ornaments...

I made some ornaments this weekend for some kids in my life.

I decorated my blog for Christmas and added Christmas music!

Giving Thanks!

So thankful for...
my husband,
our jobs,
God's love,
our salvation,
our health,
2 arms and 2 legs and all my fingers,
my parents,
my sisters,
our family,
the 5 senses,
great friends,
the USA!,
freedom,
our home and
all the little blessings in life.

We are so blessed!

"I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever." Psalm 86:12

Happy Thanksgiving!

27!

Yesterday I turned 27!
I really can't believe it!
I was blessed with some wonderful birthday gifts!

Alan got me this Candlewick punch bowl. (Not this exact one, but one
just like it). Mine was ordered off Ebay and
hasn't come in the mail yet.

He also got me this antique beaded garland!

I love it!

Paige, Zack and the boys got me this cute tray!
It is very similar to the red and white polka dot one
I already have. Mom mentioned that
peanut-butter balls would be very pretty on it because
of the brown and lime green.

Paige also got me this little glass dome.
It is so adorable!
The present sitting inside it was from Mom and Dad.
They got me some black bling-bling earrings.

Mom and Dad also got me this Cheese ball platter and knife.

Love the black and white and the "S"!
Lauren gave me this fun purse. I love it!

And she also gave me this cute little hand towel.

The saying is perfect!

And look at Santa holding Rudolph!

I don't know what I would do without my friends!

Alan's Grandma gave me a Hobby Lobby gift card.

I still haven't spent it.

My in-laws gave me this book! I have been collecting these each year since 2006. It has great decorating ideas and recipes!

Please pray that our house will sell soon!

It has been about 2 months since anyone has looked at it.

Please pray that God will prepare a place for us when

our house does sell!

Thanks!

So full...

of Lieu's Peking that Lauren and I devoured for lunch!

I mean we devoured that food!

We were starving by the time we ate lunch at 3:00!

of love for Gage.

(isn't he adorable!)

I often think to myself (and outloud I guess)...

If I love Gage this much how much will I love my own?

How do you put motherly love into words?

He is such a precious baby!

So happy.

Looking back on his "pre-homecoming" pictures today made my eyes

well up with tears just thinking about all that he has been through in his life.

of amazement at God's love for us.

How he healed Gage.

How he carried Lauren and Chris through.

How he loves us so much.

Sometimes I wonder how can He love me so much?

How do you put His love into words?

Reading the Shack renewed just how personal our God is.

And how he is especially fond of us!

"That if anything matters, everything matters."

of love for Lauren.
Lauren and I have quite the special friendship.
We have been friends for over 10 years now.
I'm certain we will be friends for many more years to come.
Sometimes I wonder why we are so blessed to have each other.
How do you put our friendship into words?
We know each other so well.
I love watching her as a momma.

And so thankful that encouragement comes right when needed...
For example, I am talking to my friend Sarah H. from nursing school tonight.
She and I have used to work night shift together in the STICU.
We don't talk often, but when we do we have so much to say! :)
She asked me about our house...had it sold? etc...
And of course I had to tell her no activity...in weeks...maybe months...
That it is so frustrating...and it seems like it will never happen...
She told me she knew exactly how I felt...and she probably shouldn't have asked me...
She and her husband recently had their house on the market for a year.

And in God's timing it sold!

She said it will sell...God's plan is perfect...there is probably something better out there for us...
I know all that...but forget about all that...because its thrown in my face almost daily.
It was just good to hear...so timely...so true...
Because "if anything matters, everything matters".
Thanks Sarah! I so needed that!

Well, I am trying to upload some pictures I took today. I took them in RAW rather
than L whatever that means...and I can't upload them...Pioneer Woman failed to mention
that. Oh well...

Well, it's been a great day!
Tomorrow is my Monday!
Time for bed!

leaves & dogs

Yesterday afternoon while waiting for
Alan to get home from work I picked up my camera and snapped

some leaf pictures...

Then I took some dog pictures...

This is Speckles...Alan's parents dog.

So ugly she is cute!

And Dixie...who do you think she is looking at...
I'll give you one hint...Alan was home by now...

list...

Where is your mobile phone? desk
Where is your significant other? tree
Your hair color? natural
Your mother? loved
Your father? crazy
Your favorite thing? just one...
Your dream last night? crazy
Your dream goal? business
The room you're in? messy
Your hobby? creating
Your fear? death
Where do you want to be in 6 years? healthy
Where were you last night? here
What you're not? fake
One of your wish-list items? lens
Where you grew up? Alabama, South Carolina, Texas, Georgia
The last thing you did? eat
What are you wearing? clothes
Your TV? home
Your pet? Dixie
Your computer? Athens
Your mood? bored
Missing someone? Boo
Your car? Camry
Something you're not wearing? frown
Favorite shop? Hobby Lobby
Your summer? change!
Love someone? absolutely
Your favorite colour? PINK
When is the last time you laughed? afternoon
When is the last time you cried? 2 weeks ago

You are supposed to answer these questions with one word only.

However, I am a girl of many words.

This was really hard for me!

Did I mention I was bored?

the Shack...

is an awesome book so far.

I am on Chapter 5.

I know I have been blowing up the blog today. I have so much to say!

today...

I'm over the black and white polka dots...ready for something plain again!

I'm thankful for such a beautiful day outside!

I've been working on my Christmas list!

I need to wrap two presents. One for Nathan and
one for Laura and her baby girl who is un-named at the time!

Alan and I spent all afternoon with this little man yesterday!
He has given us a little itch...

I mentioned before that I ordered Lauren a
cute birthday gift!
Here it is!
It is really hard to capture the cuteness of it!
And for those of you wondering where I got it...Etsy of course!

I just bought William P. Young's The Shack. Maggie posted on her blog about it. Laura told me I needed to read it. And Lauren's mom has read it. And loved it.

Here is a picture of Maggie's new puppy, Janie! She is too cute!

I spent part of the morning browsing online for a new camera lens. I think I have decided on the Canon EF 50mmf/1.8.

Is anybody else ready for the election to be over with?

no place like home...

Saturday afternoon I noticed the light streaming in the windows
in the breakfast room...

It just looks like "fall" light.

Even though we are only "home" every few weekends...

it still feels like home!

There is no place like it!

We had a super weekend of just being together!

I am so thankful for my husband!

He is so selfless!

He puts his wants aside (i.e. to go hunting every minute of every day)

and goes to Athens with me for the weekend.

He takes me to antique stores and wherever else I want to go.

He always makes "Hollie" time, and isn't ashamed to tell anyone about it!

Sometimes I wonder why God has blessed me so?

The picture below is my take on a mini-caramel apple...
The recipe came from my friend April's blog!

I used mini-reeses pieces, Heath toffee bits, chopped pecans, and sprinkles.

Alan told me they looked better than they tasted and I must agree!

Oh well, at least they were cute!

tour de ornaments...

Last weekend Mom asked me how many ornaments I had...
I really had no idea.

(I always get teased because I inventory everything!

Since I was a little girl I have always organized and counted everything.

Even when I was 2 years old...

So of course my sister and momma gave me a hard time about

not knowing how many ornaments I have...

And if you are wondering I have a detailed list now!

Thankyouverymuch.)

So on Saturday night...I counted them...192!

I spreaded them out on our guest bedroom bed!
Solid in front! Designs in the back!

Got these (below) on Saturday!

Different and totally cool!

Don't really remember where I got these,

but they are in great condition!

And they are coordinating!

I think this is screaming

"Vote for John McCain"!

Not really! But it is very patriotic!

I got this at an antique store in Athens in January!

This is a beach ball ornament!

Love the colors!


These are "preppy"!

I got these on Saturday from my favorite antique store in

our little town!

I love the little points!

These 6 ornaments came from Goodwill a few weekends ago!

Here is a close up of the blue and red ones!

Now, can't you see why I need some antique beaded

garland for my birthday?

My antique tree won't be complete without it!