The Biggest Christmas Yet

There were around 100 presents under the tree this year.

Christmas last year was memorable to me because Z was 2 and it was his first Christmas to really be engaged in what was happening. This Christmas was special because our family grew by two! SJ and her cousin are 4 months apart and were both celebrating their first Christmas.

My niece is wearing the onesie I waited in line for an hour for on black Friday last year.

It's amazing to see how our family has more than doubled in size over the past 10 years. That means we now have ELEVEN stockings hanging from the mantel.

This year we did the same old family traditions which include

Opening one present on Christmas eve

Gag gift exchange

Traditional Christmas Meal

Mom's homemade sticky pecan rolls for breakfast

Hot Toddies

Leaving a huge tip at Waffle House on Christmas Day

Playing cards

Annual Family Christmas photo

So, even though our trip to Kentucky began with a bumpy start things are going smoothly now and we are all happy to be together and enjoy the break before jumping back into the regularly scheduled programing.

Christmas Card 2010

Merry Christmas Everyone! It's finally time for my annual Christmas card reveal.

TaDa.

It's a nice little card in and of itself, but what people probably don't know is that we used the ribbon that was tied around my belly in last years card...

and we created all of these things with it.

Neck Tie

Hair Bow

Flower Pin

Bow Tie

This card was a lot of fun to create and earth friendly since it promote recylced material. We already have something up our sleeve for next year if we can pull it off, but you'll have to wait another 12 months for that one.

Z's New Look

We couldn't get Z old glasses fixed way out here so we were forced to replace them for now. They had a buy one get one free deal going on where we went so he got a pair of conservative frames

and a fun pair.




He cracked me up taking photos OF HIMSELF on my computer today (he is in his PJ's). You can see all the activity going on behind him, but he was just as entertained as ever snapping dozens of pictures of himself. What a cutie.

The Up Side

Yesterday I shared the downside of our Holiday vacation so far, but things are looking up. This morning I could talk. My voice is still raspy, but by the end of the day yesterday I couldn't even squeak out the words Merry Christmas so I will take whatever I can get and hope that I am back to my normal healthy self soon.

Also, we went to a vision center for Z yesterday and his new glasses will be ready today.

Lastly, what I really wanted for Christmas this year was snow. Last year I was pregnant and not feeling well so I couldn't really enjoy the rare white Christmas we had in Texas.

On Monday as we crossed over from Tennessee to Kentucky I got my wish and it started snowing. Yesterday we took the kids out and had an amazing time! I have lots of photos on my camera, but it's easier to swipe one from the iphone. So I will leave you with another snapshot J took. A much happier one this time.

Loosing It

We did make it all the way from Texas to Kentucky without any speeding tickets or casualties. However, with the highs and lows of our journey so far you would think we took a roller coaster to get here. I had already written about how frantic I was before we left, but aside from leaving our snacks and getting on the road a few hours behind schedule we made it out the door. We had to stop by the bank and the post office first so before we were even on the highway Z said "Are we almost there? Are we about to be at Memae and Pepae's" I had to laugh because we had covered about 2 of 900 miles. So I gave him the best mommy answer I could think of –

It's going to take a long time to get to Memae and Pepaes. We actually won’t get there until tomorrow, but we are going to go over some railroad tracks (I’m sure we would) and see Christmas lights (more than likely), eat lots of snacks (most definitely) and have fun (at least I hope so).

Fast forward 29 hours. We are at our last stop which was a gas station near my parents house and that is when we found that Z’s glasses were broken and one of lenses was completely missing. I don’t even know how this happened, but he has a serious eye condition and we need to get his prescription and get him some glasses even though the place his glasses are insured at is 900 miles away and everything is going to be shutting down soon for Christmas. Loosing the lens to his glasses was enough stress for me, but on top of that I lost my voice. This only further complicates the whole scenerio with the glasses and all the phone calls that go with it. Right now I sound like a mix between a 90 year old woman on a breathing machine and a 13 year old boy whose voice is changing. I pretty much can't talk at all. Which is no fun since I am here to get caught up with family.

I know I am whining like a little baby. Somebody call the Whaaambulance. There actually are a lot of wonderful fun things happening, but I just had to vent about all the bad stuff to get it out of my system first.


This is a photo J took of me in the snow when we arrived and I could not find Z's lens. It's a horrible photo and he posted it on Facebook with the caption "Snow Angel". Even though I hate this picture I thought I would post it to really show how I was feeling.

On Our Way

I haven't had any time to post lately and probably won't too much for the next couple weeks because we are up to our elbows in Christmas craziness, I mean holiday cheer. We've done an insane amount of get-togethers trying to make sure we see everyone before our trip to Kentucky. The kids have been spoiled rotten with presents coming at them from every direction and it isn't even Christmas yet (it is priceless though, and I will post about that later).

I don't have a lot of time so I will just post a couple pictures along with a note to myself to remind me to prepare much sooner next time we take a road trip! I am usually so good at this planning stuff. I did great on getting all the shopping done early and stress free, but it's the packing that has done me in. It's our first vacation as a family of four and I am actually skipping church right now because I am so behind.

I think we are finally just about ready though, so next time I check in on here it will be from another state! Wish me luck.

Enjoy A Nice Cup Of Christmas Music

Remember my "rock star" brother? The one I brag about all the time? The one that I said is known for his passionate pursuit of God? Well, he has a current project that could use your help.

He recently produced and played the upright bass for an EP that includes three worship inspired Christmas songs played by a team of amazing musicians out of the Cincinnati area. Oh Holy Night, The First Noel, and Oh Come All Ye Faithful are available for download at Iron Wing Records. The tunes are a delightful pick me up that will cost you less than a peppermint mocha AND much lower in calories.

All the proceeds will go toward benefiting the worship program at Heritage Fellowship. I grew up at Heritage, and can vouch that this is a church with a heart for the lost that is driven by an atmosphere of worship. In fact, two years ago I blogged about it in a post titled "A World With Music"

"I grew up in an Assembly of God church and music was a big part of the services there. I am not talking about organs and hymnbooks. I am talking about a loud, key pounding, bass booming, dancing, clapping, shouting, revival culture. So that was my very first introduction to music. "

The problem is this same musical church has a sound system and equipment that are sorely outdated. Sometimes a radio station will randomly come in through the speakers during a service! My brother's efforts are all voluntary and every penny will go towards helping revamp some of the equipment, so your donations are tax deductible.

Add to your Christmas collection and help continue the advancement of worship arts today!

www.ironwingrecords.com/PaulCooper

Bethlehem and The Red Scarf

The Christmas festivities are now in full swing. On Friday J and I took the kids to Bethlehem revisited. The last time we went was two years ago. I decided to go back and look at some of the pictures from then to see just how much Z has changed!

Z 2008

Z 2010

Yesterday was our church carols and candle light service/annual play/Christmas party. When I was getting ready J (whose fashion sense has always appealed to me) thought I needed something more Christmasy. I told him I didn't own anything and he said "Here, I have a red scarf you can wear." He's masculine, yet he can help me accessorize, what more could I ask for?

Z took this photo on my webcam before church started.

After lunch I had my friend test out what her new iphone can do and she snapped this photo of our matchy, matchy family and emailed to me.

I hope all of you are enjoying all the Holiday parties and plans. December is already half way over!!!

9 months

She's nine months old already. Not much new is happening. She did just barely get one of her front teeth. She still looks a bit like a vampire though. Here is a photo of her laughing.

No walking and no talking, but she's getting more efficient with her crawling. She used to just roam around in her own little space, but now she goes everywhere. This means I can't go anywhere, without being followed.

The coolest thing is right when I was worried about her outgrowing all of her clothes and being short on winter items I got an email from a friend that was getting rid of everything that her daughters wore. I mean everything!

She gave me 7 bins of clothes all the way up to 4T.

This 9 months shirt that SJ is wearing is actually a cute story.

That shirt came in a gift set that I bought for my friends daughter 5 years ago. At the time I never would have thought that someday I would have a baby girl wearing it! This whole outfit from the adorable knit cap

down to the baby Gap shoes that were never worn

were all from the same person. Isn't it amazing how the Lord provides?

So I am sure you will be seeing plenty of these outfits in pictures over the next couple years. I heard a sermon recently where the speaker said "The Bible specifically says that man was formed and woman was fashioned, and woman have been fashionable ever since" I guess SJ is just starting on that at early age.

Donald's Broken Legs

I have been going through a lot of the Christmas decorations lately and I came across this little photo of J and I from our very first Christmas as a married couple.

This little paper frame was leftover from the Christmas cards we sent out that year with this photo in it.

That's how you did things 10 years ago, you had photos from film, you printed them out, and if you wanted a photo card you didn't upload and order them you just made them yourself. It's such an ancient ritual. I will enjoy pestering my children with these stories.

Speaking of children, Z broke an ornament we got the year we were married. It's a Disney 2000 collectible.

When I discovered it I asked Z what happened and he told me "His legs got broken, and that makes Donald bery sad". In some weird mommy way I was excited to have my first broken ornament because it means there is life and energy in this place and we have a family now!

The ornament was a gift from one of J's former coworkers. The office that he worked for at the time threw a wedding shower (he worked with all women) and the theme was stuff to trim the tree. When you get married in November you kind of luck out on getting a head start in Christmas decorations. Like this St. Nicolas Square bride and groom I got from J's mom, which also go with a little house and gazebo that light up.

I love all of these cheesy Christmas things. They bring me back. Sometimes I don't even want to go back, but it's good because I can see how far we've come.

I know I have talked A LOT about our 10 year anniversary (for example, here, here, here, and here.) But it was a day of significance. I think it's a big thing for anybody, especially these days, but add to that the fact that I was 18 and I had never lived on my own. I was marrying a guy that was 6 years older that I had only been engaged to for 3 months. I was risking it all. Of course when you are in love it doesn't feel like a risk at all, it feels like you are at risk of suffocation at the thought of being without that person. You romantics know what I am talking about.

Well, needless to say it hasn't always been romantic. Yet here we are 10 Christmases later and as I go through all of our decorations I am looking back, but also looking ahead. I am going to glue Donald duck's legs back on so that it can hang on the tree again and I can only hope that maybe someday many, many anniversaries and Christmases from now it will get broken again, hopefully by my grandchildren.

The Fall In Review

A few months ago I posted the top 10 things I was looking forward to in the fall. Let's see how it went.

1. The Captured Conference for Young Women
It was the first non-youth conference I have ever been to and it was amazing. Some of the highlights were doing the cupid shuffle at the after party and also getting to meet one of my favorite worship artists Jenn Johnson.

2. Scarborough Fair
I didn't do this one. First of all it was a lot more expensive than I thought and second I was WAY too busy.

3. Halloween Costumes
My little Bell from Beauty and the Beast and Woody from Toy Story were a huge hit!

4. Being in a Magazine
The article is written the photos have been taken. I have less than a month before I see the final article in the Waxahachie Now magazine. Yikes!

5. Writing My First Song
I did it! I wrote the lyrics and melody, my friend accompanied me on guitar, and I surprised J at open mic night. You can watch the video here.

6. SJ's Baby Dedication
She wore a very special outfit that some of her cousins were dedicated in. The whole day was beautiful.

7. Speaking at a Women's Meeting
I have done public speaking twice this past season which is not typical at all! God is doing something new and he is breaking down all of my walls to do it.

8. New Old Clothes
The weather has FINALLY been cold enough for me to wear some of fall fashions that I have picked up at the thrift stores. I hit up some stores again today which is why I am getting this post up so late!

9. Our Anniversary
Renewing our vows was a dream come true. It took a lot of planning and preparation along with a few headaches, but I am so glad we did it. I have a slideshow posted here.

10. Thanksgiving
I made eclair dessert this year. Nuff said.

I plan on linking up with Oh Amanda's Top 10 Tuesday if I can finish this before midnight. Sheesh! I've been bust lately.

Anchors

Yesterday J preached. He usually just leads worship, but for this Sunday he was in charge of it all! I was proud of him as always. We were reminded how communion is an instruction that the Lord gave us to anchor us and help us to remember what Christ did. He compared this to other traditions such as birthdays and Christmas. These are times that we commemorate and memorialize something that happened. Sometimes these traditions just become mundane and we don't even care about what it all really means anymore. I was encouraged yesterday that when we get tossed about in our fickle ways and we loose sight of what is important these anchors help us to stay grounded.

There was a lot more to it and they are working on starting a podcast maybe you can hear it someday, but that was the theme of the message. It really meant a lot to me because I have seen a similar theme in what the Lord has been doing in our lives recently. As I look back over this past season I see so many of these anchors. We have commemorated our marriage, a dear friends birthday, and a family that was reunited. In a month that can be a bit overwhelming at times I just want to take this week to look back and reflect on some of the things that I would hate to forget.

There's Always Room For Smores

The past 5 posts prove that this holiday season has brought on plenty of new experiences so far. I shared about our no sleep black friday, getting caught by the cops, writing for shutterfly, decorating with the kids, then of course the African party. The adventures continued earlier this week when we met up with some of our friends that travel around the country in an RV home. The plan was to have a campfire and make dinner and smores, but the nearly freezing cold whether had us second guessing whether or not that would be a good idea. J and I thought about it and said why stop the fun now, lets go for it.


As far as I can remember this was my first campfire cook out in the cold.

Then last night we had some other friends over that showed me how to get some use out of the leftover ingredients by making smores in the microwave. They weren't as good, but it was still enjoyable. I feel like I have tried enough new things to last for a while, but then again there's always room for smores.

My Nigerian Side

Our Pastor and the whole family together

I have some friends from church that are from Nigeria. Last year they were finally able to get all the paper work cleared to have their children come to live with them in the states. This year they had the idea to do this special Thanksgiving celebration where we integrated many of their customs and traditions into our Sunday service. It was a special time of praising the Lord together. I even wore an African outfit that belonged to my friend.

J & I with the lovely couple that provided us with these ensembles.

Afterwards there was a big reception with, goat, fish heads, dancing, and fire. The fire wasn't planned, but one of the candles fell over. Luckily it was put out very quickly and nothing was damaged.

Z playing with his new friends

The whole experience was new to me, but it was an honor to embrace the Nigerian culture and thank God for all that he has done. Hopefully there will be more opportunity for me to wear this bright green outfit in the future.

Video of my attempt at dancing to Nigerian music.

This post is linked up with Alicia's Homemaking, for Try New Adventures Thursday.