'bama turkey day

Traveling to Alabama for Thanksgiving in pictures...

Mylin was like Maddie's own little baby...

Joel and Mylin Rachel and Hudson (I promise that was a real book, not just blank pages...)

Maddie, Cosi, and baby Mylin

Hudson, Maddie, and Mylin

Andre (10 months) with Mylin (sadly Andre was sick the first few days so had to keep them separated - this is how it worked!)

This gal couldn't get enough of her cousin :)

Thanks 'Bama Merkles for hosting us on this holiday weekend

We love you all and can't wait to see you at Christmas!

favorite christmas carols

I LOVE christmas music!
There's something about them that swells my heart with love and togetherness
Some years I can hardly wait until the day after thanksgiving when we can start listening to them! (this is Joel's rule...)

My favorite tunes to listen to this time of year are:
Carol of the Bells
Holy Night
12 days of Christmas (only by Straight no Chaser)
What Child is This
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

Joel's favorite Christmas tunes are:
Mele Kalikimaka
O Christmas Tree
Silent Night

What are your favorite Christmas carols and when do you start listening to them?!

the easiest muffins ever

i have been making these for the past three thanksgivings
a friend of mine, kim, made them again this year and i realized i could make them with a whole new twist!

1 15oz can pumpkin
1 box of ANY cake mix you desire! (my failsafe is yellow, but i've also used devil's food cake, french vanilla, chocolate fudge, and spice)

mix both until well blended and bake at 350 in muffin tins for 25-30 minutes

vary these recipes with chips or spices of your choice!
my favorites are cinnamon chips in the yellow, french vanilla, or spice, or chocolate chips in the devil's food or chocolate fudge

report back with any new combinations or favorite flavors of your own!

a thanksgiving preview

We ventured to Alabama for Thanksgiving this year!

My brother Adam, his wife, Jill, and their four kids, Maddie, Hudson, Cosi, and Andre, moved here in April

We knew that if we were so far away from our families during the holidays, we'd want some company, so we decided to take Mylin on her first big vacation to visit some of our favorite people!

This is just a preview of the fun we are having :)

Our trip started Tuesday evening and we stopped halfway in Nashville at Opryland to spend about 7 hours in this gorgeous condo, compliments of my parents!

Our amazingly comfortable bed (and my camera flash in the mirror...)

I call this one: 'little girl in a big bed'

And a bonus adorable picture of little miss in the morning!

More to come soon!

blogging ideas

friends!

i need some future post ideas - i have been feeling tired and drained from the new mom/end of semester/holiday craze time of year...and am in need of inspiration!

what blogging topics would you like to see/read?!

(p.s. look forward to some upcoming guest bloggers from my siblings this holiday season!)