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What Christmas means to me

Merry Christmas friends! I hope this Monday before Christmas finds you all wrapped up in Holiday cheer and anticipation of the fun ahead. I've thought lots about Christmas this year because we are in a season of life that everything is being redefined in our lives. I've never had a toddler before and been pregnant! Christmas has had such a different meaning for me this year, it hasn't been about all the festivities (which is SO hard for me because I LOVE those!), about having the perfect tree or about making sure we get in every Christmas memory/tradition that I would like. I have laid down what I wanted this Christmas and really just soaked in the real meaning of Christmas. Sounds a little cliche I know, but I really do think this year my heart is more overflowing with gratefulness and awe of why we celebrate. I know there will be a stage in our life where those traditions and festivities will be easier and I look forward to that but I really have prayed that I wouldn't just endure this holiday season with a little one but I would embrace it for what it is. We heard a wonderful sermon from our pastor yesterday and it really go time thinking about how amazing what happened so many years ago on what we call Christmas morning. I've never pondered in my heart how ordinary Mary and Joseph were and how ordinary the situation was. I've never pondered being VERY pregnant (which I am getting very close to being able to relate with) and traveling by donkey so far away to pay taxes. There is more in the Christmas story that has stood out to me then ever before.

Coming up on Christmas day my heart is so tender to what this season really means to me. Now that I have a child I can't imagine sending a perfect son to be a human and live as a man to save mankind. I can't imagine being Mary and being so misunderstood yet having such an amazing privilege of carrying the saviour of the world. I know we often talk about "the greatest gift" but I wonder how often we actually stop and ponder how amazing that great gift is. It makes me want to complain much less, it makes me want to value the season with a young child and the opportunity I have to help shape and mold her heart.

Don't get me wrong we did plenty of shopping this year, we have attended some super fun Christmas parties and I can't wait to exchange gifts and celebrate with those I love most this week but this year it has been so much more in my heart. I counted up and we have bought over 30 people Christmas gifts! That is just our immediate family and Grandparents! So, when I say we have done plenty of shopping I'm not kidding!

Take a moment and ponder this season in your heart. Slow down a little and let's really remember why we are celebrating and what is the most important thing about this season. I hope you each have a wonderful Christmas with those you hold dear!

Happy Anniversary to us!

3 years ago today I had the wedding of my dreams. I was a princess surrounded by so many people I love. I wore a gorgeous raw silk candlelight dress, had a gold sash and a elbow length veil. I had 8 gorgeous bridesmaid help me celebrate my day. I got married in a church I had dreamed of having a wedding in. I had a reception with wonderful music, cake, candy and a coffee bar. The reception hall was decorated with fall foliage, flowers and white pumpkins. It was supposed to be a gorgeous fall Texas day, but instead it was a cold, rainy winter day. Didn't bother me or seem to affect our packed ceremony of guests. Jeremy's dad and my Dad together performed our wedding. "Be thou my vision" was sung by a dear friend while we took communion together. Everything about the day was perfect to me! If anything did go wrong or fell through the cracks I was blissfully unaware of it!

3 year ago today I married my "prince charming"! How time flies when your having fun! :-) Or maybe it's time flies when you get married, move across the country to join your love, begin a new life in the first year of marriage, get pregnant, move together back to my home town in TX, have a baby girl a few months later, move again locally and to top it off I'm 6 months pregnant with baby girl #2! See, like I said time flies when your having fun! What an adventure these last 3 years have been! I can't imagine going through them with anyone else other then Jeremy. He has been a rock for me in unsure times and a voice of reason in seasons of change. He is am amazing Daddy to our little girl and I have fallen in love with him all over again by watching him love her.

We have had hard seasons and blissful seasons but such is life. I'm so grateful that just over 4 years ago God brought me the man of my dreams, I spent that next year falling in love and planning our wedding. I'm so glad I have him to live life with. He truly does complete me in so many ways! Happy Anniversary babe! Here is to many, many more years to come!

Holiday Inspiration Needed!

It's official, the holiday season has arrived! I LOVE this time of year. Normally it would mean more social events, fun new holiday clothes, buying gifts for the many people in my life and just extra cheer all the way around. This year I'm trying to define what the holiday season will look like for my little family. I've never been a wife, mommy to a toddler and 6 months pregnant all over the holiday's. I'm not gonna lie I'm tired! I sleep a good full night going to bed early and then we have a day home {like today} where we read books and just relax and I'm still tired! Growing baby girl #2 has been harder physically then it was the first time. Lot's of people tell me "welcome to 2nd pregnancy".

I want to be that fun Mom over the holiday's that has all our fun traditions and fun foods that make my kids look forward to this time of year as much as I did growing up! Ava and I put Christmas lights up on our balcony railing today and she loved it. I have to remind myself that the small things are SO not small things in her eyes. I can't wait till it gets dark tonight and we can turn them on for her to be amazed by! I'm trying to have a little bit of that wonder and awe that she has for daily life. I need some inspiration though! It's hard to get excited about all the yummy food when I am daily {not really...but it seems like it} packing on the pounds without any help! I'm having a hard time getting motivated to have a Christmas tree when I know it will ALWAYS be a battle to keep it standing and together due to the help of my adorable toddler!

What are your favorite holiday traditions? What do your kids look forward to every year? Give this Momma some inspiration! Happy Thanksgiving week!!

Mothering With Intention

Something I have been struggling with lately is getting frustrated with the day to day of life. Any of you who are mother's to young children know exactly what I mean. Life is such a daily thing these days! We have routines and try to add in fun outings and activities but still so much of it I struggle to not become mundane in. I have felt beat down some in the last couple months, being sick due to pregnancy, struggling with training a toddler and trying to keep my marriage a priority in the midst has gotten me discouraged. I write this not so you will feel sorry or sympathize with me but because I know I am not the only one struggling in this area. I'm hoping that the journey God has be on can in some way be an encouragement to someone else. Today I read James 1, I needed to give myself a time out of sorts and re-focus on what mattered. Ava and I were having a small snack of some fresh veggies in dip and just like everything she eats it was getting all over her all over me and she was way more interested in the dipping part then eating any of the vegetables. At moments like that I struggle, struggle to not get frustrated that she is making a mess all over her clean outfit for the day and on me, struggle with why everything has to be so complicated and I end up just annoyed that I am getting upset about it and she ends up frustrated cause I won't let her enjoy it. Back to James 1 and my time out, I went and grabbed my bible which I am embarrassed to say I run to more when I need perspective then to help me maintain that perspective. I have always loved the book of James, it just seems so real and something we could all relate to.

"Count it all joy...knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience, and let patience have it's perfect work that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him." James 1:1-5

Who doesn't want to be perfect and complete lacking nothing? Why do I hesitate to ask God for the wisdom that he freely gives when we ask? My pride maybe of not having all the answers. I resort to using my own wisdom and strength so often which ALWAYS fails me. I have a God who has all the answers and is more then willing to let me in on the secrets of life and I choose to try my own ways first.

I don't want to mother my children in survival mode and we have made parenting choices to reflect that. I have chosen to stay home with our children and not work full time out of the home, we have chosen our discipline style so that our children know it won't end up...."do that one more time and Momma is gonna loose it"...kind of way. I want to give my children the best version of this Momma there is and I know that is not going to happen by my own efforts. Aside from the grace and patience God offers I fail miserably at this Momma business. I want to spend more time loving and praising my children and less time complaining about them. I want it to be evident to my friends and family that there is nothing in the world I would rather do then raise my children to walk in the way's of God. I want to enforce and discipline not because I enjoy or like it one bit but because I know it is what scripture instructs and I KNOW it is what my children need. I want to spend more time in God's word prepping my spirit for the task at hand.

Let's mother with intention today, let's make a point to spend more time loving and less time focusing on the details of life that get us down. We have been given one of the greatest privileges EVER! We get the opportunity to help shape and mold a life.

Pregnancy Journal: Week 21

Excuse my absence to the blogging world, I have been working and thinking of a plan of sorts for this blog. I hope to soon have a new blogging home and a more regular posting schedule about life, health, food and raising babies. Stay posted for that!





Week 21 is upon us! Over the half way mark! I cannot believe how fast this pregnancy has gone by and I know the holidays are coming up and once those pass it will be time to kick into baby gear. We found out this week we are having another GIRL! Hello MORE pink!! We are thrilled but a little surprised. I had totally convinced myself it was a boy, and most people agreed with me. There are so many things different about this pregnancy and I was so sure Ava was a girl that I just knew I would be right this time. But, I was wrong! I'm so glad Ava will have a sister that will be around 23 younger then her. I love that she will have a friend for life and I hope and pray they are best buddies!





I am feeling good for the most part! Finally! I have little to no nausea and am only getting sick a couple times a week now. Sounds like allot but I will take that any day over constant nausea!! I have reached the, there is no doubt I am pregnant and not just gaining weight around my middle phase. I love feeling her move more and more every day and sometimes when she is really excited I can feel her kicking from the outside. Seeing the sonogram I was again amazed at her little face, legs, spine, arms, chambers of the heart and all the other body parts you can see. I have seen many sonograms going through midwifery school but never cease to be amazed at how "fearfully and wonderfully" made we are!



Now that I am feeling better and have more energy most days my goal is to get back into more of an exercise routine, I hate that I loose that the first couple months of pregnancy but just the idea of it tires me out! I has been nice outside so we have walked some and I hope to pick up some workout DVDs at the library. If you have any good pregnancy exercises you did let me know! We are also on the name hunt! I was so convinced it was a boy that I had only looked at boy names, so now we are starting from scratch with girl names. I so wish names just came to you some magic way and we could have some cool story about how we got the name. Who knows maybe it will! :-)

What's Cookin?

Well, I guess technically lots is cookin around our house but what I was referring to was my plan and effort to get back to cooking more and the dreaded...meal planning! I can grocery shop all day long and stick to my budget but meal planning is a whole different animal for me. I like being spontaneous and I have to be in the mood to certain foods, and how on earth am I going to know a week in advance what I am in mood for? So my plan has been to shop and plan 5 dinners and then of course all the other things we need to breakfast, lunch and snacks. I started last week and it was a success and kept us from going out to eat! I'm always looking for good ways to get more raw vegetables in our diet but also simple and tasty recipes. This kale salad has become a new favorite in our house and I'm thrilled about that! I had never tasted raw kale but liked it cooked so I was a little hesitant. It is wonderful! Today for lunch I shredded a cabbage and then dressed it with this recipe of dressing and toppings and it was amazing! I love the sweet yet tangy flavors all blended together! Really, you should try it. Don't let kale scare you.

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