Good Bye 2008

I feel a bit overwhelmed by the idea of another year gone by. As I think about 2008 my heart skips a beat...the boys have grown so much, my house is more of a home, I am more in love with my adorable husband... what a wonderful year 2008 has been to me.

Today I have had a little bit of time to really think about who I am becoming as a Christian woman, a wife, a mother, a friend, a daughter , a sister, an aunt, a sister in law...and I think I am doing pretty OK. I have found that over the years I have been a tough critic of myself- not really cutting myself many breaks away from being perfect. However, as I look back now at all that has gone on over the past year I have taken hold of many opportunities . I have been brave. I have been present. I have tried my best... AND that is good enough for me.

As I sip my warm cup of coffee in a craft room that my adorable family created for me out of love, my boys sleep soundly wrapped in blankets made by their adoring mother, I hear the fire crackling in the fireplace which my adorable husband made to keep his family warm... I look with extreme excitement at the year to come! What adventures lay in store! What love I have to share!

May your new year be full!

Merry Christmas to You!

Wishing you a Cozy Christmas...

Fom Our Family to Yours!

Our Family at Christmas

Get a Yummy cup of coffee and spend some time with our family.

We have been very busy shopping, making crafts,eating sweets, and just enjoying every moment of this holiday season...

Welcome to our home...

I won't make you look and all 6 Christmas trees in our house.
They are all decorated by themes:
traditional
western
toy
flamingo
cooking
outdoors

We have worn our Santa Hats everywhere!
ADORABLE!

Our countdown to Christmas!

Yes...you can have too much CANDY!

We have used our Christmas Pillowcases every night!

The K-Man found this precious Cowboy Santa material. It looks so cute in their western room.

I don't know how I will get them off their pillows once Christmas is over!

The boys loved decorating the tree...

however,

we had to work on it in shifts because the excitement was too overwhelming!!!

Once again, my adorable husband came through with the outdoor decorations!

Thanks Daddy!

We have been reading Christmas book like crazy.

Our favorites this year:

The Dinosaurs' Night Before Christmas by Ann Muecke

There was an Old Lady that Swallowed a Bell by Lucille Colandro

The Twelve DOgs of Christmas by Emma Kragen

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss

The Night Before Christmas byClement C. Moore

Merry Christmas, Curious George by Margret and H.A. Rey

What's Christmas without some Caroling!!!

These are some of the sweet boys in the K-man class at church.

We filled bags with cookies...

signed Christmas cards...

Then about 30-40 of us headed to 3 nursing homes in the area and caroled our little hearts out!

We gave out cookies, cards, and lots of hugs!!

The True Meaning Of Christmas!!!

What is Christmas without Rudolph????

Last year we saw the play Frosty.

This year we experienced the fun of Rudolph!

I love taking the boys to plays for children. The excitement in the theater is so fun!

I have never seen so many antlers in one place-Ha!Santa was of course there and we were able to tell Santa what we wanted for Christmas this year.

I should have posted the picture-oops!

Letters to Santa have been mailed.

The K-Man would like:

A race track

A Transformer

A Power Ranger

Hot wheels

What is happening to my little boy...he is turning into a big boy and wanting big boy toys!

Little Bit would like:

Toys

Orange Toys

Blue Toys

I think Santa will be able to knock out his list!

Along with fudge, sausage balls, trash, cranberry trash, candy covered pretzels and crackers,etc.

We also spent some time together making sugar cookies!

Two boys in camo with a load of flour...

ADVENTURE!

We have lots of love made into those cookies!

Then came the decorating!

Without a doubt this was Little Bit's favorite part!

YUMMY~

Santa will have a wonderful treat this year!

The K-man got in on the action of mailing out Christmas cards this year!

Whew! First Batch!

OHHHH...My Adorable Boy's last Christmas Program in Pre-K!

Sing my sweet Angel!

We have been making wonderful memories this year!

I hope you are taking the chance to savor every minute with your family too!

Pray.

I want to ask for prayers for a very strong man and a very strong woman.
You will understand when you read here .
I am humbled by their faith and strength. My heart also hurts for them. Please pray.

"Betty Baker"

No phone calls...
No emails...
No contact with the outside world!!!

There is some serious Holiday Baking to be done!

Actually, I love to bake AND I have an adorable husband and boys who love to eat!

Sounds like a good combination to me! Put on the vintage holiday apron. Then, turn on some holiday music with a warm fire going in the fireplace and I could bake all day long!

Just call me "Betty Baker"!

I have been thinking...

1. Real Vs. Not Real Christmas trees- We teased ourselves earlier in asking ourselves if we needed a "not real" Christmas tree. We actually picked out our tree last night and put it in the house this morning to decorate tonight...the smell is WONDERFUL! Every time I walk by it I take in a deep breath. The boys have started to copy me-Ha! If you have never had a real tree it is worth just picking up a little one to put somewhere in your home just for the smell!

2. Traditional Christmas cards Vs. Photo cards- I was taking out all my Christmas cards from Christmas gone by and I noticed all the wonderful and colorful traditional cards. I am crazy about old vintage holiday cards...so why don't I send cards that one day may be appreciated by other generations? I also like the notes that I find written on cards. In our fast paced, often impersonal world it is so meaningful to receive personal notes.

3. White light Vs. Color lights- We have always had big colorful lights on our house. I think it is because of the memories of our childhood...that's what everyone had! Now, there are so many options and the white lights are stunning. After having a family discussion and vote...it was unanimous! BIG COLORFUL LIGHTS!!!

4. I looked over at the K-Man who crawled into our bed this morning to snuggle in with me (My adorable husband was already up with his 1st cup of "coppee") and I noticed K-man smelling the pillow. When I asked what he was doing in snuggled in and said, "smelling Daddy". Oh, the precious moments that need to be savored! Oh, to love like a child!

5. Many of my Christmas gifts have been handmade this year. I have been staying up late listening to Christmas music with large mugs of coffee in hand. AND I HAVE LOVED IT~ There is something special about thinking about the person the whole time you are making the item for them. You think about what they would like, the color, design and so on. I have also sewn all of us Christmas PJs and the boys "cowboy Santa" pillow cases! I have loved every minute- there is something we are missing at Christmas that I think gets revisited when you don't just slide a card, but actually spend TIME on someone else!

6. I have been having some wonderful sleep since I splurged and bought two feathered pillows!(or maybe it has been the late nights crafting- Ha!) Yes, they were on sale and they are worth every penny! Why are our bedrooms always the last to get anything? Well, I'm on a mission to make my bedroom a restful and warm place! It will take some time, but the feather pillows were a HUGE step in the right direction!

Cold Coffee

Yes, Little Bit loves Momma's

"coppee". However, he prefers it cold- He follows me around saying, "coppee cold?"

Lately, I have been leaving some in the mug just for the little booger!

Before Moving on...

Before moving on I wanted to document our wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!

We were so blessed not to have to travel 6 hours with two little ones this year!

Instead we had family come and spend time in our "special place", Our Home.

My Mom and I spent time with the boys making these fun Turkeys!

Well, the boys spent about 30 minutes (which is really pretty good) creating these edible turkeys and we finished them. Yes, the boys are in Santa hats. They are like their Momma...it is never too early to celebrate Christmas!

We also spent time watching the Aggies Vs. the "Boo Horns" on Thanksgiving night.
Unfortunately, that was NOT the highlight of the night!


We were blessed to also have Londyn (Danessa and Nick's sweet daughter) over for some fun in the country!

Another picture of the kids and at the "Kids Table".
We have all be there-Ha!

Along with Londyn, came Don with Granny and Grandpa Farris.
We had soup, salad and corn bread...yummy for a cold night!

With us living a distance away it was the first time that Granny and Grandpa had been to our special place! I was honored to cook a meal for my Grandparents who have always opened their home and filled my tummy all these years!

That's only the first two days of celebrating...on Saturday we went about an hour away to spend time at my Auntie Carla and Don's home for a huge Thanksgiving feast with ALL the family!

Yes, more pictures of the kids- I am just so blessed!

There had to be three tables because of the family that was all there!

Table #1

Table #2

Table #3

AND...one of the most exciting things was celebrating my Grandparents

50th Wedding Anniversary!

Now...that is something to be truly thankful for!
A legacy that started with "I do" and has touched so many lives!

Oh...to be thankful every day of my life!