Day 14: 31 Days Inspired for the Holiday

HOLIDAYS!

It is my absolute favorite time of the year!  Fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years...its "THE" Holiday season and I LOVE it!  

Which is why I just had to pick today's 31 day favorite:  31 Days of Inspired for the Holidays! 

  
Melissa, over at The Inspired Room, has done an amazing job at putting this series together and providing tons of holiday inspiration from decorations to recipes to savoring the moments.  One of my favorite posts is about decorating naturally, and Melissa's K.I.S.S. motto (go read the blog to find out what it stands for). 

And be careful - DON'T click on Day 8 if you have a sweet tooth because I promise you'll want to go make these mouth-water goodies this instant! 

So, are you ready to start this quickly-approaching holiday season?  I hope so because it is just around the corner. 

Day 6: 31 Days of Homemade Gifts for Everyone On Your List

If your anything like me, then you might LOVE the holiday season.

Not just love as in I heart...but LOVE as in cannot wait for it to get here and you're already planning new decorations for the tree, you're starting to get the decorations down from the attic, you already have your Christmas cards designed, and of course you've completed the gift list and you've already started Christmas shopping!!!!!!

So that's why I love today's series:  31 Days of Homemade Gifts for Everyone On Your List! 

Gifts are completely my love language!  I love giving and receiving.  But the best part (for me) about receiving is that knowing that someone thought about me.  And having a homemade gift means not just that I was thought about, but someone actually put their own talents to work to put their blood, sweat and tears (maybe some exaggeration) into something for me. But I also love making things for other people!  So this series is definitely a personal favorite of mine! 

This series covers everything from gifts for babies, to mommies, children of all ages, dad's, the book-lover, the writer, and even the foodie!  Its GREAT!  One of my favorites posts in the series is the hot chocolate mix. This is the perfect kind of gift that I love giving to co-workers.  It's simple, yet unique, I can make a dozen of them inexpensively, and they can even keep it at the office to use on the next cold or rainy day.  It's a win-win all around!

So hop on over to this series and tell me what you'll be making for the special one on your list!

The Summer Fun List

With summer right around the corner, I always love putting together a 

Summer Fun List!

If you've never done a Summer Fun List, it is a great way to explore your town, or just get outside and have fun, especially as a family.  We've done this the past several years and love marking things off our list.  So here are the fun things we want to do this summer! 

Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I can't believe its been so long since I posted, but life has been crazy busy having a baby who is a BIG momma's girl and a toddler who has more energy than energizer bunny! But here I am still, still alive and well and hoping to blog a little more in 2014.  I have a few other hopes for the new year, aka (dare I say the word) resolutions!

1) Obviously, as I stated, I need to blog more.  I love having my blog and I love looking back at old posts.  I think one of my favorite things was posting on the 15th of every month during Emmalee's first year of life.  I would talk about all the great and fun things she was doing.  Then, when I was doing her scrapbook, I was able to copy all of those posts and record all of the firsts and all the fun things of watching her grow up.  I think I've only done it once with Madeline, so call me a slacker mom.  So yes, I want to blog more.

2)  Scrapbook.  Y'all, I have got to get caught up in my scrapbooking.  I absolutely love doing it, I just never sit down and dedicate time to it.  My family scrapbook is so far behind its not even funny, and Emmalee's scrapbook is only completed through 6 months, and Madeline's isn't even started.  Yeah, so that's slacker mom #2! 

3) Lose Weight.  Yes, I know that is probably on everybody's list, but I HAVE to get off this baby weight, and an extra 15 or 20 wouldn't hurt. 

and my most important and my "REAL" resolution

4) I will spend more time holding my babies and loving my family instead of being so concerned about how my house looks and worried about "stuff" that needs to get done.  I usually come home from work, make dinner, eat, bathe kids, and spend time picking up the house or cleaning the kitchen.  But this year, all the housework can wait.  Toys can stay in the floor a little bit longer.  Dishes can be washed in a little while.  But when my children are awake and my husband is home, I will devote myself to them.  I will take the time to hug and kiss them, and make sure I savor every moment possible. 

Emmalee is with her Aunt Sis and cousin Aeson today, so Lil miss Madeline wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year! May your 2014 be filled with joy and peace!

Madeline's Birth Story

Our sweet Madeline Grace was born on Monday, September 16th.  Its crazy to think she is already ten days old - I'm not quite sure where those 10 days went. The days seem to already be flying by and I can only pray that the next two years slow down a bit, but I know I'm only kidding myself if I think they will.
 
My birth story with Madeline is pretty simple.  My blood pressure started to rise on Friday, September 13th.  I called and talked with my doctor's office about it and we agreed the best option was for me to take it easy (or, as easy as possible with a 2 year old at home) for the weekend and monitor my blood pressure every few hours.  I would have spikes in my blood pressure where it would be really high, then it would drop back down to normal just as fast as it spiked.  On Sunday, we went to triage because my BP spiked and I started feeling pretty sick.  By the time we got to the hospital and they checked my BP, it was back down to normal.  After a few hours of monitoring, they sent us home.

Monday morning, I had my weekly appointment.  When I arrived, my blood pressure was 150/90.  They decided to check it again about 10 minutes later, and this time it had spiked to 160/100.  So the doctor came into the room and informed us that we would be having a baby that day.  We were instructed to home, get my bag, and head straight to the hospital.

When we arrived at the hospital, we were directed to a Labor and Delivery room, and within an hour I had my Pitocin IV.  The drip started about 12:15 and contractions started occuring pretty regularly within 30 minutes.  Around 3:30 I was ready for my epidural, and my water was broken shortly after around 4:30.  Contractions really started to pick up after that!  I did feel quite a bit of pain on one side, but my wonderful nurse and anesthesiologist came in and helped get it under control.  Around 6:30, the nurse checked and I was complete, so she called the doctor and told him to head up to my room, and quickly! After 3 very small pushes, Madeline Grace was born at 6:48pm.  It was such a great feeling seeing my sweet daughter for the first time.

I have to give all the credit of an easy delivery to my L&D nurse, Monica.  She was amazing.  Because my delivery was pretty easy, so was my recovery.  We stayed in the hospital just over 24 hours then got to come home.  Madeline's billy ruben was slightly high, but we were just instructed to go see our pediatrician within 48 hours.

We are so thankful to be home and resting well.  Emmalee is adjusting alright.  She has shown a little more defiance toward mommy and daddy, but she absolutely LOVES her little sister.  I'm sure that things are going to be great as soon as this adjustment period passes.

 I am so thankful for my little family of 4! 

Five on Friday

So, I never did post about my kitchen facelift, nor have I posted anything in almost 3 weeks....but I'm still here!  Life has just been a little busy - preparing for baby, moving Emmalee into a big girl room, going on vacation...oh, and did I mention preparing for baby???

But today is Friday, and everybody say "Praise the Lord for a 3-day weekend!"  So for today's Five on Friday, I thought I would post a few things that I am working on preparation of baby, which includes some of the project I want to do in Emmalee's new big-girl room!

We decided to leave the nursery as is, and move Emmalee to a big girl room because it was just an easier "plan," in my opinion.  But creating a whole new room on a budget is not the easiest thing.  The biggest problem I am running into with Emmalee's room is simple, but cute decorations, and I could use a few to spruce up the nursery, too.   Each of the ideas below are different things that I have now stuffed in my "book or ideas" for cute, but simple, craft or decoration ideas for the girls' rooms. 

So, without further ado, here is my Five on Friday!!

{ONE}

I am IN LOVE with this idea!  Let's be honest - paint samples are FREE!  You can get them at any home improvement store, and just a few of them gives you a ton of color options!  

This is also a great idea for holiday decorations!  Get a circle cutter & use hues of yellows, oranges, and other fall colors. Use some twine or raffia as your string, and you have an adorable Halloween or fall banner for any room of your house!  Heck, do the same for Christmas!  

If you have other paint sample projects that you have done, tell me!!!  I love these type of crafts because they are cheap and simple, but absolutely perfect for any room or occasion!  

{TWO}

 

This is another idea that I just love - button projects!  I actually plan on doing this on Monday with Em.  I thought it would be a fun project for her and I to do together for her new room.  On the wall with the window, the window is in the middle, but I need something on either side.  Since these projects can incorporate MANY colors, I love the idea of doing these (probably in a bit larger scale) on either side of the window.  I'll take pics and tell you how they turn out!!!

{THREE}

 I love this idea for an arrangement over a dresser.  Em's walls are light blue, and all of her furniture is white.  The dresser is long, like this pictured here, and I have been struggling with what to put above it.  I do have a mirror that I considered painting and putting up, but I'm worried about the scale of the mirror vs. the dresser.  So, I love the idea of making a wall arrangement like this one here.  

{FOUR}

You may have seen something similar to this before, because I know I have seen this style of door-hanger done many ways, but I was thinking this may be a great door-decoration for the girls' rooms.  My local Micheals has started carrying the thick cardboard frame in all these great boutique styles for just a few dollars.  I think I'll get some, paint them, then get a big "E" and "M" and put them on the front of the frames.  Then I can hang them on the doors to give a little added "somthin'" 

{FIVE}

I have fallen in love with this idea, too!!!  Emmalee has red curtains in her room, but they are simple and somewhat boring.  Madeline's are a little more "fru-fru", but they are still a solid pink, so I could do this in her room too.  But I love the pennant idea to put over the curtains just to add some pizzazz!  

I don't know about you, but each of these projects are so fun and simple, and I cannot WAIT to try them!  I promise to do a post next week of all the new things in the girls rooms!!! 

So what are your plans this weekend?  Can you guess what mine are????

Day 4 - Commenting Challenge

Today's topic on Jenna's Commenting Challenge is Christmas in July!  What a fun topic, or at least I think so!

I LOVE everything about the Christmas season: the sights, the sounds, the smells, the family,  and most importantly, the reason!  I remember my first Christmas after I had Emmalee and I was so emotional over celebrating the birth of my savior.  I guess as a new parent, I celebrated my child's birth in so many different way, but to celebrate the birth of a SAVIOR...now that is just incredible! 

I will say that this year's Christmas will be a little different having 2 babies girls in the house instead of just one.  I've already started buying present - yes, you heard me right!!!  That is part of the "reasoning" I used when I spent a "little" bit of money at the recent Remember Nguyen "4th of July" sale! I mean, my girls NEED coordinating outfits next spring/summer, right? 


But, if I could get one "big" gift for the girls, it would look something like this!

Emmalee LOVES being outside!  She loves swinging, sliding, playing - she loves it all.  I told Brant that I would love the get a nice swingset for our backyard so that she has a place to play. 

Now, what does this Momma want for Christmas, well I'm already getting it - a new kitchen!!! I am beyond thrilled that I'm getting the kitchen "facelift" that  I have been wanting for 3 years now! So in my book, I'm just happy with my new kitchen, and my sweet family of 4! 

But, the best gift I've ever received is this guy!

I mean just look at that sweet face!  When Brant and I got married I begged for a dog. He consistently told me "no," only because he had already planned for that to be my birthday/Christmas present.  I came home from work a few days before my birthday (Dec. 12th) to find this sleepy little 6-week old pup in my living room.  He has definitely been my favorite gift and is certainly my "firstborn".  Just take a look at our sweet Dax Honey Williams of Maxwell (and yes, that is his full registered name)!

So what are you hoping is under your tree this Christmas season???

Day 3 - Commenting Challenge

 

Today's Jenna's Commenting Challenge is all about Pintrest!  Let me be perfectly honest here: 
I like Pintrest.
I use it as a resource when I need ideas.
But I don't LOVE it like a lot of people do. 

Please don't hate me!

I think Pintrest is a fabulous place to get creative ideas, especially for holiday crafts, DIY stuff, parties and recipes, but I get one maybe once every few weeks and that's about it.  But I do love to get new recipes and treat ideas from it, and here are just a few of the items that I've made.

Like I said, I love that it has a lot of holiday ideas.  I made these items last Halloween for Emmalee.  She even got to help!

Fall Candy Kiss Acorn Treats - recipe here.

 

Graveyard Dirt Cake

 

Honey Apple Pork Loin - You can read the recipe and my review of it here. 

So again, don't hate me that I'm Pintrest-Rookie.  Show me how you use Pintrest - maybe you'll be the one of give me advise and make me a Pintrest-Pro!!!

 

Good Friday at the Zoo

On Good Friday, Emmalee, Grandad (my dad0, and I had a fun trip to the zoo.  The weatherman predicted some scattered showers, but decided to take the chance and go. 

I'm so glad we did!  It was cloudy in the morning but warmed up for the afternoon.  It was a wonderful, beautiful day to be outside! 

This girl was spoiled rotten by her Grandad all day. 

Not so sure about the petting zoo!

I could just squeeze those precious cheeks!

We had to make a wish in the Wishing Well!

We watched the jaguars for a long time. This a mom & baby.  The baby kept trying to play with the mom, but the mom was trying to clean it.  We were very entertained watching their interaction.

Emmalee LOVED seeing the parrots.

This animal is absolutely beautiful.

The elephants are one of Emmalee (and my) favorite animals! 

Me and my girl!!!

Oh, I just love these creatures.

We couldn't leave without riding the carousel. 

Is this really the 1st Post of 2013?

Is this really my first post of 2013?  Y'all, one of my New Years resolutions was to blog more.  I'm doing great, huh?  Guess that resolution already flew out of the window.  But I guess its never too late to get back on the horse and keep tottin' along! 

But here's a glimpse into what is going on in the Williams' House right now.

• We had a fabulous Christmas.  Santa brought Emmalee a kitchen, puzzles, and an entire space to call her own - a playroom!  It was even a White Christmas in North Texas - a VERY rare occurrence!

I was so excited to find this little wooden kitchen made in 1957 on Craigslist for only $40. Then we added the sink, some hooks on the side for pots and pans, and repainted it to match the colors of the playroom.  I just love the way it turned out!

• New Year's Eve Emmalee spent the night with her Granda while Momma & Daddy went out with friends and had a fabulous night. 
• We went to see Madagascar Ice at the Gaylord Texas and it was so much fun.  

• Our Daddy was out of town ALL last week, and Emmalee started to get very sick Thursday night into Friday.  I took her to the doctor and found out that she had the flu.  It was awful, but our happy girl is finally feeling better.  

 

• And now we're gearing up for some home renovations that I am so excited about!  We're updating both bathrooms, the kitchen, and our landscaping!   So yes, you will soon see lots of renovation posts, as well as budgeting posts since I have a tight budget to keep! 

So that's the gist of life right now.  I WILL keep my New Year's resolution to blog more - I promise.  Especially since Em is almost 2- I cannot believe that my baby is almost 2 and I have no earthly idea where time went! 

But I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and New Year with your families. 

2012 Christmas Card

I have to admit that I LOVE our 2012 Christmas cards.  I was "testing out" one of the boutique print styles my printer offers and they, as always, surpassed my expectations! And of course having an amazing photographer is half the battle, but "my" photographer is always fantastic (and yes, it just happens to be my sister). So hats off to Amanda Rooney Photography for her amazing work.

So, without further ado, the

Williams Family 2012 Christmas Card! 

Up-Close of the front

Up-Close of the back

This year's caption was 

"May you REJOICE in His blessings during this season of

Christmas and throughout the new year." 

Sending love from 

The Williams, Brant, Ashley, & Emmalee Caroline. 2012

I am one of those people that puts so much meaning into the "sayings" or "greetings" on my cards.  Last year walked about the "wonder of the 1st Christmas" because it was Emmalee Caroline's first Christmas. Here are a few links to our previous cards, if you want to see them:  2011 Card; 2010 Card.  But this year, we have been blessed beyond our imagination.  The Lord has answered prayer after prayer: wonderful jobs, an incredible care provider for Emmalee, paying off credit cards, allowing some house renovations, incredible friendships, and the list goes on and on.  So if there is one thing that I wish for others, it is His blessings.   I pray that no matter the circumstance, His blseesings always shine through and that we are reminded of His sacrifice each and ever day. 

Lil' Firecracker

Well I was debating on even writing about our Fourth because it was completely uneventful..WE STAYED HOME!  But we did have a patriotic service Sunday morning, so Em was our Lil' Firecracker!

If there is one thing this child loves about going to church on Sunday morning, its the donuts!!

Anyways, our sitter, Ms. Donna was off for the first few days this week, so Em's Nana & GrandBob came to town just to play. Someone got spoiled rotten!  

On Tuesday, Brant's sister, Kristie, came down with our nephew, Aeson.  The two kiddos played and played.  Then as soon as I got home from work we went to Aunt Cookie's house and went swimming with all the other cousins.  We wore these kiddos out!  After swimming, we headed to dinner, then got some yogurt for dessert on our way to see the fireworks.  It was really great.  

Since we got home so late, Emmalee didn't go to bed until almost 11, so we slept in on Wednesday. Nan & GrandBob left in the early afternoon, so we just stayed home.  Em never got a good nap so she wasn't in the "best of moods".  So we played at home and just enjoyed some time together as a family - how more American can you get?  

So I hope you all had a great Fourth, because we certainly did.  .