Christmas Cards are my Nemesis!

Disclaimer: This is post #2 of what will be 3 posts about Christmas. So hang in there with me as I try to document it all.

Now, back to the Christmas cards. I just love receiving them! It is so much fun to see who it's from and the cute pictures inside. Mailing my own Christmas cards with Adelyn's cute picture inside however, is nearly impossible. This is only my 3rd year but I'm not holding out hope that I'll get any better. Let me just give you the break down...

Year #1: I address, stamp, stuff, & seal cards in the car after midnight while driving to Kentucky. Matt drives around Atlanta looking for a mail box in which to mail them.

Year #2: I order pictures to put inside a card. The photographer I order them from forgets to actually order them. After being overnighted a lovely picture of a country western couple, the photo lab manages to re-overnight me the correct family picture and I put them in the mail on December 23rd.

Year #3: I actually receive my cards by Dec. 1st thus fooling myself into thinking "I'm really on top of things this year." I wait 21 days before addressing, stamping, stuffing, and sealing the cards in the car on the way to Kentucky and mail them from Owensboro on December 22nd. One whole day earlier than last year.

Please tell me I'm not the only one!? Anyway, if you're not on our mailing list, here's our card from this year. Pretend that you received it on Dec. 26th. That should be about right. :)

And here are a few others pictures that didn't make the cut.

This is Adelyn's "light up" face.

Remember the Skeleton Face? It's along those same lines.

A Special Christmas

" But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."

Luke 2:19

As this Christmas season comes to a close I just wanted to take a moment to remember how much I enjoyed celebrating Christmas this year. Seeing Christmas through Adelyn's eyes was like experiencing it for the first time in so many ways. She loved everything from the lights on the tree and Santa Claus to reading the story of Jesus' birth and the verses behind the doors of the Advent calender each day. Her favorite songs included Away in a Manger, Jingle Bells, and Frosty the Snowman. She also loved to sing Joy to the World and Silent Night . My favorite thing that we could not believe is that she memorized the Christmas story from her Children's Bible and could recite it on command (if she was in the mood). Hearing her say "gwory to God in da highest, and peace of earf, Jesus, God's son was born!" melted my heart every time. She was also quite impressed by the candles in my mom & dad's windows at their house. When she saw them she shouted, "wook at da candles, mom! I can't beweave it! I can't beweave it!"



Another reason this year was particularly meaningful to me is because of the Isaiah bible study I've been participating in through Bible Study Fellowship. I've learned so much about God's prophecies and promises to the Israelites and Christians this fall. The words from O Little Town of Bethlehem - "the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight" came alive for me in a way they never had before. I am so thankful for God's word and all that He's taught me through it this year.

So while this post is mostly for me to remember what a sweet and special Christmas I had, I hope that there was something special and different about Christmas for you this year too.  Lastly, I couldn't resist sharing my new favorite Christmas song that I'll probably be listening to all year long...

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6

2 year pictures

About a month ago, my friend, Stephanie took some pictures of Adelyn in honor of her 2nd birthday. I had trouble picking just a few of my favorites to show you, but here they are...

I love that Stephanie captured Adelyn just as she is. Scraped knees as all (enlarge picture above :). She also took some Christmas pictures for us. I'll show you some of those another day. And, if you did check out her blog, you should know that Adelyn's friends Brody & Gracyn are also featured on there right now.

"Why?"

It's official! We've got a bad case of the "why's" at our house! For example....

Me: "Adelyn, we don't use the same tissue to wipe our bottom and blow our nose."

A: "Why?"

or...

Me: "Adelyn, don't lick the sprinkles off the bottle." 

A: "Why?" (as she licks sprinkles and frosting from the the very top of the bottle)

and then there's...

Me: "Adelyn, don't climb up and sit on the kitchen counter." 

A: "Why?"

Me: "Because you could fall and get hurt." 

A: "Oh, dat would be so sad!"

Thanksgiving

Good news...we're still alive! Just a little behind on the whole blogging thing. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and hope that you did too! As you can tell from our shorts and sandals, we stayed in FL this year and enjoyed our Thanksgiving dinner outside.

Even Kinsley participated in the Thanksgiving feast with some yummy sweet potatoes.  

She may not be very good at showing it, but she loved 'em! Ate every last bite.

That probably wasn't too hard to guess. Just look at those cheeks!

Hip Hooray for sweet potatoes!!  

If you had been a bug on the windshield of our car on the way home you would have heard a conversation that went like this...

AGL: "I want to do some more thanks give!"

LAL: "Did you have fun celebrating Thanksgiving, Adelyn?"

AGL: "Yeah" 

LAL: "Maybe we could all say what we're thankful for. I'll go first. I'm thankful for cranberry salad and that Adelyn is doing such a good job learning how to use the potty! What are you thankful for, Adelyn?"

AGL: "GOD!"

LAL: "Oh, that's so good Adelyn, God is the most important reason to be thankful. Is there anything else you're thankful for?"

Long Pause

AGL: "Jesus!!" 

to Matt...

LAL: "Man, I'm kind of shallow, huh!" 

MJL: "Yeah, she's really got her priorities straight."

Happy Halloween

Tonight, Adelyn attended her first Halloween party as a UK cheerleader. Can I just say how much I love a free costume! Can I also tell you how incredibly difficult it is to get a decent picture of Adelyn.

Seriously! The kid is easily distracted,

doesn't hold still,

or look at the camera.

She's just generally difficult when it comes to picture taking.

But I guess if she always smiled then I'd never get a picture of this face...

And really, what is this face? I know you might not be that amused, but it cracks me up!

Oh well, no matter what face she's making she'll always be the cutest cheerleader I've ever seen!

Skeleton Face

For the past month or so a skeleton similar to this one has been hanging out in our Home Goods. Every time we walk by it Adelyn asks "What dat is, mommy?"

One day at lunch Adelyn started making this really funny and kind of scary face. When I asked her what she was doing she said "I make skeleton face!" I don't think she knows it's supposed to be scary.

Mimi & Grandpa just had to get in on the skeleton face fun...

Some kids never grow up. ;) 

I Scream, You Scream...

We All Scream for Ice Cream!

On Saturday we had a family party for Adelyn. I didn't do the best job of taking pictures of everyone or everything, but here's what we did get...

These pictures are proof that Adelyn does have "girl" toys.

Can you guess who gave her the tutu & jewelry?

I know this one is kind of blurry but I had to use it. I love it so much!



Happy Birthday Adelyn!

Today, Adelyn turned 2!

I think it's safe to say that she had a pretty great day.

We couldn't pull her away from her new Tidmouth Sheds...

 except to eat cake and ice cream! 

I can not believe how fast these two years have flown by! Adelyn brings more joy to our lives than we could have ever imagined. We feel humbled and blessed that the Lord chose us to be the mommy and daddy of such an amazing little girl. From her wonderful sense of humor to her love for Jesus and bible stories we are constantly in awe of her. Matt is her hero and his coming home is the highlight of her day. I love being her best friend and partner in crime. The three of us together is her favorite thing. What a sweet girl she is!

Happy Birthday, Adelyn! We love you so very much!

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

NYC

This weekend Matt & I headed to NYC to take in the sights, shows, and eat as much food as possible. We had lunch in Columbus Circle,

ran into this famous couple in Times Square,

(they are real people by the way and not wax figures)

walked across the Brooklyn Bridge,

explored the Upper West Side,

(who can tell me what movie this Brown Stone is from?)

and ate a Gray's Papaya hot dog.

We also went to see Wicked which was wonderful, took a leisurely stroll through Central Park, and ran into 2 different sets of friends - one couple I went to high school with and some friends from Lexington. Small world, huh!

We had a great time and highly recommend the Red Cat restaurant in Chelsea. What was Adelyn up to? She went on a self declared "vacation to Gigi's house".

Daddy's Little Helper

It's hard to believe the 2 years ago today this was my post. And today...we have the sprinkler whisperer on our hands.