our new pup!

Sunday we got a dog.  She is so cute!   Her name is Marley and she is a maltipoo.  she sill be tiny forever (hopefully!).  Here are some pictures.  We went to my parents and let the girls play around today and took Marley with us.  

WOOOOHOOOO!! SNOW DAY!

I haven't seen this much snow in a LOOOONG time!  We got 6 1/2 inches at our house!  It was so pretty watching it fall.  I had given up hope on getting snow this year but it was so worth the wait!  Anna of course loved it but ava was not so into it.  She wanted to be inside eating. LOL!  she did have her first sledding experience and it went good so maybe she will love it like the rest of us!  Here are some pictures of our fun snow day!!!

our chairs out in the back yard anna and wyatt sledding molly blair and anna playing woodruff road!!! poor ava can't hardly move looking out our backyard still out the backyard out the front door out our front yard!  beautiful! i got up EARLY b/f the kids started playing anna's playhouse when it started snowing right when it started.  they are looking out the window =) very unsure it fell FAST and HUGE flakes!!! loving it!

funny anna

I had to share this funny story!  Anna came up to me and said I'm going to be Dr. Jones (her ped.).  So she comes up and says Mommy, did you have a bad day?  What happened to you last week?  I'm going to squish you!  (that means take bloodpressure)  Then she takes my temp. and says You have a smiley face (a smiley face and frown face is on her play thermometer, obviously i didn't have a fever=)).  So then she says can i listen to your heart?  So she listens and says I don't hear anything!  You are good!  She has all the dr. bag and all the goods!  She then gives me a play knife and says You are all better!  Here is your Lollipop!!!   LOL!!!!  She just replayed her dr. appointments to a T!  

Taryn, if you read this, tell Stephen he has taught her well!  LOL!!

Chic Affair has launched!

Mine and Allison's business, Chic Affair, is now known in the upstate by many moms!  We did a booth at switch-a-roos this past week and weekend and it was wonderful!!  We are booking cakes and cupcake orders everyday.  God is BLESSING us!!!!  The pictures below are of me and the girls being goofy before I started the sale and I was spending precious time with them b/c i wasn't going to see them much during switch-a-roos.  =)  the other pics are of Jon's birthday cake and some of the cakes we took with us and me and Allison at switch-a-roos.  Hope you enjoy and please let us know if you would like to order anything!!!  Everything is made from scratch and is yummy!! (and of course pretty!)

This past weekend was very busy but very fun!  Jon and i went to the parenting conference at Grace friday and saturday and it was packed with TONS of great information and ideas!  We were really blessed!  Friday night we saw a lot of friends and wished the break was longer so we could have talked a little more.  We will just have to get together with them sometime soon!  I'm now the one in the family struggling with the cold that my family keeps passing around.  My head is really hurting but mommies don't really get sick days. =(  i did stay in bed the majority of the day yesterday b/c jon's sweet mom came and got the girls for me!!  THANK YOU!!!!  Here is a picture of ava who fell asleep in her highchair last week.  She has NEVER done this.  This new seat has a recliner and allison told me why and this is the reason!  I thought it was soooo sweet!!!

We are enjoying our wii!!!  we did have our first wii related injury this weekend though.  Anna knows not to walk around who ever is playing.  well, she had memory lapse and walked behind me while i was playing jon in tennis.  I didn't see her and smacked the back of her head.  She cried, and i cried, and i had to ice my finger and she was fine!  oh, the drama!  So anyways, i thought this was cute of her and jon playing! For our small group meeting sunday i signed up to bring a dessert and i thought i would just practice the cakes, so i did the giant cupcake!!! it was yummy and only 1 piece was left!! Since we didn't get to celebrate jon's bday last week we went to liberty and ate sat. night.  It was soooo good!!  Here is his guinness cake i made him.  While we were being seated EVERYONE was staring and pointing and i had someone ask for a card!  LOL!!  awesome!

trying to be optimistic

I have been very different for this election than past.  I have learned that I need to respect the authority that has been chosen for our country.  I have really felt that I have done this since this morning i have learned that the gov't funding for abortion groups is going to begin and the prison at guantanimo (sp?) bay is being closed.  

ok, the abortion issue is one that my friend allison and i have discussed.  I am totally against it and she is as well.  She has said (and i agree) how can people who say they are Christians vote and support someone who is for abortion and thinks it is ok.  The Bible says it is wrong!  Tommy made a great point by saying what will all the people who voted for him say to God when the blood of these little babies are on their hands?  And as for the prison issue, they will bring these terrorists into prisons in the USA!!!!  Does that NOT scare you!?!?!  I'm really trusting God and trying not to have a spirit of fear but of sound mind.  Obama is now over our country and so i will respect his authority and i will really pray for him!  He NEEDS God's direction and as of right now I'm just not feelin' it!  I hope you all will join with me in continually praying for him b/c it will affect your future and your children's futures!

Oh, and side note......hopefully our household is on the mend.  Ava spiked a little fever again yesterday and dr. jones put me at ease.  Poor guy had to hear me crying over the phone!  Her fever was gone last night so we are hoping it is just maybe teething.  Hopefully new floors will be going in soon since jon is well again!  We are going to a parenting conference this weekend at church and I'm soooo excited about it!  It will hopefully show me some ways to make our household a little more peaceful!  Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

i'm going to win!

Those of you who have facebook have probably noticed that my immediate family has been sick (especially ava) A LOT this fall and winter!  Well, this week ava went to her dr. jones TWICE!  Now, i really like stephen, but we've seen him more than i'd like to in 1 week.  We went Mon. and she was much better.  We went last wed. and she had the beginnings of walking pneumonia!  OMG!  So, she was on meds and was MUCH better Mon.  Jon woke up tues. morning and went to work not feeling really well.  Normally he gets over it in an hour.  He NEVER gets sick!!  He has been in the bed since 1:00 tues.  LITERALLY!  Today, ava had a temp of 102.2 ON MOTRIN!  So we went back to see dr. jones to find she now has an ear infection.  This is all very new to me even though i'm a mother of 2.  Anna is like jon.  she has never been on an antibiotic and she is 3!  AMAZING!  well, this is ava's 4 round of antibiotics since nov.  and her 3rd ear infection.  

My nerves are gone!  I've cried with almost everyone i spoke with today.  I feel that our family is really where God is wanting us to be and idk if he is testing my trust and strength or what but I'm going to overcome this.  Satan is knowing right where to get me with fear and worry of my children, family and self.  I'm going to keep on going and seeking God.  I'm in tears of how this is affecting me.  I'm mentally and physically drained.  Please help me pray that God will get me through this tough time.  We have literally been sick all fall and winter.   I am feeling so helpless because i'm washing hands and trying all i can do to keep us well.  We have discovered though that one of the major problems is our carpet upstairs.  That is going to be replace ASAP with wood.  Hopefully this will eliminate sickness.  We may also have to get rid of our dog of 5 years (if ava is allergic)!  I'm really struggling right now and would love some prayers my way.  We really are truly blessed when i stand back and look at the situation because it could be MUCH worse!  God is putting me through this for a reason.  Maybe to just make me stronger!!  Thank you all!!!  Much love!

ava's black eye!

Allison's mom is in the hospital so i kept Bleeze for a bit today.  He and anna had so much fun playing house!  Here is a cute pic of them!  

Ok... Ava has fallen rather climbed i guess out of her high chair 3 times!  1 time ems came and the other time we knew how to deal with it.  I strap the child in and I mean so tight i'm afraid it will hurt her.  She is hudini (sp?).  She got out and as i turned around she was falling.  This all happened mon.  I saw her face and freaked!!!  I took her to the dr. immediately and was just crying in the waiting room.  My goodness i felt horrible about it!  Here are some pics of the after effects.  I took these today!  My poor baby!  She is fine though but her eye looks horrible!!! I hope you all have a great new years eve!!!  Please be careful!  We are headed to chris and dorsey's to play wii!  LOL!!!  we are totally obsessed!  I will be home though around 9:30 and i'm hoping to stay awake to see the new year.  I'm not sure i'll be able to!  HEHEHE!  Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Christmas Eve!!  We even snuck a shot of santa!

On Christmas Eve we usually do Christmas with  my grandparents.  Next year it will be christmas night with my parents a brother so we'll combine it!  YAY!  Anna got a tea set and Ava LOVED it.  I couldn't believe she liked it! This was before presents were opened. Anna got to open hers from aunt millie.

Ok. this skips a little ahead to christmas night.  I always am in charge of the festivities and cooking.  I cooked from 11:00 - 6:00.  It was worth it though!  It was yummmmO! My parents, anna, aunt mo and uncle b! Ok, back to Christmas morn!  Anna got the color wonder paint set and made MANY masterpieces!!! THey really are beautiful! Here was the BIG present.  The playhouse.  I love this thing!  I could live in it!!!

Even daddy has a cup of tea! Friday we had Christmas with Jon's parents and his brother chris, and sis in law dorsey and their kids.  Molly Blair got a dress up set that she brought for her and anna~ they were SO cute!!!  Oh, and mine and jon and chris and dorsey's presents from jons parents were AWESOME!!!!   We got a wii!!!!!  Wiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!  I am so very sore!

Our princesses were dining in royalty!  LOL!

Here is the ward clan!  5 grandchildren in 3 years from 2 sons!  We work fast! Here is the Cox side of the family.  We go to my dad's parents in the lower part of sc for the weekend after christmas.  We have the family reunion on the sunday after christmas!  So this is my large side of the fam! And here are my cousins (minus jon and brian at the top and morgan beside me:))   So we had a fantastic Christmas!!!  2 nights before christmas i was listening to Delila (sp?) and she and this woman were talking about the real meaning of Christmas.  It was so awesome and then she played Mary did you Know and i cried and cried while drinking my hot chocolate beside the Christmas tree.  It was such a sweet time spent with God.  Jon was outside and i had all the lights off except the christmas lights.  It was an awakening to my hectic life!  Anyways....i hope you all had a great Christmas too!