2010 Recap

2010 was a fun year!  Collier has grown and changed so very much.  It is amazing to me how much of a 'big boy' that he is becoming.  Here is our 2010 Year in Pictures.


The high points of 2010

• Collier's First Snow - January and February brought us snow.  Justin and I loved it and Collier wasn't quite so sure.  Thankfully Justin kept a good fire going to keep us all warm.
• Collier went from a few steps to running and climbing very fast.
• Collier turned ONE!  We celebrated at Compass Lake with family
• I completed the San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon - Justin and I enjoyed a fun trip with friends to San Diego
• We spent several summer weekends at Compass Lake and Lake Eufaula and even made one trip to Smith Lake.  Collier loves boats and especially driving!
• Collier had his 1st haircut - gracious his hair grows so fast.. since August, we've had 4 hair cuts
• We welcomed Hayden Elizabeth Korey to our family in August.
• I completed the Nashville Women's Half Marathon - Collier joined us on this trip and was great fun to spend the weekend in Nashville. 
• Collier experienced the Beach for the first time - loved the sand but the water was a little too cool in October.  We hope to go back this summer and see what he thinks of the ocean. 
• Christmas was great fun.  Collier LOVES all of the Christmas lights (just like his daddy) and would insist that they be turned on/plugged in.  Although he really didn't understand what Santa was all about he did enjoy saying oh, oh, oh when asked what Santa says.What a magical and fabulous year!

God has poured out His blessing upon us in 2010 and we turn to Him as we begin 2011.  I am thankful for my husband, he provides and cares for us and especially keeps me laughing and smiling always.  I pray that we will focus on God being at the center of our relationship and that we can grow even closer together in Christ in 2011.   I love to see and watch Collier grown and develop and constantly pray that he will have a heart for the Lord and want to serve Him all the days of his life.  My heart yearns to draw nearer and nearer to God this year, and that all that I do will be pleasing to Him.  That I will have a positive impact on His kingdom!  When I see our Savior face to face, I want to hear Him say 'well done, good and faithful servant'.

May your 2011 begin with the joy of the Lord in your heart!

Christmas

A few of my favorite things about this Christmas:
~Mom and I made sugar cookies before we went to the lake and then decorated once we were down there! I loved sitting and decorating the cookies and especially eating them. Yummy. ~Plus we made a happy birthday Jesus cake and sang happy birthday to Him. I can't believe we didn't take pictures while doing that, but I plan to do this every year. ~Playing the wii (thanks to Linz for letting us borrow), bowling tournament with the family! ~Christmas lunch - Justin's grandmother never stops and everything that she prepares is perfectly delicious. ~Making Mom and Justin unscramble letters to recieve their gifts...Mom got a laptop and I got Justin a new guitar. ~My boots, Justin got them for me and i LOVE them....Collier also go boots and he is so stink'n cute in them. He struts around and would make for the perfect cowboy (pictures to come). ~The fact that it took 3 cars to get all of our stuff to and from Birmingham. ~Collier climbing into his chair that Santa brought with a huge grin.  ~Watching Collier and Ashlyn play - they both love Ceadermont Kids and watched several video's. ~Of course all of the time with each of our families are special and near and dear to my heart.






Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests
--Luke 2:14

Comparison

I think that it is fun to compare from year to year.  Amazing at how different he looks, but the expression is basically the same....



2009



2010



Who is this man and why are you putting me in his lap?

Also, notice that in the 2010 picture Collier still doesn't have on shoes.  We went to Bass Pro Shops to see Santa this year, it was pouring rain and cold.  We were headed to Atlanta for the weekend so Collier was chill'n in his car seat - no need for shoes on a 2 hour trip right?  Well in middle of the pouring rain and trying to be sure I was covered, my camera was covered, carrying an umbrella and getting Collier out of the car I forgot to grab his shoes.  I realized as we were walking into the store that he didn't have any shoes no and I was NOT going back to the car!  Oh well.  So Collier ran all around Bass Pro Shops with no shoes! I don't think that I even owned a pair of shoes for him in 2009, babies don't need shoes, right?

Merry Merry

Our Christmas was so fun and I am way late in posting and sharing this.  I want to do a 2010 recap and will be working on that, so this is the short and sweet.  After a trip to  Compass Lake, Dothan back to Compass Lake, back to Dothan and now back in Birmingham it was amazing to have the time that we had with our families. We even had a night with sweet friends that was loads of fun.  It is always way to short and not enough time to truly visit as much as I would like but we do the best that we can.  The most important thing is remembering that Christ is the reason that we celebrate and that it isn't just Christmas but every single day we have purpose to rejoice in Him who came to save the world!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Hicks'

The Perfect Gift

There is so much that goes into this time of year. Decorating, parties, gifts, shopping, wrapping, baking, etc. The list goes on and on of all that we do! I love every minute of it. I live with a Christmas elf who shares the excitement and joys of this time of year. We love to have our Christmas tree lights on and our village (which is on the mantel this year) all lit up! There is a coziness about this time of year that just warms my soul. But I have been reminded several times this year that our greatest Gift is already given. He already came and it is the most important and treasured gift that we could ever receive AND give! So, I ask myself - what am I doing to be sure that this precious gift of Salvation, Eternal Life, Joy, Hope, Love, Grace and Peace is being tended to? Do I give Him the time that I am giving to all of the other doings of the season? Am I soaking up His word and drawing nearer to Him? Am I prepared at every moment to give this Gift to someone else who may not have it yet?

I hope that you will slow down and know that the most important gift that you can give or receive, you already have. All of the other things and stuff doesn't matter, it doesn't go any further than our hands. But Jesus does! He is preparing a place for me in heaven and I rejoice at the day that I can see Him face to face. Oh to be in His arms! He lives in your heart and loves you to the core! I hope that your focus will remain on Him in the midst of all of your doing!

Sending my love to you.... Enjoy your time with your families.

My twin gets married

So, I have always thought it would be so neat to be a twin.  I actually have several 'twin' close friends and think that it's so cool.  So, although I am not a twin I have a cousin who could be my twin.  Meet Jason, he is 9 months younger than me and he got married this weekend.  They live in South Carolina and so we have never really seen each other as much as we wish we could.  But every time that Jason and I get together we seem to pick up where we left off and always enjoy catching up.  He is a fun cousin and is dear to my heart.  This past summer he came to the lake and he kept talking about his girlfriend and how great she was...he was really goo-goo-gaga about her.  So, when I got news that they were engaged, I wasn't surprised one bit.  I hadn't ever met her but heard amazing things about her.  She lived up to every expectation that I had.  She is adorable and full of joy and spunk....and this is from just a very short amount of time with her. It was a beautiful wedding and I am just so very happy for Jason! 



Uncle Ken and Aunt Jeanie w/Just and Collier



I love weddings because it brings friend and family together.  I love family.  I love being with my family and especially since we don't get together as much as I wish we could....we are spread all over the place....plus the busyness of each family and it is just hard to pull us all together.  But I loved seeing my aunts, uncles and cousins!  I have to give a shout out to my biggest Blog Followers...Aunt Jeanie and Uncle Ken!  Whoop Whoop, you made the blog!  They are certainly blog worthy, love yall so much and thanks so much for wanting to keep up and stay involved with us, even if it is through the blog!  Love yall.



Jason and his beautiful bride, Mandy





Breakfast Saturday Morning



 

After the wedding we headed back to Atlanta to celebrate Christmas with Justin's brother and sister-in-law and Pam and Charles.  Eve (SIL) is due any day with their little girl so they can't be with us on Christmas.  It was fun to have time with them for the rest of the weekend.  We can't wait for that sweet little girl to get here.  This will be the first Hicks little girl baby in a very very long time....really for both sides of Justin's family there has been a very long line of boys.  Ryan and Eve are my shining hope that I can after all have a little girl, that is if God answers that prayer!

We are so enjoying this Christmas season.  I'll be back to share our visit with Santa soon.  Merry Christmas.

Lost and Found

Do you ever feel like you are loosing your mind?  I do!  I seem to keep loosing things and it makes me crazy, and I know that it makes Justin crazy.  Good thing that he loves me!  I get so mad at myself, why can't I just keep up with things and know exactly where they are and what I did with them last!  I have learned that if I have a 'place' for everything that I will return it to its 'place' and I will know where it is. But for those things that don't have a place...well good luck!  So, a few months ago we bought one of those coupon books here in Birmingham (for those of your not in Bham - it is a huge coupon book to restaurants, retail stores, activities, etc all over Birmingham)  Justin wanted to use one of the golf coupons and I couldn't quite find it at the time, well my searching turned into about 2 months. Justin was mad, I was mad, I prayed for God to show me where it was (so that I could be a good wife and not frustrate my sweet husband), asked Mom to search her house, all with no luck at all.   I decided I must have thrown it away.  Meanwhile.... 

After getting home from thanksgiving my house was a little crazy with unpacking plus pulling out Christmas and to say things were slightly in chaos would be an understatement.  But as I started putting things in their place I realized that I was missing one of Collier's shoes.  Oh, once I'm done putting everything away it will turn up, right?  No worries.  Well two weeks later, no such luck.  Back to my strategy...pray that God will show me where it is...and I mean I was ON MY KNEE's praying, ask mom to check her house, check my car, look under everything and every place it could possibly be.  I even pulled out the Christmas boxes thinking that in decorating it could have been put in one of the boxes....like a little man could have put it there without telling anyone.  All with no luck.  BUT at one point I checked under the couch and guess what I found......THE COUPON BOOK.  I was so excited and you have no idea how many times I have vacuumed and looked under the couch for that thing (and the shoe).  God must have placed it there, Justin and I just laughed and were both glad to have it!  So, Back to the shoes - the big problem is that these are Collier's only nicer pair of shoes and my cousin is getting married this weekend.  Collier will NOT be wearing tennis shoes to a wedding.  So, I had Justin search the house one final time and I went and bought another pair of shoes yesterday.

This morning, I was pulling some clothes out of collier's closet - trying to decide what he is going to wear to the wedding and being sure it is clean and ready... I pulled a jumper out of the closet and was looking it over and out of nowhere his shoe fell to the floor!  I couldn't believe it. I think that God must have a really good sense of humor and think right when I am on the verse of really committing myself to the crazy house that He would keep me where I am!  It was like the shoe fell from the sky...literally I have pulled everything out of that closet and checked and double checked in that closet and never once saw it!  Justin even said he looked in there yesterday.  Good news, I'll be returning the other shoes and we are all set for the wedding!

I wish that these were the only lost and found items...Another occurred with a Toys R Us coupon that I had and it mysterious ended up in my mom's car.. Strange!  I have no idea what my problem is.  On a very very serious note.  I do have to depend on God daily to provide me with wisdom and knowledge and a solid memory.  Especially when at work, I'll remember things and I just sit in amazement that I was able to remember this or that...I know it is God.  I am not the brightest cookie in the cookie jar but with God's help his light shines through me and makes me glow!  Praise be to Him. 

Pictures care of Christmas card attempt mishaps!!

Our Childless Weekend

Thursday afternoon Collier and I headed to Auburn to meet his Mella and Buzz.  I was worried about how I would do in passing him off for the weekend, he is very comfortable and familiar with them but he hasn't ever been to their house and I was sorry about them setting all of his stuff (pack n play, monitor, etc) all up alone.  I had these strong feeling of excitement because Justin and I would have an entire weekend of together time, yet also had feelings of oh I am going to miss him soo much!  Collier just loves his Mella and Buzz and once we saw them and he was wanting them to hold him, I was all better.  Didn't even shed a tear as they drove away! 

Thursday night we headed to dinner with my two favorite people, Lindsey and Hunter.  Friday morning we woke up bright and early and went to the Rick and Bubba show.  It was so much fun be in studio and see them live and in action.  We, of course, laughed a lot and hope to be able to go back again!   I loved that every guest and most conversations all circled back to Christ in some way or another.  What a huge testimony to hear these guys (and all of their guest) speak to how Christ is the difference in their life!  So very awesome. 

Friday night we got all snazzied up and went to The Veranda for my company Christmas party.  It was a very nice dinner with delicious food.  It is neat to see how ETG has changed over the years.  Even though I was gone for a short while within the past year, when I first started there were so few of us and this year we had more new faces than familiar faces.  Nice to work for a company who is hiring and growing - such a huge blessing in the economy!

Saturday, Justin and I slept in and were as lazy as we could possibly be.  It was perfect and just what we both hoped and wanted to do!  I got out and ran a few errands and starting to try and wrap a few Christmas gifts.  Saturday night we had a dirty Santa party with some friends.  There were 34 people participating and it was so much fun.  We laughed so hard my stomach hurt at times and it may have been the LONGEST every dirty Santa game.  I would rather not share when I ended up with....my best advice is that the 'prettiest' package isn't always the BEST gift it was more on the dirty side than I would like!  Justin walked away with some vodka!  It was so much fun and when we got home last night I thought how nice it was to not have any other responsibility other than myself.  But I have to admit that there were a few little boys at the party (both close to Collier's age) and seeing both of them really made me miss him  ALOT.  I'll be counting down until he gets home today.  Mom and Dad are actually picking him up in Dothan on their way home today and I just can't wait.  I have lots of house cleaning to do before he arrives so off to do that!  Hope that you had a fun and awesome weekend.....
We just realized that it is snowing here in Bham!!!  Wahoo.  Justin just built a fire and I'm going to fix some hot chocolate.  Perfect way to wrap up our childless weekend!

Cold

Brrr it is cold here and I love it.  I was up before the sun this morning running off the ice cream that I devoured last night.  It was 27 when I got up and I was major layered and loved every minute of it...not being up before the sun but running in the cold weather.  No sweat and didn't even get winded. 

We had our FIRST fire of the season last weekend and let me just tell you that my man is the best and most dedicated fire builder a fire-love'n wife could ask for.  He is serious about it and does it very very well...the fire that is!  Justin likes a roaring fire, no little slow burning fire for this man!  I don't complain because I don't do a single thing except stand in front of it until my back gets so hot that it starts itching and I have to move away to cool down but then park myself right back in front of it!  I finally found a stable and sturdy firescreen that Collier and Brinkley don't tip over as they walk by.  I found it at Target and I love it (thanks to all you facebook pep's who pointed me in the right direction) and most importantly it keeps Collier out.  Collier understands that it is HOT but, like his daddy, he likes to watch it! 

We went on Friday to pick out our Christmas tree.  It doesn't take Justin and me long to pick a tree - we want it full and plump!  The boy scouts put up a tree lot around the corner from our house.  We like to support them and when we pull up we have 2-3 boys rush to see how they can help us.  They pull out the tree's that we want to see, even twirl it around for me and fill us in on all that they can do for us...trim the bottom or top, drill a whole in the bottom, tie it to our car, etc.  Collier really took to one of the boys, who of course wasn't even helping us, and followed him around.  Even picked up a few sticks and gave to him.  The funniest part was that the little boy was  a little shy. He didn't really know what to do with a little shadow giving him sticks.  I of course was laughing and Justin was just shaking his head!  

My Christmas Elf is a firm believer that you must allow your free a few days to 'fall' before you put lights and decorations.  Therefore, we waited until last night to put on our lights.  My Christmas Elf also strictly enforces that color lights go inside and white on the outside of the house.  I have properly displayed my Christmas village on our fireplace mantel to make keep my Elf a happy Elf this year! 

Last weekend Mom and I got an awesome opportunity to attend the Deeper Still conference here in Birmingham.  We got to hear Kay Arthur, Priscilla Shirer and Beth Moore all speak and share/teach us though God's word!  Not to mention worship like I have never experienced before.  I am still wrapping my mind around all that we learned and I do hope to gather my thoughts (so that they make sense to someone else besides my crazy mind) and share with you.  One thing for sure Priscilla Shirer Rocks!  I have never heard of her before last weekend much less was aware of her ministry but let me just tell you, she knocked my socks off and has honestly put me on my  knee's!

 

This weekend we will be celebrating my Christmas Elf's birthday... and we're doing it childless.