The Hixson Family

some pictures!

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:33:00 +0000

Hope turns 8 and Addie graduates!

She really loves her cake!

an update.....pictures will follow!

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:02:00 +0000

It was entirely too overwhelming to think about an update AND pictures, so I will post just photos on the next post!! Since my last update on April 22nd, so much has gone on.

We had a fabulous response for our volunteer party our staff put together at the Cobb Galleria for all of our VIP's at Vinings Lake. It turned out to be a BLAST. They really tricked Pete and got him up on the stage blindfolded thinking he was in a dance off....well, they all left the stage and there he was all by his lonesome dancing away!! We had many laughs that night!

Our dog got "fixed" the following week and just about drove me CRAZY for about 7 days having to wear that huge collar thing around his neck and he ran into the walls and hit my legs with it about 785 times a day! That's over now and he is back to being BUSTER!

School was also coming to an end and we had several parties to attend at both of the girls schools......

Pete and I got an invite to go on the "music boat" cruise with all of our buds from Newsong the first week of May. We had a great time. We slept for about 12 hours the first night we got on there. The weather was perfect! The ship had a couple of stops in the Bahamas which is always FUN! We had a very relaxing time! I read 2 books, took a nap everyday, oh yeah....and worked on my tan:)

The girls enjoyed time their time being spoiled by grandparents and aunts and uncles!!

Hope had Nana all to herself at our house, and Addie was with my sister and parents in Myrtle Beach at a conference....and having some fun at the beach! They both had a BLAST while we were away! Don't they always? We miss them and can't wait to get home to see them and that is only followed by....when can I stay with Nana/MiMommy again????

We jumped right back into the craziness when we got home with Hope's 8th birthday party!!

WHAT? It's weird for me to see that on this computer screen.....I can't believe she is already 8.

She wanted a bowling party and that's what she got! She also got a camera for her b-day, and she takes that thing everywhere. I'll have to upload a few to post on my blog! She takes pictures of EVERYTHING! I wonder where she gets that from??

Then there was MOTHER'S DAY! Have i mentioned that i love being a mommy?

The girls were so cute and Pete helped them make my mother's day one to remember......

We had a lovely brunch with my Mom at the Georgia club then that evening Pete and the girls took me out for sushi. When we got home they took me to the table and sat me down in a chair and the girls told me they wanted to serve me and they washed my feet (Pete had shared with them the meaning and read some scripture when I was not around) so this totally caught me off guard! Of course there were tears!

Now on to preschool graduation......my BABY that I just brought home from the hospital yesterday is finished with Preschool! Addie is so excited for Kindergarten and I'm trying to be! I am happy that her and Hopie will be at the same school together!

Last week, Hope finished up 1st grade and we were so proud of her too! She had a great year and we loved her teacher! We are happy to be done with homework for while!!

We headed out of ATL last Thursday and escaped down to the beach for a long holiday weekend with a few friends and my sister's family.....

I'm just happy to not be on a schedule!!

We are ready for a GREAT SUMMER!!!

Fresh look and an update....

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Wed, 13 May 2009 21:23:00 +0000

I had to redecorate here on my blog! I was getting a little bored with the look, so now I'm promising some updates later tonight!

HHH

Brown- noser......

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:48:00 +0000

That is what we call Addie! She is quite a brown noser with her Papa! She is always trying to talk him into doing something for her OR buying her something! She has been know to take him along for a shopping trip at the GAP kids...her favorite:)

So the latest is she has saved up her money and really wanted to buy a new bike. Well, she didn't have enough, so she called her Papa and asked him if he could help her out. On Sunday evening, Pete got it all put together, and she has been so EXCITED about this bike!!

Thanks Poppi (as she calls him)

Here she is trying out all the safety gear!

LOVE IT!

Hope chillin in her pj's and spaghetti face! Adorable.

Let's try this again....

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 20:57:00 +0000

OK, so every time I start getting good about updating my blog, I kind of forget about it again!! So, here we go........we finished up our week of spring break in FL and came home to a wonderful weekend celebrating Easter. We had a fun egg hunt with all of Pete's family on Saturday then on Sunday we had a great day at VL celebrating our risen SAVIOR!! Also, we started our 3rd service! WOW. What a day. We had 794 people there on Sunday. So, let's just say 800 (can you tell I grew up in the home of a pastor?) Easter is always a special day for us as well since it is the day we celebrate 3 years since the church began! We LOVE it and are so thankful for the sweet people we get to serve, relationships we have built, and the lives we have seen changed over the past 3 years.

We usually have lunch on Easter with my family, but this year things were a little different since our last service starts at 11:35am, we were afraid we would not make the lunch reservation, so we had a late brunch at our favorite "flying biscuit cafe" with several friends from church.

We got back into the school groove.......barely. I'm so ready for this "schedule" to be over for the SUMMER.

Everyday is....

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 05:17:00 +0000

Father's day at our house. Seriously, the girls tell Pete every night "Happy Father's Day." Hope started this as soon as she could talk and she rubbed off on Addie. I love it!

Lazy Days = Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:34:00 +0000

We are enjoying our spring break this week at the beach. We are all being super lazy....

Pete's idea of a perfect afternoon.....asleep outside!

Hope's idea of a perfect afternoon......on the couch- watching a movie!

and miss priss.....all dressed ready to go do something!!!

Mommy Spring Break!

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:40:00 +0000

My poor little blog has been so neglected! So, here you go....2 posts in one day!

.... a couple of weeks ago a few of my girlfriends and I headed down to the beach for a few days. WOW! What a weekend to be there....college spring break! All I have to say is I will be tagging along for my girls college spring break! I may even have to entice them with a trip to somewhere like Hawaii to keep them away from Panama City Beach! I think the noise outside our condo would end around 5:30 am each morning we were there. We did have a great time and enjoyed the gorgeous weather, fun dinners, catching up on the celebrity gossip magazines, and skipping out on carpool for a few days! There was not a lack of entertainment on the beach due to the thousands of crazies! Now the countdown begins to another spring break~3 days......

Denial.......

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 19:17:00 +0000

Tomorrow is Kindergarten registration.....for my BABY!! She was just born- YESTERDAY! Right? I'm in denial. Maybe it's because she really acts and thinks she is 13 and I want her to act like the baby! It seems like I was just shopping for baby bedding and now we are shopping for big girl bikes. So, I guess if I can get over my issues I will drag myself to the school and enroll my child. They are not going to know what to do with themselves having 2 little blonde Hixson girls enrolled a the same school.....OH, and if you are wondering....the boo boo below Addie's nose is most certainly not where her sister pushed her out of the chair at church on Sunday where their father is most certainly not the Pastor. Of course my girls never fight!! They are perfect! LOL:)

4 months and oh so BIG!

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 12:50:00 +0000

Remember this sweet "little" guy?

Here is our sweet little guy that is now our very HUGE 4 month old BABY! Seriously, I love this dog. We got him for the girls but I am so attached to him now! He looks like a big rug! Yesterday, Pete was getting a little jealous because when I would walk in the room, Buster would want me to pick him up like a baby! He's more like a baby now then when we brought him home.....all 20 pounds of my "MINI" goldendoodle!

Snow on Sunday!

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:08:00 +0000

We finally saw some of the "white stuff"! Too bad we had to wait until March 1st! After the 1st service on Sunday, I could not believe the huge snowflakes falling......I grabbed my camera and the girls ran out to play in it! Of course here in GA, we are ready for the 70 degree temps coming this weekend! Bring on SPRING!!!

Snow in his hair! AND, no coat! We are over the coats here! I rebelled on Sunday and was freezing the entire day. I'm so tired of wearing my coat:)

So Proud.

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:56:00 +0000

I just had to say it.....I'm so proud of Pete and all that the Lord has allowed over the past almost 3 years since Vinings Lake started. We have seen so many lives changed, met so many new people, grown, made some life long friendships, been stretched, and this is only the beginning! We love the place where we get to serve!

God has really used Pete and I'm proud to call him my husband:)

Road Trip....

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:29:00 +0000

Last Sunday, after church, we hopped in the car and DROVE to Pennsylvania. We went to visit with Pete's grandmother that has been very sick for the past few years and living in an assisted living home. We had a great visit with all of his family and fun on the farm! Our girls were great during the 11 hour drive!

Pap pap & Addie on the four wheeler!

The girls with a little bit of snow!

Grandma and Grandpap H.

The grandkids!

He's a steelers fan!

Ava, Addie and Carter on the 4 wheeler!

Pittsburgh!

The farm

Pete's Grandparents street sign....pretty cool!

Valentine's Weekend with my sweetie

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 01:08:00 +0000

My sweet mama offered to watch our babies and (puppy) this past weekend.....(our weekends are Thursday night-Saturday) We went over to Lake Lanier Resort and stayed in a beautiful villa on the lake and hibernated for 2 days! It was a perfect weekend.....especially for Valentines:) The weather was just gorgeous on Friday and we cruised around in my mom's convertible with the top down....springtime in February! Thanks Mom for watching the girls! We had an agreement that we were not buying gifts for each other since we were getting away for the weekend, but he broke the rules........and there I was empty handed with just a CARD for him! I'm NOT complaining since he did buy me some jeans that I had really been wanting:) I'm convinced a girl cannot have enough blue jeans (or shoes.)

I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful hubby and we have such a FUN time together!

the living room of the villa

the bedroom

View of the Lake......

You know how those pastor's kids are..........

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 04:21:00 +0000

all 4 of them together = ADORABLE! I love getting these girls together! My life long friends, JR and Devin started a church last year and we have such a great time when we get these girls together!

Devin and I usually sit and drink coffee and the girls have a blast running around like wild indians! Devin is about to add a baby boy into the mix so things are really going to be fun next time we get together!

Adventures in the woods!

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 04:03:00 +0000

Over the past couple of months my mom has been telling me that she has been wanting us to try going Goecaching. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into (which is the 1st clue of why I wore ballet flats and blue jeans that day.) Of course I talked my bestie, Katie, into coming along. Usually whenever I meet my mother, I am in my work-out clothes looking all bummy, so I decided yesterday to shower, put on "regular" clothes and all that! Once we arrived at the park, I then realized that I should of had on my regular "uniform."

We had a fun time.......playing in the woods. (as my daughter put it)

Check it out if you have never hear of Geocaching. I do plan on going again soon, but next time in the appropriate attire!

Ballet flats in the woods!

G.I. Joe and the differences between men and women

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:04:00 +0000

So today I get to post anything I want on my wife's blog. What will it be? I think I will talk about G.I. Joe and the differences between men and women.

Now, there's not enough time to begin listing what those differences are and many people have written great books about that which are also very funny, you should check some of them out.

I just want write a brief commentary on the FACT that men and women are different - and that this fact is not just ok, it is good - because it is our original design!

I don't know about you, but I am glad that we are different - mentally (not as in smarter, but different way of thinking), physically (oh yeah, I'll go there with no shame - I love everything about this difference!), emotionally (you know what, we don't have time here and I may never get to do this again if I try!).....and the list goes on.

Sometimes - often times, in our marriages and relationships - it's not that we haven't heard this before, but in the middle of an argument or throughout certain seasons of life - we "operate" out of frustration and much of it is simply linked to our differences - which should be our friend, but appear to be our enemy.

Now why did I title this "G.I. Joe...."? Because he always said, "Knowing is half the battle" - and what those differences are is not the point - the point is to know that they are there and stop "operating" out of frustration but celebrate our differences because they are supposed to be there - and just KNOWING that makes all the "difference" - and this is why G.I. Joe is our "real American hero!".

The bad part of having a dog.......

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 12:15:00 +0000

NASTY......... At least my man is nice enough to be the pooper-scooper! I bet our yard will be nice and green this summer-just watch where you step!

So Ready for this..........

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 21:00:00 +0000

OK, fall was beautiful here in GA. We had a lovely Christmas. We have gotten lots of wear out of our coats this winter, so let's get on with it. It's waaaay too cold here in the ATL. I'm ready to be on the beach or I'll just settle for my flip flops and tank top!

Tea Par-tay!

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:40:00 +0000

Saturday was the big tea party that Addie had all planned out! Thanks to my BFF (Katie and her mama) they put on a fabulous afternoon for all the little ladies here at our house! I loved all the food they did and theses adorable cupcakes! What a fun day!

The "Spread"

Pete is such a trooper enjoying all the girly-ness in our home! or at least pretending to!

Katie, Addie and Donna

My Mama!

The Birthday Princess!

Buster got a hold of some of the feathers!

Miss Priss had quite the weekend of events....it all started with Thursday night family dinner at her favorite pizza place, friday morning breakfast/shopping date daddy, off to the movies friday night, then the tea party on Saturday!! Lots of partying for our 5 year old:)

Happy Birthday to my A-bug!

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Where does the time go? My baby girl is turning 5 yrs. old today. It seems like just yesterday that we were on a cruise ship with my family a few other friends and I had a question in my mind that I may be pregnant and I was not going to be able to buy a pregnancy test for 2 days, so Pete and I walked to to the infirmary and they had them for the low price of $30.00! Pete said, "let's just wait!" There was no way.....I HAD to find out right then. It was positive and we told everyone at dinner that night. I could not hold that in!

Here we are 5 years later and you know what that means.....KINDERGARTEN!

We love our little A-bug. Kids are so fun. They make life so exciting! She keeps us laughing and you never know what is going to come out of her mouth! She is such a great little sis to Hope and so understanding with her. Of course, she has our entire weekend planned out and even has next year's birthday decided on what she wants to do. We are so thankful for our precious Addie!

STILL talking about "her"

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 03:53:00 +0000

My Hopie is totally obsessed with Miss Patty Cake (from her DVD's) and has been since she was about 18 months old. When she was about 2 and a half, I took her a couple of hours away to a show she was doing and we waited in a long line to get a picture with her! We know ALL of her songs and yes, everyday is a Patty Cake praise day!! Anyways......on Monday night, my mother was having a dinner party and I was planning on going because a friend of mine was going to be there from AR that I had not seen in almost 7 years. My mom called me on Monday and said I HAD to bring the girls over because Miss Patty Cake was going to be there! Well, she was and she pretty much did a private (mini) show for my girls. It was so cute, she would start singing then let Hope finish her song! Addie loves her as well, but she is not quite as obsessed as Hope was with her! Everyday this week, the girls have said, "we love the REAL Miss Patty Cake!"

Us with Gina Franske!! It was so great to see her cute little self and catch-up!!

KOOZA......

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 01:30:00 +0000

This show was AMAZING.....Cirque du Soleil sure does find some talented people for their shows. The contortionist were off the hook and it made my body hurt just watching them! My friend Christy, gave Jen and I tickets to the show here in Atlanta and we had a great time together! We were all a nervous wreck during those stunts especially the tight rope. We also got such a kick out of the men's costumes! Fun times...hopefully we can see another one next year. Thanks Christy. I loved it:)

Remember who your dad is.......from the Bush twins

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 22:16:00 +0000

Several other friends have posted this on their blog.......i had to as well. This is too sweet. You may even shed a tear.........

Cousin Love......

noreply@blogger.com (Hollie) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:55:00 +0000

My cousin and her mom that live in NC came in town this weekend to visit my other cousin, Linds, that lives here (the newlywed.)

We met for ice cream last night and I was "trying" to have a conversation with them, so I was just letting my girls do whatever (that may come as a shock to some of you), so they got a hold of my camera.....they were quiet for a few minutes. Here is what came up when I downloaded them today................It was good to chat with the cousins (they did give me a few style tips!!!)

Maddie, Linds, me, and Angie