Photo Proofs

We had family pictures made in the Fall before Christmas. Heather Owens out of Little Rock took them and I thought they turned out pretty good. Here are some of the proofs. We put several on the Christmas cards this year and had some framed for the house and a new canvas of a family picture. I forgot to post them then so here they are...

Monument and Memories

My parents monument was set before Christmas and I finally made myself go see it this week. I think it looks good but I still don't see myself making many trips out there because I cannot handle them being there but choose to picture them in Heaven instead. (I like to think of them on a nice long beach Vacation just waiting on us to join them! Like in the picture Julie keeps in her Living Room of them together in Jamaica) In Sunday School this week our teacher talked about a meaningful life and about the dashes that are on monuments and how to fill them with purpose (major paraphrase)! There are not dashes (1951-2007) between the dates on my parents monument but below the dates it says "Parents of Elizabeth and Julie" I think that this is how they had a meaningful life was to pass on a legacy to us, their kids. (Even if their dashes were both WAY too short) This is important for me to remember especially when I am a stay at home Mom most days!

Julie and I came across 2 letters that Mom sent out with her last two Christmas cards this year. After reading the letters several times through tears I read these words from her last Christmas letter: Yes, 2006 has been filled with family love, God's blessings and a daily walk with our Lord. Many times just to persevere was my goal, but, just in the infamous poem "Footprints in the Sand" when I couldn't do it alone, Jesus would pick me up and we would go on. Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, for my burden is light. Take me upon you and I will give you peace." This is what I wish for you in 2007...rest and peace. All God's belssings, Steve and Sara

With many tears I read and type her words for in 2007, My Mom was finally given rest and peace, in Heaven! It wasn't the rest and peace that we prayed for but God knew that it was the rest and peace that she needed. After she went to Heaven a friend gave me a charm that had the scripture Matthew 11:28 on it. I still wear it daily. This year when reading Mom's words it has new meaning for me as I try to daily remember that in 2007 this was God's plan for her, rest and peace. Then just 6 months later, in 2008, God gave my Dad rest and peace in Heaven as well. I am glad I came across her words to remind me that she wished for rest and peace.


Memories: This week Julie and her family came over to fondue. This is a memory that we have from growing up and eating this with our parents. Our way to fondue (not healthy!) was to fry steak in the fondue pot and then roll it in garlic butter. This may have been because my Dad loved fried steak and my Mom loved butter!! So we all did this together and talked about our parents most of the night.

In the middle of dinner Sophie picked up a fork and started eating a stick of butter! Tadd swears that he used to see my Mom doing this and that is where she gets it. It provided a good laugh for us all! I still like to believe that our parents see these things and are able to see our children growing up! I miss them soooo much!

Brilee is now rolling all over the place! Isn't her sweet smile precious!

Wedding Girl

Ella was a "Wedding Girl" in Kate's, one of Tadd's cousins, Wedding the weekend before Christmas. She loved it and did great being a flower girl and standing by the bride during the Wedding. Here are some of the pictures of her before and after the Wedding. She loves to wear the dress to play dress up and say that she is getting married-ha!

The bride let her wear the vale after the Wedding and she was so excited, you can tell by the look on her face.

She had to look things over first and make sure she wanted to do this!

Santa Slideshow

Santa (Coach in a well made costume by Gram) made an appearance at our house on Christmas Eve with a special delivery! He even stopped by a few other houses in the neighborhood (Julie and Mandy's) for deliveries as well. Ella's face was priceless as she RAN to the door and almost tackled him! She was so excited and couldn't believe that he knew just what she wanted (a baby Ariel doll). Here are some pictures of the fun Suprise, thanks Santa!!

Christmas Celebrations

We had a great CHRISTmas with our family. There were so many pictures I had to make a slideshow!



Christmas Highlights:
Elf on a Shelf
Christmas China
Lots of Food!
Stocking Stuffers
Lots of Presents!
Sophie's Shoes-Dress up heels she wore all day and posed in!
Movie Marathons
Lots of Games!
Ella's many Ariel Dolls
Family Fun, Making memories, and missing loved ones!

Garvin Gardens

We went to Garvin Gardens with some friends one night before Christmas to see the lights. It was fun and ALL the lights were so pretty. The girls had fun running around with Finley and looking at lights. Then we topped the night off with Hot Chocolate, Smores, and Outback-yum!

Christmas Cards

This year we did something new with our Christmas Cards. We (by We of course I mean Tadd) made a tree to hang them on out of tree branches. I found the idea in a magazine (At Home, I think) for a white tree to hang Christmas cards on. We found some tree branches and put them together and painted them white. Then Tadd put a concrete mold around the bottom to make it sturdy. (I think the magazine picture had dressy ornaments hanging from ribbons on them but we aren't that dressy and I thought that hanging cards on the tree would be more fun and practical.) Anyway some people at our Christmas party thought it was neat so I took some pictures of it, in case it doesn't make it next year. (Sophie already knocked it over a few times!) Last year our cards more than covered the front of our fridge and looked messy to me. I just used a hole punch and put a thin ribbon through the tops of all the cards as they came in. I even found some of our old family cards and put them on the tree. It was fun to see all of our old cards and how much Ella and Sophie have changed year to year. It's getting pretty big and full with lots of cards on it now, I love getting Christmas cards in the mail.



Here is our Christmas cards for this year. Tadd did a good job making them! The front:

The back of the card!

Childrens Choir

Ella's 4 year old choir group sang in Church on Wednesday night. They were all very cute and funny! When Ella saw me she yelled, "Mommy, where's Daddy?" (He was at the back taking pictures!) Then on one of the songs they sang "I Love You" with hand motions and most kids pointed in front of them. Not Ella, she pointed to us on her far right with both arms. It was so funny! Of course I thought she stole the show and was adorable. (but I'm pretty partial-Ha!)Here are some of the cute pictures!

All of her Choir group-I think they have a pretty big class!

Ella looking over to make sure we are still in our spots!

She almost knocked out the little girl next to her she was pointing so hard at us!

The Christmas dresses Gram made them are so cute!

Posing for pictures in front of our tree with Sophie!

I love their little faces so much!

Christmas Concert

On Sunday night, we went to the Selah concert at our Church, it was really good. Talking with our preacher before the concert, we talked about how tough Christmas can be for some people. He stated that the Holidays can be the best of times and the worst of times for so many. He is so right, as Selah sang I found myself in tears through many of the songs. The opening and ending songs of the concert were two from my Mom's funeral (It is Well, and You Raise Me Up). She loved these songs so much and I can still hear her singing them beside me in Church. The songs insantly brought back good and bad memories for me. They are good to hear but still so tough. During this time of year it is so hard to be without your parents but it can also be a fun time of year with young children. The concert was another reminder of the the hope that I find in my faith in God and the hope that comes from knowing I will see my parents again someday. Todd, from Selah, has been through an unimaginable loss of a child and can still find his hope in God and the fact that he will hold his baby again someday. For me, this is what gets me through the tough times, that and the three blessings pictured below with me. I hope we are all able to remember the real reason that we celebrate CHRISTmas.

A "Party Pic" with Tadd from our Sunday School Christmas Progressive Dinner at our house.

A sweet picture with Ella from her 4 year old Christmas Preschool Party this morning.

Sweet, Sassy, Sophie Sue

Snowman Snacks

Ella was the snack leader yesterday at her Preschool. I made some Snowman Rice Krispie Treats for her class. I thought Ella would have fun helping me make them but she preferred a movie instead-ha! I took a few shots while we were finishing them up, it was bedtime so the girls were in their PJ's. I also took the girls to the Mall today(avoiding the weekend crowd) to see Santa and do a little more Christmas shopping. Ella used to cry in Santa's lap at Sophie's age but Sophie just kind of sat there and stared at him-ha!

Coach and Gram

Coach and Gram came over today for Coach's Birthday lunch and a visit. The girls love it when they come over and don't want them to leave. Ella insisted on wearing a Birthday crown and her Ariel costume. They had a good time and watched a Barbie Christmas movie on the couch before they left. Happy Birthday Coach!

Tree Tour

One of my favorite blogs is hosting a Tree Tour today. It's at www.kellykornerblog.com (Tadd and I actually ran into her and her husband in Fayetteville recently, she is so sweet.) Anyway, I love to decorate my trees for Christmas and have had them up for about 3 weeks now, a little earlier than usual. This year we have three trees and two small ones in Sophie's room. I was looking at her blog and decided to join in since Sophie (the teething monster!) is taking a good nap! Go visit her blog and get some cute ideas from others, Kelly is pretty creative and makes some of her ornaments. I just like to buy my ornaments after Christmas on sale or at one of my favorite finds, Paul Michael.

Here is our Big Tree. We started putting it in the Dining Room last year when Sophie became more mobile!

I bet it would probably look better at night but the colors are purple, red, and gold.


Here are a few shots of our other tree. This year it is in red and lime green. I added red to it this year when we moved the red sectional in there.

Here is Ella's tree. I let her help decorate it and she loves it and uses it for her night lite every night.

Here are Sophie's two little trees.