My Holiday Home Tour!

'Tis the season of Holiday Home Tours...

so I thought I'd do one of my own! :)

Come on in!

my favorite wreath of the year hangs on our front door,

welcoming family and friends!

our tree is next to the TV stand, right by the stairs,

and I added a little "trimming" underneath the TV itself.

I love that we see our tree as we come down the stairs!

I love getting out my Christmasy throw pillows!

(ask my husband, I'm a little bit obsessed with throw pillows),

and I fill my lanterns with tiny pinecones to add a wintery touch!

of course, it's time to bust out the Christmas dish towels

(yes, I have some for every holiday) :)

And I always add red ribbons to the baskets underneath our coffee table.

I can't leave out our FAVORITE candles from Bath and Body Works.

(they should hire me to endorse these bc we love them SO much!)

We always get some for every season, but the Winter ones are the best...

"Fireside", "Winter", and "Fresh Balsam" fill our house with

the awesome smells of Christmas!

I have this vase next to the couch,

that's usually just empty, and was trying to figure out what to do with it...

so I filled it with some Cinnamon Pinecones (2$ at JoAnns),

and added some pretty balsam branches (2$ at Hobby Lobby)

one of my favorite things - our Willow Tree Nativity Scene.

My mom gave me a piece to this every year until it was complete,

and it is my favorite thing to put out each year, such a good reminder of the Reason.

It fits perfectly on top of the (red) cabinet that my great-grandfather built.

our mantle isn't big,

but I love to decorate it!

(I am waiting to change out that picture of Abigail

for when we get new ones done with BOTH girls!)

I decided to put out some cute baskets for Abigail, to keep Christmasy books in,

and also her Little People Nativity Scene to play with.

This is my favorite Christmas platter -

I dont even use it, I just display it!

I took the normal pictures off the wall in the kitchen and made it a little more cheerful...

I always hang an apron in the kitchen, so I put up the Christmas one.

(I keep thinking it will encourage me to cook, ahem. :-/ )

here's a glimpse of our little Guest Bath downstairs.

(gatta make that potty look pretty, right?)

And on to Abigail's playroom (next to the guest bath, off the kitchen)...

you can't really tell, but I hung some pink Christmas lights around her window.

I also put up her tiny white Christmas tree

She says "wooooaaah" every time I turn the lights on! :)

This is a little corner shelf (garage sale, 5$, repainted it)

that sits in the corner at the top of the stairs.

I added some special decorations to it...

those ducks, and that Santa candle were both in my Grandmom's house growing up.

I remember them so well and love that we have them now!

And Abigail's room...

we put her pink Christmas tree up and she loooooves it!

and I also put a little house on her bookshelf, that I grew up with in my bedroom.

It lights up and is the sweetest little thing.

There's not much else from upstairs...

I didnt really decorate our room or bathroom bc we are hardly up there,

and the new baby nursery has stuff everywhere right now as I am organizing! :)

But I couldn't leave out the LOVELIEST part of this Chirstmas decorating...

the little girl that helped decorate the tree, and did SO good at it!

(She WAS born on Christmas Eve you know...

so she adds a little extra Christmas Joy to this season!)

Thanks for coming over!

Our door is always open for you!

I'll put some spiced cider on the stove next time you visit!

I'd LOVE to see how you decorate for Christmas!!!

linking up over here for some more lovely:

PS. WINNER!the Winner of this Giveaway is . . . 5ohwifey!email me girl! yay! {and thanks again Heather and Lisa for doing this giveaway!}
Come Back tomorrow to hear about a Big LINK PARTY I will be hosting soon!You wont want to miss this holiday fun!! LOVE YALL!!!

my breakdown last night...

I'm linking up today over at Call Me Blessed,

even though this post is from a few days ago, I felt like I should share it...

to encourage us to remember where our strength comes from.

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Back for Pictureless Post Sunday Link-Up

(read more about it here...I'd love to have you join!)

heres goes mine...

brutal honesty today people.

Last night, I had a little breakdown.

well, really a big one,

that involved tears and having to pull my car over.

And a little bit of shouting out loud to God.

ever have one of those moments?

I'm still working through what happened,

and I know A LOT of it is my 9-month-pregnant hormones raging.

But I also think the Lord was just needing to take me back to a place of

desperate dependance on HIM and Him alone.

on His strength. on His control.

on His power and His love for me.

I've dealt with quite a few toddler meltdowns this past week,

which is becoming pretty hard being so pregnant and exhausted physically.

and that actually has led me to spiral into worrying about

how I am going to deal with TWO little ones...

a dependent newborn and a spicy toddler, all at once.

Don't get me wrong, I cannot WAIT to have these two precious girls

to care for every moment,

but when I think of how I will do it,

I tend to forget that I DON'T have to do it in my own strength.

and when I really step back,

when I really remember the strength i HAVE received from Him...

I am utterly amazed.

how many nights for how many months did I get up several times to nurse...

and was still functioning the next day?

how many times did I get up with her last winter when she was sick so much...

and still participated in life the next day?

how many days seem SO long as I journey through being a new mommy...

and I still have the JOY and energy that comes from loving her.

All this to say,

I'm glad I broke down,

I'm glad some tears were shed in my car.

They are leading me back (even now as I write)

to remembering that I CANNOT rely on me.

I cannot depend on MY strength.

and really...I don't even want to. I'd live my life in bed if I did that.

So remember today the STRENGTH that comes from the Lord.

Because He loves you and desires FULLNESS of life for you.

"He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.

Even youths will become weak and tired,

and young men will fall in exhaustion.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.

They will soar high on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and not faint."

Isaiah 40:29-31

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PS...come check out this

link party Im hosting next week!

You WONT want to miss this Holiday Yumminess!

{click here:}

me, right now.

just simple and to-the-point...

that's all I got. :)

I got this idea today from sweet bloggy friend,

Chrissie at In His Grace...you can do it too!

Hope ya'll have a good weekend...

and dont forget:

ENTER this double GIVEAWAY, open until Sunday night!

Also, PICTURELESS POST link-up is back on Sunday...

I'd love to have you join!!

my birthday {double} GIVEAWAY!!

Today starts the last year of my twenties,

and I have an AWESOME double GIVEAWAY for you!!

yippeeee!!

check these amazing girls out,

go see their shops and blogs,

fall in love with their stuff,

and ENTER this giveaway!!!

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Hey ya’ll! I’m Heather and I blog over at we.are.the.holdens. I’m just a girl who is extremely blessed. I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart for 15 years_I’m a mom to 3 beautimus kiddos_ and most importantly a Jesus follower. My blog is a place where I share my heart_ creativity_my relationship with Jesus_ my newest hobby, photography_ recipes_ thrift finds_and the latest “happy” I’m working on. I like to say it’s a lot of randomness.

My shop, heathershappys.com, is something I had wanted to do and step out in for a long time but kept making excuses and letting insecurity stand in my way. It was born out of the need to express & create. I found joy in the things thatI would create and just like many of you I’m trying to bring some extra income into our family so that I can stay home with them.

A "happy" can be anything that brings a smile to your face...maybe it's a bubblegum necklace_ a fun fabric_ a flowery ring_ a vintage inspired headband...but hopefully, what I create will do just that, bring a smile to your face.

I would luv to get to know you. So stop by my blog and introduce yourself! Thank you Sarah so much for having me on your blog…it’s an honor. I always love the opportunity to give something away and wish I could do a giveaway to each of you.

Have a Happy day!

the giveaway:

20$ credit to her adorable shop!

blog - shop - twitter

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My name is Lisa, and I am so blessed to be the mom to an absolutely awesome little boy named Will. And as a bonus, I get to make goodies for other sweet babies through my business, Night Owl Yarn Designs. My motivation for starting Night Owl was Will's arrival in February 2010. My sister-in-law gave him a set of handmade baby hats,

and they were such a special and unique gift!

Once I got in the swing of being a stay-at-home-mom, I decided to learn to crochet so that I could share handmade gifts with my family and friends who were expecting babies.

Once I began giving hats away, others prompted me to set up an etsy shop to sell them,

and at the end of February 2011, Night Owl Yarn Designs was born.

I truly enjoy sharing my hats, headbands, and cocoons with others, and it brightens my day every time I get to see itty bitties photographed in my handmade items!

the giveaway:

pick one of three hats (owl, flower, or teddy bear),

OR any 3 flower headbands

blog - shop - facebook

(check out her FB page for more pics of her stuff)

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TO ENTER . . .

you MUST:

follow my blog

follow Heather's blog

"like" Night Own Yarn Designs on FB

EXTRA entries:

follow Heather on Twitter

follow me on Twitter

follow Lisa's blog (click follow on top bar)

and

Blog, Tweet, or FB about this giveaway (1 entry each!)

**LEAVE A COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY YOU MAKE**

SO you could have a total of 9 entries!! wahoo!

Winner announced on Monday Dec 5th!

It would make my birthday awesome

for one of you bloggy friends to win this giveaway...

so ENTER!! :)

just typing what's on my mind...

I honestly have no idea what to write about right now.

It's like my mind is a million places, but nowhere at all.

I'm seriously just typing.

I dont even have a plan with the pictures I've put in this post,

I just loved them and wanted to share them. :)

SO I guess I'll share a few things going through my brain this morning:

I am IN LOVE with my beautiful Abigail...

my love for her brings me to tears lately.

I am excited and nervous to have another in 5 weeks.

I'm nervous about loving her as much as I do Abigail

(more about that here).

I'm anxious about how my sleep and energy will be affected with 2 littles.

I cannot wait to nurse a new baby again.

I believe God is wanting us to press in to Him,

and really get a clear picture as to what this season is for us.

I think this season may look different than what we've been trying to make it.

I'm anxious to understand what fellowship needs to look like for us in

this season.

I know that He will reveal it all.

I'm yearning to live BY HIS STRENGTH, and not my own.

(oh how badly I need to understand that.)

I am overwhelmed by all the "projects"

(organizing closets, garage, finishing A's baby book, etc)

that I want to get done before #2 arrives.

I am thinking about how to spend less and buy handmade gifts

(or make them myself) for Christmas this year.

I am so touched by this new "mothering spirit"

that Abigail has just stated lately...

she loves on her dollies so sweetly, which just WARMS my heart.

I am feeling so so grateful for the gift of spending each day with

my little girl.

I am surprised each day by how big and mature she is becoming.

(and a little sad too)

Today I have several friends on my heart whom I havent talked with

in a long time,

not sure why they have popped up in my mind,

but I am praying for them today.

I'm anxious to start a new way of eating healthy, exercising more, etc.

Parker and I have had several talks lately about how important it is for us to set

a great example to our children,

and how we need to change some habits, so that we will live to see their children.

As much as I love being pregnant,

I am anxious to have my body back to where it was.

I'm sad that my hubby has been sick all week, I feel so helpless.

I can't believe I'm going to be 29 in a few days,

I feel like life has just FLOWN since we had Abigail.

I so wish it would all slow down.

I feel like the Lord is trying to restore my heart of worship

and I am trying to be obedient to that. It has gotten lost in the daily stuff.

I want to live in the joy that Abigail has each day,

just uninhibited, unconditional JOY,

but I know that HAS to come from Him.

anyways.

that's my mixed up brain this morning...thanks for listening. :)

Lots on my heart, lots to process,

Lots to trust Him with.

Love yall, hope your day is blessed!

linking up today for some encouragement: