Merry and Bright...

Merry Christmas

From our Family to yours!

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!

look whooo turned eight years old...

One of the happy things that happened while my computer was M.I.A. was that Miss Bella turned 8 years old.
Are you thinking what I'm thinking....
How can that possibly be???
Because my answer is.... I have NO idea.
How did my baby grow up before my very eyes?
How did my shy little girl grow to be so confident?
She is becoming a young lady.
She is smart, and funny, and witty, and likable.
She is creative, and friendly, and sassy, and sweet.
She is lovely, and beautiful, and kind.

We celebrated this year with an owl themed family style party, and then a sleepover with one of her best friends.
It was nice, simple, and easy this year.
It doesn't mean that turning 8 wasn't a big deal, because every year in my opinion is a BIG DEAL! A milestone. A year of memories never to happen again. I try hard to make birthdays special, because I think it's the one day a year that you get to be shown just how special you are!

Dear Bella, I hope you felt special!
I hope you know how loved you are!
I hope EIGHT turns out to be an awesome year!
Love you my sweet sunshine.


XO, Mama

Good Friday...

What does Easter mean to you?
How does it make you feel?
What kind of memories do you want your child/children to have when they think back on Easter memories...

Can I tell you a moment from this week that made my heart so happy?
Meritt came home from school and said, 'Mama, Jesus died for us, and now he's ALIVE!'... Yes, she's excited to hunt for eggs on Sunday, and wear her pretty new dress to church, but she knows what we're celebrating, even at 4 years old!

Easter has never been about pretty dresses, eggs, or bunnies to me.
Not that I don't like a good chocolate egg, or to dress my girls or myself in a beautiful dress...

It is by far my favorite holiday.

This song sums it all up for me.
It's been playing over and over and over in my car all week.
This is the meaning. This is the reason we celebrate this holiday.
It moves me.
It makes me so thankful.
I can hardly imagine being able to make a sacrifice so amazing, so selfless... so grand.

I hope your holiday is filled to the brim with sunshine, and happiness. I hope your life is overflowing this Sunday with family, and love. Celebrate life. Celebrate the newness of the season. Celebrate that he died for us, so that we can be saved!

Have a beautiful Easter!

party favorites...

the party girl...

We celebrated Meritt's fourth Birthday in true pony girl style at the Carousel. What a blast she had partying on the ponies! The other kids had fun too ;)

look who's four...

My baby girl turned four years old on Saturday...
Happy, and glad for the gift I have been given being this sweet girls mama.
She has brought more joy to my life in the last four years than I ever even knew was possible.
I have LOTS more pictures to share of her party... so when I get them edited you will be seeing many more!

wishing you peace and love at Christmas!

we missed it this year...

While yes, it's the fourth of July... I'm afraid we missed the festivities around our parts this year. Ooops. Maybe next year.

We are knee deep in getting ready for our yard sale at the end of the month. I just have to state... it isn't that fun to go through old junk you don't want anymore. Nor is it all that fun to spend the fourth of July cleaning out the attic, when you would rather be doing just about anything else.

On the bright side, we have now cleaned out our whole storage room and half of our attic. A wee bit more to do and we'll be organized. Any of you out there looking for good baby/toddler stuff. Whoo Eeee do we have some for you!

I hope you did something more fun than we did! But, on the plus side we did attend two BBQ's this weekend, and have been having tons of fun with our new little fur ball Buddy, and that's pretty fun right?!

Happy Fourth of July All!

a pony party for Bella...

We had a great time Saturday celebrating Bella's seventh Birthday with big ol' pony party!!! Complete with cowgirl grub, playing horseshoes, bobbing for apples, stick pony races, a cowboy boot pinata, giant horsey cupcakes, and lot's of party like celebration... I think Bella as well as all the other kiddos had a great time! I know I did... I got dared to "show" the kids how to bob for apples. Showed them! Don't dare a cowgirl's mother! :O) My prayers were answered and the rain held off, we even saw the sun. So, all and all... I think turning seven turned out to be a great time for all involved! But, boy this cowgirl's mama is tired! Night ya'll!

4:51 am, 7 years ago...

On June 20th, at 4:51 am, seven years ago, I became a mother. It was the day my life changed forever. My heart grew in size. I knew the purist form of falling in love. The nurse laid her on my chest, I looked into her eyes, and she in mine, and from that moment on she has been my girl.

She is my sweet, timid, humble, kind, stubborn,shy, loving, emotional, sensitive, amazing little girl. She's funny. She's quick. She's matter of fact, and to the point. She's creative... imaginative...smart, cuddley, and soft hearted. She is beautiful, just like her name says, on the inside and the out.

I am in disbelief that seven years have flown by me. But, in a way I cannot fathom or imagine what my life, let alone a day, would be like with out her in it.

She's not a baby, not a little child, anymore... no she is a girl, with a great big world ahead, and I am so thrilled to watch her flourish and bloom as she grows. Can't wait to celebrate each Birthday as they come along, and savor each step along the path of growing up!

So to you my sweet, beautiful, Bella girl, I love you more than the sun and the moon, and all the stars that shine in the sky. I hope all your dreams come true. Today, and everyday! Thank you for choosing me to have the honor of being your mother! Happy Birthday B!

remembering the meaning...

While bunnies, chicks, chocolates, and pretty little Easter dresses are all nice, lovely, and fun. Don't forget to wake up this Easter morning with appreciation and remembrance for what this day means. For all that it brings. New life, eternal life, everlasting life... in Jesus. He's Alive! Let us remember the true meaning today, and everyday. Happy Easter!

Monkey turns three...

it's a new year!

it's a new year...

a new day...

what will it bring?

Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

From us to you, we hope your Christmas is Magical!