Christmas post

Hi all!

We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and continues to take advantage of time with loved ones.

Here are a few pictures of our Christmas.

Christmas morning...

No Christmas is complete without a letter from Santa...

We wish you a Happy Holiday Season, from our house to yours.

Until next time...

"The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience."

-Emily Dickinson

the meaning of life

Friday's tragedy in Connecticut was not lost on me this weekend.

I breathed a little deeper, looked a little closer, listened to the soft sounds of our days.

Most of all I held tighter.

I appreciated the small details of every minute.

I asked "why" so many times.
Why is life so hard?
Why must we be sad?
Why don't others see how much beauty is in our life?
Why do we have violence?
Why can't children grow up and have memories of joy and laughter?
Why can't all children grow up?

After that awful day I have more questions than answers. And I want to ask more. I don't know how to find the answers. That is a very frightening moment as a parent.


We tried our best to keep this weekend upbeat and festive, deep in holiday traditions.

We went to the "Christmas town" nestled in the mountains. We saw Santa and Mrs. Claus, but we kept our distance as we always do. I've had to come to the realization that we will never get that "kids sitting on Santa's lap" picture.

Then we made Christmas cookies. They are for our beloved school teachers. With more meaning and love than the kids know right now.

As we make our preparations for the holiday season, may we all remember how precious life is. We have chosen not to discuss the tragedy with our kids at this time. Their sense of safety and well-being is very important as it should be for all of us.

I go through moments where it hits me all at once. I let myself get absorbed in the pain, the grief, and pure sadness of the events that have happened. But I also go through moments where I turn off the TV, log off the social media, and get caught up in the joy of the moment. I listen to music, say a little prayer, live in the beauty that is around us. I think it's important for us all to find the balance. Let ourselves have the grieving moments, but allow ourselves to find peace and love that are in our lives as well.

Our children will someday know of the pain that happened that day. In some regard, as we walked them to class with extra staff and police officers in the hallways this morning, I can't help but wonder if they realize something is different. It saddens me, to see the need of all those precautions in an elementary school. Yet I am thankful for it, because it was not easy taking them to school today. Even with my constant reminders that those events are extremely rare. I still can't help but realize how much our world has changed. And instead of being frightened of the world we live in, the world our children are growing up in, I want to be hopeful. I choose to be encouraged by all of the love in our world today. The love that will surround families and individuals everywhere. Because that is who we are. We are born with love.


"The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness."
-Dalai Lama



Sandy Hook Elementary: we will remember you

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Just a little Christmas cheer from our house to yours...

Christmas is coming to town

Last night we enjoyed the annual town 'Holiday Parade'. Caleb was in his Cub Scout float and the theme this year was "A Charlie Brown Christmas." The highlight of the night was Santa making his way into town on his sleigh a little early to light our community tree. So many great memories this time of year!

Brown Sugar-Pecan Coffee Cake

Southern Living has this phenomenal coffee cake recipe I thought I'd share. Nothing says "holidays" like getting in the kitchen and having wonderful baked creations for all of the family and friends this time of year. Or you can keep this goodness to yourself. Enjoy!

photo courtesy of southernliving.com

• 
  
• Ingredients:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 cup sour cream 
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Preparation: 

1. 1. Stir together flour and brown sugar in a large bowl. Cut 3/4 cup butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or 2 forks until crumbly. Press 2 3/4 cups crumb mixture evenly on the bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch pan.
2. 2. Stir together sour cream, egg, and baking soda; add to remaining crumb mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir together granulated sugar and cinnamon. Pour sour cream mixture over crumb crust in pan; sprinkle evenly with cinnamon mixture and pecans.
3. 3. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean.

Happy Holidays!

November love

Can you believe it? We are in the middle of the last week of November.

Here at the house we celebrated Thanksgiving with lots of laughs, love and family that traveled from Kansas, Ohio and North Carolina. We have so much to be thankful for this year.

With lots of helping hands, we had a delicious Thanksgiving meal.

I'm trying to take time to look around more. Fall is slipping away very quietly this year.

Soon our home will be filled with the scents of pine and cinnamon, our ears with the sounds of music and laughter, and our hearts will be filled with the ever growing love for one another.
So excited for what is to come.

We hope you all have a great giving season...what it's all about...

"Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go."

-Mother Teresa

cabin escape

We set out and headed up to the north Georgia mountains last weekend. Mark and Jess's birthday fall on the same weekend, so we decided to take full advantage by renting a cabin in Blue Ridge, GA. It was beyond words...beautiful. And far too short a stay.

A few pictures of the weekend.

i could get used to mornings out here, sipping coffee

We had so much fun, Jess and I decided that we are going in on a cabin together...we are already collecting cabin decor ;-)

We walked around the cute town of Blue Ridge and saw the famous "Express" train. Around this time of year it is transformed into the "Polar Express" complete with hot chocolate and visits from Santa. May have to check it out sometime.

On the way out of mountain country we had to stop by an apple orchard. These apples were so good we bought a "peck"-they were so fresh we smelled them in the car through the entire ride home. And the cider we bought only lasted a few days.

We also stopped in Ellijay to do some window shopping. Outside of this window was a vet playing music and collecting money for the hurricane victims. He invited Katelynn to come sit for a while and play his guitar. Of course she couldn't say no!

We had a great weekend! I think we'll be doing it again next year, the birthday buds had a memorable time :)

Day 30

Your choice.
And I end my 30 day photo challenge with a photo of my newest project.

Hope you had as much fun as I did-it was a good run :)



"We are masters of the unsaid words, but slaves of those we let slip out."
-Winston Churchill

Happy Halloween and Day 29

Day 29.

Surprise!

Nothing more surprising than this bunch last night...

our very own zombie and Barbie popstar...spooky :)

A few nights ago we got creative with our pumpkins.

the masterminds behind it all...look at Katelynn's face

Lots of fun and laughs. And the final result...

We hope everyone had a fun, safe and Happy Halloween.

Now time to come off our sugar rush...



"Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as one."
-John Lennon