Jack gives Christmastime two thumbs up! How cute are these pics?!
Jack and I helped Daddy put lights on the house one day, before the arctic air moved in, thankfully! It is always an act of love when Brian puts lights up for me...I know he doesn't enjoy it, but I really love it so much and it makes me happy. He's so good! Christmas just isn't the same without lights on the house, right?!
Can't get over this blonde-hair, blue-eyed cutie that looks more and more like a big boy every day! This little boy keeps us on our toes! He has been a lot of fun this Christmas season!
Brian did another youth interim position at First Baptist Tulsa this Fall for 3 or 4 months. His last Sunday was at the beginning of December. We went with him on the Sunday after Thanksgiving before going to Grandma Baldwin's house. It was an early Sunday morning for us, but we made it! Extra speaking events are always financially so helpful to our family, but we really miss Brian when he isn't at church with us. He finished up this interim just before everything happened and we left EFBC. I think that was further confirmation from the Lord that it was time for us to make a move since Brian would be back with us on a more regular basis for a while.
Jonah took really good notes during Daddy's Sunday School lesson!
GMa and I took the girls shopping on Saturday after Thanksgiving "to get some Christmas ideas." Somehow we spent a small fortune in Lululemon...my caption for this pic above was:
"Our first (and quite possible our last) time in a Lululemon store...I left really wishing I had come up with the genius idea to get a store literally packed with people paying $100+ for LEGGINGS! #mindblown
Also left feeling thankful for a GMa that spoils these pretty girls!"
We had a very fun day of shopping!! At one point Madi tried on a pair of jeans and excitedly said "Momma I NEED these...I feel popular in these jeans!" So of course I bought them for her as a Christmas present...how could I not after that?!
The girls were so sweet and excited to have a pair of Lulu leggings...and I think they are equally as excited to have Lulu bags to carry their lunches in...apparently that's "the thing" to do these days!
I was reminded why I don't take them to the mall very often though...
$$$$$$$$$ Teenage girls are expensive!! I love them so much though!
She may be growing up faster than I can stand, but she still loves stuffed animals! I'm not sure that will ever go away completely for Madi & I'm kind of okay with it. =0)
Thanksgiving was different for us this year than it has been the past few years, because we were actually at home. Last year we were at Disney and the year before we were in the Smoky Mountains. We decided to lay low this year and just enjoy some time at home. I also had a lot of cookie orders so I was thankful for that extra money to help with Christmas. Plus I had a cute cookie decorator working with me! She's actually very good and she worked with me in the kitchen for several hours...I paid her, which was motivation for her to stick with it!
We had lunch at GMa's house on Thanksgiving Day. It was just our immediate family, so a smaller group than normal, but it was actually really nice. GMa's car accident was just the Friday before Thanksgiving, so this was a good year to keep things small and simple. It was very relaxing and fun!
Then on Sunday we went to First Baptist Tulsa with Brian and then went to Lake Eufaula to have Thanksgiving with the Baldwins.
I'm so thankful for my sweet family and all that God has blessed me with in this life!
Mandatory stuffing the turkey picture at GMa's house! Carver's face! Hahaha!
GMa thought she had lost Grandma Jean's pumpkin bread recipe, so when I opened my cookbook and saw it in Grandma Jean's handwriting, it was such a sweet surprise!
GMa may have been sore and stiff from her car accident, but that didn't stop her from dancing with the Rockette's! Always one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving ever year!
This puzzle was way harder than I anticipated! Fun though!
I guess Mackenzie has migrated to the adult table now that Jack takes up a kid seat at the bar!
The Easterwood's prompted this little video...
Jack thought he needed to be part of the excitement too!
And there's always piano playing when we're at GMa's house!
Sunday after church in Tulsa we went to the lake for Thanksgiving with Grandma Baldwin. This is the only pic I took...another generation of cheezits and marshmallows eater!
This laundry tree picture accurately describes life at our house...I am amazed at the amount of laundry that is constantly piled...well, everywhere!
Here are some November every-day-moments!
Jonah has basketball practice after school one day a week at First Southern. There is a fun playground to play on while we wait for practice to start. Jack absolutely LOVES playing with Jonah and his friends and it is the cutest thing to watch!
Jack actually thinks he is just as big as all of these boys!
Why does he look so huge?! Jack takes a nap in his carseat most days, because we spend so much time driving kids all over the place.
Still loving these sticker nails!
Such a sweet big sister!
On November 4th, a tornado came through Idabel and Trinity Baptist Church was basically leveled. So, so sad. We were just there a few weeks before this over Fall Break.
Before:
After: Wow.
The cost of groceries is about to do us in...very overwhelming and upsetting to me right now. Feeding 6 people is expensive!
But at least I have a CUTE grocery shopping "helper!"
Is this a normal thing to do with a 2 year old?!
And this is why Jack is so crazy...he's just like his Daddy!
Singing at bedtime...doesn't get any sweeter!
CHA's Fine Arts Gala
It's too bad Jack never gets any attention at all when he's around our kids' friends!
Right as the song ended and it got quiet, Jack very loudly said "Good job Madi!" which got a lot of giggles. She even heard it from the stage and started to laugh!
Daddy taught Jack to do "Thumbs Up" and its just the cutest thing!
Gonna give this liquid collagen a try to see if it will help my hair quit breaking off and become more healthy. Fingers crossed! (Result--I didn't stick with it long enough to really tell--its too expensive and we bought a car and have a car payment now...so I guess its just unhealthy hair for me.)
Jack & Carver enjoying Ring Pops at one of Jonah's basketball games!
Madi, our smoothie maker : "I want this for Christmas!"
How cute is her hair?! This girl is all about her hair and makeup these days! She's becoming more and more beautiful and grown up every day it seems.
Jack was very excited that GMa was stopping by!
I was invited to my friend Mindy's Friendsgiving again this year, and it was very fun! Mindy is going through a health challenge, so it was a special time to gather and pray over her for healing and peace
The 4th grade classes had a little "party" to watch last year's Christmas program one day. Jack LOVES getting to be a part of anything Jonah is doing. Mrs. Ferguson is so sweet to let me bring him and she even pulled this chair up by Jonah's desk for him! (He stayed in it for about 45 seconds, but still...)
Burrito baby!
Hair days = best days!
I helped my friend Kayla with this ceramic tree project for a few days in November. She had to make like over 700 of these I think...
This was at the church Thanksgiving meal. I think we were beginning to feel at this point that God was moving us out.
What our living room looks like 95% of the time...
And what the kitchen looks like a good portion of the time!
Jonah had his first paid "job" collecting the neighbors mail and packages while they were out of town. He was so responsible and excited to make a little bit of money!
Always so, so thankful for the Hopper's and God's provision for our kids' education.
OKBYC concert in Shawnee...Brian took Mackenzie and I stayed home with the other kids. Too hard to take Jack anywhere these days.
We met Grandpa Baldwin and some of Brian's Aunts and Uncles at Johnnie's for lunch one Sunday after church.
