Our Thanksgiving:

I used brown paper for a table cloth, and painted a table runner on it

with chalkboard paint so everyone could doodle

while they waited for dinner to be ready!

He wore his thanksgiving outfit that I got at the thrift store!

I put a whole slice of pumpkin pie in front of him and watched it quickly disappear!

We call this the "fat-man-about-to-go-into a deep-food coma face!"

Gran & Allison played tic tac toe

Gran drew a cute lil' turkey!

Nana fed Conrad some garlic mashed potatoes.

We payed the price later that night

when he hit us with some major fart bombs.

Dad enjoying some refreshments, sporting his shirt from his last mission to Thailand.

{This is the 4Th trip he's taken. I'm very proud of him.

I'm thankful for his desire that the lost may know Jesus Christ!}

We've had a great year. When Dustin prayed before we ate, he thanked God that we all had another year together, that we were healthy, that we still had jobs in such a rough economy, and that God was active and alive in our lives.

It felt good to have his family and my family under the same roof joking, eating, and enjoying the holiday together, (even if my house was entirely too small for 15 people, or if my little brother in law only wanted to eat fruity pebbles, or if we were exhausted from cleaning house and cooking food all day.) It was worth it. I hope to have many more chaotic, fun, enjoyable, yummy Thanksgivings with a house bursting at the seams and people I love at the table together!

DIY Christmas Wreath

I say "reef" you say wreath, potato, tomato...who cares right?? I made this wreath yesterday, and I'm pleased with how it turned out. Not the conventional "Christmas" wreath, but cheery enough to give me the holiday warm-fuzzes

Everything was on sale! You know I love a sale! It is made of branches, green sparkly things, feathers, and 3 birds! I got it all at Michael's for less than 10$

My table is covered in projects waiting to be crafted. I can hardly stand it! I want to stay up all night and play until my fingers are singed off from hot glue and my whole kitchen is covered in glitter! {Can't wait to show you our Christmas cards, and stockings!}

Enjoy your weekend!

Around the Internet:

Excited about the next movie coming to me in the mail from Netflix.

I'm almost, kind of, sort-of-super-obsessed at this point!

{team Edward!}

Lil' Edward & Bella dolls cuz' I'm a total "die-hard-Twi-hard" now,

or so my husband says

{what does he know anyway?......team Edward!!!....}

"no" I didn't {totally did} order this book today.....

don'chu judge me!

why didn't I know about man babies sooner?? {lol}

Instead of displaying these adorable crochet ornaments

on the Christmas tree, I think the octopus, anchor, jellyfish, whale

and especially the pirate ship would make for a lovely mobile

in our future baby's room!

and while we're talkin' babies, this would be lovely in a girls room

Next time I'm pregnant, I will indeed be wearing the hell out of

this dress

I will not be overwhelmed

at the thought of hosting my first ever thanksgiving this year.

THIS GUY makes me smile and I ain't scurred of 15 people in my tiny condo!

bring'em on bitches!

That old frame I thrifted months ago and haven't found

a purpose for until now, would look amazing with this mounted in it.

Hope you're all having a blessed week!

97 cent lipstick craze

My mom used to have an entire drawer of lipsticks in every shade you could dream up. I loved playing in her make up as a kid {teenager!}, but I haven't never been much of a lipstick gal until now. I think I'm finally a woman. Wearing lipstick makes me feel like a woman for sure.

Lip gloss just isn't the same.

This one is {Retro Red}

It's a little too "Ronald McDonald" for me, but I gave it a shot!

This shade: {Sheer Red} is my personal favorite

a little more rich looking, not so in your face like Retro Red

Then theres: {Blossom}

but I would have named it: {cracked-out 80's Barbie pink}

Totally neon pink, and I LOVE it!

And lastly: {Chiffon}

nude pink, soft and subtle

{Sometimes the cheapest things in the world

can make you feel super beautiful/sexy/fun}

All lipsticks are New York Color- found at Target for ONLY 97 cents!

Weekend In Photos:

New favorite thing: spitting and sticking tongue out....awesome.

"Bring on the hot cakes Mama!!!"

"Dats what I'm talkin' bout! Nummy pancakes!"

"Reee-b-uuullll-s!" The dudes chanting for the Rebs.

Conrad's 1st Rebels game.

Peeking over my shoulder to see Auntie Chase

Us in our Rebels gear.

Last time I wore this shirt, I was super fat and pregnant

enjoying massive foot long chili dogs at the game!

We have a winner!

Last week, I posted a give-a-way for a groovy green

ashtray I found at the thrift store. We now have a winner!

I used a random number generator,

and the generator picked number 2!

Congrats Matt!

Glad you appreciate the funkier things in life!

Happy Birthday Gran

Today we celebrated my Granny's birthday. We ate sushi, her favorite food, and she got some fabulous girlie movies, a new lamp and some Christmasy candles.

I Hope you had a wonderful birthday-you gorgeous lady you! You are deeply loved and cherished by all who are lucky to know what an amazing woman you are!

We love you!

{Granny & I being pulled behind a bike in a casino a few years back.

She laughed so hard, I couldn't resist getting a picture of us}

Mama Birds first give-a-way!!

I came across this awesomely green 70's-ish ashtray last week at the thrift store and just knew it would be the perfect way to say to my blogger friends, "You guys e-fing rule so hard, and you just rock my world, so here's an ashtray!"

It would sit nice and pretty on your bathroom counter

to keep everyday jewelry in:

or by the door for your keys:

Just leave a comment with your email address and I'll shoot it in the mail to you!

Comments will be closed by Sunday night, and by Monday the winner will be announced.

{The next give-a-way will be truly Divine. I'm working on crafting a shabby chic jewelry organizer, I can't wait to reveal it!}

And Conrad aka Mr. yogurt/cereal

face loves you too!

He says "OK, what are you waiting for, Go comment!"

(note eye brows raised....kid cracks me up!)

{Truth} Thursdays

{Conrad's reflection as he takes a bath a few months back}

Anxiety is the topic on my heart today as we venture into a new season of our lives: newish baby, new job, the holidays, car about to take it's last breath, bills bills bills, bill collectors calling, fighting the insurance company that went bankrupt right before I delivered etc.

Sound familiar?

Have you ever been so paralyzed by fear, by the unknown,

by the future that you can't even get out of bed? (me, yes)

Have you been devoured by anxiety and fear? (me again, yes)

40 million people are diagnosed with mental illness due to anxiety.

That's a crazy amount of people.

Reflecting on what master I serve lately. How much I truly trust God to take care of me in all areas of my life. Am I casting my concerns, my anxieties, my worries, my dreams, my future on Jesus, allowing him to sort it out- Or am I suffocating under my circumstances, trying as hard as I can to control my world around me-head barely above water?!

I'm feeling super convicted about how I've been praying lately, or rather, the current state of my relationship with God. I've been treating Him like Santa asking for this and that, rather than treating him with reverence as the King of the universe, going to Him to sit in his presence and know who He is. He's not my personal genie. I've been living in a sort of "survival mode" the last few months (please don't let anything go wrong, please do this, please don't let______ happen. Fill in the blank with any major catastrophe you can think of....) Dustin has brought to my attention that he too has been living in defensive, rather than living in God's freedom. Holding his breath, walking on egg shells in life hoping the world doesn't come crashing down over him-not living in full confidence that God promises us that in Him, we can live life abundantly. We lack faith, and lack belief, and lack trust, so we miss out on that freedom. We want control, we want to do it ourselves, our pride is too big, so we miss out.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Especially after hearing the message below. "We don't come before the father to know Him and be loved by Him, we come to rehearse our anxieties and by the time we're done, we're more anxious than when we started....Does stressing out over your finances, over your child, over your job or peoples opinions of you, does that help you at all? Can you add any time to your life being anxious about it?"

I was blessed last night while I worked on the

computer to hear this message about anxiety.

Philippians 4:6
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer

and supplication with thanksgiving

let your requests be made known to God.

Matthew 6:25
Do Not Be Anxious
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life,

what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body,

what you will put on. Is not life more than food,

and the body more than clothing?

Luke 12:7

Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Oh, and today, I am thankful for hot showers.

Last night as I stood in a scalding hot shower,

I remembered when I was in Thailand

and didn't have hot water for a hot shower.

{Teeny baby foot}

Around the internet this week:

1. The next baby must have this adorable owl fabric

for his/her bed, paired with this fabric

2. I fell head over heels for this sweater

for Conrad! It must be mine! I mean....his!)

Does it come in mommy sizes?

3. Found an AMAZING swim suit {Red please!}

4. I made these cookies for the 6Th time this month.

5. Falling in love over again with this widowers blog,

his daughter, his words, & his photos of India....

6. would my kid kill me when he's older for

dressing him up in this

for x-mas morning?? Hahah!

AND....

Since this is the month for thanksgivings, today I am

thankful for sleeping in this morning &

waking up to the sound of

Dustin feeding Conrad breakfast,

singing him silly songs.

What are you thankful for today?

A month of thanksgivings:

Today, I am thankful for

pretty things wrapped in white bags with blue tissue paper

left on my table.

{Thanks for surprises Mom!}

A month of thanksgiving

Lately, as I hold your tired, limp, slumbering body

in my arms at night,

sniffing your clean, fuzzy bird hairs,

and closing my eyes,

taking you in completely,

I find myself reciting the

same phrase over and over

"Thank You Jesus for this baby!"

You are a gift that I am forever

thankful to raise and love.

you are a precious gift.

I am truly blessed beyond measure

and can not wait to spend my days

building sand castles with you

and watching you grow up.

I am thankful for the husband who fights

for me when I am not much to fight for.

I'm thankful for a God who holds

us tighter, loves us regardless,

thinks we're incredible,

shows us mercy,

and draws near to us when we cry out for Him!

What are you thankful for today?

The Twins {11 months}

Vicki got this balloon a few months ago and was so excited to use it for the twins 11 month photos. They look cute as can be playing with mom and dad! We're going to miss them when they move to SD next month!

Love you guys!

Balloon Boy:

We get a balloon everytime we go to TJ's {which is a couple times a week}. I think Conrad is some sort of celeb there {Since Grammy-In-Law is a big shot at TJ's....} He gets high fives, kisses, & is passed from person to person to get loves. He keeps comin' back for the balloon. That's all he cares about- Oh and to take sips of juice out of the big boy cups in the demo.

Today was cool enough for a hat, so he wore one.

And then it got too hot, so he took his trousers off and lounged in his diapie

to read a book that was bought special for him from his Nana!

{Truth} Thursdays

I remember this video ripping at my heart the first time I saw it

"I bend over and whisper into his ear over and over again, I love you buddy, we're gunna make it. Dad knows the way home. I love you buddy."

When I see this video, I imagine God holding me tightly, me clinging onto Him and us stomping through the puddles of rain together, marching through storms. It brings me great comfort.

In the future, Thursdays will be dedicated to anything that speaks truth to my soul.

I hope you'll be blessed too.

full length video here

OH- and here's Conrad with his lovely friend Clair bear:

OH- and here's Clair being cute:

Amy {the bride}

{The happiest bride}