A Thorn Among Roses

one of the best friends i have ever had in this life is my fav miss stacy...she's got the southern flair...and in indiana, it's hard to find!  she is a precious little gem in this world i live in...{she does avoid the camera like no other though} for one...she makes the BEST derby pie you will ever eat.  i mean, knock you down and set you back, kinda derby pie. for two...she's got her life in order.  i mean, not like everything done and perfect, but her life in order.  her lord is first...and it shows.  her girlies are awesome...the kind of kids you want your kids to be friends with. three...well, she loves coffee.  loves to chat.  loves to think and create....and she's just a good friend.   but the other day, i discovered one more thing i love about my friend, stacy...she can put on a dinner party like no other. there were 4 couples...and stacy did it all up herself.  did we eat on paper or normal plates?  no way!  china! ...

we love to decorate around these parts at christmas time...and there seems to be no lack of helpers, either! but when my SIL meg { www.megandtheboys.blogspot.com } comes from colorado to visit, there's even more help...and way more fun to go along with it! it was a "new tree" look this year...and boy, was it fun!!! it all started with my desire to have a tree that looked like the girlies...hot pink and green...and it took off!!! walmart delivered with NON BREAKABLE ornaments that were super fab and cheap...spiced up a little with ribbon for hanging and...bazaam! and then, the FAIRIES!!!!  oh my word...the fairies!!!!  thank you tj maxx! there's always the "star" and how brooke fights to be the one to put it on...she won this year, again.  stinker. and somehow, there's still not a single pic of me with the fam or the tree...such is life. i did grab this super fab shot of the hubs...donning the garland. i'm pretty happy with it...i dream of th...

i got to keep my awesome nephews for a few days...and lemme tell you, boys are so much different than girlies...but oh so cute! i love how boys always start things in a more "normal" way... but it just gets too boring...i mean, eating a snack while watching tv with your cousins and sitting in a chair SEAT is just too, well, normal. so my finn...he just changes it up a little seems perfectly reasonable...and don't you just love that sofia is trying to ham it up in every single pic?? another thing i learned having my 1 year old nephew, rowan, here...sofia is very clearly suppose to be the baby of the family.  she started in on "he not your baby mommy, i your baby."   i mean, who wouldn't want to cuddle that little bundle?

i have found the one and only thing i strongly desire for christmas... a real lens coffee mug!  i mean, seriously awesome!

who knew 7 years ago our fam would look the way it does now?  i mean, it has changed so much...and with brooke's bmom, brit, having a baby boy, jordan, we have our boy!!!   finally i get some little little guy time...and it's so special bc it's b's birth brother.  and brooke could not be more proud of him!!! {me too, btw} i mean, i have to be the very best in the world faux grandma-auntie d in the whole world.  i mean, i don't really know what i'm called, but i do know this.  i am blessed.