Christmas Love

This is going to be short and sweet.

On my agenda this week: Christmas cards going out, wrapping presents, and finishing up my shopping. I will be busy busy. So needless to say I am very much looking forward to my week off for Christmas!

This past weekend Jared and I took a road trip to El Dorado. My cousin BJ got married. It was a beautiful wedding. I have always loved Christmas weddings so much. I can't express how happy I am that BJ found someone who makes him so happy.

Ruby stayed with her Aunt B and cousin Tucker. They played their hearts out, talked about their elves a lot, and went to the Mountainburg basketball game. Briana said she couldn't have asked for two better kids.

Ruby is doing great. She is talking like crazy. I will TRY to post an 18 month post soon. I can't believe she's 1 1/2 years old!!!

Everyone have a fantastic week!

Love,

Sarah

Toy Boxes and Christmas Lights

This weekend turned out to be pretty great. I had a girls night Friday night in Fort Smith with a few of my awesome friends. We had dinner at a place called 21 West End. I have heard about it but had never been. It was delicious. I had a dish called chicken oscar. Basically just a couple of chicken strips but it had asparagus along with an amazing white sauce with crab meat in it. YUM! Next time I will get the steak (I tried Laina's) with "oscar" on it. Lindsey's pork loin was amazing too and I don't even like pork. Pretty fun night!

Saturday we had iHop for breakfast and went to Walmart and Lowe's. Then home for lunch (for Ruby--Jared nor I could even think about lunch after iHop). We just pretty much laid around during her nap time. I got a few packages during that time so that was fun. I love getting Christmas presents to wrap!

Saturday night we went to my best friend Emmie's house. She had us and two other really good friends of ours over with their kids. Biggest play date ever. It was so fun. Ruby was exhausted from all the fun she had. Emmie made chili verde. We haven't had it I think since before we all started having kids. Such a treat!

Sunday was pretty lazy. I was anyway. Jared got a lot done. Our friend Bobbi GAVE us an old cedar toy box that Jared sanded and re-glossed. The original plan was to paint it a bright color but when he got it all sanded I thought the cedar was too pretty to paint. So anyway he put the hardware on it that it needed along with some handles. Then he cleaned the garage and his dresser out. Ruby took a 4 hour nap so he had the time. I laid in bed watching The Holiday doing nothing. :)

Sunday night I had these big exciting plans to go eat and see the lights and Santa at the square. Well, it happened, but it was stressful! GoodNESS it was packed. Tim's Pizza was about 100 degrees and took over an hour to make our pizza. A one year old sitting still in a place where there is so much going on for that long is nearly impossible. So I was taking her out to play and walk around a lot. She didn't want to even look at Santa. She did love the lights and the animals though. She loved the animals SO MUCH! Anyway, I guess the crowds and waiting are not necessarily for the Inman's. We'll definitely eat before we go next time AT LEAST!

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Love,

Sarah

Something to blog about...

I've had something on my heart for a day now. I almost posted about it on Facebook but decided against it.

Yesterday morning Jared, Ruby, and I went to Walmart first thing in the morning. As we were just browsing I saw a female sheriff trying some shoes on a little boy. I said to Jared, "what is that mom doing shopping with her son with her pistol on?". He thought it was odd too. A few minutes later I see another male sheriff pass us with another child in his cart. They were just chatting away. He was asking him his sizes, then it clicked. I ran over and found Jared and told him "it's 'shop with a cop'"! Every year my dad and stepmom do it. My dad however, is a firefighter. But I knew both do this every Christmas.

As I thought about it and those kids, tears filled my eyes. I'm pretty sure Jared almost cried too. He's become quite the softie since having Ruby. He asked me how they get the money to pay for this and I told him I have no idea. I am sure donations though. We actually found a donation table at the front of the store. Ruby and I dug every single dollar bill I had out of my wallet to put in the bucket. Ruby was so sweet doing so.

The more I think about it the more I become so unbelievably thankful for my blessings. I can not imagine the struggles and heartache the parents of those children must face on a daily basis but then with Christmas time, it must make it even worse. I can't imagine how heartbreaking it must be for the cops and firefighters to witness it every year. I don't think I could do it without crying the entire time.

I have made it a point to make my donations every year to breast cancer awareness and St. Jude's, two I hold close to my heart. Not for any personal reasons. But I think I'll be looking more closely into more local charities as well.

So when you are out shopping for your kiddos, other family members or friends try to dig a little deeper into those pockets. There are so many unfortunate people closer than we realize. Christmas should be a very happy and joyful time for all but it never leaves my mind and heart that it can also be a very depressing time of the year for so so many as well.

I hope you all have a very joyous December. Remember the reason for the season.

Love,
Sarah

Thanksgiving!

We had a great day. I was absolutely miserable the entire day. I'm already researching cleanse's for next week. We still have two more days of it this weekend too. So come Monday I'll be ready to get back on the wagon of healthy eating and exercising, at least until Christmas.

Back to scrubbing this house before baby girl wakes up. Going on hour #3 on her nap. I'm trying to decide what we'll do when she wakes up.

I barely got any pictures but here are a few. One is of her and Tucker eating at the little kid table, then one of her and Jared's Uncle Doug Inman--Gene's brother, and one of her and my dad (Papa Glenn).

Re-Coop Time

Well my Christmas is up but my house is a disaster. Macy is here with us today until her sister comes to pick her up. We have never really done the one nap a day thing in our house. Kathy does it to get a nice long afternoon nap from all the kids, but usually Rubes loves going down morning and afternoon. I didn't put her down this morning and boy could you tell. She was pooped. Have a great weekend everyone!

**Happy Thanksgiving**

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you out there. I hope your homes and hearts are warm and full.

I have so much to be thankful for. I can't even count all of my blessings.

Most of all though, my sweet family. Jared and Ruby are the lights of my life. I can't imagine being anywhere else in the world than cuddled up in this bed with him waiting for her to wake up.

We usually never put any Christmas out before Thanksgiving but we got a head start last night. Jared is using his "all day free" that I got him for Father's Day tomorrow to go to the LSU/AR GAME so I will just be doing a LITTLE online shopping and putting our Christmas up. It's a lot more work with a toddler running around. :) I like my house to be spotless before I put out my decor.

Then Saturday and Sunday we have more family to see for Thanksgiving. Hope you all have a wonderful and blessed holiday. We are so blessed!

Love,

Sarah

Elf On The Shelf

For the past couple Christmas' I have seen pictures of friends of mine "elves on the shelf". I had definitely made up my mind that this would be a tradition for us. I contemplated getting one this year because I know Ruby won't fully comprehend it, but yesterday I told Jared I definitely want one. We get home from school/work today and what does he have? An Elf On The Shelf!!!!

It is just the cutest idea. I read her the book about it while she played with her toys. She loved that thing. You name them and sign them up at the north pole. I swear she was calling her Sarah! Ha! But Jared said we can't name her after me. I want to wait until next year anyway when Ruby can actually call her something she makes up. I'm so excited about this! I think Ruby is too!