CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS

From our family to yours, wishing you a blessed Christmas season and praying for your family to be safe and have a joyous New Year!

Bryan, Jeniece, Brittanie, Kyle and Brackston

Nature In Lights

I love that they don't forget the true meaning of Christmas

Tonight the kids and I had the pleasure of enjoying the amazing christmas lights display that is done every year by the Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area with one of my sweet friends from high school and her little girl. We had a blast!

These kids are too stinkin cute

There were some fabulous displays and some really funny ones too. There is basically one for everyone. They have santa surfing to santa playing basketball and the even entire display of The 12 days of Christmas. We had a blast singing that one as we drove through it. Towards the end we took a tour of Santa's Village where the kids got to have photos made with Santa himself. They seemed to really enjoy it!!!! We loved spending time our friends and getting in the Christmas spirit together.

Tree decorating by the elves


He shoots......He scores! You go Santa

God Bless our Troops serving this Christmas season

Empty Me

As this year ends and next year is quickly approaching, I look back and wonder what I could have done differently to be a better model of Christ's love for us. Wow, is that an overwhelming thought. I start everyday with the best of intentions but instead I let life get in the way of who my focus should be on. After thinking about what I could do to change, this song came to mind. Take a second and listen while reading the lyrics.



I absolutely love what this song says and represents! It's powerful and moving! I can't think of a better prayer for not only myself but for all those that I love as well. As we finish this holiday season and bring in the new year I pray that God does Empty Me of all my selfishness and fullish things in this life that takes me away from him. This is not only my prayer for myself but, for you as well. Have a blessed holiday season.

Dark Golden Brown

Ok ladies, I made the decision to bite the bullet and color it!! I hesitated for quite awhile today but, I finally did it. I am actually pretty pleased with it too. It isn't to much different than what it was but it looks a lot more even. The last color that I had put on it was grown way out so the bottom half had a red hint and the top half was my natural color (plus a little grey)! I still have one stubborn hair that decided it wasn't going to color so, that one shall stay grey I guess!

Anyway, I really am pretty pleased with the outcome and so I just wanted to share. My favorite thing about my new color is that it kind of reminds me of a smooth dark chocolate bar. Mmmmmmmm.....it makes me just want to go out and get one :-).

To color or not to color that is the question

Ok, I am about to admit something that you are all probably going to laugh at. I have been pondering on my hair for quite some time now. I have been coloring my hair for awhile, like probably 6 years or more. Well, I decided about 6 months ago that I was going to try to just let it grow out. I decided this so maybe we could save money and for several other reasons. I guess I should mention that I always color my own hair and do not have it professionally done because, well......I can't afford it.

Anyway, upon deciding to let my color grow out, I started noticing significant grey hairs arising. Well, my hubby has been acquiring some grey of his own and it looks very sexy on him. He has hints of grey in his hair but, you notice it most in his goatee. I love it so, I decided to embrace my grey and just stick with my decision to grow it out. Now I am second guessing my decision. I have seen several ladies that have let their hair grow and let their greys shine and they look quite a bit older than they did. One lady in particular made me decide I might need to rethink this whole thing. I really don't need to look or feel any older than I already am. I am not scared of getting older, nor do I mind the idea however, there is no reason to rush the inevitable.

Why is it that men turning grey makes them looked distinguished but, women turning grey just make them look old? I am still trying to decide what to do. I did go buy a box of color today and I am seriously thinking about just taking the plunge and coloring it again. Why are decisions in life so hard? Seriously, it is really sad for me to admit that I am contemplating this for so long. I need to just bite the bullet and go. I will keep you guys updated and let you know. Hopefully I make the right decision.

Just too cute to leave out

Some how, I left out that sweet picture of PaPa Wayne and Brackston. I am not sure how that happened but, it did. PaPa Wayne has been an important part of Brackston's life! Wayne has been dating my sweet Mother-in-law since before I have been in the family so, he is Brackston's PaPa Wayne!!! We love you Wayne and thanks for loving our boy!

Hunting Washburn Style

So, today was Washburn family day at the farm. Bryan wanted to go hunting and he has been kind enough this season to ask me to go a couple of times with him. I have to admit, I really enjoy going! I think the reason that I enjoy going is because, there is very little noise and it is incredibly peaceful out there and because I am in trapped in a little box with my husband and he can not get out until the hunt is over hee, hee, hee!! I guess it is kind of selfish reasoning now that I think about it. It's not very often that we get time together to just sit there with nothing else to do but stare out a window and enjoy the wonderful nature that God had provided. Well, today we decided to bring Brackston to the stand with us for a couple of hours. That was a crazy decision!!! Bryan is really trying hard to train him to be his hunting buddy but, it is a little difficult for a 5 year old who is a little hyper to be quiet and still!

This baby is very intently looking for deer, shhh......

After spending time (45 minutes to be exact) in the stand with Mommy and Daddy, PaPa Wayne came and rescued Brackston and together they went searching for the BIG buck. Brackston loves his PaPa Wayne!!! Once Brackston was out of the stand, Bryan and I were serious now!!! My hubby was determined that today was the day.....of course I was determined to get some good pictures hee, hee, hee! Love you babe'!

Well, unfortunately we did not even get to take a shot at a deer but, there is always the next hunt! I really do enjoy going to the stand with Bryan and spending some quality time together! He sits there and intently looks through his binoculars looking for the perfect buck and I just sit there intently looking at the perfect gift given to me from God, my hubby! I love my man!!!

Well, we went back to the house and took one last picture before heading home. Brackston loves hanging out at the farm with his Grandma! We love you Mom, thanks for letting us hunt.


After our trip home, Brackston decided his day was over and that he had worked really hard at training to be the cutest hunting buddy ever! I don't believe I have ever seen a cuter picture representing a hard day's work at the farm!

Thought of the Day

Faith is not believing that God can...It is knowing that he will!!




God is amazing and in times like these we have to believe that God can and will take care of those that believe.

A Big Thankyou!

I owe a HUGE thank you to one of my closest friends, Heather for helping me bring a new look to Bountiful Blessings! Thank you so much honey, I love ya :-)

California Sunshine

On Thursday December 4th, I received just the best Christmas present ever! My only brother and only nephew came to visit! Oh how I love these two guys!



For those of you that don't know, my brother and his family live in northern California so we don't see them as often as I would like but, it sure does warm my heart to see them. Unfortunately, this time around I didn't get to see my sweet sister-in-law. That was kind of sad for me because I love her dearly and I have only gotten to spend time with her four times since she and my brother got together like 9 1/2 yrs. ago. I am hoping that she will make the next visit! We did a whole lot of nothing while they were here which was FABULOUS!! Last time they were here there were tons of things on the agenda and we were running crazy with no spare time to just sit and laugh so we made a point this time to just relax! Austin has grown so much since I saw him last and is talking up a storm.



He says some of the cutest things. I just love when children start to talk and have their own little vocabulary! One of the funniest things he did while he was here was call Brackston by the wrong name. From the second he laid eyes on him, he called him "Nate" which was hysterical. The first time he said it, David (my brother) told Austin that isn't Nate this is Brackston, he is your cousin!



David told us that Nate is one of Austin's little friends that he plays with a lot at home that is about the same size as Brack. We would tell him "Austin, say Brackston" and he would say it and then turn around and call him Nate. This went on the whole time he was here, like when he would talk to Brackston he would say "football Nate" and "hi Nate". It was so stinkin funny. At first Brackston was like "hey, my name is not Nate it's Brackston" but as time progressed he just decided he didn't care what Austin called him. The funniest part of the story was that the last day they were here Brackston came home from school and Austin saw him, his face lit up and Brackston said "Austin, Nate is home" and Austin went running towards him and said "hi Nate" with a huge smile. It was adorable. He was very excited to see Nate!



Anyway, we thoroughly enjoyed our time and had some great family time. Hopefully time flies until we see them again!