Good Tidings

We certainly barreled through yet another year! 2010 what happened to you? Why did you go so fast? 2010 was an exciting year for us to say the least, giving BellaRose a little sister in Hollings was definitely the highlight of our year. Also welcoming almost a foot of snow for Hollings' first Christmas made this one of the more memorable Christmases on record. I have posted a lot of our Christmas pictures to facebook. BellaRose really enjoyed this Christmas knowing it was baby Jesus' birthday and that a jolly ole Santa might be visiting. She got her beloved grocery cart she had been asking for and Hollings got a cozy coupe she didn't even know she wanted. We had a great Christmas but this post will be more for reflection of the past year and hopes for the future. I looked back on my blog last year to see what I wanted my goals to be personally and professionally. Unbeknownst to me I actually accomplished all my goals I set. My photography business has done great, I bought an iMac with income from my business, doubled what I made and I personally view myself as an artist with my camera and that truly is all that matters. My personal goals were all fulfilled too! Now what goals to set for 2011? I might have to have more time of reflection to think about that. Obviously I want my business to continue to thrive and prosper. I will be revamping, focusing on branding and basically taking it up a notch. Watch out for some exciting things to happen!
One goal for 2011 is to all be healthy. We have had bouts of ear infections, fever, pink eye, runny noses, coughs, but then again who hasn't? I am thankful that my girls are still so sweet and loving even when they are under the weather. I never realized how when you have two kids it seems they just pass germs back and forth like they are playing catch. I will be the monkey in the middle and stop and those germs!
Enjoy these last few days of 2010. I look forward to what 2011 holds for us.
Good Tidings we bring to you and yours!

Like a bowl full of jelly

Hollings had requested that no pictures be taken of her last week. After running a fever all week and 2 doctors visits she has a ear infection and a crackle in her lungs. She is now finally on antibiotics and hopefully on the up swing. So now you can understand her request for no pictures. I can tell you in the midst of her feeling like poo she is still the sweetest little thing!
BellaRose has been requesting that we go see Santa for quite some time. Since we are members at Biltmore I thought we would go there, and I was pretty sure they would have a good Santa and not some fake bearded Asheville mall Santa. I was not disappointed, neither was Rosie. She got to take her "cart" request straight to the big man. A cart would also be known as a grocery cart to most people.

It being Christmas time we must make sugar cookies with icing, my favorite cookie!

Bert (or Chester, not sure which is which). We love checking on them when we go to Biltmore.

The weary world rejoices

My cozy little family. My heart swells when I think about them. My girls are just so sweet even when the baby is crying and the toddler is not listening it is all I can do not to squeeze them so hard!
I was telling Worth I can get caught up on my mind complaining about how small our house is or how we really only have 2 feet of counter space to prepare our meals on. Worth quickly reminded me that the 2 feet of counter space has prepared some pretty amazing meals and this small house keeps us warm on cold cold nights and days. This house may be really small but it is filled with sweet little girls and cozy snoring dogs, and Worth and me who are a team and love each other more then anyone. This house holds my enormous Christmas tree that I insist on every year and now has nice new windows that allow us to see the world outside and now will let us breath in the cool spring air because we can actually open them now!
I am thankful for so much this time of year.
The weary world rejoices indeed!
I can't wait to celebrate Jesus!

You can make this wreath too go to The Nesting Place. I pretty much want my whole house decorated like this house. Maybe one day!

Back to Christmas

How is it that Christmas is already 2 weeks away? That is crazy and exciting. For the first year BellaRose knows what is going on so that makes it super exciting. She says she wants a cart, as in grocery cart. She has stuck by that one pretty closely too. I wonder if she will get one?

Only Santa and the parents are to know!

I met my friend Jennifer and her son Davis at The Grove Park to look at the gingerbread houses. We quickly learned that it might be a little too old for them, but it was still fun to look at the decorations, ride in the sleigh, and take in a few gingerbread houses. We just wanted something to get us in the Christmas spirit, not that we aren't already!

We have also been crafting a lot around here too. I recently made Coffee Filter Wreaths (and this blog is really gorgeous too!) with Margaret and Jennifer and they turned out really amazing. We also went to a recent play date at another friends house and made glitter pinecones
(minus the cinnamon) and turned them into ornaments. I will have to post pictures of all of these things along with all the other pictures I keep telling you about. There literally are not enough hours in the day. I have a running list in my mind of things to do and can't seem to get any done. If you have an invention for me then please share.

Enjoy the pictures and take in the magic that is Christmas!

Jennifer holding Hollings. Jennifer is preggy with another adorable little boy due in Feb!

A mom's honest take on her child's artwork

I planned on doing a Christmas tree cutting post with gorgeous photographs to stimulate your eyes and inspire you, but instead I have taken my 1GB iPod and taken grainy pictures of my child's artwork. How delighted I was when BellaRose could start drawing, who doesn't hang those first bits of artwork on the fridge and proclaim loudly what a little Picasso you have on your hands. Then your child starts to go to preschool, then nursery at church, then little morning camp over the summer and soon you have so much artwork you are about to bust. What am I supposed to do with the decoupage caterpillar thing that looks like something that might be called a #2? What am I supposed to do with the feathery horse with one wiggly eye on its rear end and Popsicle stick coming out of it abdomen? Who doesn't feel that pang of guilt when you "accidentally" spill something on a masterpiece they just brought home and now you have to put it in the trash?

"BellaRose I don't know what happened to your toilet paper roll turkey, I guess Rainy ate it."
I know I will frame some art, keep some art so on her 40th birthday party we can all laugh and think how cute she was when she was 3, but in the meantime all this artwork is driving me batty! All these scraps of paper EVERYWHERE! We have made her a craft shelf in her closet in hopes of culling it all to one area, but it still ends up in my purse, and in my grocery bags, and in my pockets, and she has pretty much drawn on every surface under the sun. There is no where that magic eraser has not been.
This child is like an elephant she never forgets and she certainly never forgets the smiley face she drew while out to lunch and I tried to dispose of but now has to be hung above her bed.