From Marriage to Motherhood

Our Little Cupcake Turns 2! {Ilah's Birthday Party Recap, Part 3}

2012-01-20T23:09:00.000-05:00

I have loved looking through Ilah's birthday party pictures and reliving the fun-filled day!! I know that at 2 years young, she won't remember this birthday party but she will have these pictures to see when she is older. As the years go on, I'm not sure what each of Ilah's birthday parties will entail - whether they will be very simple, or extremely planned out as this years was. For Ilah's 1st birthday, it was just an intimate dinner with just our families - but I still put a lot of love into it just as I did for her 2nd birthday party. And that's what will always be in her celebrations...my love.

This final post of Ilah's 2nd Birthday Party concludes with A LOT more pictures!! Unfortunately we didn't take a photo of every person that came - once we sang Happy Birthday to Ilah and the gift opening began, the camera wasn't picked up too much after that.

Speaking of singing Happy Birthday to Ilah....I went and got a candle to place on her cupcake....that's right... "a" candle...I put just one in and said "Alright, we're gonna sing Happy Birthday now"...and then one of our friends said, "Hey, where's the second candle?". I looked at him and said, "Huh?". And then it hit me and I realized that Ilah was TWO!! Funny moment...but it also was a little tear jerker moment for me as well. The years are just flying.

Ilah was all smiles as we sang Happy Birthday to her!!....

Blowing out her candle....

And grubbin' down that cupcake!!!....

Time to open presents!!!...

Ilah getting some help from her buddies!....

Reading birthday cards together....

Such cuteness!!....

For her birthday we got Ilah:

Cupcake Plate/Bowl/Utensil Set

Melissa & Doug 123 Puzzle

Coat and Hat

Cupcake Sandwich/Snack Trays

Cupcake Book

A Doll {in a cute cupcake dress!}

Cupcake Jewelry Pennant

Lil' Chef Set {Apron/Mitten/Towel} and Play Cookies

Disney Princess Cash Register

Play Dress Shoes....

Ilah loved ripping up the tissue paper out of the gift bags!...

Ilah's other grandma {Dele's mom}...

Dele's sister video recording the party : ) ....

Riley being a cute little ham!!

Ilah's last gift was her cupcake necklace that we got for her!....

As you can see, there was wrapping paper, tissue paper, ribbons, cards and gifts everywhere...and even more to open!...

Ilah laying across a mound of gifts! Ha!....

These gifts were from my mom {she brought them in after the party was over and Ilah opened them later}....

Here's the doll we got Ilah....

How cute is this personalized apron and chef hat?!?! My friend Michelle MADE them for Ilah!!....

I bought Ilah one too so now there's an extra one that one of her friends can wear when they are playing : ) ....

I made a little cupcake craft for the kids to do...I cut out felt in different colors {for "the cupcake", "frosting", "cupcake liners" and "cherries"} for them to assemble their own little cupcakes.

Build A Cupcake!

Take home goodie bags that I made for the little ones!....

This is what was inside for the boys.

And baby Kaylee got her own goodie bag too...

Filled with special things just for her!...

After the party came to an end, our friends Rishi and Michelle {and baby Kaylee} stayed until around 10:30 p.m. We hadn't seen them in a while and it was good to catch up! After we put our little girls down to sleep around 7:00 p.m., we took to some games!!...

Our little cupcake had a wonderful day with family and friends {and so did we!} and her special day was everything I imagined it being!

This week I've been working on sending out her Thank You Cards...

Naturally, they are also in her birthday party color scheme ; )

Ilah is one blessed little girl - and we are very blessed to have her!!

Our Little Cupcake Turns 2! {Ilah's Birthday Party Recap, Part 2}

2012-01-19T09:13:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I began posting details of Ilah's cupcake themed birthday party - if you missed it, just see the post below this one.

Ilah's birthday party started at 2:00 p.m. That gave me the entire morning to get the house party ready and prepare the food that I planned on making. Starting on my "diy" crafty stuff a few days ahead {party hats, Ilah's first name initial wrapped in yarn, prepping the floral arrangements, doing the goody bags, wrapping her gifts, etc.} - and also laying out my serving dishes the night before and putting a post-it note on each tray [labeling which food would go where], meant that I was relaxed and not running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to do last minute things the day-of. I'm telling ya - early prep is key! I breathed easy the morning of Ilah's party since there wasn't anything to really do other than hanging tissue pom-poms, putting tablecloths in place, laying out food, filling drink dispensers and putting final touches in place {while the hubby picked up the cupcake order!!}.

Do you remember these pieces that I purchased over the summer and posted about here....

They were all used to hold the delectable treats on Ilah's special day....

When everyone walked in, they went for a party hat! Us adults were more into them then the kids! Ha!...

Ilah's special birthday hat that I fancied up a bit to stand out from the rest....

There was lots of food, lots of cupcakes, and lots of cookies!!...

Ilah had her own special cupcake set aside {do you see it below, sitting inside of that dome with a ribbon wrapped around it?}....

We had big cupcakes as well as mini's!!

Dessert plates....

We had so many different cupcake flavors! All from my favorite cupcakery!!

More mini cupcakes!!....

Strawberries n' Creme, Birthday Cake, Ultimate Chocolate, Cookies n' Creme, Salted Caramel, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Black & White. YUMM!! We also had large cupcakes in all the same flavors!! I was in cupcake heaven that day!!

And as if cupcakes weren't enough, I made cupcake cookies!!....

Cupcake anyone?!....

In another area of the kitchen I placed the plates, napkins and utensils....

And MORE food!! Chicken Spring Rolls and Vegetable Simosa's....

And Meatballs and Green Beans for the kiddos....

Ilah greeting her first little guest!....

Here's our friend Michelle with her daughter Kaylee; the party hat fit her so perfectly!!...

Soon after, Ilah's little buddies showed up!! Adorable brothers Rhett and Riley....

And they got right to playing!! No time wasted!!

Ilah had SO MUCH fun playing with them!!

Rhett is such a GREAT big brother!! He naturally assumed the role with Ilah too....

They went up and down the house pushing their strollers and shopping carts. Cutest thing!!....

Those adorable boys belong to these great friends of ours!....

Can't you tell just from that picture how much fun they are!?!?

Dele and I didn't manage to get a picture together with Ilah - or even one with just the two of us. Woops! But here he is chatting it up with our friend Rishi {you saw his wife Michelle & daughter, Kaylee in a photo above}....

After some play time, the little ones sat down to eat....

How adorable that little Riley wore a tie for the special occasion?!?! Ha!....

Pretty big utensil you got there Riley!...

This will always be in my mind Ilah's first date! ; )

And under parental supervision!...and at home! Doesn't get any better than that. Can the one at 18 be under parental supervision and at home too?! ; )

In the next {and last} post...a cupcake craft, the birthday girl blows out her candles, present time, take home gifts and a late game night with friends!

Our Little Cupcake Turns 2! {Ilah's Birthday Party Recap, Part 1}

2012-01-18T10:34:00.006-05:00

After months of planning, and watching our little girl grow before our eyes, the day came when we celebrated Ilah's 2nd birthday!! Her party was everything that I envisioned it being - Ilah was so happy as she seemed to know that she was the center of attention! We took HUNDREDS of pictures this past weekend. After going through them all, I decided to recap Ilah's birthday party in a few different posts as opposed to one long one since I will likely show you close to one hundred pictures. I told ya we took a lot ; ) So let's get right to it!!....

I set out Ilah's birthday gifts while she was taking a late morning nap {her nap time worked out perfectly on her big day!}. She woke up happy and refreshed and was literally ready to get the party started! I had been shopping for cupcake "everything" for months and months...including gift wrap, party bags, ribbons and her birthday card....

Ilah had her own special plate/bowl/drink cup/utensils on her birthday - and naturally they also went with her cupcake theme party!...

All set out on her new table {from her other Grandma}....

When the birthday girl woke up from her nap she saw her food spread and headed straight for the cookies!!...

My mom arrived early and dressed Ilah for her party and loved up on her before all the guests arrived {and kept loving up on her even after, because she just can't help herself!}...

A close-up of Ilah's hairbow that matched her cupcake birthday dress....

I put out these "cupcakes" for Ilah to draw on to pass time before her guests arrived....

My table decor was simple. I covered our dining table in a tablecloth that matched her party colors perfectly, and added a table runner....

I put some ribbon around some vases that I had, and added flowers inside of them....

Lastly, I filled an apothecary jar with cupcake liners to serve as the table centerpiece....

Above the table I hung tissue paper pom-poms from the chandelier {I had an extra pack from Ilah's birthday party last year}...

I did a separate area for drinks. We had 16 people over, so to avoid people bumping into each other, I spread out the food and drinks....

I bought a cardboard letter "I" and covered it in pink yarn and hot glued a large peony flower to the top.

Also on the drink table were cupcake/cookie boxes that I bought for our guests to take home leftover treats!!....

Next up...the food and the desserts in all their yumminess!!!

Ilah's Birthday Fun at Chuck-E-Cheese!

2012-01-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

Ilah's 2nd birthday party was over the weekend and it was SO MUCH FUN!!! Our little cupcake had an afternoon full of love, laughter, presents and lots of sugar! Ha! I will be sharing pictures of her special day soon!! I'm weeding through hundreds of pictures and trying to narrow them down!!

On Ilah's actual birthday {last Thursday, January 12th}, we took her to Chuck-E-Cheese. We wanted to at least do something fun for her on her special day. My mom met us there, and so did Dele's mom and sister who are both in town visiting.

Here's Ilah getting some love from her Abuela! She ran right up to her when she saw her...

Ilah LOVES riding this little merry-go-round every time we go to Chuck-E-Cheese. She could stay on it all day! Ha!.....

Daddy thought he would upgrade her horsey ; ) ....

Dele's sister and mom showed up as Ilah was riding on her big horse....

She was holding on tight and taking the game pretty seriously. Look at that face! Ha!....

Onto some other fun!...

Do you notice how empty the place is?! Not a single person there!! I tell ya, I LOVE going to Chuck-E-Cheese during the week when kids are in school and we have it all to ourselves : )

Ilah really wasn't sure to do against the blue screen....

And quickly got this face....

So daddy stepped in to show her how it's done....

They made their first big screen appearance together : ) ....

Then it was time to ride a monster truck {it seems she's already trying to learn how to parallel park!}....

Then it was onto knocking down ducks...

And capturing bees....

And playing on the slide...

And taking a picture with Chuck himself!....

After running around for an hour or so, it was time to eat pizza and some fruit!....

I picked up cupcakes that morning to take with us!!...

That cupcake was probably the highlight of Ilah's day!!...

She gets down to business!!!

Ilah with Dele's Mom....

Ilah was more into that balloon than taking pictures.

Ilah with Dele's sister....

Our little cupcake had a fun-filled afternoon!!....

We weren't on the road for two minutes before she was passed out!! She took a long nap that day and I was able to get some rest myself!!

Can I let you in on a little secret?...I already have half of the stuff for Ilah's 3rd birthday party purchased! When I see things that go with the theme, I have to buy them ; ) Will share my inspiration board with you soon!!

A Letter to You Ilah, at 2 years Old

2012-01-16T20:21:00.005-05:00

My Amazing Ilah,

Although it has been two years since you were born, I remember the day like it was yesterday. When you came into this world, my life changed in a beautiful, wonderful way. While in the hospital for the first few days of your life, I was mesmerized by your little soul. You were so tiny, but I already knew that God imparted such greatness on the inside of you before He sent you to me. I know that as you grow older, those things will exude as you flourish into a beautiful young lady.

Right now, at the age of two, you have not a care in the world. You are thriving in a loving home where you know you are the center of attention ; ) You are in essence in a bubble of adoration. And although you won’t ever remember the special things that we do with you - and for you - at this age, being in those moments with you, and seeing you so happy...makes me want to give you the best day every day.

You are the perfect blend of both your daddy and me – not just in your looks, but also in your personality. You are outgoing, carefree, headstrong, observant, persistent and independent - just like your mommy. You are smart, soft spoken, sensitive, caring, and a thinker - just like your daddy. Before you were born, we imagined what you would be like – and although we knew you would be an amazing child, you surpassed every beautiful hope that we had.

Sometimes I still can’t believe that I’m a mother. And that I got YOU! Before you came into my world, I wondered what motherhood would be like. When I thought about it I really just envisioned the responsibility of taking care of a child and all that would go into raising a well-rounded one; I never really thought about what I would get out of it….I just thought about what I would put into it. I never thought that I would miss you when you were asleep or love looking in the back seat of my car and feel like I'm going to burst on the inside just from seeing your cute little self back there. I never thought that even years later, I would still stare at you in happy disbelief that you are a part of my life now. I feel an overwhelming love toward you and I can't even describe how thankful I am to God for giving you to me. I love that you come to me if you have a "boo-boo" or you need soothing, or how you look to me for reassurance when we are in new places or around new people. I love teaching you new things and staying home with you to see all of your "firsts" firsthand. I love tickling you just so I can hear your adorable laugh and to see that cute smile of yours come across your face. I love seeing life through your eyes and I love knowing that you know how much you are loved.

Being your mother is a plan that God purposed for me to fulfill. Not just in your early years – but in every single year of your life. It’s a calling that I strive to give the best of myself to. I know that as you grow into a young lady, our thoughts and opinions may not always be in alignment, but I hope you know that your best interest will always be my first concern and that no one will ever love you more.

I pray God’s will for you, Ilah. Just as your grandmother prayed for me as I grew up, and still continues to, I commit to doing the same for you - because afterall, that’s the best gift I could ever give you.

I pray for you:

That you will be “taught of the Lord” and great will be your peace (Isaiah 54:13)
That you will hide His Word in your heart (Psalm 119:11)
That God will fill you with the knowledge of His will so you can walk in a way that’s pleasing to Him and your life will bear fruit (Col. 1:9)
That your heart would be flooded with light so you will understand the wonderful future God has promised to those He called (Ephesians 1:17-19)
That you would trust in the Lord with all your hearts and not lean on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6)
That you will not worry or be afraid but pray about everything, and that the peace of God will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-9)
That God’s favor will surround you like a shield (Psalm 5:12)

My daughter, I pray all of this for you - and so much more.

There are so many things that I look forward to doing for you and with you Ilah. I take such delight in making memories for you that you will look back on and cherish – and we’re only just beginning!

We adore you - and will love you forever and ever…and past forever.

Mommy & Daddy

Ilah is 2!!!

2012-01-12T10:24:00.004-05:00

Happy 2nd Birthday to my beautiful little cupcake, who I love more than words can even say!!

Fun-filled day ahead for the birthday girl!!

Morgan Lane Boutique Sale!

2012-01-10T16:12:00.004-05:00

From today until Saturday, January 14th, take 25% off of EVERYTHING in my Etsy Shop! Including bows on clearance! Just enter "25off" at check out!!

There's lots of of lovelies currently in stock. Happy Shopping!!

www.etsy.com/shop/MorganLaneBoutique

Transforming Dollar Store Party Hats {Tutorial}

2012-01-09T11:07:00.003-05:00

I've been planning in party planning mode {for Ilah's 2nd birthday} for months - and I've been in party "making" mode this weekend. Today I'm giving you a sneak peak of one of the things that I made for Ilah's special day!

Last year I made Ilah's birthday party hats for her 1st birthday party {go here to see}. Well, I didn't so much make them from "scratch" per-say but rather, I "prettied them up" and added feathers to them to go with her "Our Tweetheart is Turning 1" bird-theme party.

This year I'm doing the same thing....covering up plain ol' party hats from the dollar store and transforming them into much prettier ones....and this time doing a tutorial showing you how to make them too! : )

My local dollar store always has party hats in stock - a pack of 8 hats for $1. Cheap. Cheap. Cheap. I took these....

And turned them into these....

Super easy to do.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THEM, HERE ARE THE STEPS:

Find and purchase some pretty scrapbook paper patterns. I purchased mine at Hobby Lobby....

...for $ .59 cents per sheet {for the large sheets}.

Take a part ONE of your party hats. Choose the paper that you'd like to cover up the hat with. Have a pair of scissors and a pen {or pencil} handy....

Turn your scrapbook paper over and lay your hat flat down on it....

Using your pen or pencil, trace the hat {I did not include the tab in my tracing}...

Cut out the outline and then you will have this....

I use this first cut out as my template and place three sheets of paper behind it at a time and cut out more "party hat coverings" until I have all that I need. I save this first cut out to cover up my last hat.

Roll the paper cut out around the hat to create its new pretty covering....

I use clear tape secure the pretty paper to the party hat {you can also use double sided tape or craft glue}....

Back of the hat

If you want to fancy up your party hats even more like I did, you can purchase a pack of pom-pom's. I got mine at Hobby Lobby {just $ .99 cents for a pack of 24 in pink, 1" - or a pack of 36, 3/4"}. I bought two different sizes because I didn't know which size would look best on the hats. I preferred the larger ones so I used pink and love how they turned out!

Using a hot glue gun, place a dot of hot glue in the middle of a pom-pom and use your fingers to hold it down on top of the hat for about 5-10 seconds.

A super simple project that took these Dollar Store Hats....

And turned them into pretty little pieces that will be adorned on pretty little heads!

Ilah's First Piece of "Jewelry"

2012-01-04T12:37:00.003-05:00

I've been planning {and purchasing things for} Ilah's cupcake themed 2nd birthday party for over half a year now - and next weekend the big day will be here!! All of her presents were also bought months and months ago - except this little piece of "jewelry" that I just ordered today that will arrive in a few days...

This cute little necklace will be Ilah's first piece of "jewelry"! I put that in quotes because it's not a pricey piece made of gold or silver...it's a crystal & enamel pendant necklace that comes in a cute cupcake shaped jewelry box!

I think it's the most adorable piece to be Ilah's first piece of jewelry! I found it on Amazon {for just $8.69!} - so inexpensive that if she ever loses it, it won't be a pricey loss.

I can't wait to give it to our little cupcake on her 2nd birthday!!!

2012 Is Here

2012-01-03T09:30:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year to you all!! We spent New Years Eve with a group of our friends - eating, laughing, playing games...it was fun and relaxing. We all left around 10:30 p.m. and rang in the New Year at our homes.

When Dele and I came home, we changed into our "comfy's" and we somehow managed to stay up until midnight to see the ball drop in Times Square {I remember being right there 7 years ago in the midst of the fun mayhem; I'm going to have to find those pictures!}.

When the clock struck midnight east coast time, me and my love brought in the New Year with a kiss...

Before we went to bed, Dele said an amazing prayer right as 2012 was ushered in. Like everyone else, we have desires that we would love to see come to fruition, and changes that we wish to make - and follow through with - in this new year.

New Years Day was on a Sunday this year and there was no better place for us to be than in God's house! I took away these nuggets from the message:

We are in a brand new year, but the God that we serve never changes!
It's not God's desire for you to make everything happen for yourself.
In this new year, be mindful to do what your Father has for you to do. And keep at it.
God is going to challenge you because He has placed something on the inside of you.
God has BIG plans for you - He created YOU for a plan and a purpose. Never forget that.
SET YOUR GOALS NOT LIKE YOU ARE GOING TO SHOW UP, SET THEM LIKE GOD IS GOING TO SHOW UP! {I just love that!!}
As you walk into 2012, know that God is with you!!

In our house, a new budget has been made, new goals have been set, new trips are being planned, but most importantly, a new frame of mind has been put into place. We are eager to pursue not only the things that we "want" from life, but also pursue the things that God wants us to do, and enter into a closer relationship with Him.

I'm looking forward to embracing this new year with optimism! How about you?!

Ilah, 23 Months Old

2012-01-02T00:01:00.002-05:00

With all the Christmas festivities that happened in the month of December, I let Ilah's 23 month post get away from me. This year, in general, has gone by so quickly.

I feel so blessed to have a precious, fun-loving daughter who fills my days with so much joy and laughter {and also leaves me exhausted most days! Ha!}.

So, Ilah...you are 23 months old. What have you been up to?....

You wear a size 5 diaper, you wear size 3T clothes {some 2T jammies} and you wear a size 8 shoe.

You take your clothes off now all on your own {mostly pants}.

When you go outside, you recognize things that you see in books - like the moon...when we are out at night you point up and say "moon!".

As these pictures show, you love being a good mommy to your first Cabbage Patch Doll {Morgan Coco!}.

You walk up the stairs now without holding on to anything!

My sweet Ilah, you can throw quite a temper tantrum. It's always a struggle now to get you to sit in a shopping cart or in your stroller. You love to "be free!". But thank goodness you don't give me a problem with going in your car seat!

You get so excited when you are around other children!!

You helped mommy make cookies for Christmas! It was a fun {and messy} experience...but that was the whole point ; )

You love doing your flashcard with mommy during the day!

You have started to use an open cup!

Your visit to see Santa wasn't exactly successful. You would NOT, at ALL, sit on his lap alone for a picture. It therefore became a "family affair". Better luck next year, eh?

You got a play kitchen for Christmas and you just love it!!

Your Abuela bought you a Dora potty for Christmas {among a lot of other things!} - is that time coming soon? Potty training?! Now that you are pulling your pants up and down, and let us know when you've gone "poo poo", I think the time may be coming soon. We will see!

Playdough has entered our house - and you get a total kick out of it!

You continue to follow instruction so well! {ie: "Go get your shoes and put them in the closet."}

We love when you run up to us with your arms out to give us a big hug!!

The picture below shows what you do a lot of these days...you look at Mommy and then look to see what you can get into!

You have become such a daddy's girl!!! If he is out of your sight {even to use the bathroom} you cry out for him...you just love being under your daddy : )

You are so good at saying "please" when you want something : )

You love to color/draw...these days you're all about wanting to use a pen ; )

When you eat something that you really love, you say "yum yum yum" and rub your belly over and over. It's the cutest thing!!

You remain a GREAT sleeper and you ALWAYS wake up SO HAPPY!!!!

You know how to use Daddy's ipad, and mommy's touch pad. As in...you REALLY know how to use it...you press the button to turn it on and find your learning apps and the games you like playing. You are SO smart Ilah!!

You "fake sleep" when its time for bed - because you want to stay put wherever you are at {the couch, mommy & daddy's bed}...it's the cutest thing...but you don't fool us ; )

You love to turn your light on and off in your room by using your step stool.

We recently enrolled you in Gymboree classes; we know you will just LOVE going!!

You just love being outside!!

When you get hurt, you come to us and say "boo boo" and we give you kisses and say "all better" and you smile and go back to whatever it was you were doing. You also kiss mommy and daddy's "ouchies" too.

You are not only a beautiful little girl, but you are a happy & healthy little girl and we are SO thankful for that!!

Ilah, you are quite the combination of both your mommy and your daddy, not just in looks, but in your personality too!! I pray that you continue to evolve into a little girl who loves God, and that you remain happy and always feeling loved, protected, cared for, and special. You are one of our dreams come true - and no matter your age, will always be our little girl.

Mommy & Daddy

Christmas Day Recap (2011)

2011-12-29T09:43:00.002-05:00

***Forewarning: This is going to be a long recap, with A LOT of pictures!!***

Christmas morning we all slept in until around 8:30 a.m.- Ilah's usual waking time. I'm not sure if this will be the case next year when she is 3. A few new changes will come with that age...she might be out of a crib and in a "big girl bed" - and next year she may have an understanding of what will be under the tree Christmas morning - presents! - so next year we may all be up at O-dark-30! This year Ilah is a few weeks shy of being 2, and obviously doesn't get the whole magic of "Santa" or the fun "Christmas morning" festivities just yet. All in due time. But we were still hard at work behind the scenes making the magic of Christmas come to life on December 25th!....

Daddy stayed up until 3:30 a.m. putting together Ilah's play kitchen for her! Thank heaven for daddy's!

Good Morning Ilah! Merry Christmas!!...

This year we hung Ilah's stocking on her door and she opened it up next to her Christmas tree. Maybe a new tradition?....

Inside of her stocking she got:

Dora Coloring Book

2 Sets of Gloves

Crazy Straws

Hello Kitty Note Pad

ABC & Shape Flashcards

I put a pair of reindeer ears outside of Ilah's bedroom door; she put them on herself and then headed downstairs with excitement as if she knew Santa came!....

Ilah just LOVES mimicking mommy in the kitchen so we knew this play kitchen would be the PERFECT gift for her! I did a lot of research on which one to get her and while a few others were a bit cuter, they were rather short compared to this one - which will give her YEARS and YEARS of play! And it's very durable - made of solid wood.

This picture is blurry but you can see the excitement on Ilah's face when she first saw it!....

And right away she wanted us to get to cookin'!....

Checking out her new kitchen!....

REALLY checking out her kitchen! Ha!....

"Come on Daddy! Let's play"....

Ilah had a lot more presents to open but she wasn't fazed by them....

Eventually she brought me one to help her open....

What a difference a year makes:

Opening up her baby Cabbage Patch Doll....

She gave her new baby a kiss right away. Already a good mommy! ; )...

Welcome to our family Morgan Coco!....

Another gift that I knew Ilah would love was a play electric guitar. And boy, does she love it!...

They grow so fast don't they?!?!...

Ilah got SO MANY gifts for Christmas that she opened all of them over three days. My mom went wild...and then the day after Christmas, she braved Toys-R-Us to get Ilah some play food for her kitchen.

Naturally Ilah wanted her toy put together right away. She's already becoming pretty domesticated! ; )

Peacock wrapping paper to match my peacock decor theme this year : )

Silly mommy!...

Mommy was good this year too - Santa brought me a lot of stuff!...

What I wanted most! A mac-daddy foot massager from Brookstone! My husband scored a GREAT deal on this during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales....

One of the gifts that my amazing mom bought me - my favorite perfume {Jean Paul Gaultier}! I first discovered this perfume when I was in Italy. My girlfriend and I were walking through the streets of Florence and came across a perfume shop. We both wanted an Italian fragrance but after I sprayed this, I left with a French one! I've been wearing it for over 5 years now. Love it!

I was on my feet for HOURS making Christmas dinner but it was worth it! We enjoyed a great spread!...

We aren't Brazilian but we had to have Brazilian Lemonade...and this year I also made Brazilian Cheese Bread!!

Ilah ate her breakfast/lunch/dinner off of her cute Christmas plates....

For dessert I made a Chocolate Raspberry Forest Cake. Three layers of sinful goodness!!

Three layers of chocolate cake, chocolate ganache and raspberry filling, vanilla buttercream frosting, and dark chocolate trees.

A sweet friend of mine at church gave me the "Elf on the Shelf" book to do with Ilah next year. I can't wait!!

This past week we have enjoyed having Daddy home! We have done a lot of fun things together as a family, and once the little one is asleep, we cuddle up and watch movies - we have seen A LOT. We're all enjoying this holiday season and hope you are too!

Christmas Eve Dessert Bar!

2011-12-26T12:13:00.001-05:00

I hope each and every one of you had a VERY Merry Christmas!!! It came - and it went. And for all of you who spent months and weeks and days planning - and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning on Christmas Eve to make Christmas Day "magic" happen for your little ones/your friends/your significant other, etc....high five!! We survived!! Ha!!

I will do a recap of our Christmas Day soon - but today I wanted to show pictures of the dessert bar that I did for our Christmas Eve service at church Saturday night. [Side note: I met a few of my blog readers at our Christmas Eve church service, and others who have visited prior - it's been so great meeting you and your families in person!!].

This dessert bar was fun to put together. I prepped almost everything at home so that I wouldn't bring too much of a mess to church with me. I headed to the church and started putting things in place at 3:30 p.m.; after unloading tablecloths, bags, boxes, apothecary jars, tables {can you see them in the background?} this is what the space looked like an hour later...

I packaged whoppers inside of individual treat bags...

Originally I was going to do all of the jars the same and tie a basic red bow around the tops. But then I decided to give them each a different look; I love how they turned out!

I was asked to do this fun "red & white" candy bar about two weeks before our Christmas Eve service. I knew I had to get to Hobby Lobby right away because I had a feeling that mostly all of their Christmas decor would would be raided with it being so close to Christmas - and as I thought, everything left was just remnants of what was once there in abundance. But I did spy, on the very bottom shelf, tucked way back behind some greenery, some sparkly leaf garland....

And these two peppermint decor elements. It's all that I needed to make this look happen!

Working with a moderate budget, I ended up going through my own Christmas decor bins and finding a lot of red and white elements that I could use.

Naturally I had to make some cookie "lollipops"!....

The plastic scoopers came from Party City. I tied some red and white stripped ribbon around them to fancy them up a bit : )

See the "Merry Christmas" on the white ribbon around the square vase above? Those are actually Christmas tags, re-purposed : )

Our dessert bar also had some hot chocolate treats. The dispensers and the hot chocolate packets aren't shown {nor is an additional jar full of peppermint bark!} as they were delivered after I took these photos.

The dessert bar was a wonderful idea and a big hit!! A warm welcome to our guests, and always a fun thing for the little kids - and big kids - to partake in ; )

Ilah has been enjoying her Christmas gifts and has loved playing with her BIG present - her play kitchen!! She got so many gifts for Christmas that she had to open the rest today {my mom practically bought out Toys-R-Us!}.

I was exhausted from being on my feet all day yesterday cooking Christmas Dinner - and then cleaning up. At the end of the night we rented "The Help" and fifteen minutes into it, I was asleep. Ilah is about to go down for a nap - I'm looking forward to finally seeing the movie that has gotten so many rave reviews!! Hope you all have a GREAT day!!

Christmas on Peachtree!

2011-12-23T17:37:00.000-05:00

I feel like the days leading up to Christmas have been CRAWLING. That's probably a good thing for those who are still out finishing up their Christmas shopping - but I just want the day to get here already!!

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I'm so excited for our service tomorrow night at church!! It will be a beautiful way to usher in the splendor of Christmas Day!!

Today we headed out to "Christmas on Peachtree" - Atlanta's newest indoor Christmas Festival. Christmas on Peachtree offers a mix of family-friendly festivities, food and shopping - and we had a BLAST!

The first thing we did once inside was to take our place in line to see Santa Clause!...

I didn't think that Ilah would be very keen on sitting on Old Saint Nick's lap - but we gave it a try....and it was a fail. There was NO WAY that Ilah was going to go to him. She held onto me for dear life and would not let me even put her on the floor, let alone on his lap. Santa said that nearly every 2 year old who has come his way has had the same reaction as Ilah - it's just this age I guess? A mother in-front of me in line with her almost 2 year old, told me this was their third attempt for a picture with Santa. They had been to two other locations before and she couldn't get her daughter to sit with the white bearded toy maker. When it was her time to sit on Santa's line - the third time wasn't a charm - she too clung onto to her mommy. Better luck for both of us next year! : )

But Ilah got a candy cane anyways ; )....

Once we were away from Santa, the fun began!....

There were so many Christmas trees inside!....

Daddy and his girl!...

It started to snow inside! : ) ....

I think this was the only time Ilah sat still the entire time we were there! Ha!....

Onto cookie decorating!!....

Want some sweet treats!?!....

Checking out the toy train with Daddy!....

Playing the bean bag toss game, trying to knock down wooden snowmen....

Scooby-Doo showed up, but just like Santa Clause, Ilah wasn't going to go anywhere near him. Instead, she just waved {which was WAY more than what Santa got! Ha!}....

Can you spot Ilah?!....they played fun music sporatically and being the dancer that she is, Ilah wasn't shy in hitting up the dance floor!...

After a few hours of fun, we left - and enjoyed strolling through the streets of downtown Atlanta....

A beautiful window display!....

We hope that you have a very Merry Christmas!!

"Peace" On Earth {Says the Cookie!}

2011-12-22T17:33:00.001-05:00

This morning I headed out of the house around 8:45 a.m., with Ilah in tow, to go to Costco for just ONE thing....steak. Last week I decided that I would make a big feast for Christmas and just last night I wrote out my grocery list of everything I needed to get at the store(s). I wanted to get to Costco right when they opened because I knew that place would be INSANITY in the days leading up to Christmas. I pulled into the parking lot about five minutes to 9:00 a.m and the parking lot was empty, with the exception of just a few cars. "Perfect!", I thought. And then I noticed the doors were closed. As it turns out, Costco doesn't open until 10:00 a.m. Lucky for me, Walmart is right across the street and I needed to get a few things from there. I was out by 10 a.m. and made my way back across the street to Costco right when they opened - to find the parking lot FULL. It looked like everyone in the entire world was there! I zipped in, got my steak, went to self check-out and said a hallelujah that I made it out before the thick mayhem started. Those lines can quickly turn into what seems like a security check point at the airport, and you find that you are waiting FOREVER for it to be your turn. Dele had a dentist appointment this morning and when he was done, he met me at Costco to swap cars and take Ilah home so that I could finish up the rest of my shopping quickly. Between Costco, Walmart, Aldi and Kroger {where I had to go for just one odd thing - tapiaco flour}, I was DONE with all the shopping that I needed for Christmas dinner : )

I'm surprised that I haven't been spastic this week with all that I've been doing to prepare for Christmas. This is a busy time of year for a lot of people, not just me - don't you think there should be a t-shirt for sale that says "I survived preparing for Christmas!"? I would totally rock one on December 26th after everything is "a wrap"!! But I love the joy and excitement that Christmas brings, and that it's a time of year to remember our Savior's birth, so I remain focused on the true meaning of the season while doing things to make this time of year really special for my family!

I shared in my last post that I was finishing up some cookies for a Christmas Party that our youth group is having tomorrow night. I decided to do something a bit funky for the teens and throw some zebra pattern in the mix!....

"Peace" on Earth : )

Our church is having a Christmas Eve Service this Saturday - I'm so excited for it!! I'm overseeing a hot cocoa/candy bar and have been buying things for the past week to make it fab! The night will entail a wonderful evening of worship, a great message, sweet treats, and so much more! I'm looking forward to gathering with my family and friends on this special holiday evening. If you would love to join us, email me! {marriagetomotherhood@yahoo.com}. I have met a few of my blog readers already, who have visited my church - so please don't be shy if you'd love to check us out : )

Christmas is a wonderful time of year, but I can't help but to feel the absence of my dad {who passed away when I was 14} during the holidays. When I think back to Christmas as a child, I remember going with Dad to pick out a special gift for mom...he obviously didn't need my input as to what she might want, after-all I was just a child {and mom dropped her own hints!}, but he made it a special thing that just him and I would do - together. He always created moments that made me feel special. Christmas morning I have fond memories of him bringing in my new bike, putting together a toy that I wanted to immediately play with, and us all sharing in Christmas breakfast after going through our stockings. I wish that he would be in the room with us this Christmas to see Ilah open up her presents and for her to sit on his lap and get loved on by my dad. Christmas carols are so beautiful...when they are sung, I think of heaven...where my dad is...and I get a bittersweet feeling in my heart. He will always be the most amazing person that I have ever known. I miss him every day. So much of who he was, can be found in who I am. I am one blessed woman to have been his daughter. I carry him in my heart always.

Christmas Countdown! (And More Cookies!)

2011-12-21T10:17:00.006-05:00

Last night I finished up most of my Christmas wrapping. The roles of paper were starring me in the face and it was about time that I tackled the job. I can't get it done while Ilah is up, and when she's napping, I've been doing other "fun" things...like dishes. Ha! When I was all finished for the night, I climbed into bed, with the lights on, to just lay down for a few minutes before cleaning up the mess of wrapping paper scraps, tissue paper, ribbon, etc. - and I fell asleep. When Dele came upstairs he found half of our room in a whirlwind of wrapping chaos, and a wife who was knocked out, even with the lights and tv on. I transitioned from making decorated sugar cookies, to playing elf with wrapping a bunch of gifts. Apparently my machine burned out around 12:00 midnight. Ha!

Last year it snowed on Christmas Day. Last week it was in the low 70's here in Atlanta - and this week its in the low 60's/high 50's. Something tells me we won't be having a white Christmas this year. I'm a little bummed about that. I love when we have a white Christmas, even if there's only snow flurries coming down. Oh well...if you can't see snowflakes outside, might as well make them inside! ; ) .....

And then add them to a fun little cookie collection....

And then it was time for Santa's and trees and holly leaves!....

I'm working on another set right now for a Christmas party that our youth group is having Friday night! Will post pics of those when I'm done : ) Hope you've been having a GREAT week!! Only 4 more days until Christmas!!!

Miss Independent

2011-12-20T09:06:00.002-05:00

I realized yesterday that it's been a while since you've seen Ilah's cute little face. I'm always posting pictures of her on facebook but I sometimes forget that some of those photos also need to be seen here too : )

Last week I needed to take my mom to an eye doctor appointment in the afternoon. She was having her eyes dilated and couldn't drive herself. Ilah had fallen asleep in the car on the way there but as it's always the case, as soon I parked the car and turned off the engine, she woke up. Instead of taking her up to sit in a waiting room and not knowing how long the wait would be, we headed to Old Navy, which was just up the street. I love their non-slip socks that I get there for Ilah. Immediately when we walked inside of the store, Ilah was fascinated by the life size puppy mannequin...

She showed the girl mannequin some love too. See her holding her hand?! Too funny!....

Ilah did NOT want to leave those mannequins. She wouldn't budge from the front of the store. I eventually had to make up a "go find it" game where I told her that we had to go find some socks that were hidden inside of the store...and then I proceeded to go into that high pitch happy voice that mothers are known to do to get their child excited about something. Ha!

Hey, it got Ilah on the move. So mission accomplished. Until she saw these balls....

Then once again, she parked herself. Ha!....

Do you notice that Ilah isn't in a stroller? She raises holy heck now when I go to put her in it - and sitting her inside of a shopping cart? Yea, that doesn't fly anymore with her either. Miss Independent loves being free. Sometimes she gets her way - and sometimes she doesn't. Depends on what my tolerance level is at the time ; ) I know that she loves to walk around and not be strapped in and I get it, I do...being confined can be annoying. But it's very easy as a parent to get distracted and not keep your eyes on your child 100 percent of the time. All it takes is a few seconds of looking down at your grocery list and then trying to find that item on the store shelf and the next minute your child is out of sight. So when she Ilah is freely walking around, I have my eyes on her at all times...I let her have her time to walk around and we stroll through the store looking at stuff. And then when I feel we've been doing it long enough, into the cart we go -strapped in - so that I can finally zip through the store and get everything I need. Typing "zip through the store" gives me a chuckle....at this age I have learned that there is no "in and out" shopping" anymore.

Anyways, back to Old Navy....naturally the check out line is full of little "things" placed at eye level for the kids to see....

This little car caught Ilah's attention....

And she didn't want to put it down. When I made her...let's just say, she went into full on meltdown. No picture of that because I needed two hands to get her out of the store ; )

My mom's appointment was taking longer than expected so after Old Navy, I went and got Ilah Chick-fil-A for lunch. Here she is goin' to town on a waffle fry....

And just in case Dora was hungry, Ilah fed her one too ; ) ....

A cute little book came in the kids meal pack. Ilah LOVES books....

My mom still wasn't done with her appointment so I took Ilah up the street for us to roam around Toys-R-Us. She grabbed this candy from Halloween and pretended that it was a microphone....Silly girl!....

She noticed these reptiles and stopped to feel them. I'm glad she didn't love on them for too long because if she ever became fascinated by snakes and asked for one, that would be a no-go!.....

From reptiles to puppy's. A good transition! Ha! Ilah loves dogs and since we won't be buying one {I say never, the hubby says eventually}, I think these walking play puppy's are SO cute. Not cheap at $59.99, but they bark and walk like a real dog and come on a leash so you can take it for a walk. Ilah would love it. It's the last thing on her Christmas list that I'm up in the air about getting because the age is 4 yrs and up. I'm thinking maybe it's a gift that would be best to get her next year when she's 3. I did buy her one for Christmas that is similar, and smaller, and was only $15 at Walmart.

Can you guess another toy that Ilah got for Christmas? Yep...a little shopping cart....

Onto dolls....

Giving the baby a paci. Ha!....

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that Graco makes deluxe playard's and strollers for baby DOLLS. These things are FANCY. Look at the print pattern!....

My mom called while we were at Toys-R-Us to let me know her appointment was over so off we went to go get her. We were on the other side of town around 4 pm so unfortunately we ran into MAJOR traffic coming home....

Stand still, bumper to bumper traffic. Ugh!!

Just a few more days left until Christmas!!! I can't believe it's already here!!! It seems like it should still be summer.

Homemade Candied Pecans {With Recipe!}

2011-12-19T05:00:00.003-05:00

Some time this year I came across a recipe for candied pecans on the site of Kevin & Amanda that I wanted to make. This past Friday night we had a treat exchange at our bible study group and it was the perfect opportunity to give these a try. It was too late in the week for me to make my sugar cookies - because you can't simply whip those things up; they take days to make. So my mind went to the candied pecans! I already had everything needed to make them so I gave the recipe a try. The result?....OMGoodness!! They were AMAZING!!!!!!!!

And so easy!!!! All you need to make these are pecans, egg whites, water, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

I make something similar when I want to add candied pecan "pieces" to my salad - but I make those over the stove, in a skillet - and it takes just a few minutes. But this recipe is definitely the route to go when making a treat out a pecan! : )

I had purchased some jars several months back intending to use them to put cookies inside of. As it turned out, they were also a perfect container for these delicious pecans....

I used to buy candied pecans out of the bins at Whole Foods; they aren't cheap - but I couldn't resist getting them whenever I was there because they were so good. After making these delicious treats myself, I won't ever buy them again. A large bag of pecans only costs me $3.99 at Aldi. From now on, these will always be a delectable homemade treat!

I put a pretty ribbon around the jar and accented it with a little Christmas piece that I already had and it transformed into a cute treat jar to give as a gift!....

Trust me when I tell you THEY ARE SO GOOD!!! A perfect little treat for cuddling up on the couch and watching a good Christmas movie : ) If you'd like to make these for yourself, or someone else, here's the recipe!....

INGREDIENTS:

2 egg whites
2 tbsp water
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
4 cups (16 oz) pecans

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 225. In a large bowl beat the egg whites and water. Add pecans and stir to coat. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt and cinnamon, then pour over the pecans, stirring to coat. Spread pecans on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray and bake for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Christmas Home Tour!

2011-12-15T23:03:00.004-05:00

Our house has been beautified for the holidays since the day after Thanksgiving! Inviting you inside has been long overdue! Welcome!....

I stripped the wreath that I made last year {that I was none too thrilled with} and started all over again. Since I did a somewhat peacock theme this year, I did our wreath in a color scheme of blues, whites and golds.

Come on in!!....

Here is our tree in all her beauty. I initially showed her off in this post, but here are a few more pictures....

Do you see the peacock ribbon in the photo below? I found it at Hobby Lobby and bought it not knowing how I would use it and then decided I would incorporate it in my tree! It ended up being the inspiration for my theme this year!

Peacock feathers in the tree topper....

You can see more photos here.

Not too much going on in the living room. I decorated the fireplace mantle a bit and hung up our stockings....

Here is our little Ilah watching the Dora Christmas special!....

Some close-up pictures of the mantle decor and the stockings....

A few photos with the lights on....

Peacock feathers made their way into the mantle decor too : ) ....

Onto the kitchen. On our island is this little Christmas tree....

The ribbon on this tree matches the ribbon that I used on the fireplace mantle.

Guarding the tree are a few nutcrackers ; ) ....

I found these peacock ornaments at Marshalls. Aren't they awesome!? I love them!....

Time to head to the staircase....

I used the same ribbon on the staircase banister that I used in my tree....

Peacock Christmas bulbs found at Homegoods....

I kept things to a minimum in the dining area. I just added a small touch of greenery to the centerpiece...

And put these two whimsical peacock trees out on the table...

A TJ Maxx find for just $12.99 each.

Upstairs you will find Ilah's Christmas tree in her room...

Go here to see more photos!

I hope you enjoyed stepping inside of our home and seeing how it's decorated for Christmas!!

May you all experience joy, peace and wonderful memories this Christmas season!

Pumpin' Out Christmas Cookies!

2011-12-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

Time to showcase some more Christmas cookies that I've been making!....

I thought this would be a fun set to pair together...Santa's, cupcakes, gingerbread boys and girls...and a few "light bulbs"!....

The youth group at our church is having a Christmas party next Friday night and I've been asked to make cookies for their fun shin-dig! I got some cute ideas in mind...that include a zebra pattern ; ) Can't wait to start!

Ilah's Christmas Tree!

2011-12-13T10:21:00.001-05:00

I'm finally getting around to posting photos of Ilah's Christmas tree! It was the first tree in the house that I put up and decorated - the day after Thanksgiving. It pretty much looks the same as it did last year, with the exception of the gold ribbon that I added to it this year...

For those wondering...Ilah definitely takes notice of her pretty tree, but she doesn't pull on the ornaments. She admirers them by pointing at them and/or gently holding a few {while they are still on the limb} and saying "pretty!".

I still need to take pictures of the other Christmas decor that I've put up in our home. I will be posting those photos soon!

Cookies, Take II

2011-12-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!! We hosted a Christmas party at our home on Saturday night....but unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures. Can you believe it?! Sorry to disapoint. I had so many various things that I had to tend to and when you are one person orchestrating a fun shin-dig for 14 people, some things just have to give {since you don't have 10 arms}, and in this case, picture taking couldn't be a priority {even though I wanted it to be} - having everything beautifully set up for our guests when they arrived was the priority. Even with prepping days before, and not sitting down even once on Saturday in the midst of getting things ready from 9 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., there were still some things that I didn't get around to doing - but only I would notice {like the fruit I missed putting out, or the ribbons that I wanted to put around the cookie boxes to pretty them up even more}. I could have taken photos of the spread with guests there, but I didn't want to seem full of myself so I just left the camera alone. The most important thing that evening was that our friends were enjoying themselves, the food was ample and delicious, the atmosphere was lovely, and there was lots of laughter happening! We all had a wonderful time!!

I mentioned cookie boxes...I gave each couple one as a take home gift. I took pictures of a few of the sets I made and will share them over the next few days. Here is one set that I made and gave....

Let me share with you about my cookie making FIASCO!! I started baking these cookies about 4 days before our party. I wanted them fresh, and I wanted them done by Thursday night so that on Friday, I could get the ball rolling on other things that I needed to do. I doubled my sugar cookie recipe, and after 6 hours of refrigerating the dough, cutting out the shapes, refrigerating the cut outs, re-rolling the scraps, re-refrigerating them, repeating the process for hours and then finally baking all the cookies....I went to taste one from the second to LAST batch that came out of the oven at nearly 10 pm....and discovered that they were DRY. What?! How!? I thought that I doubled every ingredient but clearly a cup of sugar was omitted and then I remembered that I didn't sift my flour and I forgot to put salt in!! Noooo!!! I went spastic. I did. True confession. So then what did I do?? Trashed ALL {nearly} 100+ cookies and drove to the store to buy all the ingredients that I had used up...and remade them. My husband called me nuts, my best friend called me crazy, and my mom told me to ice those bad boys and no one would even know! Ha ha!! But there was no way that I was going to give away dry cookies!! So I went through the LONG process all.over.again. And then pulled an all-nighter icing the first layer of all the cookies until 4 am. It's in that moment that I tell myself "Why are you doing this?! Why? WHY? WHHHY? This is insanity! All this for some flippin' cookies?!" But everyone has "their thing" and I discovered that a certain kind of fun comes from doing cookie creations so that's why I put myself through the grueling task of it - ha! Some people bake cakes, some people are into cookie pops, and some people like me are all about the adventures of royal icing : ) But I have to do these cookies in moderation...because I don't want to end up in "cookie decorating anonymous" discussing how I have let missed ingredients, air bubbles, and color bleeding issues get the best of me ; )

It's Not Too Early To Think About Change in the New Year

2011-12-08T23:09:00.003-05:00

I'm just returning home from a women's event at church and my heart is so full from what the night entailed! It made me want to visit my blog, despite how late in the evening it is, and pour my heart out a bit here....

Last January I put the following words in my blog:

"I know that many people set New Years Resolutions and write out the things that they want to accomplish in the new year - whether it be just one thing, or several. I've never done that. While although I love what a new year represents, I have never seen New Years as a time to set goals and aim to see it through. I figure at any point during the year I can start making a change. Instead, I have used New Years as time to "name my year". I probably started this ten years ago, when I was single. And while although some may perceive this as still setting a goal, I feel that it goes much deeper than that.

I have named 2011 "The year of Awakening". Awakening the child of God within me, awakening some passions of mine that have been laying dormant, awakening the areas of my life that have been asleep. Awakening a softer side of me. More than anything, I'm craving a spiritual awakening that will draw me closer to my Heavenly Father and allow me to know Him in a greater sense of the word, through His word".

To look back and read those words, allows me to see just how far God has taken me in 2011. I was yearning for a church home like you wouldn't believe, and at the time that I wrote the above words within this blog, we were only in the first few months of "testing the waters" at a church that we now have come to LOVE and make our home. I truly did have a spiritual awakening this past year...and God indeed has given me the desires of my heart....and much more. Something that I felt I didn't need, but could not have been more wrong about, was {true} CONNECTION with people.

I am very much an independent person. I never felt as though having a large circle of girlfriends would make my life any more wonderful. A few close girlfriends was more than sufficient I thought. I can be an extrovert - or I can be an introvert...usually you are one or the other, but really, for me, I can go either way. Yet this past year, I really was longing for CONNECTION. I think it was a combination of being a stay-at-home mom, while also yearning to be planted in a church that I couldn't wait to go to every Sunday. I didn't want to just go through the motions of showing up at church, filling a seat and then leaving; I was desiring a church that would literally be life-changing for me. I think you all can tell by now how fulfilled I am at the church that we have made our home.

After I wrote this post in which I recapped the women's retreat that I attended and helped plan, I received several emails from readers who could relate to what I wrote in the preface of that post. I have come to learn in the past year that CONNECTION is vital. We do NEED one another. We are not meant to do life alone. We NEED people to lean on, learn from, and growth with.

John 15
¹ “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me".

This past Sunday the message challenged me. It reiterated the above, while also reminding me of the following:

Do not neglect the things of God that are on my life.
Be God inclined. A bad attitude is not good for my life.
Connection to each other brings strength and support.
We are God's showmanship here on earth.
Be someone worth knowing.
Change is had when we stop hanging onto doing things our way.
It's important for us to collect ourselves emotionally; what are we holding inside of ourselves that we need to solve in God?

The analogy of "one size fits all" was given in that every scripture in the bible fits all of us the same. We can all receive from it encouragement, peace, wisdom, truth, direction, correction, and so much more.

In 2011, it was my year of awakening. In 2012, I'm claiming it to be my year of "Stepping Into the Things of God". Dele and I have received some powerful words spoken over our lives by various people this year. We strongly believe that the words that have been imparted into us are not meant to lay dormant - but instead, we know that God is desiring to use us and has us on a path in which He will unleash great things before us...and the season has come to begin stepping into those things. We are excited about what God has in store!!

If you live in Atlanta and are looking for a church home, please don't hesitate to email me {marriagetomotherhood@yahoo.com}. I'd be happy to share with you where I attend and give you our church info.

First Cookies of the Christmas Season!

2011-12-05T10:07:00.006-05:00

I have been MIA from this blog nearly all of last week. Christmas is in full swing over here and I have been SO busy. This week will be much like last week in that I won't be posting much after today as I am preparing for a Christmas party at our home this Saturday! Everyone that we invited is coming - 6 great couples that we are sure to have a blast with!

This past Sunday was the first Sunday in December...and it was National Cookie Making Day : ) Even in the midst of the Christmas hustle and bustle, I managed to make some cookies for the kids at church on Sunday. Which really, Christmas in my book IS about making Christmas cookies during this time of year - maybe not as intricate or time consuming as these, but hey, I told you all I was excited to get going on some new sugar cookie designs!

I got the idea for these from Sweet Sugarbelle.

I didn't have a sock monkey cookie cutter so I cut these out by hand.

I paired the cute monkey's with holly leaves....

And then packaged the cookies {one of each design} and gave them to the Sunday school teachers to hand out in the classes....

I made a special cookie box for the Children's Department Leader as a sweet thank you for all that she does!...

I hope that December has gotten off to a WONDERFUL start for you!!

Oh Christmas Tree!

2011-11-28T00:01:00.002-05:00

Every year, I put up our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. It was a tradition that we had while I was growing up - and it's a tradition that I am upholding with my family. This year I did something a little different with our tree and added peacock feathers to the mix! The tree itself isn't much different than last years Christmas tree, as all the same ornaments were used again this time around, but I beautified it a bit more by adding peacock ribbon throughout the tree, adding some teal bulbs, and doing away with a big bow as the tree topper and creating something more fancier this year!...

I love how the "tree topper" turned out!! I always thought this "spray of various branches" look was so pretty when seeing it on other Christmas trees...I was unsure if I could pull it off myself - but I thought I would give it a try...and really, it wasn't complicated at all!

Ilah's Christmas tree is also up in her room!! I actually put it together before I tackled our big family tree....

I only intended to put up these two Christmas tree this year and forgo decorating the house as I did last year, but then when I started going through my Christmas bins, I couldn't resist diving in and pulling things out to put in place again this year! I still need to take pictures of the other Christmas decor that I've put up in our home. I will be posting those photos soon! Come back Friday! : )

Hope you all are having a wonderful December!!