Keeping Up With My Hubby

My husband starting hitting the Black Friday sales about four years ago and I, personally, thought, he had gone mad. Now, don't get me wrong, I am the shopper in the family and I actually love shopping a little too much. I just don't like losing sleep...for any reason. And shopping was no exception.

Well, after a couple of years of his going bargain shopping (by the way, he doesn't really like to shop, he just likes bargains) and coming home with major good deals and all kinds of treasures, I decided I had missed out long enough. I decided I could lose a couple hours of sleep to be able to go out on the hunt with my hubby.

This year, as in the past two years, we have gotten up around 3:30 am and headed out for our shopping adventure. The funny thing is that now two out of three of our children have decided they don't want to miss out on all the fun mom and dad are having, and now they go with us. We leave our little one at home with the grandparents, and off we go.

We have sooooo much fun. We usually split up with our lists and sale papers and set out to conquer the stores. I get lucky because I get Target and this Target has a Starbucks in it so I get to have my Pumpkin Spice Latte after my shopping is done. OOO LAA LAA

This year was no exception to the fun and bargains. We all had a blast. Yes, I lost some sleep, but boy it was worth it. Family....shopping...Starbucks...Memories!!!!!!!!!!

White Lights

While I was at Goodwill the other day for 1/2 price shopping, I found a perfect size tree that would fit just right in my foyer. While I was debating on whether to get it or not, Beth suggested that I get it and it be my tree and that I could put on it whatever I wanted.

Here's the story...since we had children, we have always had a "fun" Christmas tree with all colored lights. My kids informed me a long time ago that white lights were not an option as long as they were home. So that was that. We have had colored lights ever since and that has been really just fine with me because Christmas is about my children.

Well, this year I will actually get to have clear lights again. And this tree is mine all mine. Do I sound selfish? I don't mean to. I just love that I got to decorate it just like I wanted. Guess what I decided on? No, it's really not fancy shmancy. It's not decorated with ribbons and bows. It is decorated with my favorite thing; snowmen. I even found the most wonderful tree topper at Hobby Lobby that another blog friend had bought. It is a snowman hat tree topper and can I just tell you that I adore it. I don't know why it brings me so much pleasure to look at it, it just does. This tree is just one of those things that makes me happy to look at. It really doesn't take much, friends, to make me happy.

I am going to show you my Goodwill snowman tree and Beth and Faith's trees also. Keith did let me put a tree in his room, but I had to decorate it and there is not a lot to it, so I guess I will skip his. We also have a tree in our play/school room. The girls love to set it up and decorate it usually in early November. I also have a sweet little tree on a cafe table in my living room. I love it because it's kind of burlappy, rustic. It makes me smile too with all it's simplicity. Outside of the kids rooms, we have decorated a small tree that we wanted to look like colorful candy and then I can't forget Chloe's little tree. (remember Chloe, pink and furry) As for our family tree, well, that will be put up right after Thanksgiving. That is the only Christmas decorating left. We have done everything else but decided to wait on that. So, I will show that one later.

Hope you all enjoy taking a quick look at some of our Christmas goodies. I sure wish that each one of you who are reading this could just drop by for a real visit and have some cookies and cocoa with us. Wouldn't that be fun?

See my wonderful Snowman hat topper. I love this!!

Love me some snowmen. They make me smile. Have I already said that?

This is my other little tree I got at Goodwill. Love the burlap bottom and the rustic look.

Okay, yet another Goodwill tree. This one was pre-lit, which I loved. I had to take the photo from the back because I couldn't get a front picture unless I hung from the ceiling or took it from the bottom of the stairs and then the railing was in the way. Anyway...enough about that.

This is Beth's pretty Christmas tree. She loves to decorate her bedroom. See the white artwork above the tree, she put that together. Most of that stuff came from the Dollar Tree. Can you tell that we like bargain shopping?

This is Faithy's tree. What fun she has getting it all set up and getting all of her other stuff all put out.

This would be Chloe's tree and all of her Christmasy friends.

And, lastly, this is the tree that the girls put up in the play/school room. It's lots of fun doing school work in here with all the Christmas decorations up.

One more tree left, but that will be later after we get it up. That tree is for the whole family to do. And the star we put on top is the star that Donnie and I bought and used our very first Christmas almost twenty years ago. As for the ornaments, I think I could tell you a story about everyone that will go on it. They all have a special memory or story behind them. We also have ornaments that we buy every year for our baby that is in heaven. These are very special in memory of ornaments that we love to buy. Can't wait to put up that tree as that will hold all of our presents.

Sorry for how long I went on tonight, but it was fun sharing these photos with you. Hope you find a little pleasure in looking at them. I will love looking back years from now and seeing all of these special little trees.

Too Much Decor???

I am done decorating for Christmas except for our main Christmas tree. And, once again, I think I have over done it with the decor. Or at least that's what I was thinking...until....Faith walked into the living room and said, "Mom, everything is just beautiful. You did a wonderful job and it was all for us. You made everything look wonderful. I love it so much, mommy." Enough said.

Time With Each Child

Faith and I have had a wonderful weekend ALL BY OURSELVES!! Donnie took Keith and Beth and some other youth kids on a weekend retreat, and Faith and I decided to stay home and spend some time together.

I love spending one on one time with my children. I think I have mentioned that before. I always have so much fun just experiencing their individual personalities. They will usually open up more (especially the teenagers) when no one else is around. I can certainly hear them better when we are alone and can actually converse with them without interruption.

Faith and I had a great time. We watched Alvin and the Chipmunks on Friday night. This is a cute cute movie. I had one of their record albums (big, black, vinyl) (this is for kids out there who don't know what a record is), when I was a child. I always loved hearing their squeaky little voices and hearing Dave shout A L V I N!!! Anyway, Faith loved the movie and so did I.

We went shopping yesterday at a few of my favorite places and luckily those places either had a toy aisle or a Christmas craft aisle. That made the shopping good with Faith. We bought all kinds of fun cheap Christmas crafts at Hobby Lobby. Faith loves to craft. We ended our night eating at Red Robin. What a fun restaurant and good food.

This morning we woke up and decided to stay home and do a Bible study instead of going to church. I know that's probably not okay with some people, but boy it was nice to stay in on a rainy day. I can tell you that Bible study at home with kids is great fun. Faith led she and I in a couple of Bible songs and then we read and studied about Jesus and Easter. Yes, I know our holidays are wrong, but this is what she wanted to talk about, and hey, Easter is what it's all about. How humbling to think about Jesus, perfect and sinless, dying on the cross for me and all of my sins. How awesome to know that He loved me and you enough to take our places upon that cross and die so that we could live forever.

Now we wait...We are waiting for Donnie and the big kids to get home and then we will get ready and go to my mom's for an early Thanksgiving. I can't wait. She is a tremendous cook and always goes above and beyond trying to fix all of our favorite foods. My sweet brother will also be there and I love spending time with him.

By the way, it must have been a good weekend for Faith also because she says she wants it to be a weekend that never ends. She likes special alone time just like I do. She also likes moving from sleeping on my floor to my bed since daddy is gone. (don't ask).

Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Giving Early Thanks

I know this time of year that we will all be thinking of things that we are thankful for. We will be telling God how thankful we are to be His children. We will be telling others that we are thankful for their place in our lives. We will be sharing thanks for good health for ourselves and our families. All of our lists will be different, but we will all find something to be thankful for.

I know there will also be people who are going through storms in their lives right now and thanksgiving may be hard to come by. For those people, I want to say that I am sorry. I am sorry for whatever trials and troubles you are having to endure. I want you to know that God is there for you. He is bigger than any problem you are having. His arms are open, ready to hold you. He loves you with an everlasting love and with Him all things are possible. Please remember that. When we lost a baby a few years ago, my husband often reminded me of the scripture that says, "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord." I pray that you can praise Him through the storms. I pray that when more storms come my way, I will be able to praise Him through it; that I can say thank you that I may not know what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future.

I do want to say thank you to the most wonderful husband in the whole wide world. This is the man who taught me about the love of Christ.

Thank you to the three most wonderful children that a mom could ever have. Oh, how I truly love them each one.

I want to say thank you to my heavenly Father who saved me and Who I will get to spend eternity with.

Thank you for my sweet baby boy who is in heaven waiting for me.

Thank you to two wonderful parents. We may not have stayed together as a family, but I always knew how much you both loved me and that you were always there for me. I can't not tell my step mom thank you for loving my daddy so much and taking such good care of him.

Thank you to the most wonderful brother in the world. I love you so much and am so proud of the wonderful Christian man you are.

Thank you to my in laws who raised an incredible man for me to marry.

I have many friends that I am thankful for, but I want to say a special thank you to my sweet Mary. I cannot even imagine this lady not being in my life. This is my sister that I never had.

I am truly a blessed woman. I am thankful to my Father for each and every one of those blessings.


HAPPY EARLY THANKSGIVING TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!

Making It Easy For the Toothfairy

My sweet mother-in-law made a beautiful and very handy pillow for Faith's birthday. She always makes things special, but this one was extra special.

This pillow was made with the tooth fairy in mind. Take a look at the little pocket on the front. Isn't that the coolest thing? A place for her teeth to go while awaiting the tooth fairy's arrival.

Faith got to use her new pillow this past week. She put her tooth in and the tooth fairy pulled it out and replaced it with a shiny gold dollar. Oh, the exciting things that happen in the life of a child.

She even made Chloe her very own matching pillow.

Home School or Outdoor School

One of the great things about home schooling is that we can be very portable. And on a beautiful fall day, portability is just wonderful.

This is where Keith did school all afternoon one day this week. Our cat layed in his lap and the chickens foraged all around him. He loved it!! I loved watching it!!

Pictures and Picnics

Am I the only one who lays in bed at night and thinks of all the things that need to be done? It seems like night time is the time that my mind starts working and then I can't sleep because I am planning.

Last night I started thinking of Christmas pictures for cards and presents. I wanted to do something different than last years not very happy about Christmas photo. I decided what I wanted the kids to wear (yes, they will still wear what I ask on occasion), and where I wanted to take the pictures.

When they woke up this morning, I let them know that the photographer (me, free and not very professional) would be coming to the house at 11:00 for pictures and that they had to be happy and cooperative. We would start off in the front yard and then venture to the beautiful falls that are only a few minutes from our house.

Our photo session went great. I took 233 photos and I think I got about three that I really like of the three kids together. I guess when you only have a few to choose from, things are a lot easier.

I have to tell you the best part of our day. My sweet precious kids surprised me with a wonderful picnic lunch that they had packed for us to eat at the falls. We had hot dogs, chips, chocolate oatmeal cookies and my favorite drink, Diet Dr. Pepper in a bottle!!! It was awesome!!! Do I have to tell you what great kids that I have? They are so sweet and so thoughtful and truly do like to do things to make me happy. They know that I love surprises and that I don't surprise easily. They did a good job.

I am not going to post the kid's pictures yet so that they will be a surprise to our family who are getting one. I do want to show you the falls and the picnic though.

Can you believe I can see this beautiful handiwork of God's within a couple of minutes from my house? I take it for granted and shouldn't.

All Dressed Up

The family dressed up Saturday night and went to church for a Fall Festival. I was expecting the kids to come out dressed up, but not so much the hubby. You see, I do not like to dress up and I guess I figure most other adults don't like to either. I don't know why I don't like it, I just get embarrassed. I know, I need to get over it and just let loose, but, it's just awkward for me.

And then there's Donnie. I don't think anything embarrasses him, and he is the most carefree person I know. He is so laid back and so much fun. I guess I am wound a little too tight. I need to be more like him and just have fun and not care what anybody thinks about me.

Anyway...Donnie came out dressed like Farmer Brown or should I say Farmer Kinser since we do have chickens now? He was so funny walking around like, well, a farmer, holding onto his overalls and all. I don't know how to exactly explain it. It was just funny. And to add to the funny was the fact that he had to put the chickens up before he left for church. So there he was outside chasing chickens with his overalls and hat on. You gotta love my man just for being him. Nothing fake, no pretense, just the amazing man God made him to be.

Faith was all glitter and glam dressed up like, as she said, a jazz girl. Beth was all Vols and Keith was a TN Titans fan. I was proud of my big kids that they dressed up at all. They think their too big to dress up. Hum, maybe if I let loose more, then they might also. Something to think about.

Chloe as Hannah Montana

Faith and Chloe dressed up Wednesday night and went to a friend's church for Trunk or Treat. As you can see, Faith was a Tennessee Cheerleader. GO VOLS!! And, our sweet little Chloe was a Hannah Montana look alike. She even carried her own little pumpkin basket for her treats.

I love love love the mind of a child. I love the creative, imaginative, and unhindered ways about them. I love that they really don't care what others think about them. They are just free to be who they want to be.

Pretend, play, be carefree, and act like a child when you can.