Take a Hike

I find the Arizona desert beautiful.



So last weekend, we took the boys on a desert hike. Ok, so it was more of a desert meander--or a walk at best--and less of a hike.



Ethan checked out some coyote scat.



He got a kick out of walking along the trail. Pun intended.



We posed in front of a saguaro.



I thought this tree was beautiful.



And the city view was fabulous.



Brothers.



And my baby looking adorable by the windmill.



It was a great family outing and we're planning to go back soon. Maybe next time we'll actually HIKE.

Do You Take Pictures of Your Dinner Table?

We've done it for as long as I can remember. Whether it's a birthday, a holiday or any other family celebration, if there is a meal involved, we set a lovely (usually themed) table and take a picture of it. We often take a picture of the spread of food and/or our plateful of food, too. It's what we do in my family. If there's a cake involved, we take a picture of that, too.

Some people make fun of us for this, asking, "What are you going to DO with hundreds of pictures of tables and food and cakes??" {"some people" being my brother and my husband}

We're just capturing the moment and trying to remember how much fun we had. This is how we celebrate LIFE! And each other! It doesn't matter about what becomes of all the pictures.

Some recent parties:


November 20th: My mom's birthday brunch.


Our brunch food, prepared by a local chef. It tasted as scrumptious as it looks.


November 29th: My birthday party table with a winter/snowflake theme.


The spread of food.


Christmas Day, Ethan at my mom's table. He loves to check it out, to see what we did. He already appreciates a fancy table. It doesn't hurt that he also matches the tablecloth.


December 28th: The winter/nature-themed table for my grandmother's going-away dinner.


We had the ham my husband's company gives out for Christmas (with a fabulous apple compote) with scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole, biscuits and iced tea.


I duplicated it a week later for our New Year's Day dinner in our back yard.

When we were house hunting, I saw a picture of this tree in the yard and envisioned eating under it. It's so cool to literally be "living the dream."


It's dreamy, isn't it???


This time the menu was pork tenderloin, a black-eyed peas gumbo kinda thing and corn muffins (with iced tea, of course).

We try to dress up according to the theme when possible, too.


At mom's party, which had a Julia Child/cooking theme. Evidently I forgot I was still wearing my apron.


Me, my mom and my grandmother WITH the table at my birthday party. I asked my guests to dress festively. My mom was Mrs. Claus and I was a snow princess. I'm tellin' ya--we have fun.

Say what you will about "going to all that trouble" or spending the money but I don't care. It's all about celebrating life and enjoying good food with the ones you love and I'd have it no other way.

Now to think about our Valentine's Day table and food...

Turns Out, the Grass IS Greener

We've been in our new place in the southeast Phoenix valley for over four months now and are finally (mostly) settled in.

I'd wanted to live closer to my folks for a long time, probably ever since our first son was born six years ago. We'd lived 50 miles away, which meant a lot of long drives home late at night, often with a baby on board.

I had done a lot of fantasizing about what it would be like to live closer together. {cue dream sequence music} I imagined dropping by for a cup of coffee in the morning or to smoke a cigar with my dad on the back porch at night. I figured we'd shop at Costco and split our purchases. I'd be able to leave the boys for a couple of hours so I could go shopping. My mom and I could consult each other on our makeup and wardrobe for special events and borrow nail polish and jewelry from each other. My dad and I could talk business over lunch. We could go on impromptu outings and celebrate holidays without spending the hour-and-a-half on the road. I thought it would be marvelous.

Beyond that, we hoped that our move would mean more career and ministry opportunities for us, an excellent school for our son to attend kindergarten, neighbors we could build relationships with, more fun things to do as a family and so much more.

But you know how it is: reality often does not live up to the fantasy. The grass is rarely greener on the other side.

But, in the four months since we started this new adventure, as my husband often points out: we ARE "living the dream." Our life here is amazing and we are thrilled with our home, our neighborhood and my son's school. I have found a wonderful church home where I can do what I love: write. Being closer to my parents is an absolute blessing, even better than I'd anticipated. It is everything we had hoped and prayed for--and more! God is so good. As my mom posted on our fridge when we first moved in: "He has done all things well."

Our new home has grass in the front and back yards. It's partly why I was so drawn to this house when we were shopping around.



I haven't had grass in the yard since we lived in Florida in 1998. Just being barefoot on the grass makes me feel like I am truly home.



I imagined how much fun the boys would have on it, running through the sprinkler, playing football and wrestling. They have done all of that.



My father-in-law recently brought his dog for a visit and seeing the boys play with the dog on our lawn made my heart so happy.

I love sitting on my swing and looking out over the grass, watching the birds in the trees and gazing at the Arizona-blue sky. It just feels right. Like I'm exactly where I'm meant to be.



Turns out, the grass IS greener here. I had always known it would be.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

{me & my mom yesterday, having a girls' day out}

When I found out that my one of my devotions for our church website was being published today, on my mom's birthday, I knew I had to pay her a tribute. Here it is.

Colossians 1:9-10 “For this reason we also, since the day we heard of it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

Today, November 20th, is my mother’s birthday. My mom is one of the most extraordinary women I know and I am incredibly blessed to have her for a mother, friend and neighbor. Anyone who knows her would agree that she is creative, giving, fun-loving, beautiful, humble, gracious, godly and the best kind of nice. My mother throws quirky themed parties, gardens in her gorgeous back yard, gives thoughtful gifts, always looks put-together and exudes calm and happiness everywhere she goes. She can find the humor in any situation and lives every day to the fullest.

Sometimes people say that she lives a charmed life. We all know these people—the ones who seem to ‘have it all’ and whose life is rich, unique and maybe even enviable. But I know her secret.

My mother’s life is charming because it is by GOD’S design and because she pursues God’s will and God’s wisdom for her life at all times. She not only diligently prays and studies her Bible every day but she actually lives it out, too. One of her many life mottos is “Make your plans in pencil then hand God the eraser” from Proverbs 16:9 that says, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” She seeks God’s will for her life first and trusts Him to take care of the rest. She asks God to lead her and she looks for guide posts everywhere, saying, “I’d rather be guilty of believing too much than too little.” She often says, “Life is good,” her paraphrase of John 10:10 where Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” She is a living example of the fact that achieving a truly charmed life is not possible apart from being sold out to Jesus Christ and maintaining a moment-to-moment relationship with Him.

My mother has taught me the art of living well but it doesn’t end at hosting parties, cooking or accessorizing. Today we will be celebrating her at a Julie Child-inspired cooking class and brunch, wearing aprons and pearls and competing for a ‘best apron’ prize. I will make her a handmade card and inside I will write, “Thanks, Mom, for teaching me the real secret to living a charmed life: Jesus.”

1,000 Gifts #151-200 Happy Birthday {to ME!}

I think 33 sounds like a wonderful age to be!

I have so much to be thankful for this year. I am feeling extraordinarily grateful for the year behind me and VERY excited about what my 33rd year holds!

I am, as I always do, throwing myself a birthday party tonight to include lighting wood in my NEW fire pit, enjoying Chinese take-out food, eating pies (yes, plural) from Village Inn (I don't like Thanksgiving pie, so I waited!), playing Yahtzee and just hanging out with a few of my loved ones.

As much as I love celebrating my birthday, I'm super-excited about getting on with the rest of the year!

I've decided that my theme word for 2011 (11 is my favorite number!) is JOY and I asked my guests to bring items for me that will bring me JOY. Tonight begins Advent, too, so I'll be kicking that off at my party with the first installment from the "Jesse Tree Advent Devotional" from Holy Experience

I love this time of year!

November is THE CRAZIEST MONTH of the year for us. Of the 21 people that came to my son's 5th birthday party on Saturday, NINE of us have November birthdays. That's almost half! Wow-za. So, while I've kept up my pen-and-paper list, here's the latest for my cyber version:

151:: my vision for Thanksgiving coming to life {my mother-in-law and her sister just relaxing and being together}

152:: ladies' brunch for nine going perfectly

153:: pink gerber daisies from Drew, just "because"

154:: footie pajamas on my 18-month-old

155:: Grandma time for the boys

156:: crafting with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law in the treehouse room

157:: using Andrew's blue watercolor artwork to make bookmarks

158:: a new pink jacket

159:: staying in one booth at the antique store for half an hour

160:: a doily embroidered with a "D"

161:: milk glasses

162:: cousins having a blast

163:: a messy house

164:: The Dumas siblings, spouses and children all under one roof

165:: celebrating nine years ago, when Drew and I met at Aunt Sharon's and Uncle Charlie's the day before Thanksgiving

166:: goody bags for the ladies, paid for with my writing job

167:: getting all the shopping done beforehand

168:: 62 degrees in the house and wearing my pink fuzzy robe

169:: not throwing up like I did a year ago

170:: praying over my 5-year-old son, thanking God for 5 perfect years and expecting amazing blessing in the next 5

171:: coffee, coffee and more coffee {thank God for our Kuerig!}

172:: marrying into a family with three sisters, and adding another one this year

173:: being appreciated for working hard at making people feel special

174:: accepting that God created me to enjoy making people feel special

175:: thanking God for giving me the resources it took to pull this week off

176:: being a list maker who can get it all done

177:: feeling perfectly well, despite every reason to feel stressed

178:: football, Taco Bell and a nap on Sunday

179:: Andrew's birthday gifts being a big hit

180:: Drew and his brother orchestrating the party treasure hunt

181:: Lego creations

182:: group hugs with Ethan

183:: deep, peaceful sleep

184:: a warm, cozy home

185:: new make-up and feeling pretty

186:: Andrew's arm just being a sprain

187:: two rainbows in one day

188:: NOT spending our refund money on getting Andrew's arm casted

189:: a Gators birthday party

190:: a successful family photo shoot in beautiful weather

191:: three lovely handmade scarves from Mrs. Braddock

192:: the boys bouncing and bouncing

193:: A&W rootbeer floats and Long John Silver fish

194:: surrender

195:: trust

196:: serving a faithful God

197:: not living by a spiritual check-list

198:: freedom from over-analyzing

199:: freedom from fear

200:: free to live in JOY

For more entries, visit Holy Experience

Latest & Greatest

Father's Day celebration at a local park. I know the boys had more fun than the dads did but we all had a great time. Here's my brother and his family, plus the three of us on the train.



Me and the boys on Father's Day. Yeah, I know it was Father's Day but I'm not dressed with someone else holding a camera very often!!



Having a friend over to show me how to make "blondies." I learned a few good tricks and they're delicious with pecans!



Making cool Lego creations with Big Brother. He calls this "exercise" and I have no idea why. Although for me, the brain power to do this IS a work out!!



Filling an order for 17 robot-themed birthday party invitations for an old friend. It was nice to "get my crafty on" after a long hiatus.



And basically enjoying every moment of THIS. Can you believe Little Man is 6 weeks old???





It's hard to want to do anything else all day other than try to get THIS response.



Yep, I'm in love!!

Pregnancy update

No, Ethan is not here yet! My pregnancy ticker is now counting my days PAST due!!

Check out the latest news

on ProudgritsIsPreggers

Oh, and these may be our last official photos of the Family of 3 (from May 9th):

Distractions

At the end of pregnancy, you need a lot of distractions so you can think about something other than your discomfort, how much time you have left and whether every twinge is the start of labor.

Friday, I sent out an all-call, asking my friends to come hang out for a lil' Girls' Night In. We watched girly movies, did facials and manicures, ate snacks and just enjoyed being together.

Soaking my feet. Andrew had to join in.



The girls, watching "Enchanted."



Me with my virgin lemon drop martini.



Then Saturday, my mom, Andrew and I met my brother and his family at a beautiful park near their home in north Phoenix.

Nana and Andrew, looking for bass in the pond.



A picnic.



Lovin' on Mama.



Feeding the ducks.



Train ride.



Playground fun.



And M&Ms before the drive home!



Now my hubby is out of town for four days and three nights, to I'm trying to keep myself occupied until he returns. My mom is staying with us every night, partly to keep me company and partly for the "just in case." Tonight is Bunco and tomorrow night I go to our home group, so it's just a matter of staying busy during the day while resting as much as possible. Phew! It's hard work, having this much fun! :)