THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD

There has been so little time to post....We start our 70 plus tree tomorrow, but I see the end in sight....and I will be back to blogging...I
have missed my friends so much...BUT trust me, when I get home at night, there is not one BRAIN CELL left.

So tonight will just be some pictures of my very favorite people on this earth...This is the BABY that CHANGED our LIVES 10 years ago. There are no words to tell you how much I love this boy. Parker Benjamin Powell ...You are an amazing kid and I am so thankful that God gave you to our family.

And then there is JACK...totally different in personality, but equally loved and adored. Experience a little magic in his eyes.

Wonder what he is thinking?

JACK...INCOGNITO
Jack thinking.....probably about what he can get into next?

THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD you can see their heart!
Austin has a birthday party this weekend so hopefully I will have some new pictures of he and Grayson next week.

Be sure and stop by the Holiday Blog....new pictures coming soon. We have had a BIG week with lots of beautiful homes. I am going to announce some new giveaways for next week. I cannot believe that I am only one post away from my 100th POST! THE NEXT post will be full of PRIZES....

THANKS

An unusual post for me...No pictures, no stories, just a huge and sincere thanks for welcoming me into the blogging community this past year .

I have had a different kind of Thanksgiving. This is not a pity party, so not looking for comments consoling me..This is just the way it happened this year. I am ALL GOOD!. Normally, I work and decorate a home on Thanksgiving. This year it worked out to get that home done early, giving me a much needed day off. It is 5pm and I have not seen a person with the exception of Bella the dog. My husband helped out a friend and drove a sports team to Nashville.. My kids and grand kids are spending the day at the other side of their families. Remember I DO NOT cook, so it would not be smart or very tasty to come here. Parker is with his Dad. I slept until noon (much needed) and then (don't laugh) had a chicken salad sandwich from my favorite deli. I have worked on paper work and watched some football, had some great coffee,took another nap and now am going to put up another tree in MY house. I answered some long overdue emails, paid some bills, and basically have not said a word. After weeks of long hard days, making magic in other people's homes and knowing I have 2 more long weeks of the same if not more intense, the silence has not been that bad. I have read the paper and know that there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING I want or need bad enough to get up in the wee hours of the morning to stand in line for. NOTHING!!!! Those same things will be on sale again in the next few weeks and I have done most of my shopping throughout the year or online.

I had planned to write my Christmas letter today, but the words would not come, so I will do that another day.

One of the greatest additions to my life this past year has been blogging. I never dreamed I would love it so much, meet such interesting and kind people, nor find time to just "do it"! I am so thankful for all of my new friends. So on this Thanksgiving evening I AM THANKFUL!
Is everything right in my world? No
Do I have some situations that I wish were different? Yes
But I would guess that each of you would have those same answers. One thing that tree decorating always brings home to me...Trouble, sorrow and pain come to all. No matter how big and beautiful the house is on the outside, on the inside the same life problems reside.

Tomorrow I will be back to making magic, decking halls, and being TIRED, but very thankful that I can still work, have a very good job, and can bring smiles to many families. Can you believe I did an entire post without talking about my boys....Parker, Jack, Austin and Grayson...THAT'S a FIRST!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Teresa

You still have time to visit my HOLIDAY BLOG and a chance to win two giveaways....really good ones....

How could I have possibly forgotten to say that I am SO THANKFUL that the VIKINGS are 9-1!
BRETT FARVE is making me SO PROUD! (and I will admit I have bragged a tad to those Brett haters)

A WEEK TO BE THANKFUL

Just happened to have a couple of new pictures of my youngest two grandsons...These are BOTH miracle boys...Jack spent 2 weeks plus in the NICU with spinal meningitis when he was 4 days old....and we almost lost him. As I write those words I cannot imagine life without him....and yes he
still takes a bottle occasionally. Who cares? He is beginning to say any and all words...and is a laugh a minute....another baby that changed everything...

This is my youngest grandson. He is five months old this week.

Grayson was a longed for and much wanted baby...who also had a rough start. He too spend two weeks in the NICU with some breathing problems....HE is totally fine today and he looks exactly like a picture I have of his Dad at just this age. He and his beautiful Mom came by the house I was decorating yesteday and it was such a nice BREAK in a long day! He smiles constantly....That may become his nickname.

My older two boys, Parker and Austin are having a slumber party tonight, one of their favorite things to do. I need to call Greg and get him to snap a picture of the two of them..They are BUSY BOYS and the camera is not something they care much about. All four of these little guys are my heart.
Thanksgiving week is a time for savoring our blessings, realizing our hope for the future and a time to give thanks! This week I want to do all three. In my business it is easy to think about the next tree, the next house, the long to do list! I am determined to stop each day and GIVE THANKS!

Be sure and stop by my CHRISTMAS BLOG. There are TWO GIVEAWAYS this week and you just MIGHT win one.

I said this on my other blog but wanted to say it here again. GO and SEE THE BLIND SIDE! It is Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw at their best...Jack and I slipped into the movie late Friday. A rare treat during tree season. WE are movie lovers and this was one of the BEST movies I have seen in several years. One of those movies that when the credits roll, no one gets up. A movie you think about! A movie that you think about again. A movie that makes you take stock of your own life. A movie that somehow makes you want to be a better person. A perfect movie for Thanksgiving week. Have a blessed week.

THANKS FOR LOVING MY GIRL

November and December are birthday months in our family. Because this next week is going to be crammed full of trees and travel, I am posting this a few days early! Thursday is Micah's 34th birthday. What a miracle our relationship is. Ten years ago I could not imagine life with him, especially married to my girl (remember he was Greg's best friend) and now I cannot imagine life without him. God really does have a plan! I am so thankful my plan failed. (that would be trying to convince Amanda that Micah was not the one for her and Parker)! Not only was he THE ONE, he has been more than I ever hoped or prayed for MY GIRL. Then he gave us the gift of Jack and his stock went WAY UP!!!! He is more than I ever hoped for in a step dad to Parker (I hate that term)....I think bonus Dad sounds better. Parker is so blessed to have so many good men in his life....and these days I don't think you can have too many!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to one of the BIGGEST and yet SWEETEST surprises of my life. You can read this post to read the history.

Just had to share this NEW picture of Grayson....How I love that smile. He is five months old and totally healthy. We are so thankful for that.

Don't forget to visit my Christmas blog! There is a FUN GIVEAWAY on it, plus last week the TREE schedule had some wild days...

THANKS FOR LOVING MY BOY

Happy Birthday Dana...You are the BEST!I think as parents we all want our kids to find that perfect person for them, to see them happily married and loving life. Personally, I would have enjoyed picking that person for both my kids...just being honest. Guess what? Greg never asked me to find that person. BUT HE DID FIND HER and she is ABSOLUTELY the person I would have chosen. I feel so blessed to call you my daughter-in-law. You are everything I would have ordered for MY BOY. You are one of the kindest people I know. I could make a list of a hundred things that you are and not one of them would be negative. You are an awesome Mom! You are beautiful! You are strong! You are caring! You are low maintenance if I have EVER seen it.
But MOST of all, you love MY BOY and that sure makes a Mom's Heart HAPPY.



In June, after a hard pregnancy and delivery, you made Greg happier than he has ever been. This picture captures Greg's feelings of being a DAD. (and look at that double chin...too cute and the outfit says CHICK MAGNET)