She's here!
Miss Jolee Raye arrived on Wednesday, July 8th at 6:46 pm.
She's healthy and happy and we're adjusting to life as a new little family of three. It may be a little while before I post anything new. See you when we've got our feet under us again. :)
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March is a month happily crammed with birthdays for our family. Scott & I get to take part in four celebrations just in our immediate families - talk about constant happiness (and yummy desserts). I'm tangled up in ribbon and wrap and gift tags for 31 days and wouldn't have it any other way.
The gift inside this package was a pink and white gingham baby photo album for Scott's Mom. We promised to keep it filled with photos of the baby when she gets here. I used some big tags, a fabric-covered brad (I think by Amy Butler), and some different kinds of ribbon.
We have two nieces coming up the next two weeks - so more pink and fun is on the way!
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We're having a girl!
She'll arrive in the heart of summer, so the theme of her room is bright and bouncy (with a side of sugary glitter). I've been gathering things up both for using in her room and as color inspiration.
I found the sparkly pink bunny yesterday at Hobby Lobby for 40% off. It's an Easter decoration, but it'll be perfect for some cuteness on a shelf. I want to paint some pictures, use all sorts of papers in different ways, re-do some old pieces of furniture....the list is long and growing and overflowing.
I'll keep you posted.
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It's true that my lunch yesterday was the sausage and pasta bake. Half my lunch was the sausage and pasta bake. I felt a little liar, liar, pants on fire for not showing the rest. What I left out of the picture was the ginormous bowl of cold cereal that's been accompanying most of my lunches here lately. My thought processes have been running thus.."Tuna salad? Wouldn't that be wonderful with a side of soggy, yummy Life."... "Leftover meatloaf? I think a bowl of Rice Krispies with bananas would really complement that nicely."
The culprit? Little baby Snelling that's getting here sometime mid July!
He (or maybe she) loves his cereal - and just carbohydrates in general. I've been choking down protein and veggies just so I can get to whatever gorgeous carb is my reward. Normally fresh veggies are my best friends. These days I'm passing right by them with my nose in the air and heading straight for the aisle full of bright colored boxes.
My only disappointment so far..Trix. They just don't taste like they used to. They've got some sort of weird, radioactive looking blue flavor in them now and it's just not the same. Though Life cereal is my all-time favorite (and the one I always go back to), I think I'll also be giving my old friends Lucky Charms, Count Chocula, and Cocoa Puffs a go. I'm an equal opportunity craver.
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For, after all, put it as we may to ourselves, we are all of us from birth to death guests at a table which we did not spread. The sun, the earth, love, friends, our very breath are parts of the banquet... Shall we think of the day as a chance to come nearer to our Host, and to find out something of Him who has fed us so long?
~ Rebecca Harding Davis
Have a warm and yummy Thanksgiving!
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I admit I am one of the worst repeat offenders of getting caught up in my business and letting that rule my world. Since I love what I do, I can easily let my business (and busy-ness) seep out of my studio and start taking over my life and all my time. And that is so uncool. My husband deserves better, my family deserves better, and I deserve better.
So, yesterday I took a step to try to change all that. I invited my Mom, Mom-in-law, Grandma, Aunt Jo, and SIL (sister-in-law) Katie (plus sweet little new niece Macy) over for Girl Day. I sent out an emailed invite, paid to have the house cleaned (go Sally!), and set a cute, but not ultra time-consuming table. I bought rotisserie chickens, made some pasta salad, sauteed green beans with almonds, and fixed a peach crisp for dessert. Easy peasy.
We had the best time. The conversation flowed here and there and was so light and easy and fun. A group of women together is such a comforting, yet re-charging force. I think all of us felt the magic stirred by a combination of generations and experiences.
I was going to take pictures of the food on the table and all of us at the party, but got so caught up in having a fine time that I forgot. Please do yourselves a favor and take time this summer to have a Girl Day with your best family buddies. Whether it's shopping and lunch out at a cute little place or a picnic on the patio, invite the girls over and just revel in the gladness of being together.
Have a great weekend!
Holly
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Macy's here!!!!
Our new little niece arrived early Saturday morning and didn't give her Mama much trouble at all. My brother called us before we were even out of bed and we got to meet her when she was only about an hour or so old. She has a bunch of soft brown hair that the nurses put a little lavender bow in.
Cutest little thing you ever saw.
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We had such a fun time yesterday at Katie's baby shower. Though, as is kind of typical with me, by the time the actual party rolled around I was needing a snack and a nap. :) But the show must go on.
We're not big game players at all, so we planned a party of just visiting, laughing, gift opening, and a light tea/supper buffet. This is Katie opening a baby blanket that my Grandma made for her. (That's Grandma to her right and Katie's Mom to her left.)
Katie & Macy got onesies and outfits galore, a beautiful appliqued hooded towel with "Macy" on the back, loads of baby care items like lotions and diapers, toys, and a few nifty items I didn't even know existed. One was a little container for your diaper bag that holds a roll of plastic bags to help dispose of dirty diapers and store wet/dirty clothes. Soooo handy looking. One of my cousin's wives also made Katie a wonderful personalized scrapbook to fill in with photos and memories of Macy's first few months.
When I went gift shopping for the shower, I seriously wanted to buy one of everything from the baby girl section, but I settled on a diaper depot organizing station, a Munchkin wipe warmer, some cuddly cute print washcloths, and some adorable little caps and burpcloths with cupcakes and butterflies on them.
After opening gifts, we moved to everyone's favorite part of the day - munchies! We served chicken salad on mini croissants, sweetened pineapple/cream cheese/pecan spread on wheat bread, nuts (including those to-die-for Honey Crunch cashews from Target - oh yum), veggies and dip, Easter candy, pretzels, and Mom's homemade Cherry Delight which is like a no-bake cherry cheesecake.
It was kind of a dreary day outside, but inside all was sunny and bright.
And we can't wait to meet the darling girl we've been waiting for...
Holly
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Tomorrow my Mom and I are throwing a baby shower for my brother's wife Katie. They have 3 older kids and now little Macy is coming along, so we wanted to do the event up right. We decided to go natural and beautiful for the decorations and chose these bright roses and some amazing long-stemmed white tulips from Kroger's flower buckets. (Which I think are the best anywhere.)
We'll arrange these in some simple vases, add platters of chicken salad sandwiches and cherry delight, and we'll have us a party.
Holly
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And after long years of spiritual homelessness...here is home. An old thread, long tangled, comes straight again.
~Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Cross Creek
I never thought in a million years I'd finally find someone like him. After asking God and asking God, then giving up on that, finally coming back to that, all the while not really believing (but still sort of hoping) that it would actually happen...he arrived. I guess good things really do come to those who wait. I'm lucky, blessed, and at last home.
Happy Valentines
Holly
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