Monday, January 4, 2016

Heartfelt conference

Y'all! 
we are less than 2 weeks away from the 2nd annual Heartfelt Conference!
How did it get it here so quickly!?!?

I know that I have yet to post about it, but I have not posted much of anything lately.
That does not mean that this event has not been on our hearts, in our conversations, in our daily lives for months. We are all so thrilled about it!

Last year was beyond any of my expectations and i'm actually way more pumped about this year.
I sure hope you're planning on coming. 
If you have questions-any questions!- Click here for all information about the conference, including hotels, directions, tickets, schedule...all the deets!

I'm also really, really, really loving my moms new website: heartfeltministries.org
it is beautiful, easy to navigate, and does a beautiful job of expressing her heart for this ministry.
a ministry about connecting women.
which, we all need-desperately.

if you can't attend the conference, find a way to connect with women in a deeper, more meaningful way.
connecting with women older than me, more "seasoned" women, has been a tremendous blessing in my life.
I do have some extraordinary women in my family, but i have learned so much from women who i would have never known otherwise, had it not been for Heartfelt.
the women who have been/are my Heartmoms, will forever be in my heart and i credit a large portion of my motherly and wifely accomplishments and knowledge to them.

learn more about this wonderful ministry and COME TO THE CONFEReNCE.
click here and buy your ticket.
see YOU there!

Saturday, January 2, 2016

a Texas Thanksgiving

each year, we rotate spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with our families
This was our year to have Thanksgiving in Texas with the Taylor crew
and a fine Thanksgiving, it was!

we first drove to Huntsville to stay the night before trekking onward to Austin.
a good little break in the drive, plus I always love staying at GTs folks house
learning the art of making a perfect pot of coffee
one they learn early
you know, to keep the adults mugs full as we play dominoes (wink)

and playing with their toys

they rented a farm house for us to stay at near GTs grandparents house, since our crew has outgrown all other houses (not a bad problem to have!)
the house came with a golf cart to drive around their land
and these two had quite the time going on adventures
the place was gorgeous and we loved spending some time in central Texas
we only had one day with sunshine before the rain came, so we all took turns riding around on the golf cart

and possibly getting it stuck in the mud
don't worry....Judson drove while they pushed
i mean, someone had to take their picture, right?

i absolutely LOVED the house we stayed in and am ready to move in 

 watching the boys play in the backyard was enough to convince me to sell our house (i kid) (kind of)
the house even had the perfect wraparound porch with the perfect porch swing
that my perfect husband rocked our perfect baby to sleep on
ok. i'll stop.
but, you get it, right? the house was perfect.
it was over 100 years old and beautifully restored.
we filled it with lots of people and gave it lots of love

we soaked up being with all of our family
and the boys enjoyed playing with their aunts, uncles, Grammy and PaPa

and i couldn't get enough of these little sweet cheeks of Gracie!

we cooked and ate all weekend
the kitchen was full of busy hands, nosey guys, needy toddlers, and domino players
GT helping me mash the taters 
Pioneer Womans recipe
I've made them a few years in a row, so i think it's my "thing" now...maybe.
lots and lots of deliciousness made by all of the family
and my beautiful sisters-in-law
let me tell you one thing.
you get to know a lot about someone by working beside them in the kitchen
and I thoroughly enjoy being with these three preparing meals, washing dishes, or cleaning up.
they're the good ones
and i'm so incredibly thankful that we're stuck for life (i mean that in the best way possible!)
they're good cooks, happy, hilarious, hard workers, and i think that's a pretty good combination.
especially when it comes to Thanksgiving meal prep.

there was a lot of chatting

and some serious napping

later that night, GT and I took Judson to his first Longhorn game
it rained off and on the entire game, but he was loving every minute
around 830, i asked him if he was ready to go
he said, "is the game over? i want to watch the whole thing"
so, we stayed 
and all three of us were happy little campers
i'm not a burnt orange fan, but i sure love my guys and they are strongly opinionated about the horns...so, "hook 'em", i say!
i mostly loved our little date 

the next day we ate some breakfast, played more dominoes, cleaned up and everyone headed their separate ways
GT headed out for a work/hunt trip 
the boys and I went back to Huntsville to Mark and Dels for the night, along with Garrett and Cristie
i know i've said it one million times, but i'm so thankful for GTs family.
even though our holidays spent together are short, they are always sweet
and maybe awkward, ha!!!
love these crazies