the one with home and the holidays

It's 11PM and I've got nothing in front of me but headlights and interstate. We are driving the 12 hours to North Carolina overnight because we wanted to get "home" as fast as possible.  Home has become a relative term for me the last few years as every member of my family has moved multiple times. Now, home simply means a place where we're all together and surprisingly, I'm totally ok with that. So even though I may not always know what to put for my hometown on my Facebook profile (Athens? Cary? Somewhere in Florida? Boston?) -- I'm finally accepting that my scattered "homes" just make me a little more interesting. Knowing that my family is waiting on the other end of this crazy, exhausting drive with a fireplace, a Christmas tree, my brother in law's famous chocolate covered peanut butter balls, and lots of shrieking kiddos makes it all worth it. :) 

And because I so wish I could send all of you a sweet Christmas greeting from Boston to your home (wherever that is!) - I wanted to share some of the photos from our little Christmas card photo session. Thank you, Fergie for taking these pictures for us -- you da best, girl!

Merry Christmas, y'all! We hope you all find a little piece of home and happiness this season! 

Love,

A+J

the one about giving thanks

It's DECEMBER, y'all! Eeek! And as excited as I am to post about Christmas and all the upcoming merriment - it wouldn't be right to neglect Thanksgiving! This year, we stayed in Massachusetts and spent time with Jesse's family on the North Shore. We had so much fun watching movies, eating WAY too much food, shopping, and just spending time together as a family. It was an especially fun holiday with Collier around as our new brother-in-law. He's the perfect addition to our clan:)  

This year, I asked to put together the Thanksgiving tablescape and I loved being able to get a little crafty. The decorations were pretty simple:

- a large glass vase wrapped in twine and filled with autumnal gourds, berries, and pine cones

- 2 little lanterns from AC Moore (for only a $1 or $2!) that I'm using again this Christmas

- pinecones for holding the place cards and around the table

- cardstock and felt markers for the place cards

- postal paper (again, so cheap!) for the "I am thankful for" placemats. 

The placemats were a beast to cut (you should have seen my father in law wrestling the paper to the ground and both of us laughing hysterically on Thanksgiving Eve - quite the bonding moment) but led to a special table conversation. I loved hearing what everyone was thankful for in 2014:)

 It would definitely be an easy table scape to adjust for Christmas - I hope it gives you an idea or two for your home! 

Our Thanksgiving table. Amber (and her new beau, Esteban) joined us!

I found some South Georgia peee-caaans for my sweet potato souffle! My southern soul was pumped.

Lots to be thankful for this year!

As we head into the busy Christmas season, I'm trying to hold onto the message of the Thanksgiving holiday. A friend of mine recently posted a thought about the Scriptures' take on thanksgiving - that the Bible talks significantly more about "giving thanks" than "being thankful" and it got me thinking. Apparently, God desires an active form of gratitude even more than an inward or passive form. I don't know about you, but it's much easier for me to be passive in my thanks - to pray about what I'm thankful for or think about what I'm blessed with. But as we head into December, I'm trying to determine how I can be more actively full of gratitude in my daily life. How can I show my thanks to my God, to my husband, to my family, friends and the less fortunate? I don't want to just be inwardly thankful but externally and joyfully full of thanks! Join me, won't you?!

Here's to a wonderful holiday season!

XOXO

A+J