Give Me Five Friday- {the unexpected of Jesus' birth}

If you've missed it, here's the short version of Give me Five Friday. I like making lists. Every Friday I'll make a list. The only rule is it has to be five things.

I mentioned in last week's Give Me Five. how I had been thinking about Jesus' birth alot this Christmas season. Well, here is what I like best about Jesus' birth, God did so many unexpected things. Things I'm sure that surprised everyone, but God. Here's the ones I could think of.

{five unexpected things about Jesus' birth}

1. the mom- A simple, ordinary but surrendered girl. A self-declared "handmade of the Lord."

2. the dad- A carpenter, not a nobleman but a carpenter.

3. the timing- God did this before they even got married.

4. the place- In a STABLE!

5. the first visitors- simple shepherds

The unexpected in Jesus' birth speaks to my heart because God has done the unexpected in my life. I love to see examples in the Bible where He did the unexpected. I've looked around before and thought, "Really God? You want me to do this?" Maybe Mary at some point during her labor looked around and thought, "Really, God? Birth in a stable?" Ultimately though, she was the "handmade of the Lord" and followed Him, and that is the desire of my life. My God is the God of the unexpected...unexpected to me...not to Him. His plans are better than mine, not always easier (just ask Mary), but better.

Curse #6- Pictures of Myself

Shad and I have an ongoing argument. It usually occurs right after Shad takes a picture of me. He’ll look at the camera screen and say, “uh….Let’s take another one.” When he’s done, I look at the pictures and I always come to the same conclusion. Either Shad is terrible at taking pictures, or I’m not photogenic at all. Shad is wise enough to know he shouldn’t say I’m not photogenic. Instead, he always blames it on the camera by saying, “This camera stinks!“ Let me show you some recent examples of some pictures Shad took of me.

*****Warning***** These are not good pictures of me. Please cancel these bad pictures out by looking at a good one. Please refer to Friday's picture in Project Life- December 6-12 .

Do you know what B is thinking, "Mommy, open your eyes!"

Still not opening my eyes.

Did I just wake up?

This pictures not half bad. Wait...no...look more closely. That man's head behind me blends into mine, and makes me look like I have a funny bump on my head.


I don’t know what you think, but I’ve reached my conclusion. For my pride’s sake, I won't say I’m not photogenic. I also don’t want to throw Shad under the bus, so I’ll agree with him and say…”Our camera stinks!!!”

Project Life - December 13-19

I missed pictures a few days this week, but I got extra on other days to make up for it. We've really been enjoying this Christmas season. As always if you'd like to see other Project Life just go to The Mom Creative.

Monday, December 13- I decided to sit down and get some pics of the boys for Christmas. We didn't have time to get the family shot this year (you know having a baby and all), but I got some great ones of the boys! This is my favorite shot of B.

Monday, December 13 (again)- This is my favorite picture that I got of Collin. I just love those baby cheeks.

Tuesday, December 14- no pic

Wednesday, December 15- no pic

Thursday, December 16- The first snow! This was my kind of snow, just a dusting.

Thursday, December 16 (again)- While Collin was having tummy time, Brandon decided to share his toys with him. I think we need to have a talk about 3 and under toys.

Friday, December 17- Shad had to get this year's ornament off of a tree a Cracker Barrell. It was the only one like it that we could find. It was really stuck on there.

Saturday, December 18- no pic


Sunday, December 19- We are making steps in the right direction. I still haven't gotten the "first church service" pics, but I got this picture as I sat down with Collin waiting on Shad to get out of Sunday school.

Blessing #16- Ornaments

Our family loves traditions. Traditions give us something to look forward to, and someday they will give us something to look back to. One of our many family traditions is to get an ornament every year. Shad and I started this tradition the first Christmas we were married. We don’t collect lines of ornaments from Hallmark (we aren‘t that organized). Instead, we just find an ornament that represents that year or just sticks out to us. We also started the tradition for the boys. Brandon started picking out his ornament a few years ago. Let me show you his choices.

2 years old - tractor (He really liked this ornament. Notice the missing front wheels.)

3 years old - train

4 years old (this year) - fire truck

Do you see a pattern? He definitely loves things with wheels.

Shad and my ornament this year

Mr. Collin's first ornament

This was definitely our hardest year to find ornaments. It was a quest that has taken most of the month of December. However, I realized all of our trouble was worth it as soon as I pulled out all of our ornaments from years past. Looking at these ornaments takes me back to each year of our marriage, and each year of our sons. They aren't worth anything to anyone else, but to me they are priceless.

Give Me Five Friday- {Christmas spirit}

If you've missed it, here's the short version of Give me Five Friday. I like making lists. Every Friday I'll make a list. The only rule is it has to be five things.

As you know I’m a Christmas nut, therefore I am still in Christmas mode with my Give Me Fives. If you are struggling to get in the Christmas spirit, today’s five can help jump start your Christmas.

{five things that get me in the Christmas spirit}

1. A cinnamon candle- Cinnamon is the way Christmas should smell.

2. Watching Elf or It’s a Wonderful Life

3. Baking all the candies and cookies of Christmas

4. Giving to someone else- I love, lOvE, LOVE to give. It thrills me to think of that perfect gift or activity to show someone how much you love them. Isn’t that the point of a gift? A physical reminder of love.

5. Thinking about Christmas- This Christmas more than any other Christmas, I’ve been thinking about Christ, and the wonder of his salvation. Maybe it’s because I have a small baby. When I look in Collin’s eyes I think of Christ as a baby, and I am amazed at the salvation that He brought me.

I bet you thought I was going to say, “Listening to Christmas Music.” I think I’ve talked about Christmas music enough though. I hope you have a great weekend filled with Christmas cheer!

Blessing #15- Christmas Photocards

I love getting Christmas photo cards. I count them as a blessing. I get excited every time I get one. I save them every year to see how a family is growing. It’s like getting a small little gift. Although I love photo cards, I do know how stressful getting the right picture can be. This week I decided to get Christmas pictures of the boys, so pictures are on my mind. I’m not a photographer, but I would like to share with you lessons I have learned about taking pictures of kids.

A Mother’s Guide to Taking Family Pictures Without Losing Your Mind

Lesson #1- Your child will fall and get a pop knot the day before you take pictures. Don’t worry it adds character (and also makes you look suspicious).

Lesson #2- Your picture will never be perfect. When you have pictures of children, something will always be off, a pants leg that got pulled up, drool coming out of their mouth, or a messed up pose. In this picture, Collin is looking at the camera, but seems to be slightly frightened while B holds him. That’s okay, it adds character.

Lesson #3- Master the art of the back picture. Will your children not smile? Just take a picture of their backs. This shows where you were, what was going on, and it looks artful and inspiring. Sometimes I just don’t have the energy, so I have many pictures of Brandon’s back.


Lesson #4- What annoys you now, may be cute years from now. Up until last year, Brandon thought smiling was closing your eyes really tight. It drove me crazy. I would go to take a picture and yell, “Smile! B, open your eyes. Smile…. No open your eyes!…. Say cheese…You CAN open your eyes.“ Now he’s learned how to smile the right way, and those pictures are a priceless reminder of that particular quirk. However, I have no idea what his eyes looked like from one to three years old.


Lesson #5- If you want to get your child to look at you don’t do this. “Look here Brandon. Brandon. BRANDON!” That’s just white noise to a kid. Instead, say, “rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrAyyyyaaaaaa,” like a canteen dancer. I’m not making a joke here. I really do this. It may embarrass them, but you’ll get a good picture.

Lesson #6- Just keep snapping pictures! This is probably the most important lessons. Don’t do the 1..2..3. If you have a trouble maker, they will make a funny face right at the last second. Just keep snapping. You never know the picture you might get. I am a firm believer in this. For every good picture I have, I have 20 bad pictures.


Lesson #7 - As a mother, you must master the art of face freezing. Your child could be looking right at the camera and smiling like an angel, but if you are not good at face freezing you could mess the picture up by moving. Pick your expression; maybe practice it in the mirror. When the pictures start snapping you freeze into your expression, no matter what your child is doing. We have gotten some really cute pictures this way. If you are a face freezing master you can even talk through your teeth in this frozen position, and say things like, “Brandon, if you don’t look at the camera, you don’t get any presents on Christmas.” (still smiling)
I have mastered face freezing. Notice the technique in theses two pictures.




Just follow these rules and you will have family pictures without losing your mind. Your pictures will be fill with lots of character, but you'll have your sanity.

Project Life: December 6- 12

Here's this weeks pictures. This week I really tried to get myself in some pictures. Again if you want to join in or view other Project Life projects just go to The Mom Creative.

Monday, December 6- They are starting to hang out more and more. So sweet!

Tuesday, December 7- I'm a cold weather wimp, so my little guy is very bundled up.

Tuesday, December 7 (again)- I know what you are thinking, "wow! She has got it all together!"

Wednesday, December 8- no picture

Thursday, December 9- no picture

Friday, December 10 (attempt #1)- This explains why Brandon does this in pictures.

Friday, December 10- Shad's work had their Christmas party, so I just had to get a picture of us on our date.

Saturday, December 11- B decided that Collin needed accessorizing. The watch does match the letters in his sleeper.

Sunday, December 12- We stopped by McD's after church. On the way home Shad turned around and said, "There's your picture of the day."