H-A-double L-O-W-double E -N, spells Halloween!

If you attended the Salem Public school system, that song will bring some fond memories of music class and Hawthorn School in general. In the spirit of Halloween, Alex and I decided to carve pumpkins. He was a little reluctant to "lose" his Sunday afternoon of being a couch potato and watch the Rams lose, but I told him that this is our 6th year to carve pumpkins and we can't miss out! So, we carved away! These are by far the absolute worst pumpkins we have ever carved...EVER! But, we had fun and did a little photo shoot! Enjoy and  have a happy and safe time Trick-or-Treating!

My original design....It didn't really work as well as I would have liked

Alex posing :) he made the Batman sign...a little lopsided 

We are by no means future world champions at carving pumpkins, but we know how to have a good Sunday afternoon!  What did you carve this year?

Strive...to celebrate

October is quite celebratory! We have been here, there and almost everywhere this month! Mainly, our time has consisted of celebrating birthdays and soon to be babies.
In October we wish happy birthday's to:
Kacey- Oct 5
Annie- Oct 11
Alyssa- Oct 14
Eli- Oct 20
Amanda- Oct 21
Jared- Oct 26
Alex- Oct 27
New Baby Girl Collier- Expected arrival date: Oct 26-28th

(If I left you out, it is not because I don't love you or want you not to have the happiest birthday of the year, it's just that my brain is spinning from all the birthday-ing!)

With birthday's come celebrating! I come from a family that knows how to celebrate and I fortunately married into a family who loves to celebrate, so I'm happy!

However, birthday's aren't the only reason to celebrate. As this whirlwind of a year is finally starting to slow down, I have been thinking about what I have been celebrating. I married the man of my dreams, I get to finish my college education, I get to look forward to adding two more niece(s)/nephew(s) to my clan!

To me, all of those are big things. But, I'm trying to slow down everyday and celebrate the little things. Today I celebrated the amazing sunshine, the golden trees, the fact that I left my water in my car all day and it wasn't boiling when I got back in and I celebrated that I saw the cop before he saw me (haha mom, just kidding, I was following a grandma so we were slowly and very safely chugging along).

I hope that my strive moment for the week is contagious, in that we will all strive to celebrate the little things God has blessed us with. If we cannot celebrate the little things, how can we possibly celebrate the big things....and still give God the glory?

Psalm 150:6- Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

Celebrating with Alyssa at our 50th anniversary SIU Con. Ed

Eli's 2nd Birthday Party!
(more Birthday pictures to post later)

Strive...to be a faux-tographer

I really enjoy photography. In high school I took a digital photography class to whet my appetite. But being an incredibly knowledgeable 18 year old, I knew everything and no teacher could teach me-especially since it was the first semester the class was offered and the 800 year old art teacher was learning along with us-I didn't take it quite as seriously as I now wish I had. Anywho, we had assignments and looking back, they were pretty cool assignments-drive around in the country and take pictures of fields and trees. I'm trying to remember all of the settings and information I "learned" and am now re-learning.

Last year for Christmas my parents got me a Sony DSLR Alpha 230 and I really like using it. It goes virtually everywhere I go (I now purchase purses that can easily carry it and all my junk..it's true devotion).

This past weekend I subjected my family to my new hobby and I think 30% of the 300 pictures I took turned out really great! The idea started as a Collier pre-baby girl photo shoot and ended up with everyone, which I'm very grateful for. It doesn't hurt that my subjects were gorgeous and so was the weather.Take a peek for yourself and enjoy!

The Blair, Collier and Williams Families

David & Terri/Mom & Dad/ Grandma & Pop

Jim & Shannon

Tyler, Paige, Josiah & Bella(the dog)

Collier Family

Kissing Baby Sister

Ethan

Alex & Abby (That would be me (Becky did the honors))

So this weeks strive moment is to try to learn more about photography and to get better and better! :) 

Romans 15:4 - For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, that through endurance and the the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 

Falling in love with fall!

I have always loved fall....always! It always brings the best of everything. My birthday, crisp air, crunchy leaves, apples, pumpkins, runny noses, sweatshirts, scarves...I could go on and on and on...and on, but I'll just leave it at, I LOVE FALL! Finally SIU has given us a fall break! I had a lovely time off and we got to spend it with family.We played, had a baby sprinkle for Kendra (Due November), Becky (Due October 28) and Libby and Baby Katie (born August 10, 2011) and we had a photo shoot by yours truly, pictures will be posted soon. With that said, I have pictures galore to show you!

Alex and I started my Fall Break out with a Stunning Sunset

Alex and I got to babysit our nephew, Eli! He had a great time playing!

Most of the boys

Reading to Ethan and Eli after bath

The sprinklee's at the baby sprinkle.

Kacey holding Katie

My lovely sister and myself after the sprinkle

Baby Katie hanging out with her awesome "aunt's" Abby and Terri

Finley and Josiah playing "wedding."

Haley riding her "bi-sa-sickle" 

Strive...to be content

This thought has been resonating in me for a very long time. I have so much. As for the global economy and rest of the world I am rich! I have clean drinking water, pizza delivery, ice cream (that I can eat without the fear of bugs), a great little apartment and the list could literally go on, and on, and on. I am truly blessed. However, I find myself discontent frequently.

Alex just got a new car and phone and sometimes I get a little envious. However, I just got a new car, but his is new new with the new car smell and I have only had my phone for 6 months, but his is newer...the box is still out. Every time I open a magazine I see a dress that I must have, but yet I have dresses in my closet that still have tags.

I don't have a cute story or anecdote about my contentment, I just know that I need to be happy with what I have, when I have it. God has blessed me far beyond what I deserve and for me to not be grateful and thankful for what I have is very sad and almost embarrassing. The strive moment of the week...and forever is to be content with what God has blessed me with.


Hebrews 13:6 - Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."