12.14.12

On my knees, alone in my dining room I recited The Lord's Prayer 27 times over.

I couldn't bring myself to sing "Jesus Loves Me" when I put the kids to bed tonight. I just couldn't make the words come out--my heart felt like it would burst. 

I've prayed with every fiber of my being today for those who are suffering both from today's tragic events and those who are heartbroken, afflicted, grieving or lost for any other host of reasons. 

I pray that the light of Christ will burn brightly in the darkest depths of grief.

I pray that the light of Christ will light the way to teach the world a great many lessons from today's terrible headlines and stories. 

I pray that the light of Christ will shine in me and reflect onto everyone I'm close to and every single person who may cross my path. 

Lord, let your light shine and remove darkness from every corner of the Earth, from every secret place in our souls from the most forgotten depths of every heart. Now and Forever. Amen. 

Y'all.

We got our quintessential Santa photo for the year.  

Join me in celebrating the how perfectly these pictures represent these two kiddos at this moment in time---

Another one the director sent from Santa's visit. Please note that every child in Jay's class is sitting listening to Santa--except for one. 

Nice. 

Christmas decor [2012]

Keeping it easy simple this year. 4 Trees and just a few things around the house.

Our only real tree is the one in the living room. The dogs insist on sleeping under this tree day and night. They constantly "nest" on the tree skirts. I am prepared for the day they pull down the tree doing by doing that, but for now I've moved dog beds around the tree to try to appease them.

Peacock tree (formerly master Bedroom tree) now upstairs at the New House....

Lizzy's Tree....

Jay's Tree.....

Kitchen.....

Hall Table.....

Entry Table....

I am starting to hang our cards on a door, but always run out of room-so who knows where else they'll end up.

oh, and Jay made this at school...

.. I LOVE it--mostly because he can identify the Holy Family and tell you about Jesus' Birthday.

I hope to do more every year, but with Jay and Lizzy both being so small; less really is more. I want to keep everyone safe and happy (kids AND ornaments. :)) It isn't perfect or awe-inspiring, but its our Christmas this year. We are richly blessed in this house and are having the best, most Holy Christmas I've ever known. Thank you Lord for these precious gifts and the gift of your Son and everlasting life!!

I'll be linking up to Kelly's Korner and with The Nester this week--Merry Christmas!

The Joy of Christmas [via BassPro Shops]

So Daddy called yesterday afternoon and suggested this....

sorry its blurry, but you get the drift....

So after dinner we set of into the drizzly night to visit Santa and basically knock Jay's socks off. 

Here are the pics of our Santa pics. One that's "okay"

 and a funny...

Jay asked Santa for a toolbox and when Santa asked what Lizzy wanted Jay told him Minnie Mouse. Check and check. 

We checked out lots of fun things and Jay had a really good time. He wanted to go to the hunting club after, but we had to try to talk him out of it. He has asked to go back to the hunting store about 76,000 more times however. 

On a related note, Daddy picked Jay up from school on Thursday and this is how Jay looked when he got out of Daddy's truck at home--

 So, so, SO HAPPY!

Needless to say he wore them every day in Nashville at some point. So much for our cute matchy-matchy Christmas outfits. (and no, Lizzy did NOT get a matching set. thank goodness.)

8 and Great!

We're getting this one in while Lizzy is still 8 months old (barely)...things are well, busy around here. I think I should just say things are normal around here because I believe we'll be busy for the next 20 years or so. 

Lizzy has fully recovered from November-itis and her various viruses and infections that came with it and is having a blast these days. 

She plays SO WELL on her own and is happy, happy, happy most all of the time. She just moved into a size 4 diaper, weighs about 23 pounds and is in 18 Month clothes and a size 5 shoe. 

In the last 2 weeks or so she has learned to wave bye-bye and mastered clapping. She is soooo proud of herself when she claps. She's cute and she definitely knows it. She loves attention from anyone and often puts on a little show of smiling and jabbering and clapping OR she hides and cries for Mommy. She is basically totally unpredictable. 

She makes this funny face with her tongue pointing straight up ALL THE TIME! 

Mealtimes are all over the place--she's started eating finger foods (gerber graduates pasta and fruit pickups cut up, cheerios, puffs, etc.) will eat some table food and some baby food and yogurt. She's kind of a diva particular when it comes to temperatures--not too hot, not too cold--just right.

She squeals and jabbers all of the time, but no real words--just mimicking Jay--whom she ADORES. Good times all around!!

She is all about the Christmas trees and will scooch, roll, crawl, grunt, and reach until she's about to pull them down on top of her--which, thankfully, has not happened (yet, knock on wood). 

We'll go to her 9 month checkup next week and I just can't believe it! 

Togetherness [rudolph edition]

Sometimes, I take pictures of my kids like this--

and this--

then I put my kiddos together and get pictures like this---

and this.

Surely I am not the only parent to experience this....I wonder when it ends?

Merry Christmas anyway!!