Family

As a birthday gift to myself I scheduled family pictures! I am pretty sure that I was the only one excited about them, but that's ok!  I love Fall and the weather and the clothes and the smells, so I thought it would be perfect to have our pictures made in this time of year. I also wanted to add new pictures to go along with the new house, and I think they turned out perfect! Here is our family...

This is my favorite picture! They look so sweet here!

I already have several prints in frames around the house,

and my 3 panel canvas just came in today. Happy birthday to me!

I love our family!

35 years young

I had a wonderful 35th celebration last week! I am so thankful for all the friends, family, co-workers and students who showered me with love all week! My door at school was adorned with the Happy Birthday sign and the students were so cute in bringing all their gifts to me! I got homemade brownies, gift cards, a coffee mug and lots of sweet homemade cards!

My mom and dad sent me a cookie bouquet at school, too! 

Richard got me rocking chairs for the patio.  As we sat in them and talked, we laughed at the fact that 35 must be old if we are already sitting on the porch and rocking! 

He also surprised me at youth that night with cookie cakes and all the youth singing happy birthday!

This weekend we went to my parents for my party and the theme was housewarming! Everything was decorated with paint cans, supplies, mailboxes, bricks, etc...it was so cute! 

All my gifts were in "moving boxes"!

The boys wore their painter hats and ate off paint lids!

My cakes was a front door.

And all of my gifts were house needs!

As always, it was so creative and perfect for this season we are in! Praying 35 will be a year of settling in and pouring out on others!  

Life Group

We had our Life Group out to the house last night. It was such a neat feeling to be the hostess again!  I remember when we moved to Georgetown back in 2007; it was a small apartment, and then we moved into a rent house and then life turned upside down and it's been rent houses ever since, so it's been a looooong time since I've been able to be the hostess!  

Once everyone got there, we worshipped and prayed and then they prayed over me and Richard and then everyone prayer walked through the house, waiting on The Lord for a word or scripture or vision concerning our family and house.  It was so cool!! Some of the words that people shared were joy, sanctuary and unity.  I too received the word joy and during our worship, we were listening to a slower hymn when all of a sudden the iPod shuffled, mid song, to a very upbeat jazzy version of a different hymn. Everyone began to giggle and we just went with it! We began to clap and dance in our seats and I just felt like God was saying to my heart this house was meant for joy, for your family and for others. One friend shared that he felt like God was going to use all that He has given us to reach so many people. And I can completely agree with that. I feel like we have been blessed abundantly and in turn we will use what we've been given to help others or bless others or just show others God's faithfulness. One friend went upstairs where all the kids' rooms are and she received the word mighty for the boys. She said even though the boys are small they will be mighty. What a wonderful word, I'm so glad she shared that!

It was such a special night, and one I will treasure always.

Our home

I am finally getting around to blogging about the house. I kept thinking that I would do a blog once it was all done, but I'm quickly realizing that it may be a long, long until it's "done"! 

We did about 3 weeks of work before we moved in to update a few things and clean up a few things. We put new countertops in the kitchen.

Before

After

We stained the cabinets and painted the master bathroom.

Before

After

We gave the basement a facelift. We closed in the garage door area and vented it and made it such a fun space for us and the kids!

Before

After

(Ignore the longhorn, there are plans to change that ;) 

Since we closed in the basement, we also had a ton of dirt brought in to level the yard. The boys loved watching all the big construction vehicles driving around!

Richard also lined the driveway and shop area with railroad ties. It makes it look so sharp!

There is a wrap around porch that has so much space to entertain and relax! One of my favorite spots!!

Since we finally have space, we got a couch that seats all of us.

And a kitchen table to seat us all.  It was hard to find a table big enough so we ended up having this one made. It fits perfect with the rustic theme right down to the H branded into every chair.

I decided to decorate with wall decals and quite possibly went over board, but I love them! So simple and it adds so much to each room!

All the kids' rooms are upstairs with a loft area for video games or movies.

Koby and Kelby chose a western theme room.

Troy and Teague chose baseball.

And Baylee chose a mix of patterns; chevron, paisleys, etc...

Our bedroom is still in the works but it's so roomy and truly a sanctuary for us! Complete with a door out to the porch.

My mom got us this wall hanging that goes perfect!

And this is my latest delivery. I put it on the wall you see first as you walk into the house. Still need a sofa table against the wall, but I love how it turned out!

I love everything about this house and thank God daily, if not more often for the opportunity to raise our family here!