...the crawford family...

Merry Christmas from the Crawfords!

2011-12-25T04:54:00.000-06:00

A certain little girl in this house is quite excited about Christmas gifts this year . . . wondering what gifts will appear for her under the tree. But what's more important than any gift under the tree? We give thanks to God for His grace and for sending His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross to take away our sins. What an amazing gift!

E is now five and continues to fill our lives with light and joy! She started half-day Kindergarten at our church's school in August and absolutely loves school! E got glasses last December. She looks so cute in them and accepted them with no problem - full steam ahead, as usual! She is still reading up a storm and loves library story time, reading any and all kind of books, drawing, crafts, writing and telling her own stories, playing outside, swimming (she took lessons for the first time over the summer - such a little fish!), cooking and doing jobs with Mommy. She is still a big fan of board games and puzzles and loves Uno, Monopoly and Sorry! E started piano lessons in January and is quite accomplished already. She enjoys playing hymns and Christmas songs for Mommy, Daddy, or any guests that happen to be in our home. She also loves church and singing and can often be found paging through our hymnal, reciting the liturgy or picking out and singing her favorite songs or parts of the service.

Our kitty Victoria was put to sleep after suffering the effects of kidney failure just before Christmas last year at the ripe old age of 19.5 years old! So now, we've added two new feline friends to our home! In February, we adopted Thomas - a four-year-old orange tabby - from the local animal shelter. He is gentle, very loving and you'll often find him hiding in our shower or sink, licking stray drips of water or just chilling out. In August, we also adopted Percy - a 19-month-old buff tabby - from a local humane society. Percy is a very energetic, silly, goofy cat. He loves to chase Thomas, play with E, "help" make beds and watch the squirrels and birds in our backyard. Both cats love E dearly, and they don't seem to mind that she named them after engines in her beloved "Thomas the Tank Engine" book!

This summer, we traveled to San Antonio to visit with Ben's sister and her husband and to attend hubby's family reunion. We learned the joyful news that they are expecting a little boy in February 2012. We are so excited to be "Aunt" and "Uncle", and E is thrilled about meeting her new cousin! Next, we headed to the Houston/Cypress area for several days of fun with Amy's lifelong friend Jennifer and her family. Lots of laughs and fun later, we piled in the car yet again for several days on the beach - just the three of us - in Galveston. We enjoyed Moody Gardens, beach time, a ride on a "Duck" boat and much more. After almost two weeks of travel, we returned home happy and exhausted!

In October, we enjoyed a bed-and-breakfast getaway in the St. Jo and Muenster, Texas area to celebrate our 11th anniversary. Our fun weekend included a stroll on the grounds of our picturesque inn, window shopping, German food, a winery tour and wine tasting, and dinner at an amazing place "in the middle of nowhere" featuring wood fired pizzas, amazing appetizers and to-die-for chocolate hazelnut pizza for dessert - all alfresco while sitting under twinkling fairy lights, sipping wine, watching the sun set over a beautiful valley. A fun, refreshing time together!

Hubby continues to work in a physical therapist position for a contract therapy company - an opportunity that places him in different assignments across the Metroplex. We are thankful for his steady employment and opportunities that this position provides. Hubby also continues to serve in a variety of positions at our church, something that allows him to fellowship with amazing mentors and to provide service to our congregation.

I continue to enjoy the opportunity to do freelance public relations and writing work from home, while also focusing on being a stay-at-home Mom. Business opportunities have grown over the last year - lots of exciting new involvements! Amy has also enjoyed being more involved with Elizabeth's school, volunteering in various ways.

We have so much to be thankful for! We look forward to 2012 with grateful hearts.

Happy heart . . .

2011-12-23T21:02:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful day "doing Christmas" with my forever-best-friend J. Presents, laughs, a hilarious, un-ending game of UNO and sweet times with these dear ones, having our two families together - my heart is so full, so happy! Thankful for the blessing of friendship!

Frosty the snowman . . .

2011-12-21T14:52:00.001-06:00

Gettin' crafty . . .

2011-12-20T05:04:00.000-06:00

Took a few moments during the holiday hustle and bustle to make some bag tags for my soon-to-arrive nephew. So cute! Because who doesn't love black and silver argyle and pinstripes?

It's not easy being green . . .

2011-12-19T05:00:00.000-06:00

We've been working very hard to eat "fresh and clean" around here lately. Lots of lean protein and veggies and fruits! Often, our fridge looks a lot like this:

. . . overflowing with green, good stuff!

Sunday School Christmas program . . .

2011-12-18T16:49:00.000-06:00

This time of year, our schedule is full of performances. E has a Sunday School Christmas program, a school Christmas program and a piano recital. Whew! Always on the go!

This year was E's last year to go up in the Sunday School program with the "little kids" to do "Away in a Manger". WAH! When did she get to be such a big kid?

But our big kid did a GREAT JOB speaking her parts loudly and clearly and singing her heart out for Jesus! Love this little girl!

(The last photo of her is with sweet friend Hailey after the program. The bag? Yes, it's filled with an orange, an apple, nuts and chocolate kisses - a long-standing tradition in our church. The scratch on E's face? From a P.E. class mishap at school - it's almost gone now! The video? From program practice the week before the event . . .)

Special day . . .

2011-12-17T05:02:00.000-06:00

- On this day in 1999, my husband asked me to marry him.

-On this day, my sister in law and brother in law also got engaged (a few years later!)

-And it's my dear friend Kelli's birthday!

Special times!

Christmas cookies with Gramma . . .

2011-12-16T04:47:00.000-06:00

It just wouldn't be Christmas without the annual

"cutout cookie decorating extravaganza with Gramma"! Yum!

Pinterest passion . . .

2011-12-15T04:42:00.000-06:00

I will NEVER have enough time to craft all of the fun things I see on Pinterest. And I will never have enough money to afford the beautiful homes and beautiful things I see there . . . but it is fun to look, and dream and get ideas!

I saw this ribbon scrap garland on the site about a month ago - it was actually one of the first things I remember "pinning". After getting my Christmas decorations out of the attic, I found myself with an extra string of white lights and some ribbon that had been in storage for years, so I decided to "play". . .

. . . And I am very happy with the sparkly results! I could see doing this for a little girls room, a birthday party, or any holiday. Fun, fun, fun!

The kitty and the Christmas lights . . .

2011-12-14T04:36:00.000-06:00

While working on a project I found on Pinterest, I had a little help from one of our furry felines, Percy. Such cute shots of him "helping"!

(More on the Pinterest project tomorrow!)

Sisters Shoebox Swap

2011-12-13T04:24:00.000-06:00

For a few years now, I've loved reading this blog and this blog. So when they asked for folks to participate in their Sisters Shoebox Swap this year, I knew I wanted to give it a try.

My task? Fill a shoebox with items that fit the theme "Merry!" and bless my assigned "sister" with the goodies. I had such fun reading the profile for my "sister" Angie and gathering goodies for her:

Since an uneven number of "sisters" signed up for the swap, I was part of a three-way-swap. Normally, Angie would have sent a box back to me, but instead, I received a box from With All That I've Been Given blogger Carrie. Oh, what fun! She even included a little treat for E!

Thank you, Carrie and Monica, for the ministry and encouragement that your blogs provide. And thanks for the fun opportunity to participate in this swap! I definitely hope to do it again next year!

The kitty and the Christmas tree . . .

2011-12-12T16:22:00.000-06:00

. . . what a lovely, warm spot to nap!

Cousin time!

2011-12-11T16:21:00.000-06:00

Last weekend, we enjoyed a pre-holiday dinner with E's cousins.

Goodness gracious, can you believe the blue eyes on these girls?

The Christmas story - five year old style . . .

2011-12-10T15:17:00.000-06:00

This is the first time E's written anything by herself - without asking for help with spelling or anything. Interesting attempt at the Christmas story. She told me it says "Mary was been saw by the shepherds and gave birth in the manger." Wow!

What is Advent?

2011-12-09T15:15:00.000-06:00

Love this newest "arting" by E.

This is the first time she's drawn herself with glasses.

So cute!

Preparing our hearts . . .

2011-12-08T14:05:00.001-06:00

As E gets older, I continue to find ways to find teachable moments in Advent (and all year round). Whether is a printable activities pack like this great one here, reading from a special devotion book, or simply reading from the Bible, it is important observe the time of Advent and include children. In our home, we count down to Christmas in many ways with E, including an Advent calendar, paper chain and more, but we also enjoy using our Advent wreath and reading daily devotions out of this book.

What do you do to prepare for Christmas? (and I don't mean the shopping, wrapping and baking....but you already knew that, didn't you?) :-)

Edit: I found this book in our stash - looks like another great one to use for daily devotions. I can't wait to read more about it! Also, I found a treasure inside - Ben's sweet mom bought this book for us when we got married - praying that one day she'd have a grandchild that would benefit from the devotions in this book. I found her note - in her distinctive handwriting - taped inside the book. Priceless!

In the middle of it all . . .

2011-12-07T13:03:00.000-06:00

sometimes you have to stop for a tasty, fresh lunch. Fuel for the body, so I can gear up to handle more of the Christmas hustle and bustle!

What are your quick, fresh, tasty lunch favorites?

A new tradition . . .

2011-12-06T16:00:00.000-06:00

We do countdowns in this house in a variety of ways. Paper chains are very popular, but for Christmas, we always do some kind of Advent calendar. This year, we found E a traditional "German" Advent calendar, complete with chocolates to eat behind the little door you open each day.

How do you count down the days until Christmas?

Feline funny business . . .

2011-12-05T06:57:00.000-06:00

No, we don't have a headless cat. But we do have a super nosy one. This is the "new guy" Percy. He has been going nuts since we set up the Christmas tree. During these photos, he wasn't content just to sit with his head amongst the branches and lights, but he couldn't resist getting that paw out there and swatting that tempting ornament . . .

What Christmas is all about . . .

2011-12-04T06:55:00.000-06:00

I love that E placed one of her nativities under our tree.

"Because, Mommy," she told me, "this is what Christmas is really all about!

Jesus is God's gift to us!"

There's a man in the house!

2011-12-03T07:52:00.000-06:00

I had a cute little man in the house yesterday helping me decorate the tree. Now, don't get worried, this cute little guy is only five months old, but he's already quite a ladies' man! Baby A was a bit fussy from a cold and teething, so we snuggled for quite a while in the rocking recliner listening to Christmas music. But after a snuggly nap on our bed, he was ready to supervise my Christmas tree decorating. He had quite an opinion! Those sweet little baby coos and squeals are too precious!

Decorating the tree . . .

2011-12-02T15:50:00.002-06:00

E has really been into the Christmas decorations this year. So much so, in fact, that she broke into "her" box of decorations before hubby and I even realized it. She spread her ornaments across the bottom half of the tree in the front and declared the tree "done"! Love her!

December Daily...

2011-12-01T22:14:00.000-06:00

Yes, it's that time of year again -- time for the December Daily! Blog posting each day in December...can I do it? Do I have time? Do I have enough to blog about? I have loved blogging the last four years about our family traditions, favorite recipes and family fun...so I'm going to give it a shot again! (And, let's just say, thank heavens for Blogger's ability to pre-schedule posts! :-) A busy girl's best friend!)

Friends, do you want to join me? (Hey, who cares if you're reading this a few days after December 1, or even if you can't join in each day...take a gander at blogging about your own Christmas traditions and fun....join us!)

Tea party . . .

2011-11-09T17:26:00.004-06:00

We're girly-girls in this house,

and E has learned to appreciate a good tea party.

When Aunt Kelli was in town last weekend,

we practiced our tea stirring and pinky-lifting skills, such fun!

Love this girl!

2011-11-01T15:44:00.002-05:00

Gettin' ready...

2011-10-27T17:16:00.002-05:00

Sparkly bumble bee costume all yellow and black . . .

Cake walk treats, chocolate and vanilla delicious-ness . . .

. . . and smiley Mr. Pumpkin from when Mommy was a little girl,

all ready to collect tons of treats!

We love October! - Pumpkins and wreaths and mums, oh my!

2011-10-08T08:46:00.002-05:00

We love October! - Harvest Festival Fun

2011-10-03T07:26:00.004-05:00

This weekend, we went to a

kid's harvest festival at our local plant nursery.

So much fun for this autumn-loving family!

A strong woman

2011-09-26T17:21:00.001-05:00

A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape-

but a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape.

A strong woman isn't afraid of anything -

but a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear.

A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her -

but a woman of strength gives the best of her to everyone.

A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future -

but a woman of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be God's blessings and capitalizes on them.

A strong woman walks sure-footedly -

but a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls.

A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face -

but a woman of strength wears grace.

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey -

but a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey she will become strong.

Freelance fun

2011-09-12T06:17:00.003-05:00

Remember when I mentioned I'd been burning the midnight oil cranking out a really cool, fun project for a client?

We finished. It's awesome. This thing totally rocks.

Is it weird that I am pretty bummed that the project is over? I worked with amazing people on a super-cool project. The finished product is amazing. Here's hoping I have the opportunity to work with this amazing team of folks again very soon!

Here's the deal:

Whether you're an educator, a parent, a historian or none of the above, check out this cool brochure "Super Sleuth's Guide to Plano's Historic Cemeteries." A cemetery guide and scavenger-hunt style questions are included in the downloadable brochure on the left side of the page. Answers are available on the site, too. Explorers, are you ready? Get set...and GO!

(We produced hard copies of this too, of course. They are going to be available everywhere from Chambers of Commerce to the Texas visitor's centers at the state line. How cool is THAT?)

Crazy Cat!

2011-09-11T07:10:00.000-05:00

A few nights ago, we were playing UNO and eating popcorn (a common sight around here!) Percy, the new kitty, was supervising our game.

E's little people nativity and matching little drummer boy set have been on our coffee table this week. E was asking to play with them, so I got everything out.

Long story short, Percy is very interested in the stable for the little drummer boy set that makes farm animal noises. We laughed so hard, we cried, watching him attack that little red barn!

Swimmin' sweeties...

2011-09-10T06:45:00.000-05:00

On Labor Day, we took a family trip to the pool. Some dear friends of ours live close-by and let us use their pool whenever we like - such a treat! E had been wanting to show daddy her developing swimming skills, so we decided to go swimming on Labor Day when Daddy was off work.

We didn't imagine that it would be 84 degrees outside! On Labor Day. In Texas!

To say the water was c-c-c-c-c-old is an understatement. But we did manage to swim for about an hour, and E was able to show Daddy all she's learned over the summer!

Fun times!

First picnic of the "fall"...

2011-09-09T13:36:00.004-05:00

Sweet girl!

How CUTE are these sandwich breads? Seriously?

Acorn caps fit perfectly on little toes!

Munching atop my great, great, grandmother's beautiful quilt.

The ant's-eye view.

E requested a lunch picnic after school today. Of course, I couldn't say no. This week's weather has been beautiful - and it's even more appreciated because it's a blessed break to our 100-plus degree temps. Picnics are perfectly wonderful things -- and perfect for a beautiful Friday afternoon!

Well, don't you look sharp?

2011-08-19T16:27:00.000-05:00

I splurged a few weeks ago. In fact, I probably will not get birthday or Christmas presents from my husband for the next three years. But it was so worth it. I already own some of these knives. This summer, a young man from our church was selling them. I bought more. I love to cook. These knives rock. Enough said.

Pretty things...

2011-08-18T16:14:00.003-05:00

If I had my life to life over - by Erma Bombeck

"If I had my life to live over, I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television - and more while watching life.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."
There would have been more "I love you's".. More "I'm sorrys" ...
But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute... look at it and really see it ... live it...and never give it back."

In the spirit of this great poem and the great sentiment it contains, I'm pulling out my pretty teapots and teacups and using them for daily tea, instead of keeping them packed up for "someday"....I'm injecting a little bit of "pretty" into my daily teatime....just for me.

Our little Kindergartener...

2011-08-17T10:32:00.003-05:00

E was a total rock star this morning. She is so excited about all things Kindergarten: her own desk, uniforms, backpack, lunchbox. Here are some snapshots of our morning!

Busy days....busy nights...

2011-08-16T16:10:00.001-05:00

Recently, my days have been full of end-of-summer activities with E, and my nights have been spent working on a fun and different freelance project (more details soon!). Love, love, love working on projects that are fun, and that I am passionate about! Happiness!

Silly girlfriends...

2011-08-15T04:08:00.002-05:00

E and school buddy Emma had so much fun

on the last Friday of summer....

park time, a local story time and

lunch-date time together. Silly girls!

Does this look comfortable to you?

2011-08-14T04:07:00.002-05:00

Our cat picks the strangest places to sleep!

On top of a bag full of library books?

Weird.

Sweet Baby A...

2011-08-13T04:52:00.001-05:00

E's Kindergarten teacher happens to be a dear friend of mine. We grew up together at our church -- and now she's back "home" just in time to teach my dear, sweet girl! Mrs. T has a little one of her own now -- a six week old we'll call Baby A. E is enamored with him, of course. One day this week, we went up to the school to help with Baby A. so Mrs. T could get some work done in the classroom. I had no problem at all spending some time with this handsome little man. E was pretty tickled to help, too. Is it any wonder that since then, she's been calling all of her baby dolls "Baby A."? Love it!

Getting ready for Kindergarten...

2011-08-12T04:50:00.000-05:00

E's teacher came over last week for a "home visit" (one of the million things I love about our small, Christian, classical education school). E had a chance to get to know her new teacher and talk to her teacher about Kindergarten. One thing Mrs. T left with us was a huge "about me" poster for E to fill out before the first day of school. Of course, E couldn't wait to get started. E asked for my help with some of the writing and assembly, but I think it's hilarious that the one thing she wanted to write on here was that she does not like gum. My silly girl! What a fun way to start the school year!

"Mommy and E school" - end of summer/back to school edition, part two!

2011-08-11T16:46:00.004-05:00

E is so excited about going to school - to KINDERGARTEN, specifically. And her enthusiasm is spilling over into the last days of Mommy and E school. She's coloring picture upon picture for her new teacher, going through worksheets like mad, reading like crazy and much more. She's been having a ton of fun with this reader/puzzle set I picked up at a discount book store. You do the puzzle for each key word in the reader....the puzzle spells out the word and makes the picture. So cool! We're having fun in our last few days of school together, before it's time for her to go back to school....for real!

No all-girl playdate is complete....

2011-08-10T09:40:00.000-05:00

...without a dress-up, fairy-princess tea party!

These sure have changed since I was a kid...

2011-08-09T09:36:00.000-05:00

I know I've talked about this before....

but seriously, these are the coolest things.

Since we've been stuck inside a lot due to the heat,

we've been spending a lot of time creating stuff like this!

"Mommy and E school" - end of summer/back to school edition!

2011-08-08T21:29:00.006-05:00

Summer is wrapping up (well the free time/no-school part of it ... not the hot temperatures part of it) and after a few weeks off from Mommy and E school for out-of-town guests, we're wrapping up the summer by getting ready for E's debut into KINDERGARTEN!

In this house, we love paper chains....counting down until the first day of school required E to create a fantastic, purple and pink Dora-decorated paper chain. We're also finishing up some worksheets and craft activities, reading lots of library books about Kindergaren, and E recently enjoyed a home-visit from her fantastic Kindergarten teacher Mrs. T! (They read "The Kissing Hand" together - love that book!)

E is so excited! A new backpack. New hairbows. School uniforms. A classroom with her own desk. Old friends. New friends. New teacher. BIG FUN!

We're sad to see summer go, but it's so sweet to see my girl SO excited about school. Here's to Kindergarten! Hip, hip, HOORAY!

What do you do...

2011-08-02T11:06:00.004-05:00

....when it is flaming hot outside and you do not want to cook?

Make this ... we've had it with chips or on soft tacos. Or you can just eat it out of the bowl with a spoon. Yes, it's that good! So fresh and cool and tasty! And exceptionally good with an ice-cold adult beverage. Ahhhh. Much better!

Water and mud, oh my...

2011-07-28T11:24:00.000-05:00

One of the ways we've been surviving the hot (and sometimes boring, at least according to E...) days of summer is with two new, fun sprinklers. E plays outside a good part of the morning, enjoying the water and the resulting mud. Fun times!

Vacation snapshots: Sea Wolf Park

2011-07-26T16:32:00.000-05:00

This tiny little park is home to the USS CAVALLA (WWII Submarine) ; the USS STEWART (destroyer escort - one of only 3 in the world), a well-known fishing pier and a playground. The park was built on an immigration station site (the second largest in the country after Ellis Island!) and offers a great view of Galveston harbor.

We opted not to tour the sub or the ship, but enjoyed them from the outside. We watched many people fishing off the pier and watched many huge boats in the harbor. E was also delighted to see the ferries shuttling cars back and forth! The playground, of course, was very popular, too. A neat adventure!

Vacation snapshots: USS Cape Gibson

2011-07-25T16:31:00.000-05:00

We stumbled upon this amazing ship when we were trying to find SeaWolf Park (more on that tomorrow). This beauty is currently housed at the Texas A&M Galveston Mitchell Campus. We enjoyed looking at all of the neat details on this ship and admiring the sheer size of this beauty.

Vacation snapshots: Ride the Ducks

2011-07-24T16:18:00.000-05:00

We opted to try the Galveston "Ride the Ducks" tour while we were there. Have you ever seen these interesting boat/vehicles? The "duck" is a six-wheel-drive amphibious truck that was originally designed inside General Motors Corporation during World War II for transporting goods and troops over land and water and for use approaching and crossing beaches in amphibious attacks. Our duck, the "Miss Michelle" gave us a great tour of Galveston and Offatt's Bayou.

We learned all kinds of history about the area, saw many interesting sights and saw tons of pelicans while we were out on the water. Very interesting, and very cool!

Vacation snapshots: Star Drug Store

2011-07-23T16:03:00.000-05:00

Read about this little gem several places when planning our vacation. This little drug store in Galveston's historic district is too cute -- and has great food and ice cream. Love it!

Vacation snapshots: on to Galveston!

2011-07-22T15:53:00.000-05:00

You may remember that last year we had a dream vacation to Florida with my folks. While Galveston really cannot compare to the sugar-sand beaches of Florida's panhandle, we still wanted to have some beach time. After seven day of fun with family and friends, we ended our vacation with some beach time for our little family of three.

We did "Ride the Ducks", went to Moody Gardens, enjoyed beach time, many seafood dinners and many beautiful sunsets. A wonderful, relaxing way to end our "south Texas tour" of 2011!

Vacation snapshots: it just makes my heart smile...

2011-07-21T12:44:00.000-05:00

...to be with my sweet family and my best friend and her sweet family. For years, we'd talk about dream about the husbands God picked out for us, and about our future children. To see it all now - the blessings we both have - all in once place - priceless!

Mommy and E school: week five - dress up, pretend and "careers"

2011-07-21T11:27:00.003-05:00

This week in Mommy and E school, we've been talking about dress up and pretend. We picked several different "careers" to talk about, from fairy princess to vet to meteorologist. Today we talked about weather and meteorology. E loved it! She always loves watching the weather forecast on TV, loved being able to "pretend" at that on our vacation, and really enjoyed creating her own forecast. (Now, if only that rain prediction would come true!)

Vacation snapshots: girlfriends

2011-07-20T12:41:00.000-05:00

I've known Jenn since I was about four years old. I've known Tami since the first day of ninth grade (we were both new to our high school and terrified!) We all went to the same college, and now J and T happen to live about 10 minutes from each other. Such a blessing to spend time together and get all of our families together. Such crazy, wonderful fun!

Vacation snapshot: sweet girls at church on a Sunday morning

2011-07-19T12:39:00.000-05:00

Vacation snapshots: buddies!

2011-07-18T12:34:00.000-05:00

MPH is my best friend's middle child and her only son.

MPH is one of the sweetest little boys I know.

He's also a crazy, silly boyish mess

who loves Star Wars and being silly.

My daughter thinks he is awesome!

(Favorite quote of the trip from MPH:

"Mommy, why do we call her

"Miss Amy" if she is your sister?

Shouldn't we be calling her "Aunt Amy"?

Sweet little man thought we were sisters...

and we are, in heart, just not by blood! :) )

Vacation snapshots: swinging is cool...

2011-07-17T12:32:00.000-05:00

....no matter what your age!

Vacation snapshots: can you spot...

2011-07-16T12:31:00.000-05:00

...hubby's mom in this great, old photo?

(Hint, she's the one on the left that

looks just like hubby and E!)

Vacation snapshots: do you know what this is?

2011-07-15T12:27:00.001-05:00

Neither did I, until our trip to the San Antonio Zoo.

It's a Nutria.

And did you know they're found in North Texas

along our creeks and rivers?

I had never heard of this critter before,

and really had no idea we had them in the area!

Excited!

2011-07-15T12:08:00.002-05:00

One way to get over the post-vacation blues? Book another getaway! I just made reservations for our 11th anniversary getaway in October. We're eating here and staying here. Excited!

Vacation snapshots: future meteorologist?

2011-07-14T12:22:00.000-05:00

We found a really cute "be a weatherman" display at the Witte Museum in San Antonio. Their science treehouse area had a room where you can stand in front of the "green screen" and pretend to be a weather person on TV. To add to the fun, there was also a green blanket in the area, where you could cover part of your body and see what happened on the TV screen. Daddy loved to pretend that part of him was missing. Talking heads on TV? Indeed...

Vacation snapshots: Steve's banana cake

2011-07-13T09:11:00.001-05:00

While we were at hubby's sister's house, E and and Auntie Lu made "Steve's Banana Cake". This recipe is a family tradition. Hubby's mom used to make it all the time, and we've made it in every form: muffins, cake, loaf, you name it. E had fun helping Auntie Lu in the kitchen - making sweet treats and making memories!

(And no, before you ask, we have no idea who Steve is. But "Steve's Banana Cake" sounds so much better than just "banana bread", don't you think? And yes, the recipe above is a treasure - written out in my dear mother-in-law's handwriting. Extra special because she is no longer with us.)

Vacation snapshots: Go Fish

2011-07-12T09:08:00.002-05:00

E has been really into board games and card games lately. I packed some of her favorites for our vacation, knowing we'd have extra time for family time/game time due to our more relaxed schedule.

We had a hoot of a time playing CareBear Go Fish at hubby's sister and brother-in-law's house. You've not lived until you've heard two grown men asking each other for "Smart Heart Bear" and "Laugh a Lot Bear". We laughed until our sides hurt - and had so much fun!

Mommy and E school: week four - cooking and baking

2011-07-11T15:24:00.003-05:00

We're back from vacation and hitting Mommy and E school again!

This week? Cooking and baking! (Yum!) We read a cute book

today called "The Princess and the Pizza" and

E made her own pizza out of colored paper.

Too cute! Simple and fun!

We're home!

2011-07-10T15:19:00.004-05:00

Ah, vacation. How I miss you, already....and we just got home.

We had a wonderful 10-day trip to San Antonio, Houston,

Galvestonand many places in between. We visited family, extended family,

life-longfriends and also had a little time to ourselves -

just the three of us on the beachfor some quality, family time!

Eating out, sleeping in, having fun, doing

whatever we wanted - such a fun, fun time!

Now? We're in recovery. Laundry piled high.

Dirty house (how DOES it get so dirty when no one is here?)

Bills and mail and email stacked up....sigh.

Tough to see vacation end, but good, so good to be home.

When you were little, didn't you just love...

2011-06-30T09:18:00.000-05:00

...throwing pennies in fountains?

Office assistant...

2011-06-29T11:34:00.000-05:00

There's been a lot going on in my home office lately....

VBS prep, freelance work and more.

I'd really like someone around to help me out....

but this is NOT what I had in mind!

Wiggly, flippy spinklers...

2011-06-28T09:07:00.000-05:00

Fun, fun, fun in the summertime!

Summer's bounty...

2011-06-27T09:10:00.000-05:00

Our garden has been yielding this each day - or more. We may not love the heat, but our tomatoes sure do! Yum!

Someone loves...

2011-06-26T09:12:00.000-05:00

...her new Hello Kitty swim suit!

And she's been putting it to good use

practicing her mad swimming skills!

"Mommy and E school" - week three: travel and transportation, continued!

2011-06-25T09:00:00.000-05:00

We made a "suitcase" out of a file folder...

E covered it in stickers of places she's been

or would like to go...

Then we "packed" the suitcase with things

she decided she would need on a trip.

(The two drawings at the top are two of her

beloved stuffed animals, of course!)

Happy Birthday to...

2011-06-24T09:15:00.000-05:00

...my amazing mom.

An outstanding role model.

A loving Gramma.

She is so strong, determined and focused,

and so gracious in any circumstance.

We love you!

"Mommy and E school" - week three: travel and transportation, continued!

2011-06-23T20:17:00.001-05:00

E has fun driving her cars on her

"custom designed roadway/city". Fun stuff!

School with Thomas...

2011-06-23T09:08:00.000-05:00

I guess E decided she needed to teach someone, too. We've been having fun with "summer school" here at home. I recently caught E reading Thomas a book about butterflies, and showing him the 3D cutouts in the book. Silly girl! (Do you think Thomas was paying attention?)

"Arting" with E...

2011-06-22T09:06:00.000-05:00

A friend gave E a fun "paint your own clock" kit for her birthday. Let me tell you, it stretched the limits of my artistic ability (and I don't have much, let me tell you). E has been begging to work on this for weeks, so I finally broke down, and we tackled this together. I painted the monkey face and she did the rest. Colorful and cute, if I do say so myself!

"Mommy and E School": week three

2011-06-21T15:09:00.001-05:00

Travel and transportation - fun, fun!

Happy Birthday to...

2011-06-21T09:14:00.000-05:00

...my sweet husband.

The best daddy ever.

The perfect mate for me.

A blessing to all that he meets.

We love you!

We love Vacation Bible School!

2011-06-20T21:04:00.002-05:00

Bible stories.

Friends.

Snacks.

Crafts.

Playtime.

How can you go wrong?

This little girl loves purple...

2011-06-19T20:59:00.002-05:00

...can you tell?

Where we've been...

2011-06-16T17:16:00.004-05:00

We've been doing an awful lot of this:

Which means that a certain little fish thinks that

this is a little less exciting than it used to be (but still fun!):

Between swim lessons, swim "practice" and playtime,

we've been in the pool almost every day!

Such a refreshing way to beat the heat!

"Mommy and E School": week two

2011-06-15T16:12:00.002-05:00

Bugs, gardens and butterflies, oh my!

Swingin' and singin'

2011-06-12T09:19:00.000-05:00

E loves her new swing set. But it never fails, anytime she's swinging, in addition to the familiar creak-CREAK-creak of the swing, I also hear her singing. Church songs, Sunday School songs, school songs, silly songs, TV theme songs, you name it. Sometimes I guess you just have to swing and sing!

Summer school

2011-06-11T09:12:00.002-05:00

E and I have been having fun together with "Mommy and E school" this summer. Each week, we have a theme, and we read books, do crafts incorporating that theme. (Week one's theme: fish, swimming and the beach/ocean - to fit in with our current round of swim lessons. Fun!) We also work on a variety of skills worksheets featuring spelling, math, handwriting and more. E loves to learn and loves "arting" and "worksheets" and school. This has been a great way for her to spend some of her summer time - doing something she loves!

(I am nowhere near as cool at Brit over at Living with Three Boys - her learning and lesson plans ideas each week put me to shame ... but I am proud of myself for coming up with a curriculum for E for the summer. Learning and fun, all in one!)

Welcome to "Butterfly Cabin" ...

2011-06-10T09:10:00.000-05:00

E recently received a cute hand-me-down log cabin playhouse from some family friends. We finally have it settled in our backyard in "just the right spot". She's been having so much fun "playing house" in her self-christened "Butterfly Cabin" - so cute!

How does your garden grow?

2011-06-09T09:09:00.000-05:00

Swim lessons...

2011-06-08T09:08:00.001-05:00

E started swim lessons this week with a sweet lady

in town that teaches at her home.

So much fun, and so much to learn!

What are you doing this summer?

2011-06-07T21:05:00.001-05:00

It's that time of year again....

2011-05-29T18:40:00.003-05:00

Wondering what's up with this photo?

Click here to read more about it!

(And yes, I know I haven't blogged since January...

busy times around here friends, busy times!)

List-making, planning and more...

2011-01-10T10:45:00.004-06:00

There's something about January and just sets me off on a planning tangent. I'm a list maker by nature, anyway....but I love a fresh, clean calendar and a whole year of clean pages sets me off with ideas, dreams, lists and plans.

Remember last year how I booked our summer vacation in January?

Well, I'm at it again. We're in the works for planning another fun, family vacation full of relatives, friends, several cities and some beach time.

Hm....what's next? Menu planning, home improvement ideas, freelance business development, craft projects with E....

Gotta love January's fresh, new start! Happy New Year!

Chugga, Chugga, Choo Choo...

2011-01-03T20:42:00.003-06:00

There's been a whole lot of this going

on at our house since Christmas....

Love it!

Glam girl...

2010-12-30T15:26:00.002-06:00

E got glasses today!

She looks so stinkin' cute...

and so very much older!

A bittersweet moment for this momma!

Christ the Savior is Born!

2010-12-25T03:24:00.000-06:00

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.

The stars in the sky looked down where he lay,

The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,

But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.

I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky

And stay by my cradle til morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay

Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,

And take us to heaven, to live with Thee there

Crawford Christmas letter - 2010 edition!

2010-12-24T07:22:00.001-06:00

Every year, we seem to get busier and busier! The days go faster and faster, the to-do list is never ending, the calendar is always full...but through it all, we give thanks to God for His grace and for sending His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross to take away our sins. What an amazing gift!

E is now four and continues to fill our lives with light and joy! She started a new pre-Kindergarten class at our church this fall and adores her teacher and classmates. She is reading (yes, already!) and loves the going to the library, reading all kind of books, drawing, crafts, playing outside, cooking and doing jobs with Mommy and all kinds of dramatic play. She also discovered board games this year and often sits down with one of her stuffed animals or dolls so they can "play" together (yes, she spins and moves for everyone....so cute!) She also loves church and singing and can often be found paging through our hymnal, reciting the liturgy or picking out and singing her favorite songs or parts of the service.

In June, we traveled with my parents to Perdido Key, Florida - it was E's first trip to the beach! We stayed in a beautiful condo right on the water. Despite the looming threat of this summer's Gulf oil spill, we enjoyed a fantastic vacation that yielded many wonderful family memories. E developed a passion for building sand castles and playing miniature golf, and we all enjoyed relaxation and family time together.

Three days after returning from our Florida trip, we again packed our bags and headed to Austin for the wedding of a dear family friend, then traveled on to San Antonio for hubby's annual family reunion. It was a whirlwind trip full of good friends, dear family, great food and all kinds of fun....but after that, we were ready to get home and stay home for a while! The rest of the summer we laid low - we needed to rest and recover!

In October, we enjoyed a bed-and-breakfast getaway in nearby Grapevine to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Our fun weekend included touring and tastings at several wineries, shopping in the city's old downtown area, shopping at a local outlet mall and quiet times together. During our excursion, E enjoyed her first sleepover at Gramma and Grampa's - she totally loved it and can't wait to do it again soon!

Hubby continues to work in a physical therapist position for a contract therapy company - an opportunity that places him in different assignments across the Metroplex. We are thankful for his steady employment and opportunities that this position provides. He also continues to serve in a variety of positions at our church, something that allows him to fellowship with amazing mentors and to provide service to our congregation.

I continue to enjoy the opportunity to do freelance public relations and writing work from home, while also focusing on being a stay-at-home Mom. It's a constant balancing act full of challenges and struggles, but the flexibility is a blessing! I also enjoy being involved with E's class at school, and am always trying something new...whether testing new recipes, exploring new crafts, blogging or reading.

We said goodbye this week to our almost-20-year-old kitty Victoria, who gave in to kidney failure on Monday. She had been the picture of kitty health since her "near death" scare late last year. We will miss our sweet fur baby. But, E has already asked when we can get a new kitty - I have a feeling that will be happening in the near future!

We have so much to be thankful for! We look forward to 2011 with grateful hearts.

Annual tradition: Grandmome's cheese log

2010-12-23T15:18:00.000-06:00

Hubby's mom always used to make this tasty snack for us when we'd go to visit. Holidays, summertime, anytime - this stuff is so good. It's a little different than the normal, standard "cheese ball" - the pecans are mixed in, instead of the cheese ball/log being rolled in the nuts. But it all works. The original recipe called for this to be served with strawberry preserves on the side (as an additional dip or spread?) but all of us always think that is weird, so we never do it. Let me know if you try it that way!

Grandmome's Cheese Log

2 (8 oz.) pkgs. sharp cheddar cheese
1 sm. onion, peeled
1 c. pecans, chopped
2/3 c. mayonnaise
1 tsp. red pepper

Grate cheese (if not already shredded) and onion. Add pecans, mayonnaise and seasoning until blended. Shape mixture into a ring, log or ball on a serving platter. (Or, if you're the lazy owner of this blog, pack it into a bowl and just tell you guests to scoop it out with a knife later. It still tastes good, promise!) Chill several hours. Fill center of ring with strawberry preserves, if desired. Serve with crackers.

A very cute, simple stocking stuffer....

2010-12-22T03:58:00.000-06:00

...for our purple-loving princess.

I see lots of "tiara" cookies in my future!

New holiday recipe: sopapilla cheesecake bars

2010-12-21T14:40:00.000-06:00

I made these for our Bible study Christmas party a few weeks ago. These are SO good and so addictive! And they were easy to pull together with items I already had on hand!

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
3 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls (may need more to cover)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar (I used a bit more, to ensure coverage)

Using a 9 x 13 baking pan, unroll one package of refrigerated crescent rolls and line the bottom of the pan. Flatten to cover.
Mix together the cream cheese, sugar and extract. Spread over the crescent rolls.
Unroll the other can of crescent rolls and place on top of cream cheese mixture.
Pour one stick of melted butter or margarine over the top and sprinkle with about 1/2 cup of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

The "ding ding thing"...

2010-12-20T15:38:00.000-06:00

Growing up, my parents used one of these as our Advent wreath when we did our nightly devotions (We lovingly refer to it as the "ding ding thing"). My mom still has the same piece, although it's tarnished with age and use and much more rickety than it used to be. When we were at her house recently, she pulled it out to show E. E was just as enthralled with the spinning angels, ringing bells and candlelight as I was at her age. Love this!

Pretty paper, pretty ribbons...

2010-12-19T15:35:00.000-06:00

Earlier this year, when a local card shop closed, they clearanced out everything in the store, including Christmas items. Imagine my thrill when I found tiny snowman ornaments featuring the names of many of my friends -- for only pennies each! What a cute way to tag a gift! I've had fun adding these little guys to gifts this Christmas season. Too fun!

I had such fun...

2010-12-18T19:56:00.001-06:00

...introducing E to "the Little House books" tonight with this wonderful book! Such gorgeous illustrations...and now she wants to know more about Laura and Mary. Love it!