Puppy Dog (Labrador) Applique

A Christmas Eve project!

And I had so much fun doing this!!!I could keep "him"! :)But "he's" got a new home. :)

New Applique & Monogram

Check out my newest applique and monogram!

What a cute chick! :)

Also available at my Etsy store!

Happy 11 Months!!

Rhys, happy 11 months from Daddy & Mommy!!

11 months translates, "INTO EVERYTHING!!!"

Just watch (from Rhys' perspective)...

I'm just 'innocently' cruising from this big table to the soft sofa... Okay, I'm bored. I think I'll crawl to "No-No Land" and see how far I can get until I hear, "NO!"Almost there...

Got the cord...now, if only, I could reeeeeeeeeach...

There's that fun button that makes the room bright or dark as I push it!
Then, I hear Daddy or Mommy say, "NO!" or "Samuel Rhys Wright!" or "No, no!" or ... you get the picture. :)

So, is 11 months really all this??? Is it supposed to be fun when the one word I hear the most is "No!" ????

Happy 11 months, sweet boy! Just a lot to learn!! :)

We will help you each step of the way!

Love, Daddy & Mommy :)

Christmas Came Early!!

Christmas came early this year (as we celebrated 'ThanksChristmas' :) with Russell's family last month), and I got an embroidery & sewing machine!!

These have been my very first projects...I handmade the bib then monogrammed it.I handmade this little girl's diaper bag and monogrammed it, as well. Same story here, just a slightly larger sized diaper bag. (what a beautiful name!) And a friend handmade these precious rompers for her little boy, and I got to monogram his initials on them!! Thanks, Katie!! :) I've opened an Etsy shop, and I'd love to make anything for you!
Just email me (shireenwright@gmail.com) or visit my store!!

Merry Christmas!!

Celebrating Advent

This year, our family is beginning a new Christmas tradition. During this Advent season, we are celebrating Christ's coming and anticipating His return through this Daily Advent Reading.

A couple of months ago, Russell and I decided to create our family advent calendar. I enjoyed the project so much because it allowed me to be creative with the sewing machine, as well as with hand embroidery!

Our Christmas Advent Calendar Pouches...

Each number is hand-embroidered, which gives a sweet, 'care-ful' touch.

Each pouch will contain a little something sweet (a fun candy or chocolate) for Rhys as he gets older, but most importantly, each will hold a piece of cardstock with the Scripture verses from this Daily Advent Reading, which we will read together as a family leading up to December 25th, the birthdate of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

A Happy ThanksChristmas!!

We may have started a new tradition last year without knowing it at the time!

This time last year, I was 8 months pregnant with Rhys, so we intentionally planned to celebrate Christmas during Thanksgiving with Russell's family in Louisiana...I was unable to travel for Christmas. Well, we all agreed to do this again this year, and it was FUN!!

We enjoyed good fellowship...the ladies and kiddos played all morning and day long, while the men went deer hunting early morning and early evening; good Joker games...one can never play too much Joker; good eats...thank you, Tami, for the yummy fried turkey, and Claudia and Kristie for the wonderful sides and desserts; thank you, Claudia, for the delicious and hearty seafood gumbo for "Christmas lunch" :); good visits with great family, etc!

I'll let the pictures tell the tales of our Thanksgiving & Christmas...

Grandmom holding her #1 granddaughter & #1 grandson :)Aunt Tami spoils these kiddos rotten! :) She is so GOOD to them, and I'm thankful that she's coming to visit us very soon!!I had to jump in there with my sweet niece, Sierra Grace, and Rhys. They played together SO well, and Sierra is so good at SHARING!!! "Thank you for sharing your toys with Rhys, sweet Sierra!!"See??? Playing so well together...
Rhys' first bike ride. :) We had a few hours before Sierra & Rhys' bedtime, so I suggested a fun bath!! I'm not sure who had more fun...they giggled and splashed and played, and the rest of us watched, laughed and cherrished each moment of their sweet play time. Rhys' "interaction" with the comb cracks me up! I remember he was talking in a HIGH pitch to it. :)Post bath...Baby Einstein video time.

Aunt Lynda & Cousin Traci came to visit...I LOVE these ladies! We can have so much fun 'carrying on' in fun conversations and they just care so much for other people. God has given them such compassionate hearts for others, and I appreciate my time with them. Samantha and her new little lady, Alora Lynn...only 7 weeks!!!!...came along, and I was so glad to get to see them!!! I got to hold this little bundle, and I couldn't remember Rhys being this tiny! Russell had his turn at holding Alora Lynn, too...so sweet! So, as I said earlier, we got to celebrate Christmas!! It was so fun, and Tami couldn't wait to get the party started with Rhys. :) I like Rhys' new, warm hat so much!!! I'm ready to take him for a walk to have an excuse to put it on him! It's on the list of 'things to do!' :)Look how much Aunt Tami pulled out of that stocking...yes, it's a HUGE stocking...it's still not as big as Aunt Tami's sweet heart...God has given her a sweet gift to GIVE...not just in things but of herself...she would do anything for this child!

Finally, just some of my favorite pictures of the wonderful vacation week...

Look how big our boy is getting!!!

Oh, how I LOVE this face!!! As my sweet friend, Missy, says, "I could just eat him up!" :)

And perhaps my favorite picture of all...Claudia with her handsome son and grandson. I know she is a proud mom and grandmom! (Don't you sometimes LOVE the pictures that you snap on a whim?!?! I'm so thankful we 'randomly' snapped this sweet memory!)

Introducing New Foods

Does fudgesicle count as a food group?Our sweet boy sure hopes so!
He did NOT want his bottle after a few licks on this!! Mommy's mistake.

Deer, It's What's for Dinner

Russell and I are not opposed to eating meat. In fact, we scarfed down some tasty elk burgers and deer chili just in the last couple of days. Russell took me to Jim N Nick's, a restaurant known for good bar-b-q, for our second date, a few years back, and when I ordered bar-b-q (MEAT!!), I passed the test for date #3 and so on!! :)

Anyway, the point is...we enjoy meat, and Russell has just taken up the very useful hobby of hunting. Useful because what he shoots, we get to eat! He went deer hunting for the first time last week with his dad, uncle and cousin. He was so excited leading up to the trip that he could hardly sit still at home! Before leaving for Louisiana, he spotted three deer in our back yard! We live in townhouses on the outskirts of CITY life, so that's rare!

Our tiny townhouse yard...So, Russell comes skipping through the house like a little boy, asking if we have some peanut butter to spare. I gave him our extra container. Next thing I know, he's outside, smearing peanut butter onto the trees in our yard...Later that afternoon, he comes home from a 'stroll' through Bass Pro Shop with a mineral rock... (see the gray rock below?)

No worries...Russell has NO intention of shooting from our back yard...only hopes of enjoying the company of our neighborhood deer.

The Thanksgiving hunt was a success! On his FIRST afternoon hunt, he got a doe, and we have a freezer FULL of deer meat to prove it! On top of that, Russell's sweet cousin's husband stocked us up with a load of elk meat, which he just recently got on his first hunting trip out to Colorado.

So, cheers to deer meat fans!! :) (Sorry if I've offended any non-meat-eating fans. I'm really just proud of my husband and thankful for the yummy meat!)

A Good Day, Indeed.

We drove out to Little Rock, Arkansas yesterday to spend some good time with a very special couple, soon to be family, Chris, Tara & Crosby Kear!

Sweet Tara has been having contractions, and their little man, Crosby, has been threatening to come 7 weeks early! Chris & Tara have been living in the hospital since last Tuesday! They've been successful at slowing down the delivery process and speeding up Crosby's development with necessary meds and lots of caring hands between the doctor and nurses on staff. They are in great hands, and Crosby has just made 34 weeks! We are celebrating and praising the Lord with them!!

Russell and one of his best friends for years...Chris, Tara, we enjoyed our visit, and we look forward to meeting Crosby 'in person' :) next time we see you guys!

Love y'all!

P.S. Chris, you have my permission to call me by my 'Chris-given' nickname...you know what I'm talking about...I'm 'over' not liking it, and I miss it! Go figure! :)

Happy 10 Months!!

Happy 10 months, Rhys!!!

How is it possible that you're already 10 months old!?!? You are such a big boy, now!! Almost 22 pounds, eating lots of solids, including yogurt and just about anything we're eating from the table!! You still only have your two bottom teeth, but we know your others will come in time. You're scooting in a low-army crawl all over the place! Gone are the days when Mommy could leave you for even a second!! I turn around, and you're pulling yourself up furniture, eating anything off the floor, crawling across the room and getting in all kinds of trouble!! Oh, the entertainment you offer!! :)

You are Mommy's best little friend each day! We have fun together!! Going for walks, running errands, eating, singing, playing, reading books, listening to music and more! You still LOVE your bath time! You could play in your tub for hours!! Well, the water might get cold after an hour, but I'd willingly refill with warm water. Anything for you, sweet boy!! ;)
You still enjoy your exersaucer, the Johnny Jump Up, new block toys, and anything that lights up and makes sounds.

We praise the Lord for your presence in our lives, sweet Rhys! It's been so much fun, and Daddy and Mommy look forward to months and years to come with you!!!

We love you and wish you a happy 10 months!!

Love, Daddy & Mommy

Fun Visit with Poppa & Grandmom

Poppa & Grandmom came for a fun visit last week!Wouldn't you agree that this little man looks like he had some fun with his grandparents? Yeah, me too. :)

Poppa & Grandmom were SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sweet to come see us, especially considering we'll be traveling their way in less than a month for Thanksgiving! We enjoyed the visit...lots of Joker, yummy foods, good visiting, fun play time with Rhys, and they kept Rhys one evening so that Russell and I could have a sweet date night!

Thank you, Poppa & Grandmom, and Happy Anniversary!!! :)

Family Pictures, Fall 2009, Bluff Park Barn

More pics here.

Thank you, Ashley!!