Merry Christmas!!! (morning...part 1)

Tis the season for some new traditions!  Last night, on Christmas Eve, I worked until 3.  We all got dressed nice and jumped in the car around 4:30 and headed to the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine.  The Gaylord is an amazing, huge, beautiful hotel and conference center that sits on Grapevine Lake.  And they really do it up for Christmas with lights and huge decorations (I mean, we ARE in Texas, right?!).  We walked around looking at all the lights and trains, a life size real gingerbread house, Santa Clause, giant nutcrackers and bigger than life ornaments.  It was beautiful!

 Afterward we left and were starving.  As funny as it is, we ended up at Wendy's... for our Christmas Eve dinner!  lol  (this will NOT be a tradition).  But it was the next thing we saw and I was getting sick (downed a Sbux tall black coffee on an empty stomach!).  After that we headed home but not without some fun, and beautiful, detours through neighborhoods with huge homes and lots of Christmas lights!  It really was cool!  When we got home, Emery went to beddy-by, and Sean and I had some downtime.  The most important part was finishing up the last of the traditional baking!  So far this past week, I made my mom's chocolate chip pumpkin bread, my sister-in-laws white chocolate cake for our Christmas party, and now Sean's mom's Fondants.  I baked them and made the icing.  And then it was time for Sean to ice!  So fun!  And SO yummy!!

 Sean's mom's Fondants

my mom's pumpkin bread

My sister-in-love's white chocolate cake

Well the storm has come in!  I was awakened at 1:00am this morning with very loud thunder and lightening!  We all were!  Luckily that was the only time Emery woke up and quickly went back to sleep.  But it was bright and loud and the rain fell hard!!!  I woke up a few times but was glad I did because I have a turkey slow roasting in the oven all night!  So every time I woke up I noted smells and sounds making sure we weren't burning down.  lol  Our home, this morning (I was up at 6am!), smells of my very own Christmas turkey!  I just hope it tastes as good as it smells.

We have no set plans today with friends.  Although there is a chance we may meet up later with the Caughrans.  So I'm cooking!!!  It's actually kind of fun that we are having our own little Christmas day together as a family.  It's never happened in our 18 years of marriage.   We are always so busy going here and there, or insanely preparing for family to come to our house,  that I'm looking forward to a quiet relaxing day.  We're going to have our holiday 'dinner' around lunchtime and then snack the rest of the time.  Watch Christmas movies, eat all our baked treats, and then enjoy the snow later this afternoon!!!  YEP!!!  I said it!!  We're going to have a white Christmas!!!  Of course, I'm not talking like Shaver Lake-two-feet-of-snow.  BUT... snow nonetheless!!  We are supposed to get 1-2 inches!  And I'LL TAKE IT!!  What a fabulous gift!  It's all I need this year! hehe  Right about the time the weather should be warming up this afternoon, it's going to drop into the 30's with rain to snow and 25-30 mph winds!!  In fact, tomorrow morning when I go to work, it will be only 20 degrees!!  YIKES!  I'm honestly very nervous about driving in that!  So we'll see how that goes!

Sean woke up around 7:30.  With the Christmas lights on and all the candles lit (my own childhood tradition), he made coffee and we bundled up and went out on our balcony with some warm pumpkin bread and coffee.  We talked while listening to the rain and watching the lightening.  We have only had one storm since we moved here.  So there is no better gift for me than a storm on Christmas day!  And I'm not just talking a little rain, people!  I'm talking a Storm!.... constant thunder and lightening, rain, gusty winds and ... yes ... SNOW!!!  I'm SO flipping excited!!!!  (are you getting the picture yet... lol!!)

I'm so grateful this year for all that I have!  I am even more appreciative of family.  I believe distance really does make the heart grow fonder.  Not that I needed that, because I was already so fond, but I think we take our family for granted until they are not there anymore.  I love them and miss them so much this season!  Despite all the fun things we are doing and the fact that we are getting snow... I still miss them tremendously and it will not be the same this year without them.  It is a very different Christmas.  But a blessed one no doubt!

I hope you all have a richly blessed, Merry Christmas and 

an abundant New Year! 

Christmas baking and a Christmas message

Saturday morning I began my Christmas baking.  I set my alarm for 6:30, but thanks to Emery and a much needed diaper change, I was up at 6:00.  Luckily she went right back to sleep, but I didn't.  And so out to the living room I went to spend some much needed time with the Lord.  I read a little and spent time praying and talking with the Lord.  My heart is heavy for my family this time of year.  Not only is it the first Christmas that we've not only spent apart, but so permanently separated.  I am sad for me.  I am sad for them.  But more than that, my sister-in-law faces the thought that this may be her last Christmas with her dad.  And so my heart is heavy for her and the family.  But also for how that brings up feelings for my brother and nephews and niece as well.  I am also reminded of that last Christmas with my mom.  I remember all of us girls took the cutest picture with blingy santa hats on and crazy faces!  It was fun.  It is still one of my favorite pics with my mom.  And yet, that picture brings back so much sorrow and sadness.  It brings back grief and feelings of regret and guilt that are, and never have been, of the Lord.  But it still lingers.  For only 9 days later, my mom passed into the precious and tender arms of Jesus.  How sad it was for us, but how glorious and magnificent it was for her!  We all will say goodbye to loved ones, whether it is forever or only with the distant of a few states.  But we will meet again!  We are still together in spirit, in memory, and in love.  That is one thing that is very significant to me this year as I decorated and began baking and thinking of what new traditions we will begin.  I appreciate, more than ever, the memories and the traditions of our families.  They are precious memories.  Some I will carry with me into future years with my family of 3.
At Thanksgiving, one of my friends posted a story someone wrote about the food we make at Thanksgiving (in this case, for me, Christmas), and how it is really not about the food at all, but about the family, the people, and the memories cooking and baking brings with it.  I never thought my mom passed many recipes down to me.  But reading that it made me think of all she has passed on.  I continue to bake, yearly, the pumpkin bread she entered into the fair.  It is still a favorite among all my friends.  The sweet potatoes became a favorite of mine because of her.  And now they have morphed into sweet potato balls that Sean's mom passed to him.  These became a favorite among even my family.  I think of Nadine as I make Sean's favorite iced cookie, Fondants and then watch him ice them.  I think of Mary, my sister-in-law, as I bake her fabulous white chocolate raspberry cake for a Christmas party tonight.  I still think of my mom's eggnog and how she never bought it from the store.  Speaking of which, she would have never dreamed to buy store bought whipped cream, pie crust or pies either!  She made them all from scratch and with much love, I'm sure!  When I think of pumpkin pies, I think of my mom (although Sean wins out with Costco's pumpkin pie...lol).  She passed on so much to me!  And I am eternally grateful! If you would like to read the whole story my friend posted, please visit http://empoweredpantry.wordpress.com/

So back to my morning... hehe.  It was the smell of baking and the sounds of the best of elevator Christmas Music (A Windham Hill Christmas... so beautiful!) that filled the air.  Emery played while I baked.  A one point she wanted "Up!" and so I set her on the counter next to the bowl.  She watched as I mixed and poured and stirred.  All the while I narrated what I was doing.  I had my very own cooking show complete with a very attentive audience! She even helped me clean up!  She loves taking my wet napkin and finishing the job of wiping the counters (then the cupboard doors, then her recliner chair... lol... whatever was at her height!).  Later we walked to get the mail and played out on the grass and in the gazebo.  We came back home, ate lunch and then had reading time on mommy's lap.  She was more into the books I was reading than normal.  It was so fun for me!  She LOVES books, but doesn't usually SIT through the entire thing.  Then she was down for a nap and mama got some 'me' time watching Downton Abby.  It was the best day in a while!!!  Maybe it is because I started out with the Bible and prayer time with my Lord.  :)

Emery learning to bake!

Enjoying the fruits of mommy's baking!

She went off into her toy corner and settled down with a good book 

(just like mommy likes to do!)

Christmas service!!

Christmas party at the Carlson's

Emery LOVES Madeline and made a new friend as well!

Sunday morning was a very powerful Christmas message.  One of the best I've heard.  I wish I would have taken notes to post more details here.  But I encourage you to listen to the message if you have time at ... http://gatewaypeople.com/sermons.  It is well worth it!  One thing he talked about that has stuck with me is a fictional conversation between God and Jesus.  I say this so ya'all know that it is not in the bible and Pastor Robert was not practicing heresy.  lol  But it was just to get an idea of how this Christmas thing came about (with a little of the Easter message mixed in).  It went something like this.  God saw that Adam and Eve sinned.  He went to His Son, Jesus, and told him of what had happened.  He explained that although He created them for Jesus to love and bless and be loved and worshipped in return, that because they sinned and death had entered the picture, that they would have to die.  (think of the doctor coming out and telling you that your long awaited child will die from a senseless tragedy)  But Jesus quickly turned to His Father and said, "No they don't have to die.  I will die for them".  And so God sent Jesus into the world as a man through the virgin Mary (as to not taint Jesus with the sins of a human father).  He was fully God and fully man.

"And unto us a child is born.  Unto us a Son is given" Isaiah 7.

And so this Christmas season, we celebrate this man, who was God incarnate, born to us this day, to live and know life as we know it... to minister and heal, love and comfort, to redeem and restore through death on the cross... a human race doomed for death, but made alive in Christ!  Thank you Jesus!

Merry Christmas to all!  God Bless!!

Fascinating!!!!

So I put Emery down for her nap today.  She was playing in there as usual.  I finally went to check on her (she usually poops before falling asleep... go figure!) and I found her completely naked!!!  No pants.  No shirt.  No diaper!  And, of course, she pooped!  Luckily, I will say, it was firm and not too large. lol  But it did not prevent her from getting poo-fingers!  ugh!  Of course, I had to take a picture first... and then cleaned her up, put her back down and off to sleep she went!  I dreaded that.  Just like I dreaded the poop in the bath.  Well, we're 2 for 2 now!  Check! Check!  (I really wanted to post the picture here that I took of her, but I couldn't bring myself to post a naked pic of her on the internet. So we'll just leave that for the 'baby book')

This also is becoming a common occurence!

What a pose!

 Loving the shoes!!!!

 She loves to climb on anything and everything!!!!  She climbs up on the recliner, 

the ottoman, our bed, the jungle gym, and of course, US!!!

 This was literally her saying "CHEESE!!!"

Lately Emery has taken on some other new challenges.  She now loves taking her shoes off and putting them back on in addition to undressing.  It's so adorable.  I'm so proud!  She also has just recently taken it upon herself to buckle herself in to her baby carrier car seat we still use in one of the cars.  She'll do the whole thing if I have enough time to let her.  Which, so far, I have had.  :-) 

She is becoming more musical and a copy cat more every day.  She will sway with the music if she likes the song.  The other night, I was singing the chipmunks song "Christmas time is here".  I started doing movements to all the words and she did every one of them with me!  All of these changes in just the last week or two!  I realized that I LOVE this age.  And I know it will continue to get better.  It is just simply A-mazing to me how much she learns every single day.  It is so awesome watching this little human being learning every thing from scratch!  It truly boggles my mind!  She is fascinating in every sense of the word!  I've said it since the day she was born... but she is like a campfire... I could watch her nonstop 24/7!!!

We just bought a queen aerobed and Emery was having a blast on it

Just a fun video of her playing...

New (and some not so new, but need to mention) words...  Hep Pease (help please), fruck (truck... whew!), gock (clock... this one is not so new), cat, mimery (Emery...yeah!!!), every form of mom... ma, MOM!, mommy.  Along with learning colors for a while now, she's now starting to learn her letters.

Playdates and dread locks!

My friend from my mom's bible study, Meagan, and I took our kiddos to the park Tuesday morning.  It was a very cold morning, but the sun was out so it wasn't too bad.  We went for a 2+ mile walk and then let the kids play.  Her son, Gavin, is 18 months. While Emery will usually 'watch' her play date for the majority of the time, she actually warmed up to Gavin right away.  They were totally into each other! lol  They played with each other, playing follow the leader up and down the ramp and the playset.  They were adorable.  And Meagan and I had wonderful adult talk time.  Then it was off to Taco Casa for lunch (don't know why but I always want a burrito after being at the park! lol)

Looks like a beautiful day... but it was 37 deg!  Yikes!  Although not as bad as I thought it would be. 

 I wasn't bundled at all like the kiddos were.

Emery and Gavin... they hit it off right away!

They followed each other up and down this ramp for 30 min straight!

When one crawled, the other crawled

When she walked her hood bounced... it just added to her cuteness!

don't worry... her hands were in there!  They came out when the snacks did!

It was a taco casa day again!

Unfortunately, going to the park may not have been the best idea, because Emery's cough she has had turned into a full blown cold. :(  The rest of Tuesday she was draining and coughing but slept all night!  Yeah!  Wed all day she was yucky and then up most of the night last night.  But already this morning (Thurs) she seems better.  I felt so bad about taking her out that day.  She had a lot of fun, but maybe not the best decision on my part. It really makes you feel terrible as a mommy. 

Emery was just "hanging" out on daddy! lol

I only turned my back for one minute and she had quickly climbed up 

and got the remote! Little stinker!

A few of Emery's newest things...

When Bubble Guppies is over and the screen goes blank (DVR), Emery turns to me and says "mama!!  Uh oh!!"  lol

Emery's big thing right now and going in the kitchen, saying "up" and loves to get up on the counter (with my help) and looking at all her snacks in the cupboard.  So yesterday, I finally gave in and let her up there.  She opened the door and pulled out her bowl and handed it to me and said "bowl!".  Then she pointed to her crackers and said "qackars".   These were two new words for me!  It was the cutest!

I've mentioned it before, but Emery incessantly twirls her hair when she sleeps.  Well it is super cute but now it is getting worse, as she is twirling it more and more.  Now she is waking up with dread locks!  And we keep finding big knots of hair in her bed and on the floor! Ugh!  She doesn't have thick enough hair to do that every night!  She's gonna have bald spots very soon on her left side! lol

EEK!

Yesterday was not such a good day.  I was mandatorily called off from work and thought it would be a nice break.  But I ended up in a funk the whole day.  It effected me, my marriage and my mommy-hood. I'm still not sure what it was all about.  I just held out for the end of the day knowing that today would be different.  It is so far.  But I definitely have to get out of the house today!  We desperately need God's direction to be revealed to us.  It is getting harder while nothing is happening.  There are so many good things here and going on in us, but there are very difficult things as well.  To whoever is reading this, your prayers are appreciated.  So many things involved.  But please don't worry, we are doing well overall.  Just truly need God to show us some things.  XOXO

5 days on my own with Emery!

You know how I said Emery plays with my hair when we cuddle before bedtime.  Well now, if I have my hair up in a ponytail or clip, she will ask me to take me hair down once she notices its not there for her.  She is so stinkin cute! lol   Also, today she cried when I took her bow off before naptime.  I asked if she wanted it back on (because it caught me by surprise) and she said yes.  lol  But right before laying her down she took it off and handed it to me and then laid back down on my shoulder.  :)  I just love her!  She is seriously the sweetest!!

Had to include this pic of her ponytail!!

At the park on Thursday!

As most of you know Sean has been gone back to Fresno for the past 4 days.  Emery and I have had pretty low key days.  I took Wednesday off and we had a super fun day!  My friend, and bible study leader, came over with her son, Griffin to play.  They are my first Texan guests!!!  :)  We had a great time of chattin and sharing life over lattes and children's laughter. lol  Actually, Griffin made himself at home quickly (which I loved!) and Emery just watched almost the whole time.  ha!  She loves to just watch other kids her age.  She finally warmed up about an hour and a half into our time with them.  Silly girl!  They went home and the kids napped.  Then we met them at Town Square to do some shopping at Lola's (my new "Ooh La La"!!  Yeah!)  We went to costco then headed home!

 In the dressing room.  But don't let her fool you.  This only lasted for a few seconds and then 

she ran out with my phone, wearing my flip flops, while I was half dressed!

Just me being goofy!

Town Square... LOVE this place!

At Town Square with my friend Stephanie... and 

Emery was having fun carrying my shopping bag!

Thursday night we went to my friend, Tyranie's house.  She watched Emery all day on Friday so Emery and I had a sleepover at her house since I have to leave for work at 6am. :) We had dinner and played Nertz, my favorite card game!  I got my bootie kicked once again!  We slept in Elizabeth's room, my friend's 13 yo daughter.  Friday went off without a hitch!  Tyranie said Emery is just part of the family.  They have 5 kids.  The 2 oldest, Josh and Elizabeth, are in school and the 3 youngest are at home... 2 being homeschooled, Zach and Hannah, and the youngest, Megan, is 3 yo.  I guess she had a great time playing all day!  :)  After work I hung out there for a little bit with Steve and Tyranie and then headed home.

Saturday, I had this thought that today is going to be all about Emery (well, ok, mostly).  So I tried to stay off the computer, no TV (for either of us), and I took more time to hang out with her.  (I always thought this would be so easy to do, but it is really hard for me as there are so many things to do at home. It's something I'm really trying to work on.) I took her to see Santa at World Cafe who turned out to be not the kind of santa I wanted a pic with. lol  Then we went to Arcadia Park and then home for lunch and nap.  While she napped, I ended up having a time of worship with the Lord.  It was wonderful!  This is what He spoke to me during that time....

Sean and I need more of a kingdom mindset.  All of this... money, our jobs, what we have or want... doesn't matter because YOU provide all we need.  Our parenting, friendships and how well we think we're doing in those doesn't matter because having a kingdom mindset will overflow and saturate into those.  We need more of You, but more importantly, 

You desire more of us!  

(every song that came on seemed to minister specifically to me... here is one...) 

 I know you are for me.  I know you will not forsake me even in my weakness.  I know you have come now, even to write upon my heart to remind me of who You are.  You are... patient... gracious... merciful... true... wonderful in all you do... 

constant... faithful... loving... powerful in all you do.

I prayed (as I have been for last few days) that God would minister this Word to Sean as well as he drives the long road back home to Texas.  I prayed that God would speak this Word specifically to him.  I texted some of this to him and he responded by saying that he had been thinking praying for the same thing!!!  Awesome!  We talked today and shared with each other.  It was so cool to see how when God speaks to us He speaks to both of us!  That way we are on the same page.  God DOES have a plan for us here.  Some things have been very hard and I have even had times of doubt that God will come through.  But He always gives me peace and reminds me to think of Who He is!  He is good!

Well we headed out to church around 4:30 for the 5:45 service for their big Christmas Musical.  Being that it was the second service, and the first hadn't let out yet, the parking was insane!!  I literally ended up parking on the grass next to the sidewalk.  Everyone else was doing it.  People were just parking wherever they could get there cars to go.  One truck was up on this STEEP bank.  Looked like it would roll over at any moment! lol  The musical was fabulous!  Gateway does things big!  lol  It was based on It's a Wonderful Life and the story of Job.  It was awesome!  It had a powerful message and many came forward to give their hearts to the Lord afterward!  Praise God!  After church, we went to Luke and Kathy's, had dinner with the girls and watched the most recent rendition of Sense and Sensibility.  Emery went to bed at 8 but we didn't leave until midnight!  :)  Yep... the girls are partying while the boys are away! Ha!!

Saturday night at the Christmas musical!

Just a little snippet of the musical (sorry it's choppy)

Today we got to sleep in once again and having a relaxing day.  We took a walk today around the complex with Emery in our hiking carrier.  She went to it and wanted to get in it.  Sean will walk her around the apt so I thought we get outside.  But man!  It was more tiring than I thought.  By the time we walked back up the hill to our apt, my hips (and bum) were practically on the verge of cramping!  lol  But it was fun!  She did her usually waving and saying hi to all who passed by!  She is so social!

Sunday afternoon ... look what the wind blew in!

And this one was taken before daddy left on his trip

A day of fishing and a few random mentionables!

I keep forgetting to mention this... but for the last month or so, Emery has taken up a new habit that is her best one yet!  And puts me into a state of bliss!  When I put her to bed at night, she will play with my hair as she lays her head on my shoulder while I pray.  It is AWESOME!!!

New words or phrase.... Ew!  ... Uh oh!  ...  Up!  ... Pease  ...

 We always stop by the pool when we go get mail.  It's crazy that even in Dec in Texas, 

we can still put our feet in (although the water is VERY cold!)

 Had to share my latest creation!  All homemade... shortbread with orange zest, caramel, 

and dark chocolate with sea salt.  It is A-mazing!!!!

Last Saturday we went to Canton, TX for day of fishing with friends.  Doug and Cyndi Erickson just moved from Fresno only a month ago.  Doug was actually very close friends with Sean's parents.  So we have known him for a long time.  They invited us, the Carlsons and the Caughrans to their ranch.  It was a beautiful day for it too.  The drive was beautiful and I was blown away by the beauty of their property.  They have 7 acres where they have a house, a cottage and a mobile home.  But they also bought the surrounding 35 acres!  They have 2 ponds from which we fished.  The girls had planned to go shopping at this monthly event called First Monday Trade Days.  Some 200,000 people come from all over every month to the town of 5,000.  But I decided I really wanted to fish as I have only sort-of fished once in my life and caught nothing.  So then we thought we could do both.  But once the day got going, it was something I did not want to leave.  It was a beautiful day outside of fishing, eating, fellowship and hearing the kids play near and far.  It was a perfect day in every way!  It took me only about 3 hours but I finally caught my first fish!  And that was all it took!!  I caught about 7 more!  I was hooked (literally...lol!)  It was so much fun!!  We keep realizing just how much we are blessed! (hang on!  there's lots of pics!!)

 The whole gang!  We have ALL moved from Fresno!

 Joe (who flew in for Steve's birthday) and Sean hanging out by the pond

 Tyranie helping Hannah fish

 Luke and Sean (and me) heading over to the 2nd pond hoping for a little more luck

 I FINALLY CAUGHT A FISH!!!!  (Luke was so relieved because he took it on as his mission to get me my first fish.  He was so intense about it!  I'm so not exaggerating either! lol)

 My first catch!  It was bigger than it looks (I swear) and the second one was bigger! yeah!

 Tyranie helping Meagan fish... so sweet!

 That's me trying another area of the pond!

 Sean "teaching" me how to fish!!!

 Emery and her new best friend, Hannah!

 Simply Sweet!

Hanging out on the porch of the cottage they will be using as a respite time for people in ministry.  

God is going to do amazing things here!

Tree swing!!!!  Of course, right!??

 Brianna fishing (she and Madeline caught fish right away!)

 Emers!!!

 Elizabeth fishing.... look at that sky!!

 me and my sweet girlfriends, Kathy and Tyranie... 

God has truly blessed us with each other!!!

 Luke and Madeline!

 Daddy and Emery!!

 Steve and his oldest son, Josh, at the BBQ!

 Scott, Luke and Joe with their surprise catfish catch!!

Elizabeth and me caught at the same time!

 This is how the day started.... overcast and drizzly.  

But all day the clouds kept moving and changing 

between sunny and blue skies and this!  

A little humid, but a perfect day to be outside!

 Can it GET any better than this????

Spring Chicken dance!!!

Emery now does the chicken dance along with her Bubble Guppies friends!  It's the cutest thing!  They sing Bock... bock... bock bock bock!  and she sings Gack... gack... gack gack gack, flaps her 'wings' and spins right along with them!!!