Bbbbrrrrr...It's Cold!

Today the high was 35....Yes I think it is officially winter in my book! We are still at my Grandma's and it is wonderful! My Grandma lives way out in the middle of nowhere! She has a tiny house that has had the same decorations for 27 years and during the winter the house smells of the wood burning stove! Its wonderful! There is always yummy food around here! Breakfast- biscuits, sausage gravy, eggs, ham! Lunch- homemade chicken and dumplings and potato cakes (if you have never had a potato cake..you are missing out! She takes left over mashed potatoes, makes them into a patty then fries them! AMAZING!) What is it about Grandma's cooking! The whole day has just been an awesome day of food and laziness! No laundry, no cleaning...just visiting, eating, and resting!  This is what I call Thanksgiving break!
Jagger has been having a blast with Pop. If he has ask my dad one question he has ask him a million. He follows my dad around like a little puppy dog and if you know my dad this is something he is not use to but it is so good for him- and he is great with Jagger!
Hudson has also enjoyed himself! He has been held and cuddled the whole time. He is almost crawling. I figure in the next week he will be everywhere! Today, he has enjoyed mashed potatoes and homemade applesauce! As soon as he puts it in his mouth, he gets the biggest grin on his face! He knows the good stuff. I think he will be like his momma and turn out to be a foodie! Big brother could care less about food so I need one boy to be with me!
My favorite thing so far is watching my Grandma with the boys. This afternoon she was rocking Hudson and just singing to him. It was so precious and it was a time I wanted to freeze the moment. I love moments like these and I never want to let them go. I love my Grandma so much and it is so special to me when she gets to spend time with my boys! God is so good and I am forever grateful he has given me a super family!
Hope everyone has a blessed night!
Lots of love

Holidays...

I can't believe we are finally getting to the beginning of the Holidays! I have always loved Thanksgiving because its kind of the "kickoff" to the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! Typically every year we do Thanksgiving with my family at my Grandma's. This year we have decided to do Thanksgiving in Kennett with Matthew's family. At first I was kind of sad but the boys and I have come to my grandma's and are going to spend a few days with her! I think this is even better than getting to come down for 1 day at Thanksgiving then turn around and go home! ;) I am also super excited because Black Friday I am going to go conquer Wal-Mart with one of my super awesome friends! Not really sure what is on my list to buy, but I know we will have a blast! Then Friday night, Matthew and I are leaving to go to Nashville. This will be the first time we have been away on a weekend by ourselves! I am really looking forward to spending time with him with no kids! We are going to be going to a wedding and then doing some Christmas Shopping!
So back to Thanksgiving....I love this Holiday because it is centered around my favorite thing....Food! Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, deviled eggs, corn, homemade rolls, and most importantly dessert! YUMMO...I am getting hungry thinking about all the yummy food! When I was little we would leave after lunch drive home, and start putting up our Christmas tree! I would get so excited I could hardly stand it! I feel like now we put the trees up so early! We don't even allow Thanksgiving to get here. This year I have waited to put up Christmas until Thanksgiving! I have been trying to get all of us to truly focus on Thanksgiving and what its all about instead of Christmas decorations. This Thanksgiving will also be special because the doctors told us the other day to let Hudson eat from the table..mashed up of course! We know he is going to love the food...and I can't wait to see his reaction! I know all this year the Holidays are going to be so awesome because we have Hudson with us!

Shoeboxes!

What does a shoebox mean to you?? Do you throw them away or do you keep them!! Me I am OCD and keep all my shoes in the box or at least most! I have boxes and boxes neatly stacked with labels facing out so I know what shoe is where! A shoebox to most of us is just a box that holds our shoes but to others a shoebox may mean something completely different! 

It all started several years ago when I began getting involved in our church! It was after Halloween and they showed a video on something called Operation Christmas Child and basically it is taking shoes boxes and filling them with stuff( toys, stationary, etc) and then they are sent over and given to kids across the world who are without! These kids are also given the opportunity to learn about Jesus! I immeidately was hooked! I got several boxes that day and left the church! Every year since I make a point to get boxes and participate in this! 

This years things have been alittle different! I knew it was time to get started on boxes and Jagger had brought home 1 from Sunday School class. I kept telling myself we have to find time to go get the box ready. Well i had a leadership team meeting and at the meeting the book Operation Christmas Child was shown. Being the crazy reader I am in knew I had to read the book! After the meeting I got the book! Once i got home and got everyone to bed i started reading! Within in the first couple of pages I was hooked! The book is filled with story after storyof how a child will get a box and inside is exactly what they need! Things only God can do! I decided to start reading the book to Jagger. The whole time I am reading I can tell his wheels are turning! I know his 4 year old mind cant comprehend that some of these kids have never recieved anything in their whole life! Finally he says," momma stop reading! This is too sad!" Me: yes this is sad but we have to know and learn that there are people in the world who need help and that is what Jesus wants us to do! So nothing else is said and we go aboit our day! The next day Jagger comes to me and says, "Momma I want to fill some boxes!" Me: "well ok, we have our boxes to fill. We will get to the store and work on them!" Jagger: "no, momma lots of boxes!" He then tells me to get his Bennie on the phone! I call my mom for him and he ask her if she would fill a box for him! He goes on to explain that its to tell kids that we love them and Jesus loves them! She of course says yes! Jagger then asks me if i will take him several places in town and call some people because he needs to ask more people.... Well as of Sunday Jagger has gotten 36 boxes!!! I know we will have more because we have had people contact us and say they would like to do one for Jagger! We are beyond thrilled what our 4 year old is doing! And to know that its not about filling boes with toys. Its about reaching out to others and showing Love and mostly importantly the love of Jesus!!! 

Jagger tells me that next year he wants 1,000 boxes! I told him we better start praying and see what God can do!! I do know at the beginning of the year we will start collecting boxes and items to go in the boxes and who knows maybe this sweet boy can reach his goal! And from now on when you see a shoebox hopefully it wont just be a box, its something much more! 

Please keep Jagger and the boxes in your prayers!!

Hope everyone has a blessed day! 

Lots of love