Cindy Lou

Dear Friends,

Today I feel a little like Cindy Lou Who in the Grinch - the words of “Where Are You Christmas” running through my head.  I am not sure where my Christmas spirit went, but I know for sure I have misplaced it.  I love this time of year, and I am normally Ms. Christmas.  I started listening to Christmas music in October and my tree was up before Thanksgiving. But this year has been different for me.  I don’t know if it was the feeling of everything being rushed or for the first time I felt the pressure to buy the perfect gift for everyone.  We have been surrounded by parties and people, and I not saying those are bad things.  I just feel like I missed Christmas while I was supposed to be celebrating Christmas.  I tried so hard to get it back, but here it is December 26th and I missed Christmas.  

I missed the magic of the lights.

I missed the feeling I get when we sit down and open presents.

I missed my Mamaw something fierce.

I think the problem is not that those things were not there, but that I wasn’t present for them.  I have been so worried about Christmas - I forgot to enjoy it.  I am sorry I know this post may be a little sad for the day after Christmas, but I had to get these feelings out.  Now that I have - I feel a lot better.  I think I shall celebrate Christmas now.  

remind me

So it has been a while since my last post - life has been incredibly busy lately. I have missed this as it is my favorite/only outlet for all of the thoughts that are often jumbled up inside my head. I hate pulling the busyness card because it will inevitably sound like the worst excuse known to man, but it is the truth.  I have no other reason, no other excuse to offer other than busyness.  It is during these times when I forget things and must be reminded of those ideas that are of vital importance to my life.

1.  I have to remember who God is and just how big He is.  In the busyness, I get caught up in my own petty problems and forget that He is Almighty God.  I like the idea that He wants to be my friend, but I love that He is my fortress, my strong tower, and the place from which I gain strength.  You know that I LOVE Nehemiah, and I often go there when I am discouraged or grumpy from being discouraged.  So I thought I would share Nehemiah 4:14-16 with you again.

"When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: 'Do not be afraid of them(those people who were trying to discourage them from building the wall); remember the Lord who is great and awesome and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.'"

2.  This verse also reminds me of who I am - not some weak, little pipsqueak!  I, we are called to be warriors - to fight.  The war belongs to God, but we are certainly soldiers in the battles.  I have two verses for you on this one.  Galatians 4:6 says that,

"Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!'"

And 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us about this Spirit.  

"For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power, and love, and discipline."

I don't know about you, but I just love the idea that God sends His Spirit into our hearts.  Through Christ, we have access to God and His abundance - grace, mercy, comfort, strength, power, the list could go on forever.  There are days, and today is one of those when I have to pray, as Nehemiah did, "O God, strengthen my hands."

3.  Nehemiah 4 also reminds me why - why I get up every day and go to work, why I work with children.  We are fighting those battles for them, for those people God has entrusted to us.  I fight for the 20+ darlings that climb the stairs to Extended Care every day.  I fight for the 100+ boys and girls that darken the doors of the CrossPointe Kids building.  I fight for the ladies that work with me every day, and most importantly I fight for George, Joyce, Candace, Brittany, Jonathan, Madison, Wyatt, Daisy Claire, Papaw, David, Brittany, Aunt Debbie, Ben, Mallorie, the boys, and many other family members.

Maybe you are like me and need someone to say, "Remind me, who do you fight for?"

love and work

On Friday May 10th, our Uncle Allen Sharp left this world quite unexpectedly leaving a gaping hole in the fabric of our family.  The days following went by quickly, were filled with many faces asking for answers, and left us feeling achy, hazy.  I remember bits of pieces of those days...

To be quite frank, I have no great words of wisdom or answers to the questions we all feel after an event like this.  All I can tell you is that it sucks - probably the most difficult experience of my life.  I am pretty sure I went through all 7 steps of grief in the first five minutes and have continued to grow through them in each and every five minutes following.

So instead of some quaint offering that would only act as a band-aid for the pain, I thought I would share some of the lessons I learned from my Uncle Allen.

1.  Love - love your spouse, your family, and those friends who think they're family!  My uncle loved his wife - how many construction-type men do you know that willingly go shoe shopping with their wife just to spend time with them?  That's love in my book!  He was a man who was taught to do everything to the best of his ability, and that standard was not compartmentalized into work.  He was also insanely loyal and generous to his friends and family!

2.  Work - if you are able, you should work and work hard.  Like I said, no half-hearted, piss-poor job would satisfy him.  Do it right the first time - don't cut corners and take the simplified, coward's way out.  He had a low tolerance for ignorance also.  If you don't know how to do something, then ask someone who does!  Uncle Allen was the type of person who could do anything he set his mind to, and he could get almost anyone to do exactly what he wanted to do.  Candace and I joked about him being in the mafia - if you wanted something done, you went to Uncle Allen.

I know that is only two lessons, but I think those are the two things he did really well.  I also think that if we can strive to do those things well, then we will have lived a good life at the end.  I don't know why or pretend to understand why God chose that particular Friday, but I have to hold tight to what I know of God - that He is good, that He has a plan.  Even if parts of that plan make me angry.  Not so much angry with God, but angry that death exists at all.  Times like this make me long for God's promises of no more tears and no more death.

Finally, the lesson I learned more through his death than his life.  Life is fleeting, much too short to hold a grudge.  Those things that we were angry about on Thursday didn't really matter Friday morning and should not matter in the weeks and months  to follow.  Sometimes, I think tragic events can be the very thing needed to shake us from our stubborn complacency and help us see that now is the time to forgive.  You cannot do anything about yesterday, and tomorrow is not promised.  So love the people God has placed in your life and do the job He has entrusted you with today!

weekend wrap-up

So sorry about the silence around here lately - Candace and I have started working out every morning at 5 a.m. which means we go to bed with the chickens.  Hence the blog silence because most of these are written between the hours of 10 p.m. and midnight.  I am working on beginning a new routine moving those late night jobs to early morning jobs!  So now that you are full of my excuses, I thought I would update you on this weekend - Easter weekend.  It was chopped full of so many good things - it is probably one of my favorite times of the year!

The first was on Good Friday and was called "Ascend the Hill" at our church - it is just amazing.  I am still speechless - such a creative way to pause and remember the sacrifice Christ made on the cross.  The event began in the Sanctuary with a beautiful skit based on this one from The Skit Guys and then moved outside to the property to a self-guided tour through the events of Good Friday - the garden, the trial, the scourging, the mocking, and the crucifixion.  Can I tell you it is probably the most moving event I have ever experienced?  You know there are quite a few times when our church does things that make me think I could not love it anymore than I do in that moment, and then we do something else completely unexpected and wonderful again - it's a never ending process for me.  I just love my church - if you don't have a church home, come visit CrossPointe!  

On Saturday, we all went to Mom and Dad's house for dying eggs, hunting of said eggs, decorating the bunny cake, hanging out the three coolest kids ever, and some sister time!    

                                                                             

last pic is courtesy of Candace

Of course Sunday was Easter, and I didn't get a single picture!  Suffice to say it was a beautiful, joyful, and exciting service at CrossPointe followed by lunch at Papaw's, round-table therapy, and front-porch sitting!  I am super blessed to be a part of this community of believers and part of an incredible family!  I hope you all had a blessed Easter Weekend!

Much Love, 

Colie

WW + TBT = FUN

I am super excited today because tomorrow is the last day of school before SPRING BREAK - otherwise known as the week of regaining your sanity just before the school year ends!  I think the children need it just as much as we do!  So in honor of my excitement I offer you a wardrobe wednesday/ throwback thursday combination for your viewing pleasure!

I have recently found Wanelo - it's like Pinterest for clothes and it has a buy now option!  I kinda love it, and I am loving these quote tees that I would pair with a cardigan or blazer that may or may not be completely visible to the whole world.  But you get a chuckle out of it because you it's there!

   

They make me smile, and I hope they have the exact same affect on you!

So as for the promised throwback thursday combo part of this post...

College....

A little further back...

This was a snow day at the first house Candace and I ever rented together...

Okay friends! Happy Spring Break to everyone!

wardrobe + throwback

Okay so I am not so sure this posting everyday thing is for me - so stick with me and I will figure this out eventually.  Tonight I am combining the past two days to make one fabulous wardrobe + throwback!  For your reading/viewing pleasure...

Okay so this wardrobe wednesday does not feature my wardrobe - my apologies!  However, I have to share with you my MOM'S rocking style!  Yes, those are skinny jeans in the first pic, and yes my Mom has perfectly paired pewter and pumpkin! (Try saying that 5 times fast) She has such great style, and I love it!  Go ahead, admit it - my Mom is cooler than yours! 

Now as for the promised "throwback!"  We have pictures from 6 years ago.  The top is when Brit graduated high school - man I want to be that size and that color again.  The bottom is from one of those nights in downtown Hattiesburg that can only be described as college days.  These girls in both pictures are some of my best and closest friends.

Okay that is it for me tonight!  

Much Love,

Colie

happy and merry

Well it's officially cold now in south MS, and it's officially the day after Christmas.  Figures!

Anyways, we had our family Christmas celebration on Sunday so that we could all celebrate with Papaw, spend as much time together as possible, and not have to rush off to another holiday get together.  It was a perfectly lovely day that began at church with Christmas brunch.

I kind of love the simple decorations - made the paper christmas trees thanks to Pinterest for inspiration.  We followed it up with our usual trip to Papaw's for Sunday lunch.

Madi is growing so fast - I can't believe little girl is four now!  After lunch we went to Mom and Dad's for present time that went by so quickly that I didn't get a picture.  Madi said, "this was the best Christmas ever."  I have to agree with her.  When it got dark we all went for a stroll in Mason Park.  Borrowed this pic from Brit!

Yesterday,  Candace and I went to Mom and Dad's because of the weather, and you're always safer at your parents' house.  It makes even the worst things better!  We were very blessed not to have any terribly severe weather in our little community, and I pray all of you were safe.  So I will just leave you with this!

Oh and btw, a few changes coming to the blog in new year.  I think it's time for a little structure!

gratitude

Okay so it has been a minute since I have updated you on the goings on here in the Beaty girl's house and filled your time with my ramblings.  We have been so incredibly busy the past few weeks, that this is honestly the first time I have has time to sit and think.  It was busy, but it has been some of the best times this year.  Great times with unbelievably precious friends that I find myself thanking God for almost every day, a church family that are incessantly challenging me to "live my life outside of the mirror,"* and an incredibly beautiful family make this girl feel like the most blessed girl ever.  I haven't been doing the "thankful thing" on facebook, but I feel completely overwhelmed by my blessings this year.  Thankful just doesn't seem to do justice to how I feel right now.  Perhaps gratitude is better - I am grateful for being the witness and participant to so many beautiful moments the past few weeks.
*This quote is from our pastor - John, and I quite love it.  The conviction that followed was slightly painful but the idea of this life not being solely about me is beautiful to me.
So here are some of the pictures from the past few weeks - what I am grateful for.

Now, I am particularly looking forward to Thursday and spending time with my family, but today is my Daddy's birthday.  We have completely ruined him - he is now calling the week of his birthday "poppy-palooza."  As he is the best daddy and poppy in the world, it is okay to spoil him a little!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Much Love,

Colie

Export

<p>Have you ever thought about what you export - what you pour into your world? I am not talking about legacy - its not about what people remember about you after you die. I am talking more about the attitudes and actions and words you choose to put out into this world.<br>
The pastor of our church has been doing a series called "The Code" where he is detailing a lifestyle that we as a church will ascribe to. Today we learned that we are to be the largest exporters of laughter. Not just silliness but taking the joy we have found to the world. I think that happens in the little things we do.
I was thinking about this while we watched Madison, Wyatt, and Daisy Claire laugh and play, while my Mom and Dad share a look when the grand babies do something sweet, or when Candace, Brit, and I share a great laugh over some memory of something we did when we were younger. For example, when Madi does something so Candace-ish that we visibly wince.
I love these kind of days where we can enjoy our family. There are so many days when we struggle just to smile through the weight of the world that good days must be cherished and enjoyed in all their wonderful abundance.
I definitely want to be more aware of what I am exporting. I want to pour joy into my world - that joy you see on the face of children.

breaking the silence

Well, I am finding some answers for my questions and a few words to break the silence.

Sometimes, I need to be taken by the shoulders and shaken to bring me out of my moments of self-pity.  I mean really, I say I believe that "happiness comes from the quiet nobility of leading a good life," but do I really live that.  I must remember that everyday cannot be a mountain day - there must be valleys here and there.  I think the important thing for me is to be in pursuit of the mountain because I tend to get stuck in the monotony of the everyday.  I don't like change so it is easy for me to become bogged down, but then I recognize the bog and immediately become claustrophobic in the surroundings I found comfortable just minutes earlier. 

Some things I have learned while in the bog and while struggling to find freedom -

• We as a culture tend to define who we are by what we do.  "Hello, I am Jane Doe, and I am a *insert current occupation.*"  Well, what happens when you cant find a job in that field or you are laid off or whatever your circumstance happens to be?  Are you no longer who you thought you were?  Because I do not get paid to teach, does that mean I am no longer a teacher?  I have come to realize that teaching is a part of who I am whether I am in classroom or not.  If you were stripped of your occupation, who would you be?
• I do not like money.  No that is not strong enough.  I detest money.  Having money can make you prideful.  Not having money but wanting money can make you envious and covetous.  All three of those sinful attitudes I can find in myself within the same five minutes, and I loathe those feelings and attitudes.  It is too easy for money to provide a false sense of security, and all too often I find myself placing my faith in money instead of God.  And that is my greatest disappointment in myself because I know that money will fail me and still I decide to place my trust in it.
• Life is beautiful, and family is one of God's greatest blessings.  Tonight we all went to the Mexican restaurant (what Madi calls MiCasita) because tomorrow is her birthday and it is her favorite.  She and Wyatt played and laughed the entire time while Daddy shed a tear or two because he just feels so blessed by them and Mom recounted the story of Lily (her puppy) digging up a snake in the front yard to Madi.  Madi loves stories about Lily and has a love/hate relationship with snakes - she is interested until they are real and present.  Brit and Jonathan sat close together the way they do when Jon is about to have to go back to work offshore for 3 weeks, and Daisy Claire just smiled at all of us.  Then because we all love a great bargain, including we went to Dirt Cheek (what Madi calls Dirt Cheap) where she spent her dollar and had some fun.   I would like to enter into evidence -    

Isn't she just the cutest?

So as I am regaining my wits and repairing the foundation, I can't help but feel blessed.  I must learn to not obsess or stress over money as its existence is something I cannot change.  I can only change the value I give it and my attitude about it.  I hope you are all doing great!  

 
              

generations

I have been thinking a lot lately about generations - future and present.  So I must give you a little bit of background for this so that you will be in the loop.  I have two sisters - Candace, the crazy I live with, and Brittany, the one with the precious little nieces and nephew!

Yes that redheaded little girl in the middle is our sister by blood.  She made it really easy to tell her she was adopted when we were little!  haha just kidding!  We are all very close - I mean don't get me wrong, nobody can make me more angry than those two girls but nobody else can say that and get away with it.  I like to think we are best friends and sisters. That's what you get when your mom sends all of you to the same bedroom and you are not allowed to come out until you talked and worked out whatever your were arguing about.

We grew up surrounded by family as many of them live on the same street as our parents, and summer time meant spending time at Mamaw and Papaw's house.  It was during those summers that we forged some of the closest friendships and shared experiences that shaped us into who we are.  We are still very close to these two crazies - yep they are as tall as church steeples.  A trait that must have come from their father's side.  

Now that we are all grown, we still go to Mamaw and Papaw's house on Sunday to eat lunch as a family.  Things are a little different now, and that is the subject that has been on my mind lately.  All four of us, plus Mallorie (Ben's precious wife), still sit at our kid's table, but we are no longer the youngest members present on Sunday.  Ben and Mallorie have two precious boys.  Brit has three children.  Candace, David, and I are rocking the single life.  We all have grown up jobs and grown up lives.  

Somehow things changed without our realizing, and we went from being the future generation to the present generation.  We went from being the children running around driving each other crazy to the one's chasing the children.  I was blown away upon this realization to be completely honest with all of you.  I suppose I thought I would recognize this great passage of time or there would be some sort of marker on the road that said, "Caution, you are now entering adulthood."   It is now our responsibility to make sure traditions like sunday lunch, respecting the elders, and big holiday get-togethers still have a place in our world.  We are those people shaping a world for children - how scary is that?

It is slightly scary to think about, but I think, in reality, we already do that.  Ben, Mallorie, Brit, and Jonathan are amazing parents to wonderful children.  David, Candace, and I are very involved in our nieces' and nephews' lives.  Our parents along with Aunt Debbie and Uncle Phil are amazing Grandparents to those precious babies.  All of us do our very best to infuse the love we received from our own precious Grandparents into every experience.  So even as we continue to figure this life out, we are shaping their worlds and making memories.

So we have become the present generation - no longer the wait-and-see.  We are the here and now - it is time to make that difference we always said we would!  It is time to be the people that we have fought to be!  Tonight I am full of love for my family and cheesy inspiration, so I will leave you with only this...

a hand print on my heart

“I’ve heard it said
That people come into your life for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow 
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well I don’t know if I believe that’s true
But I know I’m who I am today because I knew you
It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You’ll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have rewritten mine 
By being my friend…
Who can say that I have been changed for the better?
I do believe I have been changed by the better
And because I knew you, I have been changed for good!”
- excerpt from “For Good” from the Broadway Musical "Wicked"


I posted this two years ago around this time as an attempt to describe what my Mamaw meant to me - a job I am not sure I could ever accomplish with simple words.  As the anniversary of her passing draws near, I take it as a time to consider the person I am and people I am pouring love into.  I feel as though I have grown over the past two years while there are certainly areas that require attention.   


One thing I know for sure is that there is an irreplaceable piece of this girl that left when she did.  When I think of the person I so long to be - the person that honors God and her in everything she does, there is an ache and a longing for the things I so took for granted.  The way she smelled when she hugged me, the smell of homemade biscuits and coffee in the morning, the way she said "I love you girls" - those are a few of the things I miss the most.


I am reminded everyday to be the girl she would be proud of, and so I thought I would share with you some of the things that she expected of us - her family, her granddaughters, the people who entered her home.

Love and serve God with all of your heart, strength, and mind.

Love your family with all of your heart.

Treat EVERYONE with respect, love, kindness, and compassion.

Work hard at whatever your hands find to do.

Laugh, laugh a lot.

Feed those who are hungry.

Give to those who are less fortunate than you.

I am sure I am leaving something out, but that shall do for now.  Please do not take the older generation in your family for granted - especially your grandparents.  Love them, listen to them, learn from them - trust me, you will be better for it.

Much Love,

Colie

stop.

So I must say that I love all these blogs that have a weekly post involving a theme, and I have even attempted one - anyone remember "accessories monday?"  I didn't think so - which is why I pondered what I could do as a weekly post.  I think I have found an idea - I want to provide you with a little inspiration through a photo of something that I love and inspires me.  I promise to do my best to keep this up.

Okay so here it goes...

It's Confederate Jasmine from my parent's front yard.  It has the most amazing smell and you can smell it the minute you turn down their driveway.  The vine itself is now huge and completely covers an arbor with a walkway going underneath.  The smell is spring time to me and makes me think of my mom and home and planting flowers!  It's one of our favorite things for the jasmine to bloom - in fact, my mother's exact words to me at Sunday lunch were, "you have to come smell the jasmine."  Roses are fine - a little overrated for my taste, but jasmine blooming in spring is worth stopping and taking a deep, beautifully floral breath in.

I hope you will stop and smell the Jasmine and find a little Spring inspiration while you are at it!

Much Love,

Colie

remember

Remember - that word carries with it innumerable connotations.  Memories flood your conscious from any and every direction.  Memories of good days and bad.  Lots of firsts and probably just as many lasts.

Life has been...well, life lately. Busy.  Stress inducing.  Joyful.  Sad.  All of those wonderful and horrific emotions and experiences rolled into one slightly crazy but wonderful life.  I get caught up in the horrific sometimes, and it is difficult to bring to mind the wonderful.  I don't know if anyone else out there gets that - but there it is.  Recently though, there has been this still small voice just saying "remember."

Remember...

• The Lord is great and awesome (Nehemiah 4:14)
• It is okay to pray for physical strength - Nehemiah prayed, "Lord, strengthen my hands."
• It is a fight - we struggle everyday against powers of darkness (Ephesians 6) and within ourselves
• Finally, what you are fighting for.  Nehemiah 4:14 says to fight for your families and homes.  

Remember...

I often need to be reminded that it is not about me and those things that make up what life is about is worth fighting for.  And every day I have the choice to stand and fight or sit and do nothing.  I let life get in the way - I get busy and that leads to exhaustion.  I get tired.  Then I remember that Nehemiah 4:14 is Nehemiah's rallying cry for the people of Israel who were rebuilding the wall and who were tired!  

Then I remember that what I am to be fighting gets very personal and come with names - My parents, my sisters, Jonathan (bro-in-law), Madison, Wyatt, Daisy Claire, Papaw, the ladies I work with, the children that I have been entrusted with at work.  That is when I must push aside the exhaustion, pray for God to strengthen my hands, and I must fight.  I must fight remembering though that it is not a war waged alone - it is God who gives the self-control, the strength, and grace to keep going even when life is... life.

So, today and all the rest of your tomorrows remember...

V-Day

Usually these things consist of something that has been on my mind or something that I have learned  that seems utterly profound to me; however, today this post is about that holiday coming up.  Which holiday, you ask?  That's right - Valentine's Day.  I have been known to call it "Single's Awareness Day," but I have realized a couple of things that I thought I would share with you.

1.  I am a hopeless romantic, and as such I love the idea of setting aside a day to celebrate the people you love.  Many people consider it just a stupid, cheesy day invented for florists and greeting card companies, but there is some actual history to Valentine's Day which *gasp* I won't go into.  I like to think of it as more of a bookmark for anyone to take a breath and reflect on your own personal history.  Whether that includes a spouse or not, I believe it to be of vital importance to recognize the love in your own life.  I am not married, but I do have wonderfully loving parents, an adorable niece and nephew who show so much love, two of the best sisters anyone could ask for, much more family  that I love dearly, and a legacy of love from my Grandparents. Also, I have wonderful friends and my children at work are so precious to me.  All of this does not even compare to the love of Christ which I feel is continuously poured out on me - I am truly blessed to be surrounded by so much love.

2.  Lately I have been truly convicted about my conduct and behavior.  Am I kind with my words?  Do I show love to both the people I love and strangers?  I think so many times it is easier to show love to strangers than to those that are closest to you.  How messed up is that?  Do I show love to my children at school?  Some of these precious little ones see me more than their own parents, and how many times do I have a bad attitude or become frustrated with them?  The past few weeks, I have really tried to take a step back, to evaluate, to think, and to be more kind with the words that come out of my mouth and to show more love to the people I love the most and to my children at work.  I am reminded of the verse in John 13:35 -

"By this all men will know that you are My disciples - that you love one another."

3.  Okay so maybe it is more than a couple.  Anyways, my attitude and showing love is all part of this conviction to love on purpose.  This may not make sense to anyone but me, but so often I feel like I am on autopilot.  I sleep, eat, work - that's it.  I wake up a week later, and wonder what I did the past week.  I feel so shameful that I did not live that week, day, moment for what they are - precious gifts from God.  I want my life to matter, to serve a purpose; therefore, I must live it on purpose.  I don't want to take anything for granted, and I want the decisions I make and the things I do to serve a greater purpose.  

So this Valentine's Day, I challenge you to look at your life and the chronicle of love in your life.  I also hope that these words are of encouragement on your own personal journey.

Have a great week on purpose!

Much Love, 

Colie

Favorite Things

So I thought I would share a few of my favorite things about Christmas and a little of what we have been up to!  1. I love Christmas lights and incorporating them into my everyday  decor is just a bonus! DIY Pinterest headboard - 1 black and white framed photo, 1 strand of white lights, 4 clothes pins, and printed Pinterest pictures!

2. Sassy new hair cuts and time to go get them thanks to Christmas break from school!

3. Time to hang out with the coolest niece ever!  She loves to help you do anything - so we made Breakfast Casserole for Dinner!

4.  DIY projects for Christmas presents for Secret Santa at work!  Supplies needed - 1 cookie sheet, 2 halves of pretty file folders or any pretty paper, 2 clothes pins modge podged with leftover file folders, days of the week magnets, laminating or sheet protector to make file folders dry erase, and hot glue!

5. Favorite Christmas movie of all time - White Christmas!  My Mamaw used to watch it with me every Christmas, and now my Mama and sisters watch it with me!

6. My parents' Christmas tree - it's big, traditional, homey, and full of homemade ornaments from over the years!

7.  Making Christmas candy and cookies with my Mama on Christmas Eve!

8.  Cooking our Christmas dinner at Papaw's house, wearing my Mamaw's apron that still has spearmints still in the pocket!

9. Our very untraditional Mexican themed Christmas dinner with tacos, rice, beans, and mac and cheese for Madi cause she's a semi vegetarian! 

10.  Christmas presents - pair of bootie slippers and new skillet from Mom and Dad (what I asked for) and body spray and watch from Candace, and a Lane Bryant gift card from Brit and Jon! YAY!

 After all the festivities to come home to our cozy apartment with our Christmas tree and unwind!

So I know it's A LOT of pictures, but I just wanted to share with you our Christmas, and I hope you had a wonderful Christmas as well!