40 years

40 years...does it really seem like 40 years?  I've almost been married 10, and it only seems like 5...time sure does go by quickly.  

Mom and Dad celebrated 40 years this month.  Thank you Mom and Dad for showing me what marriage looks like..in the fun times, and not so fun times...it is for forever.

A few months back I made a little chalkboard frame for our house not really looking into all the fonts, but now the chalkboard world is everywhere with tons of cute fonts, so I practiced a a little on this piece as their gift.  (Now, I want some for my house..ha!)

40 years of marriage offers lots of little lessons... here's some I've learned from these two:

- love is the greatest...it always wins
-it's not about being right...it's about being happy
-Say I'm sorry
-smile
-laugh when you really should cry
-cry sometimes too
-family is everything
-do it even when it's not fun
-go even if you feel like staying home
-take care of those you love
-sing in the midst of a storm
-actions speak way louder than words
-joy comes in the morning
-be faithful
-be consistent
-be an example
-nothing is too hard for God
-you can never eat enough mac and cheese
-keep your focus on God
-you can do anything you set your mind to do
- wear a little lipstick ;)
- look out (to others) not in (on yourself)
-a ticket the day after you turn 16 is not the end of the world.

I'm sure I could go on... but these were a few things I jotted down a few nights ago... may the lessons continue and the love grow stronger!  Happy 40 years!

the rest of Christmas....

I just realized I never posted this... here's the last of Christmas for us.  We went to Michael's parents Christmas night and exchanged gifts with cousins.

Bruce told the Christmas story to everybody.

The Saturday after Christmas we went to Candice's house for the Nixon Christmas.  

Lovely Chad...

Sawyer showing Uncle Danny his banjo.

The past several years there has been a mystery person putting my name on gifts to people in the family.  This year I gave everyone women underwear.  I have a feeling who it is...

Look how hard Daddy is laughing...

sweet Landon...

All the grandkids

the cousins...

the whole family :)

until next year... :)

my almost 4 year old

Sawyer will be 4 this month.... he is still my baby though. :) I love his little face more than anything.  Here are a few pics from this month.  We stay busy but we've had a lot of slow, cold days together this month.  I'm enjoying my time with him, even though he drives me completely crazy sometimes.

He loves to shave, like Michael.  He splashes water on his face and thinks its the funniest thing.

I had to throw this in here...this is how I found Stella's barbie- in camel pose hahah :)

Sawyer worked really hard on drawing a picture for Uncle Bobby.  He wanted it in a big envelope because he didn't want to have to bend it.  We mailed it last week.

I really thought doing "school" stuff with him wouldn't be as fun as Stella because she always just loved to learn, but Sawyer just likes to do things a little differently.  We have more hands on activities and he likes to choose which letter we work on for the week...or two.  The latest were M for Motorcycle and T for Tractor.  

Stella's display of puzzles one cold day...

Naps are no longer a part of our day unless he gets up SUPER early, so most days we talk or doodle on the doodle board while we wait on Sissy to get out of school.

 Saturdays are his favorite because Michael is home and he gets to work.  A couple Saturdays ago, he bundled up and raked leaves.  He said he wants long johns for his b-day.

This boy and his button down shirts make me laugh.

Just a few more weeks of being 3 years old.  I kissed his face a little more than usual today :)

Santa Came...a look at our Christmas morning

Each year Christmas gets a little sweeter.  The kids are starting up conversations about what Christmas is about and Santa talk is fun, too.  But I think they get it a little more every year.  Stella got up at 4:30 and I tried to get her to go back to sleep but then Sawyer was up at 5:00, so then everybody was up.  I think it took us 4 days to recover...

Stella was excited to see a Frozen book she'd never seen before.

We always read what we gave Jesus this year from The Sparkle Box.  Sawyer even asked about it to be sure we read it out loud.

My favorite tags were written with little hands.  These are my cheese puffs from Sawyer..which came in handy because we were all starving by 6:30am.  So, we dove into these fast.

 Sawyer trying on his new Cowboy belt and western shirt..tucked in....at 5:30 in the am....(snore)

 Playing Operation

We headed to Moms around 8:30 to eat a big biscuits and gravy, fruit, bacon and sausage....oh, and exchange gifts.

Our little niece had to get something, too :)

Thankfully the sun was shining so we tried out our new Pogo sticks!!!

who knows...

More Christmas fun to come!

The beginning of Christmas

exchanging gifts with friends...

playing with everything new...

 Christmas laughs...thanks for the pic, Wendy :)

My favorite ornament by Stella this year.  She drew it on a day we were making Christmas crafts and I begged her to let me have it but she was giving it away as a gift.. so I had to just take a picture. :)

The Pineapple Casserole chefs are ready for another round...

We made Christmas Crunch this year and nibbled on it a little too much.  So yummy.

Christmas eve at Moms for lunch.  Here's her "now, where did I put that?" yearly look. haha  I have a feeling I'll be doing the same thing pretty soon, the way my brain works these days.

That evening we traveled to Tigersville to see Uncle Bobby and Aunt Harriet.  The kids always love seeing the big tractors and taking a ride.  It has been misty the past 2 times we've been...maybe next time it'll be clear weather.

Aunt Harriet always has everything so fancy.  

The kids love seeing how uncle Bobby always has a buckle and cowboy boots on.  I think Sawyer fits in this family pretty well. :)