Christmas was here, FA LA LA LA!

We had a great Christmas weekend with lots of family! We go to see my husbands family in Quincy every year on Christmas Eve.

Then we had the McCausland Family Christmas at my house! Yahoo! It was my first time hosting Christmas. I had a good time doing it! We had so much amazing food! And we all had a great time together. Later that evening, we went over to the Green's house and ate again. Josey had a little pot belly that night. You could see it so pronounced through her one piece pajamas!

I didn't take too many pictures but I have a sweet one of Josey holding her new doll.

She was trying to put the little ribbon on the dolls head. Funny how she wants to do that to the doll, and I can't put anything on her head anymore. Also notice, there is only one shoe on Josey. Ha! Little girl!

Through all of the excitement and the "hoopla", let's all remember why we even have Christmas. We have been given the ultimate gift in Jesus coming, taking our sin, and placing it ALL on His own shoulders. For you, for me :) I hope you and your families had a Merry Christmas!

Josey's First Birthday

We had Josey's birthday party almost 2 weeks ago now. It was a very fun PINK event with family and friends.

I discovered Pinterest.com a few months ago and got some great party ideas from there! If you don't know what Pinterest is, I would encourage you to check it out!! But, please don't hold me entirely responsible for your new "pinning" obession ;-)

We had a Pink Ruffle Cake

I found a pan at Kohls that makes three big sized cupcakes. I really love it! I made those with strawberry boxed cake mix. I used the leftover cake mix for regular sized cupcakes. Topped all my cupcakes with a ready made (I know) french vanilla frosting. There was a princess pack of sprinkles in the cake aisle, I used the little round white sprinkles on the big cupcakes and I used little yellow crowns on the regular cupcakes. I found a free printable for the cupcake toppers and taped them to toothpicks. 

Here's a close up of the cupcakes!

Here is Josey's cake with her 1 on top!

Josey's Grandma made Chocolate Covered Oreos! She put them on lollipop sticks, and decorated them all cute. Look at them in that cool box too!

We had the rest of the kitchen decked out with pink balloons and pom poms taped to Josey's chair. Those pom poms are surprisingly easy to make!

Singing "Happy Birthday"

Josey wasn't sure about what to do with her cake.

Here we go! She actually ate quite a bit! Let's just say she played hard after her cake, and she slept so good that night! Josey has been playing with her toys almost non-stop since!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!!! 

Tomorrow

Josey will be one tomorrow.

This year went by so fast!

I so look forward to all the days God will give us together.

I hope that Casey and I can grow old watching our children grow up.

I hope so many great things for her, like any parent would for their child.
To be confident in who she is, confident in her relationship with the Lord. To smile, laugh, be goofy, and never think she's too good to say "Hello", "I'm sorry", or "I forgive you". I hope Josey realizes early on that life is not about herself. I hope she can be a good friend, listener, and a strong woman .... Just to name a few :)

Casey and I are so proud of Josey, we love being parents. She is such a fun, giggly, determined, crazy little girl.

One day old

One Month

Two Months

Three Months

Four Months

Five Months

Six Months

Seven Months

Eight Months

Nine Months

Ten Months

Eleven Months

Two weeks ago.. this melts my heart :)

Cheese Cranberry Bread

There are certain things that really remind me of Christmas. Forget the tree, decorations, and hot chocolate, this bread is IT for me. It's worth baking for the smell in your kitchen alone. All the different flavors are delicious! So here it is:

Cheese Cranberry Bread
1 1/2 cups cranberries, halved
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup nuts, finely chopped (I used walnuts)
2 teaspoons orange peel, freshly grated
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, finely shredded
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted

(1) Mix cranberries and 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl.
(2) In a separate bowl blend together the next four ingredients flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
(3) Mix in sugared cranberries, nuts, orange peel, and cheese.
(4) Beat eggs, milk, and butter together in a separate bowl. Add wet mixture to dry mixture. Stir just until ingredients are moist.
(5) Turn batter into buttered (bottom only) 9 1/2 x 5 1/4 x 2 3/4 loaf pan. Spread evenly into corners (can use wax paper)
(6) Bake at 350 degrees about 1 hour or till toothpick comes out clean. Cool loaf on cooling rack. Refrigerate.

Mmm! This was breakfast this morning. I almost put butter on it, but then you wouldn't be able to see the great colors this bread has. Hope you bake this! And if you do, hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

A Hymn

1. It Is Well with My Soul
   When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
   When sorrows like sea billows roll;
   Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
   It is well, it is well, with my soul.
   • Refrain:
     It is well, with my soul,
     It is well, it is well, with my soul.
2. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
   Let this blest assurance control,
   That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
   And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
3. My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
   My sin, not in part but the whole,
   Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
   Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
4. For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
   If Jordan above me shall roll,
   No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
   Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
5. But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
   The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
   Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
   Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!
6. And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
   The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
   The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
   Even so, it is well with my soul.
   
   
   
   

   "It Is Well with My Soul" is a very influential hymn penned by hymnist Horatio Spafford and composed by Philip Bliss.

   
   

   This hymn was written after several traumatic events in Spafford’s life. The first was the death of his only son in 1871 at the age of four, shortly followed by the great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially (he had been a successful lawyer). Then in 1873, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the SS Ville du Havre, but sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sailing ship, the Loch Earn, and all four of Spafford's daughters died. His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone . . .". Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.

   
   

   Bliss called his tune Ville du Havre, from the name of the stricken vessel.

   
   

   The Spaffords later had three more children, one of whom (a son) died in infancy. In 1881 the Spaffords, including baby Bertha and newborn Grace, set sail for Israel. The Spaffords moved to Jerusalem and helped found a group called the American Colony; its mission was to serve the poor. The colony later became the subject of the Noble Prize winning Jerusalem, by Swedish novelist Selma Lageroff. (from wikipedia)

   
   

   In old and new sorrows, even in joy, this song is running through my head. The story of the writer, Spafford, is heartbreaking. I always like knowing the story behind hymns and songs. What a testimony this song is to so many people, including me. Sometimes it's hard to sing without crying, and other times I can sing it on the top of my lungs. 

   "Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, 

   It is well, it is well with my soul."

   
   

   Beautiful, beautiful, song! Have a great day!

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

Baby Steps

Josey started taking steps and walking this past weekend! She falls A LOT, but is getting better and better each day.

I took the video today, she suddenly started walking to me from the living room. She always does great when she's focused on where she's going.

Casey and I agree that it looks strange to see her upright moving around! We're so used to her speed crawling by our feet, that Josey looks so tall wobbling through the house!

What a big girl!! I used to never be able to imagine her doing these things, and here she is walking through the house! I want to hold on so tight to her!

Josey's Favorite Things

Josey loves laundry! I know where she is going when she crawls out of the living room, she is going to check if the laundry room door is open. Josey is just fascinated by the whole process of doing laundry. I don't know where she gets that from, because it is not one of my favorite things to do.

I put Josey on this little footstool so she can watch me sort clothes and switch loads of laundry.

Ahhh! Nothing like jumping onto clothes fresh from the dryer!

Here's Josey and me in the reflection of the wash machine. She could sit here watching the machine for HOURS!

Folding laundry is pretty cool too! Josey's way of "helping" me is to try to empty the basket before I can fold the clothes. Putting laundry away is fun for Josey too. She rides on my back in her baby carrier as I go up and down the stairs. Josey loves watching me open and close the drawers and hang stuff up. This girl just loves the whole process!

Another thing that Josey really enjoys is putting hats on, or anything on her head.

Love the look on her face! Daddy is letting her wear his hat!

Showing me how cool she looks!

Josey got a hold of another hat last night... She showed off her crawling skills with her hat on backwards.

We had family visit recently, and Josey got to get some good cousin bonding time in. 

There was also some much needed sharing time for Josey too!

Both the babies did really good with eachother! It was so fun to watch them play and crawl, and holler back and forth at eachother. I think they both grew up a bit during their time together. 

Josey is such a fun crazy little girl, who is full of new noises, facial expressions, and favorite things every day!

Navy Graduation

On October 7, 2011, my sisters graduated from Navy Bootcamp!

It was amazing to be there and to see them graduate! Nicole and Lorelei are doing awesome, and amazingly got to be together almost the whole time in bootcamp.

This is the drill hall where the graduation was held. It was packed!

Here is Nicole and Lorelei's division, Division 340

All the divisions that graduated that day. Over 900 new sailors!

Close up of Division 340. I know it's pretty much impossible to see the girls. Nikki is holding the flag on the farthest left, and you can see Lorelei standing to the immediate right of the flag on the farthest right.

Once the graduation ended, everyone in the whole building rushed to see eachother, it was great! We couldn't wait to congratulate and hug the girls!

After the graduation we had 8 hours to be with the girls. They had to check back in to the barracks and rest up for their flight leaving early the next morning to Maryland.

All the family went to Longhorn Steakhouse for a celebration lunch with our Sailors!

The girls arrived in style with my Uncle Paul!

Our table, there were so many of us we asked the waitress to take a picture from each side of the table. 

Nicole!

Lorelei!

The food at the restaurant was a nice change from bootcamp meals! 

Here they are! Lorelei and Nikki, I couldn't be more proud of you!

Casey's Birthday

May I start this post by showing you how adorable Casey was as a child... 

..Well, still is in my book of course!

For Casey's birthday I made Carrot Cake Cupcakes!

Recipe via Pioneer Woman. (Click here for recipe) A place to find good recipes when you can't get a hold of your Mom or your Mother-in-Law. (ahem, Kathy C)

Mmm! 

These cupcakes are so tasty, Casey ate four! And he really would've appreciated it if I didn't put candles on his cupcake, or take his picture.. Hmm

Josey giving her Dad some birthday love this morning before he left.

On the Birthday Dinner Menu is:

Baked Chicken Thighs, using the spices from my "The WHOLE Chicken" recipe. (Click Here)

Baked Sweet Potatoes, with butter and brown sugar.

Frozen corn, ...cooked of course! Add some sugar to them while they're heating up.

and Sourdough Bread not made by me, but I would like to some day.

 I Love you Casey! Happy Birthday!