Another year away

Merry Christmas everyone! Well a little late I know but still. Hope it was great to everyone. I have plenty of sweet Christmas pictures to share which will be posted later but I wanted to say thank you to all who were thinking and praying for me about the interview. I got the job and I start on the 6th of January!! I am so excited about how perfect of a fit this is for our family. It is weekend hours and I can let them know my availability a month in advance. Pray is a powerful thing.
Dawson is still loving station 1 and everyone on his shift has been very welcoming to us. Josiah was so amazed by the snow we had on Christmas day and loved seeing everyone! He is so social and would rather be around people than with me alone or sleeping. So we are just now attempting to get back to a routine. Merry late Christmas again and a Happy New Year if Im not back on here before then!

Lately

I know, I know. I have been pretty bad about updating on here. But! I have good reason. It is the holidays and I have been busy making presents for myself and for others to give. So I think I am excused. Anyway, we have had a rough few weeks but hopefully on are the down hill part. From cars needing repairs and bank accounts getting low, we have gotten to be very settled home bodies. Josiah has been sick for the past few days so I have had the privilege of learning how to take care of a screaming, runny nose, feverish little boy. Needless to say sleep around here has not been happening. So exhausted and stressed I go in for an interview tomorrow at Primrose Cottage. I am going in for the wedding director position. It would be perfect for my schedule and would get my foot in the door for actually planing events myself. So pray for Josiahs little body to feel better and that I do well tomorrow and that they like me and all that good stuff :) Here are a few pictures of one of my latest projects as well as a few of Josiah and Dawson. Until next time...

This is how my sick little man likes to spend his morning

I took an old quilt from my moms and cut it up into stockings! Super easy and turned out pretty cute.

All of our stocking on the mantle. 

Nothing New

Sorry it has been a while everyone. Things have been how you say "on edge" around here lately. We have come to the sad realization that it is time for me to start working again. Only a few days a week but none the less I am very sad. Actually, beyond sad. But it is what needs to be done and my husband has had no luck finding anything part time. I know a lot of people are in a similar if not harder position. So I am trying to have a good attitude about it. Josiah will be fine. And things will be less stressful at home. At least that is what I keep telling myself. Either way prayers are appreciated and any words of wisdom are as well.
Josiah had his 4 month check up about a week and a half ago and grew 3 in! Pretty ridiculous if you ask me. The nurse measured his length and head circumference twice to make sure she didn't do it wrong. He is rolling over mainly in his crib, and loves standing up :) Hasn't gotten to where he enjoys sitting up yet but we are working on that one. I don't think he is interested in it actually. Just wants to go straight to standing.
Thanksgiving is here and every year I am disappointed at how warm it is!! When I think of Christmas and Thanksgiving I think of cute jackets, scarves, boots, and that cold bite in the air. I also think about taking walks down to the lake at my parents house and my nose getting so cold and runny. Funny the things that seasons make you think about. Last week I was remembering the smell of a dirty locker room before a basketball game and the nervousness I feel before we went out to play. I really miss it actually.
I have been busy making Christmas presents and different things with the awesome sewing machine my mom gave me a few weeks ago! After Christmas I will post a few pictures (cant yet because don't wanna give anything away) :)
Until next time....

Fall Shower

The shower had a great turn out and I think everyone enjoyed themselves! It got a little chilly at times, but the hot apple cider and tea I think helped take the bite away. The morning started out with me making quiche for the first time in my life. I was a little nervous, probably should have practiced but it turned out. After the quiche was in the oven and Josiah was down for his morning nap, my neighbor who is NEVER home, and who's house is an eye sore, decided to show up and start doing yard work at 10 am with a mower without a muffler!! Can you feel my stress level rising? I tried everything to get his attention from across the fence and since I had Josiah asleep in the house and the monitor doesn't reach that far I had to settle until he was awake to go and ask him to take a break from 2-4 pm. While I was waiting to go speak to him, Josiah was sleeping, quiches were baking, I was still without a shower, my door bell rings. Who else but Jehovah witnesses here to tell me that I am going to hell. So standing there at 10:45, still in my pj's, yelling over the noise from next door I, as kindly as I could, got rid of them as fast as possible before I blew a gasket. My sweet friend Rebecca came early to help me set everything up and do last minute things for me and I had her jump the fence and see how long my neighbor was going to be working outside like that. She got him to agree to stop before 2, which is when the shower began, and was such a help to me the entire day. From helping me set the table to carrying the chair outside for Elizabeth to making the baked brie last minute so that I could finally bathe.
The shower in my opinion turned out very cute! My sister Helen was sweet enough to bring a little table she has for her little boys over for all of the kids to site and play at. The weather was perfect I think. Not to cold but cold enough.
Elizabeth is due mid December and looks so great! I havent been able to see her lately because of busy schedules and illness but I am so happy that I was able to host the shower for her.
I thought it was really cool how alot of the presents she received here home made. From blankets and burp cloths to the little wash cloth duckies.
Here are a few pictures, there are so many I want to post but I have already gone on way to long! Enjoy!

One of the center pieces

Before the kids took what they wanted off of it to play with :)

Elizabeth and her daughter Emma

                   Rebecca and Amber, couldn't have done it without them!

                           Going to town on a lemon cupcake!

A few of the kids at the kids table

                                My nephew Wellington playing in the house

                            My amazing sister Helen and her youngest Fielding

Outside work

So the long awaited baby shower is tomorrow and my sweet husband has graciously been running around with me and for me for the past two days as I go get odds and ends, tables and chairs, and try to clean the yard as best I can. Did I mention that while I was trying to clean it up two weeks ago I got poison ivy ALL over my body!!!!!! Never having had this before lets just say I was miserable! I guess its just the pregnancy hormones still working their way out. Anyway, all that to say that I have not been in the mood to go pull weeds and move dirt lately. So Dawson is doing it for me  :) He cut down two tress two weeks ago and after he cut them he decided he was done for the day haha so they have been cut up laying all over the back yard. On top of the construction site that has been my drive way for the past month.
So I was taking a break from the inside cleaning to play with Josiah before he goes down for a nap and I look out the window and there is Dawson sitting in a rocking chair next to a huge fire he has built back in the fire pit. :) Can you blame him though? I know he will get everything done for me, he always has and he does it with such a great attitude. I need to not freak out and cut him some slack. Even as I type he has started on moving the trees. ah what a funny sweet husband I have.
O man this is going to be a long day :)

...because its fall of course!

This past week has been a little crazy. Seen a lot of family which has been so much fun, but also we have been working on the basement and other little project around the house that I will post pictures of soon. We had planned on going to get apples with my mom, little brother, and my sister and her two little ones, but the weather didnt permit us to go pick them ourselves so we made the hour long drive with three car seats across the middle row of my car, up to Ellijay to the apples houses! It was so much fun! Even though things got a little noisy at times and none of the babies slept for longer than 15 min at a time, they all did great!
Later that week we went to Berry Patch Farms to get pumpkins and introduce Josiah to the owners. Dawson grew up right next to the farm and doing work there was his first job. So everyone wanted to see and meet Josiah. Of course they all think he looks just like his daddy (which I honestly dont mind :) ) We had fun, his grandmother got the picture she wanted, in the outfit she wanted. I felt silly for dressing him so matchy matchy but she bought him the outfit and asked multiple times if he could wear it so, I figured why not right? Anyway, the week has been successful and full! The basement is coming along! They started the framing around the duct work and the siding is primed and waiting for me to paint it...ahhh!!! I should probably get going on that before this new week is out since I do have a baby shower here this weekend. Lots to do! Here are a few pictures of the trip to get pumpkins! Pray I keep what little sanity I have as this week gets going.

Did I mention?

I was feeling poor, as I usually do, as well as in the mood to craft. I decided to go to Goodwill down from our house and see if they had any old wooden hoops, the ones you use to cross stitch with. Instead of finding any of those I found a huge! bag of vintage ribbon! Talk about hitting the jack pot! There was such cool stuff in there that I couldnt help myself. So I bought it. On my way home I was feeling a little guilty because I didnt have anything right then that I could use it on but it was only $15, and how could I pass it up right!? Anyway that is my exciting news on top of the fact that my mom gave me a sewing machine as an early Christmas present!! Im pretty excited about all of that and just thought I would share! So keep your eye out for future projects I may be sharing in the near future!

Fall Days

This week has gone by so quickly it seems. The trees in our back yard are changing color and every afternoon I find myself taking a moment and being caught by their beauty. I love where the Lord has placed us for this time. He has a funny way of knowing exactly what you need before you do.
Josiah is growing like a weed and we are finally getting back into a normal routine. I never realized how much I love having whole days with my husband. But the past two weeks of having him home for 48 and gone for 24, although not ideal, have been just what I needed. Life has been a whirl wind and I am just now feeling settled into the new life the Lord has blessed me with. I know that things are going to continuously be changing and that I am never going to be done learning and being challenged. But for right now I am thankful that He is giving me a little glimpse of His love every afternoon when I see the beautiful colors out my kitchen window.

Lets play catch up....

During the pregnancy I had a dear friend take a few pictures for me. Those pictures turned out pretty much be the only pictures I have of that time. I thought I would share them. I just received them after we did a mini photo shoot with Josiah yesterday, pictures of which are posted in his little section. :) Here are a few of my favorites.

Graduation!

So last weekend was FCFD graduation and his birthday all in one day. Needless to say all three of us were exhausted by the end of it. Forsyth did a great job on the ceremony and it was evident that they cherish the group of men they welcomed into their family last Friday. Here are a few pictures of  the ceremony.

Here they are replacing the shield on the front of their helmets from R(Recruit) to P(Preliminary).

Taking their oath as Firemen

I am so proud of him for completing this step. There were 13 that graduated together. Dawson will be going to one of the busiest stations in the county, which will give him the experience he needs to continue to be the fire fighter he wants to be. Pray for all of the men and women that continually are preparing to lay down and sacrifice their lives for others safety.

Latest Project....

We have a couple friend that is getting ready to welcome their second little one! I am throwing a baby shower for her the beginning of November and wanted to make her something as a present. Here is what I came up with. They are super easy to make and I think are turning out pretty darn cute. My only regret is not using a better quality wash cloth, but for the next few I will definitely remedy that. I got the idea from Martha Stewart Ill add the link if anyone is interested!http://www.marthastewart.com/article/washcloth-duckie

 It is getting a little chilly in the morning and here is how Josiah likes to spend those mornings!  

12 Weeks