differences....

Lately I've been held captive by life.... and I'm so grateful for it!  Although I love this blog world and sharing all of our everyday with you... the ones that I tend to share about- are a needy bunch :)  Prissy auditioned for the Spring recital @ CPAC and will be playing the role of a leading mouse- we are over the moon about it!  Although.. this in turn means countless hours of recital rehearsals on numerous nights of the week.  But, it really is my pleasure to do it!  This is such a tiny season of her life and I wouldn't trade it in for anything else.  What a difference another year of ballet can make! 

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Today as I was breathing in a sigh of ... quiet, when the house was still & the before mentioned-s were away..  I did laundry and checked the news.  And now I know why I don't miss TV in the least {except for Sunday nights when Downton is on... and I have to wait until Monday}.  The news is horrible- I cry nearly every time I read it- so I closed the computer and prayed.. I prayed for my sweet husband at work, for my darling babes at school, & thanked God that they weren't on the bus that had been taken hostage yesterday....  What a difference prayer makes! 

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Then I cleaned- that's what I do when I'm worried or heartbroken {ask anyone who knows me well}. There is therapy in washing toilets and folding laundry + its FREE!  And as I was putting away the laundry.... I saw the girls {aka my boots} looking a bit disheveled....

*don't judge my shoe collection TOO quickly- 
some of these girls have been with me since high school*

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Then I remembered the 30 some Valentine briefcases that I'm making for the kiddos' class parities!  What a difference having 2 kiddos with 2 parties is!

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 & remembered the empty rolls of wrapping paper.... 

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 TA-DA instant boot formers!  Now... that's better.  
Clipping and cutting and organizing is good for the soul.  What a difference cardboard makes!  

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Tonight I made brownies... and added a Valentine Day flare to them.  Prissy of course saw if first.   The boys not so much...  What a difference M&M's make!

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I'm settling in to finish up my homework for tomorrow's study... and my hubby is settling into this???  I had to look twice at the title before I was sure how to pronounce the thing :)  What in the heavens did he ever see in me????  I guess a boy who goes for this stuff... needs a girl who cries over "Good Luck Charlie"- ha ha!  What a great marriage- coming from 2 totally different people!!! 


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That's it for now....  go run and kiss your babes!

long time- no post.....

Hello sweet friends... I've been a little slack in my posting {but rest assured I've been busy in the real world none-the-less}.  Cooner made the girls these little dust caps {from Little House on the Prairie} - I had 2 on my bedposts my entire childhood and I adored them.  She wears hers and it makes me smile and think of Cooner!!

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The weather makes me want to cook and craft :)  So we ate Apple pie last night while the glue gun was heating up- ha!

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We have decided on the kiddos 2013 Valentines and they are gonna be SUPER cute :)  A-man's require a little bit of nature, so we are still collecting.... And Prissy's require personalization on EACH and EVERY one so there is much to accomplish there too!  And.... I have taken on their class parties again and that means a craft as well.  Needless-to-say my work room looks like pink and red threw up all over it....

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And my bible study just started this... Beth Moore's Breaking Free.  It is wonderful!  Beth has us flipping all through the bible daily and challenging me to be more intentional about my devotions...  I adore my sweet group of gals who encourage me every week!!!  

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And I'm planning A-man's BIG b-day party too... Here's your clue to the theme "Partners"!  Gotta run and collect some sticks {don't ask}.  Hope to be back a little more regularly next week. 

 Have a great weekend.

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p.s.  Pray for my sweet little Prissy- she has tryouts tomorrow for the spring ballet recital.... I'm nervous for her already......

our winter wonderland trip to Indiana...

We headed out Christmas morning.... but not before we did our usual traditions

1.  birthday cake for baby Jesus

2.  present exchange

3.  Christmas story reading

.... the kiddos were beside themselves excited to see our sweet family.  And there was to be a little LOT of snow in the forecast!

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  **so we packed up our snow gear**

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1st stop- Grandma Harris!  She was a wonderful host {per usual :) and even watched the kiddos for Joey & I to go see Les Mis- BEST EVER!!!!!}.  Allison & Prissy picked up right where they left off...

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 Allison is just beautiful- I can't believe how grown she is... and she is so sweet to my little Prissy.  We love you Allison-ny!!!

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We were fully expecting to have to share Tyler with his girlfriend this year.... A-man was a little concerned that "Tyler wouldn't want to play with a girl around".  But as it turned out- they had each other all to themselves and A-man was overjoyed!!!!!  
They are such cutie pies :)

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Uncle Jamie was a good sport with the "weird-o glasses" 

and his impression of the Beast was equally as impressive!!!

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The Harris girls- all together!

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sledding was a plenty!

and so were the wipe outs...

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Joey was the BIGGEST duck in the puddle!

I forgot how fun it is to not have to worry about schedules and homework and ballet and piano.... and be... dare I say it??? Dangerous....

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Speaking of dangerous.. A-man got his 1st BB gun.  He is very safe with it though & adores it!!  {He hit ALL 4 of his first 4 shots on the target- YEAH A-man!!}

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Bloomfield made the news with having the most snow in the entire state.... This BIG guy was waiting on us when we drove up :)

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We had a few little falls... Joey won the award for "best wipe out ever" per Uncle Travis.  I laughed so hard I nearly peed my pants- thankfully he did too!!!  

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Papaw happily carried A-man up to the top of the slopes nearly every time he sledded down {ah the love for Grandchildren}.  Meanwhile Cooner whipped up "the best hot cocoa ever" in ALL of our opinions!!!!  THANK YOU COONER!

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Then we dried off and while our clothes were in the dryer, we painted cookies  {another little tradition of Cooner's}.  SO FUN!

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A-man and Papaw.... our taste testers!

  Then he asked Papaw if they could go back out.... and just guess what he said??  

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Uncle Travis waiting for us at the bottom....

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Then... we had to go in for the night.... and tears began :(  He wanted to stay out in the snow with the boys with his gun... forever!!!  He would have stayed in Indiana if he could have.... but I couldn't spare him.

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Thank You

 EVERYONE 

....for taking time out of your busy lives to spend time with us- we {heart} ALL of you!!!!!!!