Winter Wonderland

As many of you did, Anna Dixon and I really enjoyed the snow last week. Just leave it to winter in the south to be snow last week and 70's predicted for next week. It started snowing last Thursday as we were on our way home from church. AD was already getting excited on the car ride home pointing out the window and saying, "Snow! Snow!" I don't think she quite understood why she was so excited, though. She was just imitating her cousins who she had just been with at church. The snow was starting to stick to the top of our monkey grass by the time we got home, but when I came back into the den after putting AD down for her nap, there was a "southern winter wonderland" outside (a.k.a. about 2 inches of snow on the ground). Thankfully, it kept snowing until she woke up. So, I conjured up my best "snow outfit" for her, and we headed outside. We had a blast, threw snowballs at the trees, and loved making tracks in the snow with our shoes. AD finally realized what all the fuss was about and really loved the snow! In fact, she and Tommy went out for round two in the yard when he got home. Actually, this was not AD's first snow. It was her fourth. It snowed the day we brought her home from the hospital, Christmas day the year she was born, and then again on New Year's day. But, this was definitely the most memorable one in her mind to date...and who knows when it will snow down here again!

when it was really coming down!

Sadler enjoyed the snow too!

Christmas...Gone in a Flash!

I can't believe we are already into the second week of 2013. I love this time of year. It is always filled with so much hope and promise and lots of plans for the upcoming year. I'm going to try not to stress about unmet "resolutions" this year. I hope this year that by God's grace I'll be a better wife, a better mom, and a better friend to those I love. There are lots of other little things I'd like to accomplish too, but I'm not going to hold myself accountable to them by posting them on my blog. No pressure...no stress...right? Actually Anna Dixon and I have not gotten off to a very good start this year. She had a cold last week, and I was sick too. This week she scratched her eye in the night, and we ended up at the doctor yesterday to get it checked out. Thankfully it is not a bad scratch, and after a very rough day yesterday, she seems to be doing much better today. In spite of our rough start, I'm really looking forward to the year ahead. I've already gotten some cute pics of our cute little mess in 2013. It is amazing how she is starting to "pretend play," how she mimics us and other kids and TV shows, and she says a new word or phrase ever day or so now. She is becoming a little girl, but she will always be my baby!

A couple of funny things...AD really started to get into Santa this year although I don't think she really understood the whole concept. For the past couple of days whenever we pass a house that used to have a blow up Santa in the yard, she points out the window and says "Ho? Ho?" Also when she gets in the car with both me and Tommy, she is so used to driving around to look at Christmas lights that she points out the window and says "lights!" Here are some pics from Christmas morning and the new year...

Santa came!

Santa's big gift

a tent from Bibi

all tuckered out!

in Daddy's shoes

feeding her dolly

Meeska Mooska Mickey Mouse and a Merry Christmas to You

We have been really busy this Christmas season. The week of Anna Dixon's birthday our church had its annual walk through nativity. Over 8000 people attended over the three nights, and Tommy participated in two of them. He was one of the magi the first night and a Roman soldier the second. The weekend before her birthday we took our annual trip to the tree farm with some friends. Tommy and I both sing in our church choir and sang in our church's Christmas program on the 16th which also happens to be Tommy's birthday! This weekend we took AD to the Zoo Light Safari at our local zoo. We saw lots of fun Christmas light, loved the petting zoo, and took a hay ride. And, tomorrow we are singing in our church's Christmas Eve service. As you can see it has been a busy month.

At church this morning, we were encouraged to have a "Mary Christmas" meaning to stop and meditate on and worship Jesus the way Mary did instead of busying ourselves with the fleeting things of this world like Martha did when Jesus came to visit them. It is hard to do sometimes especially with so many fun events and wonderful traditions during Christmas time. So may we all take time to truly worship our Savior who was born to die to save us from our sins and bring true joy to the world! I wish you all a very "Mary" Christmas! And...as we all struggle to slow down during the Christmas season here are some pictures of my Mary/Martha Christmas beginning with Anna Dixon's Mickey Mouse themed 2nd birthday party...

ready for cake!

hayride at the tree farm

look Dad I found one!

somewhat better then
last year's

Happy Birthday to My Baby Girl!!!

Anna Dixon turned 2 last Thursday!!! I can't believe it has been two years already. It scares me how fast time flies. It is amazing how quickly we went from desperately wanting a baby to desperately loving our baby. Now two years in the love keeps growing, and I can't imagine life any other way. Last week was a crazy fun filled week long birthday celebration. It started on Tuesday at school with donut holes with her friends and a birthday crown. Wednesday I had her playgroup over for cupcakes and a little birthday playdate, and Saturday we had a birthday celebration with family and some close friends. Sadly, Sadler (our dog) ate the crown before I could get a picture of her in it, but I have lots of pictures from the other festivities that I will be posting soon. If you remember last year Tommy did a video of AD's first year, and he has decided to make it a yearly tradition. So, here is his video of "Anna Dixon Year 2."

A Thankful Heart

We had a very fun filled Thanksgiving at Bibi's last week. It is the first time that my three older sisters and I have been together at my mom's house in a very long time. So, it was great to be back home again. Anna Dixon had a blast being in the same house with her cousins too! One morning my nephew, Samuel, had the two girls crawling and then marching around the house behind him while the adults sat at the table eating and enjoying the show. As always, there is so much to be thankful for this year, so here is my attempt to narrow it down to five...

1. My precious family of three. I still look at my sweet angel from above in awe and thank God for bringing her into our family!

2. Good health and family. Tommy and I are both very close to our families. It is such a blessing to have strong relationships with them. Also, we have had some sickness in our family this year. Everyone seems to be doing better this holiday season, and I am thankful for that.

3. Wealth...yep I said it...wealth. I'm pretty sure everyone reading this blog has food on the table every night. By some countries' standards that is wealthy. I'm so thankful for my Jehovah-jireh who provides for all of my needs.

4. Freedom. I'm so thankful to live in a country that is free to elect its own leaders. I'm even more thankful that no matter what the outcome our King is still King, and He's got this!

5. The Christmas season is particularly special to us because the Lord brought us Anna Dixon in December (yep she is about to be 2!!). For the past two years I have reflected on how much joy this baby has brought to me. Then I think about Christmas as the celebration of our dear Savior's birth. I think about how much more joy He brought to the world, when he came to earth as a baby and ultimately died on the cross for our sins. How great our joy! I'm thankful for a Savior who saved a wretch like me!

Here are some pictures from Thanksgiving weekend and this fall...but first a couple of long promised beach pictures from the summer...

afternoon toddy!

the pumpkin patch with Anna Holt

yummy s'mores!

Whoo Whoo Whoopy Halloween!

Can you guess what Anna Dixon was for halloween...a "whoo whoo" owl! She was a champ again this year and wore the hat that went with her costume pretty much the whole day. She really got into it this year too. She loved her costume (even wanted to nap in it) and would answer "whoo whoo" whenever we asked her what the owl said. And, she really racked up on the candy this year. So far her favorites are dum dum suckers and M&Ms, but to be honest Tommy and I have been eating most of it so far! Life has been busy as summer has morphed into fall. So, I need to play catch up on the blog a little bit. I'll be posting more pictures soon, but for now here is our little whoot owl...

with her play group friends

It's Been Awhile

I realized that it has been a while since I have posted. This summer has been busy filled with ups and downs. I took care of my nephew, Samuel, this summer which was a lot of fun! He is 5 and has a very active imagination, and he asks a lot of questions. So, he really kept me on my toes. Here is an example...

Samuel: "Aunt AH, if you don't believe in Jesus when you die will you go to heaven?"
Me: "No Samuel you won't. That is very sad. That is why we should tell everyone about Jesus!"
Samuel: "No. I don't want to."
Me: "Oh but you should. Jesus tells us to spread the good news of the gospel."
Samuel: "Okay, but not until I'm older."
Me: "Well when you are ready you definitely should."
Samuel: "I'm not going to yet, and I'm not going to tell Mary Ryburn (his sister) about Jesus until she is 4."
Me: "Okay."

As you can see, I would give up after a few go rounds in these theological discussions. Other questions where not so deep, but he always has lots to say. Samuel and Anna Dixon have always loved each other, but this summer they have become big buddies. Most mornings AD would jump down as soon as I got her out of the crib and give Samuel a big hug. I took care of him Monday through Wednesdays, and on Thursday mornings AD would run out into the den and give me a very sad look when Samuel wasn't there. He definitely made this summer much more fun for both of us.

Poor AD had a bit of a rough go physically this summer. First she tripped on the living room rug while running through the house and busted her lip very badly. It looked at first like she bit all the way through it. After a very traumatic trip to the emergency room, we discovered that she had not bitten all the way through and thank goodness did not even have to have stitches. About a month ago she fell off the step going down into our carport and fractured her tibia! When it happened, she was hysterical, but I did not see any cuts or bleeding. When she wouldn't walk or put any weight on her left foot, I realized something was wrong. Thankfully Tommy came home about 30 minutes later, and we called the after hours line at our doctor's office. Because she was not weight bearing, the nurse said we needed to take her to the emergency room. Thankfully, this time we got in at a smaller emergency clinic closer to our house. They discovered that it was actually her leg and not her foot that was hurt, did x-rays, but didn't see anything on them. They put her in a splint and sent us to the orthopedist the next day. He also did not see anything on the x-ray, but said that it was most likely a "toddler fracture." Apparently, in children her age a fracture does not show up on an x-ray until healing begins. So, she got a cute little pink cast, and wore if for 3 weeks. Last week we went back to the doctor. He confirmed that it was a fracture but was healing nicely. Poor AD did not enjoy having the cast removed. You can't blame her, though. I would have screamed too if someone came at my leg with a spinning blade! Bless her heart! The doctor said it may take a couple of days for her to feel comfortable walking again. She was running and climbing all over the place in the cast. But in true AD fashion, she was up and walking again within the hour.

This summer hasn't been all bad, though. We have made lots of fun trips to the Dora exhibit at our science center, the zoo, and the children's gallery at our art museum. AD even had a sleep over with her cousins and Bibi while Tommy and I were out of town. And, a couple of weeks ago we took a family vacation to the beach. Yes, AD was in her cast, and it didn't slow her down a bit! I hope everyone has had a good summer too! Of course, here are a few picture of our summer fun...

4th of July watermelon!

sleepover with the cousins!