Thanksgiving before Christmas

You know, since Christmas is less than a week away I thought it'd be appropriate to actually blog about Thanksgiving :).

 One of my favorite traditions that we started 4 or 5 years ago is our thankfulness tree.  Your heart can't help but be full when you begin to list all the blessings in your life.  Below is a leaf off our tree from each of my precious girls.

 One blessing was getting to spend Thanksgiving with this crew....my spunky and fun nephew and neice...oh yeah, and their mommy and daddy!

 One thing I consider such a gift is having family that are dear friends and dear friends who are like family.  Andy and Kelly are so fun to be around, are great parents, and even though I didn't choose them to be family...God did that...I am so thankful He did!

 As a belated birthday present, Andy took Jason to the TCU vs. UT football game Thanksgiving night.  Kelly and I held down the fort and yelled loudly at the TV!!  No worries, they still liked each other after the game.

 The greatest joys of my heart which bless my heart and make it so full of thankfulness each and everyday (even if they do create more laundry for me) are these people.  Ah, God has been so good to me!

 Very blessed indeed!

Happy "Whole Hand" Birthday

This precious girl stole my heart 5 years ago last month, and I just can't believe it.

She is every bit of sweet and spunky, silly and beautiful, loving, kind and smart as you can imagine.  She lights up any room and any heart she is in!

 More often than not, this how you will find her.

 She had decided a month ahead of time that a Build a Bear birthday party would be quite fun.  Yet, whenever anyone asked her what she was doing for her birthday she would always reply with "riding a horse or a pony."  If you don't remember, that is what she has requested for the past 3 years.  Thankfully, we were able to go to the square in downtown Bentonville for a pony ride a few days before her big day, and she was quite pleased.  This girl loves her horses...anyone want to buy her a pony?

 The official party did happen at Build a Bear, and she and her friends had a ball!  They really throw a fun party for the kids.

 The cutie-patootie and "Brownie."

 She truly is so loved by all of us, and we can't possibly begin to imagine our life or family without her.

Reese Ellery,  Happy 5th birthday, sweet girl!  You are a little miracle baby and we know the Lord has big plans for you.  Thank you for filling our home with more joy, laughter, hugs and cartwheels than we know what to do with.  We love how God's Word sticks in your head and heart, the way you continually pray for children without mommies and daddies, and even how you manage to sneak in bed with one of us most nights.  I wish I could keep you this size and age forever, Sweetpea, but can't wait to see what Jesus has in store for your future.  Love you "all the way to Texas and Oklahoma" !!!        Love, Mommy

Halloween 2012

If I were to be honest, Halloween just isn't my favorite day of the year.  In fact, I wouldn't mind skipping the day altogether.  But my girls enjoy it, so I will too...at least for another few years.

 

Here are my cuties...

 Even Jase gets in on the fun because of work. 

Here are the cutest teacher, pink poodle, 50's girl, and Duck Dynasty guy around.

I may not love the holiday, but I sure LOVE THEM!!!



A New School Year

 

It really is ridiculous how far behind on blogging I am.  The girls have been in school for over two months now.  No matter how late their momma is, they still deserve to have their first day of school pics posted.  Drum roll please...

 Our Ashlyn Jean is now in 5th grade.  It is her last year in elementary school.  I have to keep myself from crying over this fact at least once a week.  I feel like I am going to blink and she is going to be in college.  This year she has Mrs. Farley for her math and science and Mrs. Hamilton for her English and Literature.  It is a wonderfully challenging year.  She loves it!

 Sweet Laney Hope is in 2nd grade.  She has Mrs. Dake as her teacher.  The teachers have learned over the past 2 years to split up the 12 or so girls who like to chit chat so much :)...however, she will never be without several friends in class with her.  She is learning so much too this year and is doing great.  She even has a few days where things other than recess are her favorites from school.

 The big girls first day of school~ August 20, 2012.

 Precious Reese Ellery started school a couple of weeks later.  She is in pre-K this year.  More than once a week I have to keep myself from crying over the truth that she'll be in kindergarten next year.  She has been my little hang out buddy for 3 years and is my baby. 

 

I got a little overwhelmed at meet the teacher for the big girls because I realized that next year Ashlyn won't be there meeting her teachers and Reese will be.  So feel free to start praying now for this mom.

Reesie's best friend, Ella, and her on their first day of school.  Such a sweet friendship.  Their teachers are Miss Lezlie and Miss Noelle.  It's a sweet school where they not only learn letters and handwriting but how to love Jesus, worship Him, and learn more Bible.  We are thankful.

 

Well, hope to be back sooner than a couple of months from now, but no promises.

Until next time, my friends, be blessed!

Celebrating Our Big Girl

Happy 10th birthday, sweet girl!

 Any parent will tell you how amazingly much they love their child.  It's a love like no other.  Your heart aches when your child's heart aches.  You feel overwhelming joy and pride at things most might think little successes.  You would lay down your life for your child without a second thought.

 

Our sweet Ashlyn Jean envokes all these feelings.  Yet, she also is such an easy kid to celebrate.  9 times out of 10 she thinks more about the feelings of others than her own.  She is kind.  She is creative.  She truly feels and cares about people.  So when July 31st comes around...it is time to par-tay and celebrate such a special young lady!

 Ashlyn has always been blessed with sweet, deep friendships.  We told her she could pick 2 friends besides her sisters.  Little did she know, that another fun surprise was the fact that one of her close TX friends would be in our area for her b-day and showing up.  Matalee, thanks for being in on the surprise!

 

Months leading up to her birthday Jason and I knew what we wanted to surprise her with.  She loves to bake and their is a fabulous bakery in Fayetteville.  Well, we found out they do birthday parties where each person can decorate their own cakes.

 The professional cake decorator showed them different ways to put designs on their own cakes and explained how to use different tips.  She helped the girls, if they needed help.  And, while the girls were each decorating their own cake, she decorated Ashlyn's true birthday cake.

 Ashlyn had asked if her cake could come from this bakery so when we pulled into the parking lots and went inside she just thought we were grabbing her cake.  It was perfect!

 The girls enjoyed watching the professionals decorate real birthday, wedding, party cakes, etc.  You can see how amazing her own birthday cake turned out too!

Sweet Ashlyn Jean,  May you always feel celebrated with each passing day.  You are an absolute answer to so many prayers and our hearts soar with love for you.  You are turning into such a beautiful young lady with an even more beautiful heart for your Savior.  We love your smile, the way you mess with your hands when you get excited, your potential to see the good in people, and well...everything about you.  Happy 10th, baby!  We love you! 

The gift of family

You can't pick your family.  That you are born or married into.  You can, however, pick your friends.  We are especially blessed because the family we have, we are also

friends with.

The weekend after Fourth of July we went down to East Texas for Jason's family annual reunion.  This time we coaxed my brother and sister-in-law into driving up with the kiddos (we didn't even have to resort to arm-twisting either).  Here are some fun pics from the weekend.

 

Things that make me happy

One word~ BLESSED.