Our Christmas!!

My new recipe book: Bruises and bows

So, I hope she doesn't mind me doing this, but I HAD to get this out to those of you who don't know Christa McManemin...

Instead of ANY of my recipe books, I go to her blog. Not only do they always turn out yummy (and I am no baker or cook), but I KNOW that I will find it easy to make, simply ingredients, and she adds tips to make the experience easier (for us gun-shy house wives).

The latest recipe you may ask? Her posting about Paula Dean's Old Fashion Fudge Pie. I am making them for Christmas, so in case some of you are still looking for something to contribute to your family's Christmas... and maybe your pregnant, or have one running around, don't have a lot of time, only have nap time to get anything done... here is the recipe. I haven't even baked them yet, but I become so grateful and excited WHILE baking, that I posted. I have my computer on the counter with The Ambassadors of Harmony singing Christmas music on Pandora .com and enjoying coffee while John Paul sleeps. Christa, you have once again made life easier for me.

Oh, and not to mention that Christa's blog has quotes, musings, prayers, and lots of insight into the blessings and trials of motherhood and family life. She is a gift!

Thank you Thank you, Christa. I hope to see you very soon!

The perfect picture with Santa!

For those of you who don't also follow my sister's blog... these are her beautiful daughters!!! Madeline Claire is 2 1/2 and Anna Katherine ("Anna Kate") is 13 months. Is this not the Santa picture you have secretly always wanted? The only thing missing is that Santa is not as sketchy as I would have hoped. I mean, he looks like he's ready for his coffee break, but I was hoping for his brown hair to show through, his beard to be falling off, etc. I'll rely on those crazy "sketchy santa" websites for those. Thank you, Sarah and Steven, for making your children with these personalities when it comes to strangers and this EXACT age apart... just for this picture!

A tiny peek at Christmas!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Denied!

So I tried for hours to upload a video of John Paul and his "bucket-headedness." He runs around laughing a screaming with a bucket on his head- which sounds bland unless you see that video. Stupid uploading process! O well, here's other pictures.

Calling on Barons!!!

We were informed tonight at Mass that OLQH is attempting to "reconnect" with it's Alumni. There were forms in the bulletin to fill out your information etc. I don't have a working scanner, but I do have the OLQH website: www.olqhs.org

There is a "Taste and Tell" this Wednesday at 6 at the Gym... a date night is what I'm calling it.
Maybe we'll all see each other there!! Yes, all of you!

John Paul has a new cousin!!

And it's a boy! Liam Kenny Dawson 8 lb 2 oz. 20 1/2"

This child is so gorgeous! Daddy's nose and mouth... his eyes were so precious, but they were too swolen to see whose they were. What a blessing. Mama Julia and Papa Pete are doing fine. And yes, John Paul says "Liam" with ease... though it sounds more like Leo.

First Sunday of Advent...

May your preparation for Christ into your life again
this Christmas be vigilant and filled with His peace.

Here is the song sung at Mass for Advent:

Holy Darkness, Blessed Night
Heaven's Answer Hidden from our Sight.
As we await you, Oh God of Silence,
We embrace your holy Light!

Preparing to Prepare

The first Sunday of Advent approaches, and I found a statue at Mistletoe and Moss that speaks so deeply of the preparation to welcome Christ at Christmas. I was so excited about it that I jumped the gun and made our Advent Wreath a bit early, too! If you can see Mary and Joseph's faces, not to mention Mary's pregnant self, or how determined Joseph looks (and a bit frightened). It makes me so excited for Advent! I love the HOLIdays!

It's almost here!

My fantastic, beautiful, sweet, fun-loving, funny sister-in-law Julia Dawson is due for she and Pete's (David's brother) first child on Thanksgiving Day! They have kept that sex a surprise so stay tuned to see what new little cousin God gives John Paul... be it Leum Kenny or Cecilia Jane! I know- those are great names.

FYI- that's a sprite in my hand- don't want to scandalize anyone.

Don't say the B word!!

Don't say it! Bed rest?!?!? I was told to "get off your feet" by my OB's nurse when I called with my complaints of intense ligament pain, Braxton Hicks contractions, and a few regular contractions here and there (not to mention a constant headache). What does "get off your feet" mean? I must have forgotten to mention that I chase a 15 month old BOY for a living. Is God trying to slow me down for some reason- I was not under that impression that I was too go go go for my/ John Paul's good, but what do I know?

I have a sexy Velcro belt I will have to wear all the time now to keep my belly up, and today my mom wouldn't let me pick John Paul up. After that half way point (23 weeks to be exact), things get a little too uncomfortable for my taste. Oh well, part of the suffering that makes the baby's arrival all the better, right? In the meantime, I am up to my ears in gatorade and water!

Dear morning nap, it's over for us!

That's right... I think my 15 month old is breaking up with his morning nap... I've said this so many times since June, but I'm serious. But I really like his morning nap. It was so good for him. It was so good for me! I wish this were only a break, but I think he's really made closure.

He's doing the whole "I'm cranky and need to lie down, but I'll fool you for 45 minutes, then you'll need to come get me, ok?" And then we play and continue with our day until 1-ish, at which time he'll only sleep for 1hr. 45min. Is this what it looks like? Come on seasoned mamas... what's a pregnant mom to do? I was so looking forward to him keeping it until the new baby gets here in March, so we could all get extra sleep in the morning. I guess that's a special grace that God gives mamas with babies who are extra close together (which I consider 18 months or less).

John Paul at the Park- brought to you by Maria!

This week, we had Benjamin, Grayson, Gianna, and John Paul at the Park!! It was so much fun.

His favorite slide, he heads down HEAD first! Thank goodness it's enclosed!

Oh, and isn't Gianna just adorable!

Isn't the slide so much more fun with Daddy!?!?!

An attempt at fall pictures

We have 1 tree on our entire property. But oh joy! It is deciduous! So I tried to get John Paul to enjoy the leaves in order to capture some candid fall shots, but alas, he was more interested in his daddy and the basketball. I was not meant to be the mom with the great pictures that were just "snapped"... I'll leave that to Maria Lewis when she comes over! By the way, he cut a molar- is that suppose to happen?

Callin' Baton Rouge

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Having a grateful moment on a Sunday morning. When we moved to Lake Charles, we had no idea what God had in store for us back in my home town. We love our life here, and we are grateful that God has provided SO generously, yet again, as He always does. He has brought us new/old friends and we are SURROUNDED by my family here. I am, however, thinking of the friends we left behind.

I just want you to know that I love you and I miss you! I went through my pictures this morning and found these few- they are mostly of John Paul, oddly enough- and though there are many faces that these pictures do not show (Jaci, Natalie, Linda & Derek, Jansen, Lindsey, Alyson & Jesse, Jessica, Fr. Andrew, Emily, Courtney, Emily, Linzay, Steven, Lauren & Jason, Heidi & James, etc. etc.), know that we pray for you and know He provides for you too. We have other friends whom He has called out of Baton Rouge as well- I am doubly missing you this morning! Kate & Eddy, Lisanne, Camy, Sarah, Valerie & Richard, Dori & Will, Shannon, Katie, Haley, Cathy, Paul, David & Lauren. I pray that God will give us a chance to see you very soon!

It's just a little wound that I ask God to heal. Still, it is Sunday, a day to rejoice. "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."

Halloween and a Haircut- 2 Bits!

John Paul was his name's sake- Pope John Paul II... see the hat (miter), sash (cincture), and pectoral cross? His robe was size 4T button-down... anyone need one? David was a Queen of Heaven student gone astray- that is a real mohawk that I shaved the night before. The earring is my mother's clip. There are no words. Oh, and I was a ceiling fan- it's ok if you don't get it, because most people didn't.

At the OLQH "Run for Others" where David and our dear friend Fr. Nathan were these ridiculous students (Fr. Nathan wore tatoo sleeves that looked as if he were covered in tats) and ran a 5 k while John Paul and I ran around in the cold- this thrift store find was much warmer for the morning festivities (can you tell it was 6-12 months on my tall baby?).

And the haircut by my cousin Herman. He did well overall. As small nick on his neck at the end didn't set very well with him, but I decided not to post that picture.

Here is the initial reaction to the constrictive cover-up and the somewhat new sound of an electric razor (though he loves when I vacuum, so I don't know that the sound bothered him).

And as always, our little ham did just fine. Here again is "silly face" which he offerred to us on his own. He also had a few Reese's Pieces when things got tough for him... and we sang him his favorite song "We will rock you."

David says he looks like Ralphy from "A Christmas Story"... I'm ok with that for now.
Make sure and check out all our pictures from the last week (complete with a "humpty dumpty" of a sister in law and a "ballerina" of a brother-in-law)! Click on the link under "Our family pictures"

Thank you, Maria!

Maria- you and your camera, your bread, your laugh, your photography skills, your insight. A friend like you makes life so sweet!

A playdate that should have been titled a photo shoot with "Pictures by Maria"
Check "Living in Lewis Land" and "7th street syndicate" for more pictures of our time with Benjamin and Sarah Washington, and Maria and Gianna Lewis (seen gazing into the future with John Paul- it's going to happen!)

More no-so-candid wedding pictures!

Come on, girls, let's see them! I'll open up a category... your honeymoon ! I would upload those for sure, but I left my camera in the taxi on the last night! That's right. NO HONEYMOON pictures for us... that is until a precious priest who we ran into at St. Peter's square happened to take a picture of us. So we have 1 picture, and it's of David and I, Father Romel, and our friend and seminarian Jeff Starkovich- they are forever in our hearts!

A tribute to unseen wedding pictures!

You know we look back on our wedding photos with joy, and we display that ones that capture that best moments... and let's face it, that ones that we look the best in. What are blogs for but for posting pictures... all kinds! I call forth your worst wedding pictures! Let's celebrate the beautiful bride and groom... in a not so beautiful moment caught by those photographers we/our dad's paid so much for! I tried to upload 5 different pictures (three times, in fact) but only one at a time would work, so here is mine... your turn!

The Sacred Heart

Today is the Feast of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, who is responsible for the spread of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: The bleeding heart represents love without holding back. The Thorns around the heart represent total sacrifice, and the fire represents passion. There is also the cross that is on the heart itself, for ALL these things come together when Jesus suffered on the cross.

Here is a link to a prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus- a heart that loved us without holding ANYTHING back. May we live our lives with the same love, passion, and sacrifice.

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/heart/consecration.htm

THE LATEST DAWSON

Doesn't it feel sometimes like we're peeking in on something that we weren't meant t see? I told my OB that we didn't want to look, but then asked if he could see anything (as I did with John Paul to see their reactions). Dr. Darbonne said, "Oh, I never look if you say you don't want to know, because I'll spill accidentally." An honest guy. This ultrasound looks just like John Paul's with the sweet round head and long legs... which my ribs just love! Seeing the baby yawn and move around made me so excited to love on this little one! Can't wait. March 11th, here we come!

House Borrowing

Well, we are here! Lake Charles is now home... not so much that we call one particular place "home," pretty much just the city. David was on a retreat Thursday through Sunday, and through that time, John Paul and I stayed at my parents (same house I grew up in for all you Lake Charles-ians), and this week we are at Sarah and Steven's house while they are in Colorado (see "Greens Living" blog link if you wish). So we are borrowing this one until we can close on the house we are suppose to move into... a week or so. I have learned that "or so" is the most frequented phrase coming out of my mouth lately.

Any Lake Charles ladies- feel free to pay a visit to the Green's house... we're here!

Bye Bye Erwin Drive

Bye Bye Erwin Drive...
The first house we had together.
We brought the first baby home to it.
The house that I thought I just wanted to be OUT of.

Life is never what you thought it would be... nothing like I pictured.
God has provided for us like I should have known He would. My mom came today and helped tremendously! Tomorrow, Pete (David's fabulous brother) is coming to help move the man stuff.

We will be at my parents for a few days, then my sister's house for a week while they are in Colorado... our stuff will be in storage (again- not like I pictures, but abundantly provided for).

To our friends and loved ones east of the state- thank you for a lifetime (for David) and 10 years (for me) of love and support, laughter, and countless other blessings. We will miss you... and maybe we'll be back here before we know it- as life tends to LOVE throwing us curves. Bring it!

To our friends and family west of the state - Get Ready! Cause HERE WE COME!!!