The Poe Family

Brothers = Built in Buddies

2012-01-22T10:39:00.001-05:00

Lately, the two littlest boys that live at my house have become the cutest little buddies. Quinn has always been a HUGE fan of his baby brother (and vice versa)…but, lately, they have truly become playmates. It crakes me up that a 4 1/2 (I REFUSE to say almost 5) year old and a 1 1/2 year old can play tag…wrestle…play legos or Batman…watch shows snuggled up on the couch…tackle…and act like SUCH boys! As much as their roughness makes me nuts…I love it at the same time! What a joy to have a house full of boys!!!

Roy G. Biv (round 2)

2012-01-16T21:54:00.001-05:00

When Q was 18 months old, I started teaching him his colors. (click here to flash back to Q at 18 months!) So, Quinn and I thought it was time to start teaching Nash. We started with the fun baths…and, he loved it! And, his big brother ABSOLUTELY loves teaching him what each color is! Nash has yet to be able to identify colors, but he is saying some of the words. We’ll keep practicing…and, what better time than in the tub.

And, our grand finale…glow stick bath!!! Sooo cool!

A Year of “going out” by Staying in!

2012-01-09T12:20:00.001-05:00

A few ideas on Pinterest led me to make Matt a little homemade Christmas gift. Due to our CRAZY schedules, I thought I needed to do something to make “date nights” I priority. But, getting a sitter AND spending money on a fun night out gets SUPER expensive, SUPER fast. So, take a look at what I made…
Each page has a sealed envelope that has a fun “date” for us. It includes things like…

January: Movie Night (with candy and popcorn)
February: Wine & Cheese Tasting
March: Game Night
April: “One of the Guys” Night (video games, pizza & wings)
May: Make a Yummy Dessert Together
June: Picnic in the backyard
July: VIP Lounge
August: Ice Cream Sundaes in the Kiddie Pool
September: Jammies, Snacks and Shows in bed
October: Pumpkin Carving/Painting while sipping on Pumpkin Spice Lattes
November: Go through my Project Life and talk about the blessings of our year
December: Drink Peppermint Mochas while we make Peanut Butter Balls and listen to our favorite Christmas music

Most of the things are practically free and are fun things we can do once the boys go to bed. I can’t wait to “go out” with my hubby!!! And, it’s not too late to make your own. It would be a perfect Valentine’s Day gift! Happy Dating!

Our Little Reader!

2012-01-09T11:07:00.001-05:00

Lately, when reading bedtime stories, I have been intentional about having Quinn read a few words per story. He’ll carefully sound out the letters until he can blend the sounds together and read the word independently. …So, when he picked a simple story last night, I knew it was time to let him try to read the whole thing by himself! And, guess what? HE DID IT! ALL BY HIMSELF! The first grade teacher in me was so proud…but, the Momma in me could have cried! I couldn’t believe that my little guy READ A BOOK! And, the cutest thing was how proud he was of himself! He was BEAMING and would have probably read all night. He read “Big Max” a few more times and then read another story! He rarely got frustrated! So…here’s to a WHOLE new world that is slowly opening for my sweet love. I’m so excited for him!

Our 18 month Lineman

2012-01-07T23:16:00.001-05:00

My silly, spunky, funny, busy, hard-headed, lovey, second born Chubber Bubs is 18 months old…One and a half!! And, on Wednesday, (2 days before his actual half birthday) he had his well check. Despite the 2 yucky shots, everything looked great. Dr. Guetersloh quickly mentioned that we had a lineman on our hands!…And, his stats prove that!…
Weight: 28 lbs. 14 oz. (90%)
Height: 33 inches (90Z%)
Head: 19.3 (95%)

I am SO very thankful to have gotten an A+ report card…and thanked Jesus for such a healthy ~~little~~ big man!

Happy New Year 2012!!!

2012-01-07T23:05:00.001-05:00

A flash back to our hat picture last year…

Mr. & Mrs. Pollitte

2012-01-07T22:58:00.001-05:00

On December 30th, we had the privilege of witnessing our sweet friend, Stephen, become a husband! We got a sitter for Nash, and Matt, Q and I (and Mammer and Slickpaw) had such a fun evening…the wedding was BEAUTFIUL and the reception was one of the most amazing I have ever attended! I don’t think I’ll ever tire of attending weddings!!! I love everything it!

Congratulations Stephen and Natalie!!! We are so very happy for you!!!

Quinn was ALL about the pictures…he wanted to take ours and have his taken! I think he was enjoying the night with just us!

And, before the night ended, Quinn fell asleep in Mammer’s arms…and later, was transferred to our sweet friend, Melissa, without waking! He slept through over an hour of the reception! He must have been POOPED because he DOES NOT do this! Sweet little love!

Christmas Eve 2011

2012-01-03T21:20:00.001-05:00

Christmas Eve is always so exciting! There is nothing like the anticipation of the day that is to come!! I love all of the last minute events to prepare for the big day!! …And, this year was no different. …

The majority of the day was spent at home. Cooking…wrapping…baking. Then, late afternoon, we got dressed up to head to our church’s Christmas Eve service. The car ride there (in our new Swaggon) was one that I won’t soon forget! My boys were so very sweet and held hands most of the way! Oh how I love them.
The service was beautiful…and chaotic with two anxious and busy boys in tow. I always love the candlelight part…and, this time, Quinn got to hold his own. Don’t worry…the wax came out of my cute new red pants! :)

{Nash waving at his Big Brother when he want up for the children’s story!…}

After the service, we came home to put on new jammies and dine on yummy pot roast. Then, it was off to look at Christmas lights in our jammies…our favorite tradition!

In years past, we have been super disappointed that no coffee shops were open to get some drive-through coffee. This year, we had our own barista! Perfectly yum!

And, we even had a fire to keep us warm in the Swaggon! :)
When we came home, we decorated some cookies for Santa and hurried to get in bed! We were all so excited for the morning to come!

Christmas with Nana & Pawpaw

2012-01-02T22:44:00.001-05:00

Christmas came early for thePoeFam. On the 16th of December through the 20th, Nana and Pawpaw came into town! Quinn and Nash both ABSOLUTELY LOVED having two extra playmates around the house…and, the fact that they brought gifts made the visit EVEN sweeter.

Due to lots of business and fun with Uncle Brandon and his clan, those gifts had to sit under the tree for MANY days! Quinn was a trooper but would ask EVERY day if he could open them. Finally, after Pawpaw preached at our church on Sunday morning, we had our Poe Family Christmas! Here is the reaction we got when we told Quinn that it was finally time…Do you think he was excited? And, it was just as fun hunting for the Q’s on his special nutcracker paper as it was actually opening the gifts!

We had great fun exchanging gifts! But, the biggest surprise was when Nana & Pawpaw opened the coater set from Matt’s great-grandma Charlsie! We had re-gifted it for years…and, over the last 5ish years, it had been missing. Thankfully, during the move, we found it…and we couldn’t wait to give it away! …Such a priceless reaction!!!…
The boys got some great toys that got LOTS of play time the week before Christmas…and we got a FANCY set of pots and pans. Our wedding set was YUCK…and it was time for a replacement!

We loved having Nana and Pawpaw here for such a long stay!!!
It was a Merry {early} Christmas!!!

Peeky’s Shenanigans & Goodbye: Days 17-22

2012-01-02T13:28:00.001-05:00

Day 17: Peeky decided that Quinn’s new Build-a-Bear home would make a fun spot to hide.
Day 18: A little candy cane zip-lining through the kitchen.

Day 19: Peeky had a large audience as he shared about Jesus’ birth.

Day 20: Stinker Peeky snuck in the boys’ rooms and made them look like Rudolph. The funniest part…when Quinn came in our room in the morning, he was so confused and said, “I think my snot dried in my sleep and turned into plastic bleed!” We couldn’t stop laughing! … And, it looks like Nash rubbed his off as he slept!

Day 21: {Christmas Eve} When Quinn woke, he saw that Peeky had made him a special breakfast…with donuts for both of them. And, after he ate, we read him Peeky’s note.
The note stated that we could touch Peeky for one whole day and he wouldn’t loose his magic. Quinn was so nervous…but, when he finally grabbed him up, he never let him go. Peeky went everywhere with Quinn all day long. It was precious!

On Christmas Eve night, Quinn had a hard time telling Peeky goodbye. He decided he wanted to let him sit in the tree so that Santa would find him easily. (kinda breaks your heart, doesn’t it!?!?)

Day 22: {Christmas Day} Peeky left this note. After Quinn had BARELY even looked at his gifts, he remembered Peeky and RAN to the tree to see if he was there. He was happy to find this sweet note…but was sad that he was gone.

Having Peeky a part of our Christmas this year definitely added to the magic. We can’t wait until he comes back next year!! We miss him already!

Our Days of Christmas…

2012-01-02T12:22:00.001-05:00

How does Christmastime seem to get busier every year? And, every year {in spite of the chaos}, I seem to love it even more! We had SUCH a magical December…full of constant Christmas music, lots of peppermint flavors at every meal and a living room of twinkling lights.
I must admit that it’s a bit of a let down when it ends. … Here’s a peek into our “days of Christmas” (with detailed posts of some of our favorite moments coming soon)…

On the 1st day of Christmas we…
*Started cleaning out our playroom to give to people in need.
*Found our toy nativity sets and began the season with the TRUE meaning (even though the dumb Monster Truck Mater set that was in the same box seemed to overshadow it a bit. sigh.)
*Began going through A Meaningful Christmas as our bedtime story.
*Got our first 2 Christmas cards in the mail!
*Started our Christmas chocolate advent. I SERIOUSLY LOVED these as a little girl.
*Attended the Grapevine Christmas Light Parade!

On the 2nd day of Christmas we…
*Were SO excited to have our Elf on the Shelf delivered. And, Quinn named him “Peeky!”
*Took the boys to the church for a Parent’s Night Out from 6:00-9:45. And, Matt and I got to have a date night with dinner at Weinberger's, peppermint mochas and Christmas shopping.

On the 3rd day of Christmas we…
*Visited Santa Claus
*Went to the Giact Christmas Party at Saltgrass

On the 4th day of Christmas we…
*Attended the FBCG Christmas Children’s Musical

On the 5th day of Christmas we…
*Went to our 5th annual Playgroup Christmas Party (This year, these precious boys gave drums to people in Asia so that they could worship Jesus. And, they made an ornament to remember what they gave! … What special boys…what special Mommies! Blessed for sure to know them!!)

On the 6th day of Christmas we…
*Attended the FBCG Staff Christmas Party

On the 7th day of Christmas we…
*Addressed Christmas cards (they even came with their own “Merry Christmas…Love, ThePoeFam” pencil to fill out the mad lib!)

On the 8th day of Christmas we…
*Delivered Christmas goodies to the homebound
*Watched the cutest Wise Man preform in his PreK Christmas Program

On the 9th day of Christmas we…
*said goodbye to Daddy as he left for the youth’s Eggnoggin’ Retreat

On the 10th day of Christmas we…
*Went to Cade & Cruser’s birthday party

On the 11th day of Christmas we…
*Enjoyed the amazing Christmas Musical at church
*Had “Suit Sunday” in the youth group
*Let Mommy have a party with girlfriends trading favorite things
*Had the Youth Worker’s Christmas Party

On the 12th day of Christmas we…
*Decorated for the women’s event at church
*Had our first fire…and sported Santa hats!

On the 13th day of Christmas we…
*Went to “Step Away from the Chaos” at church
*Baked and BAKED!

On the 14th day of Christmas we…
*Went to Quinn’s Christmas party at school
*Passed out gifts to FBCG staff
*Had the Vine Student Ministry’s White Elephant Party

On the 15th day of Christmas we…
*Had friends over for a fun Christmas meal

On the 16th day of Christmas we…
*painted our annual Christmas plates
*went on a Mommy/Quinn date to see Chipwrecked
*welcomed Nana & Pawpaw

On the 17th day of Christmas we…
*finished shopping while Nana & Pawpaw took the boys to see Happy Feet
*had Uncle Brandon and crew over for Taco Soup

On the 18th day of Christmas we…
*listened to Pawpaw preach at our church
*had Christmas with Nana & Pawpaw (post coming soon)
*went to dinner with all of the cousins

On the 19th day of Christmas we…
*had a yummy Cracker Barrel breakfast
*went to Build a Bear with the boys and they got much needed haircuts

On the 20th day of Christmas we…
*dined at Babe’s with Brandon’s crew
*enjoyed dinner with friends

On the 21st day of Christmas we…
*stayed in our jammies all day and cleaned/did laundry and wrapped

On the 22nd day of Christmas we…
*bought our very own Swaggon (TOTALLY deserves it’s own post!…coming soon!)
*welcomed Mammer & Slickpaw

On the 23rd day of Christmas we…
*grocery shopped
*baked Santa’s cookies and made Christmas candies
*enjoyed Downtown Grapevine

On the 24th day of Christmas we…
*cooked
*decorated Santa’s cookies
*got dressed up for the Christmas Eve service
*Christmas light looked in our jammies…and more

On the 25th day of Christmas we…
*celebrated the birth of our Lord & Savior, JESUS CHRIST!!!

It was busy…it was perfect!! Full of fun, food and FAMILY! I wish Christmas 2012 was already here!!! {Stay tuned for lots of Christmas posts to come!!!}

A Pre-K Christmas…

2012-01-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

On the evening of December 8th, our family headed up to Quinn’s preschool to watch the MOST precious little program. Quinn had been learning his songs for weeks and was excited to dress up as a Wise Man and perform for us. To say that he was darling is SUCH an understatement. Watching him up on stage melted this Momma’s heart…and, I loved that he waved at me 1,000 times and would tell his buddies around him that I was his Mommy…and that the baby was his little brother! Bless him!

Before the songs even began, he had to ditch the hat. It was driving him nuts. And, one of his pant legs had lost it’s elastic bottom…so that drove him nuts too! Such a cute little mess!

This preciously proud baby brother would yell “BUBBA” over and over as he pointed at Quinn. And, he’d clap and clap! So. DANG. sweet!!!

And, Daddy had no problems getting to the front to video the whole thing…

Then, on the 14th, we all went to Quinn’s school to attend his little Christmas party. He loved the book exchange and was so excited to give his friends the scarves that we made! I love seeing him in his school world!

It’s crazy to think that this time next year he’ll be half-way through KINDERGARTEN!

Peeky’s Shenanigans: Days 10-16

2011-12-19T18:34:00.001-05:00

Day 10: Peeky hid in Quinn’s stocking and left him a super cool Lego Snowman!

Day 11: Why not camp out in an Elf-sized village for a day?
Day 12: I guess Peeky loves Christmas cards as much as we do!

Day 13: Peeky loves Jesus so much that he took him from the nativity for a little one-on-one time!

Day 14: Who doesn’t love marshmallows?

Day 15: Time for a break!

Day 16: Peeky couldn’t wait to play the new game that Quinn got for Christmas from Nana & Pawpaw!

Peeky’s Shenanigans: Days 5-9

2011-12-12T22:24:00.001-05:00

Take a look at what Peeky has been up to lately. He cracks Quinn up EVERY day.

Day 5: Peeky got ahold of a Sharpie and had some fun. Thank goodness for Magic Erasers.

Day 6: The trail of “wear wear” from Quinn’s room to the fireplace let us know that Peeky was up to something extra hilarious.
Day 6:

Day 7: Peeky left us his movie…but, decided to watch it for himself with a little midnight snack! Quinn was so excited to have his own copy of the great little show we’d seen on TV.

Day 8: Where’s Peeky? He thought he’d trick us with his great disguise, but we found him.

Day 9: Elves need baths too. And, baths are always more fun with toys!

“It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas when its mighty Founder was a child Himself.” ~Charles Dickens

2011-12-11T09:15:00.001-05:00

Last Friday night, we had a party in our old neck of the woods! So, we decided to go a little bit early so that we could visit THE Santa!! Quinn was SUPER excited and had been planning on what to tell him that he would like for Christmas. And, the jury was still out with Nash…it was either going to be fabulous or a complete nightmare.

When we arrived, Santa was feeding his reindeer. So, we were the first in line to see him when he got back. Nash {illegally} explored around Santa’s little room while we dined on yummy coffee and snacks from the bookstore’s coffee shop. It was hard to be patient, but we managed.

About 10 ‘til 4, we all beamed when we say the Big Guy enter the room. And, in true Santa fashion, he loved and LOVED on my little guys. Hugs, kisses, “I love yous” and answering all of Quinn’s questions about his reindeer. He truly is SUCH a precious man!!! He spent majority of the 10 minutes playing with my two little guys. And, he even said, “Hurry Momma and take lots of pictures, because ‘they’ won’t let you once you get inside!” Nash wasn’t even scared and gave Santa lots of sweet smiles. {You’ll have to watch the video to see some of our interaction with him!…I’ll upload it soon! It’s so sweet!}

And, as soon as all of the workers appeared, it was our turn to sit on his lap. Quinn was eager and had no problem cozying up! And, Nash, didn’t protest either. We laughed and laughed as we watched Quinn play with Santa’s beard (the WHOLE time) and tell him exactly what isle at Target to find the Rise of the Snakes Ninjago Lego red motorcycle set with Kai….and on and on and on. And, he also informed Santa that Nash would like a ball pit. Santa told the boys that he wouldn’t make any promises but that he’d try his best!

I think Quinn would have stayed all day chatting it up with Santa. But, we chose our DARLING pics and went on our way. Afterwards, Quinn loved talking about his magical moment with Santa…and Matt and I couldn’t get over how much fun it was to watch them have so much fun!! We agreed that visiting Santa was one of our most fun parenting jobs! :) So magical!!! {Waiting patiently…}

{Our “VIP” time with Santa…}

{My precious boys with Santa…and Santa through the years…}

{A Meaningful Christmas} on FACEBOOK!

2011-12-08T16:11:00.001-05:00

Right now, approximately 700 families are digging into God’s Word and focusing on the true meaning of Christmas due to their participation in A Meaningful Christmas! Carrie and I are BEYOND humbled and blessed to get to be a part of this exciting endeavor. If you are participating, know that we are praying for you and your family and hope that you are blessed by the advent devotional this Christmas.

And, to ALL of you…if you’ve done it or not…PLEASE go and “like” us on Facebook! We would love to hear what you think about it!! And, we will post throughout this Christmas season and the year about the exciting happenings and deadlines to order you set for 2012! Also, it will be a place to check to see the NEXT exciting things we will be doing! You won’t want to miss it!

Peeky’s Shenanigans (Days 1-4)

2011-12-06T10:14:00.001-05:00

Ever since Peeky entered our lives, we have had some super magical mornings. Quinn IMMEDIATELY runs to our bedside in the mornings and asks if we can help him look. And, he’s always so excited to find that he is no longer at the place that he was the day before.

Take a look at what Peeky has been up to so far…I think he got some of the ideas from his friends…and, other ideas he comes up with ALL by himself! ;)

Day 1: Peeky put on a snazzy scarf, snuck into our fridge and made us some “Christmas Milk!” Thankfully, Christmas Milk tastes just as good as the regular kind, because we’re still drinking it!

Day 2: Why is Goliath so angry? Well, besides the fact that David defeated him, our sneaky little elf TOOK HIS SWORD! It went perfectly with his Ninja costume…and, the other Ninja guys were happy to play!

Day 3: Peeky and his Chef friend made a MESS in the kitchen. But, we weren’t too mad, because we had cookies for breakfast!! Thanks, Peeky!

Day 4: Peeky left Santa a little note on top of his list. Quinn was so happy to see that Peeky felt he should be added to the Good List!

Meet Peeky!!! {thePoeFam’s Elf on the Shelf}

2011-12-03T09:37:00.001-05:00

On Friday, December 2nd, while we were eating breakfast and playing, there was a ding-dong at our door. When we ran to see who it was, we found something strange…a wrapped box that said “Quinn & Nash…Open Me Fast!”

Due to Quinn’s excitement, he didn’t need to be told twice! He ran to the living room and TORE open the present. Though confused for a minute, we quickly realized that Santa had sent ThePoeFam their very own ELF! And, after reading the book, we knew that it was time to give him a name.

Quinn came up with a few…Wheels, and a few other nonsense words…but, when he said “Peeky,” he was SOLD! And, so were we! We loved it!!

So, we placed Peeky in his box on the bar in the kitchen and watched the movie, The Elf’s Story…all about Peeky’s friends.

Funny enough, when the movie ended, Peeky’s box was EMPTY! I guess he couldn’t wait to use his magic!! Quinn was MEZMERAZIED as he stared at the empty box!…and, we all started looking for him. After a while we wondered if he had already gone back to the North Pole to share his name with his friends…but, we soon found him nuzzled up against a little nativity scene! (That proved to us that he MUST love Jesus, too!)

We are so excited that Peeky is going to be around the Christmas…oh how magical this time of year is through the eyes of our children!!!

We can’t wait to see what Peeky does…stay tuned…

Already a stinker…laying down in his box…
Daddy told him that we were excited he was here…

Proud to be a Baylor Bear!!!

2011-12-03T09:08:00.001-05:00

On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, thePoeFam and Mammer and Slickpaw headed back to our neck of the woods for a VERY fun reason. Slickpaw had gotten us tickets to the Baylor vs. Tech game at Cowboy Stadium again this year…and, our little family couldn’t wait to proudly wear the Green & Gold to the game.

Thankfully, the game was a little different than two years ago. Sure, we had just as much fun cheering on our Bears, taking pictures, Sic’en um bears, eating cotton candy and oohing and ahhing over the HUGE screen…BUT, THIS YEAR WE WON!!!! 66 to 42! It was such a high scoring and FUN game to watch…and, we could not have been more proud to support RGIII and all our classy Baylor Bears!
My Baylor boys…

{Quinn took my picture…}

The Bears’ new and biggest fan…his sic ‘em couldn’t be ANY cuter!…

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-29T11:35:00.001-05:00

After a little delay in our plan to leave due to Matt getting sick, we packed up thePoeFam (2 pups included) and headed to Abilene on Wednesday. After a fun day at Mammer and Slickpaw’s, we all made the short trip to San Angelo to spend Thanksgiving Day with lots of the Poe’s and extended family! Mimi rented out a cool place for us to be this year that had LOTS of room for the kids (and grown-ups) to run and play! The weather allowed for too much outside fun…and Mimi was completely prepared with our very own bounce house.

We spent the entire day eating and enjoying each other’s company while the kiddos had a blast…isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about? This was the first year that I felt like I didn’t even see Quinn because he was here, there and everywhere having a BLAST with his cousins!
I’m so thankful that my little original Broyles family of three is included in this huge celebration each year. Even though we don’t get to see everyone as often as we’d like, we always enjoy this annual tradition of family, food and fun!

Now…enjoy our picture OVERLOAD…full of family, cousin and grandparent lovin’, bounce house fun, football throwing, our super cute Mimi and more…

Then, after everything was packed way, many of us headed to Mimi’s house. So, that meant that the cousin fun got to continue…just in jammies! The DePalermo family and Brenna spent the night too…so, there was much cousin fun to be had.

A trip to the park before we hit the road back to home…

Our Little Penguin

2011-11-28T17:12:00.001-05:00

Never fails…if he sleeps…he looks like this…

Cracks us up!

‘Tis the Season…

2011-11-18T19:16:00.001-05:00

…to lick the beaters! Happy Holiday Baking, everyone!!!

Thankful for Ms. Kristina

2011-11-18T14:30:00.001-05:00

On Wednesday, ThePoeFam had the sweet pleasure of joining Quinn for his little Thanksgiving Feast at school. His class of 6 friends and the 3 year old class joined together to have a special meal. I always love seeing him in his other world…and, was reminded of how thankful I am for his sweet teacher, Ms. Kristina, and for the fact that she teaches him about Jesus at school each week! I feel so comfortable dropping my baby off with her two days a week and know that he is being taught and loved the whole time he’s there! What a blessing!

Nash loved being in his big brother’s class…and, while we were waiting for him to come in from the playground, he quickly found his “Bubbo’s” picture!…

A few failed family picture attempts…
Oh how I love this boy…

SOLD!

2011-11-11T09:12:00.001-04:00

Selling our house has been a LOOOONNNNGG journey! (almost as long as this blog post!) And, I know I can’t complain…because, yesterday was the day that it OFFICIALLY sold! I must admit that it’s extra bittersweet. There are so many reasons why I’m relieved.

For example, take a peek into our showings…

Tuesday, Aug 30, 2011 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Inspection
Saturday, Aug 27, 2011 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Showing
Buyers have made an offer on property.
Friday, Aug 26, 2011 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Showing
IT IS VERY NICE HOUSE, BUT BUYER WILL CONSIDER OTHER ONE.
Friday, Aug 26, 2011 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Showing
Sunday, Aug 21, 2011 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Showing
2nd Showing!!
Buyer husband came to see this home for first time today. Initial impressions remain positive, but it's come down to another home with high ceilings making home feel much larger + more closet space which is important to these buyers. We're pursuing the other home first, will let you know if it doesn't work out. Best wishes.
Thursday, Aug 18, 2011 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Showing
2nd Showing!!
Thursday, Aug 18, 2011 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Showing
My clients really like this house. They are contemplating making an offer. Thank you!
Wednesday, Aug 17, 2011 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
Showing
One of buyer favorite floor plans. Would like to bring hubby back. Two concerns to keep at top of list--all the nail pops & nail holes to be patched. See seller tried but didn't match paint. Puzzling why so many for house not that old. Condition of carpet. Very strong pet odor today as well. Please email the sellers disclosure + 12 mo. utility expenses.
Monday, Aug 15, 2011 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Showing
One of their top 3, they are early in their search. We are going back out on Wednesday.
Monday, Aug 15, 2011 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Showing
Saturday, Aug 6, 2011 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Showing
Thursday, Aug 4, 2011 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Showing
Wednesday, Aug 3, 2011 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Showing
Adorable presentation! After seeing several homes today, buyer has chosen to focus on 4 bdrm. homes + a study vs. 3+study. Best wishes.
Monday, Aug 1, 2011 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Showing
This wasn't one of my client's favorites - although since she is going back home without buying anything, I guess nothing was really a favorite. She is looking for a neighborhood that is less children oriented since she is a single retired lady. So, probably will end up in a zero lot line or townhouse and something a little more expensive to get all the things she wants.
Saturday, Jul 30, 2011 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Showing
2nd Showing!!
They like the floor plan, but haven't decided on a home yet...we are still looking.
Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Showing
Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
Showing
client loved the floor plan.... first house we viewed... going back to look at others this afternoon
Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Showing
This was one of their favorite of the day. Nicely decorated. Will see what they decide. They will go out some more next weekend.
Saturday, Jul 23, 2011 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Showing
Beautiful home! My clients liked the house but, thinks it feels small for what they need. Thank you! Thursday, Jul 21, 2011 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Showing
Wednesday, Jul 13, 2011 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Showing
2nd Showing!!
They are still considering it and one other home.
Tuesday, Jul 12, 2011 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Showing
Saturday, Jul 9, 2011 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Showing
Buyers liked home and neighborhood, but they are concerned about size and thinking about looking for something larger for their growing family. Not off their list, but not a front runner. I'll let you know if things change. Thanks & good luck.

Saturday, Jul 9, 2011 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Showing
Nice home...they liked the wood floors and the fact that it has the formal dining and the study. Not having the poured concrete patio was a minus.
Sunday, Jul 3, 2011 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Showing
2nd Showing!!
Saturday, Jul 2, 2011 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Showing
2nd Showing!!
Friday, Jul 1, 2011 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Showing
remarkable home but not a possibility b/c of the yard
Thursday, Jun 30, 2011 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Showing
Thursday, Jun 30, 2011 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Showing
Cute! it is on the top of the list
Thursday, Jun 30, 2011 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Showing
2nd Showing!!
Thursday, Jun 30, 2011 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Showing
Wednesday, Jun 29, 2011 3:15 PM - 5:00 PM
Showing
Client decided against area, home showed nicely.
Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 4:45 PM - 6:00 PM
Showing
The house is a very nice house. My clients liked it a lot. Agent to agent i would say it does show fairly well but it seems quite overly decorated even though the owner has done some very nice & creative decorating. Secondly we looked at 8 houses yesterday. i would say the house is about $5-10k overpriced
Thursday, Jun 23, 2011 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Showing
Nice home but they chose a home in Providence Village.
Thursday, Jun 23, 2011 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Showing
Liked this one but have just started looking.
Thursday, Jun 23, 2011 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Showing
Tuesday, Jun 21, 2011 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Showing
My buyer liked the floor plan but isn't sure about the neighborhood.
Saturday, Jun 18, 2011 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Showing
Wednesday, Jun 15, 2011 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Showing
Shows nice but floorplan wont work for this buyer. Thanks for letting us show.
Monday, Jun 13, 2011 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Showing
Monday, Jun 13, 2011 4:15 PM - 5:30 PM
Showing
Buyer decided it was too small for their needs.
Monday, Jun 13, 2011 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Showing
Thought the house was lovely! Thought the backyard was too small for them. Also, tell Brooks the house looked great! He did a nice job having it ready for me!! Just FYI...I could smell the dogs, when you get back just try to light candles and air out closet. Thanks!
Saturday, Jun 11, 2011 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Showing
They decided they wanted a larger yard.
Friday, Jun 10, 2011 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Showing
We are going back tomorrow to show husband. She is down to 3 house.
Wednesday, Jun 8, 2011 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Showing
Very nice home but my clients decided against Avalon. Thank you and good luck.
Tuesday, Jun 7, 2011 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Showing
Home shows well, however there is a strong pet odor in the home. Buyer did not totally rule out though.
Monday, Jun 6, 2011 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Showing
Tuesday, May 31, 2011 4:15 PM - 5:15 PM
Showing
Friday, May 27, 2011 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Showing
Nice home and shows well. May come back for a second showing maybe this weekend.
Friday, May 27, 2011 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Showing
Hi, The home was so pretty and very well-decorated. However, these buyers wanted a bigger kitchen and backyard. I don't think you will have a problem selling it though - it is beautiful!

***

Yep, my friends…those check marks indicate the number of times that I had to get our house picked up, cleaned and empty of children! (50!!!!) Looking back at it makes me oh so tired!!! And, at times, it was SO frustrating. I’d have to watch my attitude when we didn’t get offers time and time again…and, when people would complain about puppy smell or want me to have it “show ready” in 15 minutes…SERIOUSLY PEOPLE!?!?!?

To make the process even crazier, our plans changed in the midst of it all. Matt got a new job and the house we were going to move in to was no longer an option due to the distance. SOOO, we were now trying to sell our house in order to move to an unknown city in an unknown home/apartment. It was stressful for this Momma who loves to have things in order!

But, we knew God had things in control. I’d try not to think too much and just go on with our days.

And, to make the whole thing even more humorous…
One evening, Matt and I were getting ready to go out on a date as we fed the boys and got ready for our sitters to arrive. Around 5:30, we got a call from the agency of someone wanting to see the house…and we declined. (which we rarely did!) Minutes later, we noticed that there were cars of people sitting outside of our house…and, it was obvious that they were the ones wanting to see it. We figured they would be on their way, but they stayed for a while. Finally, Matt decided he was just going to go outside and tell them they could come in…if they didn’t mind us and a not completely show-ready home. They accepted and came in. … As they walked around, I prayed that they were the ones. They were such a cute little family and I was tired of the whole process.

And, guess what? They were!!! So, the sweet family that bought our house isn’t even listed in the GAZILLION check marks above! sigh.

On August 27th, they made an offer, and after one counter offer, we had a deal!!! We were so thankful and relieved. …But, sadly, things didn’t go as smoothly as we had hoped. Problem after problem seemed to arise…and ThePoeFam needed to get over to the “new place” so that the commuting could end. I packed and got emotional about leaving our first house…but, it needed to be done!!!

So, on October 7, 2011, we loaded up the moving truck and had faith that it was all going to work out. The sweet buyers WANTED the house so badly and were doing EVERYTHING to make it happen!!!

So, we said a little family prayer…

And watched the movers as they worked hard ALL DAY LONG! Seriously, we have SOOO much stuff!

The boys had fun watching our house get turned upside down and enjoyed one last little playtime in their little backyard.

And, then it was time…we drove away…I cried…

And, because God is in control, He provided the cutest little rent house for us to live in while we’re looking for where we want to buy. It’s perfect for us and SUCH a good deal. We’re VERY thankful!!!

But, from October 8 to November 9, we lived in the rent house and still owned our other house. It was scary and we were PRAYING that everything would work out. After it was completely cleaned, Nash and I went to check it out. And, I had my PITTY PARTY! I allowed myself to walk into each room and see the movie real of memories that played in each spot…

I saw…
the excitement of move in day and how eager we were to start a new chapter in our newlywed lives…

…I saw “show watching” with my husband with snacks in hand…

…I saw parties and showers and dinners with dear and precious friends…
…I saw puppy bowls that grew from one to two…and babies that couldn’t resist playing in them…

…I saw a yellow laundry room that became a silly “nesting” project and the thousands of load of laundry that washed the sweetest footie jammies…
…I saw sermons planned and trains driven…

…I saw brothers learning that they were just across the hall…

…I saw laughter filled baths…

…and I saw perfectly precious moments in the middle of the night with my first born…
…I saw excitement for our family to grow and I saw such a perfect big brother reading to his baby in his crib…

…I saw myself getting the door for party guests and grandparents…

…I saw chicken spaghetti, taco soup, peanut butter balls and baby food…
…I saw stockings that started at 2 and ended at 4…

…I saw pregnant, sleepless, big belly nights and sneakily wrapping Christmas gifts…
…I saw positive pregnancy tests and long baths after a long day teaching 1st grade!

It was a perfect home! It was our FIRST home! And, it will always hold such a dear and special place in our hearts. We built it…we brought our boys home to it…and, we said goodbye as we embark on a new journey as a family of four!

Goodbye sweet 4612 Brighton Drive! May you be a place full of joy and peace for the sweet new family that lives under your roof! Thank you for being our HOME for 6 1/2 years! We’ll never forget you!

Christmas Wishes 2011

2011-11-08T11:59:00.001-04:00

I’m seriously ready for Christmas this year! Don’t judge if I put up my tree in the next week or so! I’m just ready! And, because I’m ready to “deck the halls” (and because I’ve had some requests to do so), here is ThePoeFam’s Christmas Wishes for 2011!

{And, before you get annoyed by all of my Amazon tags, let me give you a little info…
*Yes, I do get a little kick-back to Amazon if you purchase from clicking on the link.
*No, I have NO idea who purchases what item.
*Yes, Amazon’s prices are usually better than the same item at the store! If the item was not equal to or less expensive than the store, I didn’t post the Amazon link!! So, if it’s there, it’s your best price! (that I’ve found, anyway!)}

First up…ME…
I’m in “need” of a new camera. I’ve had my sweet little Digital Rebel since the Christmas before I got pregnant with Quinn in 2005! She’s been good, but it’s time for a new one. I don’t want the fanciest camera…and, I’ve loved what I’ve had…so I just want to replace it with the new version of it. And, it comes in brown! Do I want brown? Or do I want to just stick with the classic black!?

Another top thing on my list is Project Life. I’ve heard people rave about it, and, since I miss scrapbooking terribly, I feel that this will be a great way for me to get my “fix” and actually print pictures!!! I’m so excited and am checking her website everyday for when she finally puts them on sale! Click on the logo below to link to her site and find out more about Project Life.

And, because I’m going to be printing pictures for Project Life, I want it to be easy and convenient. I did quite a bit of research on Compact Printers and found really great reviews on the Canon Selphy. Pictures end up costing 30ish cents a piece…not bad! It’ll be fun to have picture printing at my fingertips!

And, last but not least, I MUST have my Erin Condren Life Planner again this year! It makes me so happy and I can’t wait to get the new one! I just have to wait to get Matt to order it after we take our family pics. And, then, I won’t get to see it until Christmas morning!!! It will be hard not to peek!!! But, I’ll be a good girl! I love surprises!!!

Now, on to Quinn! To make his list, we spent an entire afternoon at Target and Toys R Us. We walked up and down EVERY isle and I took pictures of things that he liked with my camera. Even though it pretty much filled up my camera memory, here are some of his top wishes…

We decided that Q is at an age where he could have a “real” game system. And, when the DS Lite went on for $99, we couldn’t resist. (And, it’s even cheaper on Amazon!!!) At his age, there’s no need for him to have the camera, internet connection and 3D screen! Mercy! …the basic model will be just fine. And, how fun that there are SO many Lego games and accessories. He’s going to be SO excited!

Fisher Price Imaginext toys are SERIOUSLY my favorite thing for Q. They are so well made, well priced and allow him to be so very creative. Some of the new Ninja stuff is on his list for this year!…

Q loves anything and everything Lego…especially if it’s Ninjago! If it has this guy on it, you can’t go wrong!

Quinn is at a stage where he enjoys playing games with us. We have recently played some board games and he’s wanted to play again and again. Here are some things that he added to his list this year that I know we’ll have fun doing together.

Matt might have encouraged the Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots, but we’re pretty sure he’ll love it!!!

And, last and probably least in this Momma’s opinion is the Trash Pack. The power of marketing worked on my boy when he saw this commercial. Since he first became obsessed, we have bought one pack and he’s hooked. They’re like Squinkies (if you’re heard of them) meet Garbage Pail Kids...Gross and oh so BOY! We’ve definitely gotten our money’s worth out of the one pack we bought…and he can’t wait to add to his collection!

And, now for our sweet Nash! He had fun shopping too! And, we have some fun things on his list!!!

First off, we think we’re going to ask Santa to bring him the darling Fisher Price Little People Bat Cave! The person who thought of this definitely thought of all those little brothers that have big brothers! Nash is going to think it’s so cool to have such “big boy toys!”

Something that Nash loves that Q never did is stuffed animals. He cuddles them, sleeps with a crib full and talks to them. So, surely he needs a big Tigger and this Lego guy. They’ll probably be his favorite things…

And, here are a few more things that he “needs!” …

And, of course anything with THIS GUY will be an instant hit…

We’re still working on getting Daddy to make his list…but, I’m sure he’ll have plenty of ideas for us sooner than later! …Let the shopping begin!

And, if you have a great idea for my boys, I’d love to hear it! I’d hate for them to miss out on something great! :)

learning.

2011-11-08T10:39:00.001-04:00

{a little saturday morning practice.}

Daddy of The Year!…Just watch…

2011-11-07T00:06:00.001-04:00

Tonight, I took Quinn to Awanas and Matt stayed home with Nasher. Take a look at what took place!…

Heartbroken!

All better!

I’d say that deserves a Daddy of the Year award! What a ~~softie~~ sweet guy! And, P.S….that little toot is going to give us a RUN FOR OUR MONEY!

$10 off a Meaningful Christmas!!!

2011-11-06T09:43:00.000-04:00

Today is the deadline to order A Meaningful Christmas!
And, if you place your order today, we'll give you $10 off!
So, you (the hostess) get your book for free!!!
Don't wait until next year!...order today!

Please remember to email us at aMeaningfulChristmas@yahoo.com
if you need information or if you are ready to make your payment.

Don’t Miss Out!!!!

2011-11-03T13:35:00.001-04:00

Time is running out to order the family Christmas devotional, A Meaningful Christmas! If you have your 24 friends together(or if you are ambitious enough to get them together in the next few days), send an email to aMeaningfulChristmas@yahoo.com by Friday, November 4! We don’t want you to miss out!!!

P.S. A HUGE thanks to THE Fabulous K for the gorgeous cover design!

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T13:02:00.001-04:00

I’ve recently decided that I really love Halloween! Getting to dress up and get INSANE amounts of candy is just TOO great for words! I also decided that, from now on, Matt and I are going to REALLY dress up. Maybe even have a costume party!!? We’ll see!

So, we started the day with a fun little breakfast and a few sussies. Q got some Halloween legos and a Ninjago book…and Nash got a fun Pumpkin ducky. He was SUPER proud of his pumpkin “breakfast” cookie!

Soon after Q got home from school, it was time to get ready for the big night. The transformation to Kai (the red Ninjago ninja) took a little while. Daddy tied LOTS of ties…but, when complete, we had a REAL ninja on our hands!

After a little photo shoot, we woke up the chubs to get him ready! While getting suited up, the brothers had to have a sword fight. Mercy.
Then it was time for Nash’s little photo shoot. Q called him “Cole” (the black Ninjago ninja)…but we just called him STINKIN’ cute!!! And, a good ninja NEVER drops his sword! …even when there’s candy around! >>>

Then, we were set to head to our church’s Trunk or Treat. We had heard it was pretty fabulous, but were still shocked!! There were SO many people and SO much candy! We’ll do a better job with our trunk next year!!

Q and Nash had a blast going from car to car and eating candy along the way. They also got to play lots of fun games in the gym. We loved seeing our new church family and loved serving the community! I truly have NEVER seen so much candy in my life!!!

{Doing a little Ninja work…trimming the bushes!…}

After it was over we had two hungry (for REAL food…not candy) and sleepy ninjas on our hands! What a fun night full of sweets and treats!!! I already can’t wait to do it all over again next year! …And, thankfully, I think we have enough candy to last us until then!

And, a little flashback for fun…

Quinn’s First Choir Performance

2011-11-01T11:56:00.001-04:00

Our new church has Kid’s Choir…and, what Momma can resist watching her sweet little one love the Lord in front of everyone? Not me! So, when Q was scheduled to sing for the first time this last Sunday, I couldn’t wait! He did great. He sang both services…he did the motions…and he stayed in his spot. Hilariously enough, he also made funny faces…watched himself perform in the monitor…and counted his friends MID performance!

One this is FOR SURE…watching him up on stage reminded me that he is only FOUR years old. Seeing him in front with his little choir mates made him seems so preciously small!…and, I’m so thankful for that realization. I need to cherish these sweet, sweet days!

And, if you need 2 minutes to kill,(or if you’re his grandparents) check him out…

Quinn sings at church: 10.30.2011

“A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun. Enjoy the trip.” ~Author Unknown

2011-11-01T11:08:00.000-04:00

This weekend, we got to have a special visit from Nana and Pawpaw. We shopped, we played, we ate, we got sussies, we went to church, we showed them our new neck of the woods, we changed tires…and we had a great time. And, on top of that, we got to celebrate their birthdays. Since Pawpaw’s is October 26th and Nana’s is November 7th, sharing a cake is a perfect thing to do. (just like last year) Quinn loves helping them blow out the candles (Nash was already asleep) and both of them LOVED having them here to play for 3 days!

Thanks so much for making the trip…and Happy Birthday to Nana & Pawpaw!!!

Celebrating last year…maybe this needs to be an annual picture!…

Good Try, Rangers!

2011-10-29T10:00:00.001-04:00

Dear Rangers,
You may not have won the World Series this year…but, in my opinion, you gained something even better…THIS PRECIOUS FAN!

And, I have a feeling he’s going to be a fan for life! Get ‘em next year, Rangers. We’ll be cheering!

It’s The Great Pumpkin…

2011-10-27T11:48:00.001-04:00

I must admit that I’m a sucker for anything “holiday!” And, come October, I’m ready for celebrating the fact that the temps are getting cooler! Trust me when I say that I DO NOT LIKE THE HEAT!!!!

And, with the cooler temps come all things Fall. And, this sucker has picked up quite a few pumpkin/fall items at the store over the past few weeks! Having an excited 4 1/2 year old in the cart doesn’t really help things…but, we’ve enjoyed it ALL…so you won’t hear me complain!

So…take a peek into our pantry…and pick you up some of these yummy items the next time you’re out…

CANDY CORN
The Brach's kind are just better. They're buttery-er and GOOD!…Quinn is loving a few of them sprinkled into his “trail mix” lately!!…

PUMPKIN SPICE CREAMER
I’m on my second one of these…How can I resist! I love it so much better than the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks.

PUMPKIN PIE POP TARTS
Are you kidding me? They're oh so bad…but oh so good!

PUMPKIN SPICE COUNTRY CROCK
This is so good on my bagel.

CANDY CORN M&M’s
When I heard that these existed, I looked everywhere and only found them at Wal-Mart. And, they were worth the search! SOOO yummy!

And, now I’ve become a huge fan of these yummies! It’s the EASIEST recipe of all time…and oh so pumpkin-y!

And, last but not least, I had some fun making Q’s class some pumpkin snacks for school this week. I heard they were a hit!

Now we’re just waiting for the grand finale…costumes are ready and waiting!….
Happy Pumpkin Day!

Say Cheese…or pickles…or Boogers…

2011-10-26T21:18:00.001-04:00

September 19, 2011 was picture day for my big preschooler! And, what a love. I seriously adore this little man more than words could explain…and am so thankful that school is a place that he loves to be!…Not bad for school pics, right?!…Whatever silly word they made him say totally worked! :)

Being Spoiled (& Surprised) is FUN!

2011-10-18T23:46:00.001-04:00

Matt has Fridays off. We always start the day with this song (I’m not kidding…we really do!) and then spend the whole day together! This past Friday was no different. We woke up to do a little bit around the house and then headed out to be together. We grabbed some lunch and then spent a little time shopping at the hot spots around our new home.

Then, around 6, we made the decision to go home and have leftovers for dinner. But, when we pulled up to the house, Mammer and Slickpaw were at our front door! I had no idea they were coming…and, when I looked at Matt he smiled and said, “go pack your bag!”

What?!!? I was shocked! Matt rarely successfully surprises me…
But, I was ECSTATIC that he pulled it off! It had been WAY TOO LONG since we had gone on a real date…and, our last night away was our BabyMoon! So, I packed quickly and we said our goodbyes to our littlest loves.

In a short amount of time, we pulled up at the beautiful Gaylord Texan. We had stayed there once before and loved it…and, I was so excited to spend the evening with my TGTBT!

After stuffing ourselves at the Mexican food restaurant and taking our sweet time eating it, we headed back to the room to rent a movie. And, when it was over, I was THIRLLED when I remembered we had NO monitor and NO alarm! When we woke up, we walked down to the coffee shop to get some yummy “breakfast” and then came back up on our room to enjoy spending time together on our balcony. We read, wrote our “goals” (we always do this on our getaways) and just talked! It was perfect!!!

Then, a little after 10, we walked around the hotel for a while before heading to the spa for our AMAZING couple’s massage! This guy just kept racking up the BONUS POINTS with me! It was SO nice and such a special treat!!!

After leisurely getting ready, we packed up and went shopping for the rest of our time together. Matt wanted me to pick out a pair of boots…and more! We had so much fun taking our time at the mall (even though I did miss having the stroller to carry our bags!)
and finding lots of great deals!

Overall, I’d say that the theme of the weekend was SPOIL BRITTNEY! I was so thankful for the way my sweet husband went out of his way to make it so special for me…and, it’s not even my birthday or anniversary! I am one lucky lady!!! He truly is TGTBT!

And…these two didn’t get short changed on the spoiling…

Thank you, Mammer and Slickpaw for coming in town so that we could getaway and never once worry about these two sweet faces!

Rock Star in the Making!

2011-10-16T22:08:00.001-04:00

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of helping host a shower for my friend, Amy. After her two girls, we all had our fingers crossed that God would give her a sweet little boy! And, He did! We are so excited to meet her first little ROCK STAR very, very soon!!!…and to find out his name! :)

And, I can’t wait for her to experience the Mommy/Son love that I hold so dear…she’s going to be so very good at it!!!

Charlotte’s Web

2011-10-16T15:47:00.001-04:00

Quinn loves bedtime story time…he always has! Sadly, we rarely take the time to read during the day. (unless it’s one of Nash’s little books)…But, nighttime is ALWAYS the time that we are intentional to spend time cuddled up in bed reading together. I love snuggling with my squeaky clean boy under the covers in his cozy bed…

And, at the beginning of September, I got the idea that he was ready to listen to some chapter books. He has such an amazing imagination and I felt that his attention span could handle it! And, after reading this article about reading aloud to preschoolers, I couldn’t wait to make it a new practice around our house!

So…this Momma got excited and quickly went to the book store to get Quinn’s FIRST chapter book…Charlotte’s Web! And, after we completed the first chapter the first night, he was hooked! I loved how I could see his mind working and I loved the questions he asked about the vocabulary in the book.

For the next few weeks, we read a chapter a night…and he ALWAYS begged to read more. Before starting to read, we’d recap what had happened the night before and we’d guess what could happen next.

My favorite prediction was when we learned (at the end of a chapter) that Charlotte was going to do something in her web to help save Wilber. When I asked Quinn what he thought she was going to do, he said…”I think she’s going to put a BOMB in the middle of her web. Then, when the farmer comes and wants to kill Wilber, she’ll drop the bomb on him!” Not a bad guess, if you ask me! Such a boy!!!

After 22 chapters, I must admit that I was sad it was over. What a precious memory with my sweet boy! I look forward to reading MANY more chapter books together.

But, to continue the fun, the morning after we finished the book, I gave Quinn the original movie of Charlotte’s Web. He was ECSTATIC! (the boy LOVES a show!) As he watched it, he would (unprompted) tell me the things that were different between the movie and the book! I was SUPER impressed!!!

Then, we had a special lunch…complete with Wilbur, Charlotte and some farm animals! :) He LOVED it!!

And, for the icing on the cake for our little Charlotte’s Web read, we went on a special date to the Majestic Theater in Dallas to see the LIVE production of Charlotte’s Web by TheatreWorks. When I was teaching, we took our 1st graders to Theatre Works productions a few times, and I even took Quinn a few years ago to see If You Give a Pig a Pancake! When I saw that Charlotte’s Web was showing, I couldn’t wait to go with my sweet love! (and his baby brother, too!)

So, we got all dressed up and headed downtown! We had seats in the VERY front and the boys were PERFECT. Quinn loved seeing the characters come alive and Nash sat in my lap and watched the whole hour long production!

In the midst of the crazy move, I loved our little Charlotte’s Web unit…and I loved how much Quinn appreciated every part of it!…Made his first grade teacher Momma so very proud!

home is…

2011-10-06T21:49:00.001-04:00

In my 31 1/2 years of life, I’ve heard these things…
Home is where the heart is.
Home is where your story begins.
Home is where your stuff is.
Home is where you start from.
Home is what you make it.

And, I must admit, all of those hold quite a bit of truth.

But, in the last few months, my sweet little family has made transition after transition.
Both of my boys have met new teachers at church.
My big boy has started at a brand new school.
My husband has learned to work with new colleagues in a brand new office.
I have tried my best to start making a rent house a home for a season.
We have all looked for new people to form sweet bonds with…new restaurants to frequent…and new grocery store isles to learn.

And, this Momma has tried to not loose her mind in the midst of commuting and packing! I’m exhausted and unsettled!

But, in this crazy season, the thing I have realized more than I ever have before is…
Home is where your family is.

It doesn’t matter if we’re laying on the floor of a rent house or all piled in a car between here and there…wherever we are all together…THAT is home!

I am SO very thankful for my precious little PoeFam! They make me smile…they are my comfort and my constant!!! And, EVERY day, I thank God for the blessing that they are to me!!!

***

And, after tomorrow, we’ll all be TOGETHER a little more often. Tonight we’re packing up the final (ok…let’s be honest…we still have LOTS of packing to do) boxes, sleeping in our first home for the last time and then we’ll be welcoming 2 trucks and 4 movers in the morning. I’m ready, but I’m not. I know I’ll be EXTRA sappy and probably wear the “ugly cry” as we drive away, but I KNOW it’s going to be so nice to all be a little closer all day…everyday!

We’re still waiting on a final close date (and praying LOTS about it), so we’ll get to come back and see our house a few more times…

It has been such a perfectly happy place…with millions of memories that will NEVER be forgotten! But…a house doesn’t make it a home…my sweet family does!

I interrupt this regularly scheduled PACKING…

2011-10-04T09:54:00.001-04:00

We are ALL worn out around here! This move has totally proven why people shell out the big bucks to let people pack AND move them! THANKFULLY, we are having movers, but you’re lookin’ at your number one packer right here!

And, let’s just say, we have SOOO much stuff. I seriously don’t know how it’s possible for 2 grown ups, 2 kids, 2 puppies and 1 frog to have SO much stuff!

Anyway…I need to get back to packin’…and bubble wrappin’…and tapin’…and LAUNDRY so that we can at least have something to wear when we pack! Mercy.

{This happens a lot more than it used to due to our crazy busy life and commuting…}

{Thankfully, we’ve been able to move some stuff into our temporary rent house for a few weeks now! And, after church last week, we tried to “do nothing” for just a little while! I think we all needed it!…}

{I will apologize ahead of time to the movers before they pick up these boxes full of pics, scrapbooks and photo albums! And, I swear I haven’t printed pictures in almost 4 years! I need a room JUST for shelves of photo albums!!!}

{Did you know they made PINK bubble wrap!!? It has made packing a little less painful!…}

{No time for a Garage Sale! The Salvation Army truck is coming today!…}

Update on “A Meaningful Christmas”

2011-10-03T18:47:00.001-04:00

First of all, THANK YOU so much for the AMAZING response to our Family Christmas Devotional. We are so excited that so many of you are anxious to teach your children about the true meaning of Christmas!

If you are READY to purchase, we are excitedly ready to accept your payment. Please email us at aMeaningfulChristmas@yahoo.com and let us know that you’re ready! At that time, we’ll send you a PayPal invoice!

After we receive your payment, we’ll email you your “Hostess Kit” and you’ll receive your 24 devotional books in the mail in November!

Now…can we go ahead and get out the tree and drink Peppermint Mochas?! I’m READY!!

Reserve Your Christmas Advent Devotional TODAY!

2011-09-29T14:56:00.001-04:00

Some of you may remember me talking about a Christmas Advent Devotional
that my friend wrote last year! Well…we are FINALLY getting our act together and are going to have it available for purchase by the end of October. (if not sooner!)

We are SO very excited and can promise that it will be something that you and your children will cherish doing together for YEARS to come!

If you purchase the devotional, {now titled A Meaningful Christmas} you will receive…
*A hostess guide (that includes ALL of the details to organize your own event)
*24 devotional books (with 24 daily devotionals in each)

And, if you’re interested, here’s what you need to do…
*Make sure you have 24 people willing to participate
*Contact me at aMeaningfulChristmas@yahoo.com
I can’t wait to hear about the huge impact that this has on your children this Christmas!

{Click here to see our “swapping party” from last year!}

1818 Jackson

2011-09-29T11:56:00.000-04:00

When my mom turned 7 years old, she moved to 1818 Jackson. And, when she was 12, her Daddy built on to the house. When he did, she had her very own master suite. With her OWN peach colored bathroom and walk in closet.

And, when I was a little girl, my grandparents still lived at 1818 Jackson.
I went to that house countless times.

I remember sleeping in my mom’s old bedroom and getting ready in that same peach bathroom.

I remember reading stories in my Gackey’s lap.

I remember riding the donkey on my Papaw’s knee. (with perfect sounds included)

I remember eating an early lunch at the bar in the kitchen.

I remember watching Dallas with my Papaw. (Or hearing it on as I went to sleep.)

I remember Easter Egg hunts in the backyard…and always finding them in the clothes line poles.

I remember the smell of the basement…it smelled different that the rest of the house.

I remember hiding my Papaw’s cigarettes under the pillows in the front bedroom.

I remember the mustard yellow rotary telephone and thinking it was so cool.

I remember looking for Rugby, their raggedy cocker spanial, through the basement window.

And then going outside on the patio to play with him.

I remember Trick or Treating and the sound of the screen door.

I remember backing out of the driveway in my Papaws “pick up.”
And, now, included with those fond memories of 1818 Jackson…
I see my big boy playing with his Mammer all over the vacant house.

I see my baby love trying to walk in the living room floor.

And, I thank God for the blessing that this house has now been to our family.

Thanks to the little house at 1818 Jackson, and the fact that my Papaw willed it to me, we were able to pay off SO much debt! In the midst of our crazy changes with Matt’s job and selling our house, we have been in the process of selling this little house too! Slickpaw has spent COUNTLESS hours working to make sure we were able to sell the home in Abilene. And, after all of his hard work, I can excitedly say that Baylor University is completely paid for! And, thanks to the selling of that little house, I am now the proud owner of fun furniture, unique dishes and more.

1818 Jackson will always hold special memories for all of us! And, I can’t wait to see how the new owner fixes it up and sells it to the perfect family that will love it as much as it deserves to be loved.

Get ready…

2011-09-28T20:18:00.001-04:00

…Cuz there are TONS of new posts! When your internet and cable are out for THREE days, you have some extra time to catch up! You’ll even have to click “older posts” to see all of them! So…enjoy! I’m ALMOST caught up now!

Blessed Assurance

2011-09-28T20:14:00.001-04:00

When we went to our new church for the first time, I was a little shocked to find out that Quinn would be attending “big church” with us. Even though I grew up in a church that had this type of set up, we had never experienced it with our own children.

I must admit that I was a little freaked out and disheartened by the whole thought of it.
How would I listen?
What would I need to bring to keep him entertained?
What if he heard content that I wasn’t quite ready for him to hear?
And, goodness knows he would ask questions about EVERYTHING!!!

After a big of grumbling, I got his “big church bag” ready and we survived. Sadly, I wasn’t able to listen as intently as I would prefer…but, it was going to be ok!

Then, after the first week of this, we got word that Children’s Church was going to be starting on the 25th!! WOOOO hoooo! My problems were solved!

But, on Sunday the 18th, as we were worshiping together in “Big Church,” my heart grew even bigger for my sweet little man…and for my Jesus.

During praise and worship, Quinn often likes to be held. And, because I’m in mad love with him, I rarely decline the request. As I held my gangly {almost} 4 1/2 year old, I cried as I listened to him BELT OUT the words to “Hosanna!”

“HOSANNA..HOSAaaaaNA…Hosanna in the HIGH WAAYYYYY!!”

He’d sing it over and over…so loud and with NO shame! He didn’t care who was listening…
or not listening…
He was just worshiping God in my arms!

I was blown away by his assurance and his boldness!
And, right then and there, I prayed that he would NEVER loose it!

And, even though I am thankful for Children’s Church…that moment was priceless to me.

Puppy Love.

2011-09-28T20:13:00.001-04:00

When Quinn is at school, sweet Kia gets some extra attention. Honestly I think that Nash is trying to ride her…but our sweet little old lady (she’s 10 1/2, if you can believe that!!!!) rarely turns away sweet love.