New Beginnings!

Well, I feel like it's probably time to update the blog since I haven't even looked at it in over a year! So much has happened in Carettiville over the past year that a few things should be mentioned. First of all, we are in the process of building a house. Of course it will be in Carettiville, just a little further down the road. I resigned from my position at Sonshine to look for a full-time teaching position in the city system. (I didn't get a full-time position, but I have been super busy with extended leaves and achievement testing). Sophie started kindergarten this year and she is blowing us away! Walker started middle school in the fall and that is a complete nightmare. He's doing great, but I'm a wreck! He's in the middle of soccer season right now. Livi is rocking right along at MDO. She's absolutely hilarious and has the craziest hair I could have imagined. Tons of crazy curls! Josh has completed 2 marathons this year and is getting ready for his next big project....building our house!
For the next year (hopefully no longer) this blog will be devoted to the construction of our new home. It is my goal to post weekly pics and project updates. We have picked out our house plan and are in the process of making the last modifications. Josh and I actually went over to the lot this afternoon and measured off where the house will sit. That was interesting. I have been assured that the house always looks bigger after it has been built.
At this point we are waiting on the land to be surveyed and deeded. Then we will be able to go to the bank to get our construction loan. SCARY!!!
I'll be posting pics of the land and our house plans later this week. Stay tuned.

Here is a link to the house plan we chose. We have made several modifications and the house will (more than likely) be white hardy board with black shutters.

http://www.eplans.com/country_house-plans/HWEPL72776.hwx

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
Ok, so it's actually been looking like Christmas since September if you've visited a Hobby Lobby or Wal-Mart. I really don't like to get started too early but I wanted to get some things posted in time for Christmas orders. I love this time of year and so far this is one of my favorite pics. This was taken at Carlton's with Santa (aka- Mr. Delbert). He is my second favorite Santa Claus ever. Poppy will always be my favorite, and the best, because he really was such a Santa at heart.
Last month I turned...30! Don't worry, no emotional breakdowns in the near future. I was actually really excited. Josh threw me an awesome surprise party and I was also given a wonderful new sewing machine. I can now monogram and do custom appliques. The new machine will actually allow me to program an applique and let the machine do all the work. I may do that in the future, but for right now, I enjoy designing and cutting my own appliques. I am still learning the monogramming part. There are several fun fonts that I still need to put on my machine. It's a process and I am doing my best to learn how to do everythin the right way so that I can provide people with a quality product. As always, everything is handmade and custom. I can work with you if you have a design in mind or we can start from scratch to come up with something completely unique to your child.
Please don't think I've forgotten about Thanksgiving! I have so much to be thankful for, it would be awful of me not to mention the many blessings bestowed upon me daily. God has been so faithful to me and has supplied me with a life that is far beyond anything I could have hoped for. I thank God for all of those blessings and it is my wish that all of you have a very happy Thanksgiving, followed by a wonderful Christmas!

Getting Crafty

OK, so it's been a while since I've posted anything crafty. The holiday season is fast approaching (at least that's what Hobby Lobby would like me to believe) and I'm feeling creative! I made Sophie's nap mat and bag for school this year and they turned out so adorable (see pics). I also made the girls matching Bearcat shirts for the Cullman Blackout Game last Friday night. The shirts will be back this year and I'm currently working on some new designs. I'll also be adding some new Christmas items for the home. Still working on those ideas as well. Let me know if you have anything you'd like for me to work on. I love a challenge!

Nap mat laid out with matching appliqued blanket.

Folded and tied with lime green and brown polka dot ribbon.

Happy Birthday Baby!!!

One year ago today I was preparing to go to the hospital and deliver baby #3, our precious Livi. I can't believe how fast this year has gone by. What a blessing she has been! We celebrated her birthday Sunday by throwing her a luau birthday bash. We had a great time even though it was crazy hot outside. Tons of friends and family showed up to help us wish Livi a very happy first birthday.

April Already?!?

WOW! I can't believe it's April and I haven't updated since January. We've been a bit busy and the blog took a backseat. We have been busy with basketball, baseball, ballet, babies, and busting our humps running. We've also been to Disney World and celebrated Easter. I'll have to blog those separately though. Way too many pics to share this time.

Walker finished up basketball and now we are on to baseball. Yay! My favorite sport season! We're 1-1 for the season so far. Walker's batting average is 1,000 right now. Woo hoo!

Sophie is preparing for her first (and last) Spring Show with her dance company. She looks too cute in her dance costumes. Too bad she doesn't enjoy it more. She'd much rather be hunting for bugs in the backyard. Preferably while wearing the very expensive dance costumes.

Livi has also been very busy. She spends her time eating paper products and looking for electrical outlets without safety covers. She's also crawling at a lightening fast pace and pulling up on everything. She still won't drink from a bottle or a sippy. She is eating real food though. Baby steps, right?

Josh and I have been running...A LOT! You could even say it's become a bit of an obsession. We ran in the Bloomin' Festival 5K this weekend. It was our first race together. We both came in 2nd in our age brackets. (Don't ask how many people were in our brackets) We have at least three more races coming up in the next few weeks.

We were also honored and blessed to be named the godparents of Miss Emily Jane Long. She was born January 24, 2009 to Jeremy and Michelle. She is absolutely precious and adored by many. April, Allison, Mama, and I hosted a Sip and See in their honor in March. She was so well-behaved. She didn't mind being passed around and the ride to and from B'ham didn't seem to bother her either. What a doll!

Emily Jane Long

Happy New Year!

Another Christmas has come and gone (very quickly)! We had a very busy Christmas season and the kids were overwhelmed, as always, by the generosity of their family (especially their grandmothers), friends and Santa. This was Livi's first Christmas and she thoroughly enjoyed the decorations, lights and eating wrapping paper.




We are now preparing for our trip to Walt Disney World! It is my absolute most favorite place on Earth. I have now spread my love/obsession for Disney to Josh. Patti (Granna) and Bonnie (Baba) will both be going with us again. We are so blessed to have moms that would willingly go to WDW with us and our threee kids for a week. Posted are some pics from previous trips to Disney. This year we will be celebrating Sophie's 4th birthday while we are there. She has no idea that she's having her birthday while we are on vacation. She'll be getting a princess makeover at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and then having brunch at Cinderella's castle. I am so excited!!! For her, I'm so excited for her.

One week to go

Bama the Wonder Pup

East Elementary Spelling Bee 2008

Walker (runner-up) Mallory (3rd) and Arabella (winner)

Walker and Arabella in a spell-off that lasted at least twenty minutes.

I can't believe it's only a week until Christmas. This year I started putting up trees the week before Thanksgiving in an effort to stretch out the season and not feel so rushed. It didn't work. This Christmas season has passed by faster than ever. I still have lots of shopping to do and I never even put lights up outside. I think I'll blame it on the kids. They've kept us super busy. Sophie has had ballet lessons, ballet end-of-the-year parties, preschool parties and church choir. Walker has had basketball, spelling bee (runner-up!!!) and Jr. Beta Club induction. Lots to do and lots to be thankful for. Livi has had us on our toes too. Not really. She's still absolutely wonderful and ridiculously easy. We also got a new puppy. Bama. She's adorable and the kids are so excited to finally have a dog. Baba is pretty excited that it has stayed at our house...so far. I hope this post finds all of you enjoying a happy, healthy holiday season. Have a Merry Christmas and a fabulous New Year.