Let it Snow!

Olivia liked the idea of snow much more than the actual stuff!

We could not find Eli's coat, and he had no boots, so he borrowed Anna Grace's.

I am sure that he will love looking back and seeing pictures of himself in pink boots!

"Snow is cold Mommy!"

Bailey loved making snow angels with her Daddy!

Mamaw (Mark's mom) was thoughtful enough to schedule over six inches of snow to cover her area just in time for our visit to her house! The children headed out to play as soon as we arrived at her place on December 20. Isaac and Bailey were the biggest snow enthusiasts, spending hours playing in it over the next three days. They especially loved the times that their Daddy joined them! Olivia enjoyed it initially, and then spent most of her time inside. Anna Grace ventured out once, and then decided it was "too freezing", and that was enough for her. Eli liked it in short spurts, and then toddled for the door. I think that I spent more time getting the younger three ready to go out in the snow than they spent actually playing in it. Despite the mixed reviews from our children, I am really thankful for the snow. It was beautiful, and snow right before Christmas really helps add to the excitement!

Congratulations Bo and Lindley!

One of the most exciting moments of our Christmas season, was when my brother Bo (Bob to most of the world) asked his precious girlfriend Lindley to marry him! He asked her in front of all of us on Christmas Eve while we were finishing up opening presents. He was a bit sneaky -- he hid the ring in an empty gun case. She was very surprised and very happy! We look forward to officially welcoming her to the family sometime soon! Congratulations Bo and Lindley!

Home Again!

Five VERY tired children (and way too much stuff) on our way home!

We travelled home from East Tennessee yesterday, following a visit with our family. We spent lots of time visiting, eating, taking pictures, chasing Eli, and just spending time with people we love. It was truly a blessing! I am going to write about some of the highlights of the last month or so over the next few days, but for now I am enjoying the prospect of getting back to "normal". The time from Thanksgiving to Christmas was filled with special family traditions, parties with friends, yummy holiday eating, lots of presents and good times with family and friends. I cherish that time, but by the end of December, I crave normalcy. I am ready to get back to our routine. I am ready to take down the decorations, and put away the presents. I am even ready to eat healthy for a while! I love the Christmas season, but I love starting a new year too!

Meal Plan Monday (a little late!!)

I am trying to get back to better meal planning, so here goes....

Monday: Shrimp Alfredo
Tuesday: Refried Beans without the Refry, tortillas, Mexican rice
Wednesday: white bean soup (made with a ham bone) over rice & corn bread
Thursday: pork chops & cream of mushroom soup in the crock pot
Friday: Crock-pot Spaghetti & home-made bread (We have book club in the afternoon, and company for supper, so I need a crock pot meal!)
Saturday: barbecue chicken & baked potatoes (company)

Refried Beans without the Refry (from http://fortheloveofgrub.blogspot.com/)
1 onion, chopped
3 c. dried pinto beans
2 T. minced garlic (I use more and I do not mince them, they get blended at the end)
5 t. salt (I use a lot less)
1 3/4 t. pepper
1/8 t. cumin (I use a lot more)
9 c. water (I use half chicken broth)
Combine all ingredients in crockpot; stir. Cook on high for 8 hours. Strain, reserving liquid. Mash beans, adding reserved liquid to desired consistency. I use my food processer, and the garlic and onion gets mashed in with everything else.

Crock Pot Spaghetti (from my sweet friend Allison)
2 Lbs. hamburger meat, browned and drained
1 cup chopped onion (I use minced onion. I have an onion detector in our house!)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans tomato sauce
6 cups tomato juice
1 package (16 oz) dry spaghetti
1 package Italian dressing, dry

Combine all ingredients except spaghetti in crock pot. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours (high 3-5 hours) Turn on high during the last hour and stir in dry spaghetti. Stir a couple of times to "unclump" noodles, especially just after you put them in.)

A Day in the Life of Eli (or why I am always tired!)

Our little caboose!

Pea gravel is so much fun!


Eli enjoys laundry much more than his mom!

Eli loves mealtime!

Eli is growing and changing everyday. He is such a cutie pie, and I wanted to write a little bit about the person he is today. As impossible as it seems today, I know that someday I will have a hard time remembering the details of this phase of our life. So, here is a day in the life of Eli...

I usually hear a little voice calling out to me around 6:00 in the morning. I am not sure what the words are that he is saying, but I totally understand the message -- "Come get me!" Either Mark or I usually goes and gets him and brings him back to our room for a little pre-breakfast bonding. I think this is one of his favorite times of the day. He gets both Mommy and Daddy's undivided attention, and he eats it up!

We then head to the kitchen for breakfast. He usually eats scrambled eggs, banana and either toast or cheerios. He eats with great gusto, and when he is finished, he lets me know! Extra food goes on the ground and the yelling begins.

Then he begins his day of getting into everything possible. He is really at a cute, but draining age. He recently learned to climb onto the couch, but he has not learned how not to fall off. He also loves climbing up the stairs, which keeps us on our toes. We just bought a six foot gate to try to keep him safely on the first floor! Some of his other favorite activities include: eating crayons and other treasures left on the floor, turning off the computer when Mommy is using it, sneaking into the bathroom or his sisters' room, throwing folded laundry out of the basket, and many other adventurous activities.

The other children are great with their little brother. They help me keep an eye on him, and yell if he is in trouble. He loves to follow them around, and it grieves him to no end if they leave without him. I think he has no choice but to be a people person!

Eli usually starts to fuss a couple of hours after he wakes up. I put him in his bed with toys for a few minutes. Sometimes he goes to sleep, but more often he just plays and talks. This little break lets me get school started off on the right foot, and Eli usually comes out of his bed in a better mood than when he went in! He takes a nap for a couple of hours in the afternoon, and that gives me some cherished quiet time. The other children play in their rooms, and I relax.

Eli loves his daddy! He often throws quite a fit when Mark leaves for work in the morning and puts on a great big smile when he comes home. "Da" was the first word that he said consistently. He loves to spend time with Daddy in the evening.

Eli heads to bed around 7:00. He is a great sleeper. We rarely have to get up with him at night. The house is much quieter and calmer after he goes to bed!

Eli is a lot of work, but I could not imagine life without our little man!

Favorite Foods:

Eli loves scrambled eggs, cheese, green beans, bananas, spaghetti, anything sweet, apple juice, and anything that somebody else is eating!

Favorite Activities:

Getting into everything, riding in the car, taking off his pants, unloading cabinets and drawers, splashing in the tub, playing in the grass, dancing to music, chasing the neighbor's dogs (thankfully, they are smart enough to never let him catch them)

Eli Is 1!

Eli was amazed when I handed him the cake. He kept looking at me like, "Are you sure about this?" (My cake decorating skills could use some help!)
Yummy!

Eli turned one last month (I'm a little behind!). I know that it is a cliche, but they really do grow up so fast! We celebrated his birthday a few days late so that Nana and Grand-Bob could be there with us. He enjoyed eating his little cake all by himself. What a big boy!

Grandparents Are Wonderful!

We love Mamaw!

What a Grandpa! He even has two extra "babies" in his lap!

We love Nana!

We were thrilled to have my parents (Grand-Bob and Nana) and Mark's mom (Mamaw) this fall. Mamaw was traveling through with Mark's cousin Lisa, and they stopped by for the weekend. It was so nice to have them! My parents came a couple weeks later. We are looking forward to all of them visiting again in November. I am so thrilled that my children have such a great relationship with their grandparents despite the mileage between us. Grandparents are a blessing from the Lord!