We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!! We sure did!! Lots of pictures to come...stay tuned!!

Hair Cut Night

Friday night I decided to cut Morgan & Hannah's hair! Ok, I am no hairstylist at all, but I think both came out cute. Morgan wanted to go short like mommy(I was scared to go TOO short) and Hannah just wanted it cut "just a wittle bit"! Here's the outcome of a 2 hour hair cut!

Look What We Made

Our First

Gingerbread House!!

We had so much fun making our gingerbread house!! Alan "built" it for us and the girls and I decorated it! Well...maybe more like mommy decorated it and the girls handed me the pieces I asked for!! The whole time they were like, "Mommy can we PLEASE help!!" I did let them put the leftover pieces on the back of the house!! They were so proud of it and wanted to eat it! I'm sure the pieces will slowly disappear!!

All I Want For Christmas is....

PHOTOSHOP!!!

So I downloaded a FREE 30-day trial of Photoshop to see if I really wanted it and to see how easy I could navigate it and all I have to say it WOW!! If I had $600 I would buy the CS3 version, but I will settle for Elements!! I have just recently started blogging and making banners and such, but tonight I tried something completely new...

I just LOVE black and white photos with color accents so I attempted to do it on my own. After a little googling, I found this great website that was very helpful. Now, like I said, this is my first attempt at this, so it's nowhere near perfect (if you know me I don't quit until it's perfect, but after 2 hrs, I just had to save as and move on!) I could be doing it totally wrong, but I thought the pictures came out cute! AND it's a sneak peak at our Christmas card photos!!!

I will get better in time! But the only way I can is to get PHOTOSHOP!!! I only have 13 days left in my trial and there's 14 days left until Christmas!!! Let's hope Santa is listening!!!

Attention MOMS!!

I saw an ad for this 2007 Fall Warehouse Sale from Kelly's Kids. It will be Saturday 12/8, from 9 am- 4 pm at the Trade Mart in Jackson. They are advertising kids tops and bottoms for $9.99 and dresses, jumpers, and jumpsuits for $14.99.

From the website, the clothes looked ADORABLE!! Even the website is running 50-75% off ALL items! Has anyone ever heard of this company and the quality of the clothing?

This is probably where you will find me Saturday morning!!

The Holidays are upon us

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I was able to take a week of vacation during the Thanksgiving holiday so I worked on getting my house in order for Alan's parents coming to visit from Florida. We were fortunate enough to spend the holiday with my family for lunch and his for dinner. I have so much to be thankful for and definitely spent the day with those I am most thankful for!!

Of course, 3 am the next morning I was out finding those Black Friday bargains with Melanie, Angela, and Samantha (Mel's sil). By 11 I was so tired and had to call it quits!! Although I was able to get the majority of my shopping completed in a mere 8 hours! Gotta few more gifts to buy for my parents and Alan and I will be done!!

Speaking of presents....

I decided the "best" place to hide Santa was in my closet...WRONG!! Let's take it back to last week....

Morgan and Hannah has this HUGE list of presents they want Santa to bring them, so we decided to write a letter to Santa I would mail it for them. The lists start and may I add it took up the entire front and back of the paper!! Most of the things Santa already knew, but there were a few things on there that were surprising...Morgan: horse, guitar, and a diary with a lock and key so no one can read her "secrets"!!...Hannah: monkey, real airplane she can fly, and shoes (of all things a kid would want, shoes??)

So I "mailed" the letters...Well....on to the exciting part....Santa has been EXPOSED!! Apparently the girls have been snooping around in my closet because Morgan told Alan her "secret" yesterday! Mommy bought the presents and has to send them to Santa....and she even asked me last night if she could play with one of them before I sent them to Santa to make sure that's what she wanted Santa to bring her!!!! I AM SHOCKED!! The mind of a 5 year old!!

So what age do kids "stop believing in Santa"?? I am trying to think back to when I was a child but as far back as I can remember I always knew where the presents came from. But now I am in a pickle...Do I play along and yes mommy and daddy buy the presents and send them to Santa or No, those aren't Christmas presents for you, Santa brings his own presents, or tell them that the real meaning of Christmas has nothing to do with a man that lives in the North Pole who sneaks down your chimney on Christmas Eve after you have gone to sleep to leave you gifts he "knows" you want because he "knows" if you have been bad or good all year long???

Is it wrong to not want to play along with the story of Santa? Is it robbing them of the youthful experience of believing in Santa? We have taught the children that Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ but I just don't know how to explain how "Santa" comes to play in all of this??!! My children are finally getting to an age where I will have to do some explaining and I guess the time has come sooner than I expected!! I have a lot of thinking to do!! Any suggestions on how and when Santa was exposed in your home??

What is it like to be a Christian?

I found this on this blog I have been reading...She is very inspirational with her writings. Please add this family to your prayers over the upcoming holidays, for this will be their firsts of many without their little angel Miller Grace.

A woman was asked by a coworker, "What is it like to be a Christian?"The coworker replied, "It is like being a pumpkin." God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see."

Bring on the Bakin...

I LOVE the holiday season for so many reasons! I get to pull out all of my recipes and start baking!! I am not too good at cooking, but baking....that's a-whole-nother story!!!

I decided to bake some Dishpan Cookies last night. I have been promising cookies to some people I work with and just have not been able to find the time to bake. My house has been a wreck, we are putting new wood floors down in the living room, and I wanted to get all of this done so we could decorate for Christmas this weekend. But since I am taking a week of vacation next week, I had to get the cookies to them soon!!

If you have never tried this recipe, you MUST!! My mother-in-law made these for us a few years ago and when she told me what ingredients were in them, I turned my nose up. But they did look good, so I tried one....then two....and probably three or four more!! This recipe is awesome! I was told it makes 10 dozen, but I never seem to get that many. Guess I make them too big! But, last night I was able to get 9 dozen!! So I had enough to give away and keep my kids and hubby happy for a little while!

Here's the recipe and I "borrowed" a picture Melanie took of her cookies. Thanks Mel for such a beautiful artistic representation of my favorite cookies!! Warning: You will need a LARGE bowl!! I have changed the recipe a little from what I was told because once you start combining everything, you will get a work-out! I always have to get Alan to mix it for me!

DISHPAN COOKIES

2 C Oil

2 C Packed Brown Sugar

2 C Sugar

4 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

4 C Flour

2 C Regular Chocolate Chips

1 1/2 C Oats

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Salt

2 C Crushed Corn Flakes

1 C Flaked Coconut

In a medium bowl, cream oil, brown sugar, sugar, eggs and vanilla. In a large bowl, mix flour, chocolate chips, oats, baking soda, salt, corn flakes and coconut. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the large bowl and mix well.Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 11-12 minutes. Do not overbake!! Makes 10 dozen. ENJOY!!

Happy Fall!

Fall is officially here!! It's been awhile since I have posted so I need to update on all that has been going on...

MS State Fair
The kids are finally getting to an age where they can ride the rides and its actually enjoyable for me and Alan because we are not carrying kids around and begging them to walk!! This year we all had fun!! This was Ethan's first year to the fair and he seemed to have fun....He rode in his stroller and ate a little of everything! He really enjoyed these slushies!!

Pumpkin Patch

Here are a few pictures from our trip to the Pumpkin Patch a few weeks ago! We took a hayride, saw a few farm animals, and the kids picked out their own pumpkins. They had a blast! Ethan enjoyed every minute of it! He had a hard time choosing which pumpkin he wanted! It was too cute to see him running around and trying to pick up every pumpkin!

Pumpkin Carving Party

Afterwards, we had a pumpkin carving party with The Smiths at our house. Should have known that it would have ended with the adults doing all of the carving!! The kids weren't too sure about all of pumpkin goo,but they seemed to have fun!

Halloween

Halloween night we were invited to The Smiths house for a "Hall-O-Weenie" roast and Trick-Or-Treating. This year, Morgan wanted to be a ladybug, Bella was a kanagroo, Hannah was a monkey and Ethan was a pirate.

Mistletoe Marketplace
This past weekend, Melanie, Angela and I went to Mistletoe Marketplace! We had a blast! I went to get my Christmas shopping started, but came out with more presents for myself than anyone!! It has really brought on the Christmas spirit and I am really excited about getting my house decorated for Christmas. I am trying to wait it out until a little closer to Thanksgiving but its getting harder and harder!!

As you can see the past month has been busy and seemed to have just flown by! Thanksgiving is almost here and Christmas is right around the corner!
As I was getting my pictures together to post, I came across several pictures of my girls with Andrew and Avery, Melanie's boys, and they were just too cute not to share! They just LOVE these boys!! We are so blessed to be friends with such a wonderful family!! We love ya'll!!

Busy, Busy, Busy Bees

With 4 children, everyday is a busy day! I work all week anticipating every weekend to relax only to be on the go all day Saturdays and Sundays. And today happened to be no different. Had to work until 2 then drive all the way to Madison to pick the kids up from my mom. Then off to get a birthday gift for Annah Brooke, my dear friend Melanie's daughter. Next stop, Libby Lu for Annah Brooke's party!! The girls, well, Morgan and Bella, just had a blast! Hannah decided not to do it this time, she is our little tom-boy and just hates anything sparkly! Then back to their house for dinner, cake and ice cream! After a day full of fun, back to the house for baths and in the bed to get plenty of rest for tomorrow! And our schedule for tomorrow?? Just as busy....church and an afternoon at the fair to watch Annah Brooke's cheer competition and some of that delicious fair food!! Ummmm...chicken on a stick.....funnel cakes.....can't wait!

Needless to say it was another busy day and I am pooped!! I almost can't wait until Mondays so I can stay in one place for 8 hours! Hahaha!!

Here is a picture of the girls right before bed! As you see, just as perky as can be!!

Autism Awareness

How much do you know about Autism? I will be the first to admit that I had no idea anything about Autism 2 years ago. And to this day, I am still learning. Our good friends, Toby and Leah Price have 3 children, Addison, McKade, and Marley Kate. Addy and McKade have autism. This video is a look into their journey with autism.

Autism affects 1 in 150 children today! WOW, 1 in 150, can you believe that! This past weekend, Melanie and I volunteered to help out with a Rummage Sale at Flowood Elementary School which all proceeds went to support the ONLY school in MS that focuses on Autism. The final total was around $400, but there is still a long way to go to reach the goal of $15,000.

The next fundraiser will be Southern Belle T-Shirts. I know EVERYONE loves their Southern Belle shirts and this is a perfect reason to buy another one! I know I will be the FIRST in line to get one. BUT, they will only be sold by word of mouth. They cannot find a store that will sell them and give the Autism School all of the profits. So, if you want one, PLEASE email me!! The shirts will be teal blue with a large puzzle piece on the back which reads,"Southern Belles believe in Miracles...Autism Awareness"

Just know the support is needed!! I hope to see these shirts all over!! Their goal is to sell 500...wouldn't it be great to double that!!?? WE NEED YOUR HELP!!
Please email me!!

Time

I know, there is no excuse!! It has been like 6 weeks since I have written a blog!! I can't believe how fast time seems to go by!!! And you don't even realize it...Until you stop and really think about it. So much has happened these past 6 weeks. Here's a glimpse into all of it...

The girls just love gymnastics...And having it 2 days a week has opened my eyes to what lies ahead when the kids start to get older and more involved in activities!

Ethan is getting bigger and smarter as the days go by! His favorite thing to do is to tell you "STOP", plain as day that's what he says! Guess he has heard me and Alan say it one too many times!

Morgan turned the BIG 5 on September 28! WOW!! How it blows my mind! She wanted to go to Libby Lu so I let her invite two friends, along with Hannah and Bella for makeover party. They had so much fun! Afterwards we had a pizza party at the house and a sleepover...YES, I said a sleepover! WHAT was I thinking!? No, really they had lots of fun and I enjoyed every minute of it! I will post more pictures when I get them downloaded to the computer, I promise!

One of Morgan's gifts for her birthday was a room makeover. Instead of toys we decided to get her a new bed and redo her furniture to match this bedding I bought awhile back and have been dying to let her use. The iron bed was my Grandmother's, I think its about 60 years old or so...but it was covered in rust and old paint. Alan and I, mainly Alan!, sanded it down and primed and painted it on off white. My grandmother also gave us a desk that we painted the off-white color as well as her old dresser, which was purple. Then the pink walls become an aqua blue....I still need to get some artwork for the walls, but for the most part, it's finished! Here is a glimpse of the transformation!

If you know me, I am no Betty Crocker AT ALL!! But, I have been trying to cook for Alan and the kids more! I didn't realize how much money we spend on eating out until I sat down and added it all up! Here are a few of my EDIBLE meals! Spinach and Shrimp Pasta (Ethan loved it!) and Lasagna (My Fav!)

Melanie and I have been searching for a sugar cookie recipe to make cut-out cookies and have not been able to find one. The kids have been wanting to help make cookies, so I bought some store dough ( I know, not the best route to go on my cooking journey, but indeed the fastest!). After dinner tonight, I let the kids roll out the dough and make Halloween cookies. We did the icing and sprinkles and they turned out too cute!

Well...that's a short version of what has been going on. What have I learned from the past 6 weeks?? Time is precious...Where has the time gone? "Your time is your life" There is no changing it...no, I wish I would have or not have done this or that.... I received this email today about Love and Time and this really stood out.....

"The importance of things can be measured by how much time we are willing to invest in them. The more time you give to something, the more you reveal its importance and value to you. If you want to know a person's priorities, just look at how they use their time."

That has really made to start thinking...Do I put all of my time in what is important to me? I am guilty of putting too much time into work and non important things in life, when the people who love me most just want my time. My kids don't care how much money I make or what I buy them....and how do I know this? This is a conversation that took place Sunday night when we were at the grocery store...

Morgan: "Mama, will you make us pancakes for breakfast in the morning?"

Me: " I don't know if I will have time baby, I have to go to work"

Hannah: "Do you have to go to work, Mama?"

Me: Yes, Mama has to make us money so we can buy stuff"

Morgan: "But Mama, I just want you to make us pancakes and nothing else ok"

Hannah: "Yeah, just pancakes"

And I am mad at myself because I still didn't get up and make breakfast for them and they both pointed it out to me when I got home from work. So this is my challenge to myself....

Focus on what is important to me and put my time towards this....Because my top priorities will be what gets all of my time...And my top priority is and always will be my family.

If someone looked at your life, would they be able to know your top priorities by how you spend your time?

Outside Fun

Not too much happening around our house today. We all went to sign the girls up for gymnastics classes. Hannah and Bella will be taking on Mondays and Morgan will be taking on Tuesdays. They watched the other girls for a little bit today and seemed eager to get out there. Hopefully they will enjoy it! Here are some pictures of the kids I took while they were outside playing in the sprinkler.


Anytime Ethan picks up something, he runs to bring it to you! He is such a sweet baby boy!!

Staying Cool

With this HOT temperture, the right way to stay cool is the pool! Since Alan had all FOUR of the kids, BY HIMSELF (what a wonderful husband I have!), there was no way to take them to the pool, so this worked just fine! I hate that I missed it, but thanks to Alan, I got a great picture! Looks like they had a blast!

Sewing 101

So I missed my daily posting yesterday :(...I was too tired last night! After work, Melanie and I stopped by Hancock Fabrics to pick out some fabric for Melanie to make a pair of pjs for Annah Brooke. Keep in mind that this is her FIRST sewing lesson, so we picked out an easy pattern so I wouldn't overload her too much!! Might I say, she was a GREAT student...Listened well, asked questions, and succeeded! She looks so interested in the sewing lesson, doesn't she!?


I am so proud of her!! She did a great job!! A lot better than I did my first time!! Here is a picture of the pjs, all sewn and wearable! LoL :) I hope she enjoyed it, because I have a HUGE list of more projects that need to be sewn!!

So Disappointed :(

I have been looking for a new comforter set for our bedroom for the last few months but just have not found EXACTLY what I am looking for. Well, this morning I was looking through the Sunday sale papers and I FOUND IT!! Linen's & Things had it on the front page! Browns, blues, and it was a 30 PIECE SET!! It had everything in it!! It was $249.00, but after the 20% discount, you couldn't beat that price with a stick!! I was too excited. Here it is:

So I got dressed and went. I looked all over the bedding section and couldn't find it so I asked for help. And you want to know what the kid said, "Sorry ma'm, we sold the LAST one about an HOUR AGO!!!" UGH I was so mad!! I can order it online, but just in case, I wanted to see it in person. Now I'm torn, do I order it or wait? I just can't decide....

After my disappointment, I had to buy something, I just couldn't go home empty-handed...so I went to Kirkland's and bought these cute plaques for our bathroom.
The one on Alan's side says: "Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, Sing like no one's listening, Dance like no one's watching."

Mine says: "One shoe can change your life- Cinderella"

See how great it would flow from the bedroom to the bathroom with the colors! Hmmmm, maybe I will just order it! I can always send it back if I don't like it, Right??

I know I said I wasn't going to post another, but I just want to! I took a few pictures of Ethan after I gave him a bath and it's just too cute not to share! And he really does have hair, unfortunately you can't really see it unless it's wet! Enjoy! Good Night!

Oh, by the way, digital scrapbooking is so much fun. Thanks to Two Peas in a Bucket for the layouts!

One last post for the night

Well, I certainly did not think I would have enough to blog about, but 3 posts in one night...I may be wrong!!

One other thing I like to do is flower arrangements. I bought the things at Hobby Lobby (I just love that place. tons of sales all the time) and put it together tonight!

Maybe I will put it up for a few weeks until Fall gets a little closer. I can't wait for this heat to pass and the cool weather to roll in!!
My next project will be one for our room.

My New Hobby

Ok, so I love to sew and do crafts and I have recently added painting to the mix. Melanie and I went to Hobby Lobby last week and they had a HUGE sale! We decided to get a few canvases and paint for our children, and ourselves!! If I might say, they came out rather nice! Take a look!

Here is the first one we painted. We decided to do this one for ourselves, in case it turned out bad, we could stick in the laundry room or garage!!

If you know me at all, you know I hate to do housework, so I thought this quote fit me perfectly! This will be going in the laundry room, but not because I don't like it, the colors do not match anything else and laundry is where I slack the most! HaHaHa!!

Last night we decided to start on a few more for the kids. Hannah and Bella share a room so I made these to go above their beds.



I am happy with the results! I am a perfectionist so it takes me forever. Each letter has to be perfect and every dot has to be the same size!! I made one for Ethan, I just need to get a picture and I will post it. Next I will paint one for Morgan's room.

It's OFFICIAL!!

After waited anticipation, mainly from Mel, this is my first official post!! I started this blog a few weeks ago and just have not written anything yet. Although my life is very busy, especially with four children, I just do not think anyone would be interested. But, I have decided to give it a try! So here's to the beginning of the look into the life of the Youngs!!