Happy Easter!

This was our first Easter in TN in a long time! The girls had fun and we did too. Bella was confused why the easter bunny comes in the back door and santa comes down the chimney. She was quite hillerious at her thought process. Everyone is well. Shops are super busy! Thank the Lord! Here are some pics. Bella likes to pose for pics and pick on her little sister, as most older siblings are so good at. The boys are Rachel's cuties Jackson and Chandler. Happy easter!

Become an Itty Bitty Facebook Friend!

We are working fast and furious on getting our Itty Bitty website up and running. It looks like it is going to be May when we launch. But until we can get the website launched, we are going to be posting the pictures on Facebook and updating it continuously. So become our friend at "Itty Bitty Children's Boutique" to check out our stuff. You can also be our friend for "Ye Peddler Gift Shoppe" to get facebook specials we offer at our gift shop.
We have been working with Mac and Rebecca Brown on the photography for the site and they have done an amazing job! We are wanting it to be as magical as our store is and Mac and Rebecca are truly capturing it. If you want to find out more about them, check out their website at www.macbrownphoto.com. In the mean time, become our facebook friend to get a sneak peak of what we have to offer!

YES! I am alive and I am actually updating my blog! I have done more in the past 5 months than go to a UT football game. I am not going to go into too much detail, but just start over with pictures and blips of what we have been up to. I have been busy working, and Kevin has as well. We are both loving our jobs! But every down time moment that we have we have been spending with kids or each other (that has taken priority the past few months since our time is so crunched). We are well, still adjusting to small town life in columbia but know we have followed our calling in the kingdom. We terribly miss our friends and church in TX but know that we have an eternity to spend with you all! We are loving our new and old TN friends and getting plugged in to a fabulous church here. We are close to getting Itty Bitty online! In the mean time, we have started using facebook to post pictures of our stuff and we are working iwth a fantastic photographer to get all of our pics up on the web. So become a friend on my facebook(Elizabeth Hendrickson Miller) of Itty Bitty and Ye Peddler! Our website is www.shop8th .com. No promises on keeping up with my personal facebook, seeing my current track record on my blog, but I will say my goal is to do better : )
The girls are great. Mary Kate talks up a gabber storm and knows exactly what she is saying, although we don't and Bella is convinced that she is big enough to be 5 and in kindergarten.A recent funny Bellaism...her babysitter asked her, "Bella does your mom have any harispray? Bella says, NO, we only use hairspray on Halloween". This week, Kev is in Wisconsin and I am going to Dallas to market, so precious Karen is here to keep the girls and they are just thrilled!
So here is a bit of what we have been up to......

Weather...

Last weekend it was in the mid 70s and gorgeous! The weekend before, we got8 inches of snow!!! What??!!! WE had a blast playing in the snow...that is me and Bella, MaryKate wanted NOTHING to do with it. It was upsetting to her to have something dirty on her hands. Here are some pics but it does not do it justice b/c my camera died...of coarse! The pic of Bella is actually from a previous snow, but I had to get her in there. So, no it is only 4 inches not 8 in that pic.

Friends tried and true

I have had some EXCELLENT friend encounters recently! Lori flew in with little love muffin Colt and so she and Cristie came down to have lunch with me and visit the shop. Then, this past weekend my beautiful cousin Kyndall got married and Whitney and Bethany were there b/c Kyndall went to church with them in Dalton. Girls-I love you all and I can't tell you how it warms my soul to see you and hug you!...Bethany-continue to pray for you everyday!

And although I do not have a picture, I have had some wonderful suprise guest friends to visit the shop! Shout out to Taa Goodwin and Allison Lewis! and James Brown! It was the Best!

Texas

While in Aspen, we dropped the kids off in Dallas with Minnie and pop as we flew through. Bella thought she was in heaven being "home" with her friends and fam. Mary Kate did great too with us being gone. But who doesn't love a week full of grandparent hugs and kisses...

Aspen

Kevin and I took oour annual ski trip to Aspen and enjoyed time together wih NO kids! I HIGHLY recommend getting away with your honey and no little people. It is an awesome time to reconnect and enjoy each other! We skied and skied! Brent tore his ACL on Monday of the trip so he and Meghan hung out indoors. He had surgery last week and is working through recovery.

UT vs FL

So we had the BEST time with Brent and Meghan at the game! Even though it was a pitiful excuse for some TN football...ol'Fulmer better watch out! It was just great to get to be with the adults, no kids. We had a blast running into old friends too! Here are some pics...

Pictures

September update

So, I am averaging about every 6 wks on a blog update...TERRIBLE I know! But it is the best I have got for the time. We are doing well and adjusting as each day passes. I knew that this would be a difficult transition for our family but actually going through it has been, lets call it, a stregthening process. We knew we would miss our family and friends in TX but had no idea the hole that would be in our hearts! Bella continues to request to go home everyday, which breaks my heart and asks if her FW friends can come over to play. She has probably had the most difficult time of any of us. But she is making new friends that are fun to play with. Our neighbors Olivia on the south side and Maddox on the North side are GREAT! It is so fun to just have them going back and forth to each others' homes and not worry about them. It is a breath of fresh air and step back into the "old days". Bella began school last week and she did great. SHe is making new friends there as well. She takes gymnastics one day a weekwhich she may be the next Shawn Johnson! We laugh b/c she is built just like her : ) and on day a week she has started Ballet and Tap. It is SO hillerious to watch! She may not be the most precise of any dancer, but boy she can tap her foot hard and gallop liek a horse : ) so we are really excited about her getting plugged in. We spent last weekend in the ER with her (by the grace of God it was the 1st time). SHe fell in Sunday School while spinning in circles and split her Rt eye open for the corner of her eyelid out. She did great and we chose the dermabond instead of the stitches.
Mary Kate is doing great. She has come into her own the past few weeks. Up until then she has been so laid back and easy going. But now she is becoming just like her sister. It is quite hillerious. I do have to laugh b/c I know what is ahead if this is the case. SHe has taken a few steps this week but not walking - or intereseted in doing so-by any means. SHe is a complete joy and I love watching the 2 of them together!
The shops are going great. It makes it easy when you have an unbelievable staff! We are gearing up for Christmas and can't wait! It is going to be a Wonderland!!!
Kevin and I are getting involved in church and being completely blessed by that! We are actually going to help launch a new Sunday school class in a few weeks as co leaders. We are really exited about it and covet your prayers. WE are doing great here and have loved seeing all of our TN fam and friends, however, there is an emptiness without our TX fam and friends. We press on in the duty of the Lord and can;t wait to see how he is going to use us!
We went to the beach 2 weeks ago and had a blast. It was a much needed vacation and family get away. All the pics are on my moms camera and when I get a copy I will put them up.
Karen is coming to stay with us for a week tomorrow and we are going to the UT FL football game! I CAN"T WAIT! I have not been since I left TN! I will post and let you know how mcuh fun we have! LOVE YOU ALL!
My pictures are not uploading so I will continue to try...

Open for Business!

Just wanted to share some pics from our first day at Itty Bitty! It has become everything that we hoped and imagined. We are so excited and give all glory to God for His grace and mercy for bringing us to this point. Come and visit us anytime!