red house photography

some more family photos

 

these stairs are old and rickety and i was praying to Jesus that the boys wouldn't fall off.

it was very cold this day.

sawyer was not feelin' it.

poor little buddy.

my friend jonna, who i've know forever took these photos.

go to  red house photography if you're around here and get yo' self hooked up. :)

remember how i told you that sawyer cried through most of the session and avery made weird

faces every other minute?  yeah, well this was just a 30 minute session with all that going on and she was still able to get these gems.  i am a fan.

 

when i was a senior in college i lived in an apartment right above this sign.
good memories.
i found this 10 year old photo and had to share.
aj & i  on the night of junior/senior banquet.
back when every guy wore that same blue shirt and baggy khaki's.

that was fun.
but i'd rather be here than there. Pin It

Tidings of Comfort & Joy

Merry Christmas

Love,

AJ, Sara, Avery, Finley, & Sawyer

We pray that "the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." (Eph 1:18-19)

Fine Print: This is the first year in at least 12 that I haven't sent out a Christmas card.  If you were wondering where your card is, this is it. :)  We didn't snub you.  Consider this your "e-card."  Oh yeah, we're all hip & modern like that.  If you want awesome photos like this, go check out this miracle worker.

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Last minute gift idea

If you're like me and have a lot on your list and a little time to get it done....here's an idea for you. 

It's from Meg Duerksen's blog.  This is her photo.
She did this last year and I filed it away b/c I knew it would come in handy.
I'm making them today for AJ's co-workers. 

Easy and super cute.
And a box of hot cocoa is 2 cents at target right now if you go here and print a coupon. :)

you. are. welcome. Pin It

Stop the World.

THE Nester featured me on her nest files!!!

She had 1,050ish people link to her holiday tour of homes.  She's featuring some of them on her Nest Files. I was perusing through them this morning and saw my mantle! I almost fell off my chair.
So exciting!  I love the Nester.  Her blog is one of my favorites and I have learned so much from her.  If you have been living under a rock and haven't read her blog.  You must.  But be warned, it's addicting.

Thank you Nester! You made my day. :) Pin It

9 years ago today.

Happy Anniversary, Baby.

You are more than a dream and I'm beyond blessed to call you mine.

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Quickly Now.

1.  This time of year is CRAZY.  I so want it to be relaxing, full of baking and doing Christmas crafts with the boys.  But, it's just not.  I know I'm not alone in this.  I just feel like I'm running, running, running.  The list is long.  One mama, 3, sometimes 4, kids.  I'm trying to just take it one day, one moment at a time, rest in Jesus' presence, and only do the most important things.

2.  I want it to snow.  If it's gonna be this cold, it just needs to snow already.

3.  We had the best time getting to participate in the Potter's House Giveaway Day on Saturday.  It was so great to get to serve with our kids.  I think it helped make it tangible for them.  They loved helping the families pick out gifts.  I loved getting to pray over these families and love on them.

4.  We attempted to have family pictures done on Sunday by my friend and awesome photographer, Jonna.   Sawyer was not in a good mood.  He cried/fussed 94% of the session.  Avery made goofy faces 79% of it. 

5.  I'm leading the craft for Avery's class party today.  With Finley and Sawyer's help.  Good times. Pin It

It started Today.

We are going to build a well.

You are going to build a well.

(photo courtesy of Jody Landers)

Because we can.

Because you can.

How?

Right now sweet, generous, creative and caring women from all over the country are sewing, knitting, painting, shopping, blogging, praying.

Donating.

Over 100 items.

Handmade and heartfelt happiness.

Starting

December 14th

and ending

December 18th

Project 320

will be holding a virtual raffle.

15 prize bundles.

Each $10 donation to the well

earns one virtual ticket.

You get to choose how many "tickets" to buy

and which prize package you want to win.

On December 21st we will "draw" 15 winners.

But most of all,

we will celebrate the victory.

The promise of clean water for a village.

Life.

Are you excited?

You should be!!!!

Because it is going to be awesome.

Grab a button.

Spread the word.

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a very pineconey christmas, part deux.

Putting up & decorating our Christmas tree is a whole family activity. 
We always watch a Christmas movie while we decorate.
This year was Miracle on 34th Street.
This hottie puts the tree up.....

Sorry....that picture really was just for me. :)

I let the boys just go to town, putting the ornaments wherever they please. 

I try to just enjoy the moment and not get too fussy about the arrangement....okay, I always switch stuff around later....but they never notice.

Our tree is very "us"....relaxed, not stuffy, not perfect, just a hodge podge really.  I love it.

Oh, and chock full of pine cones. :)

I don't use a tree skirt.  This year I wrapped burlap around the bottom.
We use ornaments the kids have made, ornaments we received at our December wedding, & other meaningful or pretty ornaments we've collected along the way.
I love the contrast between the glittery/shimmery ornaments against the more woodsy, natural looking ones.

I tucked pine cones in deep all over the branches.

I also tied some red grosgrain ribbon on the ends of branches randomly. 

No rhyme or reason...that's how I roll.

I had so much fun doing my mantle this year. 

I wrapped a couple strands of greenery together to make it more floufy. 
That's the technical term.
I tucked in lights and then went to town stuffing in free stuff...i.e.: sticks and pine cones.
Are you sick of the pine cones already???
But they look so good! 

I made the wreath with a coat hanger and some wire.

I've got those berry pick things years ago half off at hobby lobby. 

I kept messing w/ the other side of the mantle to make it all cohesive and balanced.

Everything I was trying looked ridiculous or off-balance.

Then I remembered this random wall hanging box thingy I had in the closet.

Some floral foam, random rocks, pine cones, pine branches & sticks later.....and here we go.

I think it does the trick.

Yes, we only have 4 stockings.  Can't find what I want.

And this makes being woken up way too early by a certain baby boy so much nicer. 

I get to see this as I make my way back to my bedroom. :)

Merry Christmas!

Luke 2:13

And suddenly there was the angel,

a multitude of the heavenly host,

praising God and saying:

"Glory to God in the highest."

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A very PineConey Christmas

I think a house never looks better than at Christmas time. 

I love how cozy my house looks right now. 

I enjoy getting out my huge box of Christmas decorations and figuring out how I can do something different with them this year.

I love the challenge of updating our Christmas decor without spending much or any money.

I've had these wreaths since our December wedding 9 years ago.  We used them as centerpieces (with 3 white candles inside) at our reception. 

I used a simple strip of burlap and hung them around our house.  

I especially love the one on our bedroom mirror.

The boys room even got a wreath. :)

 

The top of our wardrobe, all Christmasy & Cozy....

Here are some of my huge stash of pine cones put to good use in our office.  I spray painted them with Caramel Latte (I think) spray paint...it's a really pretty silvery/gold color.  I love the way they look in my Potter's House Thrift jar.  (I paid 75 cents for it, BTW).

 

Our bathroom window sill even got some pine cone love.

 

The boys have their own tree (that they decorated themselves) in their bathroom. 

 

What it's really about.....the Savior of the world showing up in the most unexpected way.

 

I do this every year.

 

I love my big, fat, floufy wreath (got on clearance after Christmas a couple of years ago).

I got the little tree on clearance as well at Hob Lob one year.

Plopped it in a bucket and shoved a bunch of pine cones in and around it. 

love. it.   love how woodsy and simple it is.

I topped it with a sweet letter plaque my friend Emily made.

 

Check back for a post chock full o' photos of my tree & mantle.

You better believe there will be more pine cones.

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What I'm eating right now.

This is so so yummy.  You should make it. 


Pummill’s Pistachio Pesto Pasta

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup crushed pistachios
5 cloves freshly minced garlic (double if you LOVE garlic)
½ cup olive oil
1 cup firmly packed basil leaves (stems removed)
¼ cup firmly packed parsley sprigs (stems removed)
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 package farfalle (bowtie) pasta
4 chicken breasts, diced and marinated in olive oil, balsamic vinegar & garlic salt



1. In food processor, add ingredients in order specified above. The food processor will take care of all the mincing, chopping, grating and crushing. Blend to form a thick paste.

2. While pesto is blending, put pasta on to boil. Boil pasta until al dente.

3. While pasta is boiling, sauté chicken in marinade of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic salt. (I just pour a whole bunch of the marinade right in the pan, then the chicken and cook it on medium low so the chicken gets all good and moist.  When I add the chicken to the pasta, I add about half of the liquid.  Then when we're done eating, I pour the rest of the marinade over the leftovers so they don't get dried out)

4. When pasta and chicken are ready, combine the two. Then, mix in ½ cup pesto. Stir and serve.

5. Freeze remaining ½ cup pesto in zip loc bag. Then, for your next meal, simply thaw pesto, cook pasta and sautee chicken.

Shout out to Ashley for this recipe. :) Pin It

Honesty

Last night I asked AJ to give the boys a bath so I could finish a sewing project I was working on.
He's a good daddy like that.

Don't you just love that cottage cheese booty?   Love it.  Want to squish it!

He came to ask me a question...and shoot! He caught me!

It's so terribly hard to be sewing in the same room as my computer.
And yes, that is facebook.
Now, I need to figure out who trashed my desk.
That looks terrible. Pin It

One of many ways to be His hands & feet.

How are you doing Christmas different this year?
How are you avoiding the commercialism?
How are you ignoring the expectations of how you should  do Christmas?

I love that so many people are focusing on the eternal lately. 
You don't have to pile a bazillion gifts under the tree b/c that's what is expected.
The "magic of Christmas" isn't santa and presents and reindeer.
It's the God of the Universe leaving his seat at the right hand of the Father and coming to us as a baby to be our Savior. 
What a great time of year to meditate on the God-Man who taught us how to love.  How to serve.  How to sit with the beggars and prostitutes and thieves. 
Let's join Him bringing hope to the hopeless and hurting.  And let's bring our kids along for the ride. :) Pin It

a "nature walk"

Every year the boys and I go across the street to gather pine cones for our Christmas decorating.
Pine cones = free.  I like free. 
I love our home to look cozy and Christmasy without spending a lot (or any) money.
So I loaded up my child labor sweet boys and we headed out to gather some nature.
Sawyer is ready to go!

 

I love the woodsy/lodgy feel pine cones bring to our home. 

Just makes me want to get a fire going and drink hot chocolate.

And they're free....did I mention that?

The boys are good little helpers.  They love hunting for the pine cones. 
Sawyer likes to eat what he finds.
He also likes to pull his socks off and leave them behind.

 

I photoshopped the crusted snot off his nose.  Just thought you'd like to know.

Keep working boys!  Mama needs some decor!

And my favorite photo of all.  The fence post started to twist.  So typical of my boys. 

Check back soon for photos of our house all decked out for Christmas. :) Pin It

Oh yes, we did.

It's just me and Finley tonight.
So we had fun with this.
Why is this so stinkin' funny every time?

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

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