Merry Christmas

merry christmas week

So excited this week is finally here.

Looking forward to celebrating Jesus' birthday with these boys and relishing some family time.

Make it one to remember...

stalling and the coal project.

I'm so behind. Again. Not real sure if I will ever catch up at this point.

But one thing I know?

Christmas is almost here!!!

And I have been stalling.

Stalling on buying gifts, stalling on sending out Christmas cards, stalling on getting my act together, stalling on properly preparing my heart for the celebration of Jesus' birth!

I've got lots of excuses. LOTS. And some of them are pretty good.

But no more stalling....TODAY IS THE DAY!!!!

Have you heard about the Coal Project? If not you need to go HERE...right NOW.





This is the ADVENTURE I was telling you about in my last post...and I've been meaning to share how incredible and exciting this opportunity is...but...well...I haven't.

I'm hoping I'm not too late.

Did you click on the link to read about the Coal Project? If not, here is my very abbreviated version...

Each box of coal that you purchase buys a locally made charcoal-efficient stove for families in Haiti.

Did you know that everyday 3 billion people worldwide are exposed to toxic smoke while preparing meals??

Cooking on traditional stoves and open fires causes 1.9 million deaths every year. Especially children…who often lay tied to their mother’s backs for hours each day as she cooks. In fact, acute respiratory infection is the number one killer of children under 5 in developing nations.

Charcoal-efficient stoves cut the amount of charcoal needed in half, drastically reducing smoke emissions. It cooks food faster and at a higher temperature. Saving time and 20% of a families income!!!

The design, production, testing, distribution and sale of the stoves will all be done locally...providing jobs and spurring economic growth.

This is such a worthy cause and will not only affect families now but generations to come!

So if you are stalling like me...or if you know someone who needs coal in their stocking join us in this adventure.

Give a gift that REALLY makes a difference in someone's life.



Today is the last day for regular shipping...and if you buy 5 boxes of coal you get FREE shipping. You can read all about how that's possible HERE.

I just bought 5 people on my list gifts...in less than 5 minutes.

And you can too.

GO...

the tribe

sometimes I wonder if I really make a difference.

sometimes I don't realize how crazy blessed I am.

sometimes I wonder what it would be like to go without...to truly be in poverty.

something big is happening.

I want to be a part of it.

So I've joined this tribe...

you should too.






we can make a difference, folks.

you, me, my family, my friends...even this little ol' blog of mine.

head on over...

to Jess' Blog where you can read my highly unanticipated book review on Friendship For Grown-ups.

Be sure to read the other reviews that Jess posted and watch for more this week!

Today, encourage and bless one of your friends...

and thank the Lord for them!

while you wait...

go check out THIS POST about Hunter on Uncle Joel's farm...

I don't know why I'm just now posting it. It's been saved for a LONG time...waiting for me to get with the program.

It's cute.

And I posted it in the correct place so that when I scroll through my blog some day it will make sense (roll with me and pretend I'm an organized person...just for today).

i stink

at keeping this blog up to date.

it kind of stresses me out...

especially when I don't blog about my son turning 3...

that's kind of huge.

and there have also been a ton of other events that I need to blog about...

visitors, parties, Halloween , etc, etc, etc, etc.

So...

I'm working on it.

Soon.

I'll get my act together.

Really.

6 years

Happy Anniversary to my one and only.

My best friend.


The only one I want to be on this journey with.


I didn't think it was possible to love you more...and then you became a daddy.


My heart melts each time I watch you with this little boy...


and this little boy...



I thank God for you.

I cherish you.

I love you.

Thank you for loving me so well.

***************************************

Celebrating tonight by going out to dinner.

(thanks to my wonderful sis and bro-in-law for watching the kiddos)...

Going to the place we went for our very first date...

J.Alexander's.

Yum. Yum. Yum.

tanner {6 months}

Can't believe you are half a year old today.

Geesh. It goes so fast.

The last few months have been a little tough on you.

We've discovered numerous allergies/sensitivities to quite a few things.

You've spent a lot of time breaking out in rashes and throwing up.

You have been to the doctor and specialist a lot.

I think we are finally making some progress.

You have been a trooper.

I love your little personality.

You are so passionate.

When you are happy you are simply adorable...

those eyes...and that smile.

When you are mad you let us know it.

You have an ear piercing scream and you are not afraid to let it out.

You love your brother so much.

Just watching him makes you smile.

You usually stare at him while we are in the car.

Unfortunately, he doesn't love to pay a lot of attention to you...yet.

But he does say, "Good morning, brother" in a very sweet and tender voice

every single morning.

You have started to sit up on your own.

It takes a lot of concentration.

You often get distracted and fall over.

You still love to be swaddled.

You close your eyes almost immediately after we finish wrapping you up.

Somehow, you always wiggle your way out in the middle of the night.

And speaking of the night, you still aren't sleeping through it.

Your hair. It's hilarious.

It's your daddy's favorite thing about you right now.

It continues to grow straight up.

It looks like you stuck your finger in the light socket...

but you didn't. I promise.

You are so precious.

So fiesty.

So loved.

kansas {the farm}

Our last day in Kansas was probably Hunter's favorite.

I hadn't really made it a priority to go see "Uncle Joel's farm" with Hunter and before we headed back to Colorado I decided I better get my priorities straight and let Hunter watch Joel work, see the cows, and look at the tractors...

You know, so I could listen to Hunter talk non-stop about it for the next few months. :)

Thankfully, Joel and Fred were very gracious and let Hunter ride the 4 wheeler, feed the cows, and help with chores...even though it was Sunday morning and they were in a hurry.

Hunter was pretty timid at first but after riding in the feed truck with Fred for awhile he started to warm up.

He loved watching Uncle Joel work.


Fred was so sweet and helped Hunter feed the cows by hand...


and then they decided he needed to get a little closer...

(can you tell his "city-girl" momma dressed him for work on the farm? flip-flops? shorts? oops.)

Hunter was so cute trying to get the cows to come eat from his hand. He kept whispering in a sweet little voice...

After chores, Joel took Hunter to see all the tractors. Hunter LOVES tractors...almost as much as he loves Uncle Joel.

What a morning for our little city boy.

He loved every second.

**Thanks Joel and Fred for taking the time to love on Hunter.

Oh Kansas...


we do love you.

kansas {run for hope & other goodness}

I returned on Sunday night from a wonderful trip to Kansas.

Mostly wonderful.

The ride there? Not so wonderful.

Tanner screamed for 5 hours. I'm not exaggerating, people.

Did I mention I drove to Kansas alone...that is, without any other adults?

Me, a screaming baby, and a toddler.

Hunter and I tried to pass the time by listening to Veggie Tales Easter and watching Polar Express.

Like I said, the trip was loooooong.

But once we got there it was SO worth it and I was glad we made the trek.

I stayed with my bestest buddy, Jess, and I also got oodles of great time with my dear friend, Julie.

We had a grand time.

Stayed up WAY too late. Reminisced. Laughed. And managed lots of little ones.

There were lots of reasons for the trip.

I went to do the Run For Hope 5K...

I didn't exactly run...

But I did finish...pushing the double jogger with one hand and carrying Tanner in the other.

When we got home and Michael asked Hunter what he did on his trip his answer was, "We ran for Cora."

I'm totally lame and have NO pictures of the race...or anything else that happened that day!

I also went to spend some time with Jess & Julie and their darling kiddos.

The last time I saw Julie's little girl, Calla, she was still in NICU fighting very hard.

Now look at her!



I'm pretty sure Hunter has never had so much fun. He was outside A LOT. Who wouldn't be when you can do things like this?







He loved all the open space and freedom to run and play...and he especially loved this red truck...



carrying the can of Drano.

The one that says keep out of reach of children.

Don't worry. It was totally empty...and at least 25 years old...it was Joel's when he was a little boy.

It made me laugh.

When we were inside, Hunter occupied his time with many other activities...




I can't believe we don't have one single picture of Jess, Julie, and I.

Pretty pathetic.

We did manage to get lots of pictures of the kids.

So thankful for my precious friends and all these munchkins.

I sure missed Cora though. I always do.





The trip home was MUCH better. Both kids were pretty close to perfect.

Maybe I will go visit Kansas again... before the boys are teenagers :)

Thanks for letting us stay with you, Jess & Joel.

I LOVED my time with everyone...just wish it could have been a little longer!

That's all for now...

have I mentioned we are putting our house on the market?

I have A LOT to do.

busy, busy, busy...

that's what we have been!

I'll catch you up on the last few weeks with a few glimpses and hopefully expound later...

*We had a big "cousin reunion" of sorts...

at the swimming pool.

It was awesome.

The Cousins...


and the little cousins...look at all those kids!

(and we are actually missing 4 kiddos - Jasmine, Mackenzie, Braden, and Mason)


*We tried to give away our dog.

We didn't.

It was a disaster. For everyone.


*We escaped for a mini vacay to South Fork...





*We went to Michael's cousin's wedding...

with this really adorable little boy...

**and now we are trying to settle into real life again.

And I'm tired.

ha ha ha

So Hunter was on the floor next to Tanner being ever so sweet and he looked over at me and said...

"He's cute, mom. Where did we bought him?"

funny.

very funny.

lennon

I've been doing a few photo shoots lately and loved the most recent one I did with little baby Lennon.

She and her family are just beautiful.

Thanks for the opportunity to capture Lennon at 8 weeks old, Hannah and Sean.

Hope you enjoy this small sampling...lots more on their way!