Blogger Day of Silence

My favorite time of YEAR!!!

I LOVE the holiday season and with Emma Claire this year she is definitely more into it, than years past.  I know she will love to open presents this year and she has been attentively watching me wrap each gift and place each one in her particular order under the tree!

We have a children's book and interactive nativity.  You put the boxes on the tree which are labeled 1-6 (it's called What God wants for Christmas) and you find each box in numerical order and then read the corresponding part of the story.  We did an abbreviated EC version as just talked about each person from each box as she brought them to me in numerical order.  She was so excited when she found in them in the correct order and opening up each present from God.  After we opened all of the boxes, she just sat and stared and would gently touch each piece and then come to Jesus and say over and over, 'Baby Jesus', it was absolutely precious!

We had family pictures made a few weeks ago to be used on our Christmas Cards and wanted to share some of the pictures.  

This week we are taking EC to see the Rockettes and I REALLY hope she will love the show.  I think she will do fine as she LOVES music and dancing.  Hopefully I will remember to get some pictures of her, as I have been so bad about picture taking lately.  We hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful holiday season!

Horsing Around

Tuesday was Emma Claire's Fall Party at WEE school.  They all dressed up in their costumes and she did not want to take hers off after they did their trick-or-treating through the other classrooms. 

And yes, of course the horse costume would not be complete without an ENORMOUS pink bow to top it off!

We Love Fall Y'all

Over the last few weeks, I've actually been home and it's been absolutely wonderful!!! I guess I'm starting to be an old person, but I love being home.  Once Mom, EC and I were back from Portland, that Saturday was my mother in laws family day with her company, Regions.  It was at the Nashville Zoo, so we headed down there and spent some time looking at the animals and enjoying the wonderful weather.  

Nana (Nannie as EC calls her) and Emma Claire checking out the Zebras

 My Daddy (as Emma Claire so affectionately refers to her daddy)  and Emma Claire.  She is a total daddy's girl!

 Happy Girl!

Last weekend, it was wonderful weather yet again, so off to the pumpkin farm we ventured.  She ha the best time pulling the cart around and picking out pumpkins. 

Emma Claire's serious face!  She was over me taking pictures, but I still love this sweet picture of her.  She is so grown up looking in this picture.  I cannot believe in January she will be 3 years old!

We hope everyone is enjoying their FALL.  I just love this time of year and when you come into my house, you definitely know as it's been decorated since September 1st and I always have a fall scented candle burning.

Weekend Fun

This weekend we had a little fun.  Friday night Emma Claire stayed the night with my parents and I'm sure kept them busy that night as well as Saturday.  Since Matt had to work, my brother in law came with me and we picked up Emma Claire at my parents and headed off to the Wilson Co. Fair to meet up my my in-laws!

Emma Claire rode a couple of rides, that is about all she could ride and for those of y'all who personally know me, I have major issues with carnie rides in general so this was a big deal for me to have her ride the carousel and duck ride which just went around in a circle.  They seemed safe enough and me and my mother in law rode the carousel with her.  She loved every minute of both rides. 

Here is proof I actually rode a carnival ride.  These will be FAR and FEW between!

 

On Sunday, was the annual NICU birthday party.  We headed down to Baptist, saw our fave peeps and then went to dinner with our friends.  Emma Claire and Cohen were so cute and EC turned to be a happier camper once all of the crowds died down.  Not a great combination of short nap, had to be woke up and then all of the sudden a HUGE crowd of people in one HOT auditorium to boot!  We always have a blast and this year was no different.  Crazy to believe these two will be 3 in December for Cohen and January for EC.  My oh my, how time flies!

Cohen and EC giving hugs and kisses...Seeing them interact so well just melts my heart!   They are both just precious babes.

Another great weekend in the books.  They are never long enough especially when part of the weekend is spent working for a client.  But all is well in the Warren household and at least this next weekend will be longer!!! Love holiday weekends!

School Day

Emma Claire started the WEE School program two days a week at First Baptist Church in Portland.  She loves it and according to the teacher notes from Tuesday, such the helper!  Ms. Gina has no idea!

Emma Claire is so grown up and loves to be around other children.  She loves to help and especially clean up.  You give this kid a wipe and she will wipe down you entire house!  

Cannot believe she is getting to be such a big girl, but I love every day of it and seeing her grow up.  God has truly blessed up and continues to.  Matt and I are both so thankful for it all. 

Hope everyone is doing well and cannot wait for the fall season coming up.

New House

So we have been moved for a month now.  Of course, the ones of y'all out there who personally know me or have figured out from my blog, I don't do boxes, so by the 3rd day, everything was unpacked, put away and pictures up on the wall.  Yes, it does drive everyone around me crazy, but that is how we have to get it done!!!  On a side note, I could not have done all of that without many helpers to entertain EC from MJ watching her on the big moving day to my parents, Matt's parents and various other helpers the week after.  HUGE THANKS!!!!!

Here are some pictures of the house for those few people still checking in on us!

 My home office

Emma Claire's bathroom + Guest Bathroom

Emma Claire's bathroom + Guest Bathroom

 Emma Claire's room...Such a big girl!

 Dining Room

 Living Room

Open Floor Plan much like our last house and we just feel in love with it!

 Bonus Room.  The previous owners put up two temporary rooms which was perfect.  One is our guest room on the right hand side and the other is Matt's hunting room.  We still have plenty of area for another living space which I'm working on figuring out what I want up there right now.

 

Part of the extra space and the additional space on the other side of the room

 Guest Bedroom

 Hunting Room - obviously my husband and mine need for immediate organization is not the same.  Well in his defense, he has been working on the garage which is exceptionally organized.

 View from Kitchen to living room and down hallway.  You can see you access the bonus room from the doorway in the picture

 Hallway to Utility room and Garage to left.  Our bed room is also down the hallway.  We loved the split bedroom floor plan as well.

 Master Bedroom with french doors onto the patio

 Of course the organized closet.  You cannot tell from this picture, but everything is organized into seasons and then by color and Matt's is the same way on the other side of the closet.  All my shoes are in plastic shoe boxes for additional organization.

 Master Bathroom

Shower in Master Bathroom

 Garden tub

Another view of the master bedroom

Our view from our patio

 Back of the house

Front of the house.  The landscaping was okay so I trimmed the shrubs for the time being, but in the next few weeks, we will be ripping out the boxwoods and replacing with knock out rose bushes and doing a much better landscape job!

Hope everyone enjoyed the tour! 

Emma Claire started her first day of WEE school today.  More to come about that.  Such a big girl!

Handy Helper

Well, this will probably be my last post from our current house.  We are FINALLY moving to our new home on Friday.  It is sad and happy time for me right now.  I'm excited for the move to the new house and closer to the farm which is where we are most of the time during the week, however it's bittersweet to leave our sweet neighbors.  

Every free moment I'm packing a box.  Let's just say me and the tape gun have a love/hate relationship.  I might need a support group when I have to put it away.  My house is filling up with boxes as we have already filled one trailer and hope to get everything else in the house one the last trailer.  I'll be glad to start unpacking and give our contents a new home and organizing.  Oh how I love to organize a new space.  I swear I should do that for a living, but I digress. 

That's pretty much what is encompassing our lives right now, but the bright spot as always is our spunky and wild Emma Claire.  Here are some recent pics of her.  She is quite the handy helper in everything, from feeding you at a restaurant to helping pick out boots (for my colleague which was in town this past weekend).  Thanks Carrie for your patience during your boot shopping experience!

 Emma Claire looks so serious and innocent.  Looks can be deceiving. :)

My fun and full of life filled girl.  

That is pretty much our nutty and crazy life.  Oh, as a side note, anyone else obsessed with the e-cards on Pintrest and Facebook.  I know totally out of the blue and in an unfocused way.  I just wanted to through that out there.  They are quite the stress relief to spend about 10 minutes a day reading through them.  

Wordless Wednesday

Craziness

So I had this big post planned of pictures from the last few months, however in the process of moving, I have left out the camera, but packed all associated cords.  So here is a recent picture of Emma Claire, in her new pose

Like I said, we are in the process of packing up our house and moving 8 miles east, I know, I know, not a huge move, but after you live in a house for 8 years, it can become exhausting wondering where and how did all of this 'stuff' accumulate!

We are excited and it will all be great once it has been completed.  My house is crazy with boxes and it's starting to drive me a little nuts, but I keep telling myself the end goal is closer and closer.  If all goes well, we will be doing this deed on June 22.  

Like that is not enough, I've been called for Grand Jury Duty, to which I have to call in every Monday after 5 PM for reporting instructions AND the Director of VBS for our church.  Now, y'all know me and I like to be busy, but this is a little much so we do covet your prayers for our family during this time.  

VBS will start on Sunday and we are all excited.  This is my favorite time of the year and then I can 'rest' until we are ready for the final push of the move.

We will have a fun summer and cannot wait to share pics of the new house once we are moved in. 

Just Because

Just because I love this precious, stubborn, independent, feisty and full of life little (well about 3') girl!  She is loving and sweet and we cannot imagine our lives without her. 

She definitely looks like her daddy, but I'm starting to believe she is acting like her momma.  I cannot believe I would admit it, but hey she has to have qualities of both of us, right?

Wordless Wednesday

Lately

I've fallen off the blog train yet again...geeeezzz!

Here are some pictures from Christmas and lately.  Emma Claire is growing like a weed and I swear feel like she never stops.  At her 2 year well baby check up she was 24 lbs and just a little shy of 36 inches tall!  I'm starting to believe we need to groom this child to play in the WNBA.  Emma was also re-evaluated in February for TEIS services (TN Early Intervention) and it was bittersweet, but she is doing so well, she no longer qualified for services.  I know this is a such an amazing accomplishment, but Emma Claire really enjoyed seeing her teacher.  That pretty much sums it up, what we have been up to at the 50,000 ft view.

 Emma Claire, Nana and Papa at Opryland in December.  She absolutely loved the nights and it was a late night for us all, but she was a tropper!

Emma Claire and Cohen...they are definitely going to be life long buddies!

Christmas Eve at my parents house.  It took way to many tries to get a decent picture, but at least two of the three are looking at the camera.

 

 Emma Claire with her one of her many presents at my inlaws house.  She loved this Adirondack Chair...it's pretty darn cute!

Emma Claire and Nana (Matt's mom) looking at the ornaments on the Christmas try.  Emma never messed with anything, she just wanted to see them and show them to everyone who would take her to the tree for a viewing.

We just had a nice soup and sandwich lunch for Emma Claire's birthday.  It was small and I loved every minute of the low-key party.  I had these cupcakes made since EC is interested obsessed with cows!  They were absolutely adorable and tasted awesome too!

Daddy, Mommy and Emma Claire on her birthday!

That about wraps it up.  I need to get some more pictures of her on her and I promise we don't dress in the same outfit all of the time, it just happened this way :)