2011

I feel like I should do a 2011 recap post today but I feel like if you have read my blog at all this year - you have pretty much lived the recap with me.

2011 has been a pretty amazing year.  The highlight was obviously having Hollis. She has brought so much light and joy into our home. And watching Harper grow from a toddler to a little girl is better than I could imagine.

2011 brought Scott a new job that has been a blessing to our family. It brought me a new role of teaching Sunday School instead of just being in a couple's class.

2011 let me travel to the amazon jungle in Ecuador with 4 of my favorite blogger friends in the world and an organization I love deeply so that I could work with YOU on helping children get out of poverty and change the world one kid at a time!

2011 gave me a lot of opportunities through blogging that helps this little mom have a small sense of purpose outside the home. Thankful for God opening tiny doors for me to serve Him.

2011 was a WONDERFUL year! It was also a hard year. A year when I found out being the mom of two kids under two is TOUGH!!! The biggest blessing but exhausting, selfless work. So so thankful!

2011 brought me so much joy with our families and with my amazing friends. I realize over and over how blessed I am. And I don't take it for granted.

2011 was even a good year for the Arkansas Razorbacks! :-)

Last year my only New Years Resolution was to "just survive".  I knew I was having a baby and I knew it would be hard (understatement of the year) and I didn't want to make resolutions to be more organized or to lose weight or to read more because thankfully I had a little wisdom to know I just needed every ounce of energy I had to take care of these girls and keep our home running. That was a great resolution.

This year my goal again is to just survive. But I'm feeling a little more in control these days finally. So I might want to try getting healthier and hopefully lose some weight. I hope to get more organized. I hope to spend more time each day with Jesus. I hope to share my faith more with boldness. I hope to serve God more and serve others a lot more. I hope to give more than I get. I hope to love people I don't feel like loving. I hope to be a better mother. I hope to guide my girls to be amazing little people. I hope to be a better wife. I hope to be a better friend. I hope to be a better daughter. I hope to have a cleaner house.

I'm going to need a lot of Sonic drinks and a lot of prayer to get all this done.

But most of all - I hope to just treasure every moment. We never know when it might be our last day. We never know what tomorrow may bring. I want to just survive this year and live the best life day by day I can.

What about you? What are your goals/hopes/resolutions for 2012?

Show us your life - Wedding planning tips, vendors, etc

I'm a little late to the game today - I apologize.

Today we are focusing on wedding planning. I know a lot of engagements happen over the holidays and for summer weddings - wedding planning is in full swing. For all of you planning weddings or who have daughters or sons planning weddings - I thought it would be great if people (especially recently wed) - could share their favorite tips or vendors or sites that they found things.

If you are listing local vendors - include your area when you link up on the description.

I also wanted to add that starting in May/June - we will do the home tour again on Fridays here. I've had a lot of requests and that is always SO fun and such a great way to get ideas. We may even add some specific things along with rooms like "window coverings", "table arrangements", "where do you put your TV"......If you have any ideas on that - let me know. I'll get the schedule up soon.

Happy Wedding Planning and Happy new Year!

Sweet Day

 I got such a fun treat today! My friend Amanda (my roommate in Ecuador and long time blog friend) was visiting family about 2 hours from me and asked if I would want to come meet up! I jumped at the chance to see her and meet her family! Her little girl Annabeth (the CUTEST little girl) is only about two weeks younger than Harper so we have had a close connection for the last almost 3 years. It was SO fun to finally have them meet after years of talking about them. Of course this was as close as they would sit to each other no matter how hard we tried.

 I was so excited to get to visit with her for a little bit today! She is such an amazing person I'm thankful to call friend!

 And as a bonus my parents were in the same area for a doctor's appointment so they came and met us for lunch after wards so they could see the girls for a little bit.

One of my favorite moments of today was when we got home and the girls both sat and played together with dolls. Oh so sweet!

Thankful for a good day with friends and family!

Christmas 2011

We went to Scott's parents this year to celebrate Christmas. We had a nice time being with family.  I would say Christmas didn't go exactly as we had hoped or planned but nothing ever does with two little kids.

Here are the girls in their Christmas pj's on Christmas eve.

Hollis and I had a rough night Christmas eve. She was up a TON and so the family let us sleep in. Unfortunately that meant Harper was up for about 2 hours before that so by the time we were ready to go in and do Santa - she was in a HORRIBLE mood.  Everyone has warned me that the terrible 3's are worse than the terrible 2's and I didn't believe them but I'm a believer now. It seems we hit it this weekend. Harper had NO interest in her toys. I thought she would be SO excited but she could have cared less. She didn't want to open any gifts either. It really disappointed me.  On the other hand - Hollis was SO excited and happy. She smiled the whole time and played so hard. So that was fun. She was SOOOO sweet the whole time we were there.

I tried to take a picture of the girls in their Christmas outfit and this was the best we could get - poor little sister.

Harper really was WAY more interested in Gigi's piano and organ than she was any toys. She spent most of the time playing on these.  When can you start piano lessons - what age?
(I should add that I'm not planning on getting her lessons anytime soon. Believe me - I KNOW she's not ready. I was just curious what age you should start? 7 sounds good to me!)

The girls and their grandparents

Our family of four.

One big blessing was the girls were PERFECT on the trip there and back. It takes about 6 or 7 hours and neither girl cried a peep. I was SO thankful for that. We did enjoy getting to be with Gigi and Pap-pa and eating good food and making memories.  

Unfortunately - Gigi woke up in the middle of the night yesterday with the worst stomach bug. We got out of there in the nick of time and my fingers are crossed that we won't get sick. I felt so bad for her.

So maybe Christmas 2011 wasn't as magical as I had hoped..................maybe next year? Thankfully we celebrate the REAL meaning of Christmas - Jesus birth 365 days a year. Singing songs about Jesus and hearing Harper pray and say "I love you Jesus" every night is so much more fun than seeing her get excited about some $20 toy. 

I hope y'all had a very Merry Christmas!

British Invasion

I'll write about our Christmas soon but I just have to share this funny video.

Most of the time Harper has the Arkansas southern twang.  But when I ask her a question she doesn't know the answer to - suddenly she turns British.  Maybe she is just practicing up for when she becomes the next princess of wales.

Early Christmas

My parents came to town yesterday and brought Harper home. We are spending Christmas with Scott's family this year so we had an early Christmas with them and celebrated my birthday! Most years our family chooses not to exchange gifts - we just give the girls gifts and spend what we would on each other on charities.  We love to buy for our church's Christmas store for our community instead.  That's my favorite way to spend Christmas! You don't have the stress of buying gifts and you get the gift of helping others!

My Aunt Linda came with my parents.  Linda doesn't have kids so we are kind of her adopted children and she treats my girls like they are her grandchildren also. She is so sweet to them.

I opened some birthday gifts and Harper had a big time helping me. She is SUPER into the gifts this year. Then we went to eat lunch at Mimi's. Hollis fell asleep on the way home so she took a good nap while Harper opened both of their gifts. Hollis wouldn't know the difference this year anyway.

Dawson's favorite spot at Christmas is to lay on the tree skirts under the trees. He is constantly under one of them.

Harper got some fun things. I hid most of her gifts so we can pull things out during the rest of the year and have new things to play with instead of having a bunch of things at once.

This was her FAVORITE thing. My parents got her a disney princess guitar and she hasn't put it down once. She doesn't know we also got her a guitar. Just a regular one. I think she may have a career in music one day.

Her other favorite gift was this tangled doll from her Uncle Chris and Aunt Carrie. She has "brushed and brushed and brushed her hair".  (If you have watched the movie 10,000 times you know what I mean). (Of course my favorite song is "Mother knows best" ha!)

We had a great time yesterday. I got so many sweet messages on facebook and twitter - social media really makes birthdays fun! ha! I hope all of you have a very merry Christmas!

I'm praying for all of you who feel lonely this Christmas - whether you have have lost a loved one or are waiting for a family to spend Christmas with - know that you are not forgotten. I pray Jesus feels the hole in your heart with joy. Unexplainable, unspeakable joy. He can.

Great Day

*****Edited to Add:
Okay - since you all asked - I got the tunic at a local store Riffraff when I was pregnant. It's not maternity but it worked then and still works now. Riffraff has the CUTEST stuff - you can order from them on their facebook page. But they won't still have this probably. The brand is Ryu. I got the boots off of zulily.*****

We have had a nice day here at the Stamps house.  Hollis was SO sweet and happy today. I think she really has enjoyed being the center of attention. And if you are worried about Harper - don't. You can check out my mom's blog and see she is having the time of her life and most likely will NOT be happy to come home.

Hollis had her 9 month check up today and everything looked great. Knock on wood but I'm so thankful she has been very healthy - she has yet to have any kind of sickness. She was the same length Harper was at this age but is 2 lbs heavier! She is around 75% for both.

 After our check up - we met up with some friends for lunch at CFA.  Katie (and Trypp), Taylor, Stephanie and Joyce. We had a great time. It was also funny because I was in line and looked over and saw a guy I went to high school with who I hadn't seen in at least 20 years. I knew he would know who I was but I had to introduce myself because like he said "the blond hair threw him off". 

 This afternoon "Aunt" Laurie and the girls came over to exchange Christmas gifts. No one tell Harper because she would be HEARTBROKEN to know they had been here without her.

 Sarah Kate and Emily wanted to hold Hollis so bad.

 Scott took me and Hollis out for an early birthday dinner at one of my favorites - Abuelo's.  It was so good and Hollis was really good. We even saw one of my friends from college who I used to work at summer camp with who is now Arkansas' Lt. Governor. As if I didn't feel old enough - the fact that one of my friends from school could be that kind of job makes me feel ancient.

Laurie gave me this book for my birthday and I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited! I'm hoping to find time over Christmas to read it. I adore Tim. I think he is just an amazing Christian and role model.  People can make fun of him all they want for praying - I would pick him any day over most of the rest of the athletes who are constantly getting arrested and acting ridiculous.  Dear Jesus - please let my girls marry boys like Tim Tebow. Have you seen this video below? We should all be a little more like him.

Nine Months

Hollis - you are NINE months old!
I can't believe you are getting so close to your first birthday!

You will have a checkup on Wednesday so I'll have to come back and update your stats.
According to me weighing you - you are around 20 lbs. I think you are about 2 lbs bigger than your sister was at this age.
I do know you are wearing 9 month and mostly 12 month clothes.
I just moved you up to a size 4 diaper.

You are a GREAT eater.  We recently started in on table food and you love everything.  You have ate peas, beans, peaches, pears, sweet potatos, avacado, carrots, potatos, cheese, bananas and cheerios.

You usually take two pretty good naps a day. Because of our schedule - you usually only get one good nap at home and one on the run. You have been ready to go to bed by 6:30 lately. You start getting fussy and just pass out. You sleep until around 7 every morning but you get up at least 3 times a night still. You have never once slept through the night. (sigh)

You still just have two teeth - on the bottom.

You are a BUSY BUSY girl. You are crawling EVERYWHERE.  You also LOVE pulling up and standing. You have even stood for a second or two by yourself. I'm scared you are going to walk early. I'm not ready for that. You love to crawl all over the house and get into everything. The fun thing is now you and Harper are starting to really play together. It's so sweet.

You babble a lot. And laugh a lot. You say "momma" and "dad-da" some. I think you are saying "ba-ba" for bottle too. You have a real sweet personality.

You are waving bye and you always reach up for me to hold you! You love to sit in the floor and play with toys - especially in Harper's room.

You are so great to take out. You love to shop and be on the go.

You are GREAT at church. They always tell me how good and sweet and happy you are in the nursery. I am SOOOO thankful for that. Harper never liked the nursery at this age but you gladly go and do so well. It's the best feeling to know I can leave you and you are happy.

Nonny and Papa are keeping Harper this week and I've been able to spend the week with just you. It's so sweet getting to have one on one time with you and just soak up this baby stage.  I love giving you my undivided attention. Even when Harper is here - you are still just as special to me. I love both of you girls equally. I can't imagine my life without either one of you. I am SO blessed to be your mother! I love you!

It was REALLY hard to get your picture this month. You did NOT want to sit still in the bed so this was the best we could do.  You are growing so much. You have changed so much.  I look back at how dark your hair was at first.....

I don't think you and Harper look as much alike in this month.  There are times you remind me of each other and times you are completely different. And it's perfect that way!

Random Thoughts and Confessions

My blog friend Erin has a thing where she posts "Confessions" from time to time. I always get a kick out of reading them.  I sort of felt like spitting out a whole list of my confessions and random thoughts today.
If you ever wondered if I was kind of crazy...............it will be confirmed after you read this list.

1. I'm obsessed with salt and vinegar chips. OBSESSED. I could eat fourteen tons. I love how they sting my lips they are so salty. I've got Scott on board with my obsession which is not good because now we fight over the chips when they are in the house.

2. To go along with the previous thought..............(and PLEASE PLEASE don't leave me any comments that say "Oh you look so good".....that is NOT why I am writing this).  I'm usually okay with how I look but right now I look in the mirror and don't know who I am. I'm about 25 pounds heavier than I'd like to be and I have wrinkles starting to pop up. I just don't like how I look right now. It's something I just need to get motivated to work on. I just got new tennis shoes.....maybe that will make me do something about it. I hate worrying about my weight.

3. Sometimes (not too often....but sometimes) I really miss working. I love staying home with my girls and I'm SOOOO thankful that I'm able to but there are times when I miss working. I miss meetings and business trips and the thrill of tracking big sales and planning strategies. I miss going to an office and having work friends and going to lunch with those work friends every day. I've got my dream "job" right now though.

4. I'm super paranoid about Hollis not being able to hear. She tested normal and I know she is fine but I find myself saying her name real loud to make sure she turns her head all the time. I know it's crazy but after Harper - I just worry. Even though I have no reason to.

5.  I've worn the same lipstick for the last 8 years. Merle Norman Spice Sachet lip pencil.  I took about a year hiatus where I tried all kinds of different lipsticks from Wal-Mart, Target, Ulta and Sephora and ultimately I came full circle back and realized the right color had been there all along. :-) May it never be taken off the market.

6.  If there was any wish I had - I wish I could sing really well. I would love to sing in church and tour and sing in concerts. I need to find a new dream. :-)

7.  I LOVE cheesy Lifetime Christmas movies. LOVE.

8.  I'm turning 38 this week and it's really freaking me out. I just don't get how I am almost 40.  It seems like I was JUST 18. I don't think I'm old. I love my 30's but suddenly I'm so stressed out about being so close to 40.  And this is something that is REALLY wigging me out........someone on twitter mentioned D C Talk this week and they were one of my favorite groups in college. I googled them and realized those guys are all close to FIFTY. Michael Tait and Toby Mac are both in their late 40's. That just doesn't seem right. I mean I JUST heard "Jesus Freak" in a store the other day. And it was just as awesome as it was 15 years ago. Most of the stars of "90210" are in their 40's too.  Oh and Brad Pitt is almost 50 too. Suddenly I'm feeling younger. :-)

9.  On that note.......I LOVE teaching youth girls at church. BUT teenage girls TOTALLY intimidate me. It's like I step right back into junior high angst. I'm old enough to be their mom but every time I'm with them - I feel SO intimidated and nerdy.

10. I feel like I'm a total slacker on the second child. With Harper - I dressed her up every day and put a bow on her head at ALL times. With Hollis - I let her stay in her pj's a lot. I even sometimes take her out in her pajamas (gasp!) I would have NEVER done that the first time around. I think I know that she won't like wearing a bow for a while but there will come a time when she is 2.5 - where she will actually ask to wear a bow. That's where Harper is now.  And on the same note - in my 20's I would have NEVER gone out in public without full make-up and a cute outfit probably including heels. NEVER. These days - I will roll out to Wal-Mart with my hair barely combed, no make-up and pitiful sweats. And of course run into every person I haven't seen in 5 years who will think to themselves how I've really let myself go. Including any guy I dated 15 years ago who will see me and probably thank God to themselves for unanswered prayers. ha ha ha!

I can't believe you just read that whole list.

Let's go to the movies!

Saturday we found ourselves with an unexpected free day and we thought it would be fun to get out and do something as a family. Scott was gone on a work trip last week and we were all glad to be back together.  We rarely....(or basically never) go out to eat anymore because it can be just too stressful but we decided to go out for lunch and then go to a movie.
So we ate lunch at a pizza place and luckily it wasn't crowded and we had a good time. Harper was really good except when she got up after we were done and started putting on a dance recital in the middle of the restaurant. I guess I have to try dance class again. She asks about it EVERY day and is obsessed with dancing right now.

I took Harper to her first movie this summer and she did great but we haven't had a chance to go back. There is a very small theatre near us that I knew wouldn't be crowded so I thought we would try and go and see the Muppets. I knew Harper would do okay but I wasn't sure how Hollis would fare.

Harper did really good and had a lot of fun at the movie.

But she had to have the fun with daddy because this little muppet just didn't do too well in a movie. I was hoping she might drink a bottle and take a nap since it was nap time and it was dark but she wasn't interested. So I left with her and took her for a drive. She fell fast asleep so I went back to the movie and we were good for about 15 minutes until she woke back up. So she and I spent most of the movie in the car just hanging out.  But it was worth it for Scott and Harper to have fun.  Thankfully there were only two other moms and children in the theatre so all my coming and going wasn't too embarrassing.

 The girls and I took a picture in front of the tree before church this morning.  I wanted to do this because we have done it the last 3 Christmases in a row. I love to watch us grow.  (They are growing up - I seem to be growing out).

2009 - My first Christmas with Harper, 2010 - expecting Hollis and Harper's 2nd Christmas and 2011.

Thankful for my blessings this Christmas! Thankful for Jesus. Thankful for abundant life!

Show Us Your Life - CHRISTMAS TOUR OF HOMES!!!!!

So it's my favorite thing every year - the Christmas tour of homes! I love looking at all the different decorations - big and small! I decorated more than I have in the last 3-4 years this year. I have been pregnant or with a new baby or just haven't felt like it. I almost didn't have the energy this year but once I got going - I pulled it all down from the attic and I'm glad I did!
And not one person has been to my house to see any of it so I'm kind of glad I can have a "virtual" open house! I wish I could offer you some cookies and diet coke! :-)

I'm starting the tour early because Nester has her tour up today and I thought you might like to link both places!
 

I put a tree in both of the girl's rooms. This is Harper's tree. It matches her room and I think it's so cute!

And this is Hollis' tree. It matches the blue and brown in her room.

I have just a few touches of Christmas in the kitchen - always have to put out one of my Southern Living Christmas cookbooks!

A little more festive in the kitchen

This is on my living room table

The only new thing in my house this year is the letters that spell Noel that I got from Hobby Lobby half price. I like the way it looks.

I've had my stockings for YEARS. I still have to get Hollis' stocking monogrammed. I bought 5 stockings before we ever had kids. (One is for Dawson the dog)

Joy is the theme of the season when you have Jesus!

Our living room tree. I pretty much hate my tree skirt but I haven't found anything else yet. I want to make one of those ruffled linen skirts that I've seen on Pinterest that don't have to be sewn. mmmm....maybe next year?

This tree is mostly browns and golds

I've had this table behind our couch for a while and just moved it to a wall. I'm liking where it is. I added some Christmas to it.

This is our fun little red, green and zebra tree in the dining room. This is the only tree I've used for the last couple of years when I didn't feel like doing much else. It's just kind of cute and whimsical to me.

This is a closer look

Looking into our dining room - I replaced my set of botanical prints with Christmas printables for free this year!

A closer look - I found these all on Pinterest!

Our living room - you can see Dawson's favorite place in the house!

Looking in from the front door

I just recently reframed a chalkboard. I like to change out the sayings all the time

My VERY favorite Christmas decoration this year is this tree. It's my Christmas Card tree. Christmas cards are my favorite part about Christmas and a few years ago I remembered Boomama doing this and I loved it! I trimmed the tree in burlap (another favorite this year) and I'm just tying the cards on with jute rope. I love being able to constantly see all the cards!

I made some little rosettes out of burlap

Another view of the tree - this is in our breakfast room

Love seeing all my friends!

Of course my favorite decoration really are these two! They are the only presents I really ever need!

Thank you for visiting our home! We love celebrating Christmas and decorating is fun - but we really know the TRUE meaning of Christmas is celebrating the birth of our savior Jesus Christ! We are so thankful He was born into this earth and lived and died and rose again so that we could have eternal life and life more abundant in Him! I hope you find the joy that is in Jesus this year!

Now join in the fun!!!!