Long Weekend Continued

The Hopkins family came to visit us and see our new home on Saturday and we were so excited to see how much Eli had grown! Amelia is just like I always was (still am): baby obsessed.

 Lily and Elise went right to the toys and played the rest of the evening.

 We had a great afternoon/evening together and we always enjoy Brandy and Nathan's company.  I loved when the girls went to bed, because I got some time to play with this sweet guy.  Oh my word he is so giggly.

 After church there was lots more snuggling and playing.  Even though it was a short trip, we crammed in a lot of visiting and quality time.  So glad they packed tons of stuff and made the effort to come up here--it takes a lot to load the car with kid stuff. 

It was the nicest afternoon we have had in WEEKS, so we went to Bull Shoals State Park for a hike.  But when we pulled up, there was a great park that we had to play at first.  A fun day of exploring the towns around us.

 After our hike, we found out that the Thompsons were just down the road at the river, so we drove down there to join them.  It was beautiful and somehow the kids talked us into putting their feet into the river in JANUARY.  They had such a blast.

It was a wonderful day and made me so happy to live where we live.  I feel like these friendships, new and old, are rare.  In this age of one-upping and out-doing and over-committing, it is nice to have people that you can be totally real with.  Honest and relaxed.  Lucky lady right here.

Long Weekend

I have to get back in gear on my blog updates or I will never catch up!  We had a wonderful long weekend (and now it is already the weekend again; time you are so sly) at Big Cedar and it was our first time to go.  Our friends have a timeshare and invited us for some good food and game playing.  We feel very blessed to have really connected with a few couples who have the same main life goal:  loving God and telling others about Him. The fact that we can just slum in our pajamas and get competitive during some guys vs girls board games is icing on the cake.  Gampy and Gammy came and stayed the night with the girls so that Ross and I could go have some time together.  I am so thankful that they see that Ross and I being together is important.  And just as I was feeling extra guilty for telling the girls that we were staying TWO nights and not one, Amelia burst out with, "YES, this is the best news ever."  Haha.  We listened to a comedian after dinner and oh how funny he was. 

Our friends left Friday afternoon and Ross and I did some shopping and then Steph and D came up for another great dinner.  Love that we are all four best friends.  Makes me so happy when I know that so many others struggle with their in-laws.

 Saturday morning we woke up bright and early to get home to the girls and prepare for our company that was arriving in a few hours.  The girls loved the big lollipops we brought them home.

Thanks again Mom and Dad for all your help and allowing us to have that fun time together with people we love!!  Always good to see these two blonde babies though.  Missed them so much.

2014

Feeling so overwhelmed this morning as I sit down. Tears in the eyes overwhelmed.  I feel so insanely undeserving as I look back at 2013.  Every single picture that I took means something to me, evokes such emotion in me.  I have read so many things lately about taking too many pictures and having your phone in your hand and being distracted, and it is easy for me to start to believe everything someone writes.  To believe that it has to be true for me, and that I have to implement it.  I have to find what works best for my family, as does everyone; and, we love pictures.  It warms my heart when the girls and I sit down and look back at pictures of things we did the past year.  They excitedly and vividly recount, "Oh, it was so hot that day!"  Or, "That was the most awesome time sledding, Mom!" 

One day back in June, I took about 20-30 pictures of the girls lying on our new rug on the porch. They were just playing, nothing monumental.  But the story behind the picture tugs at my heart. When we purchased this house, I had dreams of a bright and colorful rug out there.  Dreams of turning that porch into a playroom, with sun streaming in those thousands of windows.  I searched for months for the perfect rug and when it came in, soft and colorful and perfect, that was a victory.  The first day the girls played on the sunporch after the rug was in place and the toys were situated, another victory.  This picture represents so much happiness to me.  So much worry about the move and them adjusting and missing our house, dissolved.  So many answered prayers in one seemingly insignificant photo.  This picture represents a victory to me.

And, in this new year, I want to focus more on victories.  I love the hymn, "Oh, Victory, in Jesus, my Savior, forever..."  It is true, in him we have victory!  We are free of our old selves and our old baggage and ready for new things to conquer in HIM.  Yes there will be defeats, but that makes the victories sweeter yet.  So, goodbye fear and guilt.  Goodbye, gossip and negativity.  I'm ready to claim Victory.

Oh Christmas Tree

I LOVED decorating for our first Christmas in our new house.  It was so exciting figuring out where everything would go.  We did a tree downstairs...

Amelia helped me do this whole tree while Ross was at work.  She even helped me carry the box downstairs.  It was so sweet to see how into it she was this year, plus I needed the help!!

This stink bug ran around like a crazy woman.

A little tree in the playroom...

Our precious tree from Mammaw in the living room...

And new pink tree in the girls room...

I know that Christmas trees have nothing to do with the birth of Jesus, but the lights twinkling on the tree honestly feel so special and spiritual to me.  I loved lying in there the whole season and looking at the ornaments from the couch and recalling all the memories attached to each one.  It was such a cozy spot to reflect on my blessings each night.  Totally worth all the hard work!

Elise Mae is THREE, How Can It Be?

This sweet and precious girl wanted a dog birthday party and she just requested dogs everywhere, lol.  She was SO very excited for her big day to get here. 

Elise is a major ham- the funniest person in our family.  I knew she would act wild and crazy at her party, but she didn't.  She acted pretty reserved and even a tad shy.  It was so weird.  No matter how much you think you have your child pegged, they can surprise you!  She still had a great birthday, but definitely wasn't sure of what to think with all the attention just on her. 

Elise Mae,
You are such a wonderful, sweet gal.  I just can't get enough of your snuggles.  We all call you the snuggle bug because you love to sit in laps and nuzzle your head on my arm and shower me with sweet phrases.  You do the same to your sister and always tell her how much you love her.  Your sweet can turn sour really quickly when you want something, haha.  It seems you got your Momma's feisty nature and you definitely won't be talked into something if you don't want to do it.  I can see that personality serving you well in the future!  You crack us up daily with your hilarious one liners and funny faces.  It seems that you are always teaching me something and that is so humbling and dear to me.  Thank you my sweet one for your innocence and your curiosity.  I love you more than you shall ever know my three year old!
Love,
Momma