So long 2009...

Blogging is really the last thing I need to be doing right now, but I just had to get a short plug in on the last day of 2009! Plus, I have been so eager to share some great stories and pictures from our Christmas time...but that will have to wait a few more days until I get a few projects behind me.

Until then, we hope you all had a very blessed Christmas holiday and begin a wonderful new year! Let's make 2010 all about Him!

Happy Birthday, Daddy Josh!

Audrey's daddy, whom she sometimes calls Daddy Josh, turned 28 today!

Here's a few recent shots of him being such a great daddy and hubbie as usual...

And here's Audrey this morning after singing Happy Birthday Daddy in her "My Daddy is Dreamy" shirt.

We love you, Daddy Josh! Happy 28th Bday!

Our Christmas Elf

We have a little Christmas elf in our home this season!

(Last year she was the Christmas monster. Click here to see that: http://herestheamberdeal.blogspot.com/2008/12/beware-of-our-christmas-monster.html )

This year, our little one is spreading tons of Christmas cheer!

She has memorized all of our Christmas material...

...enlisted the help of friends to custom decorate wrapping paper...

...put her own signature stamps on a few packages here and there...
...and has decorated a tree or two for a couple of rooms in the house.

Yes, she is having lots of fun this year, and we hope that you are in the joyful spirit of the season, too...or we'll send our Christmas elf after you!

Cars and Trucks and Things that Go!

"Going to Grandma's" takes on a whole different meaning when it comes to trips to Nana and Papa's house. My parents joke about how they live on a funny farm, but it is true that there is no end to the adventures at their house.

Just this past weekend, it was trucks and tractors and wagons, oh my!

The kids got to ride in the big cattle truck......then Nana took them for a spin on the lawnmower...

...and then Papa lifted us up in the bucket of his tractor...

...and then, yes, this is a picture of the big tractor pulling the kids in the little red wagon. (For those who are picking up the phone to call CPS, don't worry! These were all highly supervised, SLOW events. We may look crazy, but it's safety first ;) Another thing that was extremely exciting for Audrey was that there are 7 puppies running around outside the back door at their house right now. So we spent lots of quality time with those dogs from sun-up (notice their pajamas) to sundown.

Yes, there's always something to ride or pet at their house...And Aunt Bobby is always good for a wheelbarrow ride or two...or three and four...

And then sometimes a nice leisurely walk to the mailbox is just the ticket.

And my parents can't take all the exciting grandparent action... Here's Audrey at Mimi and Pop's after a "fast" four-wheeler ride with Daddy :)

But no matter where she is and what adventures we are on, you can bet that what she is receiving most from all of her grandparents is LOVE!

Oldies, but Goodies

We took another stroll down memory lane this week at my Granny's birthday party and relived another classic Harrison family picture. (This summer, we retook "The Famous Banana Picture". See it here: http://herestheamberdeal.blogspot.com/2009/06/famous-banana-picture.html )

The original picture includes me, my brother, and my cousins Hayden and Rylan. We were getting ready to blow some candles out.

The new picture has Audrey, Layton, and their cousins Corbin and Kyrstin, sitting in the exact same spot in Granny's house. And they were also fascinated with a yummy cake!

Also, this week, we found my old cover-up bath towel with my name monogrammed on it...and Audrey loves putting it on after her bath!

And her name shall be...

We are excited to announce that we have chosen a name for baby girl #2!

Brenna Elizabeth

Josh's middle name is Brannon, and it has been passed down from his grandfather to his dad and to him. So we formed it into a sweet girl name to pass down again :) And then Elizabeth is the name of one of my grandmothers and a great-aunt. We love it and it fits her already!

There were a few other names that we went through that turned quite comical when placed with our last name. For example, Josh liked the name Ella which is very beautiful. But when you say it with our last name, it turns into a not-so-nice phrase. Try it: Ella Deal. If you can't hear it yet, try saying it with the middle name Va. We just couldn't do that to our baby :)

There are a few other names that just don't work with the last name Deal either...Micah Deal ("make a deal"), Chancey Deal, Whata Deal (just kidding...but you get the point).

We can't believe we only have 11 weeks until we meet our Brenna!

Meet Audrey-Cadaubrey!

Our little girl likes the Sesame Street character Abby-Cadabby, so yesterday she dressed to spread a little of her own magic as Audrey-Cadaubrey!She even charmed a handsome little cowboy...(ok she was the one who was mesmerized :)

And on a much less "cute" note...zombie toes...yum :) Thanks, Aunt Bobby!

Hope you had a "magical" weekend!

Happy Fall, Y'all!

Remember to make the most of this special season!

Have you hugged a friend today?

...or a pumpkin...

...or a scarecrow...

...or a pony...

...or a Daddy?

Take a walk in your boots through the leaves on a crisp fall day...

and marvel at God's beauty all around us!

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26

Tuesdays are...

tea parties.

trash day.

telling stories.

taking care of babies and big kids.

time with friends.

taking on messy projects.

tent-building & crashing.

trips outside.

tiring!

Congrats, Bub and Mel!

My brother Austin and new sister Melinda got married this weekend in Blanco, and we had an amazing time! Everyone and everything was so beautiful, and it will always be such a special event.

Guess who was the entertainment most of the time...

My mom did an outstanding job on the rehearsal dinner!

Aunt "Bobby" always does great fixing our hair.

Here's Nana and Audrey twirling their dresses while Austin is getting ready in the background. Didn't my mom look awesome?!I just loved this dress on her :) She matched the wedding perfectly.This Cinderella kept losing her shoes. Luckily her knight in shining armor was there :)
I'm so proud of my brother. He had a great time and was so handsome and happy this weekend!
Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Harrison! Have fun in St. Lucia!