A New Thanksgiving Tradition

This year, I decided to start writing letters to the girls the night before Thanksgiving (to give to them ON Thanksgiving) telling them how much I love them and why I am so thankful for them.  Of course we tell them we love them all the time, but I wanted them to have a keepsake or record each year of it to look back on and to know that I am proud of them.  I think these were the first letters I've written by hand in a LONG time and it was funny how tired my hand got. This age of computers and typing everything has made me forget about writing out those long letters. Anyhow, I thought it was a nice tradition to start. I hope they think so too. Especially when they look back on it. And, as with all of the traditions I start, I hope these are things that they do with/for their children when they have a family of their own.

Scorpions! Ugh!

Since we moved into this house in March until today, we have dealt with these ugly, scary creatures!  I don't know how they've managed to get into the house, but they have-even a baby one, which I had never seen before. Apparently before then, only the full grown, ugly, scary ones had chosen to torment me!

So this morning I go to step out onto the front porch after I hear an ambulance siren (not the typical thing to hear at 6am in this match box of a town.) And what do you think is staring me down? YUP! A stinking, stinging scorpion! Excuse me for a moment while a shiver some more and wait for the hairs on the back of neck and my arms to go back down....

So you can guess what I did right? Yes, of course, I immediately shut the door! Time to think, time to think. Hmmm. I need to kill it b/c Lord knows it's just LOOKING around the front door for a way into the house! I told you before how they are just OUT to torment me! So I go looking. Of course this morning is the one morning I don't wake up to 10 pairs of shoes strewn about! Okay! I found a shoe...of course it has to be my own flip flop. I'm already imagining the scorpion gut residue that's going to be left on my shoe, but I have to do it...the little devil must die!   Errrrrrgh! That's the sound of my brakes being put on!

Remember when I said the sucker was staring me down? That's right. He was staring right at me, right past the door mat. It's a step down to get to the porch from the door! Where do I step? I'm trapped! Yes, I'm thinking all of these things!  Then the strange thought pops in about how hilarious I must be looking if any of the neighbors could see. Quick neighbor check....nope, nobody's out.  Whew!  Still, what do I do. Do these suckers jump? If I step down to kill it, will I be fast enough before it gets me?  If I jump OVER it, will it jump too? What do I do? I know...

Yep, that's right, I'm a momma which means amongst all my other super powers, I also possess my master ninja skills! So, there I went. Just imagining myself in the full black suit with only my eyes showing, staring down the devil creature as I jumped down and splattered him to pieces.....well, after 3 slaps with my size 9 flip flop that is!

And with that, the  devil creature was dead. I quickly used my defamed flip flop to sweep it off to the side of the porch and then wondered what to do with my icky flip flop! Bleh!  Don't think that I didn't scoot that devil creature off to the side so I could show Heath my kill! That's right, ninja's like to brag sometimes!

For All The Crock Pot Lovers out There!

I came across a blog that I had to share with you all. It's a A Year of Slow Cooking! Detailed recipes and colorful photos of both the ingredients and the finished dish!  I haven't looked at the blog in detail yet, but from what I've seen so far, it looks pretty awesome, so check it out if you love to crockpot cook...or if you do it out of necessity.

A YEAR OF SLOW COOKING

SUPER GIRL!

I think it's time for me to make Emilee a cape!  A SUPER GIRL cape! That's right, because she thinks she's a super hero! She stretches her arm and hand out and goes "WHOOSH!" like she's flying away. Then she says she's going to "WHOOSH" into the tv to fix it. THEN she says, "I can fix EVERYTHING!"  Oh? You can? "YEAH! I GOT MY BACKPACK!" So... as far as I can tell, she's got a combination of powers. She's supergirl that's flying away, she can jump into televisions like Blue's Clues, and she has a Rescue Pack like Diego! Yep, I think this girl needs a cape!

Countdowns

Wow! I can hardly believe how fast the holidays are approaching us! I have many countdowns going right now. The are 4 nights left until Heath's overnight work will be over and he will have a full week off for Thanksgiving! Hallelujah!  There are 9 days until Thanksgiving and we have SO much to be thankful for! There are 10 days until Black Friday and I do love me some savings and sales!  There are 39 days until Christmas! And I do believe there are 45 days until 2011! Wow! I am not looking forward to 2011 though, because it brings too many changes. Jamie will be graduating high school in 2011!

As you might have already guessed or seen, we have had our Christmas tree up for about a week and we love it!

And here is the small tree that is in the kitchen. I made a curtain for the back door window from some fabric I found leftover from last year. Funny thing about that fabric is that I bought it again this year not knowing I had it leftover from last year. Guess I must have really liked it ;) The tree is decorated with Emilee's tiny spoons, measuring spoons, small spice jars, and cookie cutters. For an added "kitchen" touch, I put the rolling pins at the bottom of the tree for more decoration.

Our Advent calendar is small Christmas stockings and is hanging up behind the small tree in the kitchen.

 

This year, I am really going to go all out with the decorations. Emilee loves the Christmas decor. She woke up from her nap to the tree being up the first time and the look on her face was priceless! She was so excited! She yelled, "Oh Me Gosh! Where did it come from? All the stuff! Where did all the stuff come from? Oh Me Gosh!"  So cute!  Yes, she still sounds like a pirate with the "Me" instead of  "My" and I still think it's the cutest thing ever. I still never correct her. It just makes me giggle and happy, so why stop her? winks!

Letters to Santa

Since moving into the new home, this will be our first year without a fireplace. Of course I'm already trying to think ahead and prepare for questions in advance. You know, how will Santa get into our house if we don't have a fireplace? 


Problem solved people! And I am SO EXCITED!!  I have been wanting to get a SMALL mailbox and put by the front door because Emilee is forever asking to go check them mail. I wanted to get a small one so she could just have fun with it. Well, I never did get around to finding a SMALL mailbox. So, I've decided to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. I am going to get a mailbox and put it on a short stand (4x4 board) and put it on the front porch. I am going to put stickers on the outside of it "Letters to Santa."  On Christmas Eve night, we are going to walk out and put a note in the mailbox for Santa letting as well as the key to the front door (fake key of course-I'm not THAT crazy!)  I thought that was such a cute idea! What do you think?

Now don't get me wrong, we don't go all crazy over Santa and we make sure to stick to the true meaning of the season, but in the few years that she will believe in the big guy in red, I want to have fun with it.  We do plenty of other activities to center Christmas around Christ.  I don't think there's any harm in having fun with
the flying reindeer bit.

So, we'll put the letters and key out and then head to the front yard and put out carrots and water for the reindeer. I'm so excited! And of course "Santa" will leave her a note in the mailbox thanking her and some personal details in there like how her room is painted, the treats left for him, etc.


Here is what I was thinking of but naturally I'd do a good paint job on it.

This one is cute and would be a nice decoration for the front porch. So you get the idea. Mailbox painted red with "Letters to Santa" on it.

Turkey Day outfit finished

Well, Emmy's Turkey Day outfit is finished. No fall colors in it, just straight up girly all the way. I think it's cute though. I need to make some matching bows and she's good to go!

And I'm throwing this one in just b/c the expression on her face cracked us up...

surrender all.wmv

I've shared this with friends for several years, but came across it again tonight and had to share it again. It is my favorite rendition of I Surrender All. Faith Hill has an amazingly beautiful voice and has me in tears when I listen to it.

Getting ready for Jesus' Birthday

That's right, I said it! I'm decorating for Christmas! Yes! Already! lol. Heath told me I couldn't decorate for Christmas until after Thanksgiving, but I told him that he's not in charge of holidays and if he's not careful, he'll wake up in the morning with the tree up already. lol. Okay, so I fell asleep and the tree still isn't put up. But it's going up this week!  I mean, I am coo-coo for Christmas! Only having the Christmas decorations up for 30 days just doesn't seem right to me! So, the tree is going up this week!

So, the Christmas countdown chalkboard is up (and has been for 2 days) and the first craft is finished.  These "interesting" little wall hangers were found at Bits 'n' Pieces (a thrift store in Bastrop) for 59cents each. I had all the supplies on hand for it, so I got this project done for less than $2.

Here is the BEFORE pic...

And here is the AFTER. Not my best work, but in my eyes, anything that's wishing Jesus a Happy Birthday is beautiful :) Or at least that's my story...and I'm stickin' to it!

 

Footprint and Handprint Crafts

If you haven't come across this website Footprint and Handprint Crafts yet, well then you're sure to be spending alot of time on there from now on! It's amazing and crammed full of projects using your little one's hand and footprints! Who doesn't love that?!

I was inspired by this craft project where they used painted handprints and a footprint to make a turkey, but I wanted to make an applique instead. Because we all know I have plenty of fabric scraps laying around!

So, off I went tracing Emmy's hand and foot. Then used the scraps of fabric I had on hand, turning them into appliques with iron on backing. Incidentally, you can get a yard of iron on fabric backing for less than $2 at JoAnn's fabric.   I added the feet to it and painted the face on. I think it turned out quite girly and cute.  What do you think? Sort of looks like a cross between a turkey and a peacock to me. lol.

Here's the hand and footprints and cut out so you can see them.

And here's the finished product all ready to wear for Turkey Day!

By the way, I cooked a turkey today. lol. We eat alot of turkey and chicken around here, so I picked up one to make for dinner and then for sandwiches for lunch for the week. It was YUMMY! Turkey, mashatatoes (as Emmy says it) and gravy. Sooo good!

I just have to say one more time how awesome the website that I listed above is. I cannot wait to make the footprint penguin, Santa's sleigh,  and so on and so on. This site is great for all year long!

Awesome Teacher Gift for the holidays!

Let me start this out by saying that I WISH that I could give the proper credit to the person who posted this on their blog BUT my computer froze on my so all I have is the photo saved in my computer.  If someone knows who this photo belongs to, I'd love to give the proper credit for this awesome idea.

As you know, we homeschool so we don't have a need for "teacher's gifts", although I have received gifts from Kimberly when she was younger. I will be making this with an "E" and put "E is for Emilee" on it.  It is such a cute idea-too cute to pass up. So, it will be made and then take it's place on the wall over the desk after we get the new desk.

So, what do you think? It's such a great idea isn't it?

Clever girl

Tonight when Heath was asking where the Halloween candy was, Emmy told him, "No Daddy! Don't eat the gummies. They're yucky. Don't ever EVER eat them. They're nasty. Nasty Gummies."  No coincidence that gummies (fruit snacks) are one of her faves and she doesn't want anyone else to eat them, I'm sure ;)  Clever little two year old!

This afternoon was a little frustrating..

If I ever doubt my own strength, all I have to remember is that I'm raising a 2yr old and 2 teenagers...at the same time...and all three are girls. And while things do get crazy & frustrating at times around here, I just remember how incredibly blessed we are to be able to have two rounds of the best journey out there: parenthood.

Just like every parent out there, I do have regrets and things I would have done differently with our older two girls.  If I would have had knowledge of the things I know about now (breastfeeding, cloth diapering, etc), or the patience that I've found now, or been more comfortable in my own skin back then, and if I had possessed the confidence that I have now in myself and my decisions.  Although our girls are wonderful, sweet, loving, kind spirited, compassionate young women who have made me proud in so many ways, there are still of course those things that I wish I would have known to do or just done differently back then as far as parenting them.

But I feel incredibly blessed, beyond blessed, that God has given us this opportunity to go through all of those experiences again.  To experience them now with a calmer spirit, more confidence and assurance, a larger support system, wonderful friends,  more patience, and the ability to not take things (or myself) too seriously.  

I think, as alot of parents do, the first time around we loved every experience, but didn't cherish them in the way we are now. Now I make the point to stop everything and just devour the experience. To be thankful for it. To acknowledge that it is an incredible blessing.  To know that it WILL only happen once.  To know that you should just stay and take 200 pictures on that family outing, because you don't  want to look back in 10 or 15 years and WISH you had more photos to look back on that memory. 

As I tell my girls alot, we're not just picking pumpkins, baking cookies, or playing a game together. We're making a memory.  Of course they giggle each time at it, but secretly in my momma heart, I just know that one day they will be telling their children that they are "Making a memory."  I'm pretty sure if and when they do, I will burst into tears over the sheer joy of them truly "getting" what I was trying to teach them.

So on afternoons like this that are particularly frustrating and painful, I remind myself how truly blessed I am to be able to experience this not just once, but twice.  Not everyone gets to do that.  I feel like it's a second chance. And yes, like I said, our girls are amazing and I would not change who they are one bit.  My regrets are only the same that every parent has after looking back. I wish I would have spent more time on this. I wish I would have not done this or done this. I wish I would have seen the blessing in this and not taken this so seriously.  I think it's pretty natural as a parent to feel that way, but for me, it has nothing to do with how my girls have turned out. They make me proud in so many ways, so many times each and every day. I guess I'm just feeling blessed to be able to do this twice. 

We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that He has already thrown open His door to us.  We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand--out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.  Romans 5:2 .

Not your typical girl...or AM I?

I've never been your typical "girly" girl, or so I've thought. I've never been into going to the mall, or what new electronic phone gadgets and apps are out (I have a plain Jane phone), getting my nails done,  or the typical "chick" tv shows (you know Greys, etc.) And  I have to admit that when people post about those shows, I have NO clue what they are talking about or the hype of it all.

So, in that respect, I've never been girly like that.  But what I'm starting to realize is that I am girly in other ways. I love to bake, craft, sew, decorate, thrift/antique shop, and I have a serious fabric addiction. I could be locked in JoAnn's Fabric store for a week and not be bothered by it. I mean, after all, they do have snacks up front and tons of foam/fabric/pillows to nap on in the back. They have plenty of sewing/embroidery machines to keep me sewing nonstop and endless craft projects on those aisles. So, there you go. Kids have their dream of being locked in a candy/toy store and I have mine.

You see chaos and I see amazing blessings one after another.

You see a pair of tiny boots thrown on the kitchen floor. I see the excitement she had when we bought them and how she didn't want to take them off and wanted to sleep in them the first night.
 

You see a stuffed frog on the kitchen table where it doesn't belong. I see a reminder of loved ones in Heaven watching over us. I see the amazing coincidence that Emmy loved that froggy from the beginning just like the rest of her family loves frogs. And just like her Aunt Kimmy loved frogs.
 

You see a halloween monkey costume still out. I see and remember the excitement and wonder of a child turning into a monkey the second she puts the costume on. I see memories of how she knocked on the doors and yelled "trick or treat" on her own this year. I see how excited she was to hold her own bucket of candy no matter how heavy it got for her. I see how cute she was giving out candy in that costume to the trick or treaters that came to our door.


You see a bright orange puppet laying upside down on the floor like a floater instead of in the toy bucket. I see memories of opening the fish's mouth WIDE and tickling her belly with it, hearing her squeal and giggle with delight.




You see an empty package of fruit snacks laying in the floor beside the trash can. I see how she would eat an entire box of them if you let her. I see her yelling "I'll throw it in the trash momma."

 
You see a mess of a desk cubby. I see a tiny school desk with a cubby full of her love and imagination. i see her doll and monkey sitting in the desk together and remember her saying "Here, here's your sister" to the monkey as she put the doll in.
 

You see a sewing machine and chaos of fabric. I see the absolute joy I have in making her outfits for her. I see how happy she gets to try on each and every outfit every single time-no matter how many outfits you make her.


You see a packet and paper work for senior graduation. I see the pride I have in what an amazing woman she has become and the drive she has to succeed. I see the kindergarten pictures that were taken 12 yrs ago.
 

You see the bathroom sink full of hair spray, straightening irons, and make up. I see that this is a sight to cherish because time is flying to quickly and all too soon there will be a time I will miss that mess.
 

You see chaos and I see amazing blessings one after another.