Coffee Quiz!

What Your Latte Says About You

You are very decadent in all aspects of your life. You never scale back, and you always live large. You can be quite silly at times, but you know when to buckle down and be serious. You have a good deal of energy, but you pace yourself. You never burn out too fast. You're addicted to caffeine. There's no denying it. You are responsible, mature, and truly an adult. You're occasionally playful, but you find it hard to be carefree. You are sophisticated and daring, but you are never snobby.

What Does Your Latte Say About You?

Welcome to our Home for the Holidays!

I love the holidays! The lights, music, and sweet smells that fill the air put me in that warm fuzzy kinda mood. I thought I'd share a few pictures of how I've tried to make our home festive and inviting this Christmas!

These are our "outside" decorations! We also have a lightpost adorned with greenery and a sign that reads "Merry Christmas from Dixieland!"
I love the picture of Trey and Anna Grace with Santa! Aren't they precious! The frame is from Plain Jane Frames and was an early Christmas gift from Demetria. I'm going to change the picture of the kids every year!

Royal Hunt is our holiday china. I use it for Thanksgiving and Christams dinner. I have the Santa placemats out for everyday use.

Trey helped decorate trees for his and Anna Grace's room. We placed presents under the trees and set out a nativity, that we play with and use to talk about Jesus, God's gift to us.

Here are some of the books and videos we are enjoying this holiday season. "The King is Born!" is a wonderful animated video from Nest entertainment. Trey loves this story of "baby Jesus," and asks to watch it at least four times a day! The book, The Beloved Son was a gift from Hugh's mom. She received it as a gift when she was a child. I treasure this for my children and hope to hand it down to their children one day. I love family traditions! Luke 2:9-12

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. (10) And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. (11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (12) And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

Merry Christmas! Blessings to All.

Baby Bliss!

I am in it! Pure bliss! My sweet baby girl said momma, for the first time last night! She's been saying dada, for a couple weeks now(- first word for both her and Trey.) I was playing quietly with her on the floor, while talking to my aunt Linda, in Denver, when it happened. We were catching up on what all the family is up to, and reminiscing about my mom, when Anna Grace started cooing and laughing. Linda said, "Oh, I can hear her!-Sweet baby." I said, "That's right! That's my sweet girl," as I moved in to give her Eskimo kisses. Anna Grace giggled softly and said, "Momma." Linda, who had no idea what a monumental moment she was sharing said, Oh how sweet, she said momma." I (on the other hand-in total shock!-whispered) She said momma. (louder) Oh my goodness! (Louder) She said momma! Linda, she said momma. That was her first time to say it. She said momma! Linda-(Really!) YES!-I almost cried! Then, I hugged her, kissed her, smelled her, and permanently burned the moment into memory! It's these moments!-I mean, there are no words for how beautiful, and meaningful these treasured moments are! I thought we had hit a mile stone this week when I got her to eat sweet potatoes. We've already tried green beans, apple sauce and rice cereal, with no success. She just decided she was going to "show out" on her six month birthday and give her momma the best present ever! I got her to repeat it two more times, after that last night, and once today! It makes my heart swell, just thinking about it! I am so blessed!

Memory Verse Monday

I want to say how much I have been uplifted and even inspired by some of the faithful christian women that I've come across here in "blogland." I love to read your heart warming and sometimes funny stories, your prayers and your words of encouragement for one another. It both challenges me ,and gives me hope to see other women truly seek the heart of God and strive for his calling on their lives. I think one of the most powerful things we can do is share scripture with one another. I want to thank Maria (free to fly) for inviting me to take part in Memory Verse Monday.

Holding on to all that He is, with all that we are!

Psalm 108:1-5
My heart is steadfast, O God;I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth.

Proverbs 3:3-6
Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

This Sunday, our new associate pastor, (Rev. Tom Hilterman) shared with us his joy- his joy and excitement of all that this season is about. He shared how much this time of year reminds him of how much God loves him, how his name is written in the lambs book of life, how priceless the sacrifice he (God) made for us, and that it overwhelms him with joy! It really touched my heart. His words were so tender and sincere. Rev. Hilterman must be in his 70's and it was so nice to see rather than a quiet, reverent-although somewhat stoic demeanor that you come to expect from the older church generation, that he was alive and joyful!

It reminded me..let us be joyful, not just grateful, but joyful, overflowing with joy. Let it be down right contagious! You know what I want this Christmas! I want the joy of the Lord! I want His joy and love to be overflowing so much in my life, that someone will look at me and think, she really gets it! She's not just going through the motions, she really feels it and believes it. And she is celebrating it! That is the gift I want to give Jesus this Christmas! And I am going to fight against all the hustle and bustle of chaos around me, and I am going to fight the worldly part of me that wants to pout because I can't spend Christmas with my family, or buy everything I want for my children. And I am going to fight the sadness that tries to creep in and overwhelm me, because I miss my mom and dad so much. I am determined not to let the devil steal my joy! So, I am concentrating on preparing a joyful heart for the Lord this Christmas! Blessings to all!

Tag!-You're It!

Well, I've been tagged, by a new bloggy land friend- Maria from freetofly. So, here are Seven Random Things about lil' ole me...

1. My favorite color is champagne. I think it kinda goes with everything, gold, silver, ect.. It can be soft and muted, or rich and shimmery. It's hard to pick just one favorite, because your color kinda depends on the mood your in. Some of my other favorites include; turquoise, cranberry, and emerald. I love jewel tones.

2. I love coffee and tea! I tend to gravitate towards medium or even mild coffee. I like Jamaican Blue Mountain, but I also like Celebes,(a strong, rich Indonesian coffee.) As far as running through a drive through, or grabbing something at the store, I love Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, or even Folgers (hey-I'm not too proud!) As far as tea goes, I wouldn't be southern without sweet tea flowing through my veins. When I first met my husband, we were drinking it with 2 cups of sugar per gallon (whooo!) Now that we've incorporated "weight watchers" into our life style, "splenda" is more our friend these days. My ultimate- favorite hot tea is White Peony Tea by Triple Leaf. I also like Good Earth, or flavored teas by Salada or Celestial Seasonings. And hot green tea is always good too. And what would this wonderful time of year be like without a good cup of Wassail!

3. My style and taste is classic/conservative and a little old fashioned. (Example:)I didn't hear mainstream music until I was about 11 years old. My parents got "saved" in the 80's so we listened to alot of Christian contemporary and praise music. Our house was 3 generational. My mom was 27 years older than me, and my dad was 22 years older than my mom. My dad influenced me with alot of big band music(Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey, ect.) and artist from the 30s and 40s (Sinatra, Crosby, Ella Friztgerald and all things jazz.) Momma loved early rock n roll. (The golden oldies- we call em.) She especially loved Motown music, and artists like Smokey Robinson.) She also introduced me to the mellow side of the 70's-(folk music, and song writers like the Carpenters.) They both loved country, and that's where Patsy Cline, early Elvis, and Johnny Cash come in.

4. I love all things cultural and domestic. I love art museums, musicals and Opera. I also love a good church picnic and going to arts and craft festivals. I love to cook/bake, entertain company, read, decorate for the holidays, photograph and scrapbook. I love, love, love to play with my kids and take them places.

5. I would love to know more about sewing, smocking and embroidery,- cooking catering, party planning and professional photography.

6. I love to have friends over for coffee and desert, or a good board game along with popcorn and a movie.

7. Movies! Love em! All kinds- Old ones (All About Eve/Mr. Smith Goes to Washington), Romantic comedy (Sweet Home Alabama/You've Got Mail/Thomas Crown Affair), Romantic drama (The Notebook/The Way We Were), Southern (Gone with the Wind/Fried Green Tomatoes/Steel Magnolias), Dark and suspenseful (Road to Perdition/Shawshank Redemption/Primal Fear), Night w/ the Guys (Tombstone/The Last Samurai), Musicals (The Happiest Millionaire/Chicago/ -too many to name), Old Disney (Old Yeller/Pollyanna), 80's night (Breakfast Club/Can't Buy Me Love? St. Elmos' Fire) -- OK, now I'm just making up my own categories to fit all my favorites in. I just need to stop!

Any way- now you know a little more about me. I would like to pass this tag on to Ashley, Brittani, Christy, Demetria, and Mary Clair. What's something new and random, we can learn about you!

Our Thanksgiving Back Home

We had a wonderful holiday back home. We flew into Memphis on the 17th, and I have to say the flight overall went well. No one got sick, Anna Grace took a nice little nap, and although Trey was some what of a wiggle worm, it could have been sooo much worse. Momma Donna picked us up from the airport, ready with hugs and kisses for everyone. We made our way to Grenada, and stopped in to visit Granny(Hodges). It was Anna Grace's first time to meet her Granny! I was love at first sight! We wanted to take granny out to dinner, so we all loaded up and headed down through Duckhill to a little place on the edge of Eskridge called Mim's country cafe, for a little catfish dinner. On Sunday, we woke up early and played quietly in front of the fireplace, while Mi-Mi made Trey's favorite blueberry muffins and sausage. We went to church at First Baptist (Hugh's home church, where we were married.) Then we picked up Granny and went back to Momma D's for Sunday lunch and visiting. We had a lazy afternoon. The babies napped, Hugh and his mom went to town to find him a nice button down for his suite, and I gave Granny a pedicure/massage, while we caught up on our visiting. I wanted to do that for all the women in my family, but I must admit that Granny was the only one I got to sit down and pamper. Hugh had an interview in Oxford on Monday. I think the hospital is hoping he'll consider working there after his residency. Demetria and the boys got to her mom's about noon, and let me say, we were so excited to see each other, we were both hugging and crying all over our selves. (Yes, I am very sentimental, if you hadn't notived already.) Russ and Trey played together, Kaden gushed over his cousin Anna Grace and kept her quite entertained while we visited and finished getting ready to meet MC and her boys in town. MC planed the sweetest surprise gift for Christmas. We had a portrait taken (of the kids and grankids) for a christmas present for her mom and pop- (aka paw-paw and nana.) Then we all headed out to Cascilla to spend the next three days with them. It was one big crazy mad house of fun. Nana and Paw-paw had a their hands and house full with all six grankids, Mc, Dena, Kevin, Hugh and myself all piled together. It was fabulous! We were all like kids at christmas- cuttin up. The kids played together and jumped outside in the inflatable party jumper that Nancy(nana), MC, and Demetria all bought together for the kids. We rode 4-wheelers, ate all the yummy snacks that Mc and Ms. Nancy put together for all of us, stayed up way too late every night after we put the kids to bed, talked and laughed and ate some more. MC had crafts and Christmas ornaments for the kids to make- and Dena, MC and I even stole some time away to go to town and shop together. It was sooo great and we all had such a good time together. We had Thanksgiving dinner Wednesday night and met back up with Ms. Donna and Granny and all of the Hodges' side of the family for another turkey dinner. It was so great to see everyone. Taylor Brooke, Barry and Brandy's little girl, played so sweet with Anna Grace. Aunt Barbara had her Christmas tree up and the house was filled with family, laughter and the smell of home cookin. Aunt Jean and Julie entertained the babies with stories of "Herman the Worm", and "The Big Mouth Frog." We all had a great time together, I just wish we would have had more time together. Friday we tried to catch up on a little rest and some last minute visiting before flying out on Saturday. Our friends Ashley, Shelia and their daughter Isabella even came by Ms. Donna's to have dinner with us, before we left. We're settling back in, here in Ohio, and Trey is glad to be home. We're enjoying the snow today. It was so incredably hard to say good bye. - I'm missing ya'll already! We can't wait til we're home again with all of you! Hugs and Kisses and lots of love!

Home for the Holidays

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