it's been a while since i lasted posted some cuteness. we spent the first part of our weekend with our niece, evelyn. dressing up happened. pretending happened. pony rides happened. hide & seek happened. and puzzle making happened. it was a pretty successful visit with the princess, to say the least. it warms my heart to the perfect temperature watching cory & her interact. they spent a good while on a particular puzzle. i just so happened to have my camera with me to snap up some of the cuteness. shocking, i know.

E learned how to wink - this was the first pose she shot me :)

accomplishment & satisfaction

xoxo - whit

you were a good year for me. i set goals, and i was able to accomplish a lot this year. you taught me many things. growth happened. thank you for allowing me to close a big chapter. thank you for being kind to me.

to you, 2013, i hope to really live this year, to travel more this year, to love more this year, to make mistakes this year, and to not be so hard on myself this year. help me to listen, and appreciate, to stop, and embrace. most of all, help me to stay focused on the Lord, to lean on Him more, to trust in Him more.

happiest new year to you all. make it count.

xo - whit

a barn full of trinkets, three short horns, an old chevy, and a few portraits of love. these are a few of the treasures from a day at my grandparent's farm.

xo - whit

we have been in my hometown, in texas, spending the holidays with my family. i love the time i am given to make new memories with them. this one in particular was a good one. my nieces are full of energy, smart as whips, and have the most contagious laughter. can you tell that i adore them? i do, i do, i do. one of the best gifts you can give is a picture. so my sister asked if i would snap some portraits of them to gift them to loved ones. i was delighted to. these are some of the faces of my heart.

xo - whit

though we had intentions to visit a christmas tree farm, we decided to save that for a year that we'll be home for christmas to really enjoy it in its fullness. we set out this morning in search of the perfect pieces to adorn our tree that was graciously gifted to us from cory's parents. apparently we weren't the only ones with the idea to spend the weekend decking the halls, as every place we shopped was full to the brim with people. but we managed to find the perfect ornaments for the tree. as soon as we got back to the house, i turned on some christmas music, and a couple of hours later, we had a tree that was merry and bright.

for God so loved the world
     -john 3:16

  
that moment when your house feels like a home. it just happened.

xo - whit

i love this time of year. i love that my senses are awakened by the sound of holiday cheer, the sight of christmas lights, and the scent of all things baked. i will be joining a few of my favorite girls this evening to decorate the church for christmas. i. can't. wait. cory and i have plans to visit a christmas tree farm this weekend, in hopes to find the perfect one for our home. this will be the first official christmas season in our new house (we were traveling around europe last season). i've been recording all of our favorite christmas movies that have been on tv to watch as we decorate the tree. the idea of all of this has me bursting at the seems with joy. i can hardly stand it.

"seeing isn't believing. believing is seeing." 
  - the santa clause

wishing you many blessings this season.

xo - whit

this year cory & i hosted thanksgiving in our new house. we have been very busy with remodeling in anticipation of our family's arrival. blessed with the help of our parents, we were able to accomplish most of the tasks we'd hoped to. with a full belly and a full heart, giving thanks was a success.

"we can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." 
   -Thornton Wilder

i don't know about you, but i am feeling pretty alive. 

happiest thanksgiving to you. 

xo - whit