Chocolate, Chatter & Chicks

This years ladies Christmas party had a different meaning.

We were sad to say goodbye to our sweet friend Lisa. We watched a video of her fun times in Gainesville, and we got to play a fun "white" elephant game.

You know there is always the funny GAG GIFT! Well some "honeymoon" dice came Rolling out!!! Not to mention the garter and gun!

Really it was all done in fun! Good thing some people have a great sense of humor!

I think everyone had a great time, they got to come out, relax and laugh alot.

I was pretty excited to make some yummy food. First I made a peppermint ice ring, then I made peppermint bark for the first time....and oreo truffles (thanks Melissa) they were all so tasty! The Death by chocolate is always a crowd pleaser and not to mention Lauren's to die for cookies! We sure don't mess around with the menu on ladies night, there is always some amazing food to snack on. ha ha

The food and friends where wonderful!!!! It was the perfect ladies night.

I can't wait for next year, you just never know what might happen! ha ha

Tree Jumping

O.k. No Joke!

My sweet, crazy, adventerous, son Hunter learned some stunt moves off of the movie "ELF".

I could hear him laughing so hard and I thought to myself ohhhh how cute, I love when he laughs at movies.

So you can only imagine my surprise to see what I found when I went into the living room and Hunter was moving the (x-tra) Christmas tree around.

I just watched him for a minute and couldn't belive what my eyes saw.

He was jumping into the tree from the couch.

I said "Hunter what are you doing... no no no"! He goes but ELF did it.

NICE, real nice.

He learned off of the movie ELF to jump into the christmas tree and just laugh.

Oh I'm just speechless... really... what do you say to that!?!?!

My Hunter boy sure keeps me on my toes. :)

One last Sleep Over...

Hunter had to say goodbye to a buddy, he moved to Alabama on Thursday.

Enoch and Hunter had the best sleepovers, they played, Cowboy and Indians, jumped on the trampoline, laughed a ton and got busted many times from getting out of bed.

They had the best times when they built tents in Hunter's room and slept in them (pretend camping) :). Hunter is really going to miss Enoch.

For his last sleepover..

They went to the duck pond and looked at the lights.
Had pizza for dinner
Rolled down the hills of the hospital. Boys will be boys!!

THEN....
the party continued....
we set up a movie on a laptop for them to watch in there room, gave them popcorn and chocolate chip cookies. They were set!

They were nice and awake at midnight!!

They were having lots of fun!

In the morning they made pancakes and played.

Baking Bliss

Hunter and me had lots of fun making the kitchen a complete disaster!! We baked up a storm! We baked cookies, dipped them in chocolate and then we dipped pretzels in chocolate and added sprinkles. To top it off we made peppermint bark! That was a hit, everyone loved that! It was a fun morning in the kitchen. Of course I had to add a little "semi-homemade" publix yummy treats!

Watchout, My Man Bakes To!!!

Steve made his first homemade pecan pie... It was sooo yummy!

The most wonderful time of the year...

Our family has had the BEST time serving the community. We wanted to do something special this Christmas, really make a difference for someone. I just didn't kwow what....

Then one day I was cleaning Hunter's room and heard on the radio about "Operation Santa Claus". It is a toy drive for Cancer Kids. Could you imagine spending Christmas morning in the hospital.. .not waking up and running to your Christmas tree? Oh it breaks my heart.

I have to thank my sweet friends, Dawn, Stacy and Tiana for joining me in providing cheer, smiles and love for these sweet children on Christmas Morning.

Tiana's sweet family made beautiful and adorable Christmas Cards to go with some of the presents. How special I know those cards will mean to a sweet little girl, a tough little boy, or a teenager that just wants to be in her own room.

This really is the reason for the season!


When I went and delivered the toys to the drop off box, our toys made the box overflow! When Stacy and me where shopping for these children, we just wanted to get something perfect. It gave me a whole new meaning about gifts.

That right there gave me so much joy, peace and a small glimpse of how my savior loves me by overflowing my heart with good feelings. Providing a opportunity for our families and others to serve! Wow what a great feeling it is.

It really put new meaning to our Prophet Thomas S. Monson's sweet words:

There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus the Christ. Let it be a time that lights the eyes of children and puts laughter on their lips. Let it be a time for lifting the lives of those who live in loneliness. Let it be a time for calling our families together, for feeling a closeness to those who are near to us and a closeness also to those who are absent.

Let it be a time of prayers for peace, for the preservation of free principles, and for the protection of those who are far from us. Let it be a time of forgetting self and finding time for others. Let it be a time for discarding the meaningless and for stressing the true values. Let it be a time of peace because we have found peace in His teachings.

Most of all, let it be a time to remember the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the Wise Men.


We totally scored on items, socks, baby bibs & booties, games, nerf basketball hoops, jewelry kits, makeup, craft sets,princess art kits and a baby blanket and nigh night.

Enjoying Great Weather....

Me and the boys went outside to explore, run around, swing, jump, and get dirty!!!

The weather was absolutely PERFECT!!!

Operation Beautiful

http://operationbeautiful.com/

Participate
Send your own Operation Beautiful Note to Caitlin at OperationBeautiful@gmail.com, and it will be posted on the site. If you have a blog, be sure to include a link! It takes about three weeks for a photograph to show up on the site, so be patient!

Write a motivating note on a post it and put it up in a public place– such as on a bathroom mirror, in the gym locker room, or even on a random car’s windshield. If you want, you can write the web address www.OperationBeautiful.com on the bottom so other women can find the site!


The Mission
The goal of the Operation Beautiful website is to end negative self-talk or “Fat Talk.” If this little blog only does one productive thing, I hope it helps readers realize how truly toxic negative self-talk is — it hurts you emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

Through my own experiences fighting Fat Talk, I’ve realized the power behind an anonymous act such as Operation Beautiful. When I post a note, I’m saying, “I CHOOSE to be positive!”

I began Operation Beautiful by leaving positive messages on the mirrors of public restrooms — at work, at the gym, at the grocery store. I scribble down whatever comes to mind — "You are beautiful!" or "You are amazing just the way you are!" My personal goal is to leave as many Operation Beautiful notes as I can. Maybe some people read them and just smile, but I bet some people are truly touched by the effort of a random stranger.

Operation Beautiful is simple: all you need is a pen and a piece of paper. If you want to join the mission, send me an e-mail at OperationBeautiful@gmail.com with a photograph of your Operation Beautiful note or a description of your experience, and I’ll post it on the Operation Beautiful site for thousands of others to read and enjoy!

Christmas is a time when we can all learn from a child’s gratitude and love for Jesus Christ.

Hard Days.. maybe tomorrow will be easier.

The past couple of days have been really hard ones. It was one of those kind of days where you just feel so inadequate in every way.

So music is my healer... this totally was me this morning! ha ha

After I dropped Hunter off at school I had to run some errands. It was so nice just being by myself.... I cranked up a cd so loud that I just wanted to dance my frustrations away.


And I did for about 6 good songs, dancing and singing... I probably looked pretty silly to those going to work in 8:00 traffic.

And then I just broke down and cried.

If you know me, crying is my outlet. But I didn't want to cry, I didn't want to give into my feelings. I just wanted to jam out! Not deal with ANYTHING.. just Dance and Drive.

And then it amazed me that even with loud music my heart was softened. The lord found a way to get through to me. My burdens where eased if even just for a brief moment and I got to take a deep breath.

Later on today I was checking my emails and my sister asked all of her siblings to put together an email of quotes, scriptures, etc. that we loved.

As I thought about what brightened my day, gave me hope and inspiration. I looked up and saw the book ... Believe, in what you are doing, Believe in who you are" It is by Hillary Weeks.

I just briefly went through the book and scanned over all the highlighted places. And wouldn't you know it .. I was directed to the phrases that I needed to hear the most.

I know tomorrow won't be perfect not even the next day.. but I'm so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knows me. And I'm grateful for new days to try a little harder to be better.

"When you don't think you can run, walk, or crawl one more step, put things in the Lord's hands and He'll make up the difference. He will give you the strength and endurance you need to finish the race! Believe that the Savior will make up the difference and you will be enough" - Hillary Weeks

" I Testify to you that God has known you individually for a long, long time. He has loved you for a long, long time. He not only knows the names of all the stars; he know your names and all your heartaches and your joys!
- Elder Neal A. Maxwell

"Believe that your name, your life, your circumstances and concerns are know to the Savior and that He speaks of you to the Father Daily" - Hillery Weeks

Sisters Weekend

Our sisters weekend started with surprising our sister Bethany and flying her to Orlando. She found out the morning she woke up that she was flying to somewhere.. IT WAS AWESOME!! She was so surprised.

Me, Emily, Bethany, Jacqueline and Emily all stayed at a house in Orlando for 3 days. We stayed up late, slept in and ate a ton. Girls weekend just wouldn't be the same without some Victoria Secret!!!
The weekend was filled with lots of laugher, talks, cries, then we went to the movies, hit up the MAC makeup counter, shopped and got some spiritual recharging at the temple. It was perfect!