Our Christmas 2010

We had a wonderful and peaceful Christmas this year.  On Christmas Eve I made homemade pizzas and wings for supper and got the boys ready in their Christmas jammies.  Except of course Aidan, he's way too cool for that ;)

and we baked cookies to leave for Santa...

On Christmas morning, we all woke up and the boys were ready to see what Santa had brought them and open their gifts.

Cole's Santa gift was a Weeble's Playset and he LOVED it!  He really likes the little weeble wobble people :)  That toy has now turned into Ryan's favorite too!  Haha!

Santa brought Ryan a Thomas the Train set just like he had asked him for.  He was pretty excited about that!

Deet kinda likes it too ;)

Ryan loved his Transformers...

Cole loved Ryan's Transformers too!

Cooper was in the middle of it all!

Aidan and his beloved baseball necklace!

Cole in his precious Christmas outfit that Misti got him for his birthday!  LOVE it!

He loves his Toy Story truck!

Ryan likes to push Cole on it...so cute!  They are getting so big :(



We spent Christmas Day at our house.  Roy's family and my mom all came over.  My mom and I cooked everything and spent most of the day in the kitchen!  Man I was worn out that night!  We had a great day and everyone seemed to really enjoy the food, sweets, and company. 

I hope y'all had a blessed Christmas as well!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Yesterday Roy and I, with the little boys, met up with Nikki, Gerald, and Maddox in College Station for dinner.  We ate at yummy Texas Roadhouse and then went to the mall to let the boys take their pictures with Santa. 

 Maddox loved Santa and took the cutest picture! 

Ryan loved Santa too and was so excited to see him and tell him what he was wanting for Christmas!  Cole, on the other hand...not so much.  He was NOT a Santa-fan :(  I knew he wouldn't like Santa - he doesn't like any strangers!  HA!  This is their picture with Santa - I LOVE everything about it!!!

I hope you each have a wonderful Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!!

You will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at His birth.

Luke 1:14

One Down

My first semester back at school is done.  When I quit my job back in August and started my first day of classes, I thought this was going to be one long semester. 

But, to my surprise, it actually went by very fast!  It was a HUGE adjustment and took some getting used to, but I made it thru!  WHEW!  I am so relieved to have that behind me and am looking forward to the new year to start another semester. 

I am going to enjoy these next 4 weeks off with my boys and really try and get my house back in order!  HA!  It has suffered a bit ~ especially the last 2 weeks of school with papers and finals...eek...

I didn't realize how time consuming school would actually be, especially while still having a husband and 3 kids to take care of.  This first semester was definitely a learning experience and I hope I can do even better in the Spring :)

Now I gotta go pick up something off the floor, or fold laundry, or do dishes, ... ;) 

Thankful

We celebrated Thanksgiving at our house with the five of us, Roy's parents, brother, and two nephews.  We had a delicious feast and yummy desserts!  We watched lots of football and just had a wonderfully, lazy day :)

On Friday, Roy's other brother and his wife and their two kiddos came down from Dallas and we had a second Thanksgiving dinner.  This time we spiced it up and had a Mexican feast!  Homemade beef enchiladas, rice, beans, queso, and guacamole.  Can I get a YUM?!

We had a great Thanksgiving holiday and are so blessed to have been able to share it with those we love.  I am so thankful to have Jesus as my Savior.  This past week I have really sat and reflected on how He sacrificed His Son for me.  It's so HUGE that I can hardly wrap my brain around it.  I wouldn't be willing to sacrifice my boys for anyone or anything...  Can you imagine?  Jesus has blessed my life with so much and I am forever thankful to Him.  My husband, my boys, my family, my girlfriends, my health, my home,...the list goes on and on...  As we enter the Christmas season, I just want to continue to remember why we celebrate and never lose sight of that :)

The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.  What can I give back to God for the blessings He's poured out on me?


Psalm 116:5, 12



Baby Maddox's Dedication

This past weekend the little boys and I traveled to Houston to attend Baby Maddox's dedication at his church.  We left Waco Saturday morning and got to Houston about lunch time.  We headed straight to Nikki and Gerald's house and had some lunch and hung out for awhile, then Nikki and I loaded up Ryan, Cole, and Maddox and headed out to the outlet mall.  We had such a good time shopping and just being able to spend time together.  I miss her so much!

After shopping Nikki called Gerald and him and the boys met us for some Mexican food ~ which was DELISH!

We left from there and went and saw another friend's new house and then I dropped them off at home and the boys and I headed to Kristi and Jimi's to spend the night.  We visited for a little while and called it a night.  7am was going to come way too early!

Maddox's dedication was on Sunday morning at 9am.  Nikki's mom, sister, BIL, nephew, cousin and her husband, Kristi, and me and my boys were all there to be a part of this special day.

 Gerald, Nikki, & Maddox

The Cowart 5!

Praying while their pastor prayed for all the babies :)

 Nik and her little man

Is he not the CUTEST?!

After church we all went to brunch at a yummy Italian place and just visited and ate.  We got on the road to head home after brunch.

Thank you, Nikki and Gerald for inviting us to share this special moment with you.  I wouldn't have missed it for the world!  I love y'all and miss y'all!

Orange.

Ryan's new favorite color is orange.  This cracks me up!  He LOVES all things orange!  He only wants to wear orange shirts and eat orange things.  Like oranges and orange Starburst.  He even told us the other day that he wanted an orange cheeseburger.  Ha!

He just makes my heart so happy :)

Finally Home

I think the boys and I have finally found our church home :)  We have lived in Waco for 7 years now, and have visited countless churches, but never really felt at "home".  Of course, I haven't been pursuing a church home every weekend either :(  But, for the last couple of months, this has really been weighing heavy on my heart.  I really want my boys to be involved in Sunday School and youth groups and I want to find a Sunday School class and a small group.  I just want us to be a part of a church family and really be involved.  So...I think we have found just what we have been looking for at Highland Baptist Church.  We have loved the past few times we have visited and the little boys really seem to enjoy Sunday School.  I haven't tried a Sunday School class yet, and neither has Aidan, but it is on our to do list :)  Just need to work up the nerve to go in ;)

Please be praying for us as we enter this new journey.  I want to be exactly where God puts us.

"I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me."  John 14:6

Exhausted

I am exhausted.  There.  I said it.  Whew.  Kind of already starting to feel better.  I thought being a stay at home mom would be the BEST and so EASY.  I was wrong.  It is the BEST, but it is NOT EASY.  Oh yea, and then I have to go to classes and do homework too.  Man.  I am really looking forward to the holidays so I can get a small break!!!

Just needed to vent and thought this would be the best place to do so!!!

Have a happy Thursday evening :)



The Party!

Yesterday we celebrated Cole's birthday with all of our friends and family.  We had it at a local pizza place near our house.  The party turned out GREAT and I think everybody had a really FUN time!  Here are a few of the pictures from the big day :)

The "Candy Bar"

The handsome middle brother :)

The BIRTHDAY BOY!!!

Mimi, me, and Cole

Eating pizza...

Emersyn & Cole - aren't they the CUTEST?!

Me & my BFF ~ Nikki :)

Cole was already falling asleep and we hadn't even cut the cake!

We let him have a little "cat nap"...

Not a fan of being sung "Happy Birthday" to :(

 

Wasn't real sure what was going on!  HA!

I had them color the cake mix so when we cut into it it would be fun!

Giving Daddy a bite :)

Momma's turn :)



The BIG brother :)

Thank you to everyone who came and celebrated with us. We loved being able to celebrate our baby boy's 1st birthday with those who love us the most!