Fancy Chloe!

Hey there!

Below are pictures from Chloe's 1st birthday party. Such a cute little girlie! We love her so much and get such a kick out of her. She's growing up fast, and her personality is really coming out -- through her small, toothy grins and all!! :-)

As I said in another post, we had a Fancy Nancy party. (I'll try to find a link for her once I get one!) Anyways, enjoy some of these snapshots from her party!

The Cake!!

Waiting timidly for the party to begin! ;-)
You guessed it -- Fancy Nancy!

Poppa & Chloe

Even sparkles in her hair!

Awww!!

Everyone was decked out to the hilt!

Grandmas & Granddaughter

The party!! (Note feathers, jewels, fur, ties, crowns, tux, gloves and hats!)

Cousins

First birthday cake

Even though she had a little help...looks like she's had enough

Lacey, Erin and Abby

For shame. ;-)

Griff & Ab

The cool parents!! ;-D

One cool baby

Happy Birthday!

Hello all!

Hope you all enjoyed a nice Christmas! We enjoyed ours! It was fairly relaxed and Griff, Bek, and Chloe came over to celebrate the holiday with us. Pictures soon to follow! ;-)

Well, guess what? It's someone's 2nd birthday - mine!! (What, you thought I was older?!) Okay, okay, it's actually my BLOG's 2 year birthday today. Over the past two years, I have written/posted 152 posts - published and unpublished, utilized hundreds of templates, displayed pictures, and met new friends. I've throughly enjoyed my blogging years and will look forward to more in the future!

So, at this time I would like it if you (that means all my blogging buddies, friends, family and the "lurkers"!), to take just a moment and leave a comment telling me a little bit about yourself, where you're from, and how you found my blog.

Thanks so much!

Merry Christmas!

It's okay -- I'll go ahead and say what you're thinking....

It's about time!!!

Ahh...now we can all breathe and be happy again! :-) Yes I have to agree -- it's about time that I posted something on here! I won't try making excuses. I've been very neglectful. But, just because I may lack consistentcy does not mean that I haven't been busy.

I'll start things off by writing about our Thanksgiving. Over the years we usually visit our relatives, near or far, and spend the holiday with them. However, this year we decided to celebrate at our home with just Griff, Bek and Chloe. We had the traditional festive fare, including, "Sweet Home Alabama Dixie Pie"! (Okay, so we've officially dubbed Dixie pie with that name! Have you tried any?) It was a good time of visiting with my brother and his family.

The next big event was celebrating my niece's 1st birthday! The in-laws and "out-laws" came over to join in on the fun and spoiling. :-) The party was themed around the children's storybook character, "Fancy Nancy". So, that meant jewels, fur and feathers were all in order! (Yes -- we did!)

Lately our lives have been filled with preparations for Christmas, including decorating, baking, church Christmas program, shopping, colds, a wedding, and printing family pictures to send out with our annual Christmas letter. It's all coming together! (Hopefully I can get our picture up here along with snapshots of Chloe's day.)

Before I go I thought I would ask you to leave a comment telling about your favorite Christmas traditions. What are they? Have you started a new tradition this year?

Well, just in case I don't post anything until after this week, have a very Merry Christmas!

*Happy Thanksgiving!!!*

AbbyNoellePhotography

Hey all! I just wanted to let you know about the newest addition to AbbyNoellePhotography! You can now stop by and visit Miss Abby at AbbyNoellePhotography's website! Be sure to check out the blog as well since it will continuously be updated!

Texas Time

Howdy ya'll!! In case you're wondering why I'm greeting you with a Southern drawl, it's because the festivities featured in this entire post took place in Texas! Our family had the privilege of attending the wedding of Eric and Hannah, which was held out on a ranch in San Antonio.

Rehearsal dinner

Isn't that cute?!
We also got to pay a visit to the Alamo (Dad was taking this shot!)

There it is!

Decorations

The bridesmaids

The little ring bearers really enjoyed this!

Little flower girls

Mr. D and Hannah

The happy couple!!!

Reception time...isn't that beautiful?!

Wedding cake

Groom's Cake - right along with saddle!

Mrs. Hannah S. and Lindsey

Awww...

Yeehaw!!!

God's Love

"Put together all the tenderest love you know of,

the deepest you have ever felt,

and the strongest that has ever been poured out upon you,

and heap upon it all the love of all the loving human hearts in the world,

and then multiply it by infinity,

and you will begin, perhaps, to have some faint glimpse

of what the love of God is."

~Hannah Whitall Smith~

*Highlight*

As I told you in my last post, I was going to include the link to Abby's website to see the wedding pictures. My sister absolutely LOVES taking pictures!!

Click on the picture and it will direct you to her website!

AbbyNoellePhotography

Enjoy!!

Here I am!

So it's taken me a little longer than I had hoped to get this post up! Well, I'm not going to give excuses but just dive on into the deep blue of updating you! *smile*

Over the past month, things have been very very busy around here. I've really enjoyed getting to travel some! The third weekend in August, I made my very first "solo" flight to Indy for the W.I.T. Conference (Whatever It Takes) being held in conjunction with IBLP. There were over 200 people in attendance listening to several different sessions covering several topics, by Paul & Jenny Speed. Those topics ranged from the Christian's testimony, being open and broken about sin, listening to God's voice, and to marriage. I met some very nice girls while there and hope to continue building those relationships. I also spent a little time with my grandparents before heading back home.


Then, over Labor Day weekend, my family and I traveled out to visit with my grandparents. Our family hadn't been back there since Thanksgiving, so, it was good to be in the Hoosier State again. *smile* (A little sidenote here, I really like Indiana! Very quiet and pretty...one of the very few places I've visited and could actually say I wouldn't mind living there.) Anyways...one of the highlights of our trip was that we got to go to a college football game. (Insider info here, my little brother, Thatch, absolutely LOVES football!!)

This past weekend brought the marriage of two very dear people. Ab had the very special privilege of being one of the back-up photographers at the wedding. Once she gets her pictures up I'll give you the link.

In just two days we'll be packing our bags again for yet another wedding! This time our little 15 passenger van will take us to the great state of Texas!! I've been very psyched about this trip! I'm so looking forward to traveling to some places I'm not very familiar with. Several years ago, my brother and I went down there with my grandparents...but we only passed through a couple of the places we're going. So - I'm looking forward to it!!

Below are some pictures from my time at the conference and our visit to my grandparents' place.

Some of my friends. L~R: Anna, Bailey, Brooke and Beth During one of our breaks

All my roommates! L~R: me, Sara, Lauren, Amy and Joy

My roommate and fellow blogging friend, Sara

My roommate, Joy

One of my teammates, Jessica

Grandma, me, Grandpa

The Indianapolis Airport - SO cool!

After my family picked me up from the airport, we ate at a local pizza place. A man making different balloon figurines created this for me. He was pretty good!

Abby and Tanner

The Family

Dad, Mom and Ab

Molly-girl and me

"The Tan-Man"

Ab & Thatch during dinner

Dad - our designated driver!

"Oh, goody-goody - a post!!"

Enkay, well, maybe not a great post...but still a post! *smile* Since I haven't finished my new post yet, (and since I might possibly re-write the one I do have!) this will have to suffice for the moment.

I hope you get a kick out of this! It's pretty cute.

"Sacred Singles ~ Christian Speed Dating" ;-)

Hopefully my *real* post will be up before long, until then - enjoy!

Comfort

"I have been through the valley of weeping,
The valley of sorrow and pain;
But the 'God of all comfort' was with me,
At hand to uphold and sustain.

As the earth needs the clouds and sunshine,
Our souls need both sorrow and joy;
So He places us oft in the furnace,
The dross from the gold to destroy.

When he leads thro' some valley of trouble
His omnipotent hand we trace;
For the trials and sorrows He sends us,
Are part of His lessons in grace.

Oft we shrink from the purging and pruning,
Forgetting the Husbandman knows
That the deeper the cutting and paring,
The richer the cluster that grows.

Well He knows that affliction is needed;
He has a wise purpose in view,
And in the dark valley He whispers,
'Hereafter Thou'lt know what I do.'

As we travel thro' life's shadow'd valley,
Fresh springs of His love ever rise;
And we learn that our sorrows and losses,
Are blessings just sent in disguise.

So we'll follow wherever He leadeth,
Let the path be dreary or bright;
For we've proved that our God can give comfort;
Our God can give songs in the night."

Streams in the Desert