Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the Younts!





And the Bakers...


Thankful for our wonderful families and to be able to see them all during Christmas! Hope it's been Merry and Bright for you all!

Christmas Cards

I have thoroughly enjoyed receiving Christmas cards this year. They are just always so fun, cute and creative. Each year they get better and better. I however did not feel the need to send any out this year. A lot of it has to do with our situation and being overly sensitive. I felt like sending out another picture of just the 2 of us gets a little old after 7 years of receiving them. Even though I love sending them, I had no desire to have one this year. Maybe its the fact I would prefer not to remember this extremely difficult year and reflect back on how yucky I looked and felt. My face is about 3 times the size it should be and who would want to see that? I sure don't. So I just chose not to send any.
After I made that decision I received an email from someone who had the same exact feelings and has been in my shoes before. She said that cards were her most favorite part of Christmas and that she knew how I was feeling. She also said that she didn't want people to feel sorry for them or get tired of it.  She said her husband, her and dogs are the family that God had blessed them with and that she was thankful for that, but most of all that it does still count!
That email spoke volumes to me. Marc and I are a family, we do matter, even our dog matters. God blessed me with him and sometimes I do forget that.

I still didn't make a card this year, but next year I will regardless.
But here are some from the past...

2008

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

JOYN

I think I have mentioned JOYN on here before, but this year we got some new stockings that I just absolutely love. If you live in Fayetteville and have been to the Mama Carmans coffee shop or to the Mustache store in the square you have seen some of these products! They truly are awesome. Marc used to work with the people that started this company in India. They have gotten to employ several people that may not have ever had jobs which I think is so cool and makes me want to buy lots and lots of their products!
Plus my new favorite pattern is chevron and lots of their items have that pattern on them... so whats not to love?

here are our new stockings!

 Cute clutch to take with me to all the Razorback games!

You can check out their website or just buy something from them!
http://joynindia.com/ or find them on facebook.

Best Gift Ever

We had to do Christmas a little early with Marc's mom since we travel quite a bit throughout the Holidays. We also have just about had something every single night for the past month.
They cooked us a delicious meal, including a big, fat, juicy steak paired with a sweet potato. Marc's step-dad may be the best cook I know and it is always a treat when he cooks for us.

So for Christmas, his mother (whom I'm a huge fan of and love her sense of humor) gave me this!

 

Yep you read that right. A Happy Light and a nice bottle of wine. 

Who needs therapy after that combo :) I mean it has to be cheaper...right?

I loved it. The happy light is supposed to help with your vitamin D level along with seasonal depression. Don't think I haven't been using it... I love it. It is a very natural way to help promote endorphins verses drugs.
I don't really know if it works, but I did see it in the Brookstone store his past weekend, so I  know other people must be buying it!

The other day I felt like I was about to have a panic attack. It was cold, dark and rainy outside and I was home alone and Marc was out of town and Louie was on vacation with his grandparents. I don't do so well by myself these days, so I went home and immediately turned the happy light on and turned he tv on to get my mind off things. When I turned the light on, I prayed God's light would fill me instead of satans darkness. Writing that out sounds way cheesy, but I didn't want the light to become my go to "fix." So maybe the Happy Light paired with prayer really works! I felt much better after that and was able to calm down.

Anyways, I thought it was too hilarious and interesting not to share. Hey you've got to do whatever it takes to stay sane, so whether it is all mental or not, I'm still a big fan!

Family getaway

For the past several years, my fam and I have gone to Branson for as long as I can remember.
This time we stayed at big cedar which was absolutely wonderful and such a treat! Marc was gone off hunting with his dad and brother so we just went and had fun without him.
We went to a delicious restaurant called "Level 2" steakhouse. I had the best filet and greatest dessert ever.
We were actually all done shopping so we thankfully didn't have a ton of that to do! All in all we had a great, relaxing weekend. So thankful for them!

cuties!

ooh I think he found a letter from Santa!

this was an amazing gingerbrad house that took over 250hrs to bake and make!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I'm so grateful to be completely finished with shopping and wrapping gifts. Such a relief. I'm usually just starting.

Much Better

So I wanted to give you all a quick update. I know my last few posts that were on infertility weren't too uplifting or exciting, but they were honest. I also did not want y'all to worry about me since they were so down.  Emotions were crazier than I had ever felt  in my whole life.
All in all I'm doing much better. Sometime in the past 2 weeks I just woke up one day and felt way better! It was crazy. It was like I woke up and the dark, grey cloud had finally left me. I felt my first glimpse of happiness that I had felt in months. It was so odd and really surprising and I really was unsure if it would stay. Now that I'm 2 weeks in, I still feel great. I think those silly, evil meds took awhile to get out of my system and I didn't even realize what was going on. I had no idea how much they were truly affecting my mind, attitude, and relational skills.
This still doesn't change my situation or change me still being sad about the failed ivf, I just feel like a normal, functioning human being again and that feels awesome! I thankfully don't feel mad at the world, mad at Christmas commercials. Now the elf on the shelf thing is wearing me out and most Christmas songs, but other than that the season hasn't bothered me near as much as I thought it would have.
I'm very thankful God has given some peace to get through Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I definitely still have my moments of jealousy, bitterness, and hopelessness, but thankfully they aren't as intense.

 We still are unsure of when the FET {frozen embryo cycle} will be and it has been great not thinking about it or trying to plan it all out. That definitely has taken pressure off and is giving me a nice break.

Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” 

I have to remind myself that He is with me and hears me even though sometimes I doubt Him.
Thank you all again for your prayers and encouragement. 

Oh how I love engagements

So one of my longest, closest, dearest friends got engaged this past Friday night. I could not be more thrilled. She means so much to me and is/has always been there for me. She often knows what I need more than I do ;). We like to call ourselves "SM's" which means soulmates. We have somehow developed our own language over the years. And when I say over the years, I mean we went to pre-K together all the way through college... that my friends is a long time to know someone. We were close in high school, but in college we became super close.
Rachael is one of the most thoughtful and most caring person I have ever known. She would literally do anything for you. Because she is such a good friend to so many, she has been a bridesmaid about 15 times..no exaggeration on  that number. So needless to say, it is most definitely her turn! I think I felt maybe just as giddy if not more as she did! I also had the privilege of going with her fiance to help pick out the ring. That was a first for me and it was so exciting. It was also very difficult to have to consistently lie to her about not knowing anything!

I can't wait to help start planning a wedding. I told her I've needed a project and to watch out...:) I may become a bridesmaidzilla. We had a fun engagement party for them on Sunday night. It was so last minute I was shocked how many people were able to come out for it. I know it meant a lot for them.

 As soon as he bought the ring I ordered this awesome platter so that I could have it ready to go for an engagement present! It may have been the first time I've ever been prepared with something personalized!

 the platter came from Amy Hannon over at Sincerely Yours. Her etsy shop is amazing and she does awesome note cards and wedding invites as well!



Happy Engagement weekend Ra!

My Special Tree

I did a post on this last year, but I still love it so much and since it's my only tree this year, I decided to post about it again!

This special tree is one of my most prized possessions that I have in my house. It is definitely my favorite Christmas decoration that I have. My grandfather hand made this many, many years ago. It is made from my grandmothers jewelry. Lots of her jewelry came from overseas. He was in the navy for years and when he would return home he would bring my grandmother lots of jewelry back. Each piece is so unique and vintage made from bracelets, broaches, and necklaces. This is one of the only things I have left from them. My grandfather passed away when I was 3 and my grandmother passed away when I was in 3rd grade. I was very close to them as was my father. The awesome thing is he made 2, so my parents have one as well. I'm so thankful to have this special heirloom so we can think about them during the Holiday season.

Christmas Decor...Kind of.

So I caved and decided to just put up a few decorations. Although, I still said NO to a tree. There were several reasons for that. The main one being that we were going to be gone so much before, during and after Christmas. Really not worth it for just me and Marc. The weird thing is that I really haven't missed it and I know I won't miss putting it away...Ha!

So here is what I put out. This doesn't even scratch the surface of my Christmas decor.


























Yes you are seeing this correctly... Marc wraps all of our presents. I am by far the worst gift wrapper ever created. He prefers me not to, its really that bad.Sorry Ladies, he's taken.

I have basically finished all of our Christmas shopping and by tonight all of our wrapping will be done. This may be a first for us. We usually don't start until the week of Christmas. I now feel broke as a joke with all the people we had to buy for. Since everyone's family expanded this year that means more gifts and spending way more $$! It has been super fun shopping for everyone though. I obviously had lots of time on my hands and needed a "project." Plus my love language is gifts. I love giving and receiving! ;)

Since I didn't put a tree up this year I will leave with my tree from last year.

 

and this is what my mantle usually looks like

Tis the Season.

White Trash

No not that kind... A recipe kind!
I'm sure that other people call this something else, but since I can remember my mom has called it 'white trash." She makes it every year for Christmas. I had to make a big batch of something for work and for a neighborhood party so I chose to make this. Mainly because its easy.




















It may be one of the easiest things ever to make!

Here is the recipe:
1 box of rice chex cereal
1 box of corn chex cereal
1 box of plain cheerios
1 jar of honey roasted peanuts
1 bag of pretzel sticks
1 bag of Christmas m&m's
1 24oz pkg of white almond bark
parchment paper

Place 3 cups of each of the cereals, 1/3 jar of peanuts (or more if you like it more nutty), 1 pkg of m&m's 1/2 pkg of pretzels (broken in 1/2), 1 1/2lbs of almond bark (melted slowly with lots of stirring) in a huge mixing bowl or large pot and mix together. When almond bark is melted, pour over mixture and stir quickly. After its all mixed, spread out on parchment paper and let dry completely. After its dry you can break it up and place in tins or baggies!

That makes 1 huge batch. I buy extra m&m's and almond bark to make extra batches. Everything else will make 3 batches total. To keep costs down, I bought the "off brand" of what I could.

If you have questions just let me know! Hope this gives you another option to take to some of your next holiday parties.