Monday, December 28, 2009

Cool Created Critters

Ever seen a stick bug? He really looked like a stick! He's smiling for the camera, can you tell? Kartwright found him in the barn, just minding his own business. His hide was brown and sharp, and his form was more like a stick then a...well, more like a stick then a stick! He moved methodically, and with purpose, curiously investigating every turn.
A few weeks back Dakota found a nest of black widow spiders....I know, creepy. They were just a chillin in a pile of rocks under a tree in our side yard. His dad had asked him to remove the rocks...the rocks will now remain! Dakota carefully captured the first, before he discovered there were many. Her shell was as shiny as patent leather, and her back side was emblazoned with a blood red hourglass, making her identity unmistakable.
There was a praying Mantis in our hallway last month. He was beautiful, and graceful, green as a brand new leaf in spring, with long dainty feelers, and tiny strong legs. His hands were prayerfully arched beneath his chin, as if to thank God for such a fitting name.
The pine trees that regally guard our property are home to many a daddy long leg spider. They find their way to the corners of our rooms, were they quietly weave frothy white webs, in hopes of raising a brood of equally long legged offspring. Grandpa says if you pick up a daddy long leg, he will point you to where your cows are. We would test his theory if only we had cows!
All these critters, and more, point me to a Creator of wondrous and endless imagination! If all of them have been created with such care and cunning, none without purpose or reason, then how much more are we!
Seen any cool critters recently?

Sunday, December 27, 2009

He had no home on earth


And Jesus said to him,
"The foxes have holes,
and the birds of the air have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."

The Bible, Luke 9:58 NAS

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Traditions


When the boys were small we started a tradition of letting them open the gifts they chose for each other on Christmas Eve. It was originally established to keep them occupied so that I could do some last minute preparations, and so that Christmas Eve wasn't nearly so painful.They learned quickly to choose a gift the other would enjoy all day. When they were small boys it was often GI Joes, or legos that they selected, something they could play with together. As they grew they often picked books, or video games, or movies. Now this tradition includes their sisters, and it has become quite a production. They each have 3 siblings, so they each get 3 gifts.

Polly Pockets have replaced GI Joes, and ElizaJane was very pleased!
She was super excited, super happy with her gifts, and super thankful!
She was basically just super!
We decided that watching her was more fun then getting gifts ourselves.


Movies and video games have to be disguised in differently shaped boxes.



Haven got the sewing basket that she wanted, from her brother Kartwright.
ORGANIZATION is her middle name!

Dakota got a Braves beanie (hat) from ElizaJane.
He was just saying earlier this morning that he needed one.


I finished up the girls Christmas nightgowns and robes just in time.
Tonight we get Chinese take-out....another crazy Christmas Eve tradition at our house.

I'll be taking a bit of a break from blogging for the next few days..

I wish you the sweetest of Christmases, and that the true meaning of Christmas, the perfect baby Jesus, who came to seek and to save you, will be alive in your heart, and life, for the new year to come!
Merry Christmas

Sweet remembrances

Sorry this is a bad picture, but I wanted to share the beautiful ornament we received as a gift for Crockett's birthday this year from my parents. It was so very thoughtful, thanks Mom and Dad! The engraving says "2009 remembering Crockett".

We are remembering you sweet Crockett, at Christmas, and always!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Cookie Portraits

Christmas cookie decorating is taken very seriously in our family.


ElizaJane's technique is, the more you can get to stick, the better. When she gets done they are considered Christmas candy.



Haven takes her time.



Kartwright created a portrait cookie of his friend Cason, who is the number one backstroker in the state of South Carolinoa. See the speedo, and the flip flops? He is practising to be Georgia's number one portrait cookie artist. We are so proud!


Dakota is also on his way to stardom in the cookie decorating world. Can you see the determination on his face?

Merry Christmas eve eve by the way. Hope it's a good one.

LIGHTS


We experienced the "fantasy of lights" light show at Callaway Gardens last weekend. It was fun to do something Christmasy in the cold together. The girls were absolutely enthralled!


Each section of the light show had a separate theme, and entrance.


Winter Wonderland was our favorite!


The brochure said they had over 8 million lights!


They also had each of the twelve days of Christmas represented! Here are Eight maids a milkin!



I think we may have started a new family tradition.


Monday, December 21, 2009

surprises

The Littlest Petshop menagerie enjoying the warmth of the fire, on this cold and rainy December day!

I love to find these kinds of little surprises around my house. They remind me that little hands are at work, pretending, and dreaming up wonderfully imaginative stories.

I love these kinds of surprises, but not most surprises. I usually like to be prepared, and aware of what is going to happen. I like to be in the know. I don't always deal with surprises particularly well. I like to think things through, and plan, and make ready. Unfortunately life is always full of surprises. We never know what is coming around the next bend.

How about you, do you like surprises, or do you like to be in the know?

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Wow, what a promise!

"He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob FOREVER, and His kingdom will have NO END!"

The Bible,Luke 2:32,33

A promise given to Mary by the angel, for us all.


Saturday, December 19, 2009

A REAL DEER?




Michael (Daddy): What ya want fir Christmas darlin?
ElizaJane: A Chinese American Girl doll!
Daddy: A Chinese American Girl doll? You never said anything about that!
ElizaJane: I forgot!
Daddy: What else?
ElizaJane: uuuummmmm, a hamster, aaaaannnnnnddd A REAL DEER!
Daddy: HAHA okay.....hahahaha I'll get right on that!

Friday, December 18, 2009

punch buggy no punch back!

I recently spied this cutie in a parking lot while shopping in Pine Mountain. Isn't it just so festive with it's big reindeer nose? I so wished my kiddos were with me to see it. We have always played the punch buggy no punch back game. Since they weren't there to see it, I shamelessly snapped some pictures! I thought you all might enjoy a look see too!

Can you see the reindeer horns ?

Here is a close up of the fun things strapped to the top! Vintage at it's very best!

I have never decorated my car for the holidays, have you, or have you seen anything original yourself on a car lately?

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Welcome Winter

We awoke to a really hard frost last Sunday morning, in fact the ground was so white, the girls mistook it for snow. The few green leaves holding on tight to their trees will soon be gone, and winter will be here in full force. Welcome winter, don't be to harsh with us please!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Christmas is here!

I thought I might share what Christmas looks like at our house this year. I apologise in advance for the poor quality of the photos, My camera is acting weird (It couldn't be the photographers fault!) Here is our new mantle, and although I think the pine boughs look a bit strange with the palm tree painting, and the mountain rock fireplace, I guess that is kinda us, a little bit beach, a little bit mountain!
You might notice the two creche's, (or is creche already plural?) on the hearth, Liza loves to play with those. I use the word creche lightly here, as the Babe in the manger is a carrot in one of them!

I love these old fashioned glass bulbs, I call them mercury glass, but i don't think they really are. they reflect the light so beautifully, so I put a few out, and about, to sparkle things up. That's our 2009 gingerbread house on the left. the girls and I had fun making that yesterday, everything in the kitchen is now slightly sticky:)

Here are some more "mercury" balls. I use this garden hand cart thingie all year, and fill it with all different things to fit the season.

I actually have a creche collection. This is my favorite one. I think I showed it to you last year. I just love that Mary is holding baby Jesus in this one. He usually looks so cold and alone in my others. I know that the bible says that she laid him in a manger, but I can't help but think that he didn't stay there for very long! I also like that Joseph has his hand on the sheep. You know he was a kind man like that!

Here are those JOY letter pillows I made last year...same bed, same comforter, same pillows, different house. Michael makes the bed every morning (I know you are so jealous aren't you?) and it is funny to me that sometimes it spells YOJ, or OYJ. I am too smart to complain, I just smile!

Here is that Joyeux Noel banner again from last year.


A white tree with purple and pink ornaments for the girls room. They gathered all their white, purple, and pink stuffed animals for the base. Sorry bad photo...

Christmas bells in a baby cradle on the coffee table, next to a beautiful pine arrangement with candles that we recieved in the mail friday, a surprise from my Michigander relatives. Thanks Scott and Shelley!

The 12 days of Christmas hand painted ornaments, that haven and I did together last year.
Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree, how lovely are thy branches!
We brought home a big one this year, because we have high ceilings, and boy does it look, and smell amazing! Decorating the tree together is always fun. Now we have some peoples of all heights in our family, so the whole tree gets prettified!

Thanks for sharing in our Christmas this year.
If you would like to see how others have decorated, head over to

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Ready to Ride

When our oldest boys were 10 and 5, we lived out in the country.
We bought them a small dirt bike, and they had a blast!
They rode that thing constantly, and have lots of stories, and lots of memories.

When we moved back to the "city",
(a neighborhood gated community, that frowned down upon the riding of dirt bikes), it didn't get much more use!

Well, hello country,
hello dirt bike.
The boys are now too big for the little bike,
but my girls are 10 and 5, and ready to ride!


The helmets are bigger then they are,


and they have a lot of room to roam out here on the "farm".

How about pink crocs and pink boots?

They are tough girls,
but they still "clean up real good", and enjoy being girly too!
I love that about my girls.
Feminine, but not prissy pots!

Here they are at a recent family wedding.
Congrats to Kenneth, and his sweet bride Whitney.
Welcome to the family!