Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Jesus came that we may have life - and have it more abundantly! John 10:10

Merry Christmas!

We have been busy!

We have been so busy this last week. It was my long stretch at work and we had lots to do! I am now off until Jan. 7th.....I am so excited about spending all this time with my family. We have much planned to do with family and friends. This Christmas Season is extra special for us!

Thought I would show you what we have been doing in pictures:
Ava has been singing, "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth"....
Well, it worked. She now has two teeth! Finally! ;-)

Hope you all are having a blessed Christmas Season! Jarred and I are having a blast with our new elf! ;-)

Our 4 Year Anniversary

Thursday was our 4 year anniversary. I am so glad I became Mrs. Angela Tompkins on December 10, 2005. I thought what an awesome job God did when he made Jarred for me. My life is so complete with him. Have you guys ever stopped and thought just how hard it would be for a person to be created to share your life with. It is no easy job and I am so thankful that God knew I was going to need Jarred. He is a wonderful husband who brings me much love, laughter, and happiness! Happy 4 years, may God continue to bless our marriage!
Jarred took me out to a fancy french restaurant and the food was amazing. We had a great time talking and having a dinner to ourselves for a change. We were excited to get home to Ava though. Jarred wrote in my card that this was our best year so far with the birth of our precious girl! I have to agree with him. I am so blessed to have these two precious people to share my life with!

Jarred,
I am so glad you fell in love and chose me!

Ava's First Snow

I had to document Ava's first snow in pictures because she may never see it again in our parts. It was so weird to be driving in snow when I got off work. It made me want to go to Breckenridge. Bad. Maybe next year!

We had such a great evening in together since the roads were bad and we did not want to be out and about. We all snuggled in front of the fire and after Ava went to bed, me and the hubby watch a movie! Being snowed in is so much fun!

My Sweet Girl is 8 Months Old!

What a perfect age! She is now the right size to hug and squeeze! She loves her Mommy and her Daddy, I can't begin to explain the joy that makes me feel. If we are around she wants us, no one else! I hope she stays like this for a while. It makes my heart swell.

She loves to play peek-a-bow. I will hide around the corner and she turns her head until she sees me. This makes her giggle, and her giggle is simply perfect! She started shaking her head back and forth and I thought her ears were bothering her, but we now know this is her new game. If we say No, No, No her head is just a shakin'. She now has started to crinkle her nose when she smiles. She is happy.She is getting more food and seems to not be wanting milk as much. I was concerned but her pediatrician said she just needs about 24 ounces. We started to give her the strawberry yogurt melts and she loves these.

She is on the move. She is crawling but only crawling backwards. We are working on moving forward. The other day, I was pumping and she started screaming. Which is very rare for her. I got up and she had made her way under the coffee table and was stuck. So cute. I can't picture her walking, but she is standing more and more everyday. My baby is growing up.

I am so in love with this sweet girl. I mean a love beyond words.My cup runneth over!

All 5 Trees are done! Yes, 5 Trees!

Well, all 5 trees are done. The newest tree this year is of course the one in Ava's room! I know many think I am crazy for having this many trees but there is a story behind each.
This is the tree in our living room. I had many burgundy ornaments from our last house and this year I decided to tie in my favorite thing, Leopard! I think the bow turned out pretty good. I mixed the leopard in with my burgundy. I guess you can say this is our pretty tree! haThe fishing tree. Many of these ornaments were Jarred's when he still lived at home that his mom gave to us. This is in his office and I love it because it reminds me of him. I love the topper, "A fisherman lives here, with the best catch of his life"! ha
I sure hope that is how my hubby feels! ;-)
The snowman tree. This was the tree I had before we got married that I had at my apartment. For years I did not put it up, but I decided to put it back up last year and loved it! I love the snowman hat for the tree topper. This is the tree in our dining room.The picture tree. By far, this is my favorite. I started this years ago...long before pottery barn had the idea! ha I think they copied me (okay, maybe not) but this is such a neat tree. I think everyone should have one. It is so special to me. I have pictures of me and Jarred at Christmas when we were little, special trips, and a picture of us each year with a date. I even have a pink rocking horse ornament that holds Ava's ultrasound picture before she was here. I guess this is a memory tree and I know I will treasure looking at the pictures each year I put it up. I have gotten some neat picture ornaments for it this year. One that will hold the picture of our new house, Ava's first Christmas, and a remembrance ornament that will hold a picture of my Aunt who passed away this year.
Ava's tree. This is the newest tree. I am liking the way it is turning out! I need some ideas for the top though. I just can't seem to get it right. It is a pink and white theme, which goes with her room!

Christmas is such a special time. I love to decorate the house with all these special memories. I really could just sit and look at the trees for hours, they are so peaceful to me!

Nothing runs like a DEERE....

Happy Birthday to our Favorite Nephew!

Nathan got a John Deere tractor for his birthday! To say he loves it is an understatement! He rode his new tractor all weekend! I would say the birthday gift was a hit!
Watch out Nathan, it won't be long and Ava will be borrowing your tractor!

So much to be THANKFUL for!

We have so much to be thankful for! This time last year, I was on bedrest and was still in the "dangerous" period of my pregnancy. On the way to Tyler, Jarred and I were remembering how the drive was so much different last year, I had to ride laying down in the back seat. The only positive thing was last year I was excused from dish duty. Oh how I thank God for protecting my precious baby!
We had a very busy weekend, we celebrated Brooke and Nathan's birthdays. I still can't beleive Nathan is already 2. He is getting to be so big and a lot of fun. His "Nanie" loves him big!



Jarred has been afarid of the horses, but this weekend he had a great time riding with his dad. He said he was excited to go back for Christmas to ride again?!?
Brooke and I went shopping on Black Friday, and I am so glad we did! I got an awesome deal on a Dyson vacuum. Laughing... yes, I have wanted this vacuum for awhile because it is great for pet hair. I got another great deal but can't share in case Jarred is reading!I hope you all had a great weekend! I will sum up the thing Jarred and I are most Thankful for:

Our Little Turkey!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at our house. I have been busy working to get it done before we leave for Thanksgiving. We have lots of trees so it takes a while to get it all put up. We have 4 trees up and now I think I am to tired to put a tree in Ava's room! The dining room has our snowman tree. When Andee and I lived in our apartment we started a snowman theme and I had quite a few ornaments so I decided to put it back up last year and I loved it!
The office has Jarred's fishing tree. When we got married my mother-in-law gave us some of Jarred's fishing ornaments. We got married in December and this was the tree that was by Jarred's tackle box groom cake. Don't you love the tree topper...."A fisherman lives here with the best catch of his life." ha! I think it is so true!!! (Laughing....)The living room tree is not quite finished but I thought I would give you a sneak peek. It will have a leopard bow on top....You know me, can't have enough leopard!What is on top of the TV hutch.

Stay turned for my favorite tree....it is still in progress! I will give you a hint....Photographs!

Can't you tell, I LOVE Christmas!

Guess where I was this weekend?

I was at the I ♥ Faces photography workshop!!! I had such a great time and learned some new techniques. Since it was close to Dallas I got to stay with Brooke, Chris, and Nathan...such an added treat! Thanks Aunt Boon for watching Ava and letting me have a great weekend!

On Friday, we went to the Dallas Arboretum and look pictures of families and a bride that came to help us out. It was neat to see other photographers prospectives and see the shots they took. The Arboretum was beautiful, pumpkins were everywhere. They even had a pumpkin house...so cool!On Saturday, we had an awesome photographer, Pete Lacker, talk to us about lighting, composition, and then a little on photoshop! He was AWESOME!! Thanks to I ♥ Faces for such great weekend. Now, let's see if my pictures are better! ;-)

Happy Veterns Day to Our Uncle Jimmy!

Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Elissa got Ava this onesie. I received it at one of my showers and I just cried. It says, "Don't Mess with Me, My Uncle is a Solider". I thought this was a perfect day for Ava to wear it. We took her picture and sent Uncle Jimmy a special message today! Here is what it said:

I love you uncle Jimmy!
Thanks for fighting for us!
I can't wait for you to come home so you can take me fishing!
Stay safe! Me, my mom, and my dad pray for you all the time!

We do love you James and we are ALL so proud of you! Thanks for service and for protecting our freedom! Only 4 more months and you will be home. Stay Safe!

Catching Up Again....

We finally have the internet! I was really going through withdraw....sad huh?? I wanted to post Ava's 7 month picture and my cute little lady on Halloween. Hope you all are having a great week!
Jarred told me he has a new appreciation for Halloween. He was loving that he got to eat all the candy! We just took her to a couple of houses, she really liked it. One guy opened the door told us what a cute little boy she was!?! Who would dress a boy as a lady bug? And people wonder why she always has a bow on her head..ha!

I love my little lady bug!