NYE Nap

In preparation for tonight's festivities, it is nap time at the Hunt house. (According to Wyatt, there is no sleep better than on Daddy's shoulder.)

Happy New Year y'all!!

2012: A Year Full of Blessings

Wow. The year is coming to a close. I cannot believe what amazing blessings 2012 has brought to our lives. This year we bought & house, enjoyed an awesome family vacation in Tybee, attended three beautiful family weddings (congrats Grant & Lauren, Jonathan & Madison, Logan & Chelsea), celebrated our two year anniversary, became an Uncle & an Aunt and most importantly, became the parents of a precious little boy named Wyatt Briggs. Such wonderful things.

This year we also celebrated the lives of Brandon's Pawpaw & my Grandaddy as they left us to enjoy eternity with our Lord. Although we miss them dearly, we know they continue to watch over us as we grow our little family.

Here are some pictures from our 2012. Wishing you & yours a BLESSED 2013!! Here is to new adventures, new opportunities & a new year!!

The "arteest"

Wyatt has learned to "finger paint" with one of my iPhone apps. I think he may give Jackson Pollock a run for his money.

iKid

I know the younger generations are always more technology equip but I never thought that my four month old son would surpass me so soon. Already he plays with his "Wyatt" apps, takes pictures of himself & today he even switched apps from the kiddie one to ESPN. Yep, that's my boy.

My guys

My favorite Friday nights consist of couch time with these two fellas. Of course, you can see why...

The boy goes bananas

Today we added another food to the boy's menu - bananas. Saying that he loves them may just be an understatement. After taking the spoon so he could feed himself (yes, he is just 4 months old) he decided he would lick the spilled drops of banana off his tray. I think we may have an eater ladies and gentlemen.

We wish you a Merry Christmas

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, The Lord." ~Luke 2:10-11

Merry Christmas from our little family to yours. As I sit and think of the amazing year we have had, I feel incredibly lucky. From our new home in April to the birth of our angel on earth in August, our jobs, our friends and our family we couldn't have asked for a better 2012. Of course, at Christmas we reflect on the wonderful gift God gave to us that blessed day in Bethlehem, but this year I think of the gifts he fills our lives with every day. We couldn't ask for more - health, happiness & His love.

Our families joined in our celebrating yesterday where we opened too many gifts, ate too much food and had too much fun (if that is even possible). The love that filled our home yesterday was heart warming. A huge thank you to all who joined us - we love each of you and wouldn't have imagined Christmas without you.

Of course, I'm a mom now, so I will close with too many pictures of our beautiful family. Again, Merry Christmas. I wish love, prosperity & happiness to each & every one of you!

Hunt Family Christmas

The Christmas fun continued today with the Hunt family. We enjoyed the company & the food. Mr Wyatt was spoiled beyond belief - got a horse, a sock monkey, a stacking toy, clothes, a puppy & this awesome ball/monkey thing that makes noise which he adores. Always a good time at the Indian village.

Wyatt enjoyed himself so much that he had to take an extra long nap with Memaw.

Wallace Family Christmas

'Tis the season to be jolly & full... Very full. Today we kicked off our season of joy with the Wallace family. We gathered at our new house this year to eat & be merry. We do both of those very well.

Of course the family is well on its way spoiling the boy. He got new shoes, new jeans, a new vest and a firetruck to ride on. Of course that is only the gifts we opened today. There are more to come.

Such an awesome time, sharing Christmas meals with family, hearing stories of Christmases from generations past & just watching four generations of Wallaces be together. See? I told you the season was about being full... Full of food, full of love, full of hope, full of rejoicing. And for the first time, full of spoiling the boy.

Merry Christmas!

Let's Eat!

The boy's adventures continue with his latest feat - beginning to eat solid foods. Being a good ol' southern gent from Georgia, we got his eating habits off to a home style start with peaches.

He likes them... I think. Or maybe he just likes to wear them.

 

{I hate to do this but I must... Please know that we are following our doctor's advice on when to start food. I do understand some parents have differing opinions & that's excellent. Together with our pediatrician we decided to give food a go - please honor our wishes as parents as we honor yours. Thanks!}

The boy is growing...

Cannot believe my sweet little man is 4 months old. Tell me it ain't so! He is so vibrantly full of life, always has a smile on his face (unless he is hungry) and has such a contagious curiosity for life.

This kid will move mountains.

Best meal EVER

Today's prompt is about the best meal I've ever cooked. This is a tough one because I like my cooking. A. LOT. I'm actually working on trimming down a bit so it has been a little difficult to chow down on everything I want. I do still enjoy my "waist friendly" cooking, but not as much as my best meal EVER!

Let's set the scene... Valentine's Day. Husband is on his way home from work and candles are lit. Wine is poured and the house (apartment at the time) is filled with amazing scents of roasting lamb, roasted tomatoes and Parmesan asparagus. Oh. My. Mercy. That meal was BY FAR the yummiest thing I've ever made!

Want to make it? Check out my post about it here.

Oh how they grow: 3 Months

This kid is amazing...

Change Your Life

The NaBloPoMo prompt of the day asks if I could change one thing about my life, what would it be.  Although my life is FREAKIN' AMAZING, there is still one thing that I feel holds me back.  Financial peace.

When I was in college I made poor financial decisions which have me sitting on some credit card debt that seems to weigh us down every month.  I hate that I HAVE to work to pay this debt instead of being able to be a stay-at-home-mom for my little precious.  One day...

Friday night these days...

As I enjoy some quiet time tonight I'm reminded how different my Friday nights are these days. A few years back I would be hitting the local establishment for hours of fun with friends. Tonight, this is my Friday. Honestly, back then was fun, but no where near as perfect as this...

Dedication

Some of these writing prompts are so much more boring than my life that I’m skipping them and boring you with the ongoings of the Hunt family instead.  Enjoy. Or endure. :) 

We are planning on participating in our church’s Baby Dedication in January to celebrate our little dude.  As part of it, we have to write a letter to Wyatt that encompasses different topics.  My notes made me cry while I was writing them, so I thought I’d share.  The little person has made such an impact on my life in his short (almost) 3 months that I cannot even imagine who we will all be in the next year, five years, ten years and beyond. 

WRITE DOWN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, TOUCHING ATTRIBUTES AND QUALITIES OF YOUR CHILD.
Wyatt, you are so full of happiness.  Laughing from the top of your head to the tips of your little toes, your smile brightens our day every time we see your little face.   We love your “spunky” personality, our after bath “conversations” where you voice your opinion on life, your impatience when it is time to eat and your interest in everything that surrounds you.  Each day you teach us to stop and look at the small things.  Through your eyes, our world is so beautiful and new.

DEFINE THE CONTENT OF YOUR LOVE AS A PARENT.
Never before did we know what it felt like to love something so unconditionally.  Words cannot even describe the joy, the excitement, the pride, the amazing love we hold for you Wyatt.

NAME THE ACTIVITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARENTING THAT GIVE YOU MOST CONTENTMENT/JOY/PRIDE.
Spending every moment with your is the best times of our lives.  From rolling around on the living room floor to night conversations on our bed, watching you grow into a little person has brought us such joy.  We are so proud of all the achievements you’ve already made and burst with pride in the man we know you will become.

NAME THE ACTIVITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARENTING THAT CAUSE HUMILITY/WONDER.
Parenting in itself is a daunting job that only God can help us with.  Knowing that we are responsible for your walk with Christ, your health and happiness is a terrifying blessing – one that we are so grateful to have.  Each day we pray for guidance in raising you as God sees fit.

DESCRIBE SOME MEMORABLE MOMENTS IN THE BIRTH OF YOUR CHILD… MOMENTS THAT YOU WILL NEVER FORGET.
Wyatt, the day you were born was one of the best days of our lives.  Mommy will never forget the doctor telling me, “open your eyes mom… he is here”.  Seeing you for the first time was the most amazing thing I had ever seen.  Knowing that God had blessed my life so wonderfully made me cry then and cry now as I remember your sweet little face, your long fingers and huge feet! 

EXPLAIN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NAME YOU CHOSE FOR YOUR CHILD.
Wyatt is an English name meaning “brave” and “strong”, which is what we want you to be.  We want you to be brave in life, take chances and prosper.  We want you to be strong, stand up for your beliefs and inspire others to live lives full of God’s Grace.  Daddy and Mommy also selected it for its southern ties, to celebrate your heritage and because it is unique and we want you to stand out from others.

WHAT ARE YOUR DREAMS FOR YOUR CHILD?  WHAT ARE YOUR DREAMS FOR YOUR FAMILY?
Wyatt our dreams for you are to live a God-centered life in which you find health, happiness and prosperity.  We pray that you grow into a man that loves your Lord, your family and your life.  As a family, our dreams include family vacations, a sibling and prosperity.

WHAT IS YOUR PRAYER FOR YOUR CHILD? WHAT IS YOUR PRAYER FOR YOUR FAMILY?
Daddy and Mommy pray for God to rescue your heart Wyatt so that you will have everlasting life.  Our prayers for our family are simple – to continue to place God in the center of our home, to grow together and to always be happy.

HOW WILL YOU NURTURE AND GUIDE YOUR CHILD TOWARD CHRIST?  THROUGH FAITHFUL ATTENDACE AND PARTICIPATION IN CHURCH? THROUGH BIBLE STUDY AND OTHER SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES?
Wyatt, we promise to always nurture and guide you in your journey to Christ by faithfully attending and participating in church.  We will continually encourage your walk through family prayer time, Bible discussions and stories, and by living our lives as Christ would want us to live.

REGARDING YOUR CHILD’S FAITH DEVELOPMENT, WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU MOST WANT/NEED FROM YOUR CHURCH?
Wyatt, as your faith develops we are excited to be able to have a place like 12Stone to call our church home.  Their love and dedication to children’s ministry is such a blessing in our lives that you will appreciate so much.

DEDICATE YOUR CHILD TO GOD IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
Dear God, today we bring to You our beautiful gift, our son Wyatt.  We ask Your guidance as we raise him in Your name.  We dedicate him to You, Lord.  Please rescue his heart and guide him as he grows into a man who follows Your Word.  We thank you for Your blessing us with this beautiful child and pray for Your Grace in his life.  Amen.

Why, Thank Ya!

Today’s prompt asks about the last compliment I received.  Being in a very loving marriage, my husband showers me with compliments on a daily basis so I’m constantly being lifted up.  Outside of my safe haven, compliments come in all kinds of shapes and sizes.  Two of the ones that stand out to me that made the most impact on me are:

“You are such a great mom.”

“You are SO rocking the ‘Mommy-Chic… it looks good on you girl.”

Of course the first made such an impression because I’m a new mom and constantly feel like I’m flying by the seat of my pants in order to keep up with my little man.  Hearing that what I’m doing is right is such a confidence boost.

The “Mommy-Chic” line MADE. MY. DAY!  Of course as a woman I am self conscious of my body.  Add in the ass that comes along with child bearing and BOOM - big time body complex.  Having someone (other than my husband) tell me that I look fabulous made me want to float away on my cloud 9.  You know what made it even better?  The compliment came from a gay man.  We ALL know they have style!  Woo hoo!

What compliments have you received that made your day?

Really, with this prompt?

Yesterday was my one political rant of the year... I don't enjoy politics because I'm hard-headed and get way to irritated with people who vote on the other side of the fence.  SO, I'm skipping out on today's #NaBloPoMo post of "If you were President of the United States, what would be your first act in office?"... Boring. 

Enjoy these instead!

 

Back to the writing tomorrow.

 

Sending blessings,

Steph

Political Thoughts

What’s that you say?  You want my thoughts on tomorrow's election?  You had to ask?

First, GET OUT AND VOTE Y’ALL!  It is a right we often take for granted and it is a right that we ALL should exercise. 

That being said, I’m conservative and I’m nervous what another term with our current president will hold for our country.  I won’t rant for days… just a few minutes…

As an employee of a small business and a small(er) business owner, the tax policy that has come into question throughout the debates makes me want to crawl in a hole.  The thought of having MORE of my well-earned money taken by the government for distribution among those who are not working is not ok with me.  I hardly make enough as is, and I would prefer to keep my little fingers on every dollar I can. 

Of course, I’m anti-Obamacare.  Personally it made my health insurance go up so much this year that I had to fall off my company’s insurance plan just to be able to afford health care for my self and my son.  Thanks Mr. President.

Finally, if I hear one more time that the president has helped the middle class I think I will SCREAM!  My family and I are middle class and have not seen a BIT of help in the past four years.  Actually, my husband and I make less than we did four years ago while the price of everything we have to purchase to live (food, transportation, healthcare, etc.) has gone up.  We have seen no tax breaks and actually get less back in taxes than we did before being married.

As I mentioned earlier, please exercise your right to vote… but make sure you are voting for what YOU believe and not what is the “cool” thing.

Lots of Love,
Steph

P.S.  Vote Romney ;)

Red Chandeliers

So today we got some home projects done. My list included this beauty: