Christmas in Troy

Pops with all the gran-children
Nana with all the gran- children.
From left to right Ella Joy, Addison, Graham, Cole, Aliee Grace & Owen (baby).
Yes, we bathed 4 of them at 1 time. It was hilarious!
Top Row: Hope, Holly, Meggan. Bottom row: Alex, Joy
The five girls and their kids.
Right before we opened gifts.
We headed to Troy on Friday to join my family. It was a blast with all the kids running around and being with my sisters. We just keep growing and it is fun and tiring to be apart of a big family. We had a wonderful time and I think all the kids enjoyed themselves too. They really get along and play kind with one another, for now.

Christmas Day

I hope each of you had a wonderful Christmas and were able to spend it with family and friends. We enjoyed the morning here at home with Ella Joy and then went to Mimi & Papa's house for a little bit. We enjoyed being with them. Ella Joy loves being at her Mims & Papa's house. There is so much space and so many different things to do.Mimi & Papa gave Ella Joy a kitchen. She adores it and is already cooking us many delicious meals.

Here she is showing Aunt Lizzy how to boli the water.Christmas morning at our house. She was thrilled to have blocks to play with.
She is stacking the blocks and building something for daddy.
Her first look at everything. I think she as a little overwhelmed to begin with. It took her no time to warm up.

Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Lydia Parmer came from Purto Rico to play with Ella Joy. They are 11 days apart. They were in the States for Christmas. It was great to see Ben, Nikki, Lydia & Thomas.
Family photo after church.
Me & my sweet little (big) girl.
She loves to ride this rocking horse that Granny & Grandaddy gave her for Christmas last year.
Pointing out the Cross & Snowman on the Christmas tree.


It truly is the most wonderful time of the year! I love this time of year being with family, with friends, with Ella Joy & Trey and away from school. I love what this season represents and the HOPE that has come to us, Our Savior. Since I have been at home this week and even in the evenings I turn on the radio to 96.5 to listen to Christmas Music. Ella loves to sing Frosty the Snowman and dance around. I don't know if any of you listen, but at different points the radio station plays a clip from Charlie Brown Christmas. Charlie Brown ask what Christmas is all about and Lucy says she knows and she starts into," There were shepherds in the field..... I love hearing the story in the child like voice. I pause each time I have heard it and just reflect on how magnificent a story it is and try to grasp all that it encompasses. Merry Christmas and may your hearts be filled with JOY this Christmas Season!

Merry Christmas

I mean is she cute or what? I know, I am biased. These are a few pictures from our Christmas Card shoot at home. She has changed so much this past year.
Say Cheese!
My 2 favorite people. I am looking so forward to spending time with them both as we celebrate our Savior's birth.

Thanksgiving Pictures

My mom has already decorated for Christmas. This was after Owen's baby dedication.
The car ride down to my parents house.
The girls all dressed alike for church on Sunday.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is GOOD; His love endures forever" Psalm 106:1. Thanksgiving has come and gone and in reflecting on the season, my heart longs to live a life of gratefulness and to pass this attitude on to Ella Joy. Therefore the question, "How do I teach gratefulness & thanksgiving" must be addressed. In processing these thoughts, I have concluded that is comes down to everyday living and how Trey & I model gratefulness & thankfulness for Ella Joy. And that by God's grace we will instruct our children to be grateful and thankful to the Creator who created them. That even in the hard times, we will be grateful. When things don't go as I (we) have planed, I (we) will be grateful. I (we) will be grateful because the Lord has done great things and all of God's promises are true.

May we all live a life of gratefulness because of what Christ has done.