Christmas in November

For quite a while I have been telling Phillip that I would love a new camera, an upgraded camera. It wasn't something that he was willing to put a chunk of cash towards so I started putting money aside. When we started discussing what we wanted for Christmas I told him to just give me cash so I could put it toward a new camera.

Fast forward to two weekends ago. Phillip told me not to look around on the Mac Book or our account because he just ordered my Christmas gift. I secretly hoped I was getting a camera, the Nikon D3000 that I had my eye on, but knew it was a long shot. The next Monday I got a call from a strange number twice in a matter of 20 minutes so I figured I better answer it. The man on the other end says "Yes, I'm calling from *** Photo and Video calling for confirm your order you placed". Before he could go any further I stopped him and told him it was my husband's order and that he was about to ruin my Christmas surprise. I gave him Phillip's cell number and immediately called Phillip to break the news to him. The guy called Phillip and was calling to sell him accessories! Phillip was livid and told him that he just ruined his wife's Christmas surprise and to just send him the camera. I felt horrible for Phillip! He even went to the trouble to have it shipped to our friends house so I wouldn't stumble upon it.
Well, the package arrived at the Sears' doorstep yesterday afternoon and so Phillip swung by after work and came home bearing his gifts. And guess what!?! He let me open it early!! Much to Ashlyn's disapproval! She even scolded me again this morning.
He got me a Canon Rebel and a flash (for better low light pictures). My gadget loving hubby did not approve of the Nikon I was looking at, he thought we needed something better. Let's just say I am LOVING it and have lots to learn. I can't wait to eventually dig in deeper, shoot in manual, and take nice crisp photos of my two cuties.

I had fun taking some photos around the house last night of our Christmas decorations.
(To my photo savvy friends: Don't look too close, some are a wee bit blurry)

Our Tree

Our Mantel

My sofa table that my Granddad made me

An empty plate and cup ready for milk and cookies for Santa

Ashlyn's pink Christmas tree

I re-did my wreath this year for our front door

And just for fun...

Taken with our old camera last week


Taken with our new camera last night

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year. We packed up and headed to Phillip's parents on Wednesday. We were able to spend Wednesday and Thursday with his parents and sister Heather and her family.

Ashlyn had the best time playing with her cousin Madelyn. She is so fortunate to have a cousin her age to play with. These girls played everything under the sun but of course their favorite was Barbies. I'm sure they wore some plastic off the Barbies changing their clothes so many times.


Heather and Jonathan also have a little one a couple months younger than Aubrey. They get along great now but I'm sure in a couple more years Joel won't be playing Barbies with Aubrey!


The past week Aubrey has perfected her stink face! She stared down her baby sitter at our Small Group Monday night, eye brows burrowed and everything. (She doesn't like playing with all the big kids during small group and apparently blames our baby sitter for the situation. Ha!) Then this weekend she would completely ignore her Uncle Jonathan and turn her heard away from him and would only look at him through the corner of her eyes.
She didn't quite know what to think about being held with Joel on Heather's other hip. Apparently it's all or nothing with her!


I had to snap a picture of Joel and Aubrey when I saw them playing like this.


Because I have an identical picture of their older sisters just three years earlier!


Friday afternoon Phillip's brother and his family stopped by for the night on their way back to Tennessee. Ashlyn loves loves playing with Olivia and Case. They are several years older but still young enough to want to play with the younger cousins.

I can't tell you just how sweet Olivia is to Ashlyn. She helps her with her hat, helps wash her hands, and tells her how cute she is.


They loved that Olivia knows how to read and could read them books.


We have so much to be Thankful for this year! Wonderful parents who love us and our girls, our home, Phillip's job, my job at home caring and loving on our girls, our church home and the sweet sweet friends we've met there, our health, but most of all our savior Jesus Christ who loves us unconditionally and gives us eternal life!

Thursday

Someone has been sick in our house every week for the. past three weeks. Aubrey had the stomach bug three weeks ago. She was such a trooper, poor girl! Then the following week Ashlyn had croup. It was such horrible timing. Her little friend Makenna's birthday party was that weekend. It was the social event of the year, a princess birthday party at her best friends house! She was crushed. And, now Aubrey has croup. She was up last night with a fever. Her poor cough sounds awful. Hopefully that's the end of it and we will all be well for Thanksgiving next week. Tis the season I guess!

Aubrey makes us laugh all the time. I love how each day she puts more and more things together and her world is starting to make sense to her. She is quite the disciplinarian! She will tell herself no, no when she is doing something she shouldn't. She will lift the diaper pail lid, or pull up on the toilet, or grind her teeth and then shake her head and say "no, no". And what's even better is she stops when she tells herself no. It's hilarious! I'm just waiting for the day when the little innocent thing realizes she has a mind of her own and can go against the rules. Maybe I should tell her to follow Ashlyn around and keep her out of trouble!

She loves that she has mastered getting in and out of her Bumbo. Getting out is more fun!


The other day Ashlyn came out of her room from nap time with her pajamas on. The top has buttons and they were buttoned up all the way. I didn't think anything of it because anything that has buttons or a zipper has to be all.. the... way... up! She then whipped out a "surprise" to show me.

Yes, that would be a pair of undies she is wearing as a one shouldered top!

Hump Day

*We have an antique refrigerator in our kitchen that we use as a pantry. It has always been quite the temptation for the girls.
Ashlyn loved getting in there and playing around while I cooked dinner. She managed to empty a box of baking soda. I don't keep baking soda in there anymore.


Aubrey dropped an unopened jar of jelly on the floor. I didn't get a picture because obviously, it was a bit dangerous. I don't keep glass containers in there anymore.

But I did snap a picture of my little partners in crime last night.


*Our mailbox was stolen Halloween night. Proof that teenagers should be allowed to dress up and trick-or-treat too. They're bored and get themselves in trouble. The fools took the time to use a screwdriver and remove it from the post. Didn't they used to just bash it in with a bat?!

*We ordered a new mailbox that is heavy duty and has a lock. Oh, and Phillip is going to rig his shot gun to it so if anyone tries to steal this one they'll be sorry. Just kidding... maybe.

*Aubrey has been under the weather. I'm pretty sure it's her new teeth poking through. Don't I comment about Aubrey's teething at least once a week? You would assume she has a mouth full by now. She only has four and two on the way. Poor girl, she has slow teeth and thick gums.


*But, Ashlyn always throws in some comic relief during the rough days.

This started out as a dress with tights. Then she got into her sisters dresser and put on her pants and hoodie. A couple months ago I had to take all of her clothes and put them in her closet where she couldn't get to them. She would change outfits multiple times a day creating LOTS of laundry. It never occurred to me I would need to hide her baby sisters clothes! Just a side note the pants are HUGE on Aubrey.

*We are getting half a cow today. We went in halves with one of Phillip's co-workers and purchased a grass fed, field grazing, hormone free, fat cow!
Gotta support those local beef ranchers, hu Dad?

*Life is about to get crazy! Phillip's work schedule is slowing down drastically (did I just hear the hallelujah chorus) but the holidays are near which mean busy busy! A fun busy though.

*Ashlyn will be 4 next month. I'm in absolute denial.

Mommy Rules

When you become a Mommy there are several rules that you just know about right away, it's a sixth sense that you develop once you give birth.


One of those rules being-
If the children are quiet and no where to be found, you better go find them, and quick.



Because the big sister might be sharing her Halloween candy with the baby!

"Aubrey likes suckers momma!"

Look at Aubrey's face! Haha!! Those eyes are locked in!

Cabin Fever

This weekend we headed up to Mountain View to spend a long weekend with Phillip's parents and his brother and family. His parents rented a cabin for all of us to stay in. We had such a wonderful three days in the mountains of Arkansas!

They were having a festival that weekend so we enjoyed walking around the booths, eating beans and cornbread, kettle corn, and pork cracklins. There were several groups of people playing blue grass, old country, and gospel music.


It was fun to just sit and relax while listening to them play.


The weather was perfect so we enjoyed hanging out on the front porch of the cabin. The owners of the cabin lived on the same property and had two young girls. One of them had a horse and was so sweet to let Ashlyn come over and pet him and feed him clovers. Well, she pet him and made me feed it the clovers she picked.


Ashlyn had the best time playing with her cousins. Olivia is in second grade and Case is in kindergarten so she loved feeling like she was a big kid. They played so well together and kept themselves busy in the cabin and in the front lawn the whole time.

Eating cheesecake with the big kids at 10 o'clock at night. Sometimes it's ok to stay up past your bed time and eat a sugary snack!


Grandpa brought a bag of roasted peanuts for he and the grandkids to eat. They all sat in a row waiting patiently for Grandpa to crack the shells. So sweet!


And what's a post without a good Ashlyn story...
Saturday morning we were all getting ready to head out to the festival so I had Ashlyn shower with me to save on time.

Ashlyn: Mommy, why does your bottom shake when you walk.
Me: It just does baby.
Ashlyn: Oh.

Note to self, showering with someone that is eye level with your behind is never good for your self esteem.