i ♥ winter!

Cold weather is my friend!

That I do not get to see very often here in South Georgia. 

But I have a small obsession love of coats.

I have way too many already, 

but at least once a week I find myself browsing the world wide web for a new coat.

However, I do have a small measure of self control so I am mainly window shopping.

Here are some of my favs right now:

Lands' End pea coat

I seriously have 7 pea coats already!

I love this houndstooth print!

I think the empire waist on this coat would be super cute & flattering.

I love the style of this motorcycle jacket but it is way out of my price range.

What are your favorite things to "window shop" for?

shop 'til we dropped

The girls and I went shopping in Tallahassee today.

And I am now exhausted!

However, we had a ton of fun

and the girls got some fun new outfits!

Here is the loot:

Both of the girls got:

2 pairs of jeans

1 button up shirt

1 sweater 

3 t shirts

& 1 pair of shoes

We literally spent all day in Tally.

I now know the meaning of shop 'til you drop.

Poor Whit fell fast asleep on the way home.

Tomorrow I am getting professional pictures taken of all 3 kiddos. 

I am so excited to see how they turn out!

P.S.  Isn't he the cutest thing ever?!

And look at those baby Converse!!

merry christmas!

I hope that everyone is having a marvelous Christmas!

I am thoroughly enjoying spending time with my kiddos & family.

I am enjoying the ultimate trio: family, food, & fun!

This is our 2nd Christmas without Uncle David.

And while it is MUCH better this year than it was last year, it is still really tough.
Last year we were all a little bit numb, but this year we are definitely feeling the loss.
It is at the oddest moments that I miss him the most.
He always carved the turkey and said the blessing.
He never did any Christmas shopping at all until Christmas Eve!
So, his gifts were always interesting!
It has been nice reminiscing on the good memories and not just focusing on the loss.

In all Christmas has been really great so far;
but all of us has had to force a smile at one point or another.

Again I pray that you are having a blessed Christmas!

Father God, When your precious Son became a tiny baby in a stable in Bethlehem in poverty and simplicity, you changed our world. As we imagine those surroundings, we join with the shepherds and the wise men in wonder and praise. We thank you for our material lives, praise you for our spiritual lives, and trust in you for our eternal life. Amen

 {via}

favorite christmas traditions

Since this is Christmas Week,

I thought I would share a few of my favorite things.

From songs to books to movies to traditions.

Favorite Christmas Traditions

Christmas lights on Christmas Eve
For as long as I can remember a group of us would drive around and look at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve.  I have continued that tradition with my nieces and I love seeing their faces light up.  We literally drive around for HOURS even going to neighboring towns.

Chicken & Dumplings
My aunt makes the absolute best chicken & dumplings in the world! She learned how to make them from her mom (my grandma). All of us insist ask her to make them every holiday.  And every holiday I ask her to teach me how to make them. She patiently tells me what to do while I make them.  I always say I am going to make them by myself, but I never do. I love having her show me year after year!

The Grinch
When my nieces were ages 3 & 5 they insisted that I read How The Grinch Stole Christmas every night for about 2 months.  I still have that entire book memorized. I still read it to them at least once or twice over the Christmas holidays every year.  It will be a very sad Christmas if they ever grow out of The Grinch.

Story of Jesus' Birth
As a family either on Christmas Eve or Christmas day, we read the story of Jesus' birth from the Bible. Every year I am still in awe that Jesus chose to come to Earth. And every year I see the story from a new perspective.

Birthday Cake for Jesus
I was about 5 years old when I made my first birthday cake for Jesus. I think that is where my love of baking started.  On Christmas day we light candles and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. Our traditions have changed and grown over the years, but I love having these constants to look forward to every year!

{click on pics for source}

What are your favorite Christmas traditions?

favorite christmas movies & tv specials

Since this is Christmas Week,

I thought I would share a few of my favorite things.

From songs to books to movies to traditions.

Favorite Christmas Movies

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

The Family Stone

While You Were Sleeping

The Polar Express

White Christmas

Favorite Christmas TV Specials

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Frosty the Snowman


Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

The Little Drummer Boy

 {click on pics for source}

What are your favorite Christmas movies & specials?

favorite christmas books

Since this is Christmas Week,

I thought I would share a few of my favorite things.

From songs to books to movies to traditions.

Favorite Christmas Books

How the Grinch Stole Christmas
{Dr. Seuss}

The Night before Christmas
{Clement C. Moore}

The Gift of the Magi
{O. Henry}

The Polar Express
{Chris Van Allsburg}

A Christmas Carol
{Charles Dickens}

The Case for Christmas
{Lee Strobel}

Letters from Father Christmas
{JRR Tolkien}

The Tale of Three Trees

{click on pics for source}

What are your favorite Christmas books?

favorite christmas carols

Since this is Christmas Week,

I thought I would share a few of my favorite things.

From songs to books to movies to traditions.

Favorite Christmas Carols
Silent Night
Away in a Manger
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Carol of the Bells
Do you Hear What I Hear?
I Came Upon a Midnight Clear
What Child is This
Joy to the World

What are your favorite Christmas carols?

favorite christmas songs

Since this is Christmas Week,

I thought I would share a few of my favorite things.

From songs to books to movies to traditions.

The plan is to actually post one list everyday.

That will definitely be a challenge for a sporadic blogger like me!

Favorite Songs

O Holy Night

Silver Bells

White Christmas

A Baby Changes Everything

Where Are You Christmas

Mary Did You Know

Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)

What are your favorite Christmas songs?

Christmas for the kiddos!

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is buying presents!

Especially for my kiddos. 

{aka my two nieces Whit & Cas and my nephew Nash}

It was a lot of fun buying for a baby again.

Whit & Cas are getting harder to buy for the older they get.
So I just bought them a couple of things to unwrap and then I am taking them shopping to pick out a few outfits.
I would hate to pick out something "uncool!"
Here is some of what they will unwrap Christmas day:

W
Pea Coat from Old Navy

Well charm necklace

C
Pea Coat from Old Navy

Well Charm Necklace

N

Clothes
{mainly from Old Navy & Target}

{the shoes are in the same color as the plaid shirt in the first pic}

Bouncer from Amazon

His 1st Christmas outfit from Target

It looks like the dude racked up.
But the girls will surpass his haul when I take them shopping!
I am really excited about seeing the girls in their coats.
These are the first "grown up" coats that they have had.
Honestly, they do not really need them in South GA.
But I wanted to get them something nicer than a hoodie to wear!

As you can tell I LOVE spoiling my kiddos!
And probably go a little overboard.
But it is just so much fun!


Who are your favorite people to buy for?

meet me at the well

Remember this post,

where I asked for prayers for my sister's pastor & his wife?

They had just lost their 4-year old daughter, Makiah, in a car accident.

A family friend of theirs is selling well charms in honor of Makiah.

About 2 weeks before the accident, Makiah's Sunday School class talked about raising money to build a well for children in Africa.

She was so moved by this story, she told her mom that she wanted to give all of the money in her piggy bank so the girls in Africa could have water to drink.

What is so cool about this story,

is the lady who approached them about selling these charms had no idea that this happened.

It was a total God thing.

{via}

Once 600 charms are sold.

Cameron & Rachel will receive a packet with pictures of the dedication of Makiah's Well.

Right now 308 charms have sold.

I purchased one for myself and 4 more as Christmas gifts.

I love giving gifts with meaning behind them.

Three of the charms are for my sister and two nieces.

They were all close to Makiah.

And my nieces will think it is pretty cool to have something that honors Makiah's memory.

The charm is actually really cute.

I like the fact that the charm has some weight to it.

It will help me remember to be thankful for every single moment I can spend with those I love.

Because you never know if that hug, smile, shared laugh, or even text will be the last one.

This is the link to the facebook group, Makiah Kaitlyn King Well Project, that was set up for the charms.

And this is the link to donate directly to the well project without purchasing a charm.

Thank you so much to any who consider buying a charm or donating to honor Makiah's memory.

Please continue to keep Cameron & Rachel in your prayers.

Thanks!

Also this is the link to Rachel's blog, An Unexpected Journey.

Just make sure you have some tissues handy before you visit it.

This is Rachel's explanation for why she started blogging.

I have never wanted to be a blogger until this morning (10/23). For some reason I awoke feeling the need to share this journey. My four year old daughter was killed in a tragic car accident on October 8th, 2010 when our car was struck by a teen on marijuana. This blog is a small window into the brokenness of my heart and perhaps... one day, the healing. Do not mistake this for theological discourse. Jesus, not our circumstances, equals perfect theology. Be warned, this is raw...

movies, movies, movies

I love movies.

I love going to the movies.

I hate paying theater prices.

And do not even get me started on this stupid 3D kick.

But I love the experience of watching movies in a theater, even if it is a bad movie.

There are too many movies out or coming out soon that I want to see right now.

It always happens.

No good movies come out for weeks.

And then...BAM!

All of the ones I want to see are released at the same time.

What a dilemma!

{taking my nieces to see this, probably, the day after Christmas}

{I am there this weekend!}

{not really a fan of Jack Black, but I love Catherine Tate}

{I ♥ Reese!}

{I know this has been out FOREVER but the craziness of grad school prevented me from seeing it. Side note: Chris Pine is GORGEOUS!}

{*sigh* Johnny Depp...enough said}

This is a pretty awesome compilation of the Movies of 2010!

What movies are on your "must see" list?