It's the most wonderful time of the year...

Today is one of the best days of the year for many reasons:

1. It gives us a chance to be thankful! I am thankful for my family. That I grew up in a home where love is abundant and unconditional. I am thankful for my extended family and friends that have been such a blessing. I am thankful for my handsome, thoughtful, and strong husband. I can't imagine life without him. I am thankful for my beautiful daughter. She is my miracle. I am especially thankful to God and His love, grace and wisdom.

2. It's the day before "Black Friday." I love the day after thanksgiving shopping. Crowds, bargains and FUN!

3. I can officially begin to listen to Christmas music.

4. Christmas decorations. The tree. The lights. The silly ornaments I made in 4th grade. Evie's first ornament. Shawn and I's first ornaments. The nativity collections! The tree skirt.

5. Holiday movies! Elf, Santa Clause (1, 2 and 3), White Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, The Grinch, Mickey's Christmas Carol, and of course The Nativity.

6. The Singing Christmas tree at church. If you've never experienced it you are definately missing out.

7. That magical Christmas feeling.

8. Getting to play Santa. I love being a mama!

9. Doing Operation Christmas Child. Have you heard of this organization?? You take a shoebox, fill it with toys, games, toiletries, hard candy, school supplies and it is shipped overseas to a special child who has NEVER had a gift before. Can you imagine? Especially in our buy, buy, buy...me, me, me society! Plus the point of the shoebox is to let that child know that they are loved, by people who don't even know them but more importantly by God.

10. Spending time with family. All the complaining of traveling aside. I love that this season means at least 4 days with our families. LOVE IT! So often our trips are so short. The holidays are a great time to spend more time with each other.

11. It's Shawn and I's anniversary. This year will be our 5th. It is so crazy that it's already been 5 years! Shawn- I love you more today then yesterday. My love grows stronger every day. I am so thankful to have you by my side in this journey! I love you!

12. A new year. I like new years. It always seems to mean a clean slate. A new year to experience something new. Be somebody different. Grow. Change. The business starts a new fiscal year then too... so many possibilities. Isn't it exciting to wonder what the year will hold??

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! What do you like best about this time of the year??

Love,
Shawn, Tawnda & Evie

Here's the 411

Grandma and Grandpa V were here to visit for a few very short, very fun filled, days. Evelyn's favorite part: coloring. Lots and lots of coloring! Thanks to grandma and grandpa's influence Evie spends half of her day coloring. I love that she enjoys art now. Maybe she will develop an artists hand like her grandma V, who gifted Evie with several pictures of animals. I have no artistic aspirations, I am lucky to color inside the lines. However, I have often admired my moms talents and craftiness. Both of my sisters have inherited this. Jessie with her drawing, creativity and photography skills. Keesha is, and I use her own words, "crafty!" I channel any bit of creativity I have into my scrapbooking. I think that is where my talent lies, in preserving our family memories. Now Evie, we'll see...but we think she is amazing now and will be no matter if she continues to draw lines and squiggles or if she channels Picasso.

New Pages

Though I haven't had much time to scrapbook, I did manage to create these two pages. I've been immersed in pictures of Evie when she was less then a year old. Then I look up and I can't believe how big she is and how not-like-a-baby she is. At least we have the blessing of cameras. Can you imagine how you would feel if you only had a few photos of your children to capture their childhood? I can't...which is most likely why I have over 2000 photos of Evelyn {sigh}. I can't help it though, if she wasn't so perfect, adorable, and sweet, I wouldn't take so many photos. Though I think that what I am trying to capture is her spirit and how we feel being her "mommee" and "dad-dy." If only...

Almost Wordless Wednesday--My 150th Post

Crazy, right! I thought so too, but I guess I have a lot to talk about. Anyway, here is a recent photo that I took for my "Week in the Life" project. I taught Evie to give me Eskimo kisses. She gets so excited to give them, and I am a willing recipient of them!