Everything England

lions, tigers, and bears OH! my!

2012-05-15T17:49:00.001-07:00

On April 27th, in the evening, Brayden had his spring program. I can’t tell you how adorable it was. I sadly didn’t get pictures worth posting as the ones in the sanctuary ended up a bit blurry. However, the memories and few decent photos I did get will certainly last a life time. I’m sharing a few!…such fun! The theme of lions, tigers, and bears OH! my!…was most appropriate. The little ones made their little animal visors and sang the sweetest songs:

Here We Come

Who’s the King of the Jungle

Five Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree

Let All Creatures, Praise the Lord

Spanish Color Song

The Monkey Dance

Friends Forever

This little program just made me “thirsty” for more. We celebrated Brayden’s first year at school in pre-k. Both grandmas were in attendance, as were Grand-dad, and Aunt Pia! Of course, Nealy, Scott and I were there. Duh? :) Seriously, what a wonderful night it was!!!!

my handsome boy!

One Bean

2012-04-15T12:14:00.001-07:00

This book by, Anne Rockwell is a great way to introduce the plant life cycle to children. One Bean is one of the books I purchased in Brayden’s Scholastic Book Order. He actually picked it out. It was perfect for a little experiment too!

We followed the little steps in the story so (hopefully) B would end up with his very own Bean Plant!

We found an old pot & plate, some soil, and we placed the little potted bean in direct sunlight after watering it. We checked on it every day. After about 4 days…

LOOK! The bean started to sprout! Brayden was super excited, he came running to tell me as soon as I arrived home from work one day.

Soon, we had a lovely little bean plant. In a week or so, we may very well plant it outside. What fun it was to read and reread One Bean and actually have B plant his very own bean. I would totally recommend, One Bean for little ones taking an interest in nature or just a sweet read about the steps of the plant life cycle told in story form.

Easter Egg-citement!

2012-04-05T18:34:00.001-07:00

In preparation for B’s Easter party at school, I found a “bunny hoppin” cute idea…of course on Pinterest!

I can’t even tell you how egg-cited B was to give these to his friends. He loved the idea and told me Cheetos were his class’ favorite….score!

I added a cute little tag and ta-da! …some serious carrot cuteness!

B leads our prayer at home before meals and almost every time, I get a little lump in my throat. To see 11 little ones pray so sweet and accurately was simply heart-warming.

delivering the goodies to the cubbies

B giving Mrs. York an Easter goodie! He ADORES Mrs. York. She has a darling personality..peppy and sweet. She is the perfect teacher for B.

The class made these precious little Easter Bunny bags for their egg hunt.

Some egg-cellent artwork!

This is the class (B is hiding behind Mrs. York), listening to directions before hunting for eggs. Each student was assigned a number that was written on the bottom of his/her bag. Parents sent in eggs numbered 1-13 (number of students in the class). It was a really cute idea and it ensured that each child get the same number of eggs total. Two friends were absent so Mrs. York collected their eggs. ANYWAY, it was so dang cute to see all the kids running around hunting for eggs!

Yep, that’s Nealy. I sure did take her out of school to attend this special time with B. Scott recently attended Dad and Donuts Day, so he wasn’t able to make it this day.

So super proud of this picture! I know he will outgrow me some day and this photo (though, I’m kneeling and he’s standing) gives me a little “visual” of what a photo in future of us might look like. …lump in my throat again.

Gran came too!

umm, ladies man?

cute. right?

After the egg hunt we came back to the classroom for craft time!

B had a variety of stickers to put on his dyed hard-boiled egg. He chose one. …a soccer ball. Fitting!

What a wonderful afternoon! It certainly was a great start to get us excited about Easter. Along with the egg-citement and fun, I was able to observe my little guy in a structured learning environment! He was calm (trust me, isn’t always), obedient, sweet, and social. I was content, proud, and know we are one blessed family!

Books, Books, and more Books!

2012-04-01T19:29:00.001-07:00

A Scholastic Spring Order! Oh the fun we will READ this spring!

Nana’s Birthday!

2012-03-22T17:38:00.001-07:00

Happy Happy Birthday to my beautiful – ever so loving, Momma! I can’t even begin to tell you how much I learn from my mom. She didn’t have a formal education, nor did she grow up with many opportunities to lead and experience. She is a Godly lady, so sweet and tender. She can be a little “clueless” sometimes. My sister and I tease her a lot…in a loving way. (I have tears of laughter and love filling my eyes just thinking of the funny times with her).

From my mom, I have learned…

1. values and morals hold a key in ways to serve God and others.

2. to be kind to others, despite how they may treat me.

3. to be humble yet, proud of what I have accomplished, what I stand for, and challenges I have overcome.

4. to gift smiles, belly laughs and grace to people who pass judgment on me or say negative things about me.

5. having empathy, understanding, compassion, integrity, reason, respect, responsibility and bravery are key to living a balanced and productive life.

AND, she has also taught me…

1. a polished and finished look is important. Why? It is the “front cover” to what qualities and habits one encompasses.

2. make-up and accessories are absolutes, if they help me (no one else) feel better.

3. skin care is just as important as NOT sleeping with make-up on.

4. keeping a super clean and super tidy home is impossible unless she lives in it. NOT kidding.

5. it is totally okay to be picky and detailed, only if I don’t require or expect it of other people.

6. it is never okay to lie, but I don’t necessarily have to share everything I purchase (while shopping) with my hubby:). Men aren’t interested anyway…right?

These are just a few of the many things (some important and valued, and some silly and random) I have learned from my mom. I hope to be the best mom I can be, just like she was to me and my siblings! I am so blessed to have had her keep Nealy full time until the age of 3 years, and share the time (with Scott’s mom) keeping Brayden until the age of 4 years. Blessed because I know she has passed along her love of life and sweet innocent spirit to my babies. I love you mom!….WE love you mom.

LOVE this photo

We took my mom to her favorite lunch place, La Madeline. MMM! One of my favorites too!

Time got away from me and I didn’t get all the photos I wanted but, reflecting on the day, I am happy we utilized the time talking, sharing, remembering, and CELEBRATING my mom.

Easter Chicks

2012-03-16T22:17:00.001-07:00

This is a little project I made this afternoon. I found this idea on Pinterest. I thought it was so cute. I’m sorry I don’t have the direct link. Well, all you need is scrap paper and craft paint. It looks like the ones below are on painted canvas. I chose to use scrap paper and frames. I guess I am thinking it will be easier to keep them protected and easier to store them. I also used my babes’ fingers instead of their whole hand (just preference). I included my little ones’ names and year (didn’t want to forget the year…later on, once they are older). Anyway, I used heavily textured cardstock for the eyes and the beak. I think it gives it a hint of dimension. The turquoise backing has a shimmer. Oh, and the colors are pretty bright, but not too bright. I took my pictures in “lamp lighting” instead of natural light. I have to say, I really like them…a lot. I am toning down my color palette for most of my Easter decorations and these fit in perfectly!

Finding Bigfoot Adventure!

2012-03-16T21:36:00.001-07:00

So, this has been a week of relaxation as it has been our spring break. We’ve done a whole lot of nothing but, enjoy each other. Wednesday B and I enjoyed the cool breeze and got a little fresh air as we walked to the park. It was a gorgeous day. Before we left he reminded me he was going to “call” for a bigfoot. (He loves the show with the four single-minded researchers, Finding Bigfoot. It’s on Animal Planet, which is one of his very favorite channels). Anyway, I was so grateful for the time and nice weather to spend doing one of my favorite things…spending some one-on-one time with my number one boy. I so HEART the conversations we have. He was telling me how we must look for evidence (yeah, he said that word) in the grass and wooded areas. He also said, I shouldn’t be scared because if we happen to see an elusive sasquatch (yes, he said both those words too), it would be scared of us. I felt safe with my little guy;).

He has the BEST bigfoot call around!!! In the 2nd photo below he is sounding the distinctive call. LOVE it!

These are two little guys B played with (while on a break from searching). They played a rhyming game as they ran around randomly. They also played tag. Both boys were older and bigger than B, and yet the oldest was so sweet to play fair and cut B a few “breaks” on tag. It was fun to watch them interact and just “chill” together.

What an ever so sweet time I had with my little guy! I wish spring break could be forever!

Valentine Popcorn with a Twist & Lovies!

2012-02-15T17:29:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I made the ever so popular gourmet popcorn you can find almost everywhere online. I found the idea on Pinterest of course and as soon as I saw knew it was what I would be doing for my little guy’s Valentine Treats fro school. Leave it up to me to change it up and randomly tweak the recipe…sorta. So, I tried looking for the Orville Redenbacher Tender White and Wilton Candy Melts. After sending my hubby to 3 different stores and looking myself, I gave up. Seriously, after the fact, I am so happy we didn’t have any luck finding the original ingredients. I used these instead and not only yumminess was created but CUTENESS was too! Yay! I found the cool BLUE popcorn at Walmart as I did the Baker’s Premium White Chocolate baking cubes. Here are the simple steps!

* ingredients: Pop Secret (pops blue), Baker’s White Chocolate, and Valentine M&Ms

1. pop popcorn (directions according to bag)

2. melt white chocolate cubes (in microwave) stir every 30 seconds (total time: about 1 minute 10 seconds)

2. mix all ingredients and stir

3. set out on cookie sheet or wax paper and put in refrigerator to cool quickly

4. package up, add ribbon & card….Viola!

OH, planning ahead with a cute saying (on the back)….all the better!

LOVIES------because I am a detailed.silly.busy-bee.momma:

The well “thought out” V Day ensemble

teacher gift

Lovies for my babes! Nothing CRAZY great, but I will throw in…that we have NOTHING against candy, it’s just that we don’t necessarily want to “encourage” it. Mean you say? It’s Valentine’s Day for crying out loud. The truth is, Brayden doesn’t care for candy…not.even.kidding. Didn’t say he doesn’t like sugar…just doesn’t care for candy…any candy…at all. Nealy on the other hand LOVES candy but, I brought SO much home from school and we always have some on hand. Bottom line? Candy doesn’t excite my children like TWO very sweet sock monkeys do! Ha! B named his, Cocoa. I threw in some make-up for N and Legos for B. It was a LOVELY day!

Cheerful Road Trip

2012-02-15T02:18:00.001-08:00

Family road trips are fabulous! I say this sincerely AND sarcastically. One: Scott, Nealy, Brayden and me all together in Downtown Houston at the JW Marriott makes for some fun times and snuggle times! Two: early mornings, hair, make up, …and all that jazz is a combination that equals chaos. I have to say the good outweighed the bad and the trip was grand. As I am an early to bed kind of gal….I didn’t get photos of Saturday night where Nealy and two of her girls went to Steak House and came back to swim in the indoor pool. I enjoyed the comfort of the bed, the Houston air (good for the allergies) and a few games on the iPad. Take a look at a few random pics of the weekend! Oh, and Sabres ended up in 2nd place:). Man how we wanted 1st…we could taste it. BUT, we were proud and Sabres performed well!

You may not EVEN notice but, Nealy’s skirt is a teensy big here. (how much smaller can it get? :) Well, she forgot her skirt in the hotel room the first day of competition. This seriously brought me to tears. You can only be so responsible as a cheer mom. Ugh! I received a text 10 minutes before they were to be on stage. Nealy discoverd she didn’t have it oh about 2 minutes before then. First, she text me. Then, the team mom. Aaaah! Seriously the tears were rolling and I was getting a little sweaty. All I could picture is my girl out of 32 being the only one in teensy black trunks. Luckily the coaches found her one to borrow from an other CA senior team! Phew! Nealy didn’t forget her skirt the next day!

Um yeah I made my hat. Fab, right?

The boys a little annoyed with us….

AND, here’s what N and I need to stay calm and collect (as best we could) in the room, in car, at the competition, at….well, you get it! This was right down stairs in our hotel. Greatness indeed!

Aaah, love this boy so much!

My mom and sis came! They stayed at the Hyatt House SO close to us! Loved having them there to cheer on our girl.

Yeah, he’s patient and so supportive of Nealy and her cheer AND drama cheer momma….love him.

Enjoyed this weekend (smile). NCA is coming up!!! Go blue, black and white….G3FCA2A!

Do you Know the Muffin Man?

2012-02-07T15:56:00.001-08:00

…the muffin man, the muffin man?

Do you you know the muffin man,

he’s name is, Brayden James!

When we arrived home Wednesday last week, we were presented with, “Mommy, Daddy, Nee-nee, I made you all cupcakes! I worked on them with Gran.” What a sweet little Muffin Man we have. He was able to tell me some of the ingredients he used and how much fun he had. He was excited to give them to us. He exuded pride….I was so proud too! You better believe I dug into these, right away…mmmm!

Well, as a family we try to eat healthful with “here and there” treats. We’d give up cupcakes but, we England’s are NO quitters!

Heart cupcakes and our Muffin Man!

Nealy and Me

2012-01-22T09:24:00.001-08:00

At ACA Nationals!

Christmas Day 2011!

2011-12-31T09:37:00.001-08:00

A BIG thumbs up!

Traditionally, we spend Christmas morning at home, the four of us, to see what Santa left for the kids. We have a delish little breakfast and we head over to my in-laws around noon to spend Christmas day with Scott’s family!:) As it always has been full of joy and a yummy traditional Christmas lunch, we knew it would be a very enjoyable family time. As expected, it WAS!

LOVE my Santa Baby!

Be still my beating heart. Both kids were in a great mood and no trouble (my babies can be moody…just like their momma) and so it was an easy breezy morning getting ready and packing up the gift to take to Scott’s parents. What a sweet little gift they gave me….happy moods and very obedient.

Grand-daddy is too funny! He was really in the Christmas spirit.

Brayden does this on purpose during family photos (I think)…ha ha ha! Cuteness nonetheless. :)

Christmas Eve and Santa Sighting!

2011-12-28T19:39:00.001-08:00

Just some Christmas Eve Goodies! Uncle Lloyd and T brought the sweet gingerbread and my sister brought the yummy pumpkin-cheese cake minis. I made some red velvet cupcakes and decorated them with white chocolate bark and even made some that looked like Rudolph with pretzel ears and all…somehow I manage to lose those pics..:( Anyway….

B’s little Candy Cane Snack. Banana and Strawberries!

Tristan and B…posing. Two cuties!

Boys will be boys….my brother and the two littles.

LOVE!

playing a little Your Shape Fitness(evolved for the xbox 360 kinect)….hilarious and SO much fun! Notice no pics of me! Ha!

Nealy and Uncle Lloyd were so brave. Lloyd is very good! This game really does cause a sweat and keeps up with calories burned…good stuff!

The Children were nestled, …well, almost snug in their beds.

And who to my camera’s lens did appear? It was Jolly ‘ole Santa. He was right HERE!…in our very living room. BELIEVE!!!

Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T18:24:00.001-08:00

2011 has been a year of many “news” for us! I guess “news” happen almost every year but, the year 2011 was one to remember. I certainly like to reflect and give thanks for our blessings. We started off by finishing up our school year with much anticipation for the summer month. We took a family vacation to Negril, Jamaica. I can’t even begin to tell you how much we enjoyed ourselves and beautiful island. We spent a lot of family time together and planned for Brayden starting preschool, Nealy starting 8th grade, and me starting a school year with new administration. The month of July brought many tears and heart break as we lost our very sweet Grandma Lupe, the kids’ great grandma. It was a very sad time, but what we did and continue to do with God’s help is keep her memory alive by telling our favorite stories about her. One being, Grandma’s 80th Birthday! She will always be missed and remembered daily. We love you grandma. As the year continued, we had more tears when B started attending a sweet little Christian Preschool 3 days a week. It was bitter sweet. Knowing he was not only being taught academics and socially developing, he was learning about God. THAT made the ‘sweet’ outweigh the ‘bitter.’ This year I was also occupied being a part of the PTF Board as one of the two Parent Teacher Liaisons. I love being involved and getting to know people. I especially like the idea of putting time toward helping children and the wonderful teachers and staff at his school. I believe we could not have been blessed any more as we found the perfect school for him. I was also CRAZY-BUSY with my little side – hobby taking lots of photos and making lots of cards this fall. I actually need to update my site…eeks! (That will be a small new year’s resolution). I have to say, this is another huge blessing as it provides me with what I really enjoy doing. I love making people happy and capturing their family’s legacy. This certainly beats the profit…but, I gotta admit, it’s super great to have a “heavier purse” as the Christmas Season begins. :) Scott has built his collection of firearms up this year and has invested time and money to keep our family safe and educated. He has taken courses, gone to the shooting range and applied for his license. I am super proud of him and his diligence and detail to keeping all the firearms locked and secured. Nealy is on a senior competitive team this year, and has continued with private lessons since April. In 6 short months she nailed her running back tuck and standing back tuck. She is consistent and her tumbling is ‘pretty.’ She has had her standing three and toe touch three (three back handsprings). She has continued to improve in the last few months and is working on combinations and hopefully soon, a layout! I’m a proud cheer momma. Brayden has continued to successfully meet milestones and absorb so much of this word around him. He is one smart little fellow who is maturing and becoming very brave. This year was his first year to play an organized sport. Yay, Brayden! Reflecting is important as is setting goals for the new year to come. Oh and do we have plans!!!!! I CAN’T wait to carry our plans and continue to live this humble and full-of-love Everything England Life! The year 2012 is much anticipated. Merry Christmas to all our beloved family members and cherished friends (near and far). God Bless and God willing, let’s make it a GREAT new year!

Gran’s Merry and Bright Birthday!

2011-12-23T12:08:00.001-08:00

HaPPy BiRthDaY Gran – We LOVE you!

It was so nice to spend family time honoring Gran. She does so much for all of us. We sure appreciate her and love her so much. It was nice to get together and spend a little pre-Christmas time together just hanging out and enjoying some catching up time.

So, Nealy (me too) got the Ombre’ color style on her hair. I think it looks super fabulous. She got her natural color put back on the crown and around her face (LOVE that it brings out her eyes). She went a shade lighter (from the blonde she had) on some tips and the underneath layers. Isn’t she so pretty? …just wanted to add some cute ones of her AND say that I was happy she was able to join the family time. Seriously, she had me laughing as she told funny stories about Scott….She and he have these “little battles” of “funnies” going back and forth. I have to say, I am usually cackling along with Nealy and in total agreement with her. LOVE my mini-me!

A BIRTHDAY Pile up!

Me and my sweetie!

Top 11 of ‘11

2011-12-22T07:29:00.001-08:00

Here I go again entering a photo contest just for “kicks.” When I saw that I could pick ELEVEN photos from the whole 2011 year, well, I thought it was going to trouble. The truth is, it was heart warming looking back. I found some of my very favorites. Although, I critique my photos so harshly, I found myself allowing the photos to “speak” to me rather than trying to select ones I used certain techniques/angles/creativity etc. I picked ones I thought communicated emotion, love, and for me, the memories I never want to forget! It was SO hard limiting the spread to 11….

1. This photo of my son was actually taken on New Year’s Day 2011! It illuminates his face and captures his playful-happy personality.

2. After bath time is always a time I want to remember. The warm hue compliments the overall mood & message – he was all warm and snuggly for bed.

3. This photo of my teenager exudes calmness and tranquility. We were on our family vacation to Jamaica. LOVE the contrast and that she was unaware that I was even snapping away.

4. On the glass bottom boat to observe the sea life. Excitement yet peaceful. Can’t help but think of how beautiful she is without a drop of make-up. I also crack up seeing my son in the background with his little corky expression. Just a quick-everyday (in Jamaica…) shot!

5. LOVE.LOVE.LOVE. – The color, the calming energy and remembering how MUCH my son loved the beach.

6. MORE beach, MORE fun, MORE nature!…he is a creative player with the two sticks in hand.

7. one of the very few times my daughter has actually said, “Mom, look! Take a picture!” Her hands. Her treasures.

8. One of the sweetest smiles ever! His eyes exude interest, wonder, and excitement. He was watching Sesame Street Characters singing and dancing on stage. He turned to his daddy to confirm his happiness! Love the soft bokeh and how mustard flag compliments my son’s shirt….all by accident:).

9. Nothing like a swing on the beach! LOVING the bokeh and this is a good representation of how DANG fit my girl is!:) Ha! Honestly, though she is a teenager this picture exudes this kid’s playful energy!

10. Cutest Captain America you ever did see! His eyes say it all:).

11. CHRISTMAS PHOTO 2011 – how could I not include? Look at how they have grown (wiping a tear of love away).

GO LINK UP AT:

(Click image for link)

Also, check out these Click, Pray and Love, Nap Time Mom Tog, and Click it up a Notch! The links are also on my sidebar. Cute families & neat blogs for mommy photographers!:)

Wish me luck!:)

All I want for Christmas is my…

2011-12-20T18:13:00.001-08:00

Just in time for a Jolly ‘Ole Christmas as my little man had his very first dental appointment yesterday! Now, I know it’s a few months late er, (maybe close to a year) for this to be his very first. Let me explain. We were not sure of how he would respond in this situation. He doesn’t invade space and he sure doesn’t like his invaded. Especially by strangers. Well, he did FABULOUSO!!! He was VERY brave, listened, and ~~asked questions~~ confirmed that NO drill was going to be used and NO shots were going to be given. He followed all the directions and wasn’t even a little bit worried when the big camera came down from the ceiling to get x-rays. I mean seriously? I COULD NOT have asked for a better appointment. It’s like Christmas Angels were sitting on each of my shoulders and the magic dialog between them included something about me DESERVING a break. These last two days have been PACKED with dental appointments, ortho appointments, dr. appointments, and cheer private lessons. We take advantage of the time off school. We wiped it all out in two days, so we have the rest of the break to have a holly jolly – relaxing Christmas time! :) Well….take a look at my handsome sparkly teeth – brown eyed boy!!!!

So I was able to capture a few of this special event.

Going to the treasure box!:) Cheer!

Next, picking a sticker!

This is the gorgeous tree we saw right outside La Madeleine (me and the kiddoes at lunch). B’s great experience at the dentist, made our start to a peaceful lunch…a GREAT one! Looking up at this tree, It’s like I heard the two Christmas Angels singing a joyous song;)!

I took this through the window with the reflection of the tree that was behind me!:) LOVE!

So, what a great little Christmas Outing after all!:)

A Little Christmas Cheer!

2011-12-19T18:33:00.001-08:00

Brayden had his school Christmas Party on the Friday before the break. Gran and Nealy volunteered to help and were excited to attend! Nealy didn't go to school bc she had already completed all her exams. It's so great that she was able to be there with him when Scott and I couldn't. Gran too! We are so blessed. Well, these are a few little photos N took for me with her phone:).

My absolute favorite one….praying before their little meal.

Peppermint Stick Cocoa

2011-12-13T13:20:00.001-08:00

This is a little treat I have had so much fun making this season(I actually made all the cocoa treats this weekend:). Anyway, I got the idea from Pinterest and added my own little flare. I gave them to some of my favorite peeps.

The jars are quart size and smooth. I added a personalized sticker, fabric for the lid and a ribbon. Voila!

Peppermint Stick Cocoa Recipe

1 cup of sugar

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 cup of unsweetened powdered cocoa

1 cup of powdered milk

1/2 a cup of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup of chunky/crushed peppermint

1/2 cup of mini marsh mellows OR peppermint marsh mellows OR both

* stack ingredients in this order and pack with marsh mellows

* makes 12 servings (put all ingredients in a gallon size bag and mix all very well)

*mix in 1/3 of cocoa mix in 1 cup of boiling hot water

MMM Christmas Goodness!

Peppermint Stick Cocoa Reindeer

* half the recipe above and this sweet reindeer makes 6 servings

What you need: cone shaped cellophane baggies, rubber bands, googly eyes, red mini pom poms, ribbon, brown pipe cleaners, hot glue gun

I made these in lieu of treat bags for Brayden’s Christmas Party at school this Friday. I figured what kid doesn’t love hot cocoa. Also there aren’t any allergies in the class so it is perfect. What I did change about this recipe is the candy cane is attached and not crushed in the recipe. This gives them an option as I know some little ones are picky with their cocoa, or any food item for that matter. I also made some without the peppermint mini marsh mellows for those who prefer a traditional taste. Okay, so some tips to remember: Use the marsh mellows to pack ingredients * use a rubber band under the ribbon to secure closure well *

Ridiculously CUTE and YUMMY Reindeer

HaVe a MeRRy ChRistMas TiMe!

Gift-ember, The Season of Giving!

2011-12-04T17:44:00.001-08:00

It has been very busy this time of year having booked many ‘o photo shoots and making lots of Christmas Cards. Though I have to admit it’s been fun, I certainly do not want to lose precious time with my family. It IS beginning to look a lot like Christmas and have enjoyed thinking and planning special things for us to do. First, I have to share some very sweet gifts I have already received!

Such a sweet and very thoughtful gift. He is out of town working a lot and he thought of us. I displayed this beautiful plant (it IS real) on my kitchen table for us to enjoy.

This one touches my heart and I probably need to communicate again how thankful I am. Nealy and my mom did this on a day Nealy stayed home from school feeling under the weather. They both knew that I had been working a lot and I was a teensy overwhelmed. This was a gift that was definitely needed and SO appreciated.

One of my many favorite things of the season is receiving cards! Such a fun thing to do – open the mail and see all the pretty and so creative notes of Christmas Wishes!

So, I have done a little giving too! My big boy is seriously a cool kid with a sensitive heart and kind personality. We certainly mold him this way, but I admit he’s a teensy bit spoiled. He’s the baby. Anyway, having festive attire for the month of December is a must. Paired with dark jeans, cool kicks, and a little bit of swagger…how can the kid go wrong?

Now, the title of the post is Gift-ember right? Well, I have been inspired to do just that. Gift as much as we can. If you know me well, you know I am busy and I usually thrive in a “busy” environment. However, I am slowing down to GIVE to my entire family and GIFT together. I have not only witnessed random acts of kindness, I have started them. This month, I want my whole family to be engaged in these activities. Most will be simple but, the idea is to teach my children the kindness (following His path) in giving to others. Here’s a little notecard I made. I am waiting on 50 (they are being printed). We will either put them on cars in parking lots or on front doors in our neighborhood.

I will certainly share some of the gift-ember activities we do! There will be some baking and note making…lots of fun!

Last, here’s a little gift to enjoy (click image to get the schedule):

AND, if you are on the go? Click here to see how you can watch the Christmas Movies from your phone!

Hope your Christmas Season has started off Grand!

Very Thankful

2011-11-26T09:44:00.001-08:00

Being able to attend Brayden’s Thanksgiving Program and Feast is certainly something I and the whole family was very thankful for. Watching him sing, pray, and say a verse from the bible was such a blessing. The kids were too cute and did such a great job. They had little hand motions and even danced just a bit (okay, maybe ran in place doing a turkey trot). Needless to say, it was just 100% darling. I know the teachers spent much time preparing and helping the little ones get ready for the big day! We are so thankful for them as they teach little ones the purpose of serving God, and all that encompasses being in school. It was such a nice reminder to be so very thankful for the many blessings this time of year and ALL year long!

This was our invitation (made with B’s little hand), and our reservation.

There was a cute Pumpkin Turkey as the main center piece for each table. Each table was by class. The week before Brayden brought home a turkey feather to decorate. I’ll go ahead and “fess up,” that I totally did (decorated) the whole thing for him. His feather is the one with with his initials, buttons, etc. He missed a week of school due to having a sinus infection:(. Anyway, these were the turkey’s feathers. Cuteness!

I’m not quite sure B knew what to expect (being his first year in school, let alone program). I was SO unbelievably proud at how well he stood. He was composed, so quietly, still, and focused prior to starting the performance. Once, he saw me, (I ~~crept~~, politely scooted my way to the front for photos:), he was so excited. He just wanted to tell someone, his mommy was there. Hence, his turning around in the second photo. Umm, this is when my tears started flowing.

I got a few of him in action. I couldn’t help but take so many photos as I wiped away my tears of love at the same time.

My Favorite!

We took turns posing with our little ~~turkey~~, Indian!

Mrs. York! B just ADORES her!

Some of the super cute details! I took these at home bc I was serving food. I am one of the two Parent Teacher Liaisons on the PTF Board, so I did have a teensy part and responsibility in the organization of the Feast. I’m so glad I was able to thank families for attending (there was a general meeting prior to the performance) and it was nice to have the opportunity to meet many families and teachers.

Each student had a name “plate” as did each of their guests.

This is such a precious idea. You use a toilet paper roll, and gather fabric around it and tuck it in the tube. Add a stem, leaves and use a curled pipe cleaner and DONE! Voila! Darling little pumpkin! This was used as one of the center-pieces on the long tables.

“Let us come before Him with thanksgiving…let us sing songs of praise.” Psalms 95:2

I love you Brayden James! I am thankful to have such a smart, kind, & Godly little boy in my life. You will always be my number ONE boy!

caramel apples m-m-m!

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One of our ole’ family faves! The hubby makes them (just buys the little pre-made caramel wraps)! They are so yummy and we just gobble them up. Something about the warm caramel and crisp apple that satisfies a sweet tooth wonderfully. If you haven’t had one, try one. You won’t be disappointed. It’s a GREAT fall treat!

On Halloween Night!

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Wow! How I have been meaning to post these few oh so cute Halloween photos. I have to say, we’ve all had the case of the sniffles and coughs. B and I had it pretty darn ~~good~~ bad. SO, needless to say, these are late…but, certainly better late than never.

Halloween night Nealy had her very last VB game. N was playing hard on the court as Scott kept the clock, and B and I were in the stand cheering! The Lady Mavs were undefeated until this very game. I guess you can say, we were given a trick instead of a treat. We were all a little bummed, but our ghoulish moods were short lived. Nealy turned her frown upside down when we agreed to let her sleep over at her Bestie’s with a few of the other girls. Though I was feeling a start to my “sicky symptoms,” I was all smiles as Brayden had been expressing his excitement for Trick or Treating all evening. He even said, “We need to hurry because Aiden (his buddy from school and soccer) is waiting on me. He’s going to be Captain America too!” Well, reality was that Aiden wasn’t necessarily waiting nor did he even know that our sweet Captain America was going to make an appearance at his house! Everything (ideas and plans) really just came like several little gusts of wind….(just as wind sometimes blows) on Halloween Night!!!

We called our sweet friends (Aiden’s mommy and daddy) and explained, that I am a softy and I didn’t want to crush Brayden’s night by telling him he wasn’t going to see Aiden. So sweet of them to happily welcome our short notice-visit.

Seeing double! How crazy-cute are they?

Captain America stole his mommy’s heart!

It was such a fun family night even though my biggest goblin isn’t in to the Trick or Treating so much anymore!:)

Halloween Eve

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We had everything set out and ready for school the next morning! We made the Halloween Crayons for B’s class. (His teacher sent me an email explaining the kids thought they were way cool…yay)! We actually had most, left over from last year. So, we just had to package up a few extras and make them cutesy. We were ready for HALLOWEEN! I love this cool long sleeved tee he wore the day of.

Patch of Pumpkins!

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Last weekend we had an adventure to a patch full of pumpkins and fall festivities! We invited a few friends to join. Though not many made it, (it was in Flower Mound…a bit of a hike), I have to say we thoroughly enjoyed our fun fall morning as a family and chatting with a few of our favorite friends!

Here’s B’s little invite:

WEEEEEEE! He just loved the blow up slides! Though the invite said, ‘hayride’ …he wanted NO part in the line, so we didn’t do it. No biggie!:)

(Yes, he has a hole in sock, cause that’s how we roll)!…so funny!

Ella and Jordan

Awe, Nealy was a great sport!

Daddy and B using their muscles.

Doing what she does best….text! Not really, but she certainly does it a lot.

Sweet Emily

Molly and Mia

made some time for yummy-delish icees!

My Bestie, Mandy!

SO HEART this photo of her and me! I especially like that Hello Kitty and Curious George ‘snuck’ in!

uh oh, mommy AND son? Bad business! Ha!

my favorite photo of the morning!:)

What a glorious morning in the patch of pumpkins with family and friends!:)