It's Haircut Time!

Okay, so I know I am WAY behind in blog posts. It's been a crazy last couple weeks with us being out of town for Thanksgiving, working on paintings for Christmas season, etc.... I'm going to try to catch up in the next few days.

Here are some pics of Brayden's 1st 'official' haircut in a salon. It was a cute place for kids where he got to sit in his own car and 'drive' while they cut away at his hair.

Pre-haircut...check out that hair!

It was getting crazy in the back!

He was loving getting to 'drive'!

All done...and SO cute, if I may say so myself...

which I can, because I'm his Mom!

Silly Boy!

Not too long ago, I heard Brayden waking up from his afternoon nap. He usually sits in his bed and plays for a few minutes before he is ready to get up, so I waited a few minutes before I went into his room. When I did, I started cracking up! I had put him to bed with just a tshirt and diaper on, and when I came in...no more tshirt! He had *somehow* gotten the shirt off by himself...which I was thankful that it hadn't been his diaper that had come off first. (That would NOT have been as funny!) He seemed pretty impressed with himself and definitely wanted to show Mommy what he had done.

I have the best hubby!

Can I just post a quick blog about my hubby...he is the BEST! He stayed home from work today and took care of Brayden so I could go out with "the girls" to the Nutcracker Market...an AMAZING holiday market with about 400 vendors down at Reliant Stadium. We had a blast shopping the day away! He is so sweet to do that, and I am so thankful for a hubby who is so good to me.

I love you, Juan!

The Ledge

In our kitchen, there is a ledge. It is a window sill that overlooks our front yard, and it is the perfect height for Brayden to plop down on and look outside. He loves to go over to the window and, once I raise the blinds, he'll just sit on that ledge and look at the cars drive by, at the birds in the trees, and at all the plants that sit directly opposite the glass panes. It is a place of rest and a place of discovery. It reminds me to sit and rest - to "be still and know that He is God." (Psalm 46:10) It reminds me that we all need to just look and enjoy God's creation. It reminds me that I need to embrace and enjoy the simple things of life. We all need to find those "ledges" in our lives where we can unplug from everything and simply "be."

So...where is your ledge?

Halloween 2009

This year, Brayden was a dinosaur for Halloween. We went trick-or-treating up and down our street. It was funny, each house we went to, he tried to go into their house to play. Our little guy has truly never met a stranger!

Brayden, ready to go!

A drink break during trick-or-treating

Walking down the street to our neighbors' houses

He loved ringing the doorbells of the houses.

Pumpkin Patch 2009

This week, we went to our local pumpkin patch to pick out a couple 'punkins.' Brayden loved going around and trying to pick up (and throw) the pumpkins...I was just praying that one wouldn't bust all over the ground. We had a good time being out in the fall weather - yes, it is FINALLY feeling like fall here in Houston! It was also fun looking back at pics from last year's trip to the Pumpkin Patch...wow, how our little guy has grown.

Our happy little guy

Brayden, the Mummy

'Which one should I pick?'

'I like this one!'

'I like this one...and it's the perfect size (like a ball)!'

Our punkin' - 15 months old

Laughs with Mommy

This is one of the pics from last year's trip...

he was just 3 months old!

...Look at this year's pic (on the SAME bench!)

He sure has grown!

Mommy's Little Helper

These days, Brayden LOVES to help out around the house. (I hope it lasts as he gets older!) He loves to follow me around as I do the laundry and help put it in the washer & dryer. He loves to help push the vacuum around (or start the Roomba...our automatic vacuum).

He is also beginning to grab the fork or spoon that I am feeding him with and help put his food in his mouth. I'm amazed at how he is developing and growing to acquire these new skills.

Being a mom is something I have always desired, but I never realized how amazing it would be to watch your little one grow and experience the joys of life. I pray that as Brayden grows, that he, like Jesus, would "grow in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man." (Luke 2:42)

Clipboard Frames

In our living room, we have a very long wall that I have never been sure how to decorate it. I have thought about it long and hard, and one day while strolling through Anthropologie, I had an idea! I just love their displays and feature walls...whoever thinks up these abstract pieces is genius! They had a giant painted canvas with different sizes of clipboards attached at varying depths with sketches attached. I am always changing out Brayden's pictures and have SO many that I would love to display in a non-tacky way...so my mind started spinning. After many drafts in my head...and a couple trips to IKEA and Hobby Lobby, I came up with this...

I have a long shelf that I leaned a 30x40" frame on. I got various sizes of clipboards (which make easily interchangeable 'picture frames,' and I painted them all black to make it all look cohesive. The vertical clipboards are all simply hung on a nail, and the horizontal ones are hung on a nail and have a secondary nail through on the other end for support.

My inspiration piece in Anthropologie

I laid the clipboards out on the floor before hanging (and took a picture), so I could reference it as I hung them.

My long living room wall...now nicely decorated!

I hung another shelf and leaned a picture frame up against it to frame out the cross hung on the wall.

I hung picture frames directly on the wall (without backing so the wall color shows through) to showcase the cross and 'HOPE' hanging.

Clipboard frames

I LOVE being able to change the pictures out so easily!

Etsy Art - Acacia Custom Art is back!

Well, after awhile of 'burnout' and of course the busyness of having an infant, I am back at it with my art. I am excited and am enjoying this creative outlet of painting yet again. I started out with a few pieces in our home and have broadened it to include some pieces I am selling on an amazing site for handmade items: Etsy. Here's a couple pieces that I've made for our home and for sale. You can check out my shop here.

Here is the piece of my favorite verse - John 10:10. I did this for our home, but I also have a smaller version on Etsy.

Joshua 24:15 - I love this verse!

Abide in Christ!!!

Love this verse...

A mixed media canvas collage similar to one

I've done for our home. This one is on Etsy.

Jumpin' Joey's

Recently, one of Brayden's friends had her 1st birthday party. It was at a local place called Jumpin' Joey's. It is an indoor 'park' of giant inflatable toys. We took Brayden down slides and jumped in bounce houses. He wasn't so sure what to think of it all at first, but then began to laugh and have fun sliding.

Check out Brayden's face...

he wasn't so sure about it at first. Ha!

Jonathan jumping with Brayden...

rather, double-bouncing Brayden!

Olivia Harris jumping w/ Brayden.