ENGAGED!!!

I'm engaged! WOO HOO! It finally happened. Matt proposed on Christmas Eve at my parent's house in front of family and friends.

I'm gonna let my mom tell you the story...She does it better than me.

We have this tradition of giving PJs on Christmas Eve. Every year the girls get to open one gift and one gift only. It is the gift marked with a heart, and inside is always a new pair of pajamas. We joke alot about this because when Jill was about 8 years old, she said hey...is this gonna be stupid pajamas again? We also usually try to go to the movies on Christmas Eve, then come home open our PJs and then sit around the fire and read the Christmas Story and sing caroles. The last few years have been a little different because Violet isn't really up for the movies just yet. But, next year should be a different story. This year we had a little Christmas party and invited Matt's family. So, we had a pretty good crowd at our house feasting on tamales, cheese dip, spinach artichoke dip, brie, shrimp cocktail, homemade chili, lil smokies, etc., along with an assortment of sweets made by Jill and my sweet friends, Trisha & Martha!

We had a great time.Then the time came for us to open our PJs, we usually don't do it with anyone but family there and usually everyone that is there gets PJs, whether it's Grandma & Grandpa or the girl's boyfriends or whomever. But this year Matt's family was there and so we just went along with our tradition. Everyone opened there PJs and Miss Violet was already wearing her new slippers and we realized there was an extra gift for Jill. So I gave it to her and told her that here was a gift for her and Violet to open. She said ok, ...like she didn't even think that was strange. (remember 1 gift and 1 gift only on Christmas Eve her entire life!) Then as she began to open the gift she found a candle and said this is pretty, who is it from? Matt then bent down on one knee in front of the entire room (Jill, Violet, Matt's Mom, Matt's Dad, Matt's only sibling, Brett, Me, Jeff, Jordan, Justine, Jaley, Jaley's boyfriend, Jeb, and Jaley's best friend, Zach) and asked Jill to marry him!

Because you see tied to this pretty little candle was a beautiful engagement ring. She thought it was just an embellished candle! Sometimes I wonder if she is really my kid?! Crazy girl. She was completely caught off guard. Which is exactly the effect Matt was going for. It was great! You see, everyone knew except Jill.
I gotta run! I have to start planning the 'wedding of the century' on a budget!

Saturday with Violet

(Violet and her daddy a few nights ago)

My little girl is sick today. She's been coming down with something all week and I thought it was because she is getting new teeth. On thursday night she had a fever and today her nose is running nonstop. So, were keeping her warm and inside today.

During her nap time I made these sugar cookies. They are the Christmas Sugar Cookies from the pioneer woman. I made them into odd shaped diamonds since I don't have any christmas cookie cutters. I would have gone out and bought some because I want them real bad but I didn't want to take Violet anywhere.

They were probably the best home made sugar cookies I've ever made. I think it was all the shortening and orange zest that made them so good. Right?! I decorated the edges with a home made buttercream frosting. I'm saving some frosting for the cookie making party that Gloria is doing tomorrow with the kiddos.

Tonight I'm going to see my parents in their first dance recital. I'm looking forward to it. They started taking classes a few months ago.

Tata for now!

Tacky Christmas Party

My friend Gloria and I hosted a Tacky Christmas Party last weekend. Everyone was told to wear christmas clothing, the dorkier the better. Lucky for us my mom used to make some of these little gems. Such as the white sweatshirt that Priscilla is wearing and the Lace Santa one that Jaley is modeling.

It was fun! We had more people show up this time. I made Pepperjack Cheese Wontons, Sticky Hot Wings, Brown Sugar Bacon Lil'Smokies, Cucumber Sandwiches, Peanut Butter Balls, and Cake Balls. Gloria made salsa, guacamole, pigs n blankets, and Puppy Chow Mix. The only thing left over were the sandwiches. They were just okay and I got the recipe from Oprah.com. I thought Oprah knew her food.

Hope everyone is enjoying their Holiday Season!

Silly Violet

One of Violet's favorite words to yell at random times is "MATT"! That's her dad's name if ya didn't know. It is so funny. She yells it very loud and always sounds a little annoyed. And she always has to scream it numerous times. I know babies learn through imitation. hehe. Matt says I have to start calling him Daddy so she will stop doing that. But it's just too funny!

Rum Cake and Snickerdoodles

Rum Cake with a walnut-brown sugar topping. Got the recipe from pioneerwoman.com. The cake was a little dry but the glaze was delicious!

Snickerdoodles from allrecipes.com. Matt really enjoyed these because he loves cinnamon.

Just wanted to share pics of some of the Holiday junk er Treats I've been making (eating).

Cake Balls

Aren't they pretty? I have been wanting to make these for a while. Ever since I saw them on Bakerella's Blog. I used a Red Velvet cake mix with a can of cream cheese frosting. Then dipped in white almond bark. They were extremely sweet! Next time I will use less frosting and a better dipping chocolate. I don't really like Almond Bark. If your wanting to make these I suggest you have plenty of time on your hands. Took FOREVER! Got the recipe from allrecipes.com.

YUMMY YUMMY!

Vintage Figurines

Are these not adorable? My mom has been collecting christmas items forever. For real, she has the biggest Santa collection. She also has a ton of christmas angels. I never paid them much attention. Until this past saturday I went to Dallas to an Antique Flea Market and fell in love with all the tiny christmas figurines. I finally picked a little angel holding a hymn. She is so cute!

Then on Sunday I dragged Matt to our local antique store in Benbrook (which is huge!). After much research I've decided that Napco and Lefton have the most adorable items. So, I found a pair of Napco salt and pepper carolers and took them home! Then I discovered they have an angel for every month. So, I got my ebay crazed father to buy me the July Angel since everyone in my little family has a July Birthday. I can't wait to get her! I think I've turned into....Gulp, Gulp, my MOTHER.

I'm now a collector! I feel so nerdy and happy inside!

17 Months Old

Violet is 17 Months Old today! Time for an update!

1. She loves blowing kisses and giving kisses.
   
   




2. She is crazy about Brainy Baby and Baby Einstein. She points at the tv and then runs to sit in her little chair and waits for it to start.
   
   




3. She calls her friend Emi "Eno".
   
   




4. She likes to redecorate my christmas tree, little stinker!
   
   




5. She loves babies and baby dolls. She will pat hers on the back and give kisses.
   
   




6. She is always ready to go "SIDE"! (outside)
   
   




7. Some of her favorite words-belly, thank you, ruff ruff, meow, book, bath, bubble, snack,pretty...she says a lot of words! I think Bum Bum means Grandpa to her!
   
   




8. When we get her dressed she says "Woo Wee" and usually thinks it's time to go BYE BYE.
   
   




9. All children are babies to her. Even if they are 8 years old!
   
   




10. She Loves being with her family!

She is such a great, little, girl! TO ME!

My Pirate Girl

Violet LOVES this pirate hat! It's really funny. My dad won it on our trip to San Diego last summer. He was playing that game where you swing a huge hammer and try to get the highest number on Mission Beach. Then he gave the hat to Violet.

Well, she suddenly wants to wear it all the time. It looks so perfectly random with whatever outfit she has on. I think she looks tough, huh? Not really! She is such a sensitive little person. There is this popular video on youtube called "Scarlett takes a tumble". Violet will start crying if she sees it playing because the girl gets hurt. I figured this out after watching it then showing the video to my mom and sisters. She doesn't like it when Matt tickles me either. I have to distract her if Matt is watching an action movie.

I love my little sweetheart.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cookies that I made to enjoy on Thanksgiving!

(Violet-November 2007)

May your stuffing be tasty.

May your turkey be plump, May your potatoes and gravy Have never a lump.

May your yams be delicious And your pies take the prize, And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

TAG

Rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.

2. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about you.

3. Tag 7 random people at the end, and include links to their blogs.

4. Let each person know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs.

Thanks Cara for tagging me! That's so funny that you wanted to be Crystal. My sister Jordan wanted to be called Tiffany,haha.

1 - I've suddenly become OCD about objects in my house. Since I do most of the cleaning. Matt will put things in the wrong spot. (there really is no wrong spot) Drives me crazy!

2 - My sense of touch is out of whack in relation to heat. My sister Jaley always jokes that I don't need to use oven mitts. It takes a few seconds for me to realize something is burning me! I have a grease burn on my arm right now as proof, ouch.

3 - I can't stand plain, white walls. Which is what our walls look like since were in an apartment.

4 - I've become SuzyHomemaker. I take care of my baby and her friend during the day. While they are napping I meal plan and prep for dinner.

5 - I have a bad habit of turning every light on in the house and forgetting about them.

6 - I sing a song to Violet that goes, "Violet is nice, Violet is sweet, Violet is Pretty, Violet is nice, Violet is sweet, Violet is pretty, Violet is nice, Violet is sweet, Violet is pretty, That's my Violet Girl." Great lyrics, huh? Now it's stuck in my head.

7 - I randomly spit my food out. Gross, I know. You'd think I would grow out of that. (Right, mom?) But sometimes it just taste WRONG. It's usually something with meat in it. If the texture is wrong, I start gagging. But I'm very discreet about it. I have to be careful around my dad. He always eats the leftovers off our plates. (were weird).

I tag...

Nicole
my mom-JULIE

Big Girl Bed

Baby Crib to Big Girl Bed
There's Violet sittin' in her big girl bed! My mom bought one of those cribs that turns into a toddler daybed then it turns into a full size bed. I thought Violet might start actually sleeping in it if she didn't feel trapped. She is still sleeping with us. Oh, well. The bed is pretty and looks really nice in her room!

MMM, LINDT CHOCOLATE

I just wrote a post describing this chocolate and it disappeared. But all you need to know is this stuff is too GOOD! I love it! I used to love the kind in the yellow bag which was white chocolate. But now they make white chocolate with flecks of cocoa with the same buttery cream filling. mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

The 12-truffle bags were on sale at Walmart for 2.50 and I bought 4 bags! I told myself I would put some in gifts and stockings. Matt and I are on the second bag!

Houston Wedding

Congrats Kim and Kevin!

Married on 11.15.08

We traveled to Houston this past weekend to see my cousin Kim get married. The wedding took place in a small, catholic chapel. It was nice and cozy. I loved her dress and her flowers and her tiara! It was beautiful!

I got the honor of doing her makeup! I was so excited that she picked me. She had visited 2 counters for a run through and wasn't that impressed and then she thought of asking me. I was like "OF COURSE"! I love doing makeup. My sister Justine did her hair. Kim looked lovely.

We all had a fun time dressing up and dancing all night!

Old Houses...

Are so cool. They are so interesting to me. We drove to Houston this past weekend for my cousin's wedding. We (of course) had to stop many times with a toddler in tow. Next to one of the rest stops was this creepy, old house. Isn't it cool? You can tell it used to be really beautiful.

When I look at it I picture soldiers coming home to their family waiting on the front porch. Or I picture an old ghost lady staring at me in the upper left side open window! Scary! What do you picture?

Pizza Party

My friend Gloria and I threw a Pizza Party last weekend. That's us up there posing with a few of the pizzas. We actually made 5 pizzas and 2 brownie pizzas!

It was fun! We used her apartment to cook and prep and then hosted the party downstairs in my apartment. It worked out great. We had 15 guest.

We served a Margarita Pizza which seemed to be the favorite. Two meat topped pizzas and one all veggie. We also made a Greek Salad. YUM. The brownie pizzas were topped with crushed m & m's and marshmallows then drizzled with caramel sauce.

Our appetizers were cheese, prosciutto, crackers, marinated tomatoes, and bacon wrapped cream cheese peppers. I know the peppers didn't match our theme, oops! We washed it down with homemade Sangria!

I LOVE cooking! I'm so excited about trying new recipes for the holidays!

Fried Chicken

Panko Breaded Fried Chicken Tenders

I made these yummy things for dinner tonight. But that's not my picture! We ate all of them and the night ran away from me.

Matt flew back home today from a work trip and I wanted to make something homey and delicious for dinner. I made chicken tenders with Panko crust. That stuff is so good! You can use it on everything. Can't wait to try it with shrimp! I also made a salad and Paula Deen baked rice. Yes, a whole stick of butter went in the rice. But, Hey at least I used brown rice!

My parents were missin' Violet so I invited them to come eat. Then the other grandparents called during dinner and we invited them over too. It was a big, chicken feast. I love spur of the moment get togethers.

Recently I told my grandma that she owed me some fried chicken. Now I know why she doesn't make it often. It's hard work! I got so hot and tired while cooking over the stove!

After all that I went to workout with Gloria. It's nice having someone to join me at the gym. I'm gonna be sore tomorrow!

Fall Festival

We took Violet to Fall Festival at the church on Halloween. It was fun for everyone. I wore a geisha outfit and Matt was a Kung Fu guy. Jordan looked hilarious in her cavewoman outfit carrying around a wooden club! Violet rode a hayride with the grandparents and enjoyed playing games. One of the games was a pool of water with ducks in it. Violet would pick out a duck, give it to me and then get another duck. When she was done they handed her some candy and she threw it all in the pool! Silly Baby!

Words of Wisdom

MOTIVATION is not something you find or lose, have or don't have. It is the product of how you see yourself in the world: active or passive, effective or ineffective, powerful or victimized, normal or pathological. If you want to be able to motivate yourself, you need to begin seeing yourself as ACTIVE, EFFECTIVE, POWERFUL, and NORMAL.

I love that saying. It's so true! Whenever I feel weak, I am weak. Makes sense.

Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name. When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them. With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation. (Psalm 91:14-16)

This is a great verse to read when your feeling sad or stressed. GOD is always there for me!

YOU MAKE YOUR OWN OPPORTUNITIES!!!!

Your destiny isn't a matter of chance, it's a matter of choice.
It's not something you wait for, but rather something you pursue.

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities.
Seize common occasions and make them great.

Opportunities sometimes come disguised in the form of misfortune
or temporary defeat.

Start where you are.
You're at this moment standing right in the middle of opportunity.

Act on your dreams and you can have them.

- Max Steingart

What a Difference a Year Makes?!

Violet and Mommy-2007

We both have gotten skinnier! Omigosh!Wasn't she so chubby and cute?! NOT ME, the baby ya silly! I will always remember Violet's First Halloween. She was almost 3 months old and so adorably chunky! Matt and I carried our little flower around and followed our little niece, Breanna around the block. We didn't trick or treat since I would have eaten all the candy by myself! Then we all went back to our house and ate the Chicken Taco Soup I had made. Good Times.

Violet-2008 Playing in her witch costume.

My baby is almost 16 months old. She is so much fun! Turning into such a little stinker! The witch hat is too small but she didn't like wearing it anyways. Were taking her to Gigi's church Fall Festival on friday. Matt and I will most likely dress up as well....Like this.

Us- 2006

Just KIDDING! Were gonna be more G- rated, not Gangsta! I'm a dork that's why you love me!

Happy Halloween!

Brainy Baby

Violet has watched this movie four times today! HELP! First I chose to turn it on for Emi and Violet to wind down before nap time. Then when I went to the gym Matt turned it on for her. He didn't know she had watched it earlier. When I got home she was real fussy and I noticed she may be cutting teeth. So, I gave her Tylenol, a bath, and tried to get her to bed. I laid with her for fifteen minutes as she kicked me and banged her head against the wall before I gave up. She walked into the living room and sat in her chair and waited for us to turn her movie on. Then she watched it 2 times in a row! It's all that would keep her happy! I've got to hide this movie.

Reason #375 That Violet Is Cute

We went to Fall Festival the other night (pics soon to follow). Violet got a big pile of candy and little toys. She really likes this little plastic giraffe. She carries it every where. Yesterday she made the giraffe give us kisses. Then she took a bath with it. In the bath Violet noticed that her shampoo bottle has a baby on it. She said "Baby Baby". Then she made the giraffe kiss the baby. When she does kisses she says "MUAH" really loud! So cute!

For Michael

Michael Williams October 30, 1984 - October 20, 2008

I lit a candle for my cousin and his family tonight. I know they are missing him and heartbroken over their loss. I can't stop sending prayers up to heaven for them! I know my cousin is in Heaven. I'm grieving for Michael's family and little girl that will always remember him. I don't know how much she can understand right now at the tender age of three. Tomorrow is the funeral. It will be hard for everyone.

Lord, help us through these hard times. We probably will never understand why some are taken at a young age or so suddenly. But we can find comfort in You. Amen.

I just read my mom's newest blog. And I just cried tears of joy. If you are a believer in Christ, you will understand. Here is what she wrote tonight.

"Tonight Jeff and I went to the visitation for my nephew, Michael at the funeral home. The place was packed with family and friends. It was a precious sight to see. As Jeff and I stood, saying our last goodbyes to Michael, a little girl about 7 or 8 came up to us. She didn't know me, but I recognized her right away. She was the spitting image of her mother, Lisa, who is Michael's older cousin on his mother's side. The little girl came and stood between us and Michael and then looked at Michael and looked closely at us and said, "are you friends of his?" I said, "I am his Aunt Julie, his daddy's sister." She said, "Oh." And then paused for a second, "Did you know that Michael's horse also died in the accident?" I said, yes. Then she said the sweetest thing I will probably ever hear. This little girl said something profound. She said, "I am so happy that Michael knew Jesus and asked Him into his heart so now he can live in heaven. I think he is probably riding his horse right now and he is happy."

This little girl just proves to me more that God sends us comforting messages even in the littlest ways.

My Free Plates

Here is one of my free place settings by Royal Doulton that I got from Albertson's. Not really my style but it's still cute in it's own way. For every 10.00 you spend you get a sticker to go towards these plates. 36 stickers gets you 1 free dinner plate, salad plate, and bowl. So, I got 2 sets. I like Albertson's and their bakery makes some really good chocolate chip cookies! Modeling these plates is the Chicken Tortilla Soup I made last night. One of my favorite easy meals to make!

Go shop at Albertson's if you want free plates!

Very Sad Day

Today is October 21. My grandpa was taken from us this day 7 years ago. It might be weird that I remember the specific date but he and my grandma were in town to visit that weekend. He really was a great grandpa! Every time I see a vegetable garden I think of him!

Miss you Mr. Peepaw-Walter Henderson!

We found out last night that my cousin, Michael Williams was killed in a freak car accident. It is very shocking for everyone. He was my age (maybe 23) and has a 3 year old daughter. He went to Mansfield High School. It is so sad when young people die. It has been a long time since I have seen him. I'm hurting for his parents. For my friends that pray, this family needs prayer. We will miss you Michael!

On top of all these unfortunate events, I have a stomach bug. I can't eat anything and I have to tie a blanket around my nose when I'm changing a diaper, Not fun at all and I'm trying to watch two toddlers (that are sleeping soundly right now). Matt was nice and took a sick day from work to help out with Violet. I'm so grateful for my family and in times like these we need each other.

Love, Jill

Arshooosgonnagobyebye?

Some little baby is starting to be a daddy's girl. If she hears the smallest sound outside the front door, She's off running and saying "Daddy Daddy!"

I know he's got big muscles and he gives you ice cream. But your MY little baby. I carried you in my belly for 9 months and also was put on bedrest anxiously awaiting for you. Then I didn't sleep for the next 6 months and only stayed up and watched your little chest breathe. Can he really win you over with tossing you in the air and the whole "tickle monster" act?

This morning when daddy was putting on his shoes you said " Arshooosgonnagobybye? " You really did. We waited a long time to hear you talk and now you talk all the time! As much as you look forward to Daddy time, I know you love Mommy time to!