{{Michelle Cochran-Wells}}

Happy New Year and a few Holiday Pictures!

Geez, I simply can't believe that 2007 has just whirled by so fast!  So many things have happened in 2007...the birth of a new little member of our family, new friends, new adventures, death of my Grandfather, Katie's untimely leukemia and her passing a couple of weeks ago, and so many other things.  Wow.  It's definitely been an emotional year...bright spots and sad moments, too.  That is life though, I suppose.  Anyway, I'm thankful for yet another year to experience life and all that it has to offer.  That's the best that we can do.  Oh, and I'm thankful for my Mom's homecooking that was yummy-licious tonight!  Greens, cream corn, pork chops, black eyed peas, etc....hit the spot!  I think that Sean looks forward to this meal every year as he called her up today and started the conversation with, "So, what time do we need to be there to eat tonight?"  Subtle hint, baby.  Anyway, I guess she got the hint and cooked the feast just for us.  Brother and Brittany were in Atlanta so they missed out on it!  More for us!

We found out today that Jack has an ear infection (our first ever) and also an eye infection in both eyes.  The kid just can't seem to get a break!  It breaks my heart.  I told our Doctor's today that I'm just going to take my money that I spend at their office and build a Wells' wing just for my family.  They joke about it when they see us coming.  Here's hoping that Jack outgrows this crud that seems to follow us everywhere!  Our area that we live in is also known for being a very high allergy area, too.  Doesn't help matters!  I told Sean that we just needed to pack up and move up north somewhere or a little further out west.  So far he hasn't bought into it though.  I'm soooo ready to get the heck out of Georgia!  Well, I'd have to take our parent's with us though.  hehe.  Eli is also still fighting the snotty nose and boy does he just love that suctioning!  NOT!  You'd think that I was killing the kid. 

We'll be posting the contents for the January SIAB kit hopefully later this week.  Our office is still officially closed for the holidays until next Monday, but billing should take place as normal on the 1st (hey, that's today!).  Anyway, hope you all have a super safe and enjoyable start to the New Year. 

Oh, and I've decided that I'm going to do the picture a day for a year for 2008.  I just happened to see a link to a site on Ali's blog that shows you how to do it if you all are interested.  Glad she posted this information so it'll be easier for me!  I had decided a while back that I was going to do it just to see how the little ones change over the course of a year, but this site offers little tips and such.  Hope you enjoy!

Some of our holiday moments...sorry, but they're unedited.
*A few favorites:

Jack got very upset when he found out that after taking several bites of the cookies that they were for Santa and not for him...

Just happened to wake up one day to find that Baby Jesus from our nativity had been left under the tree.  Still not sure how it ended up there.

Eli and my Mother after discovering that Santa had stopped by!

Cousins Stephen and Kathryn

Little Bro and my soon to be sis in law (yippee...she's a keeper)

My Dad and Jack enjoying some Thomas time!

Happy New Year!

Thank you

Thank you to all of you who have sent your messages about Katie.  They've made me smile.  Her service today was very eye-opening.  What a girl she was!  I only wish that I had gotten the opportunity to spend even more time with her.  Her service opened with the pianist playing "I'll Be Home for Christmas."  How appropriate.  I don't think that there was a dry eye in the place.  She had so many friends that simply adored her.  Her husband, Jacob, actually got up and spoke.  He did so well and had several moments of laughter to share with everyone about Katie.  They actually grew up in church together before he moved away with his family to Charlotte, NC.  It was only after high school and college that Katie just happened to think of him one day and "googled" his name, sent him an email and the rest is history.  They were an adorable couple.  Jacob told me last night that he can handle most anything, but Merriwether (their 18 month old daughter) had come up to him a night ago and looked up in the bed and asked, "Where's Mommy?"  I can't even BEGIN to tell you how much that broke my heart.  She's an adorable child and she'll never remember her Mommy or the incredible person that she was.  I've shed many tears today while thinking about that and just her passing.  And, I'm sure that I will be for many days and weeks to come.  Jack woke up last night crying in his crib around midnight and I just sat in his room and rocked him back to sleep while crying my heart out knowing that little Miss Merriwether will never have that again with her Mom.  I know that life can't be taken for granted and I have, from day one, swore that I would never, ever take my children for granted.  Now I know why.  You are guaranteed nothing in this little 'ol life.  Nothing.  You have to take the cards that you are dealt and play them to the best of your ability.  So, when we are tired and worn out from our busy lives just know that there are always others that are less fortunate than we.  We are no better than anyone else and should live just that way helping others.  Again, thanks for the warm thoughts and concerns.  Life will carry on, but with one less wonderful soul on this earth.  I'm sure that Katie and Merriwether's unborn brother (his name was going to be Bascom) will be looking down on she and her Daddy guiding them along the way.  Please pray for Jacob that he'll be able to raise this little girl with all that he has (and learn how to do piggy-tails!). :)

I'm not sure if I'll be blogging again before Christmas as we'll be keeping the roads hot traveling a bit and then settling back here at home just in time for Santa to make his stop.  Jack is excited, but still doesn't quite understand the whole thing yet.  We do know that he's cool with Santa from a distance, but that's it. 

I hope that each of you enjoy your time with your family and friends.  Thank you for your business this year and continued blessings that you've given to us.  Merry Christmas!

Sadness

It is with great sadness that I tell you that our friend Katie passed away early this morning (see post below).  Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers; especially during this holiday season.  Thanks for all of your support.

Hope

According to Webster's Dictionary:
hope    /hoʊp/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[hohp]   noun, verb,  hoped, hop·ing. –noun 

1.	the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best

So, I've been thinking a lot about hope these past couple of weeks.  If you'll recall, I mentioned a friend of mine in my last post that really needed some very serious prayers and positive thoughts.  Her name is Katie (pic above with Merriwether and hubby, Jacob from last summer) and she has leukemia.  She's a gorgeous, lively, totally creative, fun, caring, and inspiring person.  I love chatting with her just because she's so genuine and she "gets" me.  Her husband works for Sean and that's how we met.  As a matter of fact, the only time that we see each other is at work functions and outings.  I always look forward to catching up with her.  Even though I've always had the good intentions of inviting she and her little girl Merriwether over for a play date it just never seems to happen.  Anyway, I have spent so many hours today thinking good thoughts for her.  She is in pain and needs so many prayers right now.  It breaks my heart to hear of her in this way.  Her daughter is a little younger than Jack and she is also four months pregnant.  So, sometimes you just have to ask yourself, "why?"  I don't understand why she is going through this and probably never will, but I'm sure that there is a higher power that does.  I know that her family is hurting, but I have hope...lot's and lot's of hope.  You can NEVER be without hope.  There is always hope and I have plenty of it for her at this moment!  Sorry for the somber moment, but I just felt compelled to do this for Katie.   

What's Happening?

I wasn't kidding when I said that I was going  to take December off, huh?  LOL.  I actually didn't mean to take time off from the blog though!  So, is everyone through with their XMas shopping?  I've been an online shopping queen here lately.  Filled with Starbucks and a renewed interest in scrapbooking.  Thanks to all of our customers for this much needed break.  I promise that I feel sooooo renewed!!!  Remember that having your hobby as a business can sometimes be the death of your hobby!  We certainly don't want that, now do we? 

So, here's what we've been up to lately...
2- the number of kiddos in our house with upper respiratory infections
1- the number of big kids in our house with the crud (that would be Sean)
2- the number of Christmas parties already attended
12- the number of loads of laundry completed by me on my "mommy-takes-a-break-from-the-kids" day yesterday.  Not much of a break, huh?

I'm sure that I've done something interesting while I've been away.  Hum.  I also cleaned out the garage yesterday to make way for stuff out of our home office that is now becoming a playroom for the little tykes.  I demoted my large office studio to a mere walk-in closet for my scrapbook area.  And, guess what?  It is soooo much easier to think in a smaller space than it was in a large studio.  Not sure why, but I think that it was because I had soooooo much stuff in a large area and that totally overwhelmed me.  I am so much more creative now.  Funny how that works. 

Plus, I got rid of a bunch of good scrapbook stuff that I wasn't going to use.  Oh, and you guys have been amazing helping me move some of the SIAB inventory that we had remaining.  I think that all of our customers and their mothers are going to get a SIAB goody bag in their stocking!  Man, you guys wiped those things out! 

I also boxed up a treat box (chocked full of awesome scrapbook supplies!) for my friend Katie W. who isn't feeling so well these days, but I'm sure that better days are coming soon!  Get well NOW, Katie!   Despite her illness she looks absolutely divine.  Her little girl Merriwether is going to marry my Jack.  End of story.  It's a done deal.  She's a cutie!   Anyway, if any of you could take the time to think some positive thoughts for Katie that would be fantastic. 
Jack and Eli are growing at rapid speed.  Eli is already trying to crawl after Jack.  They had a good head-bumping the other day and Jack went up and rubbed Eli's arm because he felt bad for Eli crying.  Ohhh....it was a sweet moment.   I'll try to post some pics  tomorrow!

Take care and let me know what you've been up to!  I miss you guys.

Something to Share

I've got a few more fun crafty ideas to share over the next week or so, but wanted to show you these fun framed holiday additions to our fireplace.  I used the November SIAB kit to make these.  Very, very simple and I love the idea of them being not so perfect and something that I created, AND actually displaying them with some of our holiday goodness.  Makes me happy.  I'm all about simple this year.   The framed stars are from the add-on kit this month.  Simply covered the stars with paper and then embellished them with stick-on pearls or rhinestones at each point on the star.  Used the glitter to cover some chipboard letters that I had in my stash (yea me for using my stash!).  The glitter in this month's kit was soooo fun (but messy!).  It was used on the "Joy" frame.  The X-Mas tree frame is just a sheet of pattern paper cut in the shape of a tree with buttons used as ornaments, brown cardstock as the base and the felt star as the topper.  All were then framed in 12x12 black shadow boxes.  Enjoy!