Styles Family Update

It has been far too long. We are super busy most days and loving every minute of it. Since I last posted in July, our little family continues to be so blessed. Lauren has been in pre-k since August. She is learning more than I would have ever imagined and is growing into a beautiful young lady. Alyssa is 15 months old and crawling everywhere, getting into everything. She is not yet walking, but she gets around just fine in her own way. She is also "talking" a lot these days. I love those girls.

Thanksgiving came and went with such gust. We didn't really have much time to rest, as we were on the move most of the time. However, as a family, we are counting our blessings day in and day out. This year has been a challenging one for us, but God has sustained us through it all. Chris lost his job with the Huntsville City school system in May due to budget cuts. This economy has made finding a teaching job anything but easy. He has spent the last few months working for various friends. This is not exactly how he envisioned his year going, but as a family and couple, God continues teaching us patience, perseverance, and faith. We are growing stronger and believing in Jesus through all of our trials. He has never left us, and we are grateful for all that he does for us. His blessing have been immense!!

Christmas is just around the corner. Alyssa is at that stage of exploration and awe. She is fascinated with the beautiful lights, ornaments, and all this time of year has to offer. Last year was fun, but this year is shaping up to be a blast. I cannot wait to see the looks on my girls' faces as we continue enjoying the festivities and all that is in store throughout the season. Check back soon for additional updates. God bless and remember to always give thanks!


Did I mention I love to climb??

Thanksgiving and More

We attended the Bridge Street Christmas tree lighting on November 21st. It was a breath taking view and an unbelievably festive way to enter into the holiday season. The tree itself was enormous and so perfectly lit and decorated. The crowds of adoring onlookers helped to "make the season bright!" As the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra serenaded us with Christmas classics, it was impossible not to get that child-like feeling that is oh-so consuming. BUT, it was COLD!! As a matter of fact, it was the coldest day of the year to date. Lauren was bundled up in her fir rimmed leather coat, and I, being the big dummy I am, had every hair on her little head perfectly in place; with bow on top. "My, Oh My," 25 degrees with the wind blowing is not the time to worry about "cuteness"!! We, along with half of the 2000+ others made a quick run into the shop(s) to snatch up the last of the boggins and scarfs. Thankfully, Gymboree had the sweetest little matching set that was on sale. After waiting in line behind the other silly Mommies, I made my purchase, yanked off that Christmas bow, and bundled my child up; like I should have done before leaving the house. All-in-all, it was a great evening that will probably become a Styles family tradition.

Sunday was the Woosley family Thanksgiving get-together at our house. We had a delicious lunch of snack-type foods...being that not a one of us wanted to dive into the big Thanksgiving meal yet; you know..turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce....NO...enough of that was to come in the days ahead. Instead, we opted for deli sandwiches, stuffed mushrooms, cocktail shrimp, and other holiday/party favorites. It was tasty, and we had a wonderful time. The kids had so much fun and wore themselves out! In fact, Mom just informed me of a rather humorous event that I didn't even know happened....sorry Katie!!! :) Evidently, Emma (L's cousin) and Lauren got into our garden tub with their clothes on. As I've heard it, one of them turned the water on, soaking Little E. I can imagine that "someone" was L!!! She has a terrible habit of turning knobs, handles, or whatever else that produces water, lights and/or noise. I gave katie a shirt to change E into, but I thought she had just gotten sweaty; I had no idea what really happened. When you get an almost three year old, and a child just entering into the "infamous 2's" together, be sure to keep the fire dept., poison control, and 911 on speed dial. It might get dangerous!! :) They can make you want to pinch their heads off and laugh at the same time! Besides that, it was a great day and a fun way to start the holiday.

Thursday was the Grider (Mom's family) family Thanksgiving lunch. It was the usual wonderful day of eats, hanging out with the family/rednecks...just kidding guys.....remember, I am a Grider too....so I guess I am the biggest redneck of all!!! They are a great family and we have the best time of laughs, jokes, and most of all memories. I love you all! That afternoon, we made a quick run to Chris's Aunt Mary's house. We were too stuffed to eat again, but we visited for a while. The evening ended with the Havoc hockey game. We don't go to as many as we would like because of our hectic schedule. Lauren loves to go, so we figured that would be as good a time as any to fit it in. She did amazingly well and cheered on the team. Her "that's not nice" comments during the fights were funny too!! The teacher in me looks for everyday '"teachable" moments in the little things life has to offer! As I digress, the night ended very late for us; we crashed at the house around 11:00 or so, ending a very eventful and blessed day. We are truly THANKFUL and gracious to our Heavenly Father for his many blessings!

The Styles family Thanksgiving celebration was on Friday. We dined on those Thanksgiving favorites yet again...YES...we are officially "turkied and dressing'd" OUT!! Once again, it was a perfect time with the people we love and are so thankful to have in our lives. The night ended with a trip to town for a a large purchase of Chris's new toy (47" LCD LG Flat Panel TV) for our living room. Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday, Happy Easter, Happy 4th of July, Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday....get the picture!! :) Yes, we made the plunge. Chris has wanted this for several years now, and he has been extremely gracious in waiting. It definitely has great picture quality and is oh-so theateresque . I am praying that it will outlast the extended warranty. Let's have a moment of silence...hmmmmm....I feel better!!

My prayer is that you all experienced a truly blessed week. Happy Holidays!!
Brandi

Updates and Pictures

I hope to update and post some new pictures soon. We have a busy weekend lined up! On Friday, we are going to the Christmas tree lighting and festivities at Bridge Street. I can't wait!! Then, my immediate family is having a get-together at our house on Sunday for lunch. The menu sounds absolutely delicious. Needless to say, not a one of us will slim down in the days to come. Oh well, it is worth it!! And all of God's children will be frantically busy next week! I'll fill you in soon..I promise.

BTW, I have gotten a lot of hits...but few comments. Please show some love and leave your comments. It makes this "project" feel worth my time!!

Until next time. Brandi

Blah

Today was definitely one of those "blah" days. I realize that Fridays are supposed to be fun & carefree. Well, the last two Fridays at work have been my most hectic days all year. Just when I thought everything would slow down, ten more things came up. It is as if everything has to be done at once, and my feet and head can't seem to catch up with the demands. Oh well, I guess I'm just having a woe is me day. I'll get a good night sleep & be A-okay in the morning.

On a lighter note, tomorrow should be a fun-filled day. Thanksgiving breakfast is in the morning at church. I am always up for a home-cooked breakfast; especially when I am not the one cooking it. After that, we're driving to the Monaco to watch Madagascar 2. Lauren cannot stop talking about it. She absolutely fell in love with the first movie. We pull up the "You've Got to Move It, Move It" song on YouTube & she goes crazy. So, we are excited. I'll fill you in on how she does...we hope she makes it through the whole movie! Finally, our busy day is going to end with the Bama-LSU game. I don't know why, but this one is making me nervous. We shall see. Until next time, Roll Tide Roll! Have a great weekend.
Brandi