What we've been up to (lots and lots of pictures!)

Lots of posing... (ps. these matching shirts are the brain child of my mother-in-law; every family has their own color; ours is red (yay! Go Bucks!))
Lots of playing...

(Libby actually posed for this picture. She was getting me food and drink while I baked (below) and she said, "Mama, take a picture of me getting your drink," and then she held this pose while I shot the picture. How funny is that?)
Lots of baking...

More posing...
Libby's pretty Christmas dress (if you enlarge the picture above you can see her pretty sparkly shoes that she kept pulling up her dress to show everyone)
The anticipation on Christmas morning!!!...
And possibly her favorite gift...
Sorry it's taken me a while to post. It's been a little hectic around here with Christmas starting last weekend for our families. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. We had a great time with family, and we're ending it with a bang with a missed weekend trip to my Dad's house because Scott is upstairs puking. Big bummer (truly!). It's time for the children to make up lost sleep, and for me to clean this house!

How did you celebrate this year?

A Christmas tradition

Every year since the first Thanksgiving and Christmas since Scott and I got married, on the weekend after Thanksgiving we decorate the house for Christmas and take a family picture to put on our Christmas cards. This year things were a little off with Scott having to work different hours, and I just got around to taking our picture a few nights ago. It actually went a lot better than I imagined it would go with two kids under 3, especially with a 12 second timer! If I didn't say anything and left the eye directing to Scott, they both looked at the camera perfectly. If I even breathed loud, Hudson looked around at me, and Libby started moving. I love her big girl forced smile! =)

Happy memory building!

Edited to add: Scott and I are on our knees in the picture. Our tree is not nearly that tall, and I am not that similar in height to Scott=)

The fingers are a'flying

And now we eagerly count the days until Christmas, the season that celebrates the birth of our Savior. We are trying even more this season to not commercialize Christmas. We are trying to get the big things that the babes need/want (like a car seat for Hudson, a bike for Libby) from grandparents, and to handmake the things that they will be getting from us. I am making a whole slew of knitted farm animals for Libby and I am making play silks for her. I will be dying one green for grass with a blue "pond" for ducks and a brown "mudpit" for piggies. Then I'm going to go out to my parents house and gather small twigs and sticks to make a fence to house all of the animals. I am finishing up my first horse (I had to pause that project to hurry and retry his mittens so he could wear them when we go out hiking today, they are turning out better this time). I'll share pics when it's finished. There are also plans for making felt balls, and some teddy bears and rabbits for Hudson and friends. I've also got something special up my sleve for my knitting buddies, but I can't share that here, cause they read this=) I've got to get to work! If I don't post as frequently these next few weeks, it's because I am trying (and thoroughly enjoying) making these gifts for the people that I love. Enjoy this season, friends, for it truly is magical.

The joys of Thanksgiving

Here are some shots from our Thanksgiving. It's all about family at Granny's (my Grandma, Libby's Granny) house, and the dolls at Granny's house.

A quiet moment with a cup of coffee and a glance out the window.

A moment of pure baby-loving bliss for Libby, as she cuddles her baby cousin.

And a little Guitar Hero.

So very thankful!

May you share some love this Thanksgiving. We are truly blessed, especially this Thanksgiving and Christmas season. For us, it is a season of laughter, renewal, and reunion (mixed with a few tears). God is so very good. Please take a moment today and through the rest of the Christmas season and remember what you are thankful for.

Independence Day!!

Happy 4th of July! A day to be so thankful for what men and women have done and still do for our freedom. We spent it fairly lazily. The babies and I are still getting over our yucky colds, so we didn't feel like doing all that much. Plus, it was a rainy day, so we didn't even get out to watch the parade. We spent the afternoon at Mamaw and Papaw's (my mom and step-dad) and that's about it. Here are some pictures.


These are two of the most beloved blankies that ever got drooled and chewed on.

So, how did you celebrate your independence?