MC & HNY!

Everytime I hear the words "Merry Christmas & Happy New Year" I always think of the Run DMC song, Christmas in Hollis, and I want to add a "Dum, Da da da da Dum Dum!" Anyone else? Or maybe its just me.....

Either way, I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas & Happy NY!

It was a WONDERFUL Christmas at the Jackson House! We began on Christmas Eve by going to Camden to visit with my dad's side of the family. The boys loved playing with their cousins on the farm.
Then to off to Leesville to the candle-light service with Gigi & Papaw and then Christmas Eve dinner.

 On Christmas Day we woke up early and got to see our Santa! The boys were excited but Price was disappointed that Santa didn't bring him the Pig & Dog he asked for. I explained that Santa can't take animals in his sleigh because they would freeze. He seemed to understand......

Then off to Church for Jesus' Birthday Service!

Gigi and Papaw came to our house for Christmas Lunch, along with my best friend Kellie.

Then off to Meme's and Grandpa's for more Christmas Festivities.

Right before bedtime, Owen decided to tackle a toy and busted his head on our coffee table, so we ended our Christmas day in the Richland Children's ER. Not exactly the way I wanted to end our Christmas but it still turned out to be one of the best Christmases we have ever had.

Nothing could take away our Christmas Cheer! :)

Then the end of our Christmas break was a bust. Price decided to start the week off by throwing up all over Chick-fil-A! Yes! Not sure when I will show my face back there again. Did I mention there was only a million people in there?

He then kept a nightly fever of at least 103 so we decided to stay in for a few days.

But he got better just in time for the New Years.
Price & Owen went to spend their NY's with Gigi & Papaw and Josh and I enjoyed our New Years with a few friends!

2011 was a hard year but it ended on a good note.
I have all expectations that 2012 will be a phenomenal year!

To ensure this happens, I have a few resolutions I hope to keep!

#1 - Enjoy my family MORE!!! Sometimes I don't enjoy the small moments, I just let them pass me by. The boys are growing up so fast and I want to enjoy EVERY. SINGLE. MOMENT! I spend a lot of time with the boys but I want to make sure we get to do more of that as a family and that Josh gets to enjoy all these moments as well.

(And just a side note, I went to Miyo's on New Years Eve Eve and my fortune cookie had this to say; "This year your highest priority will be your family." Yes, fortune cookie, it will!)

#2 - I am blessed with wonderful friends. Friends from High School, College, Church and Mommy Friends! Thankfully, most of my friends keep in touch with me, but I am awful at keeping in touch with them. I'm not a phone caller. But I plan on taking the time to keep in touch with with all the people I care about. Everyone is busy and that is no longer an excuse.....

#3 Being a better organizer of my time AND money! Those should probably be 2 separate resolutions since they are each so important but for time sake..... My time is valuable and I want to make sure I don't waste any of it. AND spending time doing the things I should will hopefully lead to my saving more $$. No more impulse buys and I will be making and doing things myself instead of rushing out and just buying it. I will also limit my lunch and playdates if they involve money. Feel free to invite us to a pic-nic in the park though!

#4 AND LAST but NOT LEAST, Making time to read my bible each day. That is always a priority every year and I do okay but I can ALWAYS do BETTER! The Lord has blessed me so much and I thank him EVERY. SINGLE. DAY! But sometimes I don't take the time to listen to what he says to me.

That's it folks! I'm sure there are a million other things that need to be a resolution but I am a work in progress and whatever I've missed, hopefully it will hit the list next year! Or maybe mid-year! Who knows....

I wish you all the luck in keeping your resolutions as well!

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas

I'm sure most of you are enjoying this busy time of year. The holidays this year have been crazy. But I love every minute.....

 We began by celebrating Thanksgiving with the boys in their school and  Church programs and spending time with our families. Price's kindergarten had a Pilgrim and Indian Feast and Price was an Indian. Then the boys sang for the First Family Thanksgiving at our Church and Owen got to be the Indian and Price was a Pilgram. They were too cute and did a great job.


Then, we began moving into our new house on the day after Thanksgiving. We are finally settled (mostly) and ready to celebrate our first Christmas in our new house.

Price and Owen had their Church Choir Musical on November 30th  where they preformed Max Lucados, "The Littlest Lamb" and Price was asked to be Joseph and Owen was a little lamb. The Lamb had a little trouble staying still but apparently everyone thought he was cute.......everyone, but me!

Then the boys participated in our annual Church Christmas Pageant. It was a committment because we practiced the entire week before and there were 5 shows that filled up our church all the way to the 3rd balcony, but the boys enjoyed every minute, and so did I. I am so blessed to be a part of such a special church and have such an awesome Church family. We had so much fun sharing in the pageant fun! They were the cutest little Christmas lights EVER! :)

Even Owen did a great job waving at the crowd and blowing them kisses during the parade! They made me very proud.

We also got invited to the annual Gingerbread party, hosted by my friend, Traci's, MIL. Price was in school but Owen had a great time making his gingerbread house with his best buds.

There is the finished product. He ate way more then he decorated.

This past week was busy with school festivities. Owens school party was first. The kids sang a little jingle for us and then we had fun eatting all the goodies.

On Thursday, Price's class did an Authors Showcase where they put on a little play, did a sing along and each one read a book that they had written and illustrated. It was so cute. Way more then I expected from a class of 5 and 6 year olds. In the little play, Price was the little boy in the "Gingerbread Man" and he did a wonderful job!

Then on Friday, Price had his class Christmas Party. I took Owen with me and it warmed my heart to see how excited Price was to have Owen there. He shared his craft with him, and included him in their sing-a-long and dance party and also got him to sit in his lap during their movie time. It was the sweetest thing.

Then we had the Josh's family Christmas on Saturday night and you'll never guess who showed up........That's right, SANTA, himself!!! Their Aunt Jessica knows him personally and asked him to stop by. The boys loved sitting in his lap and wouldn't leave him alone.

Meme and Grandpa even got in on the Santa action!!

This is our first day out of school and we have enjoyed it by sleeping in (at least I have)  and we went to see the Chipmunk Movie with some of our best friends. We have lots of fun stuff planned for our break but mostly we will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. I hope that I can make sure that with all the fun things going on, the most imporant reason we celebrate is to remember HIM!!!

I hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful time of celebrating with your family and friends as well.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

It's A GIRL!

I'm sure most of you already know this, but IT'S A GIRL!!!

It took me a little longer to find out the sex this time because I was scared to get too attached, but you can imagine my excitment when I found out I would be adding a little pink to my life!

If you know me well at all, you know I have had pink dreams for a while......but obviously, I wanted a healthy baby first and foremost.

I am overwhelmed with thankfulness for this precious little one. The Lord is sooooo good to me. I feel more blessed then I deserve. I have prayed for this baby for a very long time and still have 16 weeks to go, so now I'm praying that everything continues to be healthy. I feel confident that the Lord is watching over us.

We have decided her name will be Carolyn Ann.
She will be named after my grandmother (Carolyn) and my mother (Ann). Two of the most wonderful women in my life. My grandmother passed away when I was pregnant with Owen and I know she would be so proud to have this sweet little baby named after her. She was the most Godly, kind hearted, giving, loving woman that I have ever known, and I can only pray that my Carolyn will be like her.
So, prayers still appreciated and more updates to come. Thanks for all who have continuously prayed for us on this journey.

Drs Visit Update

Apparently I'm not doing my job updating my blog as I should! I didn't realize how many people read it! :) Well, I went to the doctor on Tuesday and the baby looks healthy. No signs of anything wrong at all.
I did not find out the sex of the baby, YET. But I will. I just guess I'm afraid to get too attached right now. I go back on December 1st and I'm almost positive I will find out then.
We close on our house on November 30th so I should have plently to do to keep my mind off overthinking things. I am so appreciative for each of your prayers. Keep them coming! I'm half way there!!!

Refiners Fire

On Sunday at church, a sweet friend asked me how I was doing. I told her that so far, I was good but it was hard to feel confident in anything right now.
She proceeded to tell me that in her Sunday School class, they were talking about how God refines us to make us pure by turning up the temperature. And without struggles we wouldn't be who God wanted us to be. Just like precious metal has to be refined to make it pure, my heart needs refining to make it pure as well.
Although I have known this concept, I don't think I had ever thought of it as it applied to me....

It made me realize that the Lord is helping me! I have faults! Some of them are too deep, too embedded or even too painful to change myself. I know. I have tried. I struggle with and am aware of many of them. I just can't change them no matter how hard I try. But guess who can? And He is! Once I thought about it, I felt a sense of peace. I have changed. My heart might not be exactly where it needs to be, but its getting there. I'm getting better.
And in that, I know that no matter what lies ahead, I know its for my own good and to draw me nearer to Him! To make me who HE wants me to be, not who I desire to be.
So with that, I vow not to worry any more. Life is too short and there is too much to be grateful for.

I have always loved it when our choir sang "Refiners Fire" but now I have a new appreciation for it.

"Purify my heart

Let me be as gold and precious silver

Purify my heart

Let me be as gold, pure gold

Refiner's fire

My heart's one desire

Is to be holy

Set apart for You, Lord

I choose to be holy

Set apart for You, my Master

Ready to do Your will

Purify my heart

Cleanse me from within

And make me holy

Purify my heart

Cleanse me from my sin

Deep within"

Thank you, Lord, that my struggles aren't in vain!

Thankful!

It's NOVEMBER! Can you believe it?
Time is flying by and we are excited about all that is in store for us this month.

First, the baby is doing good. I have had an ultrasound every 2 weeks since I was 8 weeks and everything has looked great every time. I'm trying hard to stay positive and not worry. I go back on the 15th and I will be 19 weeks then. I haven't found out the sex yet because the thought of getting too attached scares me but, maybe on the 15th I will be able to handle it. We shall see...... (Yes, I will keep you informed!)

And this month we will finally move into our new house. We have been told we could close before Thanksgiving but haven't actually been given a date. I am excited and anxious about getting everything ready for Christmas but hopefully my friends will come and unpack a box or two! (Hint, Hint!! :))

And THANKSGIVING! There is so much to be Thankful for. My Lord and Savior who keeps Blessing me beyond my wildest dreams (and way beyond what I deserve)! My WONDERFUL family! My Church Family! My fabulous Friends! I am so blessed and I couldn't imagine my life any different. I am sure each of you feel the same way I do!

I also know that there are many out there dealing with sorrow of some sort, but I know that the Lord has a plan regarding all situations and although we don't understand it, I am certain there is a reason. I hope that we can see the good over the bad, even when it's hard. Just "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5) Does anyone have the "Hide them in your Heart" CD? If so, you just sang that song while reading it and now it's stuck in your head. YOUR WELCOME!!

And, no post is complete without a picture of my adorable children, right?!? So here you go.....



Fun at the State Fair!



Thor & Green Lantern at the Fall Festival!

Preschool Choir singing at Festival.

I hope everyone had a Fabulous Halloween!!

Happy Fall!!

Price had a few days off from school last week and we decided to go to Cease Farms with some of our friends. It was a great time and the boys had so much fun......especially on the slide. I practically had to drag them from that place. There is so much to do. I highly recommend a visit if you get a chance.

Then today I got to go to the Fair with Price on his VERY FIRST FIELD MGES Field Trip! I am so thankful to be able to share in such special moments with my children and Price was so excited to have me with him.

Everyone got to see all the animals and then they had several demonstrations and shows for the kindergartners. They even got to see the pigs get a bath. I think everyone had a great time and we are looking forward to going with our family on Thursday!