My "style"

I don't have a "style" - I don't think I ever did! I am comfortable in jeans and sweatshirts and always have been and probably always will. I grew up in a small country town where the style was button-up shirts and wranglers. I never squeezed myself into a pair of wranglers and for good reason - I didn't mind the way they looked on the menfolk - let me tell ya if wasn't too bad a sight. But as for the womenfolk - that was a different story. I wasn't about to go trapsing around wearing my pants as thong underwear - no thank you. (Sorry Katie). So I settled for my jeans and my t-shirts and sweatshirts or athletic wear because I was involved with sports and so warm-up pants became a regular item in my closet. When I went to college I remember the style wasn't anything particular - jeans and sweatshirts seemed to fit in there as well. I scored a husband so I guess I didn't look too awful!

Anyways, I seem to be on the edge of style breakdown. I still like my jeans and sweatshirts as my family and friends can easily attest to. However, I am beginning to have an appreciation for a style that I previously would never have worn but have secretly always loved. If you know me you know that I LOVE and ADORE learning and looking at pictures of history. I could spend a year just looking at antique stores or museums and not get bored. Well, lately I have been looking at different blogs, especially those that deal with antiques and crafts and have discovered that the clothes that they are wearing I LOVE. I don't think I could show up to church one day or in public wearing this style of clothes because it would such a drastic change that I would feel completely stupid. I don't like attention! I however believe that if I were the "weight" that I am comfortable in that I would willingly try some of these clothes, except for the fact that they are like a million dollars a piece. I would look for measly substitutes but you will at least get the picture of the clothes I would like to be wearing right now. I don't care if you like them or not - or you think that they are totally not "me" at all. My sister shops at this store and our tastes have never been "that" far apart. Let me say that one more time - "my sister and I have some of the same tastes - even though you could never tell due to our very drastic difference in styles." I think if I saw her in jeans in a sweatshirt I would probably pass out as would my husband - but something tells me that she also secretly wants to from time to time. :)

Well, without further blabbering I will show you my new "dream" wardrobe. And it cost probably close to $10,000 - but it was free to dream it. These pieces that I chose are ALL the "me" that I am- at least who I would like to be after the "me" right now sheds a few extra layers.

The top half:

my fav!

just kidding! Blehhhh!!!

An outfit:

Outerwear:

shoes:

other:

As you see I have not shopped for complete outfits - I'm still working on my love for this style and the means to put it together into outfits. I'm going to work on seeing if Jeremy will grant me the wish to purchase just one of these items if I lose the weight that I want too. Wish me luck!!

Addison's Favorites - Jan. 2010

Favorite phrase: "What in the Johns" (thanks to Mr. Todd)


Favorite food: spaghetti with TONS of parmesan cheese, macaroni and cheese and you love it when mimi makes you a "platter" with all different kinds of finger foods.


Favorite snack: pirate's booty, almonds, cashews, oranges, popcorn, carrots and M&Ms


Favorite movie: Anything Barbie or princess, you also enjoy Strawberry Shortcake and are looking forward to owning "The Princess and the Frog" once it comes out on DVD


Favorite book: You just really like books - you have tons of them and you don't really seem to have a favorite. You enjoy reading "The Princess and the Frog" book with your leapster pen.


Favorite game: Memory and Sorry


Favorite toy: Strawberry Shortcake cafe


Birthday: You wanted everyone to go rollerskating with you this year for your 5th birthday. You were so excited and did very well on rollerskates by the end. We then came home and had pizza and cupcakes and opened presents. You are still very animated and appreciative when you open your gifts and that makes my heart happy.


Favorite daily activity: coloring, playing dress-up, watching movies and reading


Mommy and Daddy love it when: You are sweet and fair with your brother, say your prayers, color us pretty pictures and when you use the restroom without bringing Solomon or Rhett with you


Favorite thing to do with mommy: color, read and bake


Favorite thing to do with daddy: watch movies and help him oustide


Favorite thing to do with Rhett: wrestle with him and make him chase you


Chores: So far your chores consist of keeping your room clean, taking Solomon outside, helping clear the table after dinner and helping with your brother when mommy needs you to


Friends: Kenna, Chade, Brenna, Katelynn, Landon, Eli, Treydon, Mauryn, Emma, Avery


Nickname: Addie, Addie girl, Addie Gracie, Pumpkin pants, Sunshine girl


Other moments from 2009:
* You share a special bond with Mimi and Aunt Tee-Tee Y
* You enjoy being teased by your Uncle Aaron and often provoke it yourself
 *You LOVE to color and create and do crafts (mommy's girl)
 *You have gotten into a bad habit of being afraid when you use the restroom for some reason and you tend to take Solomon or Rhett in there with you.
*You love playing with your cousins and wish you could do it every day.
*You like having Papa Jim take you on tractor rides
* You enjoy visiting Grammy Jo-Jo and Bapa Pouie on the days that Mimi and Bapa watch you.
*You LOVED spending time in Florida at Disneyworld with both of your grandparents and tee-tee and Derek.
*You can't wait to go back someday.
*You are looking forward to daddy completing the playhouse so that you can play in it with your friends.
*You have grown so much this past year and are such an amazing big sister to Rhett.

 I look forward to seeing how you will continue to change and bless our little socks off!!

Rhett's favorites - Jan. 2010

So - my friend Kristen posted her children's favorites on her blog and just for the record I'm not being a copycat - I had planned on doing something similar on my blog so that I could record what my children enjoy doing each year and how they've changed. So it's more of a case of "great minds think alike".

Anyways, I'm going to try and keep the questions the same each year and see how they are answered. It should be insteresting to look back and see how they've changed or remained the same.

I know that Rhett is unable to communicate well as of yet but I will do my best to answer some of these for him.

RHETT:
Words that he says: mama, dada, addie, tee-tee, bapa, uh-oh, no-no, apple, nana, bye-bye, woof-woof, butball (football) my personal favorite is "cookie".

Favorite food: macaroni and cheese, ice cream

Favorite snack: oranges and popcorn but you'll eat almost anything

Favorite movie: doesn't have one yet - in fact you won't sit still long enough to even see what's on the screen. Unless there is a dog or horse on it and then you'll get all excited for a few seconds.

Favorite book: anything with animals

Favorite game: you enjoy playing chase with your sister or Solomon

Favorite toy: You enjoy playing with your stuffed dogs, your mickey mouse cellphone, any type of ball and your big pirate sword

Favorite daily activity: tormenting Solomon, getting into your sister's things, reading and dancing

Mommy and Daddy love it when you: make your cheezy smile, say new words, give us big loves, dance, play with your sister, sleep through the night :)

Favorite thing to do with mommy: read and dance

Favorite thing to do with daddy: go outside, wrestle and play with the football

Favorite thing to do with sister: get to go for rides in her jeep

Chores: none yet except to help clean up. He does do a pretty good job.

Friends: Hasn't made many friends yet - still working on the social skills. You were invited to your friend Sam's birthday party and you had a lot of fun. I think you two will be good friends!

Nickname: Mr. Man, Bruiser Boy, Cheeks, Rhett-Rhett

Birthday: It was your first birthday and we threw you a pirate birthday party. You were dressed in a cute pirate costume and when people came we went on a scavengar hunt for buried treasure, then we ate your pirate cake that mommy made and opened your presents.

Other moments to remember from 2009:
* You really got attached to your aunt tee-tee and now it's changed to your uncle Derek.
* You also enjoy spending time with Bapa Pouie and Grammy Jo-Jo.
* You are a lovable ball of energy who always keeps mommy and daddy on our toes.
* You like to run - in fact that's the only way you get from one place to another. Very rarely will I see you actually walk. Because of this you have received many bumps and bruises on your face along with a few black eyes.
* You LOVE animals and it's so fun to see you play with Solomon, Nicholas or Hailey - now we just have to teach you to be nice to them.
* You still do not sleep through the night sadly enough - you wake up and the only way to get you to go back to sleep is to put you in our bed. Unfortunately this was a mistake made by mommy and daddy and we are trying to remedy this situation.

You are such a blessing to us and we look forward to seeing how you will grow and change from year to year.

#13

I also want to write handwritten notes this year - to those who have inspired me, to those that I love dearly, and to those who have birthdays who are far away. Sometimes I will get handwritten notes from Jeremy's grandma and I love them - they are so sincere and it feels good to know that someone sat down and thought about us for longer than a quick email. I want to do that too!

Hopes and dreams for 2010!!

Another beginning to a brand new year. I leave 2009 with fond memories - mostly of watching my kids grow and our trip to Disneyworld. It has been such an amazing year!

As I contimplate my aspirations for the year 2010 I realize that there is so much I want to accomplish and change this next year and feel a little apprehensive to mention them due to a fear of failure. However, I hope to look back on this list in a year and hopefully be able to say that I did accomplish most of what I have set out to.

So - without any further babbling here I will list my dreams and hopes for this brand new year:

1 - Deepen my relationship with my heavenly father by spending more time with him. I am looking forward to Beth Moore's Bible study "Breaking Free" that I will begin in January.

2 - Enjoying EVERY minute of my children growing up. I'm sure this year will come with many laughs with Rhett beginning to talk and I'm sure I will shed a few tears when my baby girl goes to Kindergarten. :(

3 - Crafting - I'm begining a new love for the things that are crafty and I hope that this year brings with it some fun crafty projects. Including some shelves for my children's bedrooms and starting some early Christmas gifts.

4 - Getting healthy - I have found throughout the course of this year that I am NOT happy while dieting - at all!! I find that the more I diet the more I crave and then I end up blowing the diet and gaining more weight back than I lost. It's a cycle and I just can't seem to win. So - different approach for me - I'm going to be trying my best to eat healthy. For my sake as well as for my families. I am also going to take up exercize for the sake of feeling better. I'm hoping that with these two approaches I can successfully find a size that fits "me" and that I'm happy and comfortable with.

5 - Laughing more and enjoying life!! I find that the days I have the most fun are the days that I throw caution to the wind and seize the day. The days that I go out and dance in a few rain puddles with my kids, or the days that I randomly buy the guy behind me a coffee drink. It's those days when I feel best and I want to have more of them this year.

6 - Reading more!! I LOVE to read and if I didn't have children that require ALL but a few minutes of my day I would probably do nothing but read. I can become addicted if the right book catches my attention. So - this year it is my goal to read at least one book a month, making sure that every two months I pick up a classic and read it.

7 - Spending more time with my grandparents - Sometimes I try and put myself in my grandparents shoes and it often depresses me. I can't see how they live from day to day - nothing exciting. I hope that this years brings with it many opportunities to spend with my wonderful grandparents. Both my mom's parents and my dad's mom. I love them ohhh so much and I'm aware that time with them is limited.

8 - Scrapbooking - I desperately need to get caught up on Addison and Rhett's scrapbook and am hoping to get very close to being caught up this year. Nothing fancy - simpler the better.

9 - Small Grouping - I enjoy our small group so much and am so encouraged by them each Tuesday. This year I hope we can grow even closer together as we dive into God's word and discuss His plan for our lives. And also enjoy the loving friendships that have given me so much happiness.

10 - This is more of a dream than something that I can control but ever since Addison was born I have wanted to stay at home and just be a mom. It's something that weighs heavily on my conscience every time I leave for work or get a call that one of them is sick. I shed a tear every time I realize that Addie will now be going into school and I was never there completely for her as a mom should be. I know that God has a plan for our lives and so far that plan has included me working in Melba - and I do love my job but I love being a mom even more. I'm hoping that this year Addison will be able to be in my Kindergarten class so that I can spend every day with her. What a blessing that would be!!

11 - Finishing projects around the house - Addison' and Rhett's playhouse, a new entertainment center, getting our lives organized and maybe building some picture frames, shelves and much needed storage space for the office and kids' bedrooms.

12 - Continuing on our journey with Dave Ramsey's advice and doing our monthly budget. I have recently enjoyed the coupon world as well and have saved a few bucks that way and will continue to search for those good deals.

I'm sure as I lay in bed tonight thinking about this new year I will remember more things that I want to post. So there may be a few random posts containing #13, #14 or even #15 of my resolutions.

Christmas day-by-day!

Our Christmas this year lasted for a LONG time and it was great!! We were truly blessed to be able to spend it with both Jeremy and my extended families. We enjoyed out time together and had many laughs. Thanks families for a glorious Christmas.

Christmas Sunday, Dec. 20th:

Addison was the ram in the Christmas play at church: "I am the ram with the curly horns, I guard the stall where the child is born"

Monday, December 21st:

My kindergarteners had their Christmas program and Addison went with me. She looked just like a kindergartener and was actually mistaken for one when one of the teachers tried to get her to come down to sing.

Tuesday, December 22nd:

Christmas with my family. We had spaghetti and fettuchini for dinner and enjoyed opening stockings and gifts. Addison got a barbie fishing pole and a dress-up Belle barbie along with other things. Rhett got a dump truck and a cowboy hat along with other little things. I got a fancy slicer and a pampered chef stone. Jeremy got a fun new game and Glen Beck's new book "Arguing with Idiots". It was a fun night spent with family.

Wednesday, December 23rd:

Went to see Princess and the Frog with Grandma Wilson and some out of town cousins. Addison loved it! It had great music and was a really cute story. That evening we went to look at Christmas lights.

Thursday, December 24th:

Christmas Eve day was spent baking and then we went to the annual Christmas Eve service at the church then went over to my parents with my cousins and their families and spent the evening together. We opened our gifts from Grandma Wilson. Addison got a Little Mermaid bath doll, Rhett got a Mickey Mouse rocking horse and Jeremy and I received a blue-ray DVD player. We were spoiled. Rhett had a good time getting to know his cousin Zach.

Friday, December 25th:

Christmas day began at our house opening stockings and presents. Addison was excited about her fancy pajamas and her baby crib. Rhett was excited about his new toothbrush. We enjoyed spending the morning together as a family. At noon we went over to Grandma and Grandpa Franklin's house and had a nice ham dinner then openend presents. At the end of the day Addison was done with all of the excitement and fell asleep on Grandpa and Grandma's bed.

Saturday, December 26th:

The day after Christmas we spent with my dad's side of the family. We had tacos for lunch and then opened gifts from each other. We spent the rest of the day playing games and having a good time. At around 6:45 pm we all headed up to bogus basin for a sleighride. It was really cold but so much fun. The sleighride began around 8:30 pm and the scenery was beautiful. We were able to look out of the Boise valley and see all of the lights. It was so peaceful up there. We were starved by the time we arrived at the cabin - it was warm and toasty inside and we were greeted with bread bowls of broccoli cheese soup. After the soup came the main course of steak, potatoes, shrimp and honey glazed carrots. Yummm!!! It was so good! For dessert they served warm peach cobbler. The entertainment was great - good ole hometown country music and the singer was actually very, very good. It was a fun evening together.

Sunday, December 27th - Tuesday, December 29th:

Needless to say I don't have many pictures from these days due to Addison being sick and Jeremy taking the camera but not taking any pictures. Yesterday she was feeling a bit better so I ventured out with her to participate in the Franklin family digital camera scavenger hunt. I was paired with Jeremy's aunt Connie, his cousin Jenny, his cousin Mandy's husband Seth and Addison. We had a lot of fun trasping around Nampa taking pictures in random places.

Thus ends our Christmas for the year 2009!! It was a fun and exciting Christmas - we are so blessed with a great family on ALL sides. I'm excited for the year 2010 and all that it will hold for us. Merry Christmas everyone and happy new year!

Addie Turns 5

My how time flies!! Looking back on the past 5 years of my daughter's life it has seemed like so much has happened and so much has changed that it's hard to believe. Addison Grace Franklin was born into this world on December 15th, 2004. She immediately brightened up our lives and has from that day been such an amazing blessing. I admire her deep love for Jesus, family and friends and her willingness to help others. She loves dress up, princesses, playing in the dirt and looking for worms, her brother, her aunt tee-tee, the cabin, and spaghetti with TONS of parmasean cheese. She has found a new love in rollerskating and would love to go every day if she could. She is eagerly awaiting the day when she gets to go to school and LOVES to learn. She is such a mommy's girl and enjoys it when I color with her and watch movies with her. She is all about "family time" and I hope that NEVER goes away. I cherish each moment and I with her because in 5 more years she will be 10 and I know how quickly these first 5 went. I pray daily for her love for Jesus to shine through and that she will never lose her childlike faith. May she always want to give ALL of her money to Jesus and may she never fall too deeply into Satan's traps. Oh how I love that precious little girl! Thank you God for such an amazing gift! I look forward to year 5 with her and all of the joys it will bring.

For her party this year she decided that she wanted to go rollerskating with her friends. It was a fun party and she LOVED every minute of it. She was spoiled with her gifts and I love watching her open them because she is so animated and dramatic about everything that she opens. You could probably give her a painted rock and she would LOVE it! Her gifts included Strawberry Shortcake stuff, Pet Shop stuff, games, books, clothes, art supplies, princess dress-ups shoes, Tinkerbell DVD and many more little things. She made a haul and I only cringe to think that Christmas is only a few days away. What more could she possibly get? Thank you everyone who had a part in her birthday! She wanted to invite soooo many more friends but due to the cost of hosting a party for her we just couldn't afford it and our house could not hold many more. Happy Birthday precious Addie Girl - You are soooooo loved!!

Rollerdrome

Heading out with daddy! By the end she was doing pretty good!

Rhett seemed to enjoy his rollerskating experience in the stroller

Standing without falling was a huge accomplishment!

"Strawberry Shortcake Cafe" - what she always wanted

Celebrating her birthday isn't the same without friends!