Merry Christmas!!!

Hey yall! I just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas! Today we are making chocolate chip cookies (Santas favorite recipe), and hanging out until tonight when we will read the Christmas story in Luke, open up our new jammies, jump in the car with some hot chocolate, and head to Ardmore to the big Christmas light display. There may be some caroling in there too somewhere. Shawn took Liam golfing this morning and Addy took a nap, so I took the opportunity to put together the much requested Talking Diego Rescue Center. It looks like a TON of fun so it will be exciting to see Liams face when he sees what Santa brought. There is also a little girls dollhouse waiting for tomorrow morning...I dont know if I can wait that long! I think this more exciting for me than it is for them! There's about a bajillion presents under the tree (not all ours, the whole family's- we ourselves were modest in our present buying this year) and Liam and Addy's present opening mania is just barely being contained. I'm actually very surprised that I havent walked in on Addy ripping open some paper (at Liams discreet urging, no doubt).

I love this time of year for what it means to us as believers in Christ, and for the family time we get to have. Merry Christmas to you and yours- I cant wait to read all your Christmas Morning Reports!

portraits

so yall know those portraits that I blogged about a while ago? Well, here they are. You should probably check quick because I dont know how much longer they'll be on his site. (I kind of forgot to post this back when I should have. whoops.)


click here on his website, then the session i.d. is mason_portraits. dont miss the second page, and scroll all the way over so you dont miss any of them . k? check them out and tell me what you think!

7 Years!!!

This pic was really hard to take! I had to set the self timer, then run and jump in the tree and hurry and turn and smile! We fell off a couple times before we finally got this one! lol

Yum.

me on our date night.

on our way out.

On a walk by the lake. I thought about photo-shopping that beanie of his burnt orange, but then my next post would be informing ya'll of our divorce.

the sunset one night. the view from our deck.

On the 16th Shawn and I celebrated our 7th anniversary. He surprised me with a trip to a cabin on the lake and it was so beautiful. It was the first time we had been on vacation together since our 1st anniversary!! Horrible I know. We spent all day in the Temple one day and it was so nice to just take our time and do all the stuff we wanted to and not worry about getting home at a particular time. We were gone 4 days and even though we enjoyed our time together, by the end of it we were itching to be with our kids again! They were ready for us to be home too. I guess Liam was tired of making dinner and changing Addy's diapers. What? We left them a cell phone in case anything happened! Just kidding we left them with their Nana and Aunt Ila who took great care of them and said they behaved beautifully. They swear they're not lying about the "behaving beautifully" part even though I had barely been home 15 minutes and I was already breaking up tiffs and asking them to "speak in your big kid voice. No whining!". Why do kids always behave better for other people?

7 Things I Love About Shawn:

1. In the middle of an argument he'll make a joke and who can be mad after that?

2. He is an awesome father and always, *always* makes time to play with the kids, even when he is so exhausted he can barely stay awake through the game.

3. He's always looking for the best in people and tries to ignore their faults.

4. He's a great motivator, and is always helping me be better, do better.

5. He's very fair and humble. Always the first to apologize, no matter if he is wrong or not.

6. I love the fact that he came into my life at the absolute perfect time. Alot of people wonder why I got married so young, and I used to wonder that myself, but looking back on things, it could not have worked out better than if the Lord had had His hand in it. Oh wait, He did!! :)

7. He is a very hard worker and his first priority has always been providing for his family.

Mmmmmwah! Love ya babe!

New Dresses!!

Has anyone seen these adorable dresses at Down East Basics yet? So cute, and so cheap! And according to the email I got, the Plaza dress (above) will be available in black with green buttons and belt! Yall know that's got my name all over it! I'm also in love with the brown/cream art deco dress. I love getting a new dress!

Dare I....

or dare I not, wear these shoes to church?