Merry Christmas {2012}

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Mary & baby Jesus 

{by Prissy}

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I pray that you have a blessed Christmas day.... 

and that you take time to celebrate our Saviour's birth!

Merry Christmas Y'all

on boys....

This is what I found as I opened the garage tonight...  A-man {thanks to Cooner who said "every little 5 yr old boy needs a pocket knife Ashly Danyell} in the garage...in a box... with a pocket knife... and a stick...  He was whittling! He had gloves on  {thanks to my smart little Prissy who insisted that he wear them "as to not cut a finger off Momma- I knew you would have wanted it that way"}. 

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 After a very long 65 minutes {and countless checking in on him by me :) } he emerged with this.  He was so proud.  When I asked him the question that the entire room was wondering {yet hadn't the nerve to ask}- "WOW sweet boy what ya got there?}.  "A knife- do you want to see it?"  We all gathered around & drank in all of his accomplishment.  I {heart} my boy from the top of his sweaty headed curly head to the tips of this tiny little toes!!!!!  Heaven help us ALL when he gets his Christmas gift from Uncle Travis....

**sorry this pic is dark- I had to pry it from his sleeping fingers to get a pic of it**

     

praying...

"No one will ever know the strength of my love for you. After all, you are the only ones that know what my heart sounds like from the inside!"

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{a re-post...} Last night Prissy asked us to write out things that we liked about each other- I thought it was totally brilliant. We each wrote down {after her careful instructions} on the paper {that she chose for us} the things.... Then she said "Mommas turn first, everyone tell her what she does that you like." It was so wonderful to hear what they really like-it wasn't the fancy dinners, the handmade costumes, or even the parties {gasp} that made the list. But instead- "I love your smile & how you give me lots of lovin' in my bed & you are good at washing my hair."- per the A-man. Prissy said, "I love Mommas sweetness, her encouraging me when I draw, she is always nice, & she helps me at ballet. She is just the best Momma ever!" And YES I cried & hugged their necks off. Then my sweet husband said, "You're a great runner, you are the best mom ever, you are unselfish when it comes to giving to others, & you are good at sewing." I smiled through the tears then, especially how running was high on the list- {it cracks me up what makes them proud}. All the while knowing that these are the 'good ole days & I am loving every minute of them!!!

I am hugging my little ones tighter today it seems.... All the while praying my guts out for the ones who don't have their sweet babes.  I am enjoying the mundane things that seem to come & go without any grand occasion {bath time, reading together, hair brushing, just sweet little looks when they come into the room}...  Thank You Jesus for another day with them!!!!!!

Christmas tour {2012}...

I {heart} Christmas time...  & I {heart} home tours!  Here is a little peek into our neck of the woods.   Hope y'all enjoy!

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The guest room/office/workroom got a new little Chalkboard message.  I love carol lyrics, but I do need to work on my freehand....  and I need to invest in a chalk pen:)

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Decorating less makes me feel better {although Cooner would disagree- ha ha}?  It is clean and lovely- all at once.

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This year I started out with this wreath- simple and real...

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But then I saw a burlap wreath that made my heart smile.  Then I remembered the yards & YARDS of burlap that I had from the Medieval Feast...   Which one do you prefer?

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Our tree... Cooner was here for that part.  A Christmas miracle in itself!

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A-man's tree got a little pirate-y this year!  And he was VERY obliged to use EVERY sword and patch he owned... Bless his little heart!  And the tree hardly even cares that it's 1/2 naked most days cause the boy wears the ornaments!!

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Prissy's tree went from Princess to Ballerina this year....  I'm happy and sad about that!  But.. it is super cute- just like her!

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I got this from my Grandfather's old auto parts store {Hord's Auto}....  It once held his business stamps and tools.  This year my Christmas cards are parading around it.  It makes me smile & think of him!


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every nook in the main living space gets a touch of sparkle...

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I am in total L-O-V-E with these little cardboard cut outs from Michaels.  They are my new favorite gift tags!!

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And if you need a quick gift... I'm also LOVING this little Rosemary herb basket from Wally.  It makes the whole kitchen smell wonderful {$5.00}

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  Prissy & I made this pompom wreath {Anthropologie knock off- haha}.  I think I like her???  However ours cost about $3.00 and is about 1/3 the size of their $289 beauty....

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My kiddos made their 1st ever {gasp} gingerbread houses this year.... And I think we are believers- this may become a tradition.  They are adorable!! 

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 And since my sweet little kiddos also made a Christmas Lego Village .... I did what any good mother would do... I hugged their proud necks & put a glass plant dome over the precious thing- {sorta Anthro-style chic right?}   {Only I told them the glass was to protect it- Shhh!}


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I only have one thing to say about this... I painted it the 1st year we were married- I've tried to get rid of it every year since- Joey says I had better never try again.......  Heaven help me!  


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Thanks for stopping by...  
I pray you have a wonderful Christmas Season
 & that Jesus remains your treasure always!!

Merry Christmas!!

p.s.  I'm linking up with Kelly , the Nester, & the Inspired Room...

my goal today is...

... to hug each of my children as many times as I serve them meals —

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because children’s hearts feed on touch-

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the taller they are, the more so.

{and I don't mind if you want to jump on my bandwagon too!}

Disney World 2012...

I did NOT think that Disney could get any better... but I was wrong!  Disney in December with Christmas everywhere you look & temps in the 70's- that is magical to me!!  I have so much to share, but for now just the pics- as promised to Cooner :)

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Joey @ Downtown Disney- I {heart} a man secure enough to wear his daughter's Minnie Mouse ears!

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The kiddos @ the Magic Kingdom- I made these little matching shirts for them {I hope they will wear matching shirts for a few more years...}

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Prissy @ the all new Fantasy Land in Belle's castle- Y'all it was absolutely stunning!  Prissy was chosen out of the crowd to play Mrs. Potts.  She was amazing!!

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Afterwards we met Belle...

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and Ariel

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Then we ran into Cindi's Fairy Godmother...

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Next we headed to Adventure Land & met up with some pirates... 

A-man decided to join in on the fun & become one too!

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And BOY-OH-BOY was he a cutie!!!

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Then Prissy became a mermaid...  The Pirate's League is always a good time!

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They looked amazing and turned many heads around the castle :)  And A-man got a new pistol {to match his musket that he slept with the night before from Aunt Michelle!}

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Then it got super sunny.... but we had to meet Snow White!

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... and Cinderella

{A-man was protecting the Princesses with his guns

 *not available for photos*}

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... and Sleeping Beauty

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Then we went to the Christmas Party!  Where is snowed :) YES in Orlando Florida it snowed tiny little flakes for 2 hrs straight & they served us hot cocoa and cookies....  It was Magical!!

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Then as if that wasn't enough magic- the castle becomes a glowing masterpiece!!

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On the way home... we met up with Tinker belle {who looked pretty amazing considering she just flew down from the castle!}

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... and Periwinkle.  She was delightful!!

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The next day we made our way to Hollywood Studio's.  

And Goofy greeted us with open arms!

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...and Chip n Dale

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This was the day that my little A-man had been waiting for.  HS is the home to ALL things Star Wars... including "real life Stormtroopers Momma!"

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Where EVERY single time you ride "Star Tours" {and we did many MANY times} you got dropped off at the gift shop.  Who knew Ice Monsters could be so cute :)

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Prissy's or should I say Minnie's favorite part.... the Disney Channel singers/dancers.  She joined in on the dancing parade.  

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The next day we went to Epcot {Prissy & I love Epcot}!!  This day they wore their little matching Christmas Mickey/Minnie shirts that I made for them!

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A-man was perfectly content spying bad guys to shoot...

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But he spotted a good guy.  A VERY good guy!  Mickey himself!!

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... and his pal Pluto.  A-man much prefers these guys to the Princesses :(

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...and then Minnie came to see us!!!

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...and Alice from Wonderland!

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And when Mary Poppins came- 

I had to hand the camera over.  Cause- I ADORE her!!!

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Belle just happened to be in Epcot that same day- she remembered us.  REALLY- she commented about Prissy being "Mrs. Potts"....  {I wish I could be a Disney Princess}!

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The kiddos right outside of Paris...

 It's fun to go all the way around the world before nap time!

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Jasmine & Aladdin had a long magic carpet ride to come & see us!  

They were sweet together..

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Then we met Mulan..

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and watched some shows in China...

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A-man shot some dragons {or at least that's what he said he was doing?}  Boys are still a little bit of a mystery to me... Guns?  Knives?  Dragons? Not wanting to get pictures taken with Princesses???

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And that's about it-  The longest... most magical.... Disney post ever! 

I'm gonna give y'all some Disney tips that I've learned soon.  

So- as Mickey would say "See Y'all Real Soon!"