Miracle on Country Oaks Road...and the surrounding area.

We were all supposed to be leaving this Wednesday to go to Denver, CO. Levi has to go for work so we thought that the kids and I would tag along and we would stay a couple of extra days so that we could play in the snow. But then my car, the main family vehicle, died and we found out that it needs a complete new engine. So we decided to save the money that we would have spent on the trip and put it towards either a new car or new engine. We were really bummed because we were really excited about seeing the kids play in actual snow and not the ice that we in Texas all think is snow. But then a miracle happened...it snowed like crazy in our own backyard!!!! (And front yard, and other people's yards and kind of all over the place.) It was quite ridiculous how excited we (Levi and I, the parents, adults, grownups) were over the amazing, beautiful gift that we were given. I know that the snow wasn't just enjoyed by us but there is a little part of me that wonders if God kind of had us in mind when He decided to make it fall for an entire day nonstop. Like maybe He wanted to watch us enjoy the snow just as much as we wanted to watch our own children find joy in playing it. It will remain a special memory forever.

Levi giving Addie her first snowball.

Jack was so worried about our already dead garden.

You can't really tell from the picture, but Addie kept going cross eyed from looking at the snowflakes fall so close to her face.

The view from our back deck.

Jack was still in his pjs because he couldn't wait long enough to get dressed before running outside. I had to fight him just to put his boots and coat on.

Addie didn't like that she couldn't walk very well in the snow.

This was the morning after the snow had stopped and EVERYTHING was white. It was so beautiful!

Jack attempting to sled in our sandbox turtle shell. (At least we got some use out of that thing.)

My boys.

Do you like my sock hands? My gloves were being worn by Jack because we couldn't find his. Maybe I'll start a new trend.

View of our pond from the side.

More sledding.

Just looking at the picture makes me cold. I don't know how Levi didn't notice that most of his stomach was showing? Maybe he was numb.

Addie was sunk in the snow but at least she was laughing about it.

Look at Jack's huge hands...at least he wasn't stuck wearing the socks.

We started a snowball fight...everyone against Jack. He absolutely loved it. He laughed so hard every time he would get pounded with another snowball. Boys are weird.

I love this picture. Pure joy.

Addie and Daddy

Levi decided he was going to make the biggest snowman ever. It ended up not being the biggest but it was the best snowman to ever grace our front yard.

Addie didn't want to go in but she also didn't want to stand in the snow so she sat in her chair while we worked on the snowman.

The newest member of the Pope family...may he rest in peace.

Sugar and Spice

Lately Addie's little personality has been busting out and it is all girl. It has been so interesting to notice the differences in boys and girls...and from such a young age. I have always been girlie (except for that stint in 5th grade where I wanted to be a tomboy...and then it was just so that they boys would want to be around me.) But I never realized that being girlie is innate. I figured I would have to convince Addie to wear dresses and tights and to not roll around in the mud with her big brother. But surprisingly enough she chooses all these things for herself. Already at 15 months she has an opinion about what she wears, the girlier the better. We make countless wardrobe changes throughout the day and are constantly changing jewelry as well. And then there are the tutus. Addie has several but I only let her actually play in a couple of them. But even when the kids are outside playing in the dirt, Miss Addie Grace has to look her best in a pretty tutu.

Sporting her pretty blue tutu over blue jeans and accessorized with pink tennis shoes.

Okay, so this outfit isn't so girlie but she is still super cute!

This outfit was all her own creation. She picked every item out. Pretty cute if you ask me.

This cracks me up because she was wearing so many socks. We just got our gas bill in ($450 big ones) so I decided we were just going to bundle up and leave the thermostat set low. Addie kept finding socks and bringing them to me to put on her. She even wanted them on her hands. She looks like a little gangster in her brother's hoodie but she stayed warm.

Practicing What I Preach

As I sit here and start to blog I am overcome with a ridiculous sense of guilt. I feel guilty because I probably should be folding the laundry that just got done drying or getting a head start on dinner while the kids are still napping, or working on my store's financials, or writing my store's next ad, or taking out the recycling which is overflowing, or basically doing anything that isn't for me. I decided to ignore this feeling of guilt today because I know that I cannot be the only mom out there that feels this way. So maybe I'm supposed to confess to my secret guilt so that someone else out there may not feel so alone today in theirs.

I don't know what it is about being a wife and mom that causes so much pressure. To be honest I don't really have many outside sources putting pressure on me. My kids wouldn't care if I didn't make some elaborate meal for dinner and just served reheated chicken sticks, my husband isn't going to care that I didn't jump on the laundry the minute it stopped drying, and I get to make my own deadlines when it comes to my store. So why all the pressure? I really have no answer for this one. If someone out there does, please clue me in.

But for the very first time in my whole life I feel too overwhelmed. Don't get me wrong, I've been overwhelmed before. I was overwhelmed when I was working full time going to college and building a house all at the same time but even then it wasn't unmanageable. But all of a sudden I feel like I will explode or implode at any second. My first thought was to talk to my doctor about getting on some kind of anti-anxiety medication. (now this should alert you to just how crazy I feel because I am usually not in favor of prescription meds. I mean I run a health food store for crying out loud.) But I've decided to take a different approach for now. I've decided to actually practice what I preach. (Just a note, I am not saying that I think medication is unnessesary.I do believe it is important to treat anxiety with every means possible. For me personally, it is a last resort.)

So I have two things that I have begun...The first being that I am going to focus on my nutrition. I kind of let things get out of hand over the holidays. We no longer had a set routine so I completely stopped taking my vitamins and we were always running from place to place which meant eating on the run as well. So that all has stopped and I am making a conscience effort to be more deliberate about taking care of my health. It is funny how I put so much effort into my family's health and the health of my customers yet I always put mine on the back burner. Well, not anymore. The second and probably the most important change I've made is to dive into God's Word. I've always tried to have a "quiet time" but other things, such as laundry, for some reason seemed more important. So I would just try to fit God in where I could. Well, I don't know why it took 27 years for me to realize that maybe God should come first but it has finally clicked (or I have snapped ;).) And I have been so blessed lately through my time Him. I can think of three very big concerns I have had weighing me down in which He has lifted through reassurances in His Word. Isn't He awesome?

But, let's face it, I still feel crazy 90% of the time but for now I'm going to cling to the hope that I have in God's faithfulness and in the knowledge I have in my body's ability to cope with stresses when properly nourished. I'll let you know how it goes!

Bah Humbug

Okay, so the reason I haven't blogged about Christmas is because I really am a Scrooge and I couldn't bring myself to sit down and type about how joyful it all was. And I hate that because I know that I should love it. I mean shouldn't I be so grateful that my kids have more toys than FAO Schwartz and we have more family than Abraham? But instead, I bah-humbugged my way through Christmas. I get really overwhelmed with our Christmas schedule.

It begins the day before Christmas Eve. My mom still wants to do Christmas with just her kids and my grandparents. But I usually love this one because we just go and hang out, eat, play, and unwrap gifts. And that is pretty much the way it happened this year except than when it came to unwrapping gifts Jack became a little monster. Mom had apparently gone crazy and bought my kids EVERYTHING! It was a mountain of toys! And Jack decided he was going to conquer that mountain by tearing through every present as fast as he could. It freaked me out that my usually very sweet and appreciative little boy could be so monsterish. Little did I know that was only the beginning. (Unfortunately I had forgotten my camera so no pictures from Christmas at Moms.)


The next morning, Christmas Eve, we were expected to be at Cracker Barrel for breakfast with my Daddy and Holly and my siblings. Usually we would just go over to their house for breakfast which allowed us to still be in our pjs with crazy bed head but we decided to try something new which meant waking up super early to get everyone showered, dressed, and presentable. We then went back to my parent's home to open presents.

Jack was so excited because he recognized his name on the gift!

Daddy and Addie unwrapping together.

Jack sporting his cool new mud boots and showing off his puzzle.

Addie loves shoes and she just had to try on her brother's new boots. Although you can't really tell from the picture, she and Grandma are dancing.

Addie playing with a new toy.

And then for the rest of the day this it what everyone did...stare at the tv and play Jack's new Super Mario game. Ridiculous!

The annual Christmas picture...with my sister's stupid dog.

We were supposed to go to my Dad's extended family later that evening but we try to keep Christmas Eve evening just for us. We watch a Christmas movie, make reindeer snacks, eat junk food, and play with new toys. This was the best part of the whole Christmas hoopla.

Kiddos and Daddy playing with the new race track. Addie loves the cars as much as Jack.

Cracks me up that Jack plays with Addie's babies more than she does! He is going to be such a good daddy!

Somebody is in love!

I am so glad I had already taken pictures of the kids in their Christmas jammies because this was the best one I got all night!

Then it was Christmas morning. We had to wake up super early again because we are supposed to be at Levi's Granddad's for breakfast and we still have to fit in our Santa gifts at home before we leave.

Jack was really excited about these little capsules that turn into sponge shaped animals. They are pretty cool.

Addie Grace had to be woken up and was not very happy about it.

All Jack wanted from Santa was a robot and he was very happy to see that Santa came through.

Addie got a little purse with makeup, keys, phone, and compact. She loves it and carries it all around the house. But she likes to take out all the makeup and puts in Jack's cars instead. Silly girl.

Jack was showing Addie how her doll house worked.

So then we head off to Levi's Granddad's for a quick breakfast and open presents. Granddad's is fun because all the little Pope kids are there running around and being little terrors. Plus all the pictures turn out awesome with the green carpet as background. =)

These tights were the reason I bought the dress. I just love the ruffle butt!

Jack ripping into everyone's gifts.

Addie stayed close to Daddy...as always.

We then loaded up all our new toys and clothes and set off to my Mimi's. This is my favorite meal all year long...well this and Thanksgiving at my Mimi's. Half of our family wasn't able to make it so it was kind of a weird one...very quiet.

Poor Addie has to strip down before she eats. She doesn't seem to mind as long as she is stuffing food in her face...and yes, she has two plates. The girl can eat!

Okay, so this was weird too. For some reason everyone got out my grandfather's guns and decided that it would be so much fun to take a picture with them. Addie and I refrained from looking like the Clampits.

Then home to unload and take a quick nap and then off to the final Christmas event...dinner at the Popes, (the old ones =) Just kidding Karalu...I mean older ones.

Uncle Elias puts his skills to work in the kitchen and always makes the very best steaks EVER!

Addie and Madi playing.

My little sweetheart! Love her!

Uncle Levi and our very beautiful niece, Haley. Love her too!

Haley giving Addie a kiss in their pjs.

Jack and Uncle David being boys and rough-housing.

Seriously...isn't she just a doll?

Amy and I had the impossible job of passing out gifts quickly before the kids ripped into every one of them.

Jack and Haley with their new laptops. Super cute.

Jack and Haley rocking out.

Well, when I look back on it it doesn't seem so bad...kind of nice, at least now that it is over and I know I don't have to do it again for another year. I did manage to join the Snuggie owner club and well, you can't really put a price on the joy that that brings. =)