choo choo

December was a little too crazy to plan and host a birthday party worthy of my little man turning three, so we opted for early January instead. Since we were in the thick of Cooper's obsession with trains (I don't think he asked to do anything else from about January to March), the decision on the party theme was quite simple! Not only that, but I found an amazing event designer's blog post about a train birthday party. I love recreating! Now, if I could have only made it an outdoor party in July... but I digress.

Not only was this blogger's party planning incredible, but she included free download-ables for the party (and even sent me a few more over email!). I love gracious people, and I loved these invites!

As is completely typical of me, I was ill-prepared throughout the process: our invitations were emailed instead of mailed, I was up really late working on the cake, my mom had to come over early to help me tie up a million loose ends, Curtis had to hang the streamers for me, and I was running around like a madwoman right before the party.

But then the guests arrived! Big and little guests. :) Along with lots of family, there were a bunch of Cooper's friends (Eli, Maddie, Campbell, Seth, Katherine, Anna, Mac, and more)- it was a great crowd!

People started jumping (the playroom in action!),

donning their red bandannas and engineer hats, 

and- of course- playing trains. It was all about trains- both an upstairs table and a (borrowed) downstairs table.

Then, I enlisted Curtis to gather the kids and play "Sir Topham Hatt" (if you have ever had a toddler boy, you are sure to know who I'm talking about).

They were totally enraptured. I decided that, from now on, we needed to wear a black hat and jacket when speaking to Cooper to ensure such cooperation.

He had them following him all over the house, blowing their train whistles and dancing. So cute!

"Follow the top-hat" ended at the table where we gathered for cake. All around the house and table, there was a multitude of blue and red, which made me happy. My obsessive side loved the coordination! Note the cupcakes: I was so pleased with how vibrant the colors turned out!

We had also had a candy buffet that I neglected to photograph (behind the kiddos)... it was a make-your-own party favor and it was a big hit! And, if the parents hadn't been so protective of their children's health, I wouldn't have ended up with 14 pounds of leftover candy!

The cake was really fun too.

The perfectionist side of my personality was very displeased with how rough the icing looked (a product of my rushed cake-decorating), but the fondant face turned out better than I expected.

Bottom line: Cooper was super excited about it and, really, that was all of the affirmation I needed! In fact, he seemed to be pretty thrilled about every aspect of the party... what a gift to us as parents, to feel like we hit the mark.

 

Blowing out THREE candles... craziness. He didn't even need our help!


He wasn't sure what to do with all of this attention,  but he enjoyed every minute of it.

 Although the hats, whistles, and bandannas ended up being grabbed out of their shipping boxes and passed out on the fly, THIS is how I had intended them to look. Cooper's friend Grayson wasn't able to come, so she got her put-together party favors a few days later... wouldn't they have been cute if I was more on top of it?!

Oh yeah, and Curtis and I decided that we should throw in some fake buck teeth too. Because everyone loves fake buck teeth, right? Thanks, Sara, for showing them off!

Happy Birthday party, Cooper!

room transitions

Curtis and I had decided, right before Christmas, that it was the right time to do a room transition. (really? when is "right before Christmas" ever the right time to take on something like that??) Because our upstairs was finally complete, we were able to spread out a little and arrange/rearrange! My favorite part!

Since we moved into this house, Cooper had been living in our home's original "3rd bedroom" (a.k.a. the sunroom). With 2 walls of windows, it wasn't exactly the ideal bedroom for a little kid. Or anyone.

But it worked! Though it barely fit, this little bed ended up being the perfect cozy transition after the crib last spring. The sunroom served him well!

Annabelle's room had also been a little transitional, since it doubled as the guest room. You can barely see her crib tucked in the corner on the right!

The furniture and all of her stuff was crowded into her room and her "changing table" was the top of the guest bed. Thankfully, she was way too young to care or even notice.

I can't tell you how much I wish that I had taken pictures of the condition of our home when we returned from Knoxville after Christmas. We had left it in SUCH shambles... drawers emptied onto the floor, furniture hastily switched from on room to the next, piles and piles and piles everywhere!

When we got back, we transitioned Cooper into Annabelle's room and then slowly, slowly began the reorganizing process. No, they weren't switching, just combining! The idea of sharing a room made us so excited (and a little fearful). We hope that it will help them to learn to sleep more soundly, to share more fully, and to really enjoy each other's presence.

Here's where they are today! A great shared space, though it still has pink walls and is a little lacking on the decor. If you know us well, this is not a surprise! We will get there, one day. :)

It feels so much more spacious with a lot of the furniture moved upstairs.

Cooper's side: green striped bedding that is plenty "boy", while still coordinating well with Annabelle's colorful side of the room.

Speaking of: Annabelle's side.  

So, I just have to point out my two favorite things about her space:

1. Her crib bedding: I think I've mentioned this before, but it's called Puzzle Patch, by Land of Nod. Since we had almost all the baby necessities after having Cooper, I was able to buy this special bumper and white eyelet crib skirt for Annabelle that I absolutely LOVE. The colors and spring-iness just fit her so well!

2. Her wall art: Curtis' mom made these canvases! Aren't they beautiful?! For each grandchild, she uses one of her zillion artistic skills to create a gift. From bedroom wall murals to painted furniture to Cooper's amazing quilt, she creates such beauty every time.

When she asked for a preference, all I told her was that I would love something for Annabelle's walls and then I sent her a link to the bedding as a color reference. I could never have expected something so lovely!

Little did I know, she had taken note when I posted about some wall art that I fell in love with, and used that as her inspiration for Annabelle's gift. Perfect!

I know Annabelle will treasure these forever. Or maybe I will, because I'm not sure I'm ever going to let her take them.

Another huge benefit to the room-transitioning is that we were able to create a playroom!

 

The blinds can finally be opened and the room has a singular purpose again! Also, remember the quilt that Cathy/Marmee (Curtis' mom) made for Cooper? We were excited to rehang it in the playroom (you can see it in more detail here) and hope to use it as the basis for our room design! Wow, I have watched too much HGTV in my lifetime.

There is very little furniture, but I do love that we have a little desk/table that was Curtis' as a child (seen in bottom right of this picture). It has been a great coloring/painting spot for Cooper. You know, when he sits down between basketball shots.

For now, it is mainly just a room to house most of our toys. And, though it doesn't meet HGTV standards, that is perfectly fine with me. I love simply having somewhere to put things at the end of the day!

We have been so pleased with how it's all come together (especially after seeing it all taken apart. yikes!). Stay tuned for a look at the furnished and in-use upstairs!

preparing

I experienced the season of Advent more this year than I think I ever have, so I just wanted to briefly share why I think that was (apart from simply God's grace for me)... what it was that pointed me to Jesus amidst the chaos of shopping and planning and decorating and socializing and traveling.

 1. Behold the Lamb



We fell in love with this humble musical performance a few years ago in Nashville, and we have been listening faithfully and tirelessly to the album each Christmas since. No other Christmas music can remind me of the Truth about Christmas and the God's unique plan quite like these songs. This year's performance, which happened to be at the very beginning of December, was no exception. I left that night feeling more in love with Jesus than I had felt in quite some time. That evening was the perfect kickoff for Advent because it focused my vision squarely on the One who deserved it. (Now, in preparation for next year, please go purchase the CD- one of the best $10 purchases you will ever make- and mark your Google calendar for a show next December. You will not regret it.)


2. Jesse Tree

 image

(from About.com) The Jesse Tree is a unique Advent tree that can be very useful for teaching children about the Bible at Christmas, and a fun activity, too! The Jesse Tree represents the family tree, or genealogy of Jesus Christ. It tells the story of God's salvation plan, beginning with creation and continuing through the Old Testament, to the coming of the Messiah. The name comes from Isaiah 11:1, "Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit."
Each day of Advent a homemade ornament is added to the Jesse Tree, a small tree made of evergreen branches. These symbolic ornaments can each represent a prophecy foretelling of Christ. Other variations include creating ornaments that represent the ancestors in the lineage of Christ...

I remember someone explaining this to me before I had children and thinking, "Seriously? That is waaaayyy too much effort for a Christmas tradition". Two things changed my mind. First, I was invited into a Jesse Tree Exchange, which meant that I just had to make 25 of the same ornament (and then we had a party and everyone got one of each), so I didn't have to be uber creative. Second, we bought this book (though there are many) and just started doing it. Cooper loved it and looked forward to it every day. Wonderfully, I found that I could only lead him in a devotion if I had spent time reading the Scripture on my own. Hence, I was encouraged to spend time with God (which, if I'm honest, is especially rare that time of year), watching the story of the Messiah unfold throughout the Old Testament.

On Christmas morning, we all gathered around Cooper's bed and- before we even entered the realm of presents and stockings and treats- we read the final Jesse Tree devotion and the Bible verses about Jesus' birth, hung our baby Jesus ornament on the tree, and prayed. It was such a sweet and perfect way to begin the morning. 


3. Amazon shopping

This is not a joke. I know I am basically putting the "little guy" out of business and I'm sad about that, but I cannot help it- Amazon shopping saved my Christmas.  From the comfort of my living room, I ordered almost every present that we purchased and had them all delivered to my door for free. So much time and energy and emotional well-being preserved by not going out into the holiday madness! And great deals too! I'm telling you- online Christmas shopping is where. it's. at. :)

Okay, so there's my prescription for a great Christmas. 1, 2, 3.  All joking aside, these really blessed me this year... hopefully they will bless you as well!

Sidenote: in trying to find a link for "advent", I stumbled across this site. Please peruse, especially the "About" page. So beautifully true.

a full christmas

We barely made it home on Christmas night because the snow had begun to fall pretty heavily. I think it's the only time in my life that I can remember having a true "White Christmas". How exciting and, as we saw the next morning, how beautiful!

The view from out front door was breathtaking. I love how perfectly clean everything seems after a good snow.

I am always reminded of God's assurance that He will take the "scarlet" of my sinful, disobedient self and make me as white as snow. Pure. How cool is that?

What is not so cool? When your pretty little tree in the front yard is so heavy-laden with snow that it decides to take a nap across your driveway. This is especially problematic when the car you are supposed to drive to Tennessee is on the other side of that tree.

A few hours later, with the unsolicited help of several of our kind neighbors, Curtis had de-snowed the tree and had it high enough off the ground that we could be on our way. Phew!

We didn't dare pack up and go without documenting exactly how much snow we were leaving behind.

Nine inches, thank you very much. We'll be lucky to get 9 inches TOTAL next winter, I bet!

It would have been really disheartening that we were driving away from the most impressive winter wonderland that we've seen in 10 years IF it wasn't for our destination! We were all so excited to be going to Knoxville to spend time with our Chesney family. 

It wasn't a well-documented trip on my behalf and I don't think I got even one picture from our Christmas celebration, but I did grab some snapshots of a few random highlights:

Upon arrival...

This beautiful face was one of the first we saw... "Aunt" Susan. When people ask me how Susan fits into Curtis' family, I usually say something like, "Well, she's actually his cousin, but she feels a whole lot more like a sister." Her presence in our family has really blessed me.

Then there's Scott, Susan's other half. He is great blend of goofy (note the face in this picture), thoughtful, and wise, so we obviously love spending time with him as well. 

Fun at the dinner table...

In an effort to get all of the kids to eat their dinner one night, Scott created a kind of game-show where they answered "what's your favorite" kind of questions... favorite vegetable, favorite Disney movie, etc. If you check out the windows in the background, you can see that the kids weren't the only ones who were fully entertained!

Each question was met with hands flying up, hilarious answers, lots of giggles, and then Scott saying, "Great answer! Now, take a bite!" My favorite was the way the younger kids would simply repeat the older kids answers and then- as the parents chuckled- just fall over laughing at how funny they were.

Impromptu Congo Line...

Though Cooper and Annabelle did not stay up long enough to participate, there was loads of fun and entertainment after dinner as well.

Sometimes you just can't help what the music does to you! :)

The quintessential kid photo shoot...

Aren't they just precious? 

From left to right: Annabelle (10mos), Katy Ann (7 1/2), Ava (4 1/2), Cooper (3), Austin (5), and Millie (almost 3). In case you are wondering, Katy Ann and Austin belong to Scott & Susan. Ava and Millie belong to Luke (Curtis' brother) & Elisa.

When we realized for the millionth time how futile it was to attempt a "pretty" picture, we decided just to go for a silly one. While all the kids were pretty funny, I would just encourage you to focus on Millie (farthest right) in these next few.

Is that the lead singer of Kiss?

 

... who is possibly throwing gang signs??

Kelly and Annabelle.,.

We even got a little time with Marion's boyfriend, Kelly! He was sweet to hang out with my baby for a few minutes.

She loved it and was so content in his lap. So precious.

Visit with Ninny...

On our way out of town, we stopped by to see Curtis' grandmother, "Ninny". She loved seeing the kids and- as always- telling old stories about Curtis.

What I want to know is- who is that fat kid in her lap?!?

It was a joyous trip to Knoxville with sweet memories. We left, as we often do, feeling really full.

christmas morning at home

I could tell you that the kids woke up bright and early on Christmas morning, but that would be a lie. There was nothing bright about the pitch-black sky we awoke to before 7:00am. We were joyful, though, (even the sleep-deprived parents) and all snuggled together in Cooper's room for awhile to do our final Jesse Tree devotion... to remind ourselves of a similar dark sky under which baby Jesus, God in the flesh, was born so many years before.

I could also tell you that the kids were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed but that, too, would be a lie. Just look at these faces when we presented them with  their Christmas gifts (you may have to click on the photo to enlarge):

Ha! This year, we gave each child just one "big" present and then filled their stockings with little goodies. At first, they were a little... unsure.... of their trampoline and activity table.

Moments later, it was pure giddiness!

It made my heart happy to see them loving their gifts! Success!

The stockings were a big hit- lots of fun surprises. For Cooper, the highlights were a Thomas shirt and Thomas electric tooth brush (can you sense a theme?).

Annabelle was pretty uninterested in her little toys, but was totally intrigued by the edible treats. You can tell she hadn't experienced these before... taking the wrapper off was a new concept. :)

Cooper was soon over the stocking and back to focusing on the jumping. And the face-making, apparently.

Per usual, for Annabelle it was all about the food. She's her mother's child.

This year was our first time celebrating Christmas morning in our own home. While there was part of us that was sad about all that we were missing, the morning was so sweet and so much fun for us all... we knew it was the right decision for our family. And how great to see these two, wearing their new Christmas pajamas, sitting together in front of our tree? Priceless.

----

Later that morning, we headed over to my parents house to spend the day with my side of the family. One of the benefits of living in the same town!

The day held many happy memories with Grandpa and Mammy, cousins, and aunts & uncles, more exciting gifts, and lots and lots and lots of people (15 to be exact)... it was a crazy day!

Cooper thrived and took it all in stride, for the most part. He eats up any time he can spend with his cousins, especially.

Annabelle loved it all, but didn't handle all the action quite as naturally as Cooper. Again, she is her mother's child. It did make for an extra-snuggly baby, which her daddy sure appreciated!

Unfortunately, amidst all of the fun, I didn't manage to take many pictures of the rest of the day. Suffice it to say, we had a blast and treasure time with every one of those wild Andringas!