November!

Keeping November short and sweet, as I have so many Christmas photos to share!


I chose a few of my favorite photos from the month.....

Most of them are from a wonderful Thanksgiving with our families.

Very thankful for my Momma and all of the love and work that went into a delicious meal...

And to Sarah for hosting us (and serving one of our favorites!)....and to Mom and Manuel for flying home to be with us all..

Thanksgiving was followed with preparing for Christmas....

.... and  so many more photos and memories!

More to share later this evening :)

Election Day 2016

Happy Election Day.

I think?

What a tough (not so happy) election it has been. But for us, not a tough voting decision. 

They say that she is a liar, that he is a pig, and that a vote for either is a disaster. I understand this. I also did not cast my vote this morning, with warm fuzzy feelings. I felt the pit in my stomach, too. It was not the hopeful and exciting Election Day that I'm accustomed to. 

But thankfully, I'm not having to vote for the person with the right moral code. Or the person with my standard of conduct and behavior. Because this is a vote for a political leader, (a stranger, really) not a vote for my spouse...a best friend...a pastor. 

I've heard many say things like,  "I will not vote for this person and allow my children to think that I support this behavior"....or  "I want a better role model for my child and country."  Well, obviously. But I am not concerned about the type of "role model" that this president will be for my children. I don't think there are many people in the political/public eye that I would ever ask my children to look up to. Do I wish there were?  So much. But these are not my people. They are not who I will ever point to and say to my children "there...that man/woman ...follow them." We have our people....our role models.  And we chose diligently.  This was a vote for someone to fix the mess (and prevent further damage) that our country is in.  Not a vote for who is the most decent.

If so, we would have stayed home.

We put our trust in a man that walked on water....so deleting emails, degrading women...marital affairs, Watergate...whatever it is that these past or future presidents have done/do ...it's all the same to me in some sense. Different year, different president, different kind of yucky baggage.  They're human.

I've also seen a lot of "if you vote for her,  you are as corrupt and manipulative as she is".... and "if you vote for him,  you're a racist, and a bigot, and you don't care about my feelings on such."


These are possibly some of the most manipulative and racist statements that I've heard.  Because like you, I have my own beliefs on how I want this country shaped.  None of which, support such hatefulness.  And none of which, mean that I care less, for you.

In 4 years, we'll do it all over again. It will be a different candidate whose morals, values and conduct we pick a part ..... as though they're the end all be all, and we're banking on them to get our country a ticket to Heaven.  The leader will change. So will the stories, the dirt, and the hashtags... #crookedhilary and #nevertrump will be long forgotten. So this leader doesn't panic me. 

What does panic my husband and I, is the current state of our health care (what an absolute disaster), open borders, national security, gun laws, tax hikes. The two candidates have very different ideas on all of the above, and we clearly side with one of those sets of ideas. We do not side with them...or their behaviors ...but we side with their beliefs on political and social issues, regarding the future of this country.  But above all else ...ABOVE ALL ELSE...is the upcoming seats of our Supreme Court. This is very scary to me. The next president, and his/her appointees, may significantly impact the ideological makeup of the court. These decisions will make for long lasting effects on our country.  The way laws are interpreted,  the way our constitution is interpreted ...it could forever change and shape this country. These Supreme Court seats could determine what my children learn about their homeland. The extreme, radical, ridiculous ideas that some of our country is choosing to embrace, is mind blowing to me. Troy and I can't believe certain discussions even exist. We can't wrap our minds around some of this junk....so how will we ever explain it to our children? 

This is what concerns us.  

Not Hilary Clinton's corruption or Donald Trump's obscenities. 

Thankfully, their time in office is short.  

In the voting poll parking lot this morning, Troy and I paused to pray over our babies. It is the only thing we can trust....the only constant we can cling to...the only certainty we know. And it's also the only reason why we disagree with this election's reoccurring theme of, "no matter who wins, we're doomed."

I'm so thankful to know that no matter tonight's results....   I am far from doomed.

 "And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed."
Romans 13:11

And if you haven't voted yet...  it's not too late to write in the names of these two sweeties!

One of them pictured above promises to lower taxes on pizza, M&M's and pancakes... and definitely wants to build a wall... 

.. around Curious George, Buzz and Woody....so that the other one pictured above...  doesn't slobber all over them.

I think it's the ONLY plan to make America great again!

:)

Halloween Weekend & October Days

These last fall pictures are from the last week in October.


For Halloween weekend, we took a family trip to Holiday World...

We rode lots of rides, ate ice cream (and wore shorts in October!?), and enjoyed the fall festivities.

Another fun day with our babies and family.

The last week in October also brought moving day!!!

And sweet surprises from new neighbors....  be still my heart!  I love neighbors!!!

We moved just in time to get pumpkins on the porch...

..... Halloween treats in the kitchen...

...and carve pumpkins...

Troy was able to be off on Halloween, so we went for a pancake breakfast that morning.... to the store for candy ....made bags for our trick or treat-ers...  and ended the day with trick or treating and chili and pumpkin bread at my parents'.

It's no secret that we love holidays and any excuse to celebrate and make memories.

But as special as they are.....  I don't think they will ever be my favorite memories.

The regular ole' every day, mundane days, will always be what my heart treasures most.

Mornings at the zoo, the park, or even Sam's Club and Target....  

....these are my favorite.

Holidays will be here forever....but days where we never change out of our pajamas...  days where I can't see my floor from so many toys.... days where I live on the rug, and have played with Buzz and Woody so much that I too am now worried about Andy leaving them for college.....

.... the days where Walt dumps a bowl of spaghetti into the floor...Juliet has a blow out diaper in the grocery cart... I lock my keys in the car....  I drive around the neighborhood instead of going home...  just to let them sleep a little longer...

the real every day kind of days....

...they will be gone before I know it.

....so I treasure them so much more than a holiday.

November photos up next!