We took a break to deal with the CRAZY!!

You know how sometimes people bring unwanted drama to your life? Well there's been a lot of that going on around here lately. I really try not to focus on it...I mean I have PLENTY of HAPPY things in my life to focus on without wasting time on the negative. So that's exactly where I've been and what I've been doing these last couple weeks. I took a break from the blog, even a little bit from Giving Reasons, and I just focused on all the wonderful blessing I have in my life this holiday season! This blog post is going to jump around like a jumping bean because there are LOTS of pictures and they didn't upload in the right order! :) So, here we go! I made this fun little scrapbook for my nephew's mom. At 2 1/2 feet tall, he's a rootin-tootin cowboy in training so this theme was perfect for him! Em and I got to have a girl afternoon. We went to visit Grandma at school and ran a few errands. So far she's been our super girly girl...I can see pedicure dates in our future. :) We also mailed some packages! I LOVE me some snail mail! It's fun to send and fun to receive! I even like the post office! There's just something nostalgic about it all. We've started sending Jon's dad and step mom (Poppie and Nonnie) letters "from the girls" every week. It's fun to sit down and write letters again! Two days after Christmas our lives got a little crazier. After Lily and Emersyn's medical emergencies in December we were hoping we were done...but I guess all things really do come in 3s. Jon got a stomach ache that quickly turned into a trip to the ER, appendicitis, emergency surgery, and an overnight stay in the hospital. Auntie April had already asked earlier that day if Em could have a sleep over at her house so Bug, Jon, and I camped out in the hospital room. When we got home Havyn was obsessed with Daddy's owies. She just had to use some of her Tinkerbell bandaids that were in her Christmas stocking to cover up her "owies". We have SNOW here and LOTS of it!! It makes for a really easy play day for the girls...and Mom and Dad have fun too! :) If you'll notice...Kali is hitching a ride on Em's tummy. I warned you this post would bot be in chronological order...this was today. This is right at the end of our driveway. I told you...HOLY SNOW! On New Year's Eve we went to Jon's sister April's house. We played games (spoons is the BEST group game!!), ate yummy food, and of course watched the ball drop! Both of the girls were rockstars and made it until midnight! Em jumped on the owie bandwagon too...which gave her a perfect opportunity to use her Dora bandaids. And back to today...Bugster didn't want to ride in the sled...she'd rather walk next to Daddy. Our girls love eachother. Almost all the time! :) Once Havyn was out of her sled, Em was up out of hers too. We all went for a good long walk in the snow...one of the best ways I've found to tucker out two one year olds FAST! Auntie Shannon was home for 2 1/2 weeks for Christmas! This is a treat for all of us, but especially for the girls! New Year's Eve kisses all around. We kind of like each other. Just a little bit. :) I was pretty proud of myself when I made HOMEMADE doughnuts for my mom's birthday party! They weren't nearly as sweet as your average doughnut but they were pretty darn good. We got my mom a string of pearls for her birthday. She's never had pearls and she was thrilled! The girls dressed up in their new lace skirts for Grandma's party. Cousin Baylor Boo rocked the no pants look! :) PROOF of the epic amounts of snow in my front yard. This little pink marshmallow LOVES the snow!! It was her idea to go out today. She brought me her boots and asked me to put them on. Then wearing only her boots and diaper, she toddled over to the door and asked to go outside. Sure, why not? A snow date sounded good to the rest of us too. Me and my girls. Who would've thought there could be this much awesomeness wrapped up in two little tiny girls? Our attempt at a family picture. It kind of worked. I kind of took a break from Giving Reasons these last two weeks. Things have just been crazy. I did still do a couple little things. I left this little note at a coffee shop after hours, sent more coupons to military overseas, went to my mom's house when she was gone and did some housework, and a few other little things here and there. I'll get back into the swing of things this week. Auntie Shannon + a hand in a sweatshirt pocket = WAY too much fun! Giggles ensued. On the 21st of December it was 10 years since Jon and I met and 7 years since he proposed. We went out on a pizza date. Just like ten years ago, he gave me butterflies. I know, I'm a lucky girl. My whole world. I've got a pretty spectacular view from my front door lookin' in! Jon has been off work since December 21st, and he's not allowed to back because of his appendix until January 14th. We have LOVED spending all this time together but we've all had a case of cabin fever. It's too cold to stay outside very long and there isn't a whole lot to do around here. Several times we've found ourselves at Wal*Mart...walking the aisles...playing with the toys. Hey, it works! Daddy not feeling well means we get to watch a lot of movies with him in bed! And we get to "help" him play video games! Back to today...at the end of our VERY long walk we picked the sleds back up where we had ditched them. I laid Buggy down in one and started to pull her up the driveway. She rolled right over on her side and went to sleep. When we got home we lifted the sled in the house and she snoozed for an hour just like this. <3 Daddy is a really good coloring helper! Oh the masterpieces they all create! I made a canvas for my honey. I got this idea of a prism creating a rainbow with no rain from my friend Sarah and I ran with it. "You are my prism, my rainbow with no rain." I dig it. Cousin Hayle was home for a few weeks for Christmas. The girls LOVED spending time with her! They are a little obsessed with her long blonde hair. Heck I'm a little obsessed with it...who can blame them!? :) At our friend's house we discovered that the girls LOVE exercise balls! I think two of these just might be in order! Havyn learned that there are ALL SORTS of buttons and lights in the hospital. She slept with me on a little pull out cot. She slept all night, made friends with all the nurses and doctors, and had a blast! Em had a great time at Auntie April's at her sleepover too! Why hello little nakie baby...I'm rather smitten with you! :) One of my friends from college is having a baby soon. She asked me to make a canvas for her nursery. This was a really fun project and I hope she finds the perfect place for it in baby LJ's room! This was Christmas Eve at Jon's house! LOTS of people, LOTS of wrapping paper, and LOTS of fun! Christmas Eve night the girls got all cozy in their matching pajamas and went to bed having no idea what fun awaited them in the morning. Disney stories, a play kitchen, stockings, Stuffed animals (Scentsy makes these things called Scentsy Buddies...I highly recommend them...they are super cozily adorable and they small AWESOME!!), blocks and so much more! Christmas used to be all about the dogs. They got gifts wrapped in wrapping paper...that they got to demolish...and lots of treats. They were none too pleased this year to be somewhat displaced by the girls. As you can tell... Christmas was SO much fun with the girls! It makes you look at everything a little differently. Daddy made a pretty awesome fort out of the play kitchen box. It was a hit! So that has been our last two weeks. We are hoping that 2013 brings health (no more medical emergencies), happiness, and love. There are going to be some big things happening around here. A move is on the horizon and with that, a whole new life. These last two years have been some of the most blessed and most challenging of our life and we can't wait to be settled with our sweet little munchkins. We hope the New Year found you and your family in good spirits! It's so good to be back! :)