Holiday SALE

The train has been making a rebound. It was not a big seller at the start of my business, but it is fast becoming a favorite!


My giraffes are a favorite and can be used for a boy or girl


These are flat so they go great with your holiday photo card - so you can write a little personal note.

Sadly, my camera ran out of battery yesterday and I barely captured a photo of my little family. Thankfully with sisters and cousins here there are plenty of photos I am just waiting for them to be able to share. So... stay tuned for our Thanksgiving post coming hopefully next week. We do hope that your Thanksgiving was filled with good food and wonderful time with family, friends, or both. :)

So, instead of a Thanksgiving post, I am excited to help you jump start your holiday season with a few sale items in my shop. Also if you are a fan on facebook you get free shipping through the end of the month. So... hurry to www.theenglishpea.com and take advantage of some savings. Happy Holidays everyone!

For the Record

This post would had been more fitting on November 13th, but at least I am marking it down and it is not a month later.

This post is for my Charlotte in honor of her second year and since we print the blog I wanted for her to have something to look back on.

This picture is a true depiction of my girl. She is full of life, on the move, never meets a stranger, and is a vivacious and quirky little thing. While still sometimes cautious, she is always looking for something to do and can find joy in very small things. She LOVES her daddy and especially loves her little brother and is a sweet and kind little soul - with just enough spunk mixed in.:)

I look at this picture and while it makes me laugh, it also makes me want to cry. She looks so grown here and it makes me ponder where the time has gone.

Charlotte, you are one of the best things that has happened to your old mommy. I will never forget the first time I saw you. I kept saying to your daddy over and over again, "She is beautiful." You are beautiful both inside and out and your daddy and I are so grateful that God gave you to us!

Your red hair was such a surprise. I envisioned that you would probably have dark hair (because I did) or lighter hair - because your dad did. You came here a true red head and while I know there will be a day where you wish you were a blonde or brunett (we all do it ladies - want a color that is not our own), your red locks are beautiful and they truly help make you who you are.

Thanks for brightening our lives and so many others. You are greatly loved by all of your family and I hope you will come to value the necessity and value that your family provides.

Your dad and I look forward to your growing up and all the things that come with that. I want you to know that no matter what, you are always truly and deeply loved by not only us, but God. You are a cherished spirit and have been given much. We are blessed to have you in our lives and as I tell you almost daily, you are my most favorite little girl in the whole wide world. I thank God that He gave you to me - my precious, sweet gift. I love you!

Fun at Maw and Paw's

Paw went out and bought this double stroller so we wouldn't have to cart ours over every time. If you have ever had to get one of these in your car you will understand why we were so grateful for this.


Douglass Charles in the new pj's his Maw bought for him.


Charlotte riding one of her presents.


Douglass Charles silly grin - love it!

For those of you that read my previous post you may have discovered that Doug and I had to be at the conference on the evening of Charlotte's second birthday. If you believe that this was thoughtless of me, go ahead and judge, but I did struggle with it. While Charlotte did not understand, I still felt guilty running off for a "weekend to remember" with my hubby while Charlotte was left wihtout her mom and dad the night of her brithday.

With all this said, let me just say, her Maw, Paw, and Aunt Kate made her feel very special as the whole living room/kitchen was decorated in her honor upon our arrival and she was quite spoiled in the present department (her brother included). So... thanks so much to Maw and Paw and Aunt Kate for giving Charlotte such a fun and wonderful weekend. The pictures above are just a few that Kate took of the kids throughout the weekend. Enjoy!

A Weekend to Remember!

Doug and I spent our weekend in Birmingham. The kids did too, but we were not together. Doug's parents, along with Aunt Kate, graciously offered to keep the kids while Doug and I attended a marriage conference. We had a beautiful weekend - the kids with the weather and fun at Maw and Paws and Doug and I as we reconnected as a couple.

Ironically, my parents attended this same conference over twenty years ago and went twice. Many of my parents friends also attended and our registration was the gift of The Dettlings - who are wonderful family friends. I have been blessed with many couples, including my parents, that while not perfect, have marriage relationships that are worth taking a look at - because they have been successful. Most of these couples went to this conference and all talked about it changing their marriage.

While what Doug and I experienced is a very personal matter and not something I will go into detail about, I will say that we gleaned much from it. Doug and I have a good relationship, but this conference is honestly for any type of married couple - great or on the brink of divorce. Walls were brought down and behaviors that were detrimental to our relationship were discovered. We had some very special moments.

If you would like more info please feel free to visit this website at http://www.familylife.com. If you would like to know more of my experience I am happy to share individually. Feel free to drop me an email or facebook me.

To those of you out there that are married, my big take away that I will share here is: Your spouse is a gift from God. Cherish him or her and do whatever it takes to take care of your relationship. Becoming one as a couple is a blessing. Remember that love is a choice and not always a feeling and most of all - make God a priority in your life, your relationship and in your family.

Blessings!!!

Clean Up

Sorry for the lack of pictures. I did take some yesterday, they just have yet to make it out of the camera and into my computer. I did want to post this for my own record - seeing as we now print out the blog. So... if you are tired of hearing stories about my children please disregard.

I must stop right here and say that the Lord has been gracious in giving me a pretty compliant first child. Granted, Doug and I do work with her a lot, but she has a little of her mother in her and I am sorry to say that she is a people pleaser. This is good and bad, but I do benefit at this time because of this trait. For those of you that your children challenge you, I will say, she is not perfect as I can hear her in her room right now refusing to take her nap.

With all this said, I have recently begun to work with Charlotte about picking up her toys. I normally allow her to pull out what she wants, but before naps everyday we pick up. Recently, while cleaning up, she began to start singing, "cean up, cean up." I thought, "Wow, she really gets this. I am so surprised." Feeling good about my parenting skills we went on about our cleaning up ritual every day.

That Sunday we went to church. Charlotte LOVES our church and the people that take care of her. When we picked her up from nursery her teacher told us "She is so cute, she helps clean up and she sings the song I taught her with me." I asked her what the song was and lo and behold, it was the song she was singing earlier in the week when we were picking up. And I thought it was my wonderful parenting skills. HA!

I am so thankful for her willingness now. She still is young enough to think that cleaning up is a game. Oh, how I dread the days when she is no longer singing but fighting me on it and knows that cleaning up is no fun game, but a chore. :)

From a Standstill to A Crawl

It has happened. Yes, I now have two mobile children. I have been looking forward to this day and today I wondered why I was looking so forward to it. Thanks to Nana working with the baby over the past week he finally figured out how to make all of his limbs work together. It has been quite comical to watch Douglass Charles and see how Miss Charlotte reacts to the fact that her brother can come to her now.

Example: This morning Charlotte was coloring in the floor. Douglass Charles saw her and decided he wanted her crayon and paper so he crawls over there and plops right down on the paper and takes the crayon out of Charlotte's hand. With this she screams "NO BABY!" So... she takes the crayon away and moves across the room to try to color. In less than a minute the same scenario repeats itself. Sadly, Charlotte doesn't know quite what to do. Her brother is all over her and her stuff.

Douglass Charles is also getting a little payback for all the sitting on the chest, back, head, that Charlotte has done to him over the past several months. After lunch today I caught Douglass Charles on top of Charlotte's head and her fussing for me to get him off. Quite funny. I kept warning her that before long he would get his payback and it has already begun.

Oh how short the baby days are. Before I know it I will have two running around everywhere. So thankful for my healthy, sweet kiddos. :)

Sweet Moments

Adeline, silly Charlotte, Mom and Douglass Charles. The girls would only take pictures if they could sit by one another.


Nana and Douglass Charles - I love this picture


They settled themselves out on the grass and the cameras came flying out. :)


This was sweet with Gigi and the girls


Douglass Charles' face here is too funny!

The Art of Receiving

When there are 20 little kids or just 3 running around during a party the honoree gets to learn a lesson in graciously receiving and in turn, sharing her toys. Adeline and Douglass Charles were both interested in Charlotte's loot of goods. While Charlotte still doesn't fully understand the concept of getting presents, she did have a few things that were big hits. The magnadoodle from Adeline (and her mom and dad) and Aunt Emily, the stroller - which she thought also could serve as a helmet, and a gift certificate to Ladybug magazine from her Nana. Oh, she has no clue that she will getting mail every month. Mom rolled the paper up and put a ribbon on it. Charlotte thought it was a magaphone. Seriously, she was thrilled with this. The other favorite - a fuzzy back pack with a pink poodle in it. Her Gigi and Poppi gave this to her and immediately she wanted it on her back and went prancing about just like she had always known how to wear the thing.

Whoo, Whoo, Whoo, Charlotte Turns 2

Charlotte does not officially turn 2 until Friday, November the 13th, but we celebreated with family this weekend. My mother flew in for the week from Austin and my sister Emily, brother Owen, his wife, Mary Catherine, and my niece, Adeline all came over on Saturday. We were pleasantly surprised by Doug's grandparents and his Aunt Mimi who also came. Unforunately all the little friends we invited (and it wasn't that many) all came down with something and were unable to come. That didn't damper our time and we wound up with a wonderful evening of family fun - with a little Alabama football on the side.

The theme was chosen by me. I tended to the decorations, the invitations, and party favors. The little owl faces that you see were used as masks so people could "whoo, whoo, whoo" for Charlotte's big day. This absolutely adorable and quite delicious cake was done by my new friend Katie of KD Cakes. If you are in the Douglasville area I highly recommend her. You won't be disappointed. Check out her website at www.kdcake.com

Charlotte still doesn't understand the concept of presents and the celebration piece of her birthday, but she does understand cake (takes after her mom. :)). She has said over and over again "Happy Cake, Happy Cake." Smart girl. Already knows how happy some cake can make a person. :)

Modern Handmade Child

I was thrilled yesterday as I looked through the current issue of Modern Handmade Child and found one of my little notecards on display. Check out the online magazine at www.modernhandmadechild.com. Enjoy!

Where The Wild Things Are

My little wild things. :)


Mommy and her Wild Things


Douglass Charles the frog


Charlotte the lion - RRRRRAHHHH!


Monster Mash Bread

Well, our Halloween did not turn out quite like we had hoped. This is the second year in a row that we have had dashed hopes for our little family, but thankfully there were no Pitiful Fee Fee's with fevers around - see last year's post for the comical pictures and story.

The weather was inclement. We had options before this happened, but as the day progressed, so did our plans. We had opted out of a friend's party because we wanted to experience our church's trunk or treat and then take the kids trick or treating in the neighborhood. Trunk or Treat was out when it was raining during the event so we went out for BBQ for dinner and hoped that the rain would pass by the time we were done. "No can do," said Mother Nature, and the trick or treating did not happen.

The Wild Things were at a home in South Paulding, Georgia, wandering around as Charlotte was a lion and Douglass Charles was a frog. We had fun eating our own candy, monster mash bread (a.k.a. banana bread - the mashing of the bananas gives it this name), and wrestling in the dining room floor. Amazingly, Charlotte left her costume on all evening and had a ball.

So... while our evening was spent indoors, our little wild things didn't know the fun they were missing outside. Charlotte was just thrilled to get candy - which she repeatedly told us was "yummy." Hope your Halloween was fun, festive and safe. Happy Harvest!