Merry and Bright...

Merry Christmas

From our Family to yours!

imperfect...

I am close to my 32nd birthday...

I have stretch marks...

I have a gut that doesn't want to go away, although I don't really try...

I say words that hurt unintentionally...

I yell at my kids when I don't want to...

I am at times highly O.C.D. ...

I have no filter...

I can't do it all...

I never have enough hours in a day, or a week, or a month, or a year...

I would have more babies in a heartbeat if it was meant to be for me...

I am addicted to tea...

I am sensitive...

I am a people pleaser...

I at times worry more about what makes others happy than what makes me happy...

My written words are sometimes misinterpreted, misunderstood, taken in a way they were never intended.

This blog is a place to be me. To share my truth. To share my life. To share my heart. To share myself. I have a lot of faults. I am in no way perfect. I am okay with my imperfections. It's taken me pretty close to my whole 32 years to say, I love who am - being imperfect, is perfect, because I am me. God loves me. God made me. God even forgives me, when I say something hurtful, that I didn't intend to hurt. When I yell at my kids when I should be loving them. When I don't have enough time to do everything for everybody. When I drink more tea than water. When I am too sensitive.  When I have to have my house just so, or things organized in a way that life doesn't feel out of control. 

HE LOVES ME. 

I write this blog, because it's my place to share HIS love.

At times, when I've written something that gets misinterpreted, misunderstood, or is taken as hurtful; the people pleaser in me, wants to shut Bella's little Rose down forever. But I won't..... because I have a job to do here. That job is to tell you, that He love you too! Even when you feel totally imperfect, far from lovable, and totally misunderstood, crazed, and overwhelmed by life. 

In this season, of the greatest gift the world has ever known, let's reflect. Reflect on how great His love is for us, that he sent us his son to be a common man, to die for our sins, so that we can be forgiven for being such imperfect beings. How awesome, is that gift?!!! How awesome is it that we are loved far greater than we can ever fathom???!!! Far more than we even deserve. 

There is magic in my heart tonight.

I am filled, despite my imperfections.

I pray that you are too! 

and if not, I pray that maybe you can read my heart in this little message here at Bella's little Rose and know that despite your imperfections, you are loved too!

Christmas Traditions...

 (random photos from our Holiday home! - be prepared for picture overload!)

Buddy, our kitty has decided her loves to snooze under the trees...

He's all like, hey thanks for putting this blanket and water bowl here just for me! :-)

 What Christmas would be complete without Charlie Brown and his gang???

Doesn't the Charlie Brown Christmas song just make you smile?

 If you asked my girls their favorite traditions,

they would probably tell you they love our Holiday crafting and present making,

and most of all our annual Christmas cookie baking day!
It is so fun to get them involved in the giving.
I love to see them concerned about the spirit of giving, instead of focusing on what Santa will be
bringing only themselves!

 This is one of my favorite ornaments...

my teapot. I got her when I was 14 from my Mama!

Isn't she sweet?

 No fake trees for this family...

We like to go out and cut our tree(s) - maybe we love it so much because it's just another special tradition?!;-)

Now that the girls are getting a bit older,

this year more than any other, we are really diving into the 

real reason we celebrate, and what it really means!

Don't get me wrong, we have always talked about,

and celebrated Jesus' birth, however, now that the girls are 8 and almost 5,

we can really begin to go deeper!

 another something fun...

Elf on a Shelf

Have you heard about this???

It's really fun!!!

 Every year, since Bella was wee, I have given a tree that the kid's get to decorate.

This year, since we have so many ornaments, due to our ornament exchanging,

and crafting we got a BIG tree for the girls to decorate, all for their very own.

They did such a great job! 

Matt and I put the lights on, and then they went for it!

They did great!

 Lola and Buddy found a place on the tree!

Lola is quite intrigued by this whole Christmas business since it's her very first Christmas with her real family!

Just a few more days to go...

are you soaking up the fun?

It's almost Christmas time!!!

Have fun making memories, traditions mean so much!

a Christmas alphabet...

by Bella Reed age 8

A - is for advent calendar
B- is for baby Jesus is born
C - is for Christmas caroling
D - is for Deck the Halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la la la la la!
E - is for events and elves
F- is for family and friends
G- is for giving instead of getting
H- is for the Holy Spirit
I- is for icy icicles
J- is for Jolly old St. Nick
K- is for kindness
L- is for lights and lots of love
M- is for Merry
N- is for nice & naughty children
O- is for ornament
P- is for present
Q- is for quiet night
R- is for Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
S- is for Santa Clause
T- is for tinsel
U- is for unwrapped
V-is for voices singing
W- is for wishes
X- is for X-mas
Y- is for yuletide treasure
Z- is for zazzling dazzle

not for the squeamish...

Not only is this what I feel like today, it's what I look like too!
You should have seen the look I got from the preschool teachers today dropping off and picking up Meritt at school.
If I had more energy I would have said, this is what a mom looks like after being up for two nights in a row with the flu going through...

(warning this post is not for the squeamish!)
Thanksgiving night was Meritt.
Night before last was Bella.
Vomit everywhere...
I have a question... why does the flu always hit in the middle of the night?
Why do kids always throw up in their beds?
Awful I tell you.
Like a hurricane of puke hit.
Ah, yes. These are the glamorous moments of life!
Good thing is, the extraordinary love God gives us for our children provides us the strength and fortitude to not only clean up the puke hurricanes, but also hold their hair back while they throw up time after time for 12 hours straight.

If that wasn't glamourous enough... after all of that,
Last night was my turn... luckily, I did not throw up in my bed.
I made it to the porcelain god, thankfully!

So, let's re-cap in the last two weeks: I had a piercing pain in my stomach that ended up being a ruptured ovarian cyst that landed me on bed rest for a few days... then I mustered the energy to put together Thanksgiving dinner for 12. In the middle of the night after Thanksgiving was over and all cleaned up, Meritt awoke to vomit EVERYwhere... she laid on our floor by our bed and vomited all night long. She recovered fairly quickly. We convinced ourselves she must have eaten too much Thanksgiving dinner and dessert, and cleaned up the horror and moved on, praying that it wasn't a virus. Monday night, Bella vomited half asleep & half awake in her bed, got up vomited two more times on the way down to us. Woke us at 1am with vomit dripping from her poor little pathetic shaking body... we put her in the bath, cleaned up the hurricane, made her a bed in the basement, and stayed awake with her cleaning her bowl out every 20 minutes or so while she got sick all night long. By morning, I wasn't sure if I was just exhausted or getting it too, but I made it through the day sanitizing and caring for sick B and bored feeling much better M... by the time Matt got home, I was done. By 8 I was vomiting too, and here we are today... feeling much like that pug eyed face above. Praying that God knows that this is all I can handle for a while.

So, if you feel so inclined, would you pray that this is the end of the sick people in our home?!!!
It's Christmas time. I have a retail store that needs me... and a slew of other things that really need my attention. Please let this be the last day, I look like my pug dog with my hoodie on my head. I can't take anymore!!!

grateful...

I am so thankful for all of the blessings in my life. My cup truly does run over! I have happy healthy kids, and a great husband. Together we make a family. When I was a little girl, I dreamed of the day I could have my own family. No where in my dreams did I imagine all the blessings that God would provide me. Life is definitely not perfect. But, in the moments when I feel like life is unraveling a bit, I think of those who have real problems. People that don't know where their next meal will come from. People that spend more time in the cold than in warmth. Those who don't have clean water to drink. When I look at life from this perspective, I know how blessed I truly am. It is with a thankful heart today that I will celebrate this Thanksgiving. Happy to have family and friends, good food, and a warm home to celebrate with and in.

My prayer is where ever you are today, that you too have blessing that are great. Happy Thanksgiving! Have a wonderful day full of love, and laughter, and lots of good foods to eat!

warm at my feet...

On cold, stormy nights like these, I am thankful for having these little creatures, my friends, warm at my feet.

 I can't even imagine what my life would be like without my pets.

A lot of people don't understand it...

you know why you'd want so many things to take care of...

but, I can't imagine living without the love that they give.

The day we lost Addie Kat, I came home, and I was so thankful that I had these three to come home to.

I can't even imagine how wrecked I would have been had the house been empty of animal life...

I am thankful for their quiet, unconditional, love and friendship.

My life is better because they are in it.

what's for dinner tonight....

I saw this last week on someone's blog... don't remember where or who. SO, I went to my trusty best friend Pinterest, and searched for baked chicken spaghetti, and wha-la! The original recipe from the Pioneer Woman. www.thepioneerwoman.com - So, I ran out this evening got the ingredients I didn't have, and it looks like it's gonna be a baked spaghetti kind of night. Yumm-o can't wait!

I love cozy days at home. Especially in the Fall because there is something guilt free about naps, and good cozy comfort foods, and curling up and cuddling with a good book and a dog by your side. That is my idea of a good day!

Happy Friday, hope you are having a lovely start to your weekend!

Kat...

Today, the planet, our hearts, our home, and our lives lost a sweet soul, and heaven gained an angel. We said good-bye to our sweet girl Addie-kat, known to those who loved her just as 'Kat'. Her name is inspired from Audrey Hepburn's cat in Breakfast at Tiffany's. I just love how Holley Golightly called for her cat... makes me laugh every time I think about it!

Matt and I picked her out of a box of kittens in my neighbors garage the year we graduated from High School. She was with us every step of our lives as he and I. Today after spending 13 years and 8 months loving her, she passed away. She left this earth peacefully holding on to my shoulder... her happy and safe place. I am glad she is no longer in pain... my heart aches for my own loss, and for the loss of Matt, and the girls, but I am thankful for her. No more pain, no more suffering, no more hurting...

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween

from Harry Potter (herself) and Hedwig his (her) owl!

my fourth and final trip...

 Last Thursday, I had the great pleasure to go on my fourth, an final First Christian Pre-primary, annual pumpkin patch field trip! It was a bittersweet day, because I knew I would never again be a mom to a preschooler, and go on one of these fabulous fall outings!

 First off the kids got to play for a bit on the hay fort...

 Then off to line up wash hands, and get ready for a snack!

 This is Meritt's little friend Elsa. She is 3 days younger than Meritt. (although she was supposed to be a month older ;)) They were in the hospital nursery together - now look at them all big and four!

 I am AMAZED how well the teacher get these 16 spirited little individuals to behave. They lined up nicely for a class photo!

 Of course the kids want to see what the picture looks like!

 Then finally snack time - homemade cider donuts and fresh pressed cider... YUM! I got a snack too!

 Off on the wagon we went to hunt for the perfect pumpkin!

Friends gathered together in the front of the wagon, to ride back to the farm, and say 'see ya later alligator!'
It was the most perfect weather I have ever had on one of these trips... it was great!