Winter Sunshine

At the English house we are ready for Spring - the gorgeous flowers, the warmer temperatures, and sunshine! The sun has been teasing us a bit over the last several weeks and making us yearn for the warmer days ahead.

One cold, sunny afternoon I decided the kids could stay indoors no longer. I opened the back door and let Charlotte loose. I also did something with the baby that I would have never let Charlotte do - I let him crawl around the back patio and he LOVED it! These photos just capture a little of the fun we have had lately while venturing outdoors.

I also wanted to take the time here to jot down a few of the things the kids are doing. Two of my favorites with Charlotte are when you ask her if you wants something - like a specific snack - and she doesn't want it she says, "No thank you!" in a very matter of fact way.

My second thing that I caught her saying just this week was "Okay, Mom" whenever I ask her a question. I am no longer "mommy" just "mom." Of course this can change with whatever mood she is in, but she sounds so grown up saying it.

Douglass Charles is coming into his own. He can say "bye, bye," "night,night," "da,da," and "no, no." He also has begun to have "conversations" with us. He will just jabber away and look at me like I am supposed to understand. He also picks up a phone and has conversations - loud ones - with whoever he thinks is on the other line.

My favorite thing he has recently picked up is hugging. He hugs his stuffed animals and I have even gotten him to kiss them. The other night while putting him to bed he gave me hug after hug and even a kiss. It was so sweet.

It just amazes me how fast they are growing and we can't wait to relish in the fun the Spring sunshine will bring us!

Crumbs in My Butter

Oh how I hate crumbs in my butter, mustard in my mayo, jelly in my peanut butter. This absolutely drives me crazy. Such has been my life over the last couple of weeks. There have been many crumbs - more than usual. They consist of Charlotte testing me more and more and learning selective hearing, Douglass Charles being sick and cutting his twelve month molars. We also have started working with Douglass Charles on some discipline and let me just go ahead and tell you - disciplining two is SO much harder than one (duh!).

The problem is, I have been losing it over those crumbs. Sadly, everything really came to a head yesterday and I lost my temper yet today. I always feel so horrible when I do this and I hate that I will let it effect my entire days most times.

Yesterday, as I was crying in the shower I decided to breath and pray. Why was I letting myself get down in the dumps? My horrible attitude only makes my kids worse. So, I decided to choose to have a better day.

I will tell you, I have found several things that are effective for me when I am out of sorts.
1. Prayer is always the best thing, but there are several other things that can turn my thought process around.
2.A really hot shower is one - I can't hear anything, I can let the water just wash all over me and relish in the heat. It relaxes me.
3. Getting dressed. I don't understand it but when I have decent clothes on, my hair fixed and my "face on" I feel 100% better.
4. Clean the house - this tends to happen when I am really angry. It is like being able to clean something, wipe the dirt off, feel like I am gaining some control makes me feel better. It declutters an area in my life and I feel more relaxed.

So, what are some of the things you do to get over the crumbs in your butter? Maybe I can add some of yours to my list. At the rate I have been going lately, I need a few new options. :)

au revoir

Oh Similac, it has been a nice ride. We appreciate the nutrition you have provided our children and are thankful that you are readily available at every grocery store. While we appreciate you, you will not be missed. Our pocket book has taken a hit - as well as our life savings - as you have consumed nearly $3,000 of our hard earned money over the last 27 months.

We wish you well and hope we never see you again. May my jugs work better the next time around - third times the charm, right (if there is a third time)? Au revoir, adios, goodbye!

Life Lessons Courtesy of Go Deigo Go

The day has finally arrived - my sweet, beautiful, little blue-eyed Charlotte has learned a bad word. Thankfully it was not a word that sometimes slips from her Mommy's lips that is "oh so bad," but it is the word "stupid."

I remember the first time I heard it out of her mouth. She was just saying different words, holding her doll. When it came out of her mouth it sounded like "Sooba." I immediately asked Charlotte what she said and she quickly repeated it. I was thinking, did she just say "stupid?" So... I asked her. She nodded her head yes. From that day forward, we have begun disciplining her for saying this word.

The other night as we were watching "Go Deigo, Go!" they began to sing a song. I wasn't paying much attention, but Charlotte immediately turned around, wide-eyed and said "Mommy!" pointing to the television. In the song they sang a word over and over again - a Spanish word meaning up and it sounded like... you guessed it "sooba." All this time I thought she was saying "stupid" and she was only saying "go up" in Spanish. I felt horrible. Now I am the one who taught her to say "stupid" all because I didn't know that she was actually speaking Spanish.

While this is very funny to me (and Doug and I, as well as my mother, have gotten a good chuckle out of it) my training has come back to haunt me. Two nights ago while bathing both of the kids in the tub I slipped up. The kids were splashing and being a little too silly and without even thinking about it I said, "Charlotte, that is just stupid." Well, immediately I was corrected. Charlotte said very emphatically with a finger pointing up at me "Mommy, you not say that." I heard Doug chuckling in the next room and I started scrambling trying to figure out how to correct the situation. I promised Charlotte I would go to time out and I thought to myself... at least my hard work is paying off. :) Thanks Deigo for teaching this family a little life lesson and a new word in Spanish. :)

Stickers and Such

New Valentine Gift Sticker - set of 24


New Valentine Gift Sticker and Card Set


The card and sticker set with the giraffe - my personal favorite!

I have not done a good job of sharing these great stickers that I offer in my shop. Frankly, I had forgotten that I don't even have a decent photo until I had customer ask if I offered them. I guess I can't remember everything. :) So... I am working hard to add my round labels to the family of goods over at The English Pea. These have been added to the 2010 Be Mine Collection. I hope to have photos of the everyday address labels and party favor stickers soon. The awesome thing is, I offer two sizes. Yeah! :) Check them out at www.theenglishpea.com.

Pretty Pictures

Many of you saw our Christmas picture and I have been wanting to blog about the wonderful photographer who snapped that photo. The photographs you see above are also her handywork and I couldn't be anything more than pleased.

I found out about Laura through a friend of mine, Joy Blevins Derrer. Joy and I go way back and she lives in Marietta with her two precious children. Laura had taken her little Thomas' picture after his birth and when I took her a meal last Spring after the baby was born, she showed me the pictures Laura had taken. Her style was exactly what I was looking for.

One thing I LOVE about what Laura does is she not only captures color, but for our family, she captured personality. This is not easy to do. I felt many of the photos captured who we are as a family and the bonds that we have with one another. The little looks, the movements in still frame, the joy we feel together. So... if you are looking for a good photographer check her out at www.lauraalvisphotography.com. You won't be disappointed.

We Don't Get to Choose!

Sorry for another blog post without pictures, but I wanted to jot down these thoughts and share them with you. I do have a funny post coming soon as well as some exciting news to share - no I am not pregnant, but that will have to wait until another day.

I have been struck by this thought lately and today, at church, the sermon only reiterated it. Our church is doing such an amazing series and today they spoke on loving completely - but in the way the Lord loves us. This concept is not a new one to me. Doug even said when the sermon started that he had heard this message a million times, but I reminded him that God can always use a similiar message to get a different point across. I believe He did that for me today.

You see, the thought that has been on my mind lately is that there are many things about me, Alison Moore English, that I didn't get to choose. I didn't get to choose my race, I didn't get to choose my family, I didn't get to choose where I was born or where I would live as a child, I didn't get to choose how many siblings I would have, I didn't get to choose my talents, and so goes the list. All these things were chosen for me.

Now in my case this pretty well overwhelms me because I didn't get to choose the wonderful life, family, and talents that I have been given. It humbles me that I have done nothing to deserve what God has blessed me with. Others, maybe even you reading, may not feel this way. Your circumstances weren't or are not so great. You wonder if you got the raw end of the deal. This in itself makes me realize that I need to be thankful. Regardless of your feelings about the choices that were made for you by our Heavenly Father, there is one thing you do get to choose - HIM!

I was really struck by this today. I have been a Christian for twenty-five years and became commited in my faith at twelve. I realized today that there are many times that I do not choose my God. I do not choose His ways, to love others, to forgive, to move on. I still choose myself. This too is humbling. I have been so blessed with things that were given and I still choose myself.

Obviously this got me thinking of how God wants me to love and choose to do for others. That is also a choice I get to make - and maybe seek to give to those who were given circumstances, lives, parents, siblings that have not been as much of a blessing in their lives. I pray I seek to choose to love those who God places in my way and I choose to seek what He has for me!