Our Christmas Tree

This year at the Katchur house, decorations are scarce. I don't really have a reason for that, but honestly I'm kind of enjoying it. We have the tree up and a few pictures and the stockings. This post is all about our tree. This was the first year that Anna had any interest in helping decorate the tree. She enjoyed helping hang the ornaments. And of course Daddy helped her to add the finishing touch of topping the tree with the star. She was so proud!

Next, I just thought I would share some of my favorite ornaments. I bought this one our first Christmas. I love snowmen and this one really caught my eye. I still love it. I love that it says JOY! It makes me want to bust out in song...Joy to the World...

My mother has always bought us ornaments for Christmas, and I mean always. I don't think she has ever missed a year. This ornament may be my favorite! She does a good job picking out for each person, but this one was the best for me. A flip flop!! That is an awesome Christmas tree ornament! I love that she thought of me when she saw it!!

And this one........is probably my favorite on the tree this year. This is the first handmade by Anna ornament. She made it last year at church, and I just adore it. I know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.... :) but this one is beautiful to me!! I can't wait to see what she makes to add to the tree this year.

Thankful

Wow, what a thanksgiving. I am an incredibly thankful for today. I am thankful that I have a family that was understanding and willing to change our turkey time today so that I could serve others. I am thankful that I was able to see Jesus today in those that I helped serve. I am thankful for the fellowship with friends while cooking pan after pan of sweet potatoes. I am thankful for a husband that understands my desire to serve. I am thankful for my kitchen that I was able to come home to today to cook more sweet potatoes for my own family. I am thankful for my beautiful and sweet daughter who can spend an entire day (including nap time) wearing a tutu and still not want to take it off when it's time to leave the house. All of this is just today and I could keep going and going.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that I'm so thankful for more than just my family, though I am very thankful for a healthy family, it's the little things that I notice and am so much more thankful for this year than any year in the past.

I am thankful for every opportunity that God provides for me in His perfect timing.

People!!

Cake balls are where it's at!! I made my first batch tonight for Anna's Thanksgiving Feast tomorrow and oh my goodness!! They are amazing!! So seriously, go here and get the very simple recipe. And get to cooking!!! You will not regret it!

(I made strawberry cake and white chocolate coating with milk chocolate drizzled on top.)

Anna is 3!!

Yes, it's true. She is 3 years old. Hard to believe, I know, but it's very real. She had two birthday parties this year. She thought she had definitely become a princess. Her first party was at her preschool. She had a blast sharing that party with all of her Snuggle Bug friends. Her second party was at Sonshine Gymnastics. That was a definite highlight for her. She had so much fun playing at "big gym" with all of her friends there.I believe it was the best 3rd birthday celebration that a girl could ever ask for.

Up

I'm finally getting to watch the Disney movie "Up". I've been anxious to watch it since it was in the theater. I'm not sure why I have been so drawn to it, but it caught my attention from the beginning. I am about half way through it as I write this and it has not disappointed! I could probably watch those balloons carry that house across the bright blue sky a million times and not get tired of it. The colors are all perfect! And the characters are very entertaining! Carl is chasing the dream he and his wife always had. And Russell is a dorky little Wilderness Explorer trying to get his "assisting the elderly" badge. I can't believe that I'm enjoying it so much, but I truly am. Maybe you should watch it!

Update: Just finished the movie! I loved it!!!! The story was better than I imagined. I think this is going to be one that I purchase. And I'm so thankful they chose to have the balloons in all different colors! They are just beautiful!

The Beach..I love the beach!!

Last month, we made a trip to Florida. This trip was for two reasons, but I'm only going to focus on the vacation part in this post. We stayed in Destin the last few days of the trip, and we all had an amazing time. Anna loves the beach as much as we do. In this picture, it looks like she's telling daddy all about how big the ocean is...

I'm not sure what she was thinking here, but it really looks like she's concentrating on something. Maybe she's trying to design the best sand castle ever and she's just not sure where to start...
We were even able to get mom out to the beach one day. Dad had come too, but didn't last very long. He decided he would rather sit in the car. :) At least mom got to enjoy feeling the sand between her toes...Of course there was some shopping too. Anna really loaded up at the build-a-bear workshop. And there was no way she was going to allow anyone to help her carry her new friends...But all in all, we spent a whole lot of the trip in the van. It was a long drive to Gainesville, FL then back to Destin, FL and then back home. But I don't think any of us would trade one single minute for anything different. The "Florida Trip", as Anna called it, was perfect.

What?? I have a blog???

I guess maybe I forgot about it. Ok, not really, I just haven't taken the time to post anything in f.o.r.e.v.e.r. I could try to sum up the last 10 months, but really that would be ridiculous. I believe I will just stay in the now and move forward. So......

Anna is in preschool now, and recently she had her school picture day. :) So cute. Stay tuned for pictures from our recent trip to the beach...