I love this holiday season - I love the sights, the smells, the sounds - every bit of it! There is something about this season that just fille my heart!
So here a glimpse of our home during the holidays!
Wooden Manger Scene - a staple in the home I grew up in. This was my favorite of all the nativities my mom had, and she gave it to me. I just love it!
My fireplace mantel. Yes, I know there are only 2 stockings at the moment...I am making Brant, Emmalee and I matching ones...they're just not finished yet and I cannot stand the idea of an empty mantel!
All of our Christmas cards - just love these!!!
The Coca-Cola Santa Snowglobe! Emmalee loves to listen to the music and watch the train go round and round.
And this is still one of my all-time favorite decorations because it is exactly what the season is to me - JOY!
This is in my fornal dining room - this is the coffee filter wreath I made and my kissing angels. I love these angels - they were my mom's and in our house every year for Christmas when I was growing up. She gave them to me this year!
This is Santa's cookie plate!
And at last, our tree!
These are some of my favorite ornaments!
Brant and I decided to start the tradition where Emmalee (and any furutre children) get to pick out a new ornament every year. Well Brant suggested that I make Em's ornament for her first Christmas, so I did. I just found a small wooden "E" at Hobby Lobby, then covered it with left over fabric from her Christmas outfit. I love the way it turned out. But I also love the "Baby's First Christmas" bear that my mom gave Em yesterday!
And of course in my house, the tree isn't complete without a few gifts under the tree!
I received this email today from my husband and couldn't resist posting it.
A Special Christmas Song
About the Song
While at the mall a couple of years ago, my then four year old nephew, Spencer, saw kids lined up to see Santa Claus. Having been taught as a toddler that Christmas is the holiday that Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, he asked his mom, "where's the line to see Jesus"?
My sister mentioned this to my dad, who immediately became inspired and jotted words down to a song in just a few minutes. After putting music to the words, and doing a quick recording at home, he received a great response from friends. He sent the song off to Nashville without much response, except for a Christian song writer who suggested adding a bridge at the end of the first chorus. My dad then asked if I wanted to record the song to see what we could do with it. I listened to the song, made a few changes to the words to make it flow better, and we headed to Shock City Studios.
It was at the studio where Chris, owner and producer, rewrote the 2nd verse and part of the chorus... with goose bumps and emotions high, we were all hopeful and felt like we had something special. The demo was recorded in just under 2 hours and sent off again to Nashville ... still no response.
Then 2 weeks before Christmas last year, my cousins Greg and Robbie decided to do a video to see what we could accomplish on YouTube. The first day we had 3000 hits and it soared from there. We received e-mails, phone calls, Facebook messages from people all over asking for the music, CD's, iTunes, anything... we had nothing. After a couple of meetings with Chris following the amazing response, we got serious. We headed back into the studio this past spring... this time with guitars, drums, bass, pianos, choirs... the real deal.... and here we are today.
Getting iTunes set up, a website put together, and loving that thousands upon thousands of Christians have come together... remembering the true meaning of Christmas. Out of the mouths of babes come profound truths that many adults can not understand. Hopefully Spencer's observation will cause people all over to reflect on the love of Jesus, and that one day we will all stand in line to see Him. We are most thankful to our Heavenly Father to have this chance to share our music with you. Merry Christmas everyone.
These days Emmalee seems to be becoming more and more independent. She's crawling and moving, she wants to hold her own bottle, wants to sit at the table with us and thinks that she be able to have whatever she wants. Trust me, if she sees something she wants, she'll find a way to get it!
This is Miss "I can walk if I want to". She loves pulling up and trying to take steps - a "trick" that her daddy taught her.
Once I put her back on the round she saw her toy basket and decided she wanted some of her toys, so she pulled it completely off the fireplace. She pulled everything out until she found her favorites - teethers!
YUMMY!
However, in her independence, I think we might have an avid reader on our hands. She loved reading (aka pulling) all the magazines on my magazine rack.
And just because I love having videos of her "growing up", I thought I would share her "crawling" video.
For those participating in Kellys Korner Monogram Swap, I am looking for anything with "E" or "ECW" or "Emmalee", 6-9 months and up for this little cutie!
I DO NOT have any "E" itmes to sale, I am looking to purchese!
I am interested in purchasing your "E" items, or swaping for custom made pillow-case dresses (or tops, whichever you prefer). Here are a few of the designs I have previously made and will be happy to make one for you!
Please comment or email me at awilliams0720 (AT) gmail (DOT) com!
Wow, I cen't believe it has been so long since I last posted - sorry - but I have had my hands full with a busy little babe!
Our Thanksgiving was fabulous, the weekend following was not. Our whole family got the stomach bug, but praise the Lord we are all healthy and happy again. And poor Em, she was battling her first hurting tummy AND her first tooth cutting all at the same time. But through it all, she was still a trooper.
We went for her flu shot on Tuesday and they weighed her (just because I wanted to see how big she is getting). At 7 1/2 months, Emmalee weighs 16 lbs and 13 oz! I just a month she has gained over a pound!
Lil' Bit is now crawling everywhere, and rolling and moving and shaking and even pulling up! Want proof, here ya go. This morning we were seeing double-trouble!!!
There is a special little turkey in my house right now!
Isn't this onesie precious? A friend of mine, Heather Adler, has a small clothing company called "Simply Royalty." She has adorable stuff at great prices! Check out her stuff - I know you won't be disappointed!
I took this video last night of Brant and Emmalee. He had her laughing so much it just cracked me up. If there is one thing that warms a momma's heart, it is seeing the love between a father and his daughter. Hope you enjoy!
Notice how I can't put the day and how old she is on paper anymore...she tries to eat it!!!
That's right sweet baby girl,
You are seven months old. I still can't believe those words are coming out of my mouth because it seems like just yesterday you were born. Last night your daddy and I were talking about how this has truly been the best 7 months of our lives. You are still one of the happiest babies I have ever met. You really don't cry much at all, even when your teeth hurt, you are still happy!
You are wearing mostly 6-9 month clothes and a size 2 diaper. You still go to bed between 7:30 and 8:00 at night and wake up around 6:30. Sometimes on the weekends you snuggle up with momma and sleep until 7:30 or 8. We love snuggling up together. You eat about 24 oz. of formula every day and have 2 solid feedings a day. You love to eat just about anything but your favorite fruit is bananas.
You are doing so many new things these days. You sat up all on your own yesterday and you can sit completely unsupported. You are going to start crawling any day. You already have the army crawl down, and you'll get up on all 4's, you just don't know quite how to move them yet. Some of your favorite things are your toys, the remote control, daddy's phone, your bunny and your blanket...oh, and you are in love with Dax. You think he is the funniest puppy and you love to pet him.
Being your momma and daddy is the most amazing opportunity and we feel so blessed to have you as our precious daughter These past 7 months have been the best of our lives.
Brant was gone last night, but Emmalee learned something new, so we made a video just for our daddy! Here is one sweet little girl sitting up all on her very own!
So I guess I failed on #NovemberBlogFest! We were so busy this past weekend that blogging was not the first thing on my mind.
On Saturday morning, we got up early and headed out to Plano where Brant's sister lives. Kristie is a single mom and just bought a new house for her and her son, Aeson. We were so excited for them and I know this is there perfect new beginning!
Thisd is Kristie's new house - it is literally PERFECT for them. It is in a nice neighborhood with lots of kids for Aeson to make friends with, a huge backyard for him to run and play, and a great layout for the two of them. My favorite part of this house is the kitchen. It has the drawer pull-outs in the cabinets. Now I'm begging Brant to re-do my kitchen with these new drawers!
After we left the new house, we went shopping in the downtown area and had some lunch. Kristie was giving Emmalee a new "tasty" treat. It was quite funny because I expected this disgusted face, but she loved it. Of course the mom in me was worried about seeds, but all was well and this little girl found her new favorite food!
After lunch we went back to Kristie's house to help her pack and get ready for the move. Emmalee had fun playing with her cousin, Aeson and of course loved getting to see Nana and GrandBob!
Whe needs a bow when you can wear GrandBob's hat?
Well I hope your weekend was as fun as ours was!
Today I found a fabulous website called Everything Your Mama Made (& More). It is fantastic! There are all kinds of DIY projects and crafts, including an whole list of link for edible gifts mixes of teas, coffees, breads, cakes, cookies - you name it!
It, of course, gave me some great ideas for people like corworkers, neighbors and friends. Here is the link for all of the "Gift in a Jar" recipes - 354 of them to be exact. I think I'm going to make the Spiced Team Mix and Cinnamon Pancake Mix - a perfect breakfast combination! And for myself, I might make the Pumpkin Pie Coffee creamer because that just sounds DELICIOUS!
This website also has tons of sewing projects and tutorials, crochet and knitting patterns, and great gift ideas. I'm so thrilled to find this website - I have a feeling I will visit it often!
This past week/weekend were crazy and busy. I was shopping all day Saturday in Canton, church Sunday morning and a baby shower in Dallas Sunday afternoon. So needless to say I was not hardly at home. I usually do all of the laundry and grocery shopping during the weekend, but since I was gone, I knew that it wasn't going to happen. But this amazing man stepped in!!!
Over the weekend Brant did all of the laundry and grocery shopping for me!
Then last night, he emptied the dishwasher and cleaned the kitchen for me.
Can I just say I am one of the luckiest women alive!!!
And this baby girl sure does have the best daddy, ever!
