfather and my grandmother still in the nursing home. I found myself crying in the kitchen as I prepared pecan pie. The strangest things trigger memories and emotions.

One bright spot was getting to spend some quality time with my great-aunt who is 96. She is my grandmother's oldest sister and lives in the same nursing home as my grandmother. She's truly a treasure.

Another bright spot, I talked to my brother on Thanksgiving day and he and my niece were going to serve a meal to the homeless at a local church. He's such a great dad. I texted my other brother and sister-in-law. They are all in Virginia so we don't see each other often, which makes me so thankful for texting and facebook. I also received a sweet email from a dear aunt. Sometimes it's the little things that mean the most.

After our visit at the nursing home and lunch at McDonald's we ran some errands. We stopped by Cracker Barrel. We are giving Will and Ben's preschool teachers gift cards from there. We also bought each teacher a Christmas ornament. FYI: Cracker Barrel has the cutest ornaments, and a big selection, too. At Cracker Barrel, it was a mad house! I'm so glad we weren't eating there. The wait was an hour and forty-five minutes! Once we purchased our ornaments and gift cards we made our way to Wal-Mart. Believe it or not, Wal-Mart is really enjoyable on Thanksgiving day. It's not crowded and the store is getting prepared for the Black Friday insanity. We leisurely walked around and bought a few things and then headed home.

{three}

My Christmas tree is up!

We got home pretty early on Thanksgiving day and I had all afternoon to get Christmas decorations down from the attic. Mark usually helps with that but he was watching the Cowboys game.

I've had so much fun decorating for Christmas this year. I totally skipped decorating for fall. Fall is my favorite season (if you follow me on Pinterest I have an entire board dedicated to it), but I just didn't have the energy to get it done this year.

Since August we've had some hard times, but Christmas is bringing some much needed happiness back to our home.

Our tree is up and so are all of our other Christmas decorations. Presents are even wrapped and under the tree. AND, it's not even December! Woo Hoo!

{four}

You can hate me, but I'm going to tell you that most of my Christmas shopping is complete.

AND, it's not even December! (Oh, right, I just said that!)

A lot of our nieces and nephews get gift cards, which we've purchased. For those who aren't getting gift cards, I've ordered a lot of stuff on the internet and most of my internet shopping is complete. My nieces who are out of state get a gift card or a gift from amazon.com. I just wised up to the amazon.com thing about a year ago. For years we've been shopping amazon.com and we always take advantage of the free shipping, but it never occurred to me to have items shipped for free to another person/address. We've taken advantage of this several times. We get to spend more money on the gift and avoid the hassle of going to the post office. Win-Win!

{five}

Three weeks until Christmas break! Will keeps saying "I'm ready for Christmas." I can totally relate. Ben's ready for Christmas, too. We took the boys to see Santa over Thanksgiving break. Now that Ben's seen Santa every time we see something related to Christmas he says, "Oooh, Christmas. I've been there." kind of like Christmas is a destination not a season. Love my boys and their cuteness!

{six}

I'm watching the weather right now. It's going to be cold this week. I love most things about the colder weather except for two. Leaving the warm house and getting into a cold car and stepping out of a hot shower into a cold bathroom. Brrrrrr!

{seven}

Last thought, this verse was used by our preacher this morning in church.

Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Somehow I hope this blog does that. Usually I write about a lot of fluff, but I hope ever so often that you are encouraged and spurred on toward love and good deeds.

Thanksgiving, Silly Boys, Baby Shower and Giveaway Winner

2011-11-25T20:25:00.002-06:00

I'm joining in the fun and linking up to InstaFriday at Life Rearranged

The Let's Go Activity Pack winner is

Shannon

Congrats, Shannon!

Now on to the photos. I used the Hipstamatic app for most of the photos and the Instagram app for a few.

Thanksgiving

The boys helped me prepare the pecan pie for Thanksgiving.

We used my grandmother's recipe. I wrote about Mama Winnie's pecan pie last year here.

We celebrate Thanksgiving with Mark's family on Friday instead of Thursday. The pecan pie and rolls are my contribution to the meal. Mark and I woke up at 5:30a.m. to set out the rolls so they could rise. Here are 90 Rhodes yeast dinner rolls. They completely cover our kitchen!

After we came home for the Mark's parents Ben fell asleep in the floor. He was exhausted from having so much fun with his cousins. Poor little guy missed his nap, but he didn't care because he was busy playing.

Silly boys

My boys love the brostache app.

We took advantage of a few days off at Thanksgiving to run some errands. Will had fun waiting for our car to get serviced. I'm so glad our dealership has fun toys to occupy the kiddos.

Baby shower

The last day of school before the Thanksgiving break we had a baby shower for a sweet teacher at our school. She's expecting a little girl and this is her first baby. These photos are for my dear aunt who has given me almost all of the pieces in my milk glass collection. We've been waiting for two years to have an occasion to use the milk glass. Jourdan's baby shower was the perfect event.

Here's a shot with the tissue paper pom poms.

Several of the teachers (including me) have DSLR cameras and we all forgot to bring them.

Keep in mind this is our teachers' workroom so it was a challenge to make it pretty for a baby shower. We did our best to make it pretty and pink.

Christmas

Christmastime is here!

You know I love Peppermint Bark Ghirardellli!

Candy canes remind me of my grandmother who is 88. She was very poor growing up and treasured simple things like candy and fresh fruit. They often went without that and it was a treat given at Christmas. When I see these it reminds me that I have so much and to be thankful for it. Simple things, right?

We took the boys to see Santa. I'll have an entire post about that in a few days.

There's a giant snow globe that you walk through before you seen Santa. My boys are mesmerized by the falling snow. I am too!

Our Christmas tree is up! We even have some gifts wrapped and under the tree.

Psalm 107:1

2011-11-24T08:04:00.000-06:00

Psalm 107: 1

"Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!"

Happy Thanksgiving!

What I Wore Wednesday 11/23/11

2011-11-23T08:06:00.002-06:00

Thank you so much for checking out my WIWW!

I hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving with the ones they love the most.

11/16/11

School (I'm a history teacher.)

Denim trousers: Old Navy

Brown top and burgundy cami: Banana Republic

Beige cardigan: Target

Flats: Aeropostale (bought them years ago and still love them)

Earrings: GoJo Designs

I was in such a rush to leave the house that I put the camisole on backwards. It wasn't until I was at work that my husband told me it didn't look right. Well, it was on the inside out! (BTW, my husband is a math teacher at the same school where I'm a history teacher.) I quickly went to the restroom and put it on the correct way.

Thanks for these pretty earrings, Kathleen! Blog friends are the best!

11/17/11

School

Skinny jeans: Target

Sweater: Old Navy

Boots: DSW

Earrings: Ike & Co

Scarf: a beautiful gift from my sister-in-law Andrea

This scarf is unbelievably soft. I wish you could touch the computer screen and feel it.

Andrea is talented at crocheting and knitting. I wrote a post about her and her work here. Contact me if you would ever like to purchase an item. She donates 100% of her profits to an amazing charity Knitters Without Borders which supports Doctors Without Borders.

11/18/11

School

Jeans and black flats: Gap

Teal top: Banana Republic outlet

Black cardi: Gap outlet

Necklace: Old Navy

Earrings: Ike & Co

11/20 & 21/11

Sunday to church and Monday to school

Chambray ruffle dress: Gap outlet

Brown tights: Kohl's (Simply Vera Wang and they are awesome with control top, ha!)

Boots: DSW

*Edit: I forgot that I wore the belt. I'm always nervous about wearing belts, but I gave this one a try. I texted my friend a photo before I wore this outfit and asked if I was too old for it. She assured me I was not and said "When it doubt, belt it out!" Love her!

Belt: Charming Charlie

Boots: brand Matisse, style Becky, color Saddle

Tomorrow is the last day to enter the giveaway for a fun-filled Let's Go activity pack for preschoolers.

Check it out here and enter!

Cuteness, Birthday Parties and Giveaway

2011-11-17T21:58:00.000-06:00

Cuteness overload!

Ben tried on this hat at Target last Friday. I should have purchased it, but I didn't.

On Saturday, we went to the Dallas Arboretum for Will's 5-year photos. We also had family photos taken for our Christmas card. It was a beautiful day, and the photo shoot went well. I can't wait to see the photos and share them with you.

The Arboretum still had pumpkins for fall.

Colorful mums were in full bloom.

The flower beds were spectacular (one poor little mum was squished).

My in-laws went with us. Mark's dad found this bur oak acorn. Will and Ben took it to school to show their teachers. I wish I had a dozen of them.

Icee

My guys like Icees so much that I even bought the Icee app for my iPhone.

I found these photos of Will's 5th birthday party on my phone.

He had a monster bash and we played "pin the eye on the monster".

My niece took this photo of the top of the monster cake. I forgot to take one so she shared hers.

Will had so much fun at his party that the next day he recreated the party. He set the table all by himself. How cute!

Ben must still have birthday party on his mind because the Little People had a party last night.

He was singing "Happy Birthday to you..." and then he blew out the candles.

Ben made a pair of binoculars out of building blocks. He was pretending to be in the jungle looking for animals. I just can't get over the imaginations of my boys. They are so creative.

Giveaway

Go here for a great giveaway!

I'm hosting a giveaway for a fun-filled activity pack for preschoolers.

Check it out and enter to win :)

Let's Go Giveaway

2011-11-16T21:59:00.003-06:00

Are you the mom of a preschooler?

If not, do you know a mom of a preschooler?

Chances are, you're either a mom of a preschooler or you know someone who is. I think that pretty much covers everyone who reads my blog.

I have a great product that you have to check out.

Let’s Go

Let’s Go Activity Pack has been created to encourage interaction between an adult and a child. The activity pack contains craft ideas and supplies, games, sign language, Spanish, kid-friendly recipes, and many other enriching activities designed for children, ages 2-5.

Look at the super cute "Fun on the Farm" pack!

As a busy mom, coming up with fun activities to spend quality time with my little ones is a challenge. Our time together should be enjoyable and meaningful. If I’m stressed out because I'm trying to think of fun crafts and projects, then my children are not benefiting from our time together.

Let’s Go is the perfect solution to my lack of creativity. These pre-made craft packs have everything you need for fun-filled quality time.

You have the chance to win a Let’s Go activity pack!

Even if you are not the mom of a preschooler this would make a great gift to a friend who is a mom or a grandparent of preschoolers. So enter anyway—it would be an awesome Christmas gift!

Four ways to enter the giveaway:

{ONE}
Go to Let’s Go Activities website and view the gallery. Leave a comment letting me know which kit you would like if you win (there are 5 great themes to choose from).
Click here to go to the website.

{TWO}
Become a fan of Let’s Go on Facebook.
Search "Let's Go Activities"

{THREE}
“Heart” Let’s Go on Etsy
Click here for their Etsy shop

{FOUR}
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What I Wore Wednesday 11/16/11

2011-11-16T00:10:00.004-06:00

What I Wore Wednesday
11/16/11

This WIWW has photos from November 1 - November 15. I got a haircut on November 2 so my hair is longer in the first photo and a lot shorter in the next photos.

As for the clothes, it's been a challenge getting dressed. I've put away all of my shorts and gotten out all of my sweaters, but it's not quite sweater weather. This crazy weather is hot and then cold...sounds like a Katy Perry song.

November 1
School (I'm a history teacher.)
Gray chinos, striped cardi and flats--Old Navy
Dot top--Target
Felt flower pin--Stones in Bloom
Earrings--Ike & Co

outtakes with my boys

11/6/11

Sunday--Church

Black skirt--TJ Maxx (brand Talbots)

Pink top with bow--H &M

Black wedges--Target

My new haircut :)

11/13/11

Sunday--Church

Dress--Banana Republic, Mad Men collection (I bought this dress for around $35. It was originally $150! It was such an amazing deal that I emailed Kathleen about it. I have an obsession with Mad Men and she does too. I knew she would appreciate my good deal.)

Gray cardi--J Crew outlet

Black wedges--Target

These shoes are very comfortable. I can even wear them to work.

Sunday after church going to visit my grandma and great-aunt at the nursing home.

Jeans--Seven A Pocket

Bird top--J Crew outlet

Shoes--Puma

Monday

School

We are having unusually warm weather for the middle of November.

Black cardis--Old Navy

Dark gray top--Gap outlet

Sandals--DSW

Necklace--Premier Designs

I didn't really expect to be wearing these in November.

One of my favorite necklaces.

Tuesday

School

Gray chinos and aqua cardi--Old Navy

White top--Gap

Sandals--DSW

Bird necklace--Forever 21

Earrings--Ike & Co

Sweet little birdie

I could wear these earrings almost every single day.

Everything In Between

2011-11-14T00:12:00.007-06:00

It's Monday and I'm writing random and linking up to lowercase letters. I've also linked up to Lisa Leonard, Hello, Monday. Today I'm trying to embrace the here and now.

{one}

I love weekend trips to the donut shop. It's a special treat we try to reserve for Saturday and Sunday. My boys love it as much , or more than, I do.

{two}

I've been absent from blogging for over a week. I managed to put together a post about Will's birthday party, and that's all I could manage. The end of October and beginning of November are always very hectic for our family. We give away over 1000 pieces of candy for our church at our town's local Halloween festival. Then, just a few days later we celebrate Will's birthday. His birthday party is usually the following weekend. Getting things prepared for the candy giveaway and for Will's birthday party can be overwhelming. The week after it's all over I'm usually exhausted and this year was no different. Whew!

The exhaustion is worth it because look at this happy face. Love this 5 year old more than words!

{three}

There's another reason I was absent from blogging. We had a terrible tragedy in our small town. One of our elementary teachers was killed tragically in a car accident. She had taught at the school almost 20 years. Although I teach in the junior high, I know many of the elementary teachers. I didn't know her personally, we were just acquaintances, but I am friends with a lot of the elementary teachers who were close to her. We send our children to the same daycare, we attend the same churches and we teach each others children. Small towns are close-knit, and when tragedy strikes it hurts everyone. Maybe it's because my grandpa died less than two months ago, but it's hard to attend funerals. I still feel very vulnerable. I'm emotionally exhausted and I wasn't even that close to her. I hope that after the funeral services this weekend the elementary teachers, staff and students can find some closure and move forward in the best way that they know how. Please keep all of her family, friends, students and our community in your prayers.

{four}

I'm sorry if my blog has felt serious and sad. I never want to be Debbie Downer, but I don't feel like I'd be real and honest if I didn't share the good with the bad. Let me try to lighten things up for the remaining randoms in the list.

{five}

Experiencing loss and tragedy is the greatest reminder to appreciate every moment we are given. Despite the reminders in my life lately, I'm terrible at being in the moment. I worry about insignificant things like dirty dishes in the sink, piles of laundry that need to be washed and stains on the carpet. Since it's in my nature to sweat the small stuff, I've really made an effort to appreciate the here and now.

I'm trying to take more photos (which sounds like a joke to most people who know me because I take so many photos already) with the focus being on everyday life. I want to capture the everyday moments that sometimes seem ordinary but are what make our life extraordinary.

Moments like this...

Ben playing in the dirt. True happiness and contentment.

What is it with little boys and dirt?

He could stay there all day long if I'd let him.

Or this...

Will playing outside. One of his favorite things to do.

Will loves to swing.

He spotted an airplane. He kept staying "Look there's an airplane in the sky!" Such a curious and inquisitive little guy.

{six}

I got a haircut! I forgot to mention it. It's been about two weeks ago, and I'm loving it. I had about 5 inches cut off in August and it grew back really quickly. This time my stylist took off at least three inches so it's the shortest it's been in over 6 years.

{seven}

It's fall, I think?

It's fall, but it feels like spring. We had such a dry summer with no rainfall that most of the grass died. Since we've received rain the grass is green again. It's the time of year when it should start turning brown, but instead it's green. It's an interesting combination with the fall leaves.

{eight}

We went to the Dallas Arboretum on Saturday for Will's 5 year photos and Christmas card photos. We met up with our favorite photographer Lauren. We tried some new poses for our family photo (thanks, Pinterest!). I can't wait to see the photos and share them with you.

{nine}

Giveaway!

I have an upcoming giveaway. I'll be introducing you to the neatest company, Let's Go, that sells pre-made activity kids which encourage you to spend creative, quality time with your little ones. I can't wait for you to see their products. They are perfect if you have preschoolers or would make a great gift to a parent of a preschooler. So, look for a giveaway here later this week.

{ten}

My facebook status this week was this Bible verse,

Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

May you find rest in Him this week.