A time of Thanks!

We have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving Season and always. We tried to talk alot about being thankful, what we are thankful for, etc. Here are some things that Faith (3) is thankful for this year: Ballerinas, ice cream, flowers, God, her friends and her sissy. 

As for me, I have found myself being especially thankful for a warm home to live and sleep in, more than enough food to eat, daughters to love, a husband to cherish, welcoming friends, caring family, and a Lord and Savior who loves me enough to bear my sins and freely give never-ending grace and love. May I be more like Him this Thanksgiving and Christmas Season. 

Now....about that food I'm thankful for.....

As I mentioned before, we stayed home this Thanksgiving as I worked the day of. But, Nate had Wed. off too, so we had a family feast a day early! After MANY texts and phone conversations with my very patient mother -in-law (THANK YOU Debbie!!!), we were all set and prepared to give it our best go! I am happy and THANKFUL to say that our feast turned out very well! :)

 The finished ham...good thing Daddy remembered the pinneapple!

 I MADE A TURKEY! Still a little in shock about that one :)

 The spread....just not enough room for sweet potatoes and rolls...

 Stuffing

 Green Bean Casserole

 a BIG GIRL HAIRCUT!!! I "meant" to do a post on Faith's super-brave haircut (she wanted to go even shorter!!!). Doesn't she look so cute and SO grown-up?!

 Lainie her usual disaster by the end of the meal :) She really knows how to experience her food!

 Me and the hubs (happy and surprised we actually pulled it off :) Love this guy!).

Thanks for stopping by :) 

It's been awhile...

It's been awhile since my last post! Since my last post we had a GREAT visit from Grandma Dorothy and Tucker. We ALL loved having them here...and especially the girls. We ate lots of good food, played and just hung out for a few days. We are so glad you came, Grandma!!! Thank you! Here are some pics of our time....

 Grandma and Faith doing a puzzle...again :)

 Playing dolls with Grandma. She is such a good sport :)

 Lots of love and hugs for Grandma!!!

Since Grandma's visit we have just been hanging out......playing, making food for friends, loving when Daddy comes home from work...the usual :) Here are some pics of some fun day-to-day "stuff"

 We LOVE forts around here right now...and I think it will serve us well throughout the winter months! Mommy may have to get more creative....think of some new varieties...

 We have also been having tea parties. They are usually early morning, while still in our pj's. We invite babies and animals of all kinds. I have been throwing around the idea of getting out my "special" tea sets. Faith would just love it!

 Cheeeeeeers!

 Naptime in the fort. Complete with baby and bunny.

Oh...and have I mentioned that we love chocolate in this house? This child has inherited the sweet tooth. It's official. We were sitting at dinner the other night and Lainie had eaten a TON of mashed potatoes and fried chicken, so for "desert" Nate gave her a cookie. She finished and was still working on some potatoes. Then she just sat there. I asked her if she was done, "nuh uh." Do you want more potatoes? "nuh uh." Chicken? "nuh uh." What do you want? Can you show Mommy? (pointing to counter) "cookies." Need I say more? :)

MIZ - ZOU!!! GOOOO Tigers!!!

Ok. So. My husband is an OU fan. Big time.....but our trick-or-treating buddies are big Razorback fans.....a dilemma. So, we met in the middle! Hamilton and Stella's mom is a MU alum, I am, and Nate will be....plus we happen to live here....so, MIZZOU it was! Faith and Lainie were cheerleaders, Hamilton the football player and baby sister Stella was the football! Adorable. We had a blast....and, in terms of wonderment, our girls find it in CANDY! Even Lainie calls any sweet thing "cookie." They come by it naturally :)

Now...don't these kiddos make you want to root for the Tigers? :)

And....Daddy's amazing carving SKILLS!

Hope you had a great Halloween!!!

A Girls Trip South!

I am blessed to get to work part-time at one of our local hospitals in the Emergency Department...but one of the only down sides (as anyone working in healthcare knows) is that we don't close for holidays. This year I am working Thanksgiving which means we won't be able to spend it in OK as we had planned. Daddy was SUCH a good sport, and "let" us girls take a trip down South while he stayed home and worked and studied. I drove through the night with the girls, and they really did awesome. I much prefer that to driving during the day as Lainie really is not loving long car rides (when she is awake). She is such a mover and shaker, that sitting still while she is awake is just not much fun...which translates to not much fun for anyone else either! Gigi, Papaw and Aunt Ally spoiled us rotten. We did all kinds of fun stuff...Mommy even got to go to a costume party sans children with Ally. It was pretty funny...I was Cleopatra (Cleo for short) and Ally was Gretchen (the German bar maid). Ha! We had a great time.

Other favorites were the Pumpkin Farm (city-style!) with our "new" friends Grayson and his Mommy Danelle, playing with "Moose" (the GIANT and lovable golden retriever), eating LOTS of Gigi's famous cooking, hugs and more hugs from Lainie-bug, going to church where Lainie praised the Lord through dance and Faith through singing (Jesus Loves Me into the mic, that is :) ), feeding the chickens, and a girls slumber party! Woo! We got alot in for a 5 night stay! Here are some pics (which I know is what you are really waiting for :) )!

 Faith holding an OK oil rigging wrench :)

The HUGE slide Faith got to go down! Lainie really wanted to, but not quite big enough yet :)

Grayson and Danelle!

Giving the pumpkin love :)

Gigi and her girls!

Loving Uncle Raymond too...

FIRST pony ride for Faith and Lainie!!!!

And.....Halloween Pics to come :)