Acacia Custom Art

For the last few months, I've been creating paintings for friends and also for my Etsy site online to sell. A friend from college who now lives in Colorado ordered a painting for her parents for Christmas. She was so sweet to write about it on her blog. Thanks, Lori, and I hope your parents are enjoying their new art!

Here are a couple new pieces that I have done:

Snow Angel Video

Here's the video from the 'snow angel challenge' yesterday...

Christmas Blizzard in Oklahoma

A blizzard has hit in Oklahoma for Christmas, and we got a White Christmas...and a very snowed-in Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, Jonathan had a 'brilliant' idea to go out in the blowing snow and do a snow angel...just in shorts! He challenged my brother, Paul, to do the same. Amy put on just a t-shirt and shorts and joined in the 'fun.' I chose to opt for the job of photo-taker instead of diving head first into the cold snow. It was a fun memory...and here are a few pics of the adventure.

Jonathan, after a face-dive into the snow

Amy, jumping into the snow

Paul, after his face plant into the snow

Freeeeeeezing cold after it all

Christmas Photo Shoot 09

We had such a privilege to have a good friend, Kristi Thornton, take pictures for us for Christmas this year. She did such a great job! Here are some of our favs...

Silly Little Guy!

Coming to find Mommy to show off his 'pants-head' look

A Christmas Story

I have been on the hunt for the 'perfect' nativity scene for the past couple years, so when I started out on my quest again this year, I remembered one thing - I have a one-year-old who tends to throw things on occasion. Beautiful, fragile nativity...not a good idea. So I passed up on my search this year, but I found an amazing alternative; and it's one that he can play with! I found a nativity scene just for Brayden. He is loving playing with the pieces, and it also provides a great way to teach him about the true meaning of Christmas - Jesus!

One thing about this nativity is that because he can play with it, he likes to put the people and animals in the places that HE thinks they should be. See a rendition of his roof-rockin' stable below...

Shopping with a New Twist

I made a discovery at our local grocery store. They now have these cute little cars on the front of a few of the grocery carts. Our little guy is just at the age to really enjoy it and be able to stay up there by himself. So I strapped him in and took off through the aisles. He LOVED it...well, that may be an understatement! He sat there so content, smiling and waving at everyone we passed. He honked the little horn the entire time and just had a BLAST! Looks like that will become 'our' cart each time we head to the store!

Tall Guy in a Little Car

...need I say more.

Well, I just have to say, I think it's HILARIOUS that you can see his knee!!! Let's just say we'll never be getting one of these cars.

It All Happened So Fast!

A few weeks ago, I had an opportunity to go speak at a college women's retreat at Stephen F. Austin University. It was such a great time, and I truly believe the Lord moved in great ways during the weekend. I pray that God continues to move in those girls' lives and that He will use them in amazing ways on their campus! During the weekend, Jonathan held down the fort at home with Brayden. He texted me with this hilarious picture and said, "I didn't believe it could happen so fast." See, Brayden has one cabinet in the kitchen that he can get into an 'play.' It's the Tupperware cabinet. He likes to pull out the plastic tubs and paper plates and play with them. Jonathan said Brayden went into the kitchen and just a minute later had all of this already pulled out... So funny!

"It all happened so fast!"

At the BSM college women's retreat at SFA

Me & Emily - one of our former students who is now at SFA

New Moon Premiere

So, yes, I did go to the midnight premiere of New Moon - the 2nd movie of the Twilight series. I went with a few friends from church, and we had a blast! Before we headed to the movie to stand in line for, yes, 3 hours, we had our staff wives' Bible study. I decided to have a fun little Twilight display of stuff to get us all ready for the movie. We had a Twilight quiz with a lovely golden onion as the prize (Thanks, Erin). I put multiple quotes from the movie all around the snack table, and each person received a Twizzler 'bites' pack for a movie snack. They were wrapped in labels from Hostess {with the mostess}. The night was so fun, and even though I got home at 3am, it was well worth it!

Me, Erin, & Tia...ready for the movie!

Kristen, Kristin, and Whitney