Thanks Giving

So, I've come to the conclusion that sometimes

 life can knock the breath right out of you,

 and sometimes it can take your breath away.

Life around here isn't perfect. 

In fact, it's far from it,

but in the midst of it all,

I'm more than thankful for

my husband who is a great father to our sons,

my Huett who is smart, caring, careful, and considerate,

my Sam who is hilarious, spiritied, and full of wit,

my Charlie who is my absolute heart.

My parents and my in-laws without whom lives around here would come to a screeching halt!

My brother and sister, who are the coolest, most awesome siblings in the world. 

(You should all be very jealous)

Three of the most beautiful nieces that exist, and the absolute coolest nephew on Earth (that's not an exaggeration)

An amazing new church and church family when we absolutely needed it most.

I've never felt more at home and at peace than I do now.

Thank God for the people he has put at Highpoint Community Church

and for allowing us to stumble upon it in a way that only God himself could've orchestrated.

A summer full of great vacations and birthday parties

A chance to visit family in their part of the country instead of them visiting us in ours!

I'm grateful for all of you who I see still visit my blog on a regular basis waiting for an update, despite the fact that I've only updated about 4 times in the last year.

 I resolve to do better for you guys, but really selfishly, for me.

This blog helps me keep up with "us" for years to come!

 

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.  Blessings to you all.

Posts coming soon:

Christmas decorations 2011

Christmas cards 2011

Family Pictures

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My baby is TWO!!

My sweet angel baby is two!! I don't have a lot of time to write, but I didn't want to leave everyone that has been imploring me to blog completely out in the cold! So, here is a post about Charlie's second birthday bash! I need to "back-blog" a post about Sam's 4th birthday party in which we successfully crammed around 90 people into our house. It was insanity, but one of the funnest to date for the kids. Maybe I'll eventually get back around to that...Now, back to Charlie!

My mom strikes again with the adorable birthday themed outfits!

~Adorbs~

Of course, I had to make my signature road signs! Huett and Sam were so amazed that I actually drew them. Did I use the word drew correctly?? Is that past tense for draw because it definitely doesn't sound right. Drawed? Drewn? Whatever...

Anyway, I routinely put these at the turns in our neighborhood to light the way to the par-tay!

For some reason, my pictures get out of order here. This was the "grand entrance" as the kids were calling it. It should be after all the road signs, but clearly that didn't pan out for me. I'm not going to start over, so just work with me, people!

This is the view when you pull into the party!

Yay for big shiny balloons!!

You made it to Charlie's party once you've seen this sign! I know, I know, we need to paint the mailbox. We tried, we really did! The spray paint Mikey bought as a quick fix because we literally thought about needing to paint it the day of the party wouldn't take. It was weird. Maybe none of you would've noticed that if I hadn't pointed it out.

"X" marks the spot to the birthday party!

Spoils of War!!

These cupcakes are DIVINE and they come from good ol' Wal-Mart! The whipped icing is to. Die. FOR.

I made these myself. Easy, tasty, and a hit with the kiddos!

Balloon Arch, baby!

Second time's a charm.

I made a balloon arch the day before the party and had Mikey help me put it up early Saturday morning.

By noon, half the balloons had popped for some reason. It was about 80 degrees outside, so not too hot, but the heat is the only reason I can think of for all of the premature poppage. Thank Heavens my sister was there to replenish the arch just in time for the party, or else my grand entrance would've just been an...entrance.

The pirate ship!! This was a slide/bouncer combo! Slide for the big kids, jumpin' for the toddlers!

And plenty of surfaces for adults that choose to plank!

Charlie actually helped me open his presents this year instead of drinking a bottle during the present opening like he did last year!

I just like the colors in this picture.

Olexa's at her best...as usual. This decoration matches Charlie's invitation perfectly!! It was absolutely delish!

Charlie's party gifts! Cute!

Charlie doesn't understand how to blow out the candles, so he got a little help from his brothers and cousin, Ava Claire!

He didn't know what to think about the "Happy Birthday" song!

This is the only "family picture" we got. As usual, it was so hectic, I forgot to make time just for that.

:-(

Charlie was attached to me almost the entire time, and didn't want anything to do with anyone else, but when he saw Ashton, he immediately got down out of my arms and ran over to him, gave him a hug, and came straight back to me! He loves Ashton! And Ashton loves him right back!

I thought this was a good picture to close with! My kids, and all my nieces and nephews...oh, and my parents!

The party was a raging success, as they usually are, but by the end, I was exhausted! Mikey was exhausted, and the kids, well, they were all asleep by 9:00 that night. Huett even fell asleep in Mikey's arms watching TV and he hasn't done that in a few years. He's 6, now, y'all!!! Can you believe that?!? Anyway, I will try to not be so absent!

We've got some exciting things going on in our lives right now, and I will try to keep everyone up to date on those!

Until next time, if you are lucky enough to have a happy, healthy family, don't take it for granted. Enjoy every minute, and love one another! These things are a gift from God!

Have a happy fall y'all!

sam g fotografie

Brother will you

play catch

shoot hoops

tell me stories in the dark

always be my friend?

Holiday Randomness!

First off, I just wanted to wish everyone a very merry Christmas!

I've been off work for 8 days, and on the day I was supposed to go back, they put me on call. No complaints on my end, though. Hmm...seems like maybe they are as ready to get rid of me as I am to leave. Totally kidding! I really am going to miss all my work friends.

Anyway, in other news, I've been home with all three boys all day. My mother-in-law stayed the night last night because she was going to keep the boys all day today, but when I found out I didn't have to work, we just decided to clean! We got it all done (expect the bathrooms, which is Mikey's area of expertise, I figure, he wanted three sons, so he can clean up after said sons). Anyway, we are hosting my dad's entire family the day after Christmas which is pretty huge (think one nana, four brothers, all their wives, 11 grand kids including significant others, and 10 great grand kids), and also Mikey's family on Christmas Eve so I'm trying to clean EVERY bathroom instead of just the downstairs one because I'm sure that at some point, they will all be in use (hopefully just for some thorough hand washing, lol). Anyway, we vacuumed all the floors, mopped, dusted, put up laundry, cleaned counter tops...and cleaned soot off the fireplace and stockings...don't ask.

It's looking really good! Turns out I needed this day off just to get things done because the rest of our week is packed full!

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On to more excitement. Isn't our Christmas card to die for? And please don't think I'm bragging. Seriously, I made the card on Shutterfly, all I did was drag and click. And while I did take the picture, I stole that idea from someone else's blog, too. But still, isn't it cute? I could look at it all day! I love rear view pictures.

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While I type, Charlie is glued to Dino Dan...anyone seen that yet? It's a nice departure from the regular cartoon mediocrity that we are used to around here. He's been watching it for like an hour now. Huett and Sam never watched TV at that age. I know, I know...TV before age two is looked down upon, but if that's what it takes to get a moment's peace around here, then so be it. I may be worst mother of the year to some, but I am mother of the year to him ;-) Meanwhile Huett and Sam are playing some sort of pretend and I just heard Huett tell Sam that he was going to take him to Stix for lunch. That's my boy. Also, pretty sure Charlie needs a diaper change...

ponder that while I take a diaper break.

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Okay, I'm back.

In Santa news. Huett and Sam have been asking for costumes from Santa for quite some time now, and lucky for them, Santa has obliged. Under our tree (on Christmas Eve b/c I have to work on Christmas day) will be a Dash (from the Incredibles) and a Batman costume, complete with superhero gloves, and boots. Granted the boots cost more than the costumes themselves, but it is those boots that will put my boys over the edge. They may stroke out when they see them, and I am confident that they will be wearing these costumes until they go back to school January 4th.
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Well, I guess that about wraps it up. As soon as I give out our Christmas gifts, I will post the proofs of our first professional photo session ( I have to wait 'til then because the pictures are the gifts, duh). We didn't necessarily knock it out of the park with a whole family picture ( what do you expect, it was fuh-reezing, and there were 3 small boys which doesn't really bode well for nice photogenic pictures. We got several good ones, but there was just a little something wrong in each one and I'm too much of a perfectionist for my own good), but their individual pictures, and the pic of them together are b-e-a-utiful! My boys know how to work the camera, what can I say?!? We just got a taste because the photographer is backed up b/c she's so busy, but she rushed me a great one of each boy, and then one awesome one of them all together. Of course I'll include the ones of us all together too b/c they are still really good, but i know everyone will love the other the most!

I told the photographer that our next session would definitely be in the summer or fall. I think that will be even better!

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Merry Christmas everyone!

I hope that our blessings (and yours) will continue!

Thank you lord for a happy family, our health, and our home!

Merry Christmas!

There seems to be a recurring theme of me apologizing for the blogging absence at the start of every post these days...Sorry! Such is the life of a mom of three little boys (four if you count Mikey...and just between you and me, you should definitely count him, but that should just be our little secret).

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Anyway, I devised a plan to force myself into getting my Christmas decorations up first thing this holiday season by throwing our first-annual Christmas Kick-off Party the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I knew that if I was expecting company, I'd get it done. Nothing gets me moving like a deadline. Anyway, I started decorating about a week and a half before Thanksgiving (if you are one of those people who think that cheats Thanksgiving, get over it). Anyway, like I said a million times, if it takes me two weeks to get everything done (because I am still constantly having to tend to the children in the midst of decorating) then if I wait 'til after Thanksgiving, I'll only have it all up for about two weeks total and that just isn't worth it. I need to be able to enjoy it fully for at least an entire month, so that is my motivation behind starting the decorating so early.

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This is THE HOUSE that you've all heard so much about! And, don't worry, we didn't put the lights up outside the house until after Thanksgiving.

These pictures make me so happy!!

I do get a little carried away with the Christmas decorating, but I just love it so much!
I even went so far as to wrap the faux candles on our dining room candelabra. It was super easy, cheap, and is beyond cute. Well, at least I think so.

Here is my dining room table. I threw this together about 1 hour before the party started Saturday night, and funny enough, it turned out to be one of my favorite things in the entire house!

This new house is full of stairs (much to the dismay of my mother-in-law, right Regina, lol). Anyway, they may be tedious from time to time (although they don't really bother me because the houses I grew up in all had staircases in them so carrying laundry, etc., up and down the stairs "ain't no thang") but they are so beautiful! Especially when adorned with Christmas garland and lights. The wrapping of the staircases prompted several people at our party to ask me how long I'd been decorating for Christmas. Of course I told them I threw it all together the day after Thanksgiving because I'm awesome like that...yeah right.

It was my party, I can lie if I want to.

The party was awesome, too, so it will definitely be a tradition that will be kept up every Saturday after Thanksgiving, hopefully. So, if you missed it this year, make plans to attend next year!

Moving on...this is my homemade (by my mom) tree topper! I love it! I am searching out a few more things to stick out of it, but I still like it as is.

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care... and yes, I know Charlie's name isn't on his yet. We are still not sure how we are going to fit his whole name on the top of his stocking. My mom hand-crocheted these stockings and my mom, dad, brother and sister had our own for as long as I can remember growing up. I just had to continue the tradition, as it is one of the most important ones from my own personal childhood.

Moving on outside, you'll notice our Auburn flag is still flying high! And it will be until the Tigers win the National Championship in January, so no Christmas flag for me this year.

This wreath is one of my fave decorations. I just love the square shape! I won it in dirty Santa a few years back and it is definitely the best dirty Santa gift I've ever been lucky enough to capture. Thanks, Aunt Camie.

Another wrapped staircase. Wrapping the garland around the banisters was very time consuming, but well worth it, I think!

Here is the house all lit up at night! We are business on the outside (white lights), party on the inside(colored lights). I hope that maybe next year we'll add some lights to the eaves and porch roof.

I did this post to

1. show off my Christmas decorations,
2. satisfy those few who are demanding that I post again

and

3. to document our first Christmas in our new house.

So, I think I've accomplished that.

Onto other business...

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We had our first ever family pictures made by a "for real", legit photographer. I am expecting them back any day and am really excited.

Check out her website here.

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Also, I have been working feverishly to get my Christmas cards out. I'm pretty pumped about them. Trust me, they will NOT disappoint.

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I haven't mentioned it on here, but I am a huge Garth Brooks fan. I went to a Garth Brooks concert when I was in the fifth grade with my best friend Amy and her mom Gina, and despite that fact that I was probably ten years old, I still remember that concert vividly. I've been to lots and lots of different concerts, and to this day, that one is still the best, bar none!

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Garth like NEVER tours anymore so I'd all but given up on Mikey and I getting to see him in concert until we were old. Then came the great Nashville flood of 2010!

Because he is so awesome, Garth and his wife...a little lady you might have heard of, TRISHA YEARWOOD...are putting on an eight show charity concert and Mikey and I have tickets! We are on the third row of the lower level, like right by the stage. We are counting down the days! We are treating ourselves to this because it will apparently be a once in a lifetime opportunity, but not only that. It will have a tri-fold purpose. It will be our Christmas gift to each other, it will be his 29th birthday present which is January 31st, and it will serve as our 6 year anniversary trip which is January 29th! Talk about getting our money's worth!!

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Well, that about covers it for now.

Oh, the boys are doing great, too.

Huett, Ava Claire, and Sam are playing in Sumiton Christian's basketball league and they are doing awesome.

Charlie is walking around now and says a few words like night night, bye bye, da da, ma ma, and Trisha.

The boys are doing well in school, and I'm still moving to the operating room in January!

Hopefully I'll post again before the new year, but no promises!

Happy Christmas everyone!!