{A Joyous Christmas to You}

Nesting Christmas Decor....

Here was my thoughts this year on Christmas decor... the less I put up the less I have to take down with 3 small chillins..... but I had to put up at least a little something to have some Christmas feeling around the house.

So here is my before baby-nesting project...

branches & curly willow + white spray paint =

a place to hang all the pictures & cards from Family & friends & a "tree" to put the gifts around.

My Father-in- law looked at me very strangely as I was walking, no more like waddling around the farm picking up branches and cutting evergreen trimmings one COLD day before Thaddeus was born.

A little birdie and nest found here a couple of weeks ago

Wrapping gifts is something I have always really enjoyed. It seems though in the past few years that I am running so behind that I am throwing gifts in boxes & bags and grimacing at the sight, wishing I would have planned better to enjoy wrapping each gift for each special person that is to receive it.

This year ......I had to think AHEAD ....

with baby coming!!!

I had all my shopping DONE before Thanksgiving!!!

So instead of shopping I got started on wrapping.....

and finished the night before Baby joined our family!

Funny how your body just knows baby was soon to come ... I went a little crazy the night before and couldn't leave a single thing out. I HAD to put it all away as my Hubby, Dad & Mom watched from afar... not wanting to interfere with my crazy mission

Added some boyish touches for a dear nephew

I put out Arabella & Orrin stockings

and My Mama helped me by whipping this one out for Baby Thaddeus

Thank you Rachel for the sweater...Reuse...Repurpose...

All the beautiful faces of friends & family hanging on the branches

A beautiful orchid from a dear friend!

The rest is a few more Christmas touches I put out here & there

Of course the beloved manger scene is out and in daily use

Little moments with Thaddeus

First bath shows all his roly poly areas

All clean

Meeting Friends

Haley Jade

Playing "train" with my sister & brother

Arabella & Papa playing babies!

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Outtakes from Christmas/birth announcements

We are simply home enjoying these little moments.

{We somehow managed to be completely ready for the Christmas activities before Thad's arrival!!!}

Enjoy your little moments this week as you prepare for the festivities and Remember what Christmas is really about---God's Gift , His Son -Jesus.

He grew from the manger and went on to save you & me!

Praise His Holy Name!

God's newest gift

Thaddeus James

12.10.09

6:20am

9lbs 6oz

21.25"

Praising God for this sweet boy

Papa, Mama & Baby are tired but doing well

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

I am not a multitasker!

....yes that's what I found out in these past few months, along with all of you who checked this little space or e-mailed or called..... an apology seems not enough but here it is...

I am so sorry.

.

.

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{A peek into our new entrance}

[ I couldn't even keep up with a little water on the evergreens...]

Now I would typically say more to come or something of that sort...

but.. with my past record lately it wouldn't be of any meaning...

sooo.... Hope to share soon.

I am trying to decide how to share pictures of our house since I really didn't share any of the progress... let me know what you think.

1. before & after pics together on one big post.
2. One post of before, One of after
3. Room by room with before & after

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And by the way yes we did move in, have been for about 3 weeks now.

Most boxes are put away... Yay!

Just waiting on Baby to make an appearance

...next week....or the next...or the next...

IN OUR GREAT GOD"S TIME!

Please pray that God will provide us with His strength to labor & for a safe delivery.

An Autumn Saturday Sale today & a little bit of press news! -- head over here to see for yourself!

Update & a pillow project

Hello, hello long lost friends....

I am still around... just trying to catch my breath and find some of our belongings....

the current list of MIA items are:

my cell phone

and the camera data cord...

hence the no-show of posts with the promised honeymoon cottage goodbye tour and Arabella's pocket skirt. I also have Country Living fair pictures on my camera to share....

Hopefully the items show up Soon!

While I am searching through more boxes I thought would leave you with a little project I did one night before this house frenzy started. Our couch needed some freshening up so...

I went to my fabric stash and worked up this little pillow

added an extra touch with this sweet tape measure ribbon

Zipper hidden behind flap

and ta-da!

done in less than an hour!

Play date in California and what we came home to!!

On our last day we had a relaxing day with some of my best friends that I grew up with... and our babies... wow this crowd is growing!!!

Andre enjoyed his cupcake

water fun

dear Grady's head is turned & I missed getting a picture of you, Mel

but is was a special treat to spend the morning with you!! love you!

loving on sweet baby emma before we have to say goodbye

my dear besties

me.heather.kelley.bev

we were back in one spot!!

It was so fun to just BE together! Seeing all the places our Lord has brought us to in each of our lives. I pray for each one of you as you continue to grow in Christ. Girls, Continue be in His word daily. Bless and reverence your dear hubbies and teach & love on those sweet children.

especially if auntie barb is not around everyday to give lots of kisses & hugs

And this is what we came home to ... Framing!! I can actually visualize rather than imagine and now zoom to current day. The dry wall is getting put up as I type this!! yay!....except for that means I need to finalize on paint colors... let me say that I always thought I would know exactly what I wanted in a house...umm I don't.... I know what I don't want but can't decide which style I do want. It's obviously an old farmhouse so we don't want to make it look completely out of place but yet be what we like at the same time.

It is just different decisions than with our first house

{ our honeymoon cottage as my dad called it, I will put up a post soon to say "goodbye" to our little town house}

It seems more finale with this house. Intimidating to think that is what we could be looking at for the next 20 or so years ....

and then when I calm down

and really think.....

i realize

no one else is really going to notice.....

{ or at least be as big of a deal as what I'm making in my mind}

which tile/carpet/paint color we went with...

or

that we weren't able to use the old wide plank floors due to termite damage

or

that we used new replacement doors instead of the charming old doors for cost & efficiency reasons

{ i really had to let this last one go, I cried...lots of tears... poor Thane}

instead may our home come through as a haven of rest for our family and friends,

a place where we teach our children about Christ and his desire for our lives

a place that shows how grateful we are for the HUGE blessing of this house that

God is providing for us.

* Sorry for all the rambling. I am not a writer. I am a rambler...

**sigh... it sometimes feels good just to let the scambled thoughts come out even if nobody reading can really understand!!

{Arabella posing in her new pocket skirt from Grandma- post coming soon}

Her Kindergarten Class

School had just started the week we were in California. So we got to go see A. Leah's class room.(the cutest kindergarten class room I have ever seen) This is her third year teaching and my personal opinion is that those children has one great teacher who has all the little fun details down!(a little bias I know)The children were at music so we missed visiting them but Arabella got to see a glimpse of what you do in kindergarten.

.....Orrin just ran around....

(Sorry -blurry pictures)