Our Farmer's Almanac

What's in the Bible? DVD 5 Trailer

2011-04-14T13:05:00.000-04:00

THE STORY

2010-10-31T14:53:00.004-04:00

Daddy

2010-06-20T00:31:00.007-04:00

It's after mid-night, which means it is now Sunday morning. Father's Day to be exact. I can't sleep; partially because I have a lot on my mind, and partially because the neighbors are having a pool party- complete with loud music and obnoxious laughter. But, I'm starting to feel like maybe it's all a little orchestrated....a little Providential.

As is typical on sleepless nights, I wandered to the kitchen to log-on to facebook. In doing so, on this dawn of Father's Day, I began to see status updates take the form of tributes to Daddies everywhere; and profile pictures resembling someone's dad instead of themselves, oftentimes as a memorial. Naturally, I thought of my own dad, and joined in on the tributes. But, I realized that there is far more to say than a status update will allow. And, let's face it, a post is LONG overdue. So, it was an easy choice...a no brainer. The difficult part is deciding where to start, and perhaps even more difficult where/when to stop. There is much to say. Much, too much.

I think I'll start with the fact that I have NEVER, EVER doubted how much my Dad loves my mom and the three of us kids. When I really think about it, I wonder why that is. Is it because he told us? Is it because he showed us? Is it because he disciplined us, or taught us right from wrong? Is it because he taught, by example, what work looks like? Do I know that I was/am loved because he welcomed me to snuggle and cuddle as a kid? Or, is it strictly evident because of the way he loves my mom? Maybe it's the sweet way he calls me Shana-girl. Or, how he lights up when I walk in the door of his house after I haven't been 'home' in a while.

I don't know, maybe it has something to do with the way I always felt, and still feel safe, when I'm with him.....the assurance that no thunderstorm, or car trouble, (or whatever) would be too much for my daddy. Now, that I think about it, especially in those terms, maybe it was because he let me crawl in the bed with him & mom when I had a bad dream.

Or, maybe it was/is his patience; and the fact that I very rarely saw him lose his temper. Better yet, maybe it was because one of the few times he did lose his temper was in response to me talking back to my mom; and he simply told me that he would not stand for it. Yeah, that's definitely one of the reasons; and I appreciate that infinitely more now that I'm on the other side of Motherhood.

Speaking of being on the other side of Motherhood, maybe Daddy's love is even more evident now than it was then (if that is even possible) because of the way he loves my kids and the other grandkids. Could it be the way he always has time for a game of chess, or to pitch the ball to Bryce? Perhaps it is because he lets Sara Kate sleep with him when she spends the night...and he calls her his Bed Buddy. Maybe it's because he uses a bobcat to pile up a huge pile of leaves every year for the kids to jump in. Or, maybe it's easy to see when I look around my house and see the tangible things he made for me or my kids....with his own hands, by his own design, and always just the way we wanted or requested. No, I bet it's because he always has time for my projects...whether it's sewing purses from a pattern he made himself, or he & Mom helping me make 16 gallons of prailine popcorn, or the fact that he is an honorary member of the girls-only cookie club.

Now that I think about it...maybe it's more his quiet, soft handed leadership. The way that he values his faith without wearing it as a billboard. It's probably the fact that he treats people honestly and fairly, and that he consistently does the right thing. You know, acting out his faith, morals, and values instead of talking about them or boasting about them....certainly a Samaratin not a Pharisee.

Who knows? Perhaps it goes back to the beginning. Back to the experiences I've only heard about in story form, from mom or other relatives (cause Lord knows, he wouldn't tell them himself). Back to the way he loved my mom through illnesses that were capable of taking her life. Back to all the things he 'rigged' up to make things easier on her. Back to the way he helped her to regain her strength in walking by allowing her to "walk on his feet." Yes, I'm certain my assurance at the very least grew from there...got it's beginnings there; even though I was too little to see or understand them when they were happening. That certainly speaks to the power of love, doesn't it?

But, you & I both know that true assurance doesn't come from a one time experience. And, while those stories and remembrances certainly provided a great start; we know that Love is proven over time. It is a seed that is planted and grows. I think that's what amazes me most. Daddy is not an overly emotional or doting person. He certainly wasn't Mr. Romance to my mom; and my siblings and I weren't spoiled or anything. In truth, he actually worked an awful lot, and worked hard. A fact that I somehow think he regrets now. But, I wish he wouldn't. All of us 'got it'. We knew he was doing that for us...and because he loved us. Furthermore, he could also be a little hard on us at times, but it was always balanced with love. And, I personally am grateful for that, that he loved us enough to shape our character.

As I said earlier, the hard part is knowing where to stop and when to end. I could go on and on; providing at least a million more examples (just as I could do with examples of mom's love for us as well). Even now, I fully realize I'm leaving things out that left an indelible mark on my heart.... Like how he and mom were always available to talk to me when I needed it, like how he encouraged me to face my fears; and how he confessed that he too, had fears, like mine.

Yes, my assurance comes from all those things and a zillion more just as important!

But, I think I'll end with a simple thank you!

Daddy,
Thank you for loving Mom, and thank you for loving your kids. Thank you for loving your grandkids. Thank you for loving us so much that we've never had any room for doubt. It is a honor and true privilege to be your daughter! You are the truest, most honest definition of the word Father!

I Love you,
Shana

100 Things

2009-09-08T00:55:00.008-04:00

Apparently it is customary in the blog world to list 100 things about yourself around the anniversary of your 100th post. And, because I've been missing ye olde blog lately, and because I'm just over 100 posts and because I have nothing else to talk about, I thought I would play along. By the way, because I delight in sharing information that you couldn't care less about, this is my 102nd post. So, the following is everything that you never cared to know about me. And a quick disclaimer, if you are my Facebook "friend" then you've seen about 25 of these....but give a girl a break, I'm still adding 75 more incredibly random, mundane & trivial facts about me.

1. I suppose the basics are that I am a daughter, sister, friend, aunt, wife, and mother. (Listed chronologically, 'cause I'm weird like that)

2. I am a sinner, saved by the unfathomable grace of God.

3. I am what they call "HIGH strung"

4. However, luckily I am also LOW Maintenance.

5. Personally, I'm just glad I'm not both high strung and high maintenance....or Brad would be one tired fella.

6. I married the most laid back person on the planet.......this has been a lifesaver.

7. Obviously, I have common sense (see #6).

8. I am a Mama's and a Daddy's girl. Always have been, always will be.

9. There has always been something in my personality that can NOT allow me to ONLY say, I'm a mama's girl or JUST say I'm a daddy's girl..... I always have to say both, 'cuz that's just the truth...and that's how I roll.

10. I usually can't remember how old I am.....almost always have to calculate it....this didn't start happening until I reached the 30s- wonder why that is????? Hmmm, maybe I'm trying to forget :)

11. My sister got the fashion and fru-fru gene of the family.....but I'm smart enough to solicit help from her and my friends.....

12. Apparently, I got the gene that enables me to talk about gross stuff (I'll spare you the details-but with my family 10 bucks says poop will enter the conversation at some point)

13. I'd like to say that I'm a loyal friend.

14. However, I know that there have been times when I have let my friends down.....and I still think back on those times with regret.......even though it's ancient history.

15. I am not quick witted, but I think I can be funny at times. By the way, Shelley got the humor gene too.

16. I TALK TOO much. PERIOD.

17. I used to be able to remember numbers, like phone numbers and addresses uncannily well.....now? not so much.

18. I am super transparent. For the most part, what you see is what you get.

19. I am a zit picker. There, I said it. See, super transparent and super gross...what a lovely combo

20. I graduated from college, but I didn't "go off" to college. However, I did study abroad in the UK for a semester. Up to that point in my life, that was probably one of the best experiences of my life. Now, husband and children trump it by far. But still, a good experience for me.

21. I sing all.the.time. (always have) and I usually have a song of some sort in my head. Today it was "Chicken Fried" by Zac Brown

22. To borrow from Tammy, I get mistaken for my best friend A LOT....and we have conspired to use this in our favor :)

23. My children act just like me and this is incredibly satisfying to my brother.....I think he uses the term sweet justice....... I have no idea what he may be referring too :)

24. I instant message a good bit, and almost every time I think, "wouldn't it be easier to call them?"

25. I'm one of those folks that needs for it to be really quiet when I sleep....this is unfortunate since my entire family (including the dog) snores

26. I'm addicted to other peoples opinions, and I rarely hang a picture or pick out a paint color without consulting the interior designing firm of T&T.....you know you are :)

27. I rarely watch TV, but I'm addicted to facebook and blogs.

28. Apparently, I am nosy...why else would I be addicted to facebook

29. I am tender hearted and cry easily....you will never cry alone if you're with me......

30. I can not stand to be misunderstood. And, most of the time will go to great lengths to ensure that what you think I'm conveying is, in fact, what I'm trying to convey. That can be exhausting.

31. I like for things to be equal or balanced, and tend to enjoy things that are exact. This can be a nightmare when decorating.

32. I have a few OCD tendencies, but they present themselves in a really strange way. It's not across the board and it's not all the time. But, whenever I have things that are multiple colors, I can't have 2 of the same color together.

33. I like to make lists for things, but I frequently lose the list. And, inevitably when I make a grocery list I leave it at home. This makes me very grouchy.

34. I am a worry wart, and always have been.

35. I used to be downright fearful, but God is working on me about that, and I'm pleased to say that it is a lot better than it was.

36. I am learning to play the guitar.

37. I would also love to learn sign language.

38. I am not very patient and tend to have a temper. In case, you're wondering, there's another less than desirable combo

39. I'm outgoing and extroverted. I think I'm fairly easy to talk to, but will rarely make the 'first move' or introduction.

40. I sometimes judge people prematurely, and oftentimes harshly. This is another area where God is working on me.

41. My favorite color is yellow....because it's bright & sunny.

42. I rarely, if ever, buy anything full price. It almost always must be on sale, or less than $20. This could be what is wrong with my wardrobe. :)

43. I try to be organized, and have achieved that in many areas. But, there are just as many (namely my desk) that are anything but organized.

44. I can be good naturedly sarcastic. I learned this from my dad, who is the King of facetiousness.

45. I love to laugh and hang out with friends.

46. I have Godly parents, a great family, and supportive and caring friends.

47. Obviously, I am blessed.

48. I just found out that it may no longer be in style to do 100 things around your 100th post, because, now I can't find any of the ones that I've read.

49. But, clearly, I'm sticking to it, because, Hello? I'm on number 49.

50. Apparently, I'm 'so yesterday'

51. I have perseverance :)

52. Not really, I'm just stubborn.

53. I have trouble falling asleep sometimes. Which is exactly the cause for this stupid post.

54. I enjoy sleeping late, and pray to the dear Lord above, that I'll be able to tomorrow (since it's 2am right now, and I can't go to sleep).

55. I tend to get on one subject and stay there...

56. I am a planner....this has been known to bite me in the tail.

57. If I could change anything about my physical appearance it would be my insanely, unnatural light complexion.

58. I did try to change it by laying out in the sun during my teenage years, and I was rewarded with a diagnosis of melanoma at the age of 25.

59. Now, I am a sun-o-phob. And, I take inordinate amounts of pleasure upon discovering a new sunblock with a SPF of 70.

60. I love to cuddle and snuggle.

61. I formed that habit while growing up, because I got in the bed with my daddy every morning before school to cuddle with him for a few short minutes.

62. Even to this day, if I spend the night with my parents, I will get in the bed and cuddle with them when I wake up.

63. I have been known to make my daddy get back in the bed so I could cuddle. And he did. Which is just one of the reasons why I'm a Daddy's girl. Obviously, we are wrapped around each other's fingers.

64. However, I am NOT the chosen one. (That would be my brother, the first born son) :)

65. In fact, I always wanted a playhouse when I was little....you know, one just like my brother had. I finally got it last year, when daddy built one for the kids and put my name on it too. I'll take what I can get.

66. I like to be crafty. I love to scrapbook and make cards.

67. However, I'm not very creative.... I just copy stuff.

68. When I was little, my sister hit me over the top of the head with an axe. Some say that this explains a lot.

69. I am claustrophobic.

70. I'm not afraid of heights, but that doesn't mean you'll ever catch me skydiving or bungee jumping.

71. I start thinking about what we are going to get the kids for Christmas by August or September....see #56.

72. I gave birth to a 9 lb 140z child in 40 minutes (not including labor) and Sara Kate who was still 8lbs even 3 weeks early, came without a single push. Pardon me, but I feel that is noteworthy.

73. Apparently, I've been known to brag (see #72)

74. My least favorite household chore is cleaning the shower.

75. There are some things that I probably won't understand this side of heaven.....most days I'm okay with that, other days it's a struggle.

76. We've been waiting 3 years to adopt a little girl from China. At this point, we're not sure it's going to happen. (see #75).

77. I am horrible at shutting doors and drawers. You can always tell when I've been in the kitchen because every cabinet door is open. This drives both my parents and my husband crazy.

78. My biggest pet peeve is for someone to say that they are going to do something and then not do it. I would rather them not say anything at all than to fail to follow through. Obviously, I'm not speaking about extenuating circumstances that prevent follow through.

79. With that being said, I try my best to follow through with my commitments. I don't or can't follow through all the time and that worries me sick. I also try my best to extend grace, so that it will be extended to me. Sometimes, I'm good at that; other times, I'm not.

80. I think parenting is the absolute hardest and the absolute most important thing that I will ever do.

81. I am both a Human Resources and General Management major.

82. This is ironic to me, because I don't enjoy managing (or being in charge) of anything or anybody. I can't take the pressure, and would much rather be an Indian than a chief.

83. However, In the few management jobs that I've held, I think I did fairly well in them.

84. There have been a very precious few times that I've said exactly what I wanted to say when it needed to be said. Most of the time, I think of something that would have been appropriate a good 2 days after it was needed. This is most frustrating.

85. I am a sentimental kind of girl, and I love family traditions. We have several that are near and dear to my heart. I consider it part of my heritage and want desperately to impart that heritage or legacy on to my children.

86. One of my favorite traditions is making a couple of thousand cookies every year at Christmas time with my aunts and my cousins. I would give my right arm to have my grandmother be able to be with us for just one of those weekends. She started that tradition without even knowing it.

87. I gave Brad an ultimatum that if he didn't ask me to marry him by the New Year (January '99) I was moving on to find the husband that I knew God had for me. (In my defense, we had been talking about marriage for 2 years and I already had my wedding dress that he went with me to get- not see, but purchase)

88. He asked me to marry him the day before New Year's Eve.

89. I'm not the only one that is strong-willed and stubborn. :)

90. I like to travel.

91. I tend to hold the arguement that if 1 is good, then 2 is better. This is not always the case.

92. Almost without fail, when I'm in a crowded room or movie theater, I plan an escape route should the unthinkable happen. I'm sure there is a name for this illness, but I don't know what it is. (#69 plays a role in this I think)

93. I see the danger in everything.

94. For this reason, I hold the record for the diving in the pool with my clothes to rescue a child (who may or MAY NOT have needed rescuing).

95. I'm not at all embarrased by #94 because I'd rather go in and not be needed than not go in. So, you can make fun of me all you want.....but your kids are safe if I'm around. :)

96. I also tackled my 3 year old niece and completely took her to the ground when I thought a wayward bottle rocket was going to explode near her. She looked at me like I was crazy, but she has no doubt that I'd save her if she needed it.

97. However, as mentioned before, God is working on my fear issues and I sure as heck don't want to pass fear onto my kids.

98. I am a work in progress.

99. I completley and utterly imperfect.

100. And, I'm okay with that!

Feel free to play along....for some reason, I love to read these things. I think I mentioned that I'm nosy. :)

The Lazy, I mean CRAZY Days of Summer

2009-08-17T20:06:00.005-04:00

Our summer was anything but lazy. Although that truth is a reality that never ceases to baffle me. Every year, by the end of the school year, I always look forward to long summer days filled with nothing to do. And, every year I stand amazed at how quickly my calendar fills up with things to do and places to be. Not that these appointments are necessarily bad or dreaded, most of the things we did this summer were tons of fun. But, fun, my friend can also be tiring. Anyway, I've been so busy (and so addicted to FaceBook) that I haven't made the time to blog and post pictures of our "doings and goings". So here are the highlights of our summer, in a sort of shortened version.

To kick the summer off, we were able to be a part of our best friend's wedding vow renewal. It was one of the funnest and most special nights. And, we were privileged to be a part of it. There was a ceremony, and dinner, and dancing, and lots of kids having the time of their life. They were blessed and we were so happy for them. We love you, Hildebrand's.

That next week, another dear friend's son had surgery on his brain to insert a shunt. We would not hear of them going through that without friends there to support them. So, that meant a daytrip with some buddies to Birmingham. I am so pleased to say that Austin came through surgery wonderfully and has recovered perfectly as well. We are still praying for his follow up appoinment at the end of this month. But, we are believing God to continue what He has already started in the healing process of this sweet little man of God.

That weekend, we went on a weekend camping trip with our kids, parents, and nieces. The kids had the time of their life camping in the motor home. We camped on a lake and they fished all weekend, except for a few excursions out to play putt putt and also to see the world's largest tree house. That's the stuff memories are made of.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The following weekend, my sister, Shelley had the kids with her for a week in Macon so that they could go to her VBS. Then, at the end of the month, we had VBS at our church. That about sums up June.

July literally got started with bang.......a BIG BANG This year, for the first time, we took the kids to a local community firework display. The kids thought the professionals did an awesome job (but I still think they like our annual fireworks too). We also had our annual cookout with the Hildebrand's and Godwins; and were so glad that Maci, Bayley, and Aunt Sissy could be there this year too. It is an annual tradition that we've done for at least 6 or 7 years. We always have some fireworks, lots of food, swimming, and Randall's Yoo-Hoo icecream. Needless to say, the kids always have so much fun, that, at times, my heart wants to explode with mushy-gushy happiness.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

We also got hooked on minor league baseball this year. We went to 2 Lookouts games. Bryce has been to a Braves game, but the smaller stadium at Bellsouth Park really allows an "up & coming" baseball player to see what is going on. Other than the fact that it was EXTREMELY hot, the kids loved it. We especially loved having Maci & Bayley with us. And, the fireworks at the end of the game were super cool as well. I'm thinking we just started another annual tradition in the Farmer household. Oh, and I would be completely remiss if I didn't share that Sara Kate was chosen to be in one of the "between inning" contests. She was given a Mayfield Dairy T-shirt and was asked to give the crowd her best "MOOOO". She played against 2 other adorable girls, but they were no match for little Miss Personality herself. When it was her turn, instead of mooing, she got all shy and just managed out a sweet little shrug and giggle, but the crowd went wild. When it came time for the judging, she won by a long shot, just for her shear cuteness.

Let's see.... what else? Sara Kate participated in her first music camp at church this summer. She had a lot of fun learning songs and doing silly dances. She is definitely a performer...no doubt about it. Bryce went the first day, but decided that it wasn't really for him. He has much too much energy to sit still for very long in the summer (unless ICarly is on- ha ha).

I also worked a wonderful Tres Dias weekend toward the end of July. It was such a wonderful experience for me, the rest of the team, and the candidates. I am simply amazed every single time I'm involved with Tres Dias. That weekend was definitely a blessing to me and I was honored to be a part of it.

After the Tres Dias weekend, we loaded up the motor home again and went to Myrtle Beach with my parents, the Godwin's, and the Hildebrand's. It was so wonderful to be able to go to the beach with friends, and the kids absolutely loved every minute of it. We all managed to have a good time, even though between the 3 campers, there were 5 flat tires; not to mention the torrential down pours that we had the pleasure of experiencing Each.And.Every.Day. But, seriously, between playing in the sand on the beach with your friends, and going to the aquarium with your family, or playing putt putt with your buddies, and shopping, and eating fresh seafood, we don't have too many complaints.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

That's been our summer in a nutshell......just add in a few nights at Granda's with the cousins, and a few sleepovers with friends, not to mention a pool party or a trip to the Discovery Museum here and there, and I think that about covers it. Do you see why I'm tired?

Let's Share Ideas

2009-07-09T00:24:00.004-04:00

I know, I know, I've been absent for a while. And, yes, I've got several things to blog about (so watch for them in the near future) but this post has been brewing in my head for a week or so, and I just thought it was time to get it published.

It seems lately, that I've had a heightened burden for my children. I think this is due, in part, to the political climate of our nation. I can look back, and see what our great nation was founded on, but when I look ahead, I don't like where we are going. It can be very scary, and thinking about it absolutely always encompasses my children. What will the Nation be like for them? Will they be allowed to worship freely? Christianity is growing in other parts of the world, but in America, it is losing ground. Of course, I suppose that there is a whole other post about what we, as Christians, could - no SHOULD do about it, and I certainly wish I had even one or two of the answers for that question. But even if I did, I don't have a lot of control over the nation as a whole, but Brad & I do have control (for now) of our family and our children. We can be sure that they are prepared, that they believe, and that they know why they believe what they believe.

Anyway, with that being on my mind lately, I've tried to become more and more intentional about matters of the faith. In other words, I'm trying to really live out the portion of Deuteronomy where it talks about teaching your children constantly. Now, Bryce is 6 and Sara Kate is 4, so I'm not talking about any huge, heady, doctrinal stuff here. I'm just trying to think of ways that I can constantly talk about or teach them about Jesus.

This is where you come in....where the sharing comes in. This is where we can brainstorm together. I'm not a creative person, I need all the help I can get. And, I figured y'all might like some new ideas too. So, I'll share mine, if you'll share yours. Don't worry, this won't take long. :) Here goes:

One of the newer things that I've been doing is explaining songs to them. Both of my kids love music. They both fall asleep listening to music and they both love to listen to songs..and I'm not just talking about fun, kids songs; although we do love ourselves some VeggieTales. So, we'll get them a CD and before you know it, they are singing along. But, just like adults, so often they memorize the words but don't always get the metaphors and messages in the music. So, if we're driving down the road, and I've got a CD in, I will stop it and sort of 'set up' or explain the song to them (in very kid friendly terms) just to make sure they 'get' what they are singing about. By the way, we've really been digging Francesca Battistelli's new CD. There are a ton of catchy little melodies that the kids love, and almost every song is easily explained. Another example is Brandon Heath's "Give me your eyes". Bryce LOVES that song, but again, I wanted him to "get" it, so we've talked about it and about what it means. My explanations are simple (after all, it is me who is giving them, they can't be too complicated) and they are usually just one or two sentences. But hopefully, as they listen to it, or the next time it comes on the radio, it will cause them to think about it. Now, I'm not saying that I've seen any real "fruit" from my explaining endeavours, but again, I'm just trying to 'keep it constant' for them. Although, I will say, that now, when a song comes on, Sara Kate will often ask, "What does this song mean momma?" So, who knows, maybe it's getting in there somewhere.

I've already mentioned that we do Devotions by playing the "Mad/Sad/Glad game" and that we pray together as a family a specific way during our devotions. And, I've also mentioned that during Christmas, we do "The Jesse Tree" and and Advent Wreath. Along those same lines, I have gotten a book called Faith Launch, which gives you ways to launch the faith of your children by doing devotions. And, I love the concept, but I keep forgetting that you have to have specific materials (like object lessons) and of course, when I'm out I don't remember to get the materials. But, I plan to try that soon.

And, I suppose I don't really have to mention this one, but I will. I pray for our kids. Our minister of music taught a class on parenting a while back, and he had several hand outs on ways to pray for your kids. He also said that he prayed that God would give him a scripture promise for each of his kids. I have done that as well, and I pray that verse over them often.

That's all I've got. That's it. Nothing fancy or earth shattering here.....nothing deep or super spiritual. And, Lord knows, certainly nothing new. But, I'd sure love to have some new ideas....what do you do?

Travis Cottrell Live

2009-05-18T14:52:00.005-04:00

OK, so several of you knew that a few of us from my Bible Study group went to see Travis Cottrell (Beth Moore's worship leader) in a live recording concert in Atlanta earlier this year. The concert was absolutely fabulous. I am not even kidding about that....Absolutely. Fabulous. And because I'm one of those people that upon finding, seeing, or hearing something good, I just have to share the love with all my friends. So, here it is:

You can go here and listen to song clips. It is not out until June 2nd. And, if I don't win one on a few blogs that I follow, I will FOR SURE be ordering one. By the way, you can already preorder now.

And, just for your viewing pleasure, check this out: (and yes, I'm a friend, indeed) :)

Easter

2009-05-07T21:01:00.010-04:00

I know that Easter is over, but my crazy self can not blog out of chronological order. And, we had such a great little Easter that I can't entertain the thought of leaving it out.

To start the morning off, the Farmer family attended our first ever Sunrise Service. It was a lovely little service where we were privileged to get to see several people baptized. And, can I just say that being baptized on Easter Sunday at Sunrise is such a wonderful and memorable sentiment. How very special for them.

Brad said that when he was growing up, the boy scouts always helped with the sunrise services for their church; but I had never been to one, and neither had our kids. So, it was a neat experience. I think next year, (providing this feeble mind can remember) we might do our own "family sunrise service" at our house followed by a breakfast. I think that would be a cool tradition for a family to do together to really celebrate the meaning of Easter. However, I must say, our church really does have a wonderful place to watch the sunrise. Don't you agree?

And speaking of traditions, this year the ladies of the church "resurrected" one that they have enjoyed in the past. [and if you did not enjoy that lovely segue and holiday inspired pun, then you do not appreciate writing at it's finest......or corniest] And, while I did not participate because it meant having to be at church even earlier than just before sunrise, I still thought it was a sweet idea and the finished product was beautiful. Here is what the EMC ladies were doing way before sunrise.

After the sunrise service, the church gathered in the parish hall for breakfast together. We ended up being finished with breakfast WAY before time for regular church to start. So, several of us ended up sitting around the table playing rummy. Somewhere in the middle of our card game I commented that I could honestly say I had never played Rummy at church on Easter Sunday. We all got a kick out of it, but had a great time playing.

During the regular service, the Elementary Choir sang a song, and Bryce had a part in a "trio". This was the first time that he has had any sort of part and he was really excited. Honestly, I was shocked at him. During the weeks leading up to Easter, he would ask me to help him practice. He sang that song over and over. He did a fabulous job (all 3 of the boys did). I don't really have good pictures of that......my camera stinketh, and they turned out dark and too far away. But, they were so cute and did a great job.

After church, we went to mom & dad's to spend the day. Brad & I got to nap, while the kids hung out with their grandparents; and trust me when I say that fact alone was enough to make it the best day ever!! Sara Kate and GDaddy were getting some swing time in while mom & dad were catching some zzzzz's.

After we woke up, we let the kids dye eggs. Can I just say that there are a LOT more egg dying options around now than when I was a kid. Good grief, we had glitter and crayons and shrinky things with sports stuff on them and stickers. If I didn't get to participate, I might just be a little bitter.
After egg dying we had the proverbial egg hunt. This year, we decided to have the Hildebrand's and Godwin's over for a cook out, and they had gotten there just in time for the egg hunt. Just so you know, all of the kids have actual Easter baskets but at the time of the hunt they were filled with their Easter morning bounty.....otherwise known as enough sugar to give them enough energy to power the neighborhood. But, since their baskets were otherwise disposed, we made do with plastic bags. Here's a few pics of the kids on the hunt.

One of the reasons mom wanted the Godwin's and Hildebrand's to come is she had recently learned a new game while away on a fun retreat with my sister, and she viewed their coming as a prime opportunity to smoke them in a friendly game of spoons. Oh, yes, she secretly thought she would be crowned The Spoon Queen. However, little did she know that quiet little Gail had some mad spoon skills of her own. And, in fact, Gail was the spoon champion of the evening. Our kudos to you Gail. I would love to post of picture of our spoons game, but the game is rather cut throat and I wasn't about to try to get a picture of the madness....even after I was eliminated, I feared my picture taking might mess with someone's mojo and I would not be able to bear the responsibility of causing anyone to lose.....especially my mother, who would gladly beat me with a wet noodle for punishment.

See why I couldn't leave this one out? It was a picture perfect day. We got to celebrate the love of our Risen Lord with a SONrise service and a great church service, and we got to spend the rest of the day with loved ones. In my estimation, there is nothing greater in this world than those two things. The knowledge of a Saviour who is ALIVE and WITH US after loving us enough to offer himself up as an ultimate sacrifice to death. And, the love and blessing of friends and family. Nope, it don't get no better than that!!

The Misadventures of the Farmer Family

2009-04-13T13:44:00.011-04:00

It has been an eventful month at the Farmer Household. Not that it is ever really calm or anything, but this past month has been a doozy.

It started with Bryce loosing two front teeth at once. I had known that one front tooth was loose and would be coming out soon. But, Bryce somehow managed to have both front teeth "pulled" out at once. He and his cousin were playing and he had something like a towel in his mouth pretending to be an animal. My niece, tugged on whatever was in his mouth and out popped both teeth. Thankfully, I wasn't there to witness this; but, my sister and parents said that he didn't miss a beat. Apparently, it didn't hurt a bit....maybe that second tooth was loose too. Who knows, but anyway, there is now a big, gaping hole in his smile; which (I must say) makes it about the cutest smile you've ever seen. See for yourself. In this particular picture, I think he is really trying to showcase his missing teeth because that's not his normal smile.
Then, we had parent observation again in Sara Kate's ballet class. It was really fun to watch and they have been learning their dance for the upcoming recital.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

That very next day, Sara Kate decided to swallow a Stainless Steel ball. It was one of the balls that come in the Magnetix sets. She was already in her PJs, laying in the bed. I didn't even know she had it at all until she started choking and coughing. Once it was down, she had gagged so much that she threw up and it freaked me out because there was a lot of blood in it. So, off we went to the ER. A metal ball shows up wonderfully on an xray, and it was determined that it was down below her stomach and it would have to make a 'natural exit'. I so wish I could have gotten a copy of that xray to post. It was really cool. So cool, in fact that we had to really 'talk' and convince Sara Kate not to ever put anything except food in her mouth again. The doctor said that if it had been bigger, we could have been in serious trouble because it could have gotten stuck somewhere and obstructed her airway. So, we are very thankful, once again, for God's protection over her. This child is going to be the death of me.

The following week, Bryce went on the last field trip of his kindergarten year. The entire Kindergarten went to the zoo and then to the Riverpark for a picnic.

As if all that wasn't enough excitement, the very next day, while I was at ballet with Sara Kate, the school called and told Brad that Bryce had fallen on the playground and gashed his head open. Sure enough, we took him to the doctor and he received his first set of stitches. Honestly, I'm really surprised that we've made it this long, as he is almost seven and is wild as a buck. But, he was a complete trooper and did not even cry during the stitches. And, for that, a mother is thankful. They had some sort of deadening liquid that I held on his head for about 15 minutes before the lidocaine shots. When it was time to deaden it with the lidocaine, he said ouch at each stick, but that was about all. This mom would like to go give the creator/inventor of said miracle liquid a big fat, sloppy kiss right now, so it's a good thing, they're an anonymous soul. Here is his cut after they got it all cleaned up.

That same night they both had their first T Ball game of the season. And, if you're wondering, I did ask the doctor if he could still play. Bryce has played for several years now, but this is Sara Kate's first year. She is nothing if not cute. However, she is more the dancy, prancy, fancy kind of girl and it appears that she doesn't posses the natural athletic ability that her brother has. It took her several, several, several tries to even hit it off of the tee (but in her defense, almost all of our practices were rained out). Her brother on the other hand, did not have to use a tee at all last year. He's a natural, if I do say so myself.

All of this happened, in the first two weeks of April. We still have an Easter post to share, but I'm just a little weary from ALL THE CRAZY!! Hopefully, coming soon, I'll share with you our wonderful Easter.

The recipe tutorial you never knew you needed

2009-02-24T18:21:00.013-05:00

My parents & I have been in the kitchen all day long making massive quantities of Praline Popcorn. I've posted about our popcorn before, but I never shared the recipe. It is super yummy, and is usually well received so I thought you might enjoy the recipe. Because it's not enough just to make 18 - 1 gallon bags of popcorn, I decided to take pictures along the way so that you could see the process step by step. Now, we were making that large amount for a specific reason, but for normal folks with more sanity than I possess, one batch will yield a little more than 2 full gallon bags.

First: The Recipe

Praline Popcorn

3 sticks of unsalted butter

1 c. of corn syrup

1 32 oz. bag of brown sugar

1 t. salt

2 t. vanilla

1 t. baking soda

9 qts. of popped popcorn

2 c. chopped pecans

2 c. dry roasted peanuts

Here's how to do it, along with a few things we've learned along the way.

The easiest way to get started is to pop the popcorn; and the best way to do that is to use an air popper. [There is no way to tell you how much unpopped popcorn will make 9 qts. of popped popcorn, because it depends on the brand of popcorn and the method in which it is popped - for

us, it's about 1 c. of unpopped corn]

Then we split the popped popcorn into two large metal bowls. We've found that if you warm the metal bowls and spray them slightly with non stick spray it will make it easier for you later. Next, add 1 cup of both types of nuts (pecans and peanuts) into each bowl. Set aside. You will pour a liquid candy coating over this popcorn, and it must be mixed in quickly before it hardens. So, be sure to have the popcorn and nuts ready.

Next, melt 3 sticks of unsalted butter in a 30 qt stock pot (or just a taller pot). Add one bag (32 oz) of brown sugar and 1 c. of corn syrup with 1 t. of salt. Stir continuously until it comes to a boil. After it comes to a boil reduce heat and let boil without stirring for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes. After the 3 1/2 minutes are up, add the vanilla (2 tsp) and baking soda (1 tsp). Stir well.

Then pour half of the mixture into each bowl of popcorn and nuts and mix well being sure all the popcorn is covered well with the candy mixture.

Then divide popcorn out onto some cooking sheets and bake on 225 for 15 minutes. When you take them out, loosen the corn with a spatula to break up the pieces and let cool.

Once cooled, It is ready to eat. But, you can also put it in freezer bags to freeze. It freezes well, but when you take it out of the freezer, place back on cookie sheets and back in the oven to heat and get crunchy again.

This is what it looks when crazy people make a ton of it. But it sure is yummy!

We all need our heads examined

2009-02-10T09:31:00.021-05:00

Up until last week, I've always thought I had a pretty good handle of who my family (extended family included) is. In fact, I would describe us as a normal family who is down to earth with a good helping of common sense and decent dose of fun. We're certainly not flashy or even overly fashionable, but we have at least an average amount of style (some of us like Shelley & Mom have been blessed with more style than others). However, last week two significant occurrences happened that seriously make me question the sanity of the Lingerfelt/Farmer clan.

The first 'incident' was that my parents finally received their anxiously awaited for Snuggies. I can not even begin to tell you how shocked I was that they ordered these. They are just not the 'as seen on tv' kind of folks. Trust me, this incident alone has provided more comic relief to my siblings and I than any other of recent memory. And daddy can't say a thing, because he is the one that bestowed on us the lovely facetious/sarcastic gene that we have practically worn out from overuse these last few days. And before you go and feel sorry for them, just know that they are both as happy as little larks in their oversize bathrobes worn backwards. Upon viewing Dad in his newly acquired Snuggie, Scott said that he expected to be served communion immediately, so he dubbed Daddy the "Snuggie Monk." And, Shelley said that the reason they send the darn lights with them is because something is bound to get lost in that vast expanse they call "sleeves." Probably the funniest thing to me is that the snuggie is apparently insanely popular. My parent's snuggies were back ordered for 4 weeks. And, so was Beth Moore's . And, what's worse, much to Shelley's chagrin, is that you can even get them accessorized. Which, I'm sure even to Shelley's perfectly accessorized self is just wrong.....all wrong. But, without further ado, let me introduce you to the Snuggie Monk:

By the way, he may look all monk-ish there, but don't let the appearance fool you. You are looking at a man that can build and fix anything. Be watching for a post soon about what he built the kids for Christmas (I'm only 2 months behind). I'm going to devote a whole post to the Snuggie monk and his wares.

The next incident was what I saw in my own back yard upon a casual glance out the window. Apparently, my husband had a temporary lapse in good judgement and decided to wash the car wearing a bear head hat. I have absolutely no idea what possessed him to do this, but it got so much attention that our neighbor had to come over and say hello. So, just the other day, in my own back yard, to grown men were having a grown up conversation and one of them was wearing a bear head on his head. Mind you, this is the same hat that my then 4 year old son wore to his first dentist appointment.

What's more is that both of these things happened on the exact same day. I commented to a friend that I needed to go find a rock to hide under until all the insanity stopped. However, it just continued to rear it's ugly head. The very next day, I walked by our poor beagle and noticed that she looked especially bright and perky. Upon further inspection, I discovered that Sara Kate had gone all Mary-Kay on her and had given her some lovely pink rouge on her furry little cheeks. But one should never just don blush and forget the eyelids and Sara Kate would never break this cardinal make-up rule, so she also got above Gigi's eyes as well. I suppose with a Parisian name like Gigi, Sara Kate just assumed she would be a fashion forward kind of dog.

I know the actual make up is a little difficult to see in this picture, but I just had to show this picture because it looks like she's in prayer. And that prayer probably goes something like this, "Dear Lord, I have no idea what I did to deserve this cruel and unusual punishment, but I do hereby solemnly repent and swear to never, ever do it again, if you will make this little girl leave me alone. - Amen."

Again, the make up is sort of hard to see. But, have y'all ever tried to take a picture of a dog whose still in shell shock from all the beauty torture she just endured. I honestly, don't know how in the world Sara Kate got her to be still to get all of it on her, but make up was all over both of their faces.

So, it seems that Bryce and I are are the only sane ones remaining. But, even if he does go all wacky like the rest of them, I believe I'll leave him alone. 'Cause look what he can do:

Yep, that's my 6 year old breaking a board.

Because I've really needed a laugh this week.......

2009-01-29T18:37:00.004-05:00

.....and I thought you might like one too. Enjoy! Trust me, it's worth the wait if it takes a second to load. If you have trouble, leave a comment and I'll send you the link.

Advent at the Farmer's

2008-12-23T21:18:00.004-05:00

Brad & I try to be very intentional on how we raise the kids. To be honest, more often than not we fail miserably. I could make a list a mile long of all the things that we need to improve on as parents. (Please don't ask me to do that 'cause I'll be buried in a mountain of guilt that will take me until this time next year to dig out of). Just trust me when I say that this is not a false humility.

But, during Advent/Christmas we have tried extra, extra hard to keep the focus on Christ. My parents did a great job of teaching us what the real meaning of Christmas is, but we were Baptists and the word advent was not in our vocabulary. When Brad & I started going to our current church (some 10-11 years ago) we began to learn that Advent just means waiting. And when we celebrate advent we are waiting for our Saviour, just like thousands of years ago, the world waited for Him.

I mentioned last year, that our church hosts an Advent festival each year, where families come an make their own advent wreath together as a church. Then, in our homes each night, we light the candle/candles and read a devotion that corresponds with the day. My children just absolutely fell in love with this. So, it became a tradition in our family too (and luckily at church too). I love how lighting the candles helps them count down and anticipate getting to finally light the white candle in the middle on Christmas. And, how our waiting on Christmas represents the world awaiting a Savior so many years ago.

But, I wanted to share something new that we started this year as well. I got the idea from a blog that I read quite a bit, but several of you may already know about it. This year, we started our own Jesse Tree. You start the First Day of Advent, and each night you read a devotion. The devotions are meant to sort of take you through the Old Testament and lead up to or end with The Savior's birth on Christmas Day. Several of the devotions are from Old Testament prophecies predicting Christ's birth. But they all kind of show God's ultimate plan and provision for us through Christ. In fact, the first devotion is about the stump of Jesse (hence the name Jesse Tree), and the first sentence of our particular devotions is, "God has a plan for everything."

The element that I like the most about the Jesse tree concept is that you get a small tree (it can be cut out of felt or paper, or an actual small Christmas tree or whatever) and each day of devotion has a corresponding ornament to represent the lesson of the day. So, for instance, the devotion that teaches about creation has an ornament of the world (or something representative). Again, the kids love this. And, I love that they are getting such a great foundation of the Old Testament and eventually (maybe their too young right now) getting that the events of the Old Testament happened exactly the way they did to provide the world with a Savior.

This was not a hard tradition to start. I used these devotions and used the symbols as guides when looking for ornaments. If I couldn't find one that was exactly like what was listed, I improvised. Or, I actually enlarged what was shown, printed it, cut it out and then colored it. Easy Peasy!! If you google Jesse Tree, you will find other books or resources, but I've been really happy with the content of the devotions that I'm using.

If you are interested, and have an questions, give me a holler and I'll send you some links that will help get you started. Or, start here

But, along these same lines, I must share with you what was said during our Jesse Tree/Advent devotion tonight. It is just too priceless not to.

Our devotion tonight was about Joseph, and how God sent an angel to talk to Joseph in a dream and tell him that Mary was going to have Jesus. At the end of each short devotion it has a 'talk about' section. Tonight's 'talk about' section said, "Name some ways that God speaks to us.". So, I asked the kids to tell us some ways that God speaks to us. Bryce immediately popped in and said this:

"The other night, when Daddy sent me to my room, when I really didn't do anything [mom interjects that he obviously DID do something]..... God told me that I was right."

Now tell me, how are we supposed to argue with God???? I have a smart, smart boy on my hands. But that's not all, when Sara Kate heard this she said (and I quote) "Wait a minute, my brain is telling me something here." - It was like she was processing the fact that what she just heard might help her get out of some things in the future. However, she's pretty good at dodging the bullet, she just blames her brain on everything, especially when she is getting in trouble.

We really do wish you all a very blessed Christmas! Celebrate guys, Christ's coming means Hope for the Nations. Take hold of it today!

Much love to all!

It's better late than Never, and I totally made up for my tardiness.

2008-12-13T14:50:00.016-05:00

Brace yourself folks, this is gonna be one heckuva catch up post. So much has gone on since my last post, but I haven't been able to blog about it. The Thanksgiving/Christmas season is one of my favorite times of the year, but it is also, by far the busiest. In case you're wondering, the formula for a non-updated blog is: Busy season + little one with pneumonia and a then a stomach bug + babysitting a toddler. I can think of a few other variables that will give you the same result; but don't worry, I'm throwing in another one that will give us the desired outcome. It is called shear determination.

Ok, enough with the math analogy, I've just exhausted all my knowledge in that department. So let's see, where did I leave off. Oh, yes, just before Sara Kate turned 4. I guess I'll start with her fourth birthday party. It had to be a little smaller this year, because we had it at the Creative Discovery Museum.

Here, Sara Kate is taking her place of honor as her party guests sing Happy Birthday.

And, here she is about to dive in to that yummy birthday cake.

Here's what it looked like before.

After that celebration, it was time for Thanksgiving. I love Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for. But, every year, without fail, I am most thankful for family. One of our Thanksgiving traditions is a massive leaf jumping extravaganza. Every year, G-Daddy blows up a ginormous pile of leaves and the kids go wild jumping in them. This year, I actually got pictures of the leaf pile assembly and Bryce & Sara Kate got in on the action too. I don't know exact measurements, but let me stress, this thing is huge. And the kids LOVE it! Check 'em out.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Now, on to cookie weekend 2008. Every year my sister and I get to bake cookies with my mom, 2 aunts, and 2 cousins. It is probably ranks up there in the top 5 traditions. We start on a Friday morning, and work until supper time. Then we break and go out to eat and shop. Most of us spend the night at mom's house and we get started early Saturday morning. We always have the most fun, cutting up and being crazy. And, I must say we have a mac-daddy set up. Mom & Dad broke the glass top on their stove a few years ago, and they got a new oven/stove. But the old oven still works (they just can't use the glass top), so daddy always brings it in too. So, we have 2 ovens and 2 mixers. Not to mention, my dad always gets wrangled, wrestled, or sweet talked into helping us. This year he made an appearance in the accounting room, but we mostly used him for his chocolate melting skills and his mixing abilities. We won't mention the great "ball drop of '08) because he is just too valuable of a member to hold that against him. (see daddy, I told you your secret was safe with me). I can't tell you how much I love this weekend. This year we made over 2,716 cookies; all equally divided among the 7 of us. Most people don't believe me when I say we bake that many cookies, so here's proof.

That is my moms entry hallway, lined with bags and tins and tubs of cookies.....and that's not all.

I would have included some pictures of the actual bakers, but I have a large love of life and I fear that said life would be snuffed right out of me if my relatives pulled up the blog and found a picture of themselves [on the internet].

One last thing, the Farmer's have been helping a family friend out by babysitting a few times. And, I would just be remiss if I didn't show you this cut-E-pie. He & SK are kindred spirits in their love of dance

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I think that pretty much gets us into the Christmas season. I have a couple of thoughts about Advent I want to share, but my compartmentalizing brain wouldn't let me post about advent before catching up Thanksgiving. And, you just can't put two major holidays in the same post......just wouldn't be right. So, when I get the next free minute, be watching for another post soon.

My Budding Ballerina

2008-11-21T23:01:00.004-05:00

Last week was parent observation day in Sara Kate's ballet class. She started classes in August, and up until now we had no idea what she was learning. So, it was fun to get to see her in action.

It's funny, I fought ballet classes tooth & nail. I just thought she was more of a gymnastics kind of girl because she is.....um, less than graceful (as the video proves). But, dadgummit, she sure is cute. And, she LOVES it. I was really surprised at how much they can actually teach 3 year olds. The class has learned several ballet terms (don't ask me what they are.........I'm a LOT less than graceful) and at least learned what they look like, if they haven't mastered the skill yet.

This spring, she'll be in her very first recital. We can't wait.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

My favorite part of the video is where she is doing a sashay across the room, and she says hey daddy and then trips twice..........as I said, "delicate flower" but she is stinkin' cute..............I'm thinking that'll take her a long way!

I WON, I WON

2008-11-15T13:26:00.005-05:00

Y'all, I NEVER win anything. Never. Ever. But, I am super excited to say that the tide is changing, the leaf has turned over, my luck has changed, there's a new sheriff in town........or any other crazy way of saying: I WON! I actually WON!

A few days ago, I entered into a blog giveaway. I can't tell you how many I've entered since I started reading blogs. In fact, I actually had forgotten all about this. But, anyway, I can not tell you the amount of ridiculous hooping, hollering, and screaming that happened in the Farmer household when I saw my name on Big Mama's blog. This is right up there with having our bible study's contest entry posted on Beth Moore's blog.

So, seeing as how I just WON a gift certificate for some kids clothes........I gotta go shopping!!

One last thing: YIIIPPPPPEEEE (I haven't said that yet.)

A mind of her own

2008-11-12T11:51:00.003-05:00

This is where we found Sara Kate the other night when we went to check on her. Sound asleep......on her toybox that GDaddy made her. If ever a child had a mind of their own, she does. You just never know what you're going to find when you check on Sara Kate.

And the Award goes to........

2008-11-10T19:19:00.005-05:00

Me!

My friend, Cyndi blessed me with this little blogging award. I must say, I love the title "A perfect blend of friendship" because that truly is what most friendships are..... a blending of sorts, usually on several different levels. The award asks that you answer some questions, so here goes:

1. Do you have the same friends since childhood?

Not to be overly analytical here, but I do have the some of the same friends since childhood and I've also been blessed to acquire many more. But, I do enjoy a relationship with one friend in particular whom I have known since we were 4 or 5. Unfortunately, Misty is not a blogger (or a Facebook-er) so she probably won't see this and can't be tagged. But, we grew up in the same church and our mom's were/are friends. She lives in South Carolina now, and we don't get to see each other often; but everytime we pick up the phone to talk it is like we've never missed a beat. Also, Kellie and I have been friends since 2nd grade. And, she lives in the same city as I do, so we have NO excuse for not seeing each other often; but we do see each other some and we also always pick up where we left off. Much the same, Saundra and I have been friends since Jr. High and we manage to keep in touch as well.

Again, I've picked up several friends along the way that are also near and dear to my heart.

2. What do you value most about your friends?

I think I value our differences the most. In fact, most of my friends are very different than I am. I think that is what makes friendships so fun. Again, the word "blend" is so fitting. Every one brings their own personality to the table and you end up with the exact combination that makes your friendship special.

My friend for life (Brad) couldn't be more of a polar opposite.......but it works for us. Lord knows there could not be 2 people in the family that worry as much as I do......every last one of us would have ulcers. And, just to be fair, there could not be 2 people in the family that are as laid back as Brad, because Ohmyword.........I just about have a heart attack thinking about it.

I think I also value sharing in one another's lives too...... Just plain old laughing when they laugh, and crying when they cry, and the security that comes with knowing there are a handful of people who truly love you and care dearly about you.....warts and all.

3. Are your friends your sounding boards?

In a word...........YES! In fact, I've said to several of my close friends that I am addicted to their opinions. And, its true, if something is on my mind (good or bad or indifferent) I love to see what my friends think about it. In all honesty, I'm usually just trying to confirm that I'm not crazy sometimes. More often than not, Tammy and I joke that if we are speaking a different language than the rest of the world, at least we understand each other.

Bless their hearts, my friends have heard me vent and fume and gush and cry and rejoice and brag and every other emotion there is out there. I don't think I've left one out. And, not only do they still love me, but they wouldn't have it any other way.......(I think). At least, I wouldn't.

4. What is your favorite activity to share with your friends?

This one is easy. The short answer is just being together.......doing anything. I'm usually not very picky....... eating, shopping, talking, you know just about anything......taking our kids on little outings, eating (oh, did I mention that already). But, I do love going on weekend trips with my buddies......whether that is just Brad & I, or us and another couple, or just the girls........either way, it's all good.

And here is where I am supposed to tag 5 other folks. But, because I'm late to the "perfect blend" party and a couple of others have already posted and tagged and so forth.....I'm just going to say, if you'd like to post about your own personal Perfect Blend of Friendships, be my guest......or my tag-ee. I really enjoy reading them.

And, by the way, to all my friends out there (new and old) can I just take a moment to say how much you do mean to me. I love you. I value you. And, y'all make my world a much brighter, happier place. Now, I must go and find my sunglasses :)

So close, yet so far away

2008-11-07T14:49:00.003-05:00

So today when I picked Bryce up from school he bounced in the car and immediately said that he had something for Sara Kate. Even before buckling, he had to dig it out of his backpack while she eagerly waited. He pulled out this colorful bracelet and began to show her how to put it on. She was obviously touched by this act of kindness and began telling Bryce how nice it was and how much she loved it. Then, a few minutes later, she said, (in her sweetest, most endearing voice) "Bryc-er (her nickname for him), I love you." To which he replied, "Don't even say that or I'll take it away!"

[Sigh] We were so close to having a sweet, little family moment there....... so close, so very close! Regardless, Bryce does get bonus points for thinking of his sister while picking out prizes from the good behavior box.

The Gumball Tree

2008-11-03T21:47:00.012-05:00

First of all, I am so behind on the blog. I have several different things to post, including this sweet nomination from my dear friend, Cyndi; and Bryce's first field trip, Halloween, and some home decorating too. But, I had to share this with you first because it is so funny. It perfectly paints a picture of the personalities of these two little ones. So without further ado, let me tell you about my two little gardeners.

Saturday, the Hildebrand's were over. And, as always, the kids were off playing. Once, when I went to check on them, they were using Sara Kate's play garden equipment to dig in my mulch along the front sidewalk of the house. Obviously, I redirected them explaining that I wasn't a big fan of holes in my mulch. So off they went to find bigger and better things to do. And, that's exactly what they did. Instead they went to the back yard to dig holes in the mulch....because nothing says obedience like moving to a different location to continue the mischief. Anyway, I digress.

A little while later, Brad came to inform me that the kids were planting gumballs. When we went out to check on them, sure enough, Ella & Sara Kate were very meticulously digging holes with the spade, carefully depositing one shiny gumball, covering said gumball with mulch, and finishing off the task by watering them. Apparently, they had been at it for quite some time; and they were playing so well and quietly. It's funny how quiet those two can get when their up to no good. But, we found it so funny that all we could do was take pictures and give them just a few more gumballs to plant.

When I went outside to get a few shots at the scene of the crime, I asked the girls what they were planting, halfway thinking that they were pretending that they were really planting seeds. But, no, not those two.

They promptly replied, "Gumballs."

Naturally, I followed up, "So, what do you think is going to grow?"

"A gumball tree." The girls emphatically explained....which makes me wonder if they thought I was a little on the dumb side for asking such a stupid question.

To which, big brother Bryce promptly and rather sarcastically replied, "Not if you don't water it."

I so wish I had done a video of that conversation. It was truly priceless. I don't know what is more funny: The fact that the girls thought they were planting gumballs that would really sprout into gumball trees, or the fact that Bryce knew it wouldn't grow unless it was watered.

Both Ella and Sara Kate have personalities to beat the band. They are their own little people, following no one. We constantly joke that Sara Kate is walking through life "starring" in her own little musical. And she operates under the assumption that rules are only suggestions, and they are really meant for everyone but her anyway. While Ella is the mischievous dare devil, that at times, makes her mother thank the good Lord she is so darn cute......and she is So. Darn. Cute!! Did I put that accurately Tammy? But, together they are the 1-2 combination of "too cute for words" and "holy cow, what are they up to now."

Anyhow, I thought you'd enjoy some pictures of the little gardeners slaving away over their gumball trees.

By the way, the real crime was that we had no clue that they even had the gumballs, which I find just as funny as the fact that they were planting them. I have no idea how many they planted, but I'd give anything to make a little something grow for them.........maybe they were planting their imaginations!!

As a quick side note, their older siblings were watching all of this take place from the screened in porch, happily coloring some pictures together. And, because they were born 7 weeks apart and because they are now 6 years old, that alone just about makes my heart explode with happiness.

What was I thinking?

2008-10-23T15:14:00.008-04:00

Yet again, I have willingly subjected and enrolled my son in a sport that requires that he wear more in protective equipment than he actually weighs. Well, maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but it sure doesn't seem like it.

Now that he is a yellow belt in Karate, they have begun sparring and using nun chucks. So, again I'm starting to question my sanity for thinking it was a good idea to give a 6 year old a weapon........talk about mass destruction............my poor house will likely never be the same. The only consolation is the nun chucks are foam. If not, I feel certain that at least one person in the family would be seriously injured. As it stands, maybe the foam ones will only leave bruises. So, if you see Sara Kate with a nice shiner; chances are it will be compliments of her brother. Hopefully, the new "nun chucks are only for karate class" rule that was recently passed in the Farmer household will be heeded.

By the way, if you have an itch to witness some chaos, try observing a karate class when the instructor is introducing nun chucks to a class of about 10 or so kids for the first time. Can you say occupational hazard? Just watching was worth the price of admission. Nun chucks were flying in the air and landing on the ground so quick it would make your head spin. Good times!

One more thing, I purchased all the suggested gear, but judging from the picture it looks to me like there is one very important piece of protection needed...............I'm just sayin'

The Monster Bash

2008-10-20T08:43:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago we decided to join the Children's Museum in Chattanooga. We usually try to become a member of something fun each year to have something to do with the kids. We try to change it up each year. One year it was the zoo, one year it was the aquarium, and this year it was the Creative Discovery Museum. I've heard that their birthday parties are fun & reasonable and with SK's coming up, our decision was easy.

We got lucky and joined at the right time, just before their annual Monster Bash. It's the museum's version of a fall festival. The kids come all dressed up in their costumes and get to do fun activities all through out the museum. They got to see a magic show, paint pumpkins, go through a hay maze, roast marshmallows, pet live snakes and bugs, make crafts, dance, etc. But probably most importantly.....collect candy. So, you get the idea. The best part was that it is free to members.

Here's some pictures of the Monster Bash and also from when we went earlier.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

In the middle of the atrium they had a 'dance party'. It was really cute. Through out the night, they had the kids dancing and doing a conga line and the limbo. Of course, Sara Kate decided to 'cut a rug' with "the burger king." I thought it was worth sharing.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

What a Weekend

2008-10-13T10:02:00.004-04:00

This past weekend my sister and nieces came in town for a visit. They haven't been up since July so we had a lot of family fun to accomplish. It worked out perfectly, because it was also Fall Break, so we had a little extra time to cram everything in.

Friday we loaded the kids up and went to the pumpkin patch in Dawsonville. The ride to get there was almost as fun as the patch itself. I won't explain why, there are no words; although I bet mom could think of several. Anyway, after we got finished with the obligatory photo shoot, we picked out pumpkins and took the hay ride. We went back home through Ellijay where we stopped and got some fried apple pies and apple fritters because you can never have too much sugar when you've got 3 kids in the back of a van.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Saturday my sister and the kids took Katie Bell to get her ears pierced. It was all her idea and I tried explaining to her that it would hurt a little bit, but she could not be deterred. I knew in my chicken-ness that I could not take her and my sister jumped at the chance. So, while Brad & I went to a wedding, Shelley went to have metal things pierced through my childs ears. On purpose. Apparently, she did okay. Although there were waterworks despite her promise that there wouldn't be.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Saturday night the kids painted pumpkins and everyone spent the night at Granda & G Daddy's in anticipation of Sunday morning waffles and fried eggs & gravy. Also, on Sunday the kids drove the golf cart, went on a motorcycle ride compliments of Uncle Scott, and made and decorated fall-themed cupcakes.

Sunday night we had a hayride, bonfire, and marshmallow roast.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Shelley did an awesome post as well and it includes more pictures. If you want to check out her post. Go here. Her's is a lot more creative and funny, but I am weary and the creative juices have run dry this morning.

The Great Debate......

2008-10-11T09:54:00.008-04:00

and, NO, I'm not talking about politics here. Instead, I'm referring to one of those silly, long standing, disagreements between family members. Brad & I have positioned ourselves on opposite ends of the poles in regard to this particular matter and there is absolutely no budging either of us. I'd like to say that your responses in the comments would sway one or the other of us, but it's not very likely, as we are both of the stubborn variety.

Brad and I both like to play Spider Solitaire on the computer. Oh yes, we're a very exciting and productive pair. As with most things of this nature, Brad is very good at it. I am mediocre, but I manage to pull out a win fairly often. Brad is so competitive about it that he tracks his statistics. The stats tell you your winning percentage as well as the number of games in your winning or losing streak. When we first started playing, Brad would keep playing games until he won; not unlike when he first started playing sudoku and would keep playing games until he solved the puzzle in "x" amount of minutes. Personally, I think all that is ridiculous. And, it is now very clear where my son gets his competitiveness.

Now, Brad plays one game until he wins. Just this morning, I came downstairs and an un-won game was displayed on the computer. Teasing him, I asked him if he lost. To which he placed his sly grin on his face and confidently said, "I never lose." He gives me a lot of grief if he checks the stats and the winning percentage has dropped, which signifies that I have been playing. And then, he sets out to make it right again by sitting down to play (and win) until the percentage is back up near 100. I think this is borderline OCD if you ask me, but since I have so many OCD qualities in other forms, I shall not point that out........

The source of the debate is the use of the "undo" button. I tend to take after my daddy in this regard, who would NEVER look at the back of the book for his crossword puzzle solutions. He (daddy) claims that that is cheating. So, I use the "undo" button very sparingly. On the other side, Brad has "undone" so many moves at once, that I have asked him why he didn't just restart the same game. The reason? Because apparently, that messes up the statistics. Geez! Remember when I said Brad will play a game until he wins, that is exactly what I mean. He will undo and undo and undo until he figures out where all the cards are, and makes his moves accordingly. How could he be proud of a 100% winning percentage if he attains it like that? But, his argument is that if it were cheating, it wouldn't be allowed. Which, I suppose, is a valid point and is also my argument for using the undo button myself occasionally. The difference is the amount in which we use it. He also says that you should always play to win, and use everything in your legal power to attain victory. And, since the undo option is there legally, he asserts that he is playing the game the way it is meant to be played.

What do y'all think? Is it cheating to use the undo button occasionally? often? Is it best to use it until you win, or just chalk up your losses. We'd love to hear your thoughts and possibly clear up the great debate. But, as I said before, I doubt that either of us can be swayed! But, if you convince Brad that he is cheating maybe I can have bragging rights once in a while! I suppose that I can also undo until the cows come home, but I don't have the patience. Nor do I care what my winning percentage is. I play just to decompress.

What are your funny family debates? It might be fun to hear that we're not the only ones with crazy/funny arguments.......and probably more fun to hear what they are.

Our week

2008-10-04T20:01:00.008-04:00

I am SO glad it is Saturday night. Saturday night means the week is almost over. In fact, we just have about 4 hours left of this one; and believe, me I'm very happy to rip these days from the calendar. Our week has been busy and challenging.

On Monday night, Bryce had a football game and got to play against his best friend. Bryce had his best game so far, with 3 solid tackles and 3 more close attempts. Sadly, we still lost, but you can really tell that the players are improving. So that was fun!

**************Before the big game*************

Tuesday, I did our monthly grocery shopping that morning and Bryce had Karate that afternoon. Also, on Tuesday we had the privilege of taking a meal to a couple at church with a newborn. Sara Kate went with me and was allowed to hold cute, little Andy with my help. She thought that was the berries. Unfortunately, on my way home I was the lucky recipient of a ticket. My offense? I wasn't buckled. That. Is. All. You would think that the kind sir would have just given me a warning since I wasn't doing anything else wrong (like speeding) but no......no warnings for me. So, if you live near me, they mean it when they say, "click it or ticket" ......to the tune of $15.

Interestingly enough, Bryce understands my pain all too well. Wednesday he got in trouble at school. Now, it's nothing major or I wouldn't be broadcasting it all over the internet. Each day, in his "take home papers" there is either a happy or sad face to indicate his behavior. Bryce has NEVER had an issue until this week (it was bound to happen sometime). Wednesday, he received his first sad face. But, the funny part of the story occurred when we were discussing what happened. Bryce was very aggravated because apparently the teacher usually gives warnings, and this particular time, she did not. So, Bryce reasoned that really his offense should have just been a warning (makes sense to me). Believe me, I understood very well (see paragraph above). He went on to say, "Mom, even God gives second chances." (tell that to the officer) Okay, so what was I supposed to say to that. Another lesson, learned the hard way I suppose (for both of us).

Thursday, Sara Kate and I did our usual running around which includes ballet and my allergy shots. We also had karate again that afternoon. Bryce received the invitation to test for his yellow belt on Tuesday. And, he was super excited. He has been asking me when he was going to get it. If you think of it, and don't think it's too trivial, please pray for him Tuesday afternoon. But, Thursday was also my anniversary (9 years)! Mom had called and offered to keep the kids so that we could go out (I love it when that happens, thanks mom & dad). So, Brad & I got to try a new restaurant in town. It was fabulous. My favorite was the lobster bisque. It has put Brad and I on the search (again) for the all elusive great bisque recipe (we've tried several).

Friday was just fine. We stayed in and didn't do anything or go anywhere.....well Brad cut the grass. But, we stayed home and did normal "home" stuff, trying to play catch up.

And, today we had a football game and a birthday party and a few other errands to run. One thing on the "to do" list was to get the B-man a haircut. While there, Sara Kate insisted on getting one too. I have been thinking of cutting her hair, but Brad said that he liked it long. However, she is a persistent little thing and she kept going to Brad while we were waiting on Bryce, saying, "Daddy, I want a real haircut." He relented, and we took the plunge and cut her hair into a cute little chin length bob. I think she looks darling, and I hope it will be easier. But, I'll let you judge for yourself.

Her birthday is in November, and she is wanting an American Girl doll. I think maybe we'll get her Kit, because now, they look a lot alike. Admittedly, this is not a great picture, it was taken after bath and before bed, and I didn't have the patience to really exert my photographic skill (or lack thereof.) Here is Kit. Don't you think they look similar?

I know most of this is mundane, and I'm sure most people have clicked away. Why, would anyone want to read a day by day account of my week. They wouldn't of course, But, I just thought our little "life lesson" about following the rules was worth sharing. And, I needed to throw in karate, and football, and new do's. So, there you have it. I'm off to soak in the tub! Wouldn't you?

Proof

2008-10-01T13:33:00.007-04:00

I've always wondered about the saying "the proof is in the pudding". I'm sure there is an explanation for it, much like there is a story about brass monkeys and being cold........but that's another post entirely. Anyway, in this case, the proof is not in the pudding it's in the video. I'm about to prove 2 things about my Sara Kate.

1. She couldn't be quiet if her life depended on it.......even when she's sleeping.

2. She can whistle and she doesn't even know it. This is going to be of special significance, since Mrs. Nancy reported that her prayer request tonight at church was to learn to whistle.

Don't believe me? Here's proof:

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

It is not the snoring that I find so significant, she comes from a long line of snore-ers. Apparently, yours truly could saw some logs when I was little, before I had my tonsils removed. (although I don't believe it, and they can't prove it) Bryce also used to snore obnoxiously before his tonsils were removed. And, Brad still snores enough to make me want to lovingly smother him with my pillow.....just kidding........kind of. But, it's the fact that she was whistling so well and so LOUD. We heard it from the other room. Bless her heart y'all....and the heart of those who live with her too.

Oh, and the background noise you hear is Bryce listening to Adventures in Odyssey as he goes to bed. He was in his room of course, but apparently we don't do anything quietly in this house. Yep, they're loud & they're proud!

I'm It

2008-09-30T14:50:00.006-04:00

Lest you think that the title is a little vain on my part, rest assured therein lies no conceit. I was tagged to participate in a little meme. These things are always fun! So here goes......

Rules: Each player answers the question themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know that they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person that tagged you know when you've answered the questions on your blog.

10 years ago I:
1. Was just getting back from studying abroad in the UK
2. Was looking for a job (because I just got back from the UK)
3. Was NOT engaged yet (but I'm not bitter....)
4. was SKINNY
5. had the easy life of living with mom & dad, and NO responsibilities

5 things on today's "to do" list: (What just 5, I can name a million)
1. Go get groceries
2. Take my son to school & pick him up
3. Take a meal to a couple who just had a baby
4. Take my son to Karate
5. Have my quiet time

5 snacks I enjoy:
1. Cereal
2. Chips & Salsa with Cheese Dip
3. Fruit
4. Little Debbies (when I'm not on Weight watchers)
5. Ice cream sandwiches (The Skinny Cow has one that's just 2 points....now thats what I'm talkin' about)

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire:
1. Pay off our house
2. Buy my parent's house from them (they could stay, but that's where I want to retire)
3. Buy a Lake or Beach house
4. Give generously to family and worthy causes/ministries
5. Travel extensively (with & without my kids)

5 places I have lived: (Don't have 5)
1. My parents house
2. For a short while in the UK
3. My house in Ringgold
4. My house here
5.

5 jobs I have had: (I'm really stretching it here)
1. Lowe's
2. small pizza place when I was 14
3. Christmas season at KB toys when I was in high school (don't recommend it)
4. Martin Color-Fi in accounting
5. Nabisco/Kraft in accounting

The rules say I have to tag 5 people.
So I'll tag:
1. Jessica
2. Shelley
3. Tammy How
4. Kellie
5. Elizabeth

Sara Kate's Prayer

2008-09-25T08:53:00.003-04:00

So, last night after church, Sara Kate's teacher came up to me and said that Sara Kate shared a request during prayer time. Immediately, my heart warmed. That kind of statement surely makes a mother proud. "What did the sweet dear pray about?", you ask. And I quote, "Pray that mommy won't be mean at me anymore."

NICE! "Never mind," I stated in protest, "that she was acting like the devil himself when I had to be "mean." Um, that being proud part that I mentioned earlier? Yeah, well not so much.

I'll be anxiously awaiting all the "Mother of the Year" nominations!!

No ordinary pancake

2008-09-19T17:46:00.012-04:00

I don't watch a whole lot of TV anymore. In fact, about all that I really find myself watching most days is the nightly news and the Food Network. Now, don't get me wrong, I love me some "What not to wear" (I keep thinking my friends will have mercy on me and nominate me for the show.....). I digress, anyway, as far as prime time sitcoms, I just don't have a huge interest.

That being said, one of my favorite shows on the Food Network is Triple D. And for those poor souls (read: people with a life) out there that don't watch TFN; the show is actually called Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. The host, Guy Fieri travels all over the country (although hardly in the southeast.......where's the love, Guy?) going to different places to sample the food and to get a tutorial on how each places "specialty" is cooked. I think the closest place he's been to around here is the Marietta Diner in Marietta, Ga. We've eaten there before and it's pretty good. But the other night, the show was a tour of New Jersey Diners (and if you click the link, you can see when you can actually watch it yourself). And on it, this one particular diner owner made "Cyclops Pancakes" which is a pancake with a fried egg in the middle. Now, to me, that doesn't sound too appetizing. But for those of you who don't know, I married "Mikey, the kid who'll eat anything."

Brad is the Farmer household's go-to guy for pancakes anyway (I can't flip the darn things). He makes them, I decorate them. Indeed, my friends, the perfect picture of teamwork. So tonight, he was making pancakes for supper and I suggested that he try his hand at the Cyclops variety. While he was working on the Cyclops-cake that would make even Guy himself proud, I was decorating the kid's pancakes. I thought you might like to see Brad's take on the Cyclops and then of course, I have to throw in at least one picture with a kid in it. Have I mentioned that we're boring? Just wanted to make sure I had that last point well covered. We're just a frenzy of excitement, our family.

How sad is it that I actually took the time to take a picture of my husband making a pancake? Oh, let's just not talk about it, shall we? Anyway, in case you're wondering (I know you're sitting on the edge of your seat) he liked it so well that he made another one. I didn't try it, and I don't plan too. The whole mixing food concept is blasphemy to me.

This is Bryce-man's pancake. It is upside down so you really can't tell about it. But, it has rediwhip eyebrows and smile with a strawberry nose and M&M eyes. Oh, the talent this stay at home mom possesses. By his face, he looks thrilled with it......and that's all that matters.

Catching Up with all sorts of stuff

2008-09-17T16:31:00.010-04:00

I don't exactly know the reason for my lack of posting lately. It is either because we've been incredibly busy or incredibly boring. I'm not sure if you can be both busy and boring. But, if you can, we've mastered it. Pretty pathetic isn't it? Well, despite the fact that this may bore you to tears, I'm going to catch us up. And, I must warn you, this is a hodge podge if ever there were one. As I said, I'm catching us up, so the subject matter will be all over the place.

For starters, I wanted to post this picture in reference to my last post. And, the fact that I am doing so only solidifies the fact that indeed, we are boring and pathetic. Yes, if there were ever a doubt before, there is absolutely no question now. No, ma'am. But, anyhow, I was so excited the other day when I got to make something other than a PB&J for lunch that I thought I would celebrate with a picture. (Never mind that Bryce still got the "old standby".) Pathetic? You bet'cha.

Around Bryce's birthday, Grandma Sheryl got Sara Kate an Easy Bake Oven. She has really enjoyed it; and just about drove us crazy until she baked her masterpiece. Of course, her culinary debut must be captured on film. Here she is with the final product. I have pictures of the entire process, but you pretty much get the idea right? And in case you're not sure, it is a small cake with chocolate icing. She didn't even eat it, but then again, it was more about the baking than the eating. She has a cookie mix too. So stay tuned.

Okay, on the first weekend in September, the neighboring small town up from ours had their annual Civil War Battle Reenactment . Brad took the kids, along with Bryce's good buddy, Mason. I had the privilege of being busy, so I missed out on the fun. But, I think the kids had a good time. Here they are at the reenactment, and here's what they saw:
Above is the infamous tunnel. Also, Brad put red hats on both the boys so that he could keep up with them easily. I just thought it was kind of funny that Brad thought of doing something like that. I'm usually the safety freak..........or was that my idea?

And, last but not least, Bryce had his first football game on Tuesday night. We got clobbered. But, they were so stinkin' cute, it wasn't even funny.......especially, the cheerleaders. Man, Sara Kate is gonna eat that up. I thought it was so cute that the cheerleaders made a sign for the kids to run through, just like in high school. So, here's video of them "busting" through the sign.

Also, this is one my favorite moments of the night. There were several players on the sidelines during the game, and a few of them were more interested in the cheerleaders than the game. That is too funny. But, please, tell me it doesn't start this soon. Please. Please.
And, here is my big guy. He is looking ready and pumped for the big game.

Okay, sorry that was all over the place. But, it is what it is...........and it ain't nothing but a "thang". Right, MB?

As the SNL skit says, "You're Up to Date."

Just a Thought......

2008-09-05T11:52:00.007-04:00

I wish I had a quarter for every time I've made one of these.........

Specifically, the PB&J variety.

Either for Dine In

Or Carry-Out

The Best of Both Worlds

2008-09-02T20:59:00.008-04:00

I'm hoping Hannah Montana doesn't mind if I borrow her title, but it certainly describes our family. When you have a child of each gender, you honestly do have the best of both worlds. When we found out Bryce was a boy, I was relieved. I honestly could not imagine what I would do with a girl. So when we found out Sara Kate was a girl, I was obviously a little nervous; as I'm not the fru-fru, girly-girl kind of girl. I hated wearing dresses and fixing my hair, and I never took dance.

But, I must admit, I am pleasantly surprised and I'm loving it. I get to do all the cool boy stuff and all the fru-fru girly stuff.

Last week, KatieBell started Ballet. Honestly, I wanted her to take gymnastics, as she is not the most graceful child in the world. Cutest and most adorable? Yes. Graceful? No, not by a long shot. But, nothing would do her but to take ballet. I tried all manner of coercion and she was not having any of it. So, I had to take "dancers 101" from Tammy and figure out all the stuff about tights and leotards and ballet shoes. Once I figured all that out, we excitedly walked through the doors last Thursday. I'm not able to go in to class with her, but I did get some pictures before class began. From what I understand, they will have a parent observation day where we can go in and watch. But, for now, enjoy these shots.

Does she look a teeny bit excited?

Again, keep watching for more pictures and possibly a video.

But, this is the best of both worlds remember? And, I don't know what would classify as being a world away from ballet more than football. Bryce had his first football practice tonight. Oh my word y'all, it's both adorable and nerve wracking, all at once. Have a look at my tough little man out there on the grid iron.

Those boys look absolutely lost in all of that gear. But they love it. And, finally, enjoy some actual practice footage.

All at Once

2008-08-26T09:07:00.010-04:00

Well, as most of you know, Mr. B started school earlier this month. He has done great and he seems to really like it a lot. Mom did okay until they moved Bryce's teacher and his class was separated out. When I got that news, I cried like a baby. I don't really know why, because when I was trying to delicately explain this new development to Bryce, he responded, "okay." And later, during devotions, when asked, "what made you glad today?" He responded, "that I get to go to Mrs. B's class." So, clearly, he took the news well.

As if that is not enough to get adjusted to, he also turns 6 this month (on 8/28). There is nothing that makes you feel like you're losing your baby like the 1-2 punch of starting school and turning 6. This, coupled with the fact that we signed him up to play football this fall, has done me in. He came home the other night from getting his uniform, and he was beaming from ear to ear; all decked out in pads from hither to yon. Can I just say there is something horribly wrong with a sport that requires you to wear more than your weight in protective gear? Bryce is tough as cobb and I don't think I'm all that over protective, but football is going to be a little difficult to watch.

Here are a few pictures from his birthday party Saturday night.

And, the final blow to this momma's heart is what he proudly came home from school with yesterday...............his tooth. His, FIRST missing tooth, and I wasn't there to witness or video. It had been loose for a few days, and GDaddy had even tried to pull it with string and, um.....pliers (he is GDaddy after all), but no such luck. Apparently, yesterday at lunch it just came out. Luckily, his teacher saved it for him so that he could bring it home. And, he had fun surprising daddy when Brad got home. But, that little smile of his is altered forever. It sure is cute though.

Had these things happened singularly, I think I would be fairly cool about the whole thing. But, wow, with them happening all at once this month it seems like he is just growing up. No wonder my chest has felt tight for the last 2 weeks. Please don't get me wrong, I'm tickled pink that he is loving school and I'm proud as punch that he is doing so well and all, but it does tug at my heart stings a tad. And, just to prove my point, I'm including this picure too.......

Hello???? Need, I say more.......he didn't even have teeth in this picture.

Bryce, Mom and Dad are so very proud of you and we love you so very much!!

Reminding Myself......

2008-08-18T09:32:00.002-04:00

......that all things work together for good for those who love him and who have been called according to his purpose.

I'm telling myself that today, over and over and over and over. It just seems like I'm surrounded by disappointments and hurts. Disappointments in our own family and disappointments in the lives of our friends. Some are more grave and serious and heart-wrenching than others, but there are many. So, I'm telling myself that God can work out these disappointments for good. And, even when there is no shred of evidence, I'm going to believe Him to do it. In every.single.instance!! Every instance of illness, every single instance of job related concerns(no matter what kind), every instance of school related concerns, every financial concern, and every concern of loneliness. All of them! As the song says, "so we lift up our hope in you, though we may not yet understand, we know it's true, all things work together."

Psalm 33:22May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.

God, may you accept this as a pleasing faith offering to you, and may you show yourself strong and mighty to those of us who need you so badly right now!

Psalm 18:2The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

A Strange Occurence

2008-08-11T07:52:00.005-04:00

This morning a strange and rare occurrence took place. Sara Kate and I were on our way home from dropping Bryce off at school. She was being her usual self and talking non-stop, asking all manner of questions. Then, without warning she said, (and I quote) "UGH, I am SO tired of talking!!" She nearly made me pass out at the wheel, as I thought to myself, "could this be true, could it really be possible that she has talked so much, that she has already reached some sort of internal word gauge that no one else on earth has triggered yet and modern science has yet to discover." And, very quickly I was starting to think of the solitude that just might now exist in our van...............But, then, what seemed like nanoseconds later, she added, "but my brain just keeps telling me to talk." Can I just say, that that little brain of hers is going to get her into trouble one day? Anyway, then she went straight into rhyming words (and I quote) "tick, lick, pick" etc. And, after that, it was time for some made up songs. She is the only artist I know that mixes praise and worship with kiddie secular in the same song. This morning her song was about worshipping Jesus her friend, and then the lyrics took a turn in to something I didn't even understand. All this was in less than 5 minutes it takes to get home.

Ah, so close, so very close. One can only hope.

I thought I would include a short video of one of her made up songs. She was in a singing mood one morning after she woke up and joined us in our bed. For some reason, I had the presence of mind to get the camera.

Fun Fact Friday: First Day of School

2008-08-08T09:11:00.008-04:00

The time has come folks. The day is here. My little guy started school today. He was ready, no apprehension......well, except last night he told me he wasn't happy that he had to take a nap. I assured him that he didn't have to go to sleep, that he only had to lay down for a while, and that seemed to satisfy. That was last night just before bed, and this morning, he got up and was ready to go. He chose to take his lunch today, but I think he just liked the idea of taking his cool lunch box. He ordered PB&J, grapes, and cookies with apple juice to drink. I'll be curious to see if he decides to eat what he brought or eat at school. We'll see, I guess.

Yesterday, we went to orientation. We met his teacher, Ms. A and the para-pro, Mrs. C. We saw his cubby, backpack hook, his seat, and the rest of the classroom. We checked out the lunch room, the library, and the gym.

Bryce & Ms. A

A Quote to Share

2008-08-04T09:08:00.003-04:00

I saw this quote the other night, and thought it was worth sharing. I definitely have some work to do in this area.

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. The essence of faith is being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus."
- John Piper

Christmas in July?

2008-07-29T12:22:00.002-04:00

I think that I've mentioned a few times how we do Christmas presents in our immediate family. And, I always hesitate to mention it at all, because I don't want anyone to think that I feel that every family should adopt this method. That couldn't be further from the truth, and I can't stand the thought of people thinking (even for a minute) that I'm trying to persuade any of my readers (friends) in to doing anything. The only thing that would be worse would be to have people thinking that I'm judging them on what they do or do not do. I'm the last one in the world that could judge anybody. My family doesn't have ANYTHING figured out, so please know that I don't do that.

Ok, with that disclaimer, I can proceed with the reason behind the post. But first, some background:

We give our kids 3 gifts for Christmas, each representing (in a fairly adapted way) the Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh that Jesus received at his birth. We got the idea from this article and then we tweaked it to meet our family's specific needs.

The Gold gift represents the thing that they really want or requested; their big item. The Frankincense gift represents something that will foster or further their relationship with God. We adapted the Myrrh gift to represent something our child actually needs. In other words, it is designed to meet a need for our child. Then, we went a step further than the article suggested and decided that we would also include a Family gift, which represents something that we can all do together or enjoy together as a family. This could be a trip or a tent (for family camping) or a box of board games or a new video game or whatever, as long as it is something that fosters family time.

This is a tradition that we've really grown to love. I love the symbolism and the meaning behind it. And, we love explaining it to the kids as they open their 3 presents. And we don't get real legalistic about it. But, it sometimes is a challenge. It does require you to think a little bit (or a lot) about what you purchase.

I try to start thinking about it early, usually around July and August; because, if I can decide on what to get, I can purchase one item for each child in the months of September, October, and November. Doing that makes the rest of the Christmas shopping a breeze!! And, I love more than anything the thought of being able to really focus on the reason for the season and not being overwhelmed with the malls and the traffic and the chaos. However, as much as I love that thought, the down side of thinking ahead is that you don't have the luxury of always knowing what your kids want.

And, now for the real reason behind the post. This is where I need help. Everyone knows that I lack in creativity. Plus, I love gathering information from friends that have kids in all ages. If my kids aren't old enough yet, they will be one day.

So, what is your child's most valued or prized possession. And, I'm speaking of the purely materialistic here. They may love that family heirloom jewelry box passed down from their great grandmother, but that will not serve the purpose I'm looking for. I'm asking, what is their favorite toy/gadget/game/etc. Or, what is that something that you've invested in for your children, that you've thanked-God-a-million-times-that-He-gave-you-the-sense-and-financial ability-to-get-it-because-it-has-singlehandedly-kept-you-sane? Not that it has to be expensive mind you. Do me a favor, and just ask your kids what they love. Tell them that your insanely, high strung, freak of a friend who is already worrying about Christmas, needs them to help her with some research.

No matter what age, no matter what price-both cheap and expensive, no matter what gender (I've got one of both) I would love to hear you chime in on this. I'll take all the ideas I can get. Not to mention, that mine still have birthdays this year. So, if I don't use it for one, I might use it for the other.

Okay, one last thing. I would be remiss if I didn't share this too. Last year, as Christmas was approaching, you know last September (ha ha) I was starting to think about it and talk about it with friends (didn't I Tammy?) and for whatever reason, I decided to start praying about it too. I really think God honored me bringing such a strange and simple request to him. I felt like He provided us with really great ideas, and then followed through with our ability to get them. It really was an extra little Christmas blessing in my heart and mind. I had started blogging by then, so if you want to look back and remember with me, go here and here.

Okay y'all, I'm all ears.

The Elusive Nap

2008-07-27T17:05:00.004-04:00

Sunday is my favorite day. I see Sunday as both an end and a beginning. Sunday is both the period and the next capital letter. I know it is the first day of the week, but with today's busy lifestyle it also serves as the ending to the previous week. Or, at least I think so.

On Sunday, we have the privilege of going to a church we love with people we love. We get to listen to a wonderful and timely word from the Lord, participate in moving worship, and partake of the Lord's table. Every. Sunday. And, I don't know if that is the grand finale of the week or a great prelude to the upcoming week; but either way, it is good.

After church, we usually go out to get something to eat. Sometimes, friends join us and sometimes my brother will get some extra time with the kids and eat with us. But, regardless, who doesn't enjoy getting your tummy full on a meal you didn't have to prepare served on dishes you don't have to clean up? Yes, my friends, the after church Sunday dinner is a good thing too.

On a perfect Sunday, we would come home and settle down for some quiet time. The kids would happily and quietly entertain themselves, and I would settle in to a good spot and unfold the Sunday paper (yet another aspect of Sunday that I love). I would read the paper or the Parade magazine until my eyes got heavy and then I would peacefully sleep, uninterrupted for about an hour. Brad usually goes straight for the nap and is asleep in about 3.2 seconds, but that is another post......

Anyway, the perfect Sunday would continue by eating a light bite with my family for supper and then spending some family time together. Nothing too involved or strenuous, maybe a quick walk around the neighborhood or, Bryce & Brad throwing the ball while Sara Kate and I play with sidewalk chalk. After a few hours, we would have our devotion time and the kids would go to bed.

This is the time when Sunday converts to the beginning of a new week. At some point on a Sunday evening (I imagine especially when school starts) I try to look at the calendar and see what my week looks like. In a perfect utopia kind of world, this would be the time when I thought about what Bryce would wear to school this week and try to think (only think) about dinner possibilities for the coming week. As far as I know, we don't live in a utopia, so I don't usually get that far, but I do try to just make a mental note of what my week holds. After that, I would head to bed and watch the food network or the nightly news until I drifted off to la la land.

That my friends, would be the most absolutely supreme and perfect Sunday. It has all the elements. Spiritual feeding, physical feeding, alone time, together time, down time and a time to prepare for the upcoming week.

Sunday is still my favorite day, but just ask me how many perfect Sunday's I've had the last 3 years. Go ahead, ask! At best my friends, a pitiful handful. I'd say less than 5. And, you want to know where it all goes wrong? Because rest assured, I know exactly where we detour. It's the nap. The all elusive nap. And I've decided the reason is two fold. I came to this conclusion when I was laying in the floor in my son's bedroom in an attempt to find a quiet place in my house. Trust me, I had plenty of time to mull it over.

The two reasons are: 1) My kids don't enjoy naps and they couldn't be quiet if their life depended on it (trust me, it has and they can't) 2) the hardwood or tile floors and open floor plan of my house make it more difficult to find a quiet place than finding a needle in a haystack.

I am one of those cursed people who has to have it quiet to be able to sleep. Yet again, this is another area where my extroverted personality comes back to bite me in the tail. If I hear stuff, I think there must be something going on that I need to be a part of. I can't even fall asleep with the radio on because I have this annoying need to sing along with every song. As far as I know, you can't sing & sleep at the same time. Trust me, if you could, I would probably have it figured out by now. And, never fear, if this is something that could be done Sara Kate would've have mastered it months ago.

It's not that I mind that the kids don't take a nap. It's the fact that whatever they happen to be doing at any given moment can be heard in the next town......um, I mean room and/or floor. We've tried movies upstairs in the play room, but Bryce doesn't sit when he watches movies, he jumps and twists and kicks things and goodness only know what else. That normally wouldn't matter, except that our bedroom is just below the playroom, so all I hear is thud, bang, thud. We've tried letting them play on the computer. But again, the computer is in the kitchen (right off from our bedroom) and all the sounds from video games makes me twitch. And, I haven't even mentioned Sara Kate yet, who literally walks around as if she is starring in her own little musical all. the. time. Today, I was trying to catch some winks on the couch (the first place I started out) and she "flitters" up to my feet to give them a little tickle. Ticklish or not, when you're about to nod off into the land of peacefulness it is NEVER funny to get a tickle. What is funny however, is that Brad was asleep (he never has issues with sleeping) in our bedroom and she kept intermittenly doing the same thing to him (sweet justice, I say). But, where did she learn these sinister torture tactics?

Oh well y'all, a girl can dream can't she? But, then again, aren't you usually asleep when you're dreaming? I can't even dream..............maybe I'll wish.

Here's wishing for the absolute, supremely perfect Sunday..........next week.

Enjoy your week everybody!

Prayer Request

2008-07-25T12:17:00.002-04:00

Hello Friends,

Can I pass along a prayer need to y'all? My parents best friend was just diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. He is only 62. They were meeting with a neurologist or neurosurgeon today (actually right now at 12:00) for a consult as to what can or can not be done. There is some talk that it might be possible to go in and remove some of the mass to alleviate pressure that is causing headaches. But, hopefully, they will be able to do even more. Please, please be in prayer for this family.

I won't give his name, just to protect his privacy. But, his initials are ALB and I know they would covet your prayers.

Thanks so much!

Fun in the Sun & Sand

2008-07-19T11:07:00.014-04:00

We've been having a fabulous time at the beach. It has been great to get that much needed R&R, and it has been a blast watching the kids have fun at the ocean.........even if they do manage to throw sand on me at least every 10 minutes. Here are some pictures to document our fun in the sun & the sand.Bryce: Buried Alive

Aunt Amy, Coops, & SK playing in the ocean.

Look what we found.......Brad caught it in the net and the kids "observed" for a few minutes. But, we're catch & release kind of folks, so he's back out in the sand somewhere.

Cooper and Sara Kate are having a blast. It's so much more fun when there is someone else your size running around.

Coops waste deep

Suzy enjoying the sand & the surf

Brad playing the Tim Conway skit from yesteryear. It took him 3 tries before he could actually stand up. I guess sandals are not the best shoe choice. Bryce had fun piling on the sand.

Bryce had bucket brigade during sandcastle construction

SK hard at work/play

Here, we are trying to show off our matching temp tattoos. I'm thinking it will be the closest that all of us will ever get to the real thing, but we sure had fun with them. We did them in honor of our Malley girl, who we miss so much. Malley: you are surely with us in spirit wherever we go. You are very much a part of our lives, even now.

You can't see it well, but all four of us have them. Our tattoo is the Mandarin (Chinese) symbol for special. We chose special because that pretty much sums us & Malley up........Don't you think?............be nice!! (ha ha)

I'll try to post again soon, I have tons of pictures to share. But for now, bye from the beach.

Fun Fact Friday: My claim to fame......sort of?

2008-07-11T20:27:00.005-04:00

I read Beth Moore's (of Living Proof Ministries) blog a good bit. And by a good bit, I mean, I check it every day. I've always loved her studies and the way she writes, so it was a natural choice for my "link list." A couple of months ago, she did a post offering to facilitate a bible study, that we, all the blog readers could participate in. The concept was sort of experimental, as she said that she had never facilitated a study for her blog readers. Plus, it is not a Beth Moore study, it is No Other Gods by Kelly Minter. But, it was presented as a slower pace, (read not as much homework as a Beth Moore) lighter study; and Beth herself had done the study and thought it had merit.

Anyway, kind of on a whim, I sent an email out to my Sunday school class mates to see if there was any interest. So,when the sign up post went up, the Living Proof blog received 1634 comments from folks that had formed groups and wanted to participate; and mine was one of them. Much to my surprise, we originally had 17 ladies from our sunday school class signed up.

That is when I began to panic. I never dreamed that that many of us would want to participate, and I suddenly began to feel a lot of pressure. What if they don't like the study? What if I end up having to talk, you know, IN FRONT OF PEOPLE? Etc. etc.

I had no idea how Beth was going to facilitate the study, and that didn't dawn on me until after I had a group of girls signed up. So, I anxiously awaited the post from Beth about what our first assignment was and when I read it, I promptly passed out (just kidding, but I sure wanted to.) I literally thought , after reading the assignment to our group of gathered girls, that they were all going to stare at me as if I had grown a third leg......out of my head.

What was the assignment, you ask? Well, here it is:

Spend most of your gathering time thinking of ways as a small group to memorize it (Jude 1:24-25). Get creative! You can make up hand motions or actions to go with it - anything fun, clever, or meaningful to make it easier to memorize. If you think you did a really great or funny job with it, here’s what you do! Fine tune it over the next four or five days then video tape it with all your siestas in mind

She went on to say that a winner would be chosen from all of the submitted videos.

To make a long story short, I had no reason to worry (haven't I learned yet). The girls jumped on board without a moment's hesitation. We laughed our heads off trying to come up with something to enter......and somehow we ended up doing a rap. That in an of itself is quite hilarious, and it makes me giggle every time I think about it.......especially considering that there are only a couple of us that are blessed with the gift of rhythm. (And I am not one of them) But, we honestly had so much fun with it.

My brother, Scott, hooked us up with a beat and he kindly created an actually good video out of the footage that we taped.....even though he thought we were crazy.

Well, we didn't win the contest, but we did get honorable mention. As a matter of fact, it is posted on her blog right now as I type. So head on over there and check out our rendition of Jude 1:24-25. Go ahead, have a laugh on us, and learn some scripture too.

On a more serious note, the actual study is very good and very thought provoking. I would recommend it.

A Family Tradition

2008-07-08T21:51:00.009-04:00

Ever since I can remember my parents have always had a big celebration for the Fourth of July. There is just something about celebrating freedom isn't there? As kids, we always loved having friends (the children of my parents best friends) over to play with, eating homemade ice cream, swimming, and watching fireworks. It is such a blessing to me to be able to continue keeping that same tradition in the same place (my parents house) that I grew up in, and to see my children making the very same memories that I am so fond of.

By my estimation, it has only gotten better. The food seems to multiply each year. And we've fallen head over heels in love with the "piece de resistance" of every fourth of July meal: the homemade yoohoo icecream (thanks for the recipe Randall-even though I never can remember it). My word in heaven y'all, that ice cream will make your lips draw right up and smack your eyeballs! It is sooo, and I do mean sooo, good!

The food is great, but my favorite part is always the fireworks. Now, don't get me wrong, it's certainly not "Pops in the Park" or anything, but there is just something about sitting on the hill at the top of Mom & Dad's driveway and watching your own fireworks display. The fireworks have certainly improved over the years as well. When I was a kid it was just sparklers, bottle rockets, and firecrackers (and Scott got most of those to blow up frogs or half kill somebody). Nowadays, the kids still get the sparklers, and the big kids (Brad/Scott) still get the bottle rockets, but we've added some of the fancy stuff too. We're certainly amateurs, but for amateurs, I'd say we hold our own. This is the only time I really justify letting hard earned money go up in smoke (literally). To me, it's worth it.

My whole family is always there. But we always share the evening with friends too. Our close friends, Eric & Tammy and their girls along with Tammy's parents and sister always come. And this year, Scott's college roommate, Bruce and his family got to come up from Florida. Again, this kind of just continues the tradition that mom & dad started. It just wouldn't be the same without friends.

So, in case you didn't pick up on everything. Let me just say it this way:

Family + Friends + Food + Fireworks + Freedom = A FULL HEART and a lot of FUN!

As always, enjoy the pictures.
Here are all the kids
.

and here is what they are watching.

This was, by no means, the finale; but as you can imagine taking a picture of fireworks with a digital camera that has a slight delay is a little tricky, so I switched to video. I especially like this one because you can hear laughing in the background. The laughing you hear is my sister. She was behind her digital camera and daddy was trying to time the fireworks to her "pushing the button". Apparently, from the laughing and her blog posts, it worked. So, at the end, I was saying I wanted to try it next. I ended up just giving him the camera. All he got was pictures of a black night.

Fun Fact Friday: The crazy days of Summer

2008-06-27T11:10:00.012-04:00

Hey folks. I know I've missed the Fun Fact the last couple of Fridays, but this summer has been C-RAZY. Fun, but crazy. I thought I'd just give a couple of picture highlights of the fun times.

We kicked off the beginning of summer at church with a simultaneous girl pajama party/boy camp out on the last day of school. I had the camera with me at the pajama party, so those are the pictures I'll share. Brad & Bryce were at the camp out, but unfortunately have nothing digital to show for it.

The pajama party was a lot of fun. The girls got mani & pedi's, hair & makeup, karaoke, tattoos, story time, build your own sundae, cheerleading, and we showed the movie Enchanted. What more could a girl want......except another poster of High School Musical (which is what we gave out as door prizes). The book that I read at story time is entitled, The Princess and the Kiss, and it is a wonderful story for young girls about purity. Enjoy the pictures, they are pretty self explanatory. Obviously SK had a blast!

Next up, we have Bryce getting his Orange Belt in Karate. He started in January. He had to earn his white belt, and then 3 red stripes had to be earned. Then, you actually test for your orange belt. So, he was psyched about it.

Now, on to VBS. The kids have been having a great time this week in "Jerusalem". They have loved all the shops and songs and tribe time and activities. Bryce was in the tribe of Levi and Sara Kate was in the tribe of Judah. They have both made some great memories this week.

Bryce is having some tribe time with the tribe of Levi.

Sara Kate is proudly displaying the sign she made in the art shop.

Brad hard at work in the carpentry shop.

I was in the jewelry shop helping the kids make some fabulous cross necklaces, but I don't have that digitally documented either. (I'm always the one with the camera).

In addition to these things, we've hosted some things for Tres Dias and I'm facilitating a bible study for the ladies at church.

Fun or not, the fact is: Summer is crazy. But, we think it's fun........busy, and tiring, but fun. We hope all of y'all are having a fun filled crazy summer too.

Sky Diving?

2008-06-25T11:57:00.002-04:00

Apparently I'm the only one in the family that is a scaredy-cat. I've pretty much always been that way, although at one time, I would actually put myself on a roller coaster by the strength of my own free will. That was then, this is now. Now, I will not put myself on a major roller coaster and I have near panic attacks just watching my son get in the line for one. Now, I see the danger in everything, and I don't miss a minutes opportunity to pray......um, or worry about it. Those of you who don't know me that well should know that I hold the record for the most "full clothing jumps"-scratch that-"SAVES" into the pool for a child who had even the slightest appearance of struggling. I've done it at my parents, and two different friends houses.....more than once. All the kids were fine, although I'd like to think that my full clothing heroics made some sort of difference.

Anyway, all that to say that when my brother told me he was going skydiving I nearly passed out. He told me his jump was to be Sunday at 1:00. I said many a prayers, and at 12:50 on Sunday I announced to Brad that Scott was about 10 minutes away from shear death....um, I mean jumping.

He survived it and he loved it, and he posted a video on his site that I thought you might like to see. While we were watching it, Sara Kate said, "let's not do that." No worries Sara Kate, we won't, and you sure as heck better not change your mind.

Apparently all the "guts" went to Scott, so no wonder I'm a worry wart.

For your listening pleasure

2008-06-23T22:11:00.008-04:00

Two Short Years Ago

2008-06-22T23:11:00.004-04:00

On this very day, two short years ago, my sweet Sara Kate was in the hospital. By this date, she had been in the hospital about 4 days and would be in the beginnings of kidney failure, that would eventually have us transferred from Chattanooga to Knoxville for a two week stay in the PICU at UT Medical Center. This was by far the most terrifying and horrific experience of our lives. But, the dates always stick out in my head, and the memories are so vivid; and honestly I just can't pass up the chance to be publicly thankful yet again......

Thankful for so many things, and although I've already posted them on Sara Kate's site once, I can't help but express them again. For the next two weeks, I will be remembering, reliving, and recounting all of my blessings. One of which was God's nearness. God was so incredibly present during that time, so real that it was almost unreal. I won't lie and say that I had peace the whole time. In fact, there were several times that I completely lost it, the life and vitality of my baby was very much in question, very much up in the air. But He was there, and He was faithful. Faithful in the small things, and faithful in the one thing that mattered most to us: her healing. I'll never get tired of thanking him for that.

Another blessing was the nearness of family. I've really never had any doubt or question that our families love us and are devoted to us; but if I ever had, this would have expelled them forever. Our families very literally got us through. They came to our rescue in an unrescue-able situation. In my mind, there is nothing more dear to my heart than our family. I have tons and tons of examples that I could list, but it's not necessary. They're not looking for any accolades, their one and only motivation was love for us. And, boy was the love ever shown; shown in tangible ways over and over during those three weeks and the weeks that followed. Just know everybody, that we love you too, and the love you poured on us will never be forgotten.

The blessing of friends and church family can not go uncounted. We've never felt more loved or cared about in all of our lives. Genuine concern and over the top love and care were lavished on us in so many ways I couldn't possibly recount them. Your acts of service to us were touching and heartfelt and quite frankly, life changing. And, please don't think I'm saying that flippantly. Your examples of community and bearing one another's burdens were ingrained in my heart and I quickly resolved to "pay it forward" as an opportunity presented itself (and I hope I have).

I must mention also, the blessing of wonderful medical facilities; kind, compassionate doctors and nurses, and the blessing of medicine and medical technology. God used these things to heal my baby, and I'm grateful.

I guess, all in all, I'm just thankful. Thank you Jesus, for healing my KatieBell. Thank you for family and friends who love us. Thank you for the lessons you taught us along the way. Thank you for your faithfulness, and an opportunity to share about it.

Adoption Update

2008-06-19T15:51:00.002-04:00

Hey guys~

I posted on Malley's site today. Please head on over there and help us pray.

Skygazers

2008-06-17T22:53:00.009-04:00

So, about 6 years ago I bought a used telescope at a yard sale. At the time, we had no kids, and I had always had an interest in "stuff' like that. I just thought it might be fun to have one. Promptly after we bought it, we put it away.......and that's exactly where it stayed for the next 5 years.......absolutely untouched.

Last year before we moved, I tried to get Brad to sell it in the yard sale that we were having to "clean out" and "de-junk". But, he wouldn't. He kept saying we would use it eventually.....especially now that we have kids. Well, we moved a year ago, and the telescope has held a special place of honor......in our attic. Again, absolutely untouched.........UNTIL NOW.

Recently, when Brad was getting our camping supplies out of the attic (for the Father/Son camp out) he noticed it. He actually took it with him to the camp out, but said he never had time to get it out and set it up. Anyway, Saturday night, there was a full moon; and luckily Brad thought about the telescope. So, he got it out, and set it up.

If I've ever looked through a more powerful telescope like that I don't remember it. It really was very cool. We could actually see craters on the surface of the moon. It was also really fun to watch Bryce & Sara Kate finally "get it" as mastering the "one eye technique" required for telescope peering is difficult, even for an adult. But, they were truly fascinated, as was I.

You know I had to take some pictures. But, I wanted more than just pictures of the kids looking through the telescope. So, we put the digital camera lens up to the telescope lens. I thought the pictures were kind of neat, although they don't show the true clarity that we could see. So, I thought I'd share them with you.

taken as/is-just looking in the sky

taken through the telescope (sorry it's off-center)

A Little Experiment

2008-06-14T21:43:00.010-04:00

OK- I freely admit, to the known world that I am not a fru-fru person. I've been a tomboy since the days of my youth, when the younger version of me was consumed with catching worms and pretending to host my own TV show called VET TV where I would miraculously save the dying worms by washing them in the pool (chlorine does wonders y'all) and laying them out on the concrete to dry......um, ok, maybe fry. And, this show was complete with step by step instructions for all of my faithful viewers out in TV land. With all that worm saving, I never had time to think about girly stuff and hair-dos. I can actually call to remembrance a time when I jumped in the shower and literally counted to 200, thinking that surely one can get completely clean in 200 seconds. I'm sure this admission has just made my mother gasp with horror, and now she's thinking, "oh, where did I go wrong." I have absolutely no idea how old I was, but I promise it wasn't in the last two decades. And mom, no worries, you did just fine. I'm an adult that loves the Lord and so far, no one has banished me from anywhere due to uncleanliness.

Anyway, why this admission? Well, because my kids just spent a week with my sister. My sister is the definition of fru-fru, and has been all of her life. She can fix hair like nobody's business. And it's not just that she can fix hair, she LOVES fixing hair, and doing anything else that could be considered fru-fru. You name the topic, and she could have a conversation about it. Style, make up, hair care products, fashion, etc., etc, blah-blah-blah. Well, at home, my KatieBell is usually sporting a pony tail or a hair barrette, and that is pretty much the extent of our hair styling abilities. Now, don't get me wrong, not even for a minute.....my KatieBell is cute as a bug without that stuff. But, it just seemed like she enjoyed a little of the fru-fru last week. So much so, that Shelley decided to post about it, and in the process, gave me a good natured ribbing.

So last night after Sara Kate had her bath, I had a brainstorm. I thought to myself, "you know, I should really try to do something cute with her hair." But, my aforementioned lack of fru-fru-ness left me a little empty handed because I don't own a curling iron or anything. Heck, I don't think I even have a can of hairspray in the house. But, I happened to remember something I did once in high school called rag rolling.

I asked Sara Kate if she wanted me to make her hair curly, and she screamed, "yes, yes, yes." Clearly, she is her aunt's child. I am quite certain that if mom had been so kind as to give me the option when I was 3, I would have flatly refused those proverbial Saturday night sponge rollers. Anyway, I took a stab at rag rolling her hair last night. I don't know if this is exactly the look we were going for, but it took quite an effort to get it done, and I sure wasn't going to take the time to try to straighten it. This, my friends, is precisely why I don't venture out in to the world of fru-fru. Oh well, I tried.

Check her out.. enjoy the before and after:
We've got a long way to go!! I guess it's off to Walmart we go to get some pink sponge rollers.....or maybe a curling iron.

Fun Fact Friday: Hard work pays off

2008-06-13T09:15:00.011-04:00

So, this week my kids have been at their Aunt Sissy's (my sister, Shelley). This extra free time allowed for some long overdue work on the house. Since we moved in last year, we've been wanting to paint the small half bath and our master bathroom. Both were just the "contractor cream" color or the standard off-white. But when we first moved in we painted both the kid's bedrooms, the office, and the dining room; and quite frankly, the thought of opening another can of paint around that time made me all twitchy.

Anyway, right before the kid's left I had found this cool little box to put in my half bath; and purchasing that box was the inspiration I needed to finally get the paint. So, while I was at it, I went ahead and got the paint for our bathroom too. I had also found a few accent pieces last week when I was in Atlanta, so I've had fun this week decorating.

The fact is I hate painting and I'm really not that good at it. But, the fun fact is: hard work pays off, and the sense of accomplishment you get with a little elbow grease is a nice little feeling, not to mention the great looking rooms (if I do say so myself.)

This is the box that started it all. I just really liked it, and thought it was pretty. I also found a great rug to match, and some hand towels that matched a flower on the outside of the box. (SCORE) The hand towels are actually rolled up inside the box, but the picture doesn't reflect that.

I am actually priviliged to have my own decorating consultants (named Tammy & Tamara ) who suggested that I hang the lid of the box on the wall........doesn't that look good?

It dawned on me that I should have taken before and after pictures, but I thought about it too late, so an "in process" shot will have to do. Did I mention I hate painting?

Here is the finished color with some new accents on the wall. I super love this iron shelf. It was a steal at my favorite places for home decor (Ross', TJ Maxx, and Marshalls). I'm not keeping the things that are on the shelf now, I just put them up there for the picture because I haven't gotten anything to put up there yet. I think I'm going to get glass jars with the chrome colored lids to hold cotton balls, etc. Or, maybe some pretty glass bottles that would have bath salts, etc. What do y'all think?

I had been wanting a large clock to put on the wall above my bathtub. It is a large wall, so it needed something big. Plus, we didn't have any time keeping device in the bathroom. I'm sure the new addition will aid in actually having us on time for church, but I think I've mentioned before that I need to develop a love for my alarm clock. So far, it hasn't happened. Anyway, the large clocks like that are kind of expensive; and if you know me very well, you know I'm cheap. So, I've been waiting to find one on clearance forever. Well, Saturday was my lucky day. Thanks to Michael's, I'm the proud owner of this clock at a whopping 60% off. Thankyouverymuch!! And, gosh y'all, I think it looks good. And yes, it was 5 'til 11 when I took the picture.

And, lastly, I just had to share this picture. This is our beloved Gigi. You've no doubt heard me mention her before. But, here is what she did the whole time I was slaving away. Every time I would emerge from a half painted bathroom, there she'd be, snoozing away. It was just comical. So, I thought another fact worth mentioning is that DOGS HAVE IT MADE.

Fun Fact Friday: Family fun in the sun

2008-06-06T18:54:00.010-04:00

People, the fact is: IT IS SUMMER. Just like most families, our definition of summer is fun, fun, fun......especially when Maci & Bayley are in town. Just see for yourself:

Fun Fact Friday: A Fresh New Wind

2008-05-29T12:18:00.004-04:00

I love blogs. I really do. In fact, I'm addicted. But, they can pose a problem, and actually, I'm referring to more than the fact that my dishes and laundry piles seem to stay bigger, longer now that the blog has entered my life. No, it's more than that. It's the fact that sometimes you can start comparing yourself to others. If you live with my brain and heart, comparisons usually spells disaster. And, usually it's not a fair comparison. A lot of people only put their best face forward, and only write about the good stuff........when it looks like they could win "mom of the year" for the next 10 years straight.

Don't get me wrong, that stuff is fun to read. But, just recently I read a post that was so real it was breathtaking. And, it was NOT all roses and perfection. It was raw, but beautiful. Since reading it, I have been 'slapped in the face' with how God can use something simple like a blog, to minister and speak to many; if we can find it within ourselves to be real and transparent from time to time. Obviously, I'd want the fun stuff to stay and probably even dominate; but I think there is truth to the fact that God can get glory from our struggles and our honesty. Not to mention the fact that we just really never know who will read it, and who just might need to hear it.

With that being said, I'm going to go out on a limb here and share one of mine. Thankfully, it does have a happy ending, but that's just because I waited too long to post the initial concern. Here is fair warning: If you don't know me already, "short and to the point" is not in my vocabulary. But, here is where God has had me lately. It wasn't fun at first, but the Fun Fact is: A fresh new wind is a welcome change. Here goes:

Ok, I was in a rut, a rough spot, a desert, a dry spell. Call it what you will, but it was me. I had been struggling with discontent and an uneasiness for a while. I felt like my quiet times were flat and that my prayers were hitting the ceiling. I knew what I needed to do, but couldn't ever make it happen; or, I knew what I needed to 'not' do and I wasn't willing to make that happen either.

It wasn't just one thing, but an unhappiness with almost everything "me" not my family or my marriage or stuff like that, more my personal personality flaws and my mothering; and I couldn't shake it. And, not only was it unhappiness it was tons and tons of guilt (which just happens to be my middle name). I came "this close" [picture me with my thumb and pointer finger very close together] to doing a post about it to just kind of lay it out there as a prayer request. I even had the title and everything. You wanna hear it? Ok, it was going to be "Just like Paul, only worse" and I was going to include the well known scripture where Paul is wrestling with himself about what he does and does not do (Romans 7:15-16). But, for whatever reason, I didn't. I don't think I was too embarrassed or anything as I'm fairly transparent, but, I think I was too busy--which, when you think of it, isn't that one of Satan's greatest tools.

Anyway, I finally had had enough. I sat down to spend some time with my Saviour. I told him (in true Shana fashion: I wrote them down in a list) all the areas that I hated, the things that I knew I needed to change. I went down the list of and asked him to help me with. each. and. every. single. one. I kept going....I asked for God to help me to recognize when Satan was at work trying to get me to believe his lies about me; some of which, may have even been lies I was telling myself. I asked God to give me a deeper relationship with him. And, I asked that as a result of that deeper relationship, my kids would sense my passion for Christ and want it for themselves.

This was not even 2 weeks ago. Yet, I have felt like I was breathing in, deep in my lungs, a fresh new wind from him. It was noticeable. Palpable. And, there were (and are) areas where I have noticed legitimate improvement, like I was operating under someone Else's (HIS) ability.

And this is my favorite part: There have been a few times, when I've blown it in certain areas. Where I immediately recognized, "yep, that's exactly what you shouldn't do" yet, for the first time, the guilt wasn't there. I quickly said to myself, "No, that's not what you're shooting for, so just aim higher next time." It was like God was saying to me, "I know you're trying Shana, cut yourself some slack." Sometimes, even most of the time, I'm my own worst enemy. But, I think that is slowly starting to change.

It makes me cry just thinking about it. Breathing in the deep grace of Christ. I've known about it all my life, it's just clicking better these days; maybe that's what pit dwelling does for you. This is it, this is what he came for.......for my sin, for me, because he loves me. There truly is no condemnation. It's a fresh new wind to my soul and spirit. It's a fragrant, pleasant, strong wind that I can take in, deep. I'm so thankful for it. Hopefully, it will be a contagious joy. Hopefully, I'll be able to breath it out, and shine for HIM. Maybe, this was my first step.

A Beautiful, Must Read

2008-05-24T22:55:00.002-04:00

I saw this post mentioned on another blog I read a lot. It is a beautiful, beautiful must read. It is such a wonderful illustration, and has had me crying for the last half hour.

To give you a tiny bit of background, it was written by Angie Smith, wife of Todd Smith (of Selah). Very recently, they lost their newborn daughter within hours of her birth. They had been told of the diagnosis and chose to carry her until God took her home. This happened fairly recently, and this post, though it doesn't directly speak of the specifics or even much about it at all, stems from their loss.

Again, you really need to read it. Go here. You. Will. Be. Blessed.

The Graduate

2008-05-22T21:04:00.004-04:00

Well, it's official. I now have a true, bonafide kindergartner. Mr. B graduated from Pre-K tonight. Tomorrow is his last day of pre-school....and what a last day it will be; they get to bring their bikes tomorrow.

At the "ceremony" I learned a little bit about my little man, and I just have to relay the story. After a lovely performance that included 6 songs and the presentation of diplomas, refreshments were served. Bryce was sitting in the floor with his friends eating his snacks. I had noticed a cute little girl sitting beside him, but didn't think much of it. A few minutes later, her mom came up to us and asked if she could get a picture with her daughter and Bryce. She went on to say that her daughter talks about Bryce all the time, and that every one in their family knew all about him. Even tonight, just before the ceremony she pointed to Bryce and told her family that "this is my boyfriend". Now, I've figured out that Bryce must have split the inherited personality traits from his parents right down the middle. Obviously, he was out going enough (like me)to snag a girlfriend, but just enough like Brad to keep quiet about it. To me, this is absolutely hilarious. Not to mention, a dangerous combination. But, I'm on to him now. Although, he never did confirm that he was her boyfriend. He did relay, when asked about her, that (and I quote) "She said that because I'm handsome." He doesn't lack for confidence, my little guy. Obviously, I didn't miss out on the photo op either. Here they are....

Bryce with his "girlfriend"

We had a great time, and it was so fun to see him up there with his friends. I thought I would share a clip of one of the songs they sang. It was the "kids choice" selection, but the video must be too large to download, because I never could get it to work. The other songs included: God is good to me, Deep & Wide, 5 Little Ducks, The B-I-B-L-E, and Jesus loves me. I did include pictures of Bryce & his teacher, Mrs. Zoe. And, another one, with his buddy, "C".

Bryce with his buddy

Bryce with his teacher, Mrs. Zoe

A Birthday Tribute to Brad

2008-05-16T21:16:00.007-04:00

Today is Brad's birthday (he turned 36), and I couldn't let the day go by without a post to honor him. I thought I would just list, in no specific order, the reasons I love him and the things that make him special.

I suppose the first thing that comes to mind is that Brad is one of the most likable persons I've ever met. It is a quality he shares with my daddy, which now that I think about it is probably, in part, what drew me to him. In fact, he share a lot of qualities with my daddy. Anyway, if you can't get along with or do not like Brad (or my daddy) then something is just plain wrong with you. He is the most patient, laid-back, easy going person I know....and he has a great sense of humor, but not in the draw-attention-to-yourself kind of way.

Another thing that comes to mind is that Brad is everything that I'm not. Seriously, we could not be more different. Some might think that could be a hindrance to a marriage, but we like it that way. At the risk of sounding "Jerry Maguire corny" we really do complete each other. He is what I'm not, and I am what he's not. I've already mentioned that Brad is laid back and easy going......well, if you know me at all, you know I'm not. In fact, I'm the most high strung, wound-tight person I know (okay maybe except for my dear friend Cyndi, but I'm a close second- aren't I Cyndi?). Also, if you know me at all (even if it's just from reading my posts or comments) you know I'm long winded. Brad......not so much. It is a conservative estimate to say that I out talk him 20 words to 1.

Brad is a family man. And as far as I'm concerned there is nothing more attractive or appealing than to see a man who loves his family (be it wife & kids, or parents & siblings, or both) and while I'm at it, there is nothing more unattractive and unappealing to see a man (no matter how gorgeous) that doesn't love his family....and they are out there. If you'll humor me with a small side note: [I am privileged to have a few (very few) middle school/high school readers (my nieces, girls from church) and to you girls I say, don't spend tons of time with a guy who doesn't love his family, no matter what the reason.] Brad is a great husband and a wonderful father who is wholly devoted to his family (all of us....me, the kids, his parents and sister and my family as well) When the "going gets tough" Brad hangs right in there with you. The same thing could/would be said about him by his friends (although don't expect him to call you on the phone.....'cause it ain't gonna happen).

Another quality he shares with my daddy is that of being a protector. I've always felt safe with my daddy, and once I started getting old enough to think about marriage, I knew I wanted someone that would make me feel safe (I actually had a list).......y'all all know that I'm a worry-wort to the nth degree, so I knew that feeling safe was a 'must have'. I've always felt safe with Brad in every circumstance. He has directional sense like nobody else I know, and for someone who can get lost in a paper bag, that's a good thing. He can fix stuff, just like my daddy....and if something stumps him, he's not too proud to ask daddy for help. And, darn it, I love that too. He doesn't have an ounce of pride in his whole body. Along the sames lines, he doesn't feel the need to share his opinions with anyone else. Unlike me, who shares everything that I know and love with everybody; Brad won't give you an opinion unless you ask for it, and even then, you'll have to press him for the particulars. And, it's not that he doesn't have an opinion, because as I've found out many times, he really does, he's just too humble to feel the need to share it with anybody. This is especially true about his faith. His faith is very important to him, but is not something he 'flaunts', it is personal and sacred. Again, this is a quality my daddy has too.

I love that Brad loves the outdoors. I love that he's an Eagle Scout and can build a fire, and tie knots, and cook on open fires in dutch ovens, and hike, and camp. I love that he shares his love of the outdoors with his children, and encourages their love for the outdoors too.

I could go on and on (have I mentioned that I'm long winded) 'cause I still have several things in mind that I haven't written yet, but I won't. He already knows what they are and that's all that matters.

But, I do want to wish you a very wonderful and happy birthday! I love you....and thanks for being you, and for loving me!!

I thought it might be fitting to include some pictures of Brad, doing what he loves with the people that he loves.....enjoy!

Fun Fact Friday: Princesses & Power Rangers

2008-05-16T12:58:00.009-04:00

Hey folks~

We are home and we are WORN OUT! Disney is a great and wonderful experience, and going with young kids does make for a very magical time; but just so you are fully informed, it is also exhausting. We walked our fool selves all over those parks, up and down, from one end to the other in search of pirates, princesses, power rangers, or whoever. We are weary, but you know what? I'd do it again. Luckily, I won't have to for another 7 years or so........but, I would do it again, and I will do it again, as soon as Malley gets old enough. By that time, Bryce and Sara Kate will have long since lost interest in pirates and princesses and they'll be off to do Splash Mountain and the RockinRollercoaster and the water parks with their daddy, and I'll get the pleasure of hunting down princesses one more time with my Malley-girl. I look forward to it already, but I'm also relieved that I have a few more years before it's time. So, the Fact Is: Disney is a blast. It is a truly magical place for the kids, and it's worth every exhausting minute. Enjoy our shots of the princesses & power rangers. Hopefully, more posts and pictures(without princesses & power rangers) will follow.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Flamingos and Tigers and Bats, oh my....

2008-05-11T12:25:00.018-04:00

....not to mention lots of other animals too. They don't call it the Animal Kingdom for nothin'.

First thing this morning (and I do mean FIRST thing) at 6:3o, we headed over to eat at Chef Mickey's. We originally couldn't get reservations, but on a whim on the way down here, I called and they had an opening......at 7:10. Oh well, at least we got our day started bright & early. Bryce & KatieBelle met Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto, and Goofy. And they got ice cream for dessert AT BREAKFAST.......whose ever heard of that?

Then, we got to the Animal Kingdom just before it opened, and we walked on to Kilmanjaro Safari, which was a fabulous little 'expedition' where we got to see lots of elephants. Then Bryce & Brad rode the Kali river rapids, and Bryce liked it so much he made me go through with him again. So, everyone but KatieBelle got soaked, and even she played in the fountains. We also watched some shows, and saw a lot of animals, and even a walking vine.

We are taking some MUCH NEEDED rest time right now. Sara Kate has been asleep (but she is awake now) and the 2 B's are conked out on the other bed. Tonight we are dining with the princesses at Epcot, and then we're off to the Magic Kingdom again to do some of the stuff that we missed the first night. It is open until midnight tonight, so we'll see how far we can make it. Tomorrow, we are heading over to Hollywood Studios. I'll try to post again, but as I said the first time, I'm not sure Brad will spring for it. Enjoy the day in pictures........

Prayers are answered......and dreams do come true

2008-05-10T22:43:00.012-04:00

Hello from Disney World everybody!!

First of all, let me thank all of my friends and family for praying for Mr. Bryce who had come down with an untimely fever the night before we were to leave. Our prayers were answered and God is so good and faithful. I had taken him to the doctor on Thursday (the day we left) and after a negative strep test, she said it was just a virus and it would probably pass soon. Thankfully, she was right. I did have to give him more medicine Thursday night, but we had just driven part of the way and stayed with my sister in Macon.

Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you to y'all and thank you to God for honoring our request. The kids were totally surprised (we had kept the whole thing a secret) and never having been here before, they didn't even know what to expect when they saw where we were. That was really fun! Seeing all the excitement unfold like that bit by bit was great. Not to mention, this was a 'first' for Brad & myself as well, so we were pleasantly surprised too.

Let's see. The first night, we went to the Magic Kingdom and had purchased tickets to the exclusive pirates & princess party. The park closes to the public, and the only people left are the party-goers, which means you don't have the heat AND the crowds to deal with. It was perfect and super, super worth it. The kids dressed up as a pirate and a princess, and they both got their picture made with either Jack Sparrow (Bryce) or the princesses (Sara Kate). It truly was magical....especially at the end, because there was a great fireworks show. Again, if you go, I highly, highly recommend it.

Today, we went swimming at the resort pool for a while. Bryce & Sara Kate both got to go on their first water slide. Bryce LOVED it, Sara Kate...not so much. But, I have cute pictures to show for it, and I'm sure Sara Kate will come around eventually. This afternoon, we went to Epcot. We had a great time checking everything out and taking it all in.

Tomorrow we are going to have two character meals (where you get to meet characters in person) and we are going to the Animal Kingdom. I'll try to post tomorrow too, but we're paying for WIFI here, and you know how Brad is. WIFI is free in the lobby, but the lobby is a small trek from our room, and I don't think Brad will spring for another 24 hours......maybe, we'll see.

Hey Goodlookin'..........

2008-05-07T11:05:00.009-04:00

What'cha got cookin'? I really do want to know. What's for supper? I'll tell you, if you tell me.

I had another one of those moments the other day at lunch, when I thought to myself, this is just yummy-delicious, and if the great people of the bloggy world aren't eating this because they don't know about it, then, that my friend, would be a cryin' shame. So, I'm sharing the love.

Yet again, this is/was not my idea or original recipe. I got this recipe from Jeanne and Eva at Hairnight. "What's hairnight?" you say? Well, I'll have to save that for another post. But, the short version is that it's a night (once a month, or so) that lots of women from our church get together at Miss Jeanne's house,. We eat a lot and laugh even more, and a few of us (but not me) get our hair cut and/or colored by none other than the Pastor's wife herself and a few other brave recruits (Elaine). It's a ton of fun, all rolled into a lot of love and laughter. Anyway, this recipe is brought to you by Hairnight.

It is a scrumptious little salad, and it's SO easy. Plus, it's filling too. Here's what you do:

First, you get a packaged salad of 'spring mix' or 'baby lettuces' (I choose the organic salad that is packaged in a plastic box rather than the bags....it seems the box that has a lid keeps it fresher, longer.)

Next, you get the ready to eat grilled chicken strips. I've gotten to where I don't enjoy the Tyson very much (they get grainy or gristly...is that a word?). But, Tammy told me she uses the Purdue short-cuts brand from Kroger. And, I agree, I like it better.

The rest of the ingredients are feta cheese, strawberries, and pecans. To me, the part that makes this salad so very yummy is the dressing. And, lo and behold, it is store bought too. BONUS! It is Ken's Lite Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette.

Every time I eat this salad, I enjoy it. Especially in the spring and summer, I usually try to keep the ingredients on hand, because it makes a great lunch that is fairly healthy. And, here's a little secret. I don't enjoy nuts, so I don't add them to mine.

And because I think every post is better with a picture or 10, I'll include a couple of my salad. Which, by the way, I know is over the top ridiculous, but that's pretty much how I roll.

But, Ooooh, don't it look pretty? And pretty tasty too?

And now for the shameless request for more ideas. I was serious at the top of the post when I wanted to know what you were cooking. Very serious. Give me your ideas. What's your favorite, easy, go-to meal?? You can leave a comment OR (and oh, I love this idea....) you could do your own post about it. Have I mentioned, that I'm over the top ridiculous? I'll be checking all the comments and the blogs. If you end up doing a post about it on your own blog, be sure to leave a comment, so we can check them out. Don't let me down girls. Mom, that means you too!!!

But.....no pressure!!

Fun Fact Friday: it's fun just to let them win

2008-05-02T12:43:00.007-04:00

I've been told many times regarding parenting, that you should 'pick your battles'. And, over the years I'd say that I have to agree. Sometimes, it's just not worth it. Does it really matter that your daughter shows up to your son's T-Ball practice with her daddy and she's wearing a dress AND pants with some Minnie Mouse sandals that don't match and are too big...........apparently not, because that is a battle that Brad chose not to engage in. Obviously, sometimes you get some funny stuff when you 'let them win'; which, by the way, is what I call it when I choose not to engage in battle. I could pull the "because I'm the mommy" card, but sometimes, I choose not too - when that happens, I'm LETTING them win.

That was the case today. I'm totally letting them win. They have morphed into chefs at a fabulous restaurant, and they are cooking something GREAT. Never mind that they completely stole the strawberries that I was slicing off of the counter. And the grapes? Yep, they're gone too. But it has been hilarious to hear them. I'm over here at the computer pretending to be engrossed in something, and I'm laughing on the inside. Bryce just said, "Sara Kate, why did you pour water in there.......you've ruined the recipe." And, they just scolded Gigi (our dog) for swiping some of their masterpiece....... I guess they're learning that you shouldn't cook in the floor. They have several of my pots and pans out, and lots and lots of cooking utensils, and my kitchen now looks like a disaster area. But, they are having a blast. They are getting along and cooking all kinds of things (luckily, they haven't thought to ask me to taste it). Their little imaginations are running wild.

So, the fact is: sometimes it's fun just to let them win. Sometimes the mess is worth it. Enjoy a few shots from The Farmer Culinary Institute.

Here they are cleaning up their mess, like all good chefs do, right? Let's not tell..........

Have a good weekend everybody!!

I'm still here

2008-04-29T10:00:00.002-04:00

No, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. I'm still here, still kicking, alive and well.........well, with a nasty sinus infection, but well. Anyway, I normally post more frequently but I've been out of town. Last Thursday, I left for a weekend retreat with the girls from church. This is the fourth year we've gone, and I look forward to this weekend all year long. It is always "just what the doctor ordered". We have such a great time. It always blesses me that we can be exactly who we are and do exactly what we want, and it's always A-OK with everybody. Now, that is a relaxing weekend.

A few of us use the weekend for our ONE chance a year to get caught up on (or at least work on) our scrapbooks. You should see the "stuff" we bring. It's nothing, if not a veritable scrapbook supply store.....and yet it always makes me laugh that we still end up needing more. I am tickled pink at what all I got done.......Bryce's book is basically up-to-date, although I need to add his baptism page; and Sara Kate's book is too, except for maybe a page or two. In my estimation, this is nothing short of a miracle. I suppose it pays to be hard-core. I think my scrapbooking accomplishments are another reason for a lack of post. It took all of my creativity to come up with pages for the book, and I left my creativity tank at zero......so the poor blog took a turn on the backburner for a while.

In spite of that fact, though, I couldn't pass up a chance to post about the weekend. The weekend is always salve for the soul. Again, to have so many ladies go, and still have the luxury of being totally yourself and doing exactly what you want, without fear of hurting someone or being judged is a blessing that I refuse to take for granted. Partly, because I think it's fairly rare; and partly because I'm smart enough to recognize a good thing when I see it.

So, thank you God. Thank you for blessing me with a group of friends that love me (neurotic, fat head, and coughing/hacking, 'hired' self and all). Thank you for giving me time away from my family to refresh, renew, and recharge. And, like Marilyn said, thank you God, for wrapping the blessing of friendships in different packages, all of which are used to minister to one another.

With all that nice stuff said, I feel like I must go on record as saying, "I'm on Nancy's team next year!!"

And, I must pay proper respect to Tammy, who bless her heart, had to sleep with my coughing, hacking, sniveling self. That's some kind of dedication, if you ask me.

Love you girls!

Shana

Just for Fun

2008-04-18T22:39:00.004-04:00

Thought y'all might like to try these...... just click on one to try it

29

I Scored a 87%!

I've always said that I'm not creative.......Here's proof

53%

Fun Fact Friday: Silence is Golden

2008-04-18T18:49:00.007-04:00

Here it is, almost 7:00 PM and I have not posted a Fun Fact today. I almost brushed it off entirely, and let the day (and the post) go by completely because I had NOTHING for the post. My creative juices had officially run dry, but then the last 24 hours played back through my mind, and like a lightning bolt, I was struck with the obvious. Silence is golden!!

Now, somewhere about 30 miles from here, my brother has just passed out. In his mind, I would be the last person in the world to enjoy a little silence. Apparently, in my younger years, I drove him some kind of crazy with some sort of constant vocalizations.....be it talking, yelling, crying, screaming, or singing, or all of the above all at the same time. It's been rumored that Scott would pitifully ask of our mother, "Mom, can't you please make her shut up?" To add insult to injury, I had an older sister who loved the talking and the yelling and the singing as much as I did.......especially if we were in the car.

Fast forward about 20 years. Now, here I am with 2 children.........2 children, I might add that are A LOT LIKE ME. The tables have officially been turned and now Scott can't wipe that grin off his face......you know the one that's saying, "Paybacks are ......" Oh, yes indeed readers, the addage is true.....paybacks are. And, I'd have to whole-heatedly agree that the absolute worst form of the constant chatter/singing/yelling torture is when you're in the car. Oh, heaven help me, there is nothing worse. Usually, one is singing and the other is saying "mom" every other word. Then, they'll go in to some sort of nonstop nonsense.......something akin to la la la la la la or some other sing-song rhythmical, repetitive insanity. Top all of that off, with the fact that Bryce usually has some sort of toy that he is banging or beating or drumming or whathaveyou......Oh yes ma'am it makes for a pleasant ride.

Just recently....like this morning, I had the opportunity to have myself some silence. It was grand. It was wonderful. It was....... a MIRACLE. Brad was not home, the kids were not home, total silence. (Not that Brad ever says much....it's just the kids I'm talking about). But, speaking of Brad, he has this supernatural, God given ability to TUNE THEM OUT!! Oh, how I've longed for that gift. But, nope, I don't have it....probably never will. Oh well, at least I'll savor silence every chance I get.

The Fact is: Silence is golden

A Day Redeemed....in pictures

2008-04-16T10:26:00.012-04:00

After a bleak start to spring break, we had a picture perfect day yesterday (and we are so thankful). After lunch, we loaded up and went to the Riverpark in Chattanooga to bike. We biked along the river to downtown, across the Walnut Street Bridge and into Coolidge Park. In the park, we had a snack, flew our kites, and rode the carousel. Then we biked back and went straight to Granda & GDaddy's for supper. After supper, the kids rode their 4 wheeler, drove the golf cart, and Bryce got to maneuver with GDaddy in the bobcat. It really was a picture perfect day, so I thought I would just let the pictures (day) speak for themselves.

One of the many bridges along the bike path. We stopped to get a picture. Unfortunately, there are no pictures of us on bikes.....that would have been very hard to accomplish. Thanks, Eric for letting us borrow your bike trailor.....Sara Kate loved riding 'in style' and for letting us borrow your bike, maybe I need to get one for myself one day.

Flying kites in Coolidge Park. If you're not familiar with Chattanooga, the bridge in the background is what we rode our bikes over to get to the park. It's a beautiful walk or ride.

Does anyone else have a climbing daredevil in the house???? He's all boy!

The kids on the carousel. We were doubly blessed, because we had the whole carousel to ourselves, which afforded me the opportunity to take lots of pictures before it started moving. If you know me well, you know that I'm crazy when I have a camera in hand....I'm only posting 2 shots....I have many more!

At Granda & GDaddy's riding 4 wheelers. Sara Kate cracks me up giving us the "thumbs up" sign. By the way, if you're from church and you're planning on coming to the boys/men camping trip......this field (down by the pond) is where you'll be camping!!!

GDaddy just happened to "need" to do some work on the bobcat. Bryce didn't miss the chance to get on and "help."

On the way home that night..........WORN OUT!! Bryce certainly should have been, he totally kicked our tails on the bike ride. He was dead set on being the first back to the truck, I was dying trying to keep up, and even Brad was having to exert effort.........dead last isn't so bad either, trust me I know from experience. It's pitiful that I can't keep up with a 5 year old.

The Farmer's Terrible, Horrible, No-good, Very Bad Day

2008-04-14T21:26:00.008-04:00

Okay, so it's been one of those days. It's not that the day itself has been all that terrible, although it certainly has not been great. It's more that we had our heart set on doing a few specific things with the kids on spring break, and the very un-spring-like weather ruined our plans. I've been a planner all my life, Brad....not so much. And, this is exactly his argument. Why plan, when things come up and you have to change everything. I'm now starting to come over to his way of thinking, although, I'd be hard pressed to suppress the planner in me in it's entirety.

Brad is going out of town Wednesday, so we had decided that he would take off Monday and Tuesday to do some stuff with the kids. And, all the 'stuff' that we wanted to do included the great outdoors (I am married to Brad Farmer-the Eagle Scout). I think we will be able to salvage tomorrow, Lord willing, but all of us (okay, maybe except Sara Kate who is always in her own little wonder world) have kind of moped around all day. Boo-Hiss to all this wintry weather in the middle of spring BREAK! On a side note, this is the second time that we had planned to 'camp out' on my parent's property, both times, Brad had the truck all loaded down, and he had to unload it....firewood and all. (poor guy....we're gonna use that firewood one of these days)

We (I) tried to salvage the day by letting the kids help me make home made cinnamon rolls this morning. I used to make them all the time in high school......let's just say that I'm not as familiar with my rolling pin as I used to be. The kids liked spreading the butter and the cinnamon/sugar, so I guess they enjoyed it. I admit, it was a feeble attempt. But, the rolls tasted good, even if they were a little flat. Brad and I also worked several puzzles with them too. But, the rest of the day was just the same old, same old.....and we were trying so hard for it to be special for them. And, on top of that disappointment, the kids were cooped up in the house on a cold day, and the stir crazies were definitely setting in; which means there was a lot of "stop, quit, and don't" thrown around. I hate days like that!!

Obviously, we had a lot to talk about during our mad, sad, glad game at devotions (disappointments happen). But, I'll leave you on a funny note. During prayer, when we got to the "Jesus, I'm sorry for____" statement, Bryce said......."I'm sorry mom had to call me down like 55 times or something." Brad & I busted out laughing.......of course, in my head I was thinking, "you mean 55 HUNDRED times", but I assure you, that stayed in my head, and never left my mouth. It was nice to end the day with a smile. I'll leave you with a few pictures of my little kitchen helpers.

Spreading the butter......mmmmm

Now comes, the cinnamon and sugar

Flat as a flitter cinnamon rolls.....but......they were still good. Looking at this picture makes me laugh, they look more like pinwheel cookies than actual cinnamon rolls. I'm pretty sure I've admitted that I'm no Paula Deen.......if you had any doubts, here's proof.

Adoption Update

2008-04-14T14:13:00.002-04:00

Hey guys, I posted on Malagan's Song today......if you're interested.

Fun Fact Friday: Bryce's Baptism

2008-04-11T15:36:00.009-04:00

I'm sure you all remember my post about Bryce asking Jesus into his heart. Since he did, back in December, we've been happily anticipating his baptism. Our church usually does baptisms on or around Christmas and Easter holidays. So, last Sunday Bryce was baptized. We explained beforehand, that this is something you do after you ask Jesus in your heart. He was not the least bit apprehensive, probably due in part, by witnessing his best friends baptism last December. There were four children baptized that Sunday, all of whom, became Christians at home under the direction and guidance of their parents.

It was a very special day. One which, I hope he never forgets. My brother, and several friends, helped with all the pictures and videos (thanks guys).

Entering the baptismal pool.

In the pool, before immersion....don't you love that smile!!!

Just after.....

My absolute favorite picture. Look how proud he looks and look at proud Daddy!!

This is my favorite part of the baptism. Our pastor, anoints them with oil, speaks their full name, and declares to them that they have been sealed for life. I love it because it is such a definitive statement of his salvation.

While we were changing his clothes, I again told him that when we ask Jesus in our heart, he washes away all of our sins, and the baptism is to help us remember that Jesus has washed away our sins and forgiven us, and made us clean.

On a side note, this was extra special for us because Bryce's baptism was performed by our beloved pastor. He is taking a new position within our denomination, and this will likely be his last baptism ever. He is so special to us..... he performed our wedding, has dedicated both of our children, has generally been there for us through thick and thin, and also got to baptize my eldest. Sweet special blessings, that I'm so thankful for. We sure do love you Dewey!!

Happy Trails

2008-04-07T16:04:00.013-04:00

I was planning to save this post for Fun Fact Friday to save myself the pressure of having to come up with yet another, new fun fact. But, then, I started worrying that the flowers may no longer be in bloom if I wait, so I'm spilling the beans now.

Sunday, we decided to go hiking on the Shirley Miller Wildflower Trail. It is a trail on Pigeon Mountain in Walker County. There are beautiful wildflowers in bloom in late March to mid April. If you care to, you can read an article here about how long the flowers will be in bloom. There is also a trail just beyond the wildflower trail that leads to a waterfall, and a couple of other cool trails as well. These are very easy trails. In fact, the wildflower trail is completely boardwalked (so as not to disturb the flowers). So, you could easily take someone in a wheelchair if necessary. The beauty is absolutely breathtaking. Plus, the kids super love it. Of course, they are game for all the trails, but they are certainly easy enough for them to do, especially if you put the 3 year old on your shoulders from time to time. It is a great place to take pictures......although as soon as we got there, someone's small dog decided to jump up on Sara Kate getting muddy paw prints from hither to yon.....no, I'm not the least bit bitter. I tried to hide that in the pictures as much as possible, and now, I'm wishing that I had put something on them other than play clothes.....but they did get dirty, so I guess it's a trade off. You'll have to decide that one on your own.

Here are some pictures of our little hike. If you get the chance to go, you should. It is gorgeous, just go fairly soon. We went last year as well, but it was too late. The flowers were not blooming, but we still had a fun hike. We might be up to going again, if anyone wants to go, let us know.

Fun Fact Friday: Fun Devotions with the Kiddos

2008-04-04T13:00:00.007-04:00

Hey y'all. I had this idea to share the love on some good ideas and tips that I've recently found for family devotions. If you know me, you already know that I'm probably not the sharpest knife in the drawer and I'm not creative in the 'coming up with my own ideas' sense of the word (or probably any other sense of the word). But, I am smart enough to know a good thing when I see or hear it.

Just recently, our church's children's minister Jennifer has been facilitating a class on parenting. It is precisely this kind of thing that I'm smart enough to recognize as a good thing. I wholly admit that I can use all the help I can get on the parenting front. The class was called, "Parenting the Early Years" by Drs. Les & Leslie Parrot. There were two things that I took away from the class that we implemented in our family devotion time. And, they have been a real hit. Both of our kids enjoy them, and ask to do devotions each night.

Again, these ideas are genius, so I thought I would pass them along. The first thing we do is read a small little bible story from their "Memory Bible Verse" book. It is fairly short, but includes a bible verse and a practical application. Then, (taken from the class) we play the MAD, SAD, GLAD game. It is a game where each family member goes around the table and tells what made them mad, sad, and glad that day. You'll be surprised what you hear, or at least I was. This just gives them a way to open up about what's going on in their mind. It also provides Brad & I with the opportunity to explain that certain of their behaviors disappointed us, without being "in the heat" of the moment. It would sound something like, "you know, mommy was sad today when you did this..." or, "mommy was really glad when I saw you doing this" We found we could use it as reinforcement. But, we don't always do that, sometimes we just share something generic about our day that truly made us mad, sad, or glad. The kids super love this, and I think it's brilliant. Kudos to the Parrots.

The other thing we took away from the class was a method for family prayer. Before I learned about this, we just took turns letting each child pray. Obviously, there was/is nothing wrong with that. But, the new technique just helps guide them in being a little more specific. I don't really know if the video said how they implemented it, but what we do, (to make it seem more like a prayer) is have us all hold hands around the table. Then, each person completes the first sentence, then you go around the table with the second sentence, then the third and then the fourth. Here they are:

1. God, I love you because....
2. Jesus, I'm thankful for.....
3. God, I'm sorry for.....
4. Jesus, could I have _______ please?

The reason I love it so much is that it incorporates all elements of prayer (praise, thanksgiving, repentance, and petition). I don't know about y'all, but my kids would only ask forgiveness of the person whom they offended. I don't know that I ever heard them or had them ask for forgiveness from God (I'm telling you, parent of the year, right here). My kids prayed just fine, but I would like them to get in the habit early of showing praise and thankfulness, and expressing apologies when needed, and voicing their needs too. And, the cool thing about it is, that eventually their prayer of petition (#4) will be answered and can be turned in to a prayer of thankfulness (#2). Can you see why this is a stroke of genius. Oh, and when everyone has answered all four statements of prayer.....we all say "AMEN" together (the kids especially like that).

And, since this post is already longer than the constitution. Let me just share something else. At first, when we came to the sentence of petition (#4) Bryce would always ask for material things...a new transformer or whatever. But, as Brad & I took our turns we would ask for spiritual things, like wisdom or whatever we happened to need that day. And, we would also explain to Bryce that sometimes we should ask Jesus for things that would help us be more like him. So, yesterday Bryce had a little episode and lost his temper. When he got to number 3, he said that he was sorry for disobeying, and I asked him what he thought he did that was disobedient and I reminded him of his fit. Well, everybody else took their turn for number 3. Then we got to number 4, and Brad asked for wisdom. When it was Bryce's turn, he asked Jesus to help him control his temper. Y'all, I nearly bawled right then and there (but, I didn't). I think the light bulb went off and it clicked with him. Now, I'm sure he'll still be asking for transformers or whatever, too; but I'm glad to know that he realizes there are other things that Jesus wants to give us.

The FACT is, family devotions are a really FUN way to teach our kids about Jesus. If you have something you do in your family that is brilliant, or works especially well, I'd sure love to hear it. I think I mentioned that I need all the help I can get.

And, thanks Jennifer, for hosting the parenting class! We're so thankful for all that you're doing for our kids and our families!!

We're Fenced In....Finally

2008-04-01T22:26:00.017-04:00

Hey Folks! I'm very happy to share that we're finally all fenced in. Daddy & Brad worked for several days (inbetween rain and cold weather days) and we have a really lovely fence to show for it.
We moved in a year ago today, and for a year we've been looking at this. Which wasn't so bad at the very beginning because the neighbors didn't have a pool at first, and their poor trampoline hadn't yet been demolished by the wind. Their pool doesn't have a privacy fence around it, and I always felt wierd being in my back yard or on our back deck while they were swimming. It was like I was eavesdropping or something. So, as you can see we just needed a little more privacy.

I'm all about doing before, during, and after pictorials....and I just happen to have lots of pictures of the fence building. Just think of it as an episode from HGTV. Don't we all just love HGTV.

Here is the fence before it was built.....minus the nails. Oh, and minus the quickrete, and all the other stuff we had to go back and get.

Don't let the guys fool you, they had lots of mechanical help digging all the holes.

However, I think Brad gets extra points because for some reason He was the one that was "elected" to dangle from the chain WHILE the auger was digging to provide more weight. This picture was taken during the dig of the first hole. Most of the time, daddy was at the wheel of the tractor (smart, smart man). Later, they decided to hoist a wheelbarrow full of quickrete to provide the needed extra weight; which was Brad's idea (smart, smart man).

Here, Bryce is getting in on the action. He is helping to level the post.

Bryce also used his dump truck to get rid of all the empty backs of quickrete. And, after GDaddy sawed the top of the fence to make the arch, Bryce & Sara Kate picked up the sawed off fence tops and put them in the wheelbarrow. I know GDaddy & Brad were thankful to have such great helpers.

Here are a few pictures of the finished fence. I think it looks great. And, we are so happy to have it. I think Gigi is just about as happy as the rest of us, because now she can go out and roam the back yard a little own her own. The first picture is from the outside. The next picture is from the inside. The sun was interfering with my photography, which is why the first one is kind of dark.

The next project is to build the kids some kind of playhouse. The idea was to use the existing corner of the fence, but I think GDaddy is going to do his usual "go above and beyond" with his design. So stay tuned, it'll be interesting to see what he comes up with. Never fear, it will be thoroughly documented.

Fun Fact Friday: I'm a maniac

2008-03-28T09:41:00.010-04:00

Well, it happened. I have turned in to that crazy mother. We all know the one. The mom sitting in the stands, um scratch that, the mom standing in the stands, screaming her head off, and waving her arms like crazy. Yep, that was me. I really don't know what happens. One minute I'm this normal person sitting in the stands and the next, I'm a cheerleader on steroids. Believe me, this is no pretty picture, but it's unstoppable.

Last night was the start of a Pre-Season Double Elimination T-Ball Tournament. Did you hear that people? A pre-season tournament....for T-Ball? Quite frankly, I thought the concept was a bit over the top.....especially since the parents (or any visitor) had to pay $1 to watch!! Are you kidding me, people? Anyway, all that changed when the game started.

Bryce has played T-Ball for the last two years. Technically, I think his first year he played he was really too young. But, what I'm saying is that he has two years on most of his team mates, although there are a few others who have played before as well. This particular association if very serious about their sports, and they play the better players up front unlike the last two years when every kid took a turn in every position. I did not know all this going in to it. When I signed up, I was not banking on a pre-season, double elimination tournament. But, with all that being said, Bryce was the lead off batter and he was up front when fielding, so that he could get the ball and get runners out.

The first inning, we took a beating. Our opponents scored 7 runs to our 1 (which was Bryce). But the second inning, they only scored two runs and we came back and scored 8. So, we were tied. My heart was absolutely racing. Coach put a runner on second and put Bryce up to bat. (apparently, that is the international rulebook way of handling a tie.....who knew there was an international rulebook) I had a quick word of prayer and he got a hit. Then, the team mate after Bryce got a hit, and our runner scored and so did Bryce. Whew.....sigh of relief. But, just let me describe the chaos that was the front row of the bleachers when Bryce was turing 3rd and heading for home. I think every last one of us was on our feet. GDaddy, Aunt Shelley, my mom, Bayley, me & Brad. I was holding Sara Kate (who was asleep) and waving my hands and hollering....it was truly hilarious. But, it wasn't just me. Oh, no ma'am, my mama was every bit as bad as I was. She was standing up, and had gotten right up to the fence to hoop & holler. We're real classy!!

And, if you thought that was bad. You should have seen us when our oppenents were out there having there last chance. The coach put Bryce right out front and instructed him, that if the batter hit the ball, to get it and run to 1st. According to the international rule book, there is an automatic two outs, so all we needed was one out. Well, sure enough the batter hit the ball......right to Bryce. He got it, and hustled all the way to first base, and got the runner out. Our coach was so excited that he ran over to Bryce and hoisted him in the air. By this time, my nerves were shot!!

The fact is, I turn in to a maniac when it comes to cheering for my kids. Now, I'm not one of these crazy T-ball folks that argues with the ref or is ugly or rude. That would not be fun at all. No, I'm just an over zealous cheerleader. And, really its not just for my kids. Unfortuantely, I'm like that with all of them. I'm telling you, it's the in-grained cheerleader coming out in me.

But, you know, I make no apologies. Our kids need a little cheering every so often. And, almost without fail, I think about how God must cheer for us when we do something great for His glory. It makes me want to be pleasing to Him when I see how much joy I get out of seeing my kids work hard and do something good. I want to give God a reason to cheer!!

That's it for Fun Fact Friday. I'm loud & I'm proud. What can I say?? We play game 2 of the tournament Saturday.....heaven help me. If you hear something around 1:00 or so, it's probably me. I'm leaving you with a few pictures from the game. Enjoy!

Bryce warming up before the game. He's the one about to throw. Check out his wind up.

Bryce at one of his at-bats. Sorry it's fuzzy, there's just no good way to take a picture from the stands. I think he was getting ready to swing here.

Bryce after getting the game winning out. He was totally pumped!!

A Little bit of Everything....all about nothing

2008-03-25T19:39:00.011-04:00

That title couldn't be more true. Ya'll know how I always aim for honesty here. You are in for one exciting read folks. Um, okay that was total hyperbole, but I just wanted to be able to use the word hyperbole so I'm happy. I'm sure ya'll are too, right?

As my church buddies know, I unfortunately came down with the flu on Friday night. I was sick all day Saturday and Sunday. I missed church on Easter Sunday; which if my body aches weren't so bad, I would say was the worst part. But, seriously, I've never ached like that in my life....and don't wish to ever again. You know, now that I think about it, the worst part was the time and energy I spent trying to coordinate our outfits so we could get a new family picture for the blog. UUGGH. Oh well, you may just see us in a repeat Sunday, so we can finally get a more recent shot of all of us. I've never been a flu shot kind of girl, but next year, I might think twice. Anyhow, other than my regular allergy issues I'm all better now.

Let's see. Bryce received a red stripe for his white belt in karate tonight. Apparently, he will earn two more stripes on his belt before he is eligible for his orange belt. Again, can I just say that we are so pleased. I would highly recommend this to anyone. Except, I would say that I might wait a little longer. If you wait until your kids are 12 or so, you could take lessons with them and be in the same class. I'm kinda wishing we would've done that. Oh well, maybe I'll learn something through osmosis.

He has also begun T-Ball. And now that I've finally laid eyes on my digital camera again, you might just see some shots of his practices. He has played the last two years and has really liked it. He has done well in practice and I have visions of me making a fool of myself in the stands somewhere in the near future. Stay tuned, if you're lucky Brad will capture that on film.

Tomorrow, I will be registering Bryce for Kindergarten. HOLY COW! His Pre-K teacher assures me that he is very ready. She had a lot of nice things to say about him at our parent-teacher conference. It's me I'm worried about.

Sara Kate is doing wonderfully......now. It was her lovely little self that gave me the flu. She came down with it last Monday night, and bless her heart it really knocked her out for a day or two, but then she felt fine, just had a fever for several more days. She seems to be great now.

Her little personality just spews out of her constantly. I thought I'd show you a few pictures of what I mean. Here she is enjoying her favorite breakfast.....toast with jelly. Do you see why her shirt is missing?

Here she is with my Bare Escentuals eye shadow all over her cheeks....uh, and WHITE shirt. Someone please tell me why she would have to go for the expensive, dark stuff. Why couldn't she pull out the cheap-o light pink stuff to play with. It must be one of those in-grained instinct kind of things. Oh well. I suppose it could've been a lot worse.

And, on the family front, we went on our first hike of the season a few weeks ago. It was on a Sunday afternoon when it was fairly warm out. We got to take Gigi with us, which of course, made the kids very happy. We are fortunate to have a couple of different trails fairly close. Here, we are at "the pocket" in Walker County. Everybody had a blast......especially Gigi, turns out she loves to hike. This trail was only about 2.5 miles or so, although at least half of it was up hill. Sara Kate bummed a ride on daddy's shoulder's for most of the way up, while I kept Gigi from barreling through anything in her way to sniff anything she hadn't gotten to yet.

On the way down, Brad & I switched. He got the over zealous Gigi, and I got Sara Kate. I had to carry her on the steep parts, but she held her own on the flatter areas. I must say, I kept uttering prayers of survival under my breath. I could just see us getting tangled in the dog's leash and toppling down the mountain. Alas, the Lord doth provide and we made it safe & sound. Boy, those kids love a good hike!!

Well, I stayed true to my word.....a little bit of everything, all about nothing. Hope you enjoyed it. I've got a couple of other posts brewing......stay tuned!

Fun Fact Friday

2008-03-21T12:12:00.002-04:00

In my heart and mind, there is absolutely nothing fun about today's fact. Today is the day that we remember our sweet Saviour's sacrifice for us. Today is the day, many years ago, that he was beaten, scorned, spat on, tortured, and finally crucified....for us. Today is the day that he had to watch his earthly mother agonize over his death. Today is the day that our God & King had to watch his only son be killed....for us. Today is the day, it was finished and Satan thought he had the victory.

No, there is nothing fun about today's fact. Nothing at all.....but it is something else. It is freeing. It is full of hope. It is full of promise. It is full of Love like no other. And, it really is FACT. Christ died today to make us new, to cleanse us, and to save us. Christ died today so that we could spend eternity with him in Heaven.

Let's all walk in HIS victory today. Let's all remember and be grateful for the hope and promise that is ours. Don't let Satan convince you this weekend that you are defeated, NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCE. He was wrong many years ago, and he still is. The Victory is ours, thanks to the cross.

Bask in and enjoy your Resurrection Morning.

Culinary Creations...that I didn't create

2008-03-18T18:16:00.008-04:00

Now, don't everybody laugh at once. I'm no Rachel Ray or Paula Deen, but I'm always ready for a throw down!! (If you don't watch the Food Network, that one will not make sense) All joking aside, I like cooking. Notice I used the word LIKE because that is most accurate, I like it, but I don't LOVE it. And, under certain circumstances I could down right despise it......BUT if the kids are content and busy and I'm not under any time constraints or pressure, I would call my kitchen and her contents my friends.

There are a few things that I (in my humble opinion) do well. My best friend, Tammy has always said that I do soups well, and I would agree with that (at least of the 2 or 3 that I make). I particularly like my roasts, and I do mashed potatoes the way God intended. I actually mash real potatoes.....just like my mama does. And, I can put a spoon full of gravy on top that'll make you slap your mama (although I wouldn't if I were you). But I, like everyone, have my limitations. I'm no fancy person. I'm a southerner, so I do country style foods well, but if it's five star fancy you're looking for then you might want to eat elsewhere. And don't get me wrong, I'm all about going out and having a fancy dinner that costs way too much. And although the portions may be small, they're usually tasty and everyone needs an occasion to get all 'gussied' up.

Anyway, with all that being said (unnecessary though it may have been) I had this idea last night while I was cooking supper to share with the world out there my 'go to' meals. The idea came about because what I was cooking for supper last night is SO easy, and it is pretty tasty as well.....and best of all, it's "Mexican with a VEGETABLE", so who can beat that. And, I thought to myself, the world needs to know this. Anyway, Tammy's mom, Gail brought this meal to us when we moved in last April, and I've been making it ever since. So, you have her to thank!

Chicken & Spinach Tacos served with Black Beans.

Theres not really a recipe, but I'll tell you what to do: You get the Tyson ready to eat grilled chicken (I use two packages) and you saute them with some frozen spinach in Olive Oil. I just eyeball how much spinach, and then I put whatever I didn't use back in the freezer. You could also add mushrooms into the pan if you like them. While that is sauteing, you open a can of black beans and stick them on the stove to warm. When everything is warm, you fill a tortilla with the mixture and slap your favorite toppings on it. I always use cheese and sour cream, because I'm God fearin' and I think that makes Him happy!! (I kid) Again, serve it with black beans and you've got yourself a meal. Sometimes, when I ignore the fact that my hips are the size of Texas I also serve it with cheese dip and tortilla chips. And, in case you're wondering, my kids love this meal. Bryce especially loves it.

Okay, next up: Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches

This is the meal that I usually take if I'm cooking for someone. Practically everyone who reads this blog will have had this meal, because I'm a creature of habit and I can do it in my sleep by now. Not to mention, it also seems to be pretty well received, and again, the important thing here is that it is easy. Here's what you do:

You get a shoulder roast from the store. I guess other roast cuts would work too, but they usually don't shred as well or as easily. Anyway, you put your shoulder roast in the crock pot. and, for every pound of meat you put 1 cup of water and 1 package of Good Season's Dry Italian Dressing mix. Then you let it cook all day (if you have less time cook it on high). Again, this is a great recipe if you want to put it on in the morning and come home to a finished meal. When it is done, it will just shred or fall apart very easily when you stick a fork in it. You put the meat on a hoagie bun with some provolone cheese and dress it however you like. It makes a sort of au jois dipping sauce. If you happen to be a dipper, there's a bonus for you. A lot of people will do horseradish and/or spicy mustard. Most of the time, when I make it for someone, I slice green peppers and red onions (they can be sauteed)....but I don't like either and I just eat it with meat and cheese, 'cause I'm a no-fuss kind of girl. I usually serve it with pasta salad, because it's easy (do you see a pattern here) and I can't think of anything else.

Now, wasn't I nice to enlighten you with these fabulous little meals? The only way to make it better would be to actually cook it and deliver it...but I'm not that nice. Feel free to return the favor. You can comment or email me if you have a super easy, tasty meal!!

Enjoy!

Fun Fact Friday

2008-03-14T14:15:00.012-04:00

The Fun Fact for the day is that Brad & I are going to the Steven Curtis Chapman concert tonight. It was completely unplanned and last minute, and I am so excited. It has been several years since we've even been to a concert at all....something I used to do very frequently in my younger days.

The funny part of the story is that this all came about because my best friend Tammy made a deal with Sara Kate. Sara Kate was promised last Saturday that she could spend the night with them tonight if she had no 'potty accidents' this week. Trust me, Sara Kate reminded me this morning of her success. And the rest is history. So, a big THANK YOU goes out to Eric & Tammy for giving us a kid-free evening on just the right night. Brad got on line and secured tickets this morning, and we're off to the show.

That my friends, is a fact that's fun. Oh, yes ma'am, fun indeed.

Book Meme

2008-03-11T21:12:00.003-04:00

The Rules...
1. Pick up the nearest book of at least 123 pages.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the 5th sentence.
4. Post the next 3 sentences.
5. Tag at least 3-5 people.

My good bloggin' buddy, Jess tagged me for a book meme. I always think these things are kind of interesting. Sadly, I think it appeals to the Nosy Nosella that abides deep within; but I'd also like to think (more positively) that I like to broaden my horizons and get good recommendations for future reads. And by future, I mean, maybe in the year 2020 I can actually start AND FINISH (there's the rub) a book. In fact, I haven't finished the very book that I plan to extract the excerpt. But, it's a very good read.....very thought provoking, very convicting, and oddly very promising. I'm going to go ahead and share the excerpt, but then read on, I want to share how I feel like this little meme might just be the encouragement I needed.

The 5th sentence on page 123 from "Raising your Child to Love God." by Andrew Murray reads:

" Where the believing parent seeks not only to form the habits of obedience, but also in prayer and faith to mold and guide and strengthen the will of the child in the ways of the Lord, he may count upon the workings of God's Holy Spirit to do what God alone can do." {Emphasis mine}

Wow, now that sentence packs a powerfully uplifting punch!! As I mentioned before, we've been struggling in the parenting department. I won't go into the details because it's just the normal stuff. But can I just say that I needed the encouragement. Basically, Mr. Murray says that if we are trying to raise our children to know and love the Lord and if we pray in faith for this to happen, the Holy Spirit comes in and takes over......What a relief! So, I'm particularly thankful for this opportunity and for the promise that I now know that I can claim.

I highly recommend this book. It is not for the faint at heart, but for that matter, neither is parenting. It was written by a South African, Andrew Murray (1828-1917) who was a pastor and missionary there after receiving his education from Scottland and Holland. So, the language is a little more difficult. In fact, the language may be a tad dated, but the content is timeless. At the end of each chapter he offers a prayer of consecration. These are worth posting somewhere and praying over your children often. It just so happens that the Prayer of Consecration is also on Page 123. Let me just share it with you.....if you don't want to take the time to read it, feel free to click away, but it's good stuff.

"Holy Lord, with fear and trembling I bow before you in light of the work to which you have called me- that of raising my child to love you. I know that I lack the necessary wisdom, so I come to you who promised to give it liberally and without judgement.

Lord, help me to understand fully the wonderful nature of the immortal spirit that you have placed in my care, with all its power of mind and emotion and will. Give me wisdom that I may know the way in which the child should go, even the way of your footsteps. May he learn from me that there is no other way well pleasing to you and thus no other way that can give true pleasure. Help me guide and influence his will in such a way that he will yield himself first to my will and then to yours, to choose only and always your way.

And strength my faith, Lord to hold onto the blessed assurance that a godly training in the fear of the Lord and under the rule of the Holy Spirit cannot fail. Your promise is sure; your power is infinite; you will bless the seed of your servant.

Amen."

Now, my friends......."that'll preach"..............I'm just sayin'

Well, I'm encouraged, sure hope you are...

If you like these kind of things, consider yourself tagged. I'm sure glad I did it. By the way, I'm sure it was no coincidence that I chose this book for the assignment. Out of several that I could have chosen, I chose this one....and followed the instructions to the 5th sentence on page 123. HOLY SMOKE!!

Fun Fact Friday

2008-03-07T10:19:00.003-05:00

Hey out there!!

I've been waiting for a full week to bring my little fact to you today. It was all I could do not to post it sooner, because, by my estimation I have us some information that is both factual and fun. In fact, if we were to compare the two, we would be hard pressed to decide which attribute or requirement were more true. It is very factual, but holy cow, I could have myself a lot of fun with this one.

I stumbled on this tid-bit last week while reading Big Mama's Fashion Friday post; which, by the way, I think is very fun. Anyhow, she introduced me to a company that has darling jewelry (and other things) at fabulous prices. And, when I say fabulous, I truly mean fabulous. It seems to me, that these prices are better than the prices at Jewelry and Handbag Warehouse. The only thing that would make me think otherwise would be that we'll have to pay shipping on our orders, but even that's not bad considering the J & H Warehouse is a good 45 minutes from where I live and gas and taxes would probably be comparable to shipping anyhow.

So, check out Sam Moon. I mean look at this, and this, and this. Is that fabulous or what?

Now, most of ya'll who know me, know that I'm not a huge accessory person. I've always wanted to be, and I like the way accessories really finish off an outfit. But, I've either been to cheap to buy the stuff, or in too much of a hurry while dressing to find everything and put it on. But, with prices like Sam Moon offers, I could eliminate at least one deterrent. I'll just have to find a new love for my alarm clock to remedy the other.

I haven't ordered anything yet, but I've got my eyes on some things, and I want to kind of look at the stuff in my closet to order the fewest things to match the most clothes (I'm cheap, cheap, cheap). And, can I also mention that I think some of these pieces would make great, inexpensive gifts. I know, I would have a smile on my face if someone were to give me something from there. (Brad are you listening? -- ) Oh, how I kid!!

Hope you have fun with it! Happy Friday everybody!

Works For Me Wedneday: Backwards edition

2008-03-05T14:28:00.005-05:00

Every week, Shannon at Rocksinmydryer hosts Works for Me Wednesday. Usually, you post a tip on your blog of something that "works for you". It can be about literally anything. Every so often, she hosts the backwards edition, where you post a question instead of advice. Either way, the regular or backward edition, there is a lot of good information out there (if you have the time to read them). I usually just skim the titles and only read the ones of major interest. Check them out if you'd like.

Anyway, with that being said. I actually do have a question for all the readers out there. Brace yourself, this is on parenting.

My Question Is: What tips might ya'll have dealing with a spirit of selfishness in your children? My 5 year old son is struggling with this issue right now.....and before you all tell me that that's just him being a kid, I realize that. I know all kids deal with selfishness to some extent or another, and I don't think my little man is any worse than the rest. But, I want more. I don't want to explain it away, I want to proactively address it.

Here's what we've done so far:

We've participated in operation Christmas Child last Christmas to help introduce the concept of global need; and just recently, we've decided to sponsor a child from Uganda through Compassion International. So far, neither has really helped. And, quite frankly, sometimes I wonder if it has hindered his progress because now he thinks that I'm going to give his toys away to the other children (I've explained to him that that is not the case).

We've tried the concept of earning money to buy the things he wants, thinking that earning will make him more appreciative of what he does have (to combat him always thinking he needs more).

We've tried talking to him about it during our devotion time, and explaining that having an attitude of selfishness is wrong and will also make it difficult for him to get and keep friends.

We've prayed (and obviously still are).

These things may work eventually, but so far, we can't tell that we're getting through to him. And, I'm looking for practical activities that we can do with him to help him understand. Any ideas???

And, please understand, I'm not here posting to be complaining, whining, or griping about my kids. Every child struggles with something. I just see a character trait in which he needs a little help, and I'm looking for ways I can help him. He actually is a pretty good kid and we're very proud of him.

I'm all ears....

Accomplishments & Conversations......

2008-03-03T16:49:00.007-05:00

I have a couple of fun things about the kids to share with you.

First up, I'm happy to pass along that Bryce earned his white belt in Karate last week. I think I mentioned that Bryce received Karate lessons for Christmas as a way to work on traits of self discipline and self control. We have been extremely pleased with our decision. Bryce really does love it. And, not only is it designed to "foster humility, discipline, a generous attitude, and integrity", it seems to also be teaching Bryce the concept of earning what you want. You must earn each belt, and you can only test for a new belt at the invitation of the instructor. So, it is totally at the instructor's discretion, and even then, the student must prove his ability in order to receive the belt. I must admit, it was hard watching Bryce go to class when he was the only kid in class without a belt. Not only was it hard for me, but it was hard for Bryce too. There were several times that he went home asking when he would get a belt or telling me how badly he wanted one. However, the wait made the reward all the more sweeter.(Something I'm trying to remember with our adoption) And, hopefully, Bryce will realize that he has to work for what he wants, and perseverance does eventually pay off.

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't know that Bryce actually thinks through or realizes all of the "behind the scene lessons" that I hope this little venture is instilling - after all, he's only 5; but I am hopeful and prayerful that he will one day, and in the meantime, we do all in our power to talk about it to help him along.

Above Bryce is testing for his belt.

Each time a child earns a new belt, all the kids clap a rhythm pattern while the instructor ties the new belt on. That's about it as far as ceremony, but you should have seen the smile on Bryce's face.

Here is Bryce with his best buddy, Mason. After class, we went out to eat with Mason and his sister, Malley and their mom (my friend) Tamara. As you can see from the picture, Bryce takes his Karate seriously. His arms are in a particular karate stance (although I don't know which one). Bryce will earn stripes on his white belt and then he will work towards his orange belt.

And while I'm bragging on my little man, I'll go ahead and add that Bryce got a 'good report' among his take home papers from school today. As far as I know, he's never been 'in trouble', but this is the first compliment we've gotten too. The note said, "Bryce encourages and helps the other children. He is a great helper." So, that just does a mother good. Especially, when we've been working so hard and praying about some other issues. While I'm at it, if any of you moms out there have any particular tools or tricks that deal with selfishness, I'd love to hear it in the comments. But, for today, I'm concentrating on the many good traits.....and he certainly has them. Perseverance and helpfullness.....I'll take it!! Sometimes I wonder if the Lord gives these little glimpses to help us as parents persevere.......maybe I'm learning some good qualities too.

Well, the title was accomplishments and conversations. Obviously, the first one is covered, so let me tell you about a little conversation I had with my daughter on the way home from church Sunday. This conversation was completely out-of-the blue. I have no idea what brought this conversation about, but listen in:

SK: (In her most pitiful voice) Mom, do you still love me?

Me: Of course I love you Sara Kate, I will always love you.

SK: WEEELLLL, you have to follow the woolz.

Me: Follow the rules? What rules?

SK: If you love me, you can't spank me anymore...

Me: Sara Kate, I think the rule is, I spank you BECAUSE I love you.

Suddenly, Sara Kate lost interest in our conversation.......

Kids are hilarious......and parenting is not for the faint at heart!

Until next time....

Introducing.....

2008-02-28T23:18:00.015-05:00

I have been following several bloggers on their trip to Uganda. The idea (which is brilliant) was to send bloggers who have a large audience on a Compassion mission trip. They all went to Uganda together and blogged or posted about the experience. That truly is a stroke of genius. It was almost like you went on a little mission trip yourself without even leaving home. And two of the participants (Boo Mama & Rocks in My Dryer) that went are blog authors that I read a lot, and it turned out that I personally know two others (Randy & Chris Elrod). He was minister of music and helped out with the youth at the church my family attended when I was a child; now they live in Nashville, but they are long time family friends. So, that was fun to get to see them and also, it gave a sense of credibility as well. Anyway, if ya'll have an inkling to, go over and read some of the "Blog Compassion" posts. They are heart wrenching and thought provoking and convicting (in a non-condemning) kind of way. And, suprisingly some of them were quite funny too.

But, in an attempt to be a good steward of what our family has been given, I decided to sponsor a child. Now, please, don't start thinking that I'm blowing my own horn here, because I'm totally not. I could give you a list of my failures and shortcomings a mile long, and the first one would be always worrying what people think about me. So, you should know that I thought about not doing this post at all, because I can't stand the thought of someone thinking that I'm being self righteous. But, I got over it quickly; because, the fact is, there are kids across the world; no, make that ALL over the world who need us. That's right, Us the ones who dwell in the land of plenty. And, if reading all the "blog compassion" posts helped me to realize it, then, maybe, just maybe, reading them will speak to you too.

Quite frankly, I could almost kick myself for not blogging about it during the actual trip itself, because it truly was cool to get to go along with them. But, I'm slow folks, and I didn't decide to sponsor a child until the trip was over. But, that's the cool thing about blogs, you can still read all of the posts. And, it was so neat to see all the different ways the same message was presented. I don't remember how many people went on the trip, but there were stay at home moms, working moms, christian music artists, writers, photographers, worship leaders, etc. A few of them actually got to meet the specific child they had been sponsoring. Towards the end of the trip the entire group had communion on the Nile River. What an experience that must have been.

Anyway, I would like to introduce Ken, the 14 year old we just sponsored. He lives with his mom and five siblings in Uganda in an area that is highly infected with HIV/AIDS. At times, his family finds work farming. I so wish I could show you his picture, and maybe I will in the future, if I can make my scanner work. I chose him because he is older and I figured, an older child has less time and the need is a little more eminent.

My parents taught me a valuable lesson growing up. They said, "You can't out-give God." I've seen it first hand, personally growing up through the life of my parents. I know that statement is true just like I know that the law of gravity is true. I know, that somehow, the blessing will be mine. And, if God can take 5 loaves and 2 fishes and feed 5000, just think what He can do - no, just look at what He is doing with $32/month for all these kids, all over the world. If you can spare it, join me!!

It just can't wait.....

2008-02-26T14:15:00.004-05:00

OK Folks, I am so excited; and after you read this post, the old addage, "it's just the small things" will never ring more true. But, I am so excited that I'm doing my Fun Fact early this week, because I have myself a fact that is too important to follow the normal rules and 'day of the week' stipulations. This fact, my friend, truly follows the almanac definition of useful; because I know who my friends are, and better yet, I know who my friend's children are.....and I'd be willing to bet, you just might find this little fact handy!!!

The Fact Is: Your handy-dandy fingernail polish remover (good 'ole acetone) WILL, in fact, remove ink from a silver SHARPIE off of your (relatively new) FLAT SCREEN computer monitor. That's right folks, the Sharpie, she ain't so permanent after all.

This Fun Fact was brought to you today direct from Sara Kate, the menace to all that is good and orderly. Despite, repeated instructions to the contrary....did I mention REPEATED instructions to the contrary, she decided to 'color' on the computer monitor with a SILVER Sharpie. Never mind, that because of her 'artistic flair' we bought her an art easle for her birthday that has a chalkboard, dry erase board, and the ability to clip paper to either side. Did you hear that people? She has 3 different possibilities with which to express herself to her obedient delight, not to mention that she has paint, crayons, colored pencils and markers at her disposal. But, no, she chooses to get the silver sharpie off of mommy's desk and go to town on the monitor. The only thing to say about that is, "Bless her heart!"

Anyway, special thanks must be made to my new friends at Wikipedia for being thorough in their information about what will remove the permanent ink. And, many shout-outs go to the makers of Finger Nail Polish Remover world wide. With out you, I'd have to read every email through......a silver lining.

But, since I mentioned it, there actually is a silver lining to this post. It is that I now know what might actually take the Blue Sharpie stains off of my kitchen table that were put there by the same culprit many months ago. Yes, folks, this was not her first attempt with the Sharpie medium. Apparently, my stern discussion about what can and can not be drawn on were not taken to heart. Anyway, I must go now, and test my theory.

It's a good thing she's cute!!!

I posted this picture to remind myself, that just because she looks like an angel, doesn't mean she acts like one!!!

So Many Things....

2008-02-22T11:04:00.005-05:00

I kind of have another hodge podge on my hands; and while that makes my heart just a little giddy I can almost hear the collective moans, because even a few topics of conversation can keep me talking way too long, but the prospect of 'many things' may just keep you here for eternity.....or until you get bored and decide it's finally time to unload the dishwasher. Anyway.....

First up, I have some saint-hood nominations to pass along. So, hear ye, hear ye I now declare that my parents are indeed Saints. Now, anyone who knows me, knows that I am a family girl. My family and I are very close....all of us, my parents, my brother, and my sister and her family.....and I've stated more than once that, I'm a momma's & a daddy's girl. Always have been, always will be.

But ya'll, my parents really are saints.....for SO many reasons. I wouldn't have the time to list all of the reasons, but the reason I'm writing today is that they are wholly devoted to and supportive of their children and grandchildren (probably more so to the grandchildren, but that's their right isn't it?) Anytime, I (or any of us) have some endeavor, mom & dad always help out. No matter what it is.

I remember back a few years ago, when I wanted to make my own purse. I had purchased one from a seamstress that made them, and it was kind of expensive, and I knew mom & dad could make them. So, that year, Brad got me a sewing machine for Christmas...and the entire weekend after Christmas, my sister, Mom & Dad made pocketbooks. Dad had taken apart (literally) the purse that I bought, and had made a template or pattern and he even figured out how to line it with a very thin plastic. Mom helped us with the cutting out, and actual sewing. And Shelley and I ended up with some beautiful home-made pocketbooks of our own. It has just never occured to my parents that they couldn't do something. They are amazing!

More recently, I needed to make A LOT of prailine popcorn. Naturally, I went to mom and dads, and they helped me crank it out in an assembly line manner. Now, don't get me wrong, it still took the better part of 5 hours, but we got it done....all 18 gallons.

And, I can't even begin to scratch the surface with their devotion to the kids. GDaddy & Granda have hand-made special beds and all kinds of things. But, it's not just the things, it's the time. And they spend lots of time with them. Lots.

So, thanks mom & dad, for all you do and for loving us with every ounce that is in you. I wish I could do so much more than a phony nomination on a blog that is read by you and 3 other people. But, I love you and I appreciate you and I wanted to be sure you knew that!!

Next up, My Fun Fact of the day (I know you thought I forgot didn't you...) is about Tres Dias. The FACT is, Tres Dias really is a "must" experience. It is an entire weekend where you can focus totally and completely on your relationship with Christ. How many times in your life can you honestly say, "I spent the weekend, the entire weekend with my savior?" If you're like me, not so many. But, I have spent a full weekend with my King and I am the better for it. Each Tres Dias weekend is different. Different in many ways in fact, but one thing remains the same: God absolutely convinces you that He LOVES you UNCONDITIONALY. If you are remotely interested, please comment or email me. Brad & I would love to sponsor you. Tres Dias: The fact is, it's fun!! And, more than fun, your spiritual walk will strengthen to boot!!

Well, there was/is so much more to say. But, alas, it is 11:42 p.m., and if I actually want to get my Fun Fact in on a Friday this time, it has to be now or never. So, I'll save my other ramblings for other days. But, just to quickly (if that's possible) give you a preview, I'll be posting soon on my Love/Hate relationship to Lowe's and our new fence that we (dad & Brad) are building. That should be for some entertainment......or at least it's better than doing the dishes.

Until then.....