November 30th (Buh-bye November!)

Oh that face. I just could eat it up! He is such a sweet boy!

Happy Birthday Rachel!

Today is my sister Rachel's 12th birthday! You know what that means? At this time next year, my parents will have 3 teenagers at once. That will be a first!


Rachel is our goofy clown, but also probably the most sensitive of all of us. She loves to laugh and have a good time! Here are some pictures from the last year-ish.

 At my college graduation.

 With our little sister, Carrie.

With Sheba as a puppy. (Aww, he was so cute!)

She enjoys being old enough to help with baby Judah! And she has one up on Carrie, since she is allowed to walk around with him, and Carrie isn't. That makes her feel pretty important. :)

Happy Birthday!!!

November 29th

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Culture Shock

I guess I never really told you the rest of the story, did I?? I sort of left you hanging in the NYC airport, wondering if my plane crashed or was hijacked or something of the sort. I can tell you all were so worried about me. *snort* Actually, I did make it to Maine....and to Nova Scotia...and here are some pictures to prove it.

My Grandparents and I drove to St. John New Brunswick on the 18th. The only words I could utter were "tree" and "mountain." Oh how I missed thee.

Yes folks, Maine is beautiful.

We spent that night in a hotel, so we could catch the ferry at 8 the next morning. This was our view as we were leaving the hotel.

I'll admit, Canada is pretty beautiful, too.

This was my first time riding on the ferry. I loved it. I love water, I love boats, I love ocean, I love the coast. I loved it.

This is the front of the boat. They raise it so that the cars and trucks can drive into the bottom of the boat. There were several semi's on board that day.

St. John, New Brunswick

Don't let that calm-looking water deceive you.

Once we got farther out in the bay, she was rough. Not gonna lie. We basically couldn't even walk around without looking like we were drunk. (Very hysterical, I might add!) A lot of people were sick that said they don't normally get sick on that trip. So...we took a nap. The waves just rocked me right to sleep, I couldn't help it!

It still was pretty, though!

And then we were in Nova Scotia, just about 10 minutes from my house. My family was there to greet us. We got Tim Hortons on the way home. And all was well.

There was some stuff that felt weird, though. I thought that growing up in the North, I'd never feel out of place, but living in the city for 6 months and then coming back to hickville the country was a bit of a shock. For instance, I went outside after sundown, and it was so dark. So, so dark. Haven't these people ever heard of streetlights? And where did all the buildings go? It felt weird, I tell ya. It was nice, though, to lay in bed that night and not hear anything. No train, no Amtrak, no highspeed chases on I-95, no planes practically landing on top of me. Peace and quiet. This I like.

My family had some adjustments, too. The first day I was home, my dad cooked hamburgers on the grill, and forgot to make one for me. Um, thanks dad. Nice to see you, too. And then of course, baby Judah came just a couple days later, so we all forgot about adjusting and focused on breathing and eating and sleeping in all the right places and all the right orders. But its been good. I finally found my bedroom floor again. (Oh, that's what the carpet looks like???) I've spent time with good friends (drinking Tim's, of course.) (Maybe I should buy stock in that place)

Again, I thank you folks for your prayers. Hopefully things will get back to normal here on the ol' blog, as well. I have a whole host of angels Christmas goodies for you in the next few weeks. Don't go away! We'll be back right after these messages!

(I think that was the wrong line....oh well. You get my drift.)

Baby Judah

Here are the promised details about the birth of Judah. I promised them "soon".....a week later is soon, right?

Its hard to believe that he is already a week old! My parents were up at 3:01 this morning to celebrate his one-week birthday....not exactly because they wanted to be, but they were up, nonetheless!

Here is the story (from my perspective):

At about 1:30 last Monday morning my dad woke me up, saying, "I'm taking mom to the hospital." I barely comprehended his presence in the room (lets just say I'm kind of a hard one to wake up) so I just "mhhm"ed and rolled over. By the time he got back downstairs, though, his words penetrated the fog....I sat up quick and realized, "He's taking mom to the hospital!"

For those who may not know, I have to explain that this was a first for us. All my other siblings were born at home, with a midwife, so we had never experienced this "going-to-the-hospital" thing. Even my mom said she had a hard time knowing if she should go in or when she should go in, because she just was used to staying home and when he came, he came. So it was kind of a weird feeling to be helping them pack up and leave, instead of playing Scattergories with my grandparents and cousin Crysten. (Yes, that is what we usually did while we waited!)

So back to the story....after they left, I debated whether I should go back to bed or stay up, but I finally decided to go back to bed, because I knew 1) they had a 45 minute-plus drive to the hospital (they made it in 30, but thats beside the point) and 2) even once they got there, it would be a while before things started happening, so why not get at least a couple more hours of sleep, then see what was going on?

Boy, were we all tricked this time! At 3:15 my dad called. I didn't even hear the phone, but my Grammie, who had a phone in the room she was sleeping in, answered it. She didn't even know they had gone to the hospital, which makes this next part all the more humorous. As she answered the phone, she was thinking, "Why am I answering their phone? Where is everyone?" She answered, and dad said, "You're a grandmother!" (for the 14th time, btw)

In the process of trying to answer the phone, she had somehow put it on speakerphone (apparently she has the same fog problem I do at that hour of the morning) and so the sound of my dad over the phone woke me up. I woke up in time to hear him say, It's a boy! Believe you me, it wasn't long before the whole house was up!

It turns out that mom was only in the delivery room 20 minutes before the big boy was born. His name is Judah Scott, he was 8lbs 5oz and 22 inches long. He has had a beautiful, pink complexion right from the beginning, and seems to be a very healthy boy! He does have a little trouble with stomach cramps in the night, and still needs to get his days and nights straight, but overall he is a good little boy.

Coming home!

He is so cuddly, which is nice, because with the health problems Carrie had as a baby, we never could cuddle her. I could just hold him and watch him all day long! Unfortunately, I have to share. Bummer.

He is so precious, and we are so thankful for his safe (and early!) arrival.

Coffee Chat: Thankfulness

It’s been quite the week for the two of us. Nicole made it back to Nova Scotia with just a day or two to spare before her little brother, Judah Scott, arrived on Monday. Holly leaves for Ohio this afternoon to spend time with family for the weekend. Meanwhile, we’d love to share with you a few things that we’re thankful for this year. Please add yours in the comments!

Nicole: Well, its that time of year again....Thanksgiving.

Holly: Yay! One of my favorite times of the year!

Nicole: I think that you and I both have a lot to be thankful for this year.

Holly: Oh yes, more than we can probably count, for sure! What's your number one thing this year? If you can pick one.

Nicole: Well, if you had asked me two days ago, I would have said the way the Lord worked to lead me to my time in Florida, and how he provided for me there. But now, I'd certainly have to say I'm most thankful for the safe arrival of Judah!

Holly: Absolutely! I don't blame you a bit for that choice! He's a cutie.

Nicole: Of course he is! He looks like me.

Holly: Haha!

Nicole: What are you most thankful for this year?

Holly: That would have to be a tie for me: our new house and our puppy, Jackson. They are two things that I have dreamed about for over a year and I almost have to pinch myself to make sure it's real that I have them both. It just shows again that God does exceeding above all we can ask or think.

After that, I'd have to say that Andrew is next {even though he's at the top of my list all the time}. Those were just the two things that happened this year that I'm thankful for.

Nicole: Yes, absolutely. Other things near the top of my list would be all my church families...in Nova Scotia, Maine, North Carolina, and now Florida. I am like, quadrupally blessed by them! My church here in Nova Scotia especially stood behind me 100% while I was in Florida, and that was a particular blessing to me.

Holly: It definitely helps to have supportive people behind you. My friends have blessed me over and over this year. Whether it's lending a listening ear or laughing hysterically about something crazy, I know they're always there for me.

Nicole: sniff, sniff

Holly: I have great friends from college, as well as some wonderful friends that I've made since college and it's so neat to see God provide just the right people at the right time.

Nicole: God gives us what we need, right when we need it, doesn't he?

Holly: Amen. This sounds so cliché, but I'm thankful for good health as well.

Nicole: Oh yes. Especially when you think of all those affected by cancer....how lucky we are to be unaffected by that in our personal health.

Holly: That's so right.

Nicole: It’s amazing, when you stop and think about it, that it takes a national holiday to remember to thank the Lord for what He has done for use. What a rebuke.

Holly: I know. I read Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts this year, and it's really challenged me to look for things to be thankful for every single day.

Nicole: I started a "One Thousand Gifts" list this year, even though I haven't read the book yet. I strongly recommend a list like that for everyone!

Holly: Me too! It really helps you get perspective when you have to say, "Thank you, Lord" for something that seems hard. Like saying, thank you for this house when the roof is leaking, you know?

Nicole: Yes, I know exactly what you mean. I try and make it a point to put even the "bad" things on my thankful list, because if I learned something from it, I am thankful for it.

Holly: Right. And even if I don't always remember to be thankful, or I find complaints slipping out, at least I have something to remind me to look for the good things.

Nicole: Yes.

Holly: So, on that note, here's a hard one: what is something "bad" that's happened this year that you've given thanks for?

Nicole: Well, one thing I can think of at the moment was the minor car accident I was in. Certainly not something I wanted to take place, but because of it, I had to drive a big van, and overall that made me an even better driver. How about you?

Holly: I'd have to say unanswered prayer, or maybe even God saying "wait". It's definitely not what I want at times, but looking back I can see where He's leading even when I think he's silent.

Nicole: Yes, it’s hard to trust when we can't see the outcome, but when we look back, its clear that He knows best!

Well folks, we want to wish you all a great Thanksgiving!

Holly: Yes, and to say how much we are so very thankful for all of YOU!

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving full of food, family, friends, and football!

MSG and Tuna Casserole

I'm going to make my disclaimer right now: if you are here looking for a healthy recipe, you can just close this window and go on with your day. This recipe is about the farthest from healthy as you can possibly get. Don't get me wrong, I certainly think that it is far better to eat healthy, nourishing foods, and I try to do that 99% of the time. But the other 1%....I make this casserole. A good friend in Nova Scotia introduced it to me, and its become a comfort food. And you don't mess with comfort foods. Although if you did want to mess with this, you could probably make a healthy version of it pretty easily. So if you want a terribly-bad-for-you casserole that you can turn into something good for you, press 1. If you want a new comfort food, press 2. If you want me to get to the point, press 3.

Start by preparing a box of Kraft Dinner according to the directions on the box. Aka, boil water, add noodles, and cook until tender.

Add the other ingredients listed on the box: milk and that cheese packet that comes with it. That cheese packet is some kind of miracle in and of itself. What other cheese do you know of that doesn't have to be refrigerated??? Yummy....

I usually leave out the butter that is normally called for, just because I don't think it is necessary for this recipe. Also add a can of tuna and a can of cream of MSG mushroom soup.

Stir it all together.

Pour that beautiful mixture in a pan, and sprinkle the top with cheese.

Add more cheese.

Add more cheese.

Add more cheese.

OH FOR PETES SAKE JUST DUMP THE WHOLE BAG ON!!!!

No, don't do that...I would never do that....

Ok, do it.

Cook at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Just until the bag of cheese is melted and the whole thing is heated through.

Enjoy that cheesy goodness!

This makes enough for about 4 people. You can easily make a bigger casserole just by doubling everything. For instance, if you are feeding 8 people, use two boxes of Kraft Dinner, two cans of tuna, and two cans of cream of mushroom soup. If you are feeding 12 people, use 3 boxes of kraft dinner, 3 cans of tuna, and 3 cans of cream of mushroom soup. If you are feeding 16 people....

I think you get the point.

And don't forget the cheese.

Let me know if you try it, and if you make a healthier version!

A peek at what I've been doing today (since about 1:30 am)

Details to come! Happy Monday! (It is still Monday, right??)

The Starbucks Songs

Here is a little humor for your Monday! I {heart} the first song, and then when I found the second one on Youtube, it made it all the more funny! You must watch the first one first, or you won't get the second one. Enjoy!

Hanging Out At JFK

Well hey there peeps! I'm posting a little later than normal because I've been enroute this morning. Yes, this blog post is coming at you from New York City!

My first flight was nice and uneventful. My bags are heavy. But not over the weight limit!

I posted last time how much I love Jet Blue and how much I love to fly in general. This time, I was able to score a picture of my blue chips. Yes, they say they are made from blue potatoes, and all that color is natural, but I have my doubts......if I die, you'll know why.

Here is a picture of Carol and I at the airport. She helped me get through the check-in with my heavy luggage! So thankful for her! Oh, and Grammie: now you'll know what I look like so you can pick me up at the airport. Just in case you forgot.

I'm sitting here thinking, how weird would it be if I posted this and then someone came up to me and was like, "I just read your blog post!" Yeah, creepy. So if you are in the JFK airport right now, please come say hi, just be forwarned that I will probably be weirded out.


Oh, and before I go, I thought I'd share with you my absolutely brilliant packing tip from this trip:

I put a strip of duct tape around the pump of these bottles so they wouldn't "pump" in my suitcase en route! Even though I put them in a plastic bag, no sense in wasting a bunch of product. It seemed like it was going to work well! (There Mrs. Lockhart, now you should be able to pin that picture! :)


Farewell until later, everyone! If you'd like to keep me company for the next hour (I board at 12:35, so you have until then) leave me a comment! I could use a little help in the boredom department. Meanwhile, I'm going to sit and try not to think about food.

November 16th

Ode To The Flops

Oh flip flops, you've been wonderful. You've made these last 6 months complete.

Even when the weather is like this is November:

{today at 5:30 pm}

You've given me happy feet.


So long, my friend! That space between my toes will feel so empty now.
And because I have no more inspiration, I'll end this line with "cow."


Coming soon: "Welcome, Boots and Mittens!" A poem by Nicole.


(I'm being sarcastic, peeps...you knew that, right?)