Cars Cake

Pirates & Mermaid Cake

Superhero Birthday Cake

Those Who Sow With Tears Will Reap With Songs of Joy....

I've been absent from the blog for several months now.  While I've missed it, my attention has been on some exciting events!  A few months ago, we finally heard the news we've been waiting for so long to hear...we are expecting!  It has been a long journey, and I plan on blogging about that in the future, but God has blessed us abundantly! A few weeks after we got the good news, we found out that we won't just be welcoming one baby, we'll be welcoming TWO!  I feel so blessed and thankful for God's faithfulness and many, many answered prayers.  A friend sent me Psalm 126:5 when we were longing for a child, and it has proven so true.  We are beyond joyful and excited as we prepare for our twins' arrival.

Here they are...the first real pictures of our babies!

Wedding Cake Part 2

Last week, I wrote about my one and only wedding cake. The sweet bride sent me a few pics of the cake and cake pops at the venue.  I was so excited to see them, as I miss that part most of the time! 

Christmas 2012

I finally downloaded all of our pictures from Christmas!  Christmas is our favorite time of the year.  Proof of this exists in the fact that we put up our tree the day after Halloween and JUST TOOK IT DOWN.

Christmas evokes such a warm feeling and brings back so many precious memories.  I can remember as a child waking up in the middle of the night and running to the living room to lay on the couch and just look at the tree.  Decorating for Christmas was a huge affair.  We put santas, stockings, manger scenes, and tinsel everywhere!  I honestly remember decorating and baking more that I do the gifts.  At Mummy's house every year, the grandkids put on a Christmas play. We took turns being Mary, Joseph, the angels, and wise men. Then the whole family would gather around the piano while Mummy played Christmas carols.

One of my favorite traditions is receiving an ornament each year from my parents.  The hubby and I have continued that tradition and give each other an ornament every Christmas that represents the past year to us.  It's already so much fun to look back at the ornaments and remember those times.  We don't have a tree that is one color scheme or theme, we have a tree full of unique ornaments from our childhoods, vacations, and our years as a couple.  I even have a few angels from my mother's Christmas tree when she was a child and a giraffe that hung in my baby mobile! I took a few pictures of some of our favorites.

I decided this year to host two of my dearest friends and their husbands for an old-fashioned Christmas dinner and gift swap.  My sweet mom came up a few days before the party to help plan the menu, decorate, and shop.  Have I told you how much I love her?

The dinner menu included cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn casserole, biscuits, green bean casserole, and ham.  For dessert we had homemade pecan pies and gingerbread bundt cakes.  When we were stuffed and happy, we played a fun game of "Dirty Santa."  Martina cheated and brought gifts that only Nicole and I could get, but we loved them!!

I've talked about moving here and God providing such amazing new friends, but I honestly don't know what I would do without them.  More than friends, we are spirit sisters.  I can cry, laugh, and vent with them, and I know they are always there.  More importantly, they encourage and mentor me in my walk with Christ.  So blessed!

The next weekend, we headed out of town to celebrate Christmas with my family.  There is never a dull moment when we are all home, but I wouldn't have it any other way!  Of course, the best part was spending lots of time with my nephews and niece.  They are growing up so fast, so I try to cherish every second with them!

Christmas left my heart full and thankful.  While we were sad to finally put away our decorations, I can't wait to see what God has for us in 2013!

More Than Cupcakes

I took a break from Facebook recently. Honestly, I thought I would die without checking it 50 times a day. The amazing result…I haven’t. I’ve barely missed it. The only time I have is when my friends are laughing over a recent post or photo that I haven’t seen. I’ve had so many people look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them I’ve stopped the habit. They immediately want to know why! Among other reasons like wasting hours each day and giving something up for 21 Days of Prayer, the hard truth is, I was struggling at times when comparing my imperfect life with other people's perfect highlights. Oh, I’m aware that I’m guilty of it too! I even do it on this blog. We rarely want people to see the real struggles that living in this fallen world can sometimes cause. My husband and I have been walking through some tough medical issues (more about that in a later post) and I’ve contemplated writing about it a million times. But I haven’t. Why is it that we only want people to see the good stuff? As Christians, aren’t we called to use our trials to minister to others? Why are we so scared of being vulnerable, of opening up our lives and revealing our struggles? Don’t get me wrong, I have a pretty great life! It's full of wonderful family and amazing friends. I’m a blessed girl. But I’m also a sinner who needed a Savior, and is reminded of God’s amazing grace and mercy every single day. Part of living this life as a Christian is knowing that there will be tough seasons and circumstances, and we are called to use those times of trial and growth to minister to and bless others. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, and one of my goals this year is to start being more transparent in this blog. The cakes and cupcakes are great, but I know I’m called to more than that. I love writing. It’s why I started a blog in the first place. And I’ve been missing it.