yea! for the underdog

it's always fun when those you are rooting for win...especially when they are the underdog!

jamie and i got in sunday night just in time to watch the oscar's on the dvr and were so excited to see 2 of our favorites win.



marion cotillard for la vie en rose...now we can't say we are avid edith piaf fans, but we always try to see the nominated films and performances (within reason). this film is quite heavy, but an amazing performance by both cotillard and the oscar winning makeup team for their transformation of cotillard from her adorable self to the french icon. even if you aren't exactly up on piaf's troubled life (we weren't), the performance is amazing and uncanny. she dove into this role headfirst, shaved her eyebrows and everything. if you've seen her in big fish or a good year then see la vie en rose, you'll see what i mean.
julie christie was the favorite to win, which we do want to see her performance in away from her, but we couldn't help root for the underdog and lesser known cotillard here.

we were also pumped to see glen hansard and marketa irglova win for best song. quite a feat to beat out alan menken's 3 nominations for enchanted!

three.

three months today
we are completely and utterly in love

what joy you bring to us
your brothers adore you
your infectious laughter brightens our day
when your face erupts into that gummy smile
we remember there is nothing greater than
the LOVE
of a parent for his child

...and again we are in awe that He entrusted you to us.

lazy day

happy heart day

my funny valentine

mommy's newest valentine


don't those eyes just say, "be mine?"

SUPER FAT TUESDAY

Just a reminder to get out and

VOTE
today on Super Tuesday...

and in celebration of

FAT TUESDAY, which is also today, I'm off to Edgar's
to indulge in
some pastries for breakfast
with a few friends
;)

prayers of the (little) people

we have a bedtime routine here where we read the bible together, sing some hymns and then share prayer requests. up until recently, the older boys have just shared who or what they would like to pray for ("help uncle michael to feel better", "help ewwie's house to sell", etc.) and then let me or Jamie say the prayer. they had not really shown much interest in actually saying the prayer themselves. we've encouraged it, but wanted them to feel the need to do so on their own. well tonight grayson offered this prayer up to the Lord. it's so sweet to hear his little voice praying these things so earnestly albeit stream of consciousness.

"Thank you, Fodder. Pweez pwotect God. We have harmonicas here. It's so womantic."

don't ask...i have no idea.
;)



*note: by the way, we haven't recently adopted two more children :) those are our buddies O and JD over for the evening.

food for thought

as the Alabama primary approaches on Feb 5th, i really appreciated this post by a friend of ours on how those who are in Christ should challenge their thinking on certain issues in the upcoming election. it's very eloquently and fairly written and it put into words some of the things I haven't been able to reconcile in my head. take a look...

looth tooth

this big guy, the master of the silly face, has lost THREE teeth! what a milestone we have reached. i can't believe i have a child old enough to start losing his baby teeth! he's so excited about being able to whistle now ;) here are a few shots we took outside in what i call his "john krasinski look" (see gap ads).

just playin'.

just a few shots of mr. brown eyes i took the other day while big brother was at school...

isn't he a ham ?
;)

For my frugal friends

For all my friends who love a bargain and to complement my friend Amanda's blog who is always posting her found deals, I want to share the wonder that is CVS. Where have I been? I've had an Extra Care Card for years and have never paid attn. to it other than knowing it allowed me to get the advertised sale price on items.

Well, I recently learned the system....and now I'm on my way to never paying for toiletries!

Basically, if you don't have an Extra Care Card, go by CVS and sign up and get one on the spot. You are then in their computer system. Each time you shop, give them your card to swipe. It records your purchases and for starters, you get 2% cash back on annual purchases as well as the advertised in-store specials. You also get 1 Extra Care Buck placed in your account for every 2 prescriptions you get at CVS.

This great system requires that you spend a little more up front (I spent $43 tonight), but after that you will be well on your way to paying nothing for toiletries, etc.

Here's how to do it...get the CVS flyer in the paper or one in the store. Find the items w/ the red Extra Circle stating how many Extra Care Bucks you receive if you purchase that item. Make your list of items you need that will give Extra Bucks back.

For example, tonight I purchased Cottonelle toilet tissue, Colgate toothpaste, Nature's Valley granola bars, Palmolive Dish soap, Lysol wipes, etc. all because for each of these items purchased, CVS gave me at least $1 back in my account. Most of them earned me $2 per item back in my account, though!

So, after purchasing just 8 items in the store, I have $12 in my account that is like cash!
After you purchase the items, your extra care bucks print out on your receipt (or you can print them out at home 2 days later). You can then bring those printed bucks back to buy items that are offering Extra Care Bucks and pay nothing for them while making more money in your account at the same time!!

Also, regular coupons will often print out w/ your receipt for items to use in store. Or once you sign up, you may get emails from CVS offering a printable coupon for $4 off a total purchase of $20 or more! So the savings just continue.
It's really so great, it makes you wonder when they are going to figure out what a steal it is and stop offering it!

Tonight, which was my first time to do this (so I was spending a little more up front) I still saved $8 additional dollars b/c I had $3 Extra Care Bucks from a previous purchase, a manufacturer's coupon for $1 off the Cottonelle, and a $4 coupon off a $20 purchase.

I know this is a little confusing, it takes a little time to get used to it, but after shopping once I got it. And, the best part is, it didn't take a bunch of extra time! My goal is to NOT give Walmart so much of our monthly budget. I LOATHE that place and and hope to be able to stay far, far away! Every time I come home from shopping there, I complain to Jamie of how I nearly lost my religion in the check out line or left the store completely out of the Spirit or had to go to 2 other stores to get things b/c THEY WERE OUT OF 10 THINGS ON MY LIST...AGAIN!!!

To further explain, if Colgate is on sale for 2.99 with your Extra Care Card at CVS and they give you 2.00 back in Extra Care bucks (it's like you paid 99 cents for the toothpaste) you can ALSO use a manufacturer's coupon that you clipped from the paper (or if one is not in the coupons this week in the paper, google for one and print it at home!) and use that. So, if you have a 50 cent coupon for Colgate, you are only paying 45 cents for toothpaste!

So to sum up...

• I circle the things in the flyer that we need (and not necessarily for this week, but down the road...it's a great way to stock the pantry/bathroom cabinet and not have to shop for things as often...or if you don't need it, give it to someone who does!) that give extra bucks back into my account AND ONLY PURCHASE THESE THINGS.

• I take my Extra Care Bucks (printed on my receipt from previous trips or from the computer) and any other coupons from CVS or clipped from the paper to save even more, and then I shop for things that are giving Extra Care Bucks back this week.

• I pay for the items with my printed Bucks and accumulate more bucks in my account... and maybe hand over only a couple of dollars in cash!

**Note...Extra Care Bucks do have an expiration date...so don't let them accumulate too long. I believe they expire about one month after they are issued/printed out at the register.

Happy Shopping/Saving!

good stuff

a couple of quick reviews...

ONCE
this little gem had been in the netflix queue for some time and i was delighted to finally find it in my mailbox the other day. i'd been hearing great reviews for it for a while. it's a very simply shot, but emotionally packed film about two musicians in Ireland who find each other and the relationship and music that comes from that...it is a very touching film and I haven't heard such refreshing music in a long time. we immediately went to emusic after watching the film to download the music. this film is bare bones and seems like you are there with them watching it unfold before you, which makes it touch your heart even more. go to the amazon link and listen to the song with the 2 of them in the music store and tell me your heart doesn't break. it won at Sundance and is nominated for a Grammy among other awards.
the music is just...wow! i can't do it justice in words, just rent it.

A Thousand Splendid Suns

this is the newest book by the author of the Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini. This man, who was born in Afghanistan, moved to America as a teen, and is now a doctor. He has written, I believe, 2 epic novels of our generation. I loved the Kite Runner. A book like that leaves quite an impact on you. But ATSS, unlike Kite Runner, is about women thus resonating with me even more. The gut wrenching part of reading his novels is knowing that millions of people live this life every day. Again, I am not much of a reviewer. I can't find words to do this piece of literature the merit it deserves. It opens my eyes to the plight of women around the world. Women who are the majority, women who are basically slaves and prisoners in their way of life, women who face war and death every day, women who love (no less) their families than I do, yet find love and joy in the midst of their circumstances. Certainly a lesson I need to daily remember in this cushy American life. I find that it is easy for me to block out what happens elsewhere across the ocean...I don't want to think about it...this tends to make me think of these women as faceless, who don't somehow feel the same that I feel. ..who don't have the same hopes and dreams that I have. They are different, I think. But they are not. If not for the grace of God, I could have been born an Afghan woman. I pray that God would continue to open my heart and call me to pray for them.
It truly, as my friend Angie says about the Kite Runner, makes me forever change the way I view immigrants.

I think to myself, if my family were starving, if I knew that there was a strong likelihood of my children being killed or taken prisoner to evil, would I not do everything in my power to flee that hell and take them to a place of freedom? If I knew that having my child born in the U.S. would offer it a life wholly different, wouldn't I go to great lengths to bring my child that life?

But, I ramble. This book is much more than what I can say here. I highly recommend reading it.

Joyeux Noel!

We had a wonderful Christmas here in the Parris household. I just can't believe how fast it flew by! It is my favorite time of year and i'm always a little sad when it's over and it's time to put all the decorations back in the attic. As 2007 comes to a close Jamie and I remember how blessed we are with such a great community of friends and family. The Lord has blessed us tremendously this year through so many precious people~especially as we welcomed the newest addition to our family! We have just been overwhelmed and humbled by all the love showered on us especially during this busy time of year!

We enjoyed lots of gatherings with friends both here and back home as well as extended family. Here are a few photos from the month.... our front door

i finally got around to planting paperwhites...my favorite holiday flower!

meade's first zoolight safari

all bundled up, he slept through the whole thing!

hometown girls

grayson "holding court"

nathan and jenny assemble the Bow and Mallow...this was probably my favorite gift the boys received. what a smart idea! the bow shoots mini marshmallows! so my boys can have battles all day in the backyard w/o me worrying about one of them impaling the other!

castle!

meade "opens" his stocking

sacked out

"i may be losing my hair, but i sure did gain a lot of sweet gifts!"

our family on Christmas Sunday

one month.

m:
you are one month old today. each day i love you more and more. often when i hold you and feel your little hand grasping my finger, the words of this song come to mind...





fragile finger sent to heal us
tender brow prepared for thorn
tiny heart whose blood will save us
unto us is born
unto us is born

welcome to our world


having a child just magnifies in a whole new way the sacrifice God made in giving His own Son up for me. my heart breaks for Mary and her sacrifice. she gazed upon her son with the same love with which I gaze upon mine. she kissed his eyelids. she held his hand. and to think that God loves him and me even more is simply amazing....greater Love there cannot be.

eight.

eight years ago at half past five
in the afternoon in my hometown, i married this man.
i could never merit how God chose a mate so perfectly suited for me. i see His love in so many tangible ways through the way Jamie loves me and our family.
we had a fun night out shopping for our boys and celebrating w/ good wine and good food at one of our favorite restaurants. and we got to take along this great little bundle of an anniversary present w/ us!

for more on why i love this guy, check out my previous posts ;)

to meade

when i look at you i can't imagine a more beautiful creature has ever been. and yet i felt this way at the birth of your brothers. there is just nothing like the birth of a child. after His Son, is there any greater gift on earth that God could have given me than to be your mother? i frequently am overcome with tears by how much i love you. before one has another child, it is normal to wonder, "is there room in my heart to love another like i love the children i already have?"
the answer is a resounding "YES!"

you are perfect in every way. every tiny little feature. i'm trying to just relish each second and yet i'm sad because each day passes so quickly and i can't make them stop. soon you will be 2 weeks old. where did these first weeks go? i am sure i'll soon be asking the same question about your first year. your daddy is just giddy. he can't get enough of you and is constantly coming up with ways to engage you so that you'll stay awake a little bit so we can see those deep, questioning blue eyes.

so far you are a very laid back little man. you only cry when you are hungry or having your diaper changed. you have made the funniest little noises and expressions and gestures. daddy and i could stare at you all day never needing to get up and do anything else and be perfectly content.

we are very excited about having a baby at the holidays. what a festive time of year to have a precious new life! we had a very relaxing stay in the hospital with you. one blessing of having a c section is that you get to stay an extra day or 2! we have been richly blessed that our stays at the hospital have been sweet and restful. that is something i don't take for granted. we got there at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday and didn't leave until noon on Saturday. it was like a vacation for mommy and daddy to just dote on you and focus on the newest member of our family. you had many sweet guests come by to meet you for the first time. you are so loved!

when we left the hospital, it was decorated w/ beautiful trees, wreaths and plants that were not there when we were admitted. we were ushered out to a brisk cold day with gorgeous autumn trees lining the exit from the hospital. your brothers were so excited to greet you when we arrived home, they both climbed into the car to peek at you before we had hardly put the car in park! they want to hold you all the time and we have loved seeing the family that God has given us all together in our house. your grandparents, a friend and your uncle were also here to give you a big greeting when we arrived home. we promptly placed you in front of the christmas tree to begin the paparazzi session! you've almost gotten to the point where you don't flinch at the sound of the shutter! by the time you arrived home, you had already had approximately 700 photos taken of your sweet face, hands and feet and that's just w/ mommy's camera! no one will be able to say that our 3rd child's birth and homecoming was not as documented as the 1st two ;)

we go back and frequently check on you in your bassinet and watch you sleeping. we marvel to each other, "there's a baby sleeping back there!" our hearts are overflowing with love for you and prayers are offered constantly in thanksgiving for this new life God has given us at this time when we celebrate the birth of our Savior and King.

i love you,
mommy

football players are tuff!

I met some friends for brunch this morning and when I got home I found these 2 tough guys in my back yard playing football with their dad. They are ready to show little brother #2 the ropes!

A Day at the "Punkin" Patch

This year we took the boys to a different pumpkin patch slightly closer to our house and the boys loved it! I think it may have come out ahead of the rest due to the cool hay maze it had! They jumped and bounced and wrestled w/ Daddy and didn't want to leave. I'll try to post punkin carving and halloween photos when I have more time.





and they're off!

with their finds

"bert" the pumpkin. the boys don't really watch sesame street anymore, but when s saw this pumpkin he thought it was shaped like bert's head. he was so excited about carving a face to look like him.

waiting for g to make his leap

the boys could've stayed in the hay maze all day!

this one is a little blown out b/c i forgot to tell jamie what setting i had the camera on. oops!

g riding "gravy train" the pony

s riding " trigger"