Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Family Portraits 2014

Taking our family portraits was {a little} less stressful this year. No one but me gets excited. Sometimes children don't want to cooperate. Sometimes Daddy gets tired. And then, ahem, Mama gets aggravated. But this year was quicker than any previous year, and our pictures turned out great. Ahhhhh...stress free until this time next year!! ;)

These kiddos are just too much.

This girl is growing up so much lately. Some days are hard as we all try to find a balance between wanting to grow up and wanting to still be little. But her heart is sweeter than ice cream, and I know that time will work all things out as we grow together. I love her too much sometimes.






You have not met closer siblings. These two have a bond that is so thick. Yes, they can aggravate one another, but tell them to separate and things are all good. To them, being separated from one another is the worst punishment. That makes a Mama's heart sing.






This boy with his missing teeth!! He melts me in a way I can't explain. He is challenging at times, yet his heart is gentle and extremely generous. He has the greatest smile.



This kid has more personality than I ever imagined a 2 year old could have. He is my baby, and I am not shy about letting him know it. I love him so stinkin' much!








These three faces are the most beautiful faces to my heart and eyes. They aren't perfect. They have their flaws (as do I), but I wouldn't trade them for anything.






It was so hard to choose between all of these pictures for our Christmas card. But I ended up choosing this one as the front of the card. Even though Buddy-Ro isn't smiling really big, I still really liked this picture as a whole.



But I chose this one as a large print to hang up on the wall in our home. (I did an 8x10 of the other one!)




This one was actually my favorite...but it was taken a little too close for me to get sizes other than a 4x6 without unwanted cropping. Such is life when you take your own family portraits. (A side note - I am SO stinkin' short. I have wedge boots on, yet Scott still towers over me. Sheesh!!) 


Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Multitudes

3453. exceptionally warm December days

3454. putting tiny hand moulding ornaments on the Christmas tree each year - right in the center :)

3455. talking about each ornament and when it was given as we decorate the tree

3456. putting lights outside the house for a festive Christmas

3457. Advent calendars

3458. starting our Advent celebration with the kiddos with Ann Voskamp's The Greatest Gift

3459. enjoying memories told of Scott's grandmother who passed away this morning

3460. knowing that even in the sadness of earth, there is a glorious celebration in Heaven whenever a child of God comes Home

3461. Zofran (again) for the little boy who woke up at 5 a.m. this morning throwing up (again)

3462. the fact that we still have wonderful friends in spite of the fact that my children are sick so often - it's a miracle that our friends haven't disowned us!

3463. clean PJs to put on the littlest one in the middle of the night

3464. watching the CMA Christmas special last night and enjoying every.single.second

3465. how amazed we were that the artists sang songs about JESUS and spoke about HIM being the reason for this wonderful season!

3466. Carrie Underwood's amazing voice. (I secretly want to be her when I grow up....)

3467. an heirloom piece of furniture: my great-grandparents' desk, that five generations have now sat at

3468. flower bulbs given to me by a friend, to plant in winter so that they will bloom in spring

Colossians 3:15, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."