New Year, New Baby!

I wrote this a month or so ago when we first found out we were pregnant...:) I thought I would share today and will catch you up on my next post! 13 weeks along now and feeling great! Picture and Pregnancy updates to come!!

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Yes, its true! We are pregnant!!!!! Baby #3 is due July 19th, 2013:) We are so excited and know how blessed we are to be given another child. Nothing makes us happier. We found out we were pregnant and called the doc to make an appt. I went in that Monday morning and got the positive from the doctor:))) There is a baby a growin'.....

We have decided to wait until 12 weeks before really telling anyone. So, until then...I am having Weston build me a board to track this pregnancy. I now need to find ways to make it my own. 7 weeks down, 31 weeks to go:))))

Flashback Friday

Happy Friday! I hope you have all had a great week. I am so glad it is the weekend. One day closer to my honey getting home:) I am looking forward to a girls night tonight!!!!! My friend Jenn is having a Stella and Dot party:) Tomorrow is a big day in our house for football. Georgia plays Alabama in the SEC championship! I know we can beat them on two conditions: 1. We come out playing like we have the last 6 games 2. We don't let them get too ahead of us at the beginning. If Bama scores 2 or 3 times at the beginning, I think it will be hard to come back. But not matter what, we have had an AWESOME season! GOOOOO DAWGS! Sunday we have church and lunch with our friends. Our elf is also making his debut this weekend as well as our advent calendar:)

Next week I have some new healthy foods to share with you. Our commissary is really trying o bring in some specialty items and I am really excited about them. Now on to Flashback Friday...

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This pictures is precious to me. This is just a couple weeks after we brought my sweet Elias home. He was a little early and stayed in the NICU for two weeks. I was so happy to finally have him home:)

Have a wonderful weekend! Hope you get some Christmas shopping done:))

What are your weekend plans? 

Something Old, Something New: Christmas Edition

There are a few small traditions we are starting this holiday season. I have a few more I would like to start but will wait until my little boys are older. This year Wyatt and I are making and stringing  Gingerbread Men for our Christmas Tree. I have always loved the "stringing popcorn/gingerbread men" look hanging on a tree. I don't think the popcorn will work so well with my almost 2 and 4 year old so we are going to try the gingerbread men. I will post a picture after we hang them this weekend.

This will be our first year baking gingerbread cookies, too:) I am taking them to a holiday party and to our family's cookie decorating before Christmas...mmmmm.

Another tradition we are going to start this Christmas season is reading the story of Jesus' birth up until Christmas Day. Growing up we always opened the bible and read the true meaning of Christmas before gifts were opened. Weston and I have carried that tradition on with our boys, but I want to take it a step further. I want my boys to really know what we celebrate. Without our Savior, we would have nothing. 

So, we are using our next new tradition as our way to bring in a little more fun and a little more Jesus. After all, it IS HIS day:) Meet our Elf, Billy Bob....

No, I had no say in his name;) My husband and 4 year old named him. Wyatt actually says,"B-Bob":) This year our little elf will not only find fun ways to move around our house, but he will bring another piece of the christmas story with him. I hope the  boys enjoy it as much as I will;)

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Those are some of our new traditions, but I wanted to share some that aren't so new. Some of these we have been doing since I was little. Every year, my mom would take us to pick out a tree, (sometimes we came home with a Charlie Brown tree, too), we would get out our decorations, and the Charlie Brown Christmas album would be on in the background.  As soon as we heard the album start to play, we knew it was really Christmas time:) My mom always made a big breakfast and we sat around and opened gifts. Whether we spent it at home or with Grandparents, there was always Christmas dinner. Since I have been a part of Weston's family, we have added to the Christmas traditions. A few years ago, when we all started having kids, Weston's family started a Cookie Decorating day. This year we are headed to my sister-in-laws for cookies, and we are going to be bringing Gingerbread men. I am SOOO excited for my sisters and I to start these traditions in the coming years with our babies.....

Those are just a few of my traditions. Christmas season is my favorite time of year for sure! As much as I love making these special memories, my main focus is the birth of Jesus. Without Him, I would not have salvation and without that, I would be lost. I hope you enjoy all of your special traditions, old and new, this year. But most importantly, I hope you have accepted the most important gift: Salvation from Jesus. 

What are your family traditions? Are you starting any new ones?

Where do you spend your holiday?

A Little of This, A Little of That...

I'mmmm Baaaaacck!:) The last week and a half we have had our family here so my blog took the back burner. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! I have had a wonderful holiday season so far.... mostly because my sweet husband had the last week off!!!! My sister and her precious husband were here for 5 days:) There is nothing I love more. We did some shopping, but mostly we spent time together at our home. We decorated for Christmas and watched some of our favorite holiday movies. The boys were in heaven..:)

My sister left Wednesday morning and my in-laws arrived Wednesday evening:) Weston spent the day putting up lights on our house and making a pot of chili for dinner. Grammie brought Wyatt and Elias a few Christmas movies and the movie "Brave." So, we spent the evening watching Brave and eating homemade chili....perfection. I wish I could have shared my delicious Turkey dinner with you all. It was sooo yummy! I made another Cajun Turkey and it was to die for!!! My sweet MIL made green beans, and I finished it off with homemade rolls, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and cherry cobbler. Weston and I did our annual Black Friday shopping. We couldn't bring ourselves to shopping on Thanksgiving Day. It just doesn't seem right. At what point do you draw the line and remember what this holiday time is about? We just aren't going to take our family time on Thanksgiving Day to go shop. So, we left out house at 4am on Friday and hit up all the stops on our list. We got some really great things for our boys and I cannot wait until they open their gifts. We then met up with my friend Jenn and her husband for breakfast and then hit up a couple more stores. I actually like that all of the crazies had gotten their shopping done because the stores were restocked and the lines were much shorter:) SCORE! We spent the next fews days cooking, went shopping for the boys winter clothes (got some ADORABLE STUFF), and went to our favorite restaurants around here....

This is the sweetest picture from their visit. Wyatt brushing his Grammie's hair;)

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I miss my family terribly, but am already counting down the days until we leave for Georgia....Until then, we have lots of parties, get togethers, SEC championship;)), shopping, eating, time with sweet friends, and the start to some new traditions. One of which I will share tomorrow on my blog..

Happy Post-Thanksgiving and Welcome Full on Christmas time!!:)

Christmas Things+Kid's Movie Picks

For those that know me, know that Christmas season starts after Halloween for me;) I have been  thoroughly enjoying my music, hot drinks, shopping, planning, Christmas events, movies, etc. I am so excited!!!! Today I just wanted an excuse to talk Christmas:).....

We are going to a Grant'sChristmas Tree Farm with our friends this year and cutting down our own tree. I have been dying for that day to get here, as I am soooooo ready to start decorating my house! My honey and I are putting together a tree for the boys this year, and I am so excited to have a little one in their room. The task now will be keeping Eli's sticky hands from taking off the ornaments...

This year is going to be the start of some new traditions for us. Some years we travel home and some years we stay here. This year we are going home to Georgia, but will celebrate our family Christmas before hand. Whether it be my Grandma's cooking traditions, activities, bible stories, etc...we will be doing some wonderful things this holiday season. One of the things we are starting is Elf on the Shelf. To welcome this elf, we are having a "North Pole" breakfast. I have had a fun time shopping for all things "Christmas breakfast." The boys will be so excited to do this.

So today, I thought I would share a couple of our Christmas movie picks for Kids:

These are just a couple of the ones we have! I will share more as the Christmas season continues:) We have a pretty good selection of Christmas movies, and I can't promise I won't be getting more today:/ Hallmark has a coupon out right now thru the end of December for $10 off. For those that buy their ornaments, I would watch the mail;) Wyatt has already picked out the one he wants:) 

Okay, I could sit here all day and blog about Christmas but I have to get ready for Thanksgiving;) Happy Wednesday!

Randoms and Thankfulness

Well, we had a great 4 day weekend. Veteran's Day is always special as I have many men/women in my life to celebrate. I am starting to miss blogging again, so I think the break I took was definitely worth it;) I was reminded of how much time I spend trying to "keep up" with the world and the standards of people around me. God has been showing me so much of himself and what he intended for my life. I am striving to pray daily, "God, what should I be doing for you today?" I am learning so much about my Lord and I am cherishing it.

For many years, the time change has been a dreaded day;) This year, God has really given me the desire to take advantage of waking up at 5 or 5:30 AM. I am aiming to use that quiet time to spend the early morning with my honey and get my bible study in:)

The holiday season brings up the "I am thankful fors"....on Facebook, instagram, etc. I get where people can get annoyed, and yes some people miss the real meaning of the thankfulness...I however like to look at the bright side and the fact that they are acknowledging whats important to them. For me, a lot of what I am thankful for are the people in my life. I have been so blessed. Today, however, I am thankful for my dearest friends here in Louisiana. Even before we moved here, I knew God had something special for us. I knew we would grow even more....I thank God everyday for bringing us here!! We are more settled now than we have ever been. For me, these girls are always there, they are always honest, loving, examples of Christ. Their children are such wonderful influences for my boys. I have not gone a day without hearing from at least one of them. That is so huge for me. I have been blessed with the friends in my life and I cherish all of them:) Here is the last picture we got together (which will change come Friday;)) We always get to eating, talking, "whatevering", that we forget to take pictures;)

Jenn being Jenn;), Hannah, Kristen, and Shaina

Missing Kayla

I have many more people I am thankful for, so heres to a few more "thankful for" posts;)

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I hope you all have a great Tuesday! I made some homemade recipes this weekend and I am looking forward to sharing them.....stay tuned! I am also getting together my "Christmas Wish List." I have so many wonderful holiday things coming up!! I cannot wait!:)

Today's the Day...VOTE!

Well, technically I voted 2 weeks ago, but it gets counted today! Have you voted? I always say, if you don't vote, don't complain. Today is a big day for our country. Every election day is a big day. It is a chance for us to stand for what we believe. It is also our right as american citizens to vote. Not only is it our right, it is a privilege. One in which we all should be taking advantage of today. Colorado, Florida, Virginia, and Ohio are the key states, so for those of you in those states, no pressure;)

Today I am forgoing "Turn The Page Tuesday" and focusing on something that has always been important to me. I grew up going to the polls with my mom and being taught how important it is. I am so thankful for a mother who taught me about voting and made a point to live out that teaching. Even this morning my mom called me and my sisters making sure we were voting. ;) As important as voting is to me, what is more important is my walk with the Lord. I am called as a christian to vote for the things that coincide with God's word. I am not worried about who is going to get elected, although I sure would like my candidate to win, or what will happen if things stay the same. It doesn't matter because God is still the one and only true God and He will use either candidate for his purpose. I hope you all get out to vote today and make a choice based on what you believe is right. Our vote shouldn't be based on race, political parties or affiliates, what the news channel says, etc. It should be based on what you feel is right. 

I hope you all have a wonderful election day and I hope you arrive when the lines have slowed down..:/ 

With that said, Happy Voting:)

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Next week I will pick back up with "Turn The Page Tuesday" so get your posts ready:) I have a great Thanksgiving book to share. I will also be posting Melissa and Doug's 2012 toy picks....

See you all tomorrow for another week of WIAW!:)