Desires of my Heart

Not Me! Monday

2012-01-30T10:34:00.001-06:00

I have ~~not~~ decided that now that I'm getting old...too old at times...I'm finding things that I wish I would have tried when I was young...that I wish I would have thought about doing. I guess that's part of being an adult, you think? I can't really call these thoughts regrets...because that's not the case at all. Only...thoughts of how I may have enjoyed these things, had I but tried them. Do you do that, or am I just weird?

I notice this happening more than ever while spending time around my kids. I was just talking the other day about how the kids gymnastics teachers really should offer a once a week class for old people like me, who are totally not fit enough or coordinated enough to make those gymnastics moves look as easy as the kids do...but who have that crazy desire to try it out...just to see. {Grins} YES, I for one would definitely be the laughing stock of all there...but that'd be the good part about the "special" class. Have I totally lost my mind?! Do you ever think these things?? I can see where the thoughts come from about parents "living" through their kids...but it's opposite for me. I don't push my kids to do the things I didn't or couldn't do...I let them choose, and as I see them enjoying it, it makes me think about whether or not I would have enjoyed it or been good at it. Does that make sense? I hope so...I would like to think I'm not totally crazy!

And, since I don't have the opportunity to try (not) to kill myself in gymnastics as an almost 30 year old, I picked up a pencil this morning to try art with Katie. Things look so easy, until I try them...then I'm reminded that I really have no idea what I'm doing! LOL Oh, well! I did attempt...FAIL...

Maybe I should stick to what I know... ;-) Where did I put that flute?? haha {kidding, well mostly kidding}

Not Me! Monday

2012-01-23T21:36:00.001-06:00

I did ~~not~~ find myself preparing for the possibility of finding our allergy-sickened 7 year old dog a new home (that could hopefully afford all of the suggested allergy tests/medicines, that we did not feel that we could offer him) due to what we thought was yet another sore he had made on himself due to his terrible allergies. And, after a long night of almost no sleep for Mark and myself, I did ~~not~~ arrive at the vet early Saturday morning to find that he had a large, infected SPIDER BITE! Though it was a relief that (for once) it was not our dog's allergies, the thoughts of a spider that could cause that damage, gave this Mommy nothing close to relief! {Sparing you visuals of his sad wound!}

Due to the likelihood of our dog's wound being caused by a spider in/around our home, we did ~~not~~ gladly welcome our wonderful pest control technician early this morning to completely fog our house, inside, outside, and underneath -- to be certain no unwanted pests were anywhere near my babies!! So, me, my babies, our dog, and their fish packed up the car and spent several hours {out} of our home...gladly...and visited with family.

This evening, I did ~~not~~ stop the car to take these two shots of one of my favorite local landscape areas (I don't know why, but I absolutely love this lone tree in the middle of the wide field). I regret that my only camera was on my phone, but as Katie always says "Something is better than nothing!" So, I hope you enjoy at least a small glimpse of God's masterpiece sunset this evening. It most definitely brought a smile to my face on this MONDAY! I just love how our awesome God can paint such beautiful colors in a sunset after so many grey-colored, rainy days. Just a sweet reminder of His mercies, which are new every morning!

Though my "planned" Monday did not go as planned, it was a blessed day indeed. How was your Monday??

Life Collage

2012-01-19T13:57:00.000-06:00

Life has been so good, but oh! so busy lately! I am to the point of not even knowing where to start on updates for the blog, since I've been doing such a poor job of keeping it updated weekly. SO, I decided to do what came natural in our current lifestyle (the crazy-beautiful one we have), and that's just telling you things as they come to mind -- possibly in random order -- but all about our life. Think of it as a collage of our life...little bits and pieces that together make up where we are currently...

Since, mmmmm...., Octoberish life has been in turbo speed! I actually thought things would slow down in/around the Christmas holidays, and was actually looking forward to a little break, but thus far, life is still crazy-beautiful!Today we're finishing up our week of winter revival at church with Dr. Tom Ferrell -- AWESOME! He has been such a challenge to me each night, and though we're all "running on fumes (or maybe an overload of caffeine)", we've survived our long days/nights and made it to each of the services. God has used Dr. Ferrell to lead many to Him this week, Praise the Lord!

Though revival started this week, extra excitement arrived in our family last Sunday (8th), when Katie went to the alter with Mark (she does this typically when one of us goes down to pray). But this time, she started praying on her own, and asked God to save her and to help her do better obeying. We talked with her throughout the week, trying to be sure that she really understood what it meant to be saved, and she has been excited and ready to tell the world about her decision ever since! Praise God!! I am so thankful for God giving us such a wonderful FREE gift of salvation that is simple enough for even a child to understand and accept. We're praying with Katie that God will grow her and use her in magnificent ways for His glory! And, Katie is already telling Austin all about Jesus dying for his sins, and how he can be saved and go to heaven. He does still have some growing to do to actually understand what she's explaining to him, but it's a blessing to see her already sharing God's love with others.

Homeschooling has its good days and bad days lately. Katie reminds me daily that she despises writing (of any kind -- we've tried just about everything)...and I've found myself getting a little frustrated lately because of her laziness in many school areas. Instead of reading a word that she knows, she'll just pick a random word that may start with the same letter and just guess. And, she's suddenly "forgotten" her teen and twenty numbers, constantly telling me that 13 is 33 and other random things that she knew so well only a few months ago. I've had to work much harder with her to pay attention and do her work lately, which has given Austin less structured learning time and more alone playtime (not my plans!). Katie occasionally mentions how she thinks school would be better, and though I know better, I must admit that it does sound tempting on these hard days...

Mark has been assistant coaching one of the local varsity girls basketball teams this season, which has been great for him! He is a very patient teacher (whether its teaching about computers, math, basketball, etc.), and loves basketball, which makes for a great assistant for the girls! I have really enjoyed him having this opportunity, though I'd be lying if I didn't say that it made for long days for me with the kids. It's temporary (as is all sports), and it's worth it.

The kids have been in gymnastics since October, and they've loved it! Two weeks ago, however, we changed their gymnastics groups. There were some things at the original gymnastics group that I wasn't thrilled about, and I didn't feel that they had been working with or challenging the kids with very much at all. Our new group and teachers are amazing! The kids have already been challenged and learned more in two weeks than they did in 4 months! It's amazing to see how much they can improve in just in one hours' time, when the right instruction and attention to detail is given to each child. I hope to remember my camera this next week and take a few pictures for you guys to see them "in action".

I've been SLOWLY getting the house decorated the way that more describes our family style and taste. I'm really close to finishing the living room's make-over, and I can't wait to show it to you when it's complete. One "main" piece for the living room was purchased at Christmas in Mobile, and I'm supposed to be bringing it home in just a couple of weeks when we make our next trip down. SO EXCITED to show you what it is...it was "IT" as far as accents went for me and Mark. ;-)

Austin is growing like a weed...and talking more and more like a country boy! Though it's adorably cute and funny for us right now, I can see that I will have my work cut out for me to help him NOT sound like a redneck boy! He's all about trucks, tractors, monster trucks, and hunting DEER with his Pawpaw. He tells me constantly about him wanting to grow up and get a gun so he can shoot a deer...but only AFTER he lets Katie "shoot" one with her camera ;-) She's turning into my little photography mini-me, and I love it!

Though I'm sure I have lots left to update, I think your probably beyond tired of these updates for now, so I'll save the rest for some REAL posts WITH pictures VERY VERY VERY soon....I promise. O:-)

Heart of Ice | Book Review

2012-01-09T21:02:00.001-06:00

I was recently given the opportunity to review "Heart of Ice" by Lis Weihl. This is an incredible christian fictional thriller that I believe is a must read for anyone looking for a good read to keep you on the edge of your seat. This book is filled with twists and turns, seemingly unconnected as the book begins, but all beautifully interwoven throughout the later chapters.

When I first began reading the book, I must admit that I was not sure that I would like it...each chapter introduced what seemed to be a totally different person and conflict. But within a few chapters of reading, I was totally hooked! And what made it even better was the fact that this was not written as a sci-fi type of book, but as a book that could totally happen to anyone in today's world! I love the realistic fictions, and this was no different!

I rate this book 5 stars! I have thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to all fiction readers, especially those seeking a thriller/crime type book! I received this book for free from Booksneeze for this review. The above opinions are my own. I was not required to write a favorable review.

Christmas Celebrations

2011-12-31T14:14:00.000-06:00

Christmas this year was wonderful, but crazy-beautiful, as our life has been as of late. We began celebrating Christmas on the Thursday before Christmas (Dad's house)...then we celebrated at Mom's house on Friday...with our kids on Saturday morning (since it was going to be so hard doing it early enough to make it to church without a fuss on Sunday morning)...with the Rikard's on Saturday evening...church Sunday morning...with the Flannagin's on Sunday evening...and then headed off to Mobile first thing Monday morning for a week with our Mobile family and friends. LOTS of Christmas, I know! We did lots of mini-reminder lessons to the kids about the true meaning of Christmas, how to show thankfulness in ALL things, etc., especially this year with all of the traditional Christmas celebrations around us. We did not want to forget or let the children forget the TRUE meaning of Christmas...the birth of our Savior!

Here are a few snapshots (unedited, even -- can't believe I'm doing this!) into our Christmas. I still have LOTS of photographs taken that I haven't even touched (remember that crazy-beautiful life I've been telling you about??)...but maybe this will work for now :-) Note that Austin is wearing his IRON MAN outfit often -- Aunt Heather and Uncle Kyle gave this to him on Friday night, and he wore it Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday (after church). It must have been a big hit! He wanted everyone to see his big muscles...

A Christmas Tradition | Annual Ornaments

2011-12-22T17:10:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite family traditions at Christmas, is our annual ornaments. Each year we find an ornament for each member of our family that represents the age/stage/interests they have had over the year. My mom began this when my sister and I were younger. Then, when the kids are ready to move out on their own, they get to take their ornaments from each year to put on their tree.

I think one of our favorite things to do when decorating the tree each year is to look at those special ornaments and remember the memories that we've associated with them. Even the kids remember many of the ornaments and why they received it for a certain year, and I'm sure they will even more so as they get older.

Here are our ornament additions for this year...

The kids picked out this beautiful glass camera ornament for me, all by themselves! I think they did a fabulous job ;-)

Austin had a hard time deciding what he wanted most for his ornament...he began by asking for an ornament with Batman and Joker. When we had NO luck finding that, he found his second best...a MONSTER TRUCK! (And by the look of the monster trucks he's collected over this year, I'd say it was a perfect fit!)

Katie and Austin knew exactly what they wanted to find for Mark this year...a ROLL TIDE Elephant!

And, who would have ever guessed that Katie would have needed a horse ornament?! ;-)

What are some of YOUR favorite family Christmas traditions?

Marbled Christmas Ornaments | Easy Kid-Friendly Craft

2011-12-20T06:57:00.000-06:00

I recently searched the internet for easy (and not-so-messy) Christmas crafts for me to do with the kids during this Christmas season. These marbled Christmas ornaments have been, by far, the most favorite craft for us all!

I love simple, inexpensive, unique, and clean...the kids love PAINT...and this craft covered ALL of those!

So, what do you need? 1) Box of clear plastic ornaments (Hobby Lobby has these 50% off!), 2) Your choice of Acrylic paint colors (we used berry red, pine green, and sand), 3) Baby wipes.

DIRECTIONS: All you do is squirt several drops of the paint colors desired into the clear ornament. Then use a baby wipe (to keep fingers paint free) to cover the opening of the ornament. And SHAKE! You'll probably have to add more paint to fill the entire ornament, but it's best to add it a little at a time, so it will dry quickly :-) Then, TADA! You have a beautiful marbled Christmas ornament, perfect as a special handmade gift for your friends or family.

My kids already know who they are giving these ornaments to, but I wouldn't mind getting more ornaments to make some for our own tree! Hope you enjoy this fun, cheap, and easy craft. We sure did!!

Christmas Artwork | Hartselle Art Studio

2011-12-19T17:00:00.000-06:00

I just love Christmas-time! It always seems like crafts are more frequent during the Christmas season, and this year was no different.

The kids are still enjoying their weekly art classes at Hartselle Art Studio & Gallery with Ms. Michele, and they brought home many art projects over the Christmas season. Here are two of our favorite projects done with Ms. Michele...

First, here are the kids handmade ornaments -- using balloons, newspaper, glue, paint, glitter, and I have no idea what else :-) But these ornaments look beautiful on our Christmas tree!

This one is Katie's... (gotta have that PINK!)

This one is Austin's... (Honestly, I expected to see a black and gray ornament from him, but he went with white, purple, and silver)

Ms. Michele also challenged them both to draw their own picture that could be printed and used as a Christmas card, if desired. They both did a fantastic job, but we had already printed our cards for the year, so we displayed these in our living room, instead.

Katie's stocking with a kitten:

Austin's stocking:

Great job, kids!! I love your artwork!

Movie Monday | Children's Christmas Choir

2011-12-19T14:53:00.000-06:00

I know I have totally been MIA lately on the blog...life has been busy! But, to make up for it, I thought I'd share a video of the kids singing in the children's Christmas choir at our church. This was Katie and Austin's first time to sing in front of anyone (other than family), and I think they did fantastic, along with all of the other kids!

BTW...I have absolutely no idea where Austin learned how or got the idea to BOW after each and every song! But it sure was a great laugh :-)

2011-12-13T16:57:00.000-06:00

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

We wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

Let us each remember the true reason for the season...

Jesus Christ, who came to earth as a sinless man to die for our sins!!

The Lucado Inspirational Reader | A Book Review

2011-12-08T13:08:00.000-06:00

Being a long time fan of Max Lucado's writing, I was thrilled when I was given the chance to review his book The Lucado Inspirational Reader through Thomas Nelson Publishing (Booksneeze.com).

This beautiful hardback book is a compilation of thoughts, illustrations, stories, and quotes by Lucado. I love that the book has no set reading schedule...no daily thoughts...no chapters to stop you. It's a book that you can pick up at any time of the day or night, and read exactly what you need to for the moment. And, though these may be simple thoughts, or short in length, they are thought-provoking for the Christian walk, in all aspects of life.

I think this book is a fantastic idea for a gift (and will be using this as a gift idea for someone special in our family!). This is a great book to keep on the end table, ready to be picked up and read from again and again...grasping more spiritual challenges and encouragement each time. I received this book for free from Booksneeze.com (Thomas Nelson Publishing) for this review. The above opinions are my own. I was not required to write a favorable review.

His Mighty Warrior - A Book Review

2011-12-08T12:56:00.000-06:00

It's Christmas time! Can you believe it?! One of my favorite things about this time of year is trying to be creative with my gift-giving to my family and friends. This year, thanks to Multnomah Publishing (Blogging for Books), I found a wonderful gift for my sweet little boy. His Mighty Warrior: A Treasure Map from Your King by Sheri Rose Shepherd was just the kind of surprise I was looking for this year.

This little treasure is totally geared toward the heart of a boy, a short devotional/bedtime story type book that shares letters to a mighty warrior from "The King", along with scriptures, Bible stories, and applications for every boy to apply to life as they grow up to be the strong, brave, and true men of God they were born to be.

I love that this book is totally on a child's level, but yet holds a depth of truth and application that can be used for years to come. I can't wait for my little boy to open this at Christmas, so we can begin to read about this warrior and how God uses him, just as He will use my son.

I think this is a wonderful gift for any preschool age to early reading age boy, and would recommend it without hesitation. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. The above opinions are my own. I was not required to write a favorable review.

Happy 5th Birthday, Katie!!

2011-11-08T09:23:00.001-06:00

I cannot believe we just finished celebrating Katie's 5th birthday! It seems like only yesterday...well, you know that saying all too well, I'm sure! :-)

This year, Katie decided she wanted to have a "Paint it FUN" birthday party at Ms. Michele's Art Studio with her close friends...and that's exactly what we did! We had 9 little artists (Austin being the only boy), who all had a fantastic time celebrating with Katie. She loved being with her friends, and is still talking about wanting to get together with them again soon to paint again :-)

Here are a few pictures of her birthday celebration!

All of the finished masterpieces...

Time for the candles & birthday song!!!

This is how the presents were opened :-) Just a big huddle!

"Most"of the friends...some were too busy to stop for a picture ;-)

Happy 5th Birthday, Katie!!! We love you!!

Katie at age FIVE!

2011-11-06T09:23:00.000-06:00

As Silver Refined | Book Review

2011-11-02T13:19:00.000-05:00

I was recently given the opportunity to review Kay Arthur's "As Silver Refined". Two words -- MUST READ! I have never read any of Kay's books that were not encouraging, challenging, and spiritually thought-provoking, and this was no different.

In today's world, I feel that with the subject of life and the disappointments that are all too common, so many are searching for answers...wanting to know why things turned out as they did. How could this happen to me? Why would God allow that to happen like it did? With a world of hurt and questions because of the hurt, what a wonderful challenge to consider that those disappointments are really God's appointments that He uses to make you more like Christ, and to bring others to Christ. What a challenge for our human nature perspective!

I love Kay Arthur's style of writing. It is down to earth, as if she's talking one on one with you. Very easy to read, but works even better if you take your time as you go through it and use the included 13 week Bible study!

I rate this book 5 stars! I have thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to all Christians and non-Christians alike! I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. The above opinions are my own. I was not required to write a favorable review.

Tate's Farm | Pumpkin Patch

2011-11-01T08:07:00.000-05:00

My sister, brother-in-law, and I recently took our kiddos for their annual visit to the local pumpkin patch at Tate's Farm. I couldn't help but look back at last year's visit, only to laugh seeing that they were still enjoying the same things -- together at all times -- only "older" now. Here are some pictures from our fun afternoon...

There wasn't anything that these three did

apart from each other...so sweet!

Okay, well -- maybe one thing --

Sydney did not want to touch a pig with Katie & Austin!

The kids absolutely loved the petting farm area

(but that doesn't at all surprise me, does it you?)

Katie looked down to realize that the goat was

gnawing on her shirt! She thought that was hilarious!

This is Katie's "Daddy, I really want a bunny" picture :-)

Austin was not as certain as his sister... {grins}

And here's the group "following the leader" again...

And, who would have guessed that Austin

would have loved climbing on those "big tire wheels"!?

Gotta love these faces!

They must have been really concentrating on this one...

The cotton jump...

And their all-time favorite, the corn crib!

I think they would have stayed here all day long...

Although the sun was harsh and directly in their faces,

we did attempt a few "group" pictures while at the farm...

They also loved the old red fire engine near the pumpkin patch!

It was opened for the kids to explore, and explore did they ever!

Following the leader, again, through the pumpkin patch...

Their goal...to find the largest pumpkin in the patch...

here's the one they found!

I didn't get a picture of the "big black slide," which Austin still asks to go back to. But Sydney followed behind Katie and Austin all the way to the top of the slide, about to do it on her own. (For those of you who know Sydney, she does not like slides). SO, Aunt Marsha wiggled her way to Sydney and asked to go with her. We went and she didn't make a whimper, until it was over {grins}. Needless to say, that's one thing that she no longer followed Katie and Austin to...

We all had a great time, great fall weather, and great fun! We were all excited to add another year to our memories at Tate's Farm.

Impromptu Vacation

2011-10-28T06:18:00.000-05:00

We recently enjoyed an impromtu {mini} vacation to the beautiful mountains in TN, to visit our vacationing family. Mark's parents and uncle had rented a cabin for the week, to enjoy some rest, relaxation, and fall colors in the beautiful TN mountains, and they graciously invited us to join them for the weekend. We obliged with little (if any) hesitation!

Although our time was short, we enjoyed our wonderful time with the family, and the beautiful sights of the mountains. We spent the majority of our Saturday meandering through the beautiful Cade's Cove area. While there, one of our first sights was this field of horses -- as you can imagine, we had some extremely excited kiddos from the start! And, though I'm not exactly what you'd call a "horse lover", I couldn't help but want to take pictures of such a beautiful view...

And, who could go through the mountains of TN without taking at least one picture of them? Not me! I loved seeing all of the leaves showing their true colors across the valley, below the mountains...breathtaking, to say the least...

Katie watched, with her camera in tow, only steps behind me as I trampled through an overgrown field of weeds in one of our Cade's Cove walks, as I tried to capture this lone butterfly as it searched for nectar. I thought it was an odd time of year to see them...and this was the only one we saw the entire day...but, who knows! It was beautiful!!

Katie & Austin had a great time exploring the woods and mountains with Pawpaw, Nana, and Uncle George. Their goal was to look at every kind of rock and leaf, and anything that moved! I think they did a great job, too!

Did I mention how much I adored the beautiful foliage throughout the mountains??

We also enjoyed giving the kids a little "history" lesson as we made each stop throughout the Cade's Cove area. What's better than an impromptu vacation that can also count as an educational field trip!? I love homeschooling!!

And no good trip to Cade's Cove would be complete without seeing at least one deer or bear...we actually saw 1 large buck, several does, and a yearling -- which totally made Austin's day (he just wished he could have a gun and go hunting with Pawpaw)!

And, toward the end of our trip in Cade's Cove, we came to an almost complete stand-still. After a long while in the cars, we finally realized why! There was a large black bear in a nearby field, which caused lots of "slowing down" and the entire forest ranger force to arrive for precautions. This would be where that great telescoping lens would have been awesome to have handy! ;-)

And, what better way to end our Saturday, than to stop by for a picture at the HUGE haybale scarecrow and puppy (and to try out their great icecream)!

It was a quick, impromptu trip full of more car time than anything, but we all had a fantastic time visiting with the family and enjoying the sights. Gotta love memories like these... ;-)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-26T06:35:00.000-05:00

Gymnastics

2011-10-25T07:08:00.002-05:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, our little kiddos have decided that they love their gymnastics classes at Hartselle Gymnastics, and we've enjoyed seeing them love it! They have been practicing their back bends, front flips, back flips, and cart wheels...enjoying their first attempts on the vault, the balance beam, and the bars...and even learning how to stretch and work toward the splits (which Katie thinks is absolutely amazing!) I like seeing them active in a productive way, and I can't wait to see their progress at the next "Parent Day" (when we can all come and watch/take lots of pictures/etc.).

But, until then...here are a few quick shots I took the other day. (I couldn't really see any area except the bars from where I had to stay, so that's what you'll see...which is Austin's favorite!)

Trust me...more pictures will come as soon as Parent Day comes :-) I'm as anxious to see their progress as you are! But believe me when I say, it's a new favorite pastime for these little ones! They want gymnastics to be every day :-)

Fall is HERE!!

2011-10-24T09:07:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love this time of year, all of it's crazy-busyness and all! The cool weather...the "fall" colors...boots come out of the closet...mini vacations...pumpkins...field trips...beautiful leaves showing their "true"colors. {sigh} What's not to love?!

Our lives have definitely been far from calm lately...it's been a busy time of year for photography (which is not a bad thing!), as well as a busy time with (home)school/family/trips, and life in general. Because of that crazy-busyness, I'm a little behind on blogging, so hold on to your seat! It's going to be a busy week of blog posts here for the Barton family :-)

And, to start the ride through our fast-paced, wonderful life, I'll tell you about our fun-filled trip with our youth group to a local corn maze. I chose not to take my camera due to the dust and nature of our escapades...but I did talk Katie into bringing hers. I took LOTS of pictures of the kids enjoying their first marshmellow roast...their oh so favorite corn cribs...their trip through the corn maze in the dark (minus their flashlights)... their unforgettable ride on the cow train (which, by the way, really needed some "bum" pillows haha!)...and them shooting their corn launcher! But, wouldn't you know it...I went to upload the pictures, and THEY AREN'T THERE!!! Apparently, our kiddos unintentionally deleted about 400 pictures that were on Katie's camera while we were on our recent trip to TN. I'm going to intentionally leave that detail out when talking to my sweet daughter, because she'd be heartbroken, but hopefully that won't happen again before I have time to get the pictures off the camera.

At any rate, the kids had a VERY long night at the corn maze, but they had a wonderful time! I think we got home around midnight, which is unheard of for them! But they were great sports the entire night...I was very proud of them!

So, now that I've talked you through the "non-pictured events", how about we start blogging about those other fun things soon? ;-) Check back...they'll be coming throughout the week!

Not Me! Monday

2011-10-10T19:30:00.000-05:00

I did ~~not~~ allow my son to play a game on my cell phone, only to find that he had purchased a different game that "he wanted to play" -- remember, he is only 3 -- and being the sweet, understanding mother that I am, I certainly did ~~not~~ make him pay me $1 for the game he unknowingly bought. And, after doing so, I did ~~not~~ find myself thinking of what game I wish he would have unintentionally purchased...instead of "Brick Breaker"...Not me!!

After dropping the kids off at their art class this week, I did ~~not~~ decide to walk into a local clothing consignment store, only to find my very own YUMMY TUMMY tank. After trying it out this week, all I have to say is, WHERE have these been my whole life?? They make your tummy (and sides) look slimmer, shaped, and it's LONG, so I can wear it under practically everything I own! I do believe I need to find several more of these...especially if I can get it for $5!!

I did ~~not~~ have our bedroom tv crash on me this week...then our air conditioning...followed by my "almost brand new" Dell laptop... One is bad, but THREE major things in one week...NOT me!

Bunk Beds & Best Buds

2011-10-06T07:31:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I've been terrible on getting pictures of the kids "finished" (aka liveable and decorated...until I find more to add/change) combined bedroom. And, after looking at the pictures, I'm thinking -- did we really change that much?? So, here's a "before" picture of the kids separated bedrooms...

Austin's "BEFORE" Room...

Katie's "BEFORE" Room...

And now, your look into their "new" combined

BUNK BED & BEST BUDS room...

They both sold a lot of their "old" bedroom

decor and reinvested in their new rooms

I think the best part was seeing how excited the kids were

as they were able to choose their accent pieces together

and AGREE on them!

We definitely have two horse/country lovin' kids...

And I wouldn't change them for anything in the world!

Love my little Cowboy & Cowgirl!!

And, as for the transitioning to one bedroom and one playroom, things have been great! The kids love the set-up, and I love that they make a mess in ONE room (the playroom) instead of two while they play together. There are times that I reconsider -- like when they are supposed to be sleeping and they are instead laughing, giggling, and telling secrets -- but then I remind myself that those times are what make brothers and sisters best buds forever. We're still working on the play room...step by step...but it's also working great as our homeschooling area, which I never really had before. I definitely think this was a great decision for our family. The kids love their combined country bedroom, and I love that!

So, what do you think of our country bunk bed room for our best buds? ;-)

Wordless Word-Y Wednesday

2011-10-05T10:28:00.000-05:00

Thinking I need a better way of organizing my ever-growing prop collection,

since it's now completely overtaking my closet...

And the sad thing is, these are only the props that I couldn't "fit"

into our current home decor...

Suggestions? Volunteers {grins}?? Anyone?! ;-)

Not Me! Monday

2011-10-03T13:55:00.000-05:00

I did ~~not~~ look at what I dressed my sweet girl in for church yesterday and think, "Wow! She's grown so much since last year...I suppose I need to find her a new church sweater to wear with her dresses, because that looks a little snug (and 3/4 length)"... Only to look and see that I had been literally squeezing her into a 3T sweater!! She's probably been wearing that since she was 2 (going by the fact that she's typically one size larger than her age), so I think I've gotten the "worth" out of it and really should invest in a new one this season. She thought it was hilarious that Mommy put her in a 3T sweater without knowing it...I would never overlook such an obvious wardrobe malfunction... ;-)

I did ~~not~~ again fail to post the pictures of the kids' new combined bedroom last week, so I'm now adding it to THIS weeks' blog "to do list" -- man! after making you wait this long, I need to come up with some even BETTER modifications, to make it worth it to you ;-)

Katie has ~~not~~ been insistent on having a "Daddy/Katie" Date Night this week, which I think has just melted Daddy's heart a little more each time. She was so excited when he scheduled his "date" that she drew a reminder picture for all to see...

And, after all of that excitement, we have ~~not~~ already had to make changes to the date of her "date night" {due to her gymnastics class starting tomorrow evening...during her originally scheduled date night}. Though, she's now chosen Daddy's "OFF" day, so she is even more excited -- get ready, Daddy! I sure hope you have lots of plans for this girl, as she's not going to let you off easy! ;-)

I do ~~not~~ have many many tasks to complete over the next couple of hours, so my Not Me! Monday is going to have to come to a close for today...

Wordless Word-Y Wednesday

2011-09-28T13:41:00.000-05:00

Austin had his first haircut today (yes, I know you don't typically wait until age 3...), and he did such a great job! He has been so excited all week about letting Mrs. Jana cut his hair like Daddy's hair (his request).

Though I did not let him cut it as short as Daddy's, Mrs. Jana did cut off a lot of his long baby hairs, to even them up with the rest, so it does look more like a little man :-) And, she even buzzed the bottom of his neck, so he felt like he got a haircut just like Daddy -- making him very proud!

He was SUPER serious for all of the pictures during (and even after) his first haircut, but smile or not, he hasn't stopped talking about how good his new haircut looks! So, if you see him soon, be sure to mention it...or he may call you out on it ;-)

And I think the haircut made him look another 2 inches taller (like he needed that!) hehe :-) My little boy is growing up! And, in case you were concerned, he still has a head full of curls...just like his Daddy did at that age.

Not Me! Monday

2011-09-26T15:25:00.000-05:00

So, it's definitely been a while since I've been a "good" blogger...and even longer since I've done my regular "Not Me! Monday". But, "Not Me! Monday" is officially back, and so am I! I'm in hopes that knowing I have a "Not Me! Monday" post to write each Monday, will get me back into blogging like I want to! :-) So, here goes nothing...

I did ~~not~~ decide to wear my hair curly recently (due to lots of rain, mostly), only to hear my daughter ask "So, did you pray to God about it or something?" Not knowing what she meant, I questioned her, and she responded, "You know, you wanted to look like me, so you asked God to give you curly hair and He did?" Unfortunately, I should have prayed a little more about it, obviously, as I have more of a messy beach wave going on...not those cute curls that my kiddos were blessed with! ;-)

Last Thursday evening, I was ~~not~~ in panic mode when my son bit a very nice size hole in his tongue while trying to climb and reach M&Ms for his potty prize. Thankfully, we didn't have to see any ER drs, etc....we've just had to be selective on food/drinks for him. (In case you missed it, I blogged about this adventure with pictures HERE.)

I am ~~not~~ excited to finally show you the "finished" combined kid bedroom THIS WEEK -- long overdue, I know...still working on the playroom, though ;-)

I have ~~not~~ decided that there is a neuron misfiring in my brain as of late -- no matter how frustrated I am with my current physical self or the lack of favorite clothes that fit, I simply cannot seem to figure out a work-out routine to fit my lifestyle. How do you homeschooling, business owning, stay at home, couponing, multi-tasking moms do it???

Katie has ~~not~~ become such a big girl lately, as we've started back to co-op classes each Friday. She's loving her school time every day, but absolutely adores her Fridays!

We did ~~not~~ take Austin and Katie to their first gymnastics class recently, and they both absolutely LOVED it! Maybe it will help them get a little extra energy out with someone other than Mom ;-) I plan to get pictures the next time (bad mom, I know...)

I'm ~~not~~ wayyy overdue with posting lots of family photographs...busy business and homeschooling have ~~not~~ somewhat overtaken life over the last couple of months...I'm ~~not~~ seriously working on figuring out this balancing act of life...I PROMISE...pictures are soon coming ;-)

Tough Man...

2011-09-23T07:30:00.000-05:00

So, last night {right before dinner and bedtime}, Austin fell and bit a hole into his tongue. After wayyy more blood than I was comfortable with, we finally got it to stop enough to actually see the damage done. We called the doctor, and was told that they wouldn't do anything for it...just to try to keep pain medicine & fluids down him, etc., as he would be hesitant to eat/drink -- boy, was that an understatement! Looks like he may be living off of applesauce and popsicles for a few days.

Nana & Pawpaw -- Austin wanted you to see his "broken tongue", so here it is...12 hours later...and already looking better! He thinks it's funny to look at his tongue now...but he wants to know when it's going to be put back together ;-)

Thankfully, we have a tough little man, who has complained little (mostly when trying to eat or drink). I know I wouldn't be quite so calm about something like this!

Espresso for your Spirit | Book Review

2011-09-13T16:05:00.000-05:00

I was recently given the opportunity to read and review Espresso for your Spirit by Pam Vredevelt. I chose to review this book because I it looked like a humorous book for parents...and what parent doesn't need a humorous break from life at times?

This was a great book to pick up and read a little at a time, when you were in need of a break from life. It is filled with funny, lighthearted, stories written specifically for parents...to encourage those who are weary, discouraged, or just stretched a little too far. I love it! It was a much needed break for me often. I am sure I will be picking this up to read (and also giving to others) to give a little humor and light on even the hardest of parenting days.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. The above opinions are my own. I was not required to write a favorable review.

Right from the Heart | Book Review

2011-09-13T15:48:00.000-05:00

I recently received Bryant Wright's devotional "Right from the Heart" through Booksneeze.com. Upon receiving this book, I was immediately impressed with the appearance of this book. It's a nice hardback book with simple, but classy design...perfect for a gift book! This book is a 365 day devotional (with the dates labeled), so it's easy to jump in on whatever day you receive the book. The devotionals of short in length, but are far from small in challenges and encouragement for daily life. They touch on a Biblical perspective about finances, worry, marriage, eternal security, death, friends, worry, and more.

As a busy homeschooling mom of two preschoolers, I often find it hard to start my day off with a long devotional. I have enjoyed being able to take a few minutes to start my day with this devotional, and then find more time later in the day to be in the scripture again. It's a quick, easy way to "start your day off" right. I think this is a great devotional for anyone, and a great gift, as well!

I received this book for free from Booksneeze.com for this review. The above opinions are my own. I was not required to write a favorable review.

A Funny for Monday

2011-09-12T12:02:00.000-05:00

Saturday, Mark and Katie went with our church to help pass out flyers in surrounding neighborhoods. While in the van, one of the men got something on his clothes and said (something to the effect of) "I better get this off before I get home, or I might get a spanking." Apparently Katie had a confused look on her face, so he went on to ask her if her mommy ever had to give her daddy a spanking for something like that, and without a second thought, she promptly replied, "No! My Daddy NEVER does anything wrong!!" I'm sure at that point, there was nothing but laughter in that van... Now, if only I knew how much Mark paid her for that comment ;-)

I need a KINDLE, please Jono!

2011-09-07T14:25:00.000-05:00

As a homeschooling mom of two busy preschoolers, a dog, and two fish, as well as a business owner, and of course, all of the other "hats" we supermoms wear, I have found it hard, almost impossible to satisfy my love for reading books. Obviously, we all have the same time each day, so I'm not blaming it at all on time...I always see time that feels wasted each day...like waiting for an appointment, waiting in line at the fast food restaurant, bank, or grocery store, waiting for clients to arrive, or even while watching the kids play at the park. BUT, I never seem to have the extra space (or hands) to pack my large/awkward/thick books to read during those currently wasted moments. Do you feel that way?? I have bags for each kid that go with us everywhere we go (we all know the accidents happen the ONE time you decide to leave them for a "quick" errand)...I have my {mommy} purse, which carries all of the "extras" that you may need while out and about...I am, after all, an "experienced" mother of two -- experienced meaning, I've had to "make do" without tissues when they really were absolutely necessary, just because I chose to carry my cute, not-so-mommy purse. So, what's a Mom to do?

Well, I'm no expert, but I think a Mom should beg, plead, and grovel with anyone within listening range (even if they are pretending not to see the crazy spectacle you're making of yourself), until you find a merciful ear who will gift you with the KINDLE...the answer to ~~all of your~~ many of your deepest desires as a busy Mom! What could be better than one small electronic device that holds all of your favorite books, can be viewed in practically any light situation, and truly allowing you to rescue each and every one of those wasted, but not forgotten minutes to read whatever you feel the need to! What could be better?! If you ask me, absolutely nothing!!

So, who's feeling generous?? Jono? Jono?? JONO??? ;-) {inserts grins, begging, pleading, tears, bartering, grovelling, sobbing, and anything else necessary to receive a KINDLE from BzzAgent to review}.

Austin is 3!!

2011-09-05T15:30:00.000-05:00

I can't believe we've just celebrated my baby's 3rd birthday! Where have those last 3 years gone?! We had a crazy rush of events surrounding his birthday, but Austin had a blast!

We had his official "party" at what our kids call the "best day ever park" in Priceville on Tuesday prior to his Thursday birthday. The kids had a blast running, playing, swinging, and sliding with each other for hours of non-stop fun. If it tells you anything, they didn't even want to stop for the cake and ice cream! I'm not going to say that it wasn't hot...even though we waited until 6 to have his party...you can see the "red" faces in the pictures (haha), but everyone had a great time! We were so thankful to have family and friends who could celebrate Austin's birthday with us.

After his party, we went home & went to bed (after a little party gift playing occurred), then we woke up bright and early to do some quick packing to leave for Mobile for the next 10 days! Mark and I had decided that the kids and I would stay in Mobile for another week, while he came back to work (training he couldn't miss) and paint the kids new combined bedroom. So, we had extra time to spend with everyone...which was great! To say the kids were excited to see their Mobile friends and family would be a severe understatement. As you can see from the pictures, I have two kids that were quickly turning into little fish while in Mobile (enjoying Uncle George's "new pool"!) Katie and Austin also got to have some much desired time with their sweet little friends. Katie even surprised her best friend, Elizabeth, by showing up with Amber to pick Elizabeth up from school. Such sweet memories they'll be sure to remember for a while! As always, our time went by much too quickly, but it was enjoyed by all.

After our 10 days, we packed up and got ready to head home (to be home in time for Mark's birthday over the Labor Day weekend), and we were excited to have a special guest ride back with us. Nana decided to ride up and spend the weekend with us and Mark, and Pawpaw Greg drove up after work to join us. It was a quick but special weekend that we were all able to spend with them.

So, can you say life's been a LITTLE bit crazy lately?! But I love my crazy-beautiful life.

Here are some pictures from Austin's birthday parties and Mobile fun...

Meet Joe Dirt...

2011-08-28T15:29:00.000-05:00

or his newest imposter, Austin...

{He found one of Daddy's old Halloween wigs...and we felt it was a little too hilarious not to share!}

Austin at age THREE

2011-08-25T15:36:00.001-05:00

First, Fast, & with a SMILE!

2011-08-18T11:38:00.000-05:00

Austin and his nursery teacher's conversation just before leaving:

Austin: "I obeyed tonight."
Teacher: "Yes, you did obey!"

Austin: "I obeyed fast!"
Teacher: "Yes, you did good."

Austin: "And I smiled..."

This may not mean a lot to most of you, but to a Mom who has been working diligently to teach him what true obedience is, this means the world! All of those days I thought he was paying me no attention...all of those "talks" we've had to have...we're seeing progress! He is not only memorizing our obedience rule (obey first, obey fast, and obey with a smile/right attitude), but he's repeating it, and he's applying it!

This Mommy is a little excited that I was able to hear that little conversation. A little encouragement just at the right time...

Welding 101

2011-08-15T12:20:00.000-05:00

We recently dropped by my grandma's house for an impromptu visit. Katie and I learned how to can vegetables and veggie soup (Katie played while I learned, since we couldn't let her be in the kitchen with the pressure cooker.) While we were inside, Austin found himself with Pawpaw Tim and Pawpaw Flannagin for his first welding lesson.

As you can see, he was very intrigued! (Sorry for the phone pictures...I didn't plan this visit, as I normally do, so I didn't have my camera handy.)

All I can say is...

he's ALL boy, and I love that about him!

The Little Red Book of Wisdom | Book Review

2011-08-11T05:53:00.000-05:00

I was recently given the opportunity to review "The Little Red Book of Wisdom" by Mark DeMoss through Booksneeze.com. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is exactly as the title states...little bits of wisdom on subjects of all kinds. This isn't the type of book you'd typically want to read from start to finish in an hour. There's a lot of great advice, stories, and wisdom to be found within. The chapters are short, and totally readable during a work break, etc.

I would recommend this to anyone looking to gain a little insight from others' experiences, in the workplace or life in general. Mr. DeMoss did a fantastic job compiling this little book of wisdom!

I received this book for free from Booksneeze.com for this review. The above opinions are my own. I was not required to write a favorable review.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-10T06:52:00.001-05:00

That's my boy...

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-03T10:52:00.000-05:00

My two little nerds...

picture {and their inspiration for wanting nerd glasses}

are courtesy of their Daddy ;-)

RE...Lots of RE!

2011-08-03T10:38:00.001-05:00

So, with all of the "RE"s (REorganizing, REdecorating, REmoving) going on in our home lately, especially in the kids' rooms, we've also had to learn how to REpurpose things. Though it'd be easy to run to the store and buy all that I need to REdesign our home, my frugalness just doesn't allow for that ;-)

I suspect {and HOPE} to be able to show you lots of REpurposing going on around our home over the next months. Today we started with small steps in the kids' rooms.

When the kids had their own rooms, one was fully "Princess" and the other was nothing but "Cars"...so now what? I have Princesses and Cars all over the place, and their new bedroom is cowboy/cowgirl/horses, etc. Tell me how those are gonna fit in... ;-)

SO...today, I spent a little time searching for great new images online that would be perfect additions to their new rooms, and what did I come up with?? {*overlook the purple walls...they will be gone soon hehe*}

First, I replaced all of Katie's "Little Mermaid" pictures with these...using the same frame and mat. And, though it was printed from home, you wouldn't know it wasn't purchased from the store when you see it! So, my cost for REdecorating their room with REfinished pictures -- less than $1!

And now for these much-loved nightlights...Katie, of course, had the Princesses...and Austin had Cars. I really did not want to purchase more nightlights, and I loved that these could be turned off (saving those nightlight bulbs that always seem to go out!).

SO...I again turned to the internet for pictures and...

This fit perfectly with the cowboy/cowgirl theme in their bedroom,
and even worked with the pink nightlight base!

The playroom is going to be decorated in fun, artsy colors...
perfect for their little imaginations!

TADA! Brand new nightlights costing pennies to REpurpose...but perfect for our new decor. Pretty nifty and thrifty, in my opinion :-)

And to "add" a little more REpurposing of pictures/frames in the playroom, I took Austin's Cars pictures and REplaced them with recent paintings done by my two little artists.

We're soon going to have a full wall of artwork in their playroom, and I can't wait to show you that! But we have to start and finish some REpainting first.

LOTS left to do with our REpurposing and REdecorating projects...this was just a few small steps. But you have to start somewhere, right??

Crazy-Beautiful LIFE

2011-08-02T19:02:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I'm obviously getting really bad at this blogging thing. And, though you may think otherwise, I promise it is not intentional! I honestly miss it more than you, I'm quite sure. You see, it's my break...my step out of the reality of our crazy-beautiful life...my time to do something that may or may not serve any real purpose, other than aiding in my sanity as a stay at home, homeschooling mom. So, now that I've told you that it keeps me sane...and then you see that it's been probably 2 weeks since my last post (and they were short ones!), then you're probably (rightfully so) concerned about my sanity (and about my family, since I may well be on the brink of INsanity). I'll never tell just how close I may indeed be to that point, but I will say that blogging was high on my list today *hehe*

So, since I have not been blogging, what exactly have I been doing lately?? It blows my mind that we're already in August!! Where in the world did my well-planned, relaxing and productive summer days go?! July was nothing but a blur, so I can't even take you week by week explaining why things have been so crazy. But I can remember as far back as last week, which was our Ladies' Enrichment Retreat at church. Though I didn't realize that it would be, being a session teacher and also a vendor at the retreat, it was a major time sucker last month. I taught a photography class, complete with handouts, powerpoints, personal examples, and more...all compiled by yours truly, and though I was totally nervous, I had a great time! The conference was a fabulous success, praise the Lord! God used Mrs. Mina Oglesby in great ways to challenge and encourage me. I'm already looking forward to next year.

So, that's a huge project from the month of July that is not "marked off" on my list...just in time for me to get lesson plans completed for Katie and Austin, as well as our Friday co-op science classes that I'm teaching. Whew! Makes me tired just thinking of it. But I am SO thankful to have the opportunity to homeschool our children. I can't say that there aren't days that I seriously consider sending them to school away from home, but those days are few and far between (and usually when I am in need of a little break). Katie is resuming kindergarten to begin with...covering in greater detail what we covered last year, leading us up to 1st grade. We're in no rush, as we're still ahead with her, but we're not slowing down either! We're both excited for school to start back! And I'll also be integrating Austin's learning time with Katie this year. Obviously they are on totally different levels, so that will be challenging, but we're excited about it, too.

And, with all of the other busyness of life (outside of my business, which has been pretty busy, as well), did I mention that the house has been somewhat turned upside down over the past 2 weeks? Yeah. Well, it had been discussed, but was by far from planned. We were given a fantastic offer on a brand new twin over full bunk bed set (with the built in staircase) and chest, and we couldn't pass it up! The kids now have a combined playroom, which they LOVE (and so do I -- so much easier for them to clean up!), and a combined bedroom. Katie sleeps on the top bunk and loves it, and Austin is doing fantastic on the bottom bunk! This also gives us more beds and more open floors for when extra bedding/space is needed for missionaries, family, etc., that are staying with us on occasion. It also gives me a perfect room for photography with full natural light (their playroom is ideal!) The kids absolutely LOVE this change, and so do we! But it has definitely brought on more "projects"...repainting, reorganizing, etc.

Here's a picture of the kids bedroom right now, but it's not completed (obviously), so you're going to have to overlook the purple walls! We're still finalizing paint colors and decor. :-)

I'd show you the playroom, but there's nothing to show right now...You'll hopefully soon get to see the before and after pictures of it, though! (We've gotta work on patience a little, right?)

Speaking of redesigning, Mark and I have been doing a lot of planning for the redesigning of other areas of the house. It's going to come by steps...slow steps...as budget allows, but I am super excited about it! The hardest part is knowing what step I want to start on :-P By the end, there will be lots of beautiful earthy colors throughout our home!

More craziness?! Oh, yes! My baby is turning 3 this month (*sniff sniff*)...I have begun my final year of my 20s...my Mom and family have sold and moved to a nearby town...and I have found a new addition (like I needed one) -- www.pinterest.com

Okay, so that's probably a small portion of our craziness this summer, but I think it at least catches you up to speed...and now I can *hopefully* become a regular blogger for my family again...if for no other reason but SANITY :-) Thanks for dealing with my ramblings of the crazy-beautiful life God has blessed me with!

Katie's Rabbit Trails

2011-07-19T13:46:00.000-05:00

If you've ever been around at bedtime with Katie, then you'd know that she is queen of rabbit trails (especially at bedtime). Though I don't post each and every rabbit trail we have with her, I felt that I had to share her most recent rabbit trail for laughs and memories...

Mark was tucking Katie in bed and reading her chosen book, The Velveteen Rabbit. At the end of the book, Mark was telling her how glad he was that stuffed animals didn't really come to life when they were really loved, because we'd have a house full of horses, unicorns, etc. Katie laughed about it and started her rabbit trail...

She told Daddy that if she could have real animals, she'd like to have a rooster! Mark laughed and explained that she wouldn't like a rooster because it would wake her up before the sun was even up...way earlier than she likes to get up and going.

So, without missing a beat, she responded..."Yeah...I wouldn't like that. I think I'd trade my rooster in for a hen and just eat the eggs!"

This kid definitely got her quick, witty remarks from her Daddy! She definitely keeps us laughing with her rabbit trails...even close to bedtime :-)

A Funny for Friday

2011-07-15T15:08:00.000-05:00

It's taken me FOREVER to figure out how to get videos off of my smart phone...obviously, it's a little too smart for me :-) But I finally figured it out! So, you get a funny video to see :-)

Austin's newest favorite song to sing is his version of the Hokey Pokey. Here's a snippet of him singing & dancing to the Hokey Pokey. ENJOY! {sorry for the low sound quality...I will definitely be using the video more than my smart phone for future videos!}

Per Austin, the song says, "Put arm in...put arm out...shake it all a butt...that's what its all about...HOKEY POKEY!!"

Don't you just love the "shake it all a butt"?? We really have tried to correct that, but he seems to think it makes sense in the song...I guess because he does shake his little butt :-) haha!

Berry Pickin'

2011-07-14T08:37:00.000-05:00

Yesterday evening, we decided to take the kids to a local "U-Pick" blueberry farm for a little berry pickin' fun. Of course, I failed to bring my camera to pick berries, so you'll have to deal with pictures courtesy of my phone (sorry!). It's better than nothing, though...right? ;-)

The kids had a fantastic time picking our gallon of blueberries (mixed with a few blackberries), and we couldn't have asked for nicer berry pickin' weather!

Now for the fun of deciding which delicious treats to make first with these tasty blueberries :-)

Family Vacation & Reunion | Gatlinburg, TN

2011-07-07T15:27:00.000-05:00

WARNING -- This is one long long long post...SORRY!! But maybe it will make up for my terrible slacker job of keeping this blog updated. I promise I'm trying to get back into my routine!! :-)

We recently returned from a nice week-long vacation with Mark's family (immediate and extended) to Gatlinburg, TN. I brought my camera, but it didn't see the light of day...it was pretty much there just so I knew it was okay :-) SO...since I was truly on "vacation" even from my much-loved job (photography), you can enjoy a few glimpses into our vacation fun through Mark's camera and {mostly} Mark's pictures...I think he did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself :-)

We arrived late Saturday evening, in time to eat dinner with the fam at Corky's BBQ...YUM, and have a little walking/shopping time in Pigeon Forge. Sunday, we didn't have "specific" plans, so we at brunch at The Apple Barn and then walked around downtown Gatlinburg for a bit of shopping. The kids were pretty tired, so we let them nap and then spent a little time at Nana and Pawpaw's cabin before calling it a night. Monday began the fun...we met up at Dollywood at 3pm (because if you get your tickets at 3 or later, you get the next day free). So we all played and road rides from 3-8 (closing)...the kids crashed HARD that night! Then we started out early at Dollywood on Tuesday and stayed/played there all day/night (from about 9:30a-7:30p) -- no nap time...no breaks...just loads of walking, laughing, riding, and FUN!

The first "rides" the kids wanted to try out were the cars...and they both got to drive us around! That was a nice change ;-)

And, of course, we had to ride the 'horses' many times during our time here...

The kids also got to see "The Little Engine That Could" (one of their favorite books) in the little theater there...super super cute show! :-)

Surprisingly enough, Katie was able to ride most of the rides. THIS (below) was one of her favorites - her first "adult" roller coaster (she said the little Veggie Tale roller coaster that she rode with Austin did not count). I was nervous about this one, but she LOVED it! The second (or third, I forget) time, she took me...front row...on this coaster!

The kids were SO thankful to be with Nana and Pawpaw! Other than sleeping, they didn't do much without being with or talking about them. It was a great vacation with Mark's family!

Wednesday was our "reunion" day, where we had family from all over join us at Teresa and Greg's cabin for a great lunch and fellowship. I think we had around 50 people there total! It was lots of fun getting to see family (and meet family I hadn't met before). Unfortunately, Katie ended the reunion with a terrible boo-boo. She and the kids were running around the wrap-around porch when apparently a loose board or nail tore open her heal pretty badly. She was a tough girl for sure...no tears were shed...but it did greatly limit her walking/running ability thereafter. She learned to walk and run by limping on her hurt foot. I told her she was going to have one massive calf muscle when this trip was over!

Thursday, most of the group met up early to go white water rafting. Obviously, I couldn't go with the kids, so we stayed around our place...watching movies, tv, making crafts (provided by our resort), and playing at Chick-Fil-A. My original plan for us was much different and involved water parks, but Katie would not let any water of any kind touch her hurt foot (and I didn't blame her), so our plans changed. The kids didn't mind at all! They knew that they were going to enjoy the Dixie Stampede that evening for dinner, so that made it all good.

We have no digital pictures of our trip to the Dixie Stampede (we did purchase the souvenir set), but the kids LOVED it! I was a little concerned about how well Austin would do (his attention span is often very short), but both kids ate LOTS of their crazy big meals, including their "whole chickens", which they found hilarious, and they cheered for the SOUTH the entire show! Katie and Austin were both amazed with the horses, riders, and all of their stunts. I was so glad we decided to take them...and even more thankful that we had a large group, as it saved us all a lot of money!

On Friday, our final "full" day of vacation, we took a trip to the Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies -- another hit with the kids (and adults, too)!

I've been to this aquarium before, but this was the first time I'd seen their new penguin exhibit...very neat!! We all got to watch them feed the penguins, and they had little tunnels that kids could go through that took them underneath the penguin habitat...giving them a first hand look at them!

I just loved the jellyfish and how the glowed, even with no flash on the camera! Don't the intrigue you? These were some of the VERY few pictures I took...but I could have stood there taking hundreds of these pictures! And believe it or not, these two were completely UNEDITED. It was just that colorful/bright! Amazing...

The kids had a great time in their "hands on" area, too! I love this aquarium for it's kid-friendliness!! :-)

The oh-so-popular shark tank ;-)

Katie really liked the sea dragons, and I just love this picture Mark captured of her looking at them. You can just see the intrigue showing through her look.

After the aquarium, we walked around downtown Gatlinburg for a while, and then headed back to Pigeon Forge for one last adventure...one that both kids had begged to do since day 1...the Dinosuar Boat Ride. Austin and I sat together in the front of the boat (not sure that the front was the best idea for us, as Austin was not certain about the darkness and not knowing what was going to pop out at him). We got about 3 minutes into the ride, and our boat stopped! So, we had to walk through the "jungle" to get out a side exit while they tried to fix the boat. Katie thought it was funny...Austin just kept saying "that's not fair!" So, we waited around while they worked on the boat and were finally allowed to re-try the ride about 20 minutes later. Katie LOVED the ride....I could hear her laughing and talking all through the ride. Austin, I wasn't so sure about. He held my hand the whole time...sometimes tighter than others ;-), but he was completely silent through it all. I kept asking him "are you ok, are you ok?" simply because I had no idea how he was reacting. At the end, however, he immediately said he wanted to ride that again! They both said it was a favorite part of the vacation (funny, seeing it was probably the shortest and least expensive!). But either way, we all had a great time...especially being able to see the kids enjoy themselves so much!

It was far from a "relaxing" vacation...I think I'm still trying to recuperate from all of our long, tiring days/nights there...but it was loads of fun! It made me even more excited about getting to take the kids to Disney World hopefully next year!! :-)

Praying for your Future Husband | Book Review

2011-07-07T14:00:00.000-05:00

I was recently given the opportunity to read and review Praying for your Future Husband by Robin Jones Gunn and Tricia Goyer. I chose to review this book because I work with the teen ministry at my local church.

This book is not a "how-to" book on finding love. It gives you the personal stories of the authors as they began to pray for their future husbands, along with scriptures, and thought-provoking questions that would be great for individuals or group settings.

The two authors have very different stories, but God was faithful and answered both their prayers with Godly husbands. It is not common to hear girls waiting for and praying for their future spouse in years prior to them seeking their life partner, but I think it is something that should be taught more so our girls today will know that God has a perfect plan for them...a perfect husband picked for them...in His timing.

This is written to young ladies, but the principle can be used by young men as well. I think anyone that has an unmarried daughter, grand daughter, or works with student ministry should read this book. It is very challenging, but also very practical and easy to read.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. The above opinions are my own. I was not required to write a favorable review.

Daddy Dates | Book Review

2011-07-07T13:45:00.000-05:00

I was recently given the chance through Booksneeze to review a digital copy Daddy Dates, by Greg Wright. I think this is an awesome, down-to-earth, easy read book that every father of daughters should read. The concept he presents is simple, and offers lots of ideas on how to implement this idea, but the payoff is extraordinary!

I love the idea of chasing after your daughters...learning about their desires, fears, their hearts...and helping them learn how unique, how special God made them, so they will know even better how to make wise choices in the future (relationships, etc.)

I know to my daughter, Daddy is everything to her. She's only 4 right now. But I can't wait to implement these ideas within their relationship, that will help keep them as close years from now as they are now...so she wants to run and tell Daddy things...and learn from him. I would love to purchase more copies of this for my husband and others in my family to read and pass on!

I definitely recommend this to all dads out there...especially with daughters...but I think it's something anyone that works with children would enjoy and get things out of they can apply in their lives.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Photographer in Training...

2011-06-20T08:18:00.000-05:00

In case you didn't know, I have a photographer in training here at my house! Since using Nana's camera at our last trip to Mobile, Katie has been a regular little shutter-bug. Recently, she accompanied me to a portrait session with her new little camera in tow. She filled up her entire memory card within the hour {I guess she's going to need the 16 GB memory card like Mommy!}.

Here's a look into her viewfinder...

I love seeing her perspective through her pictures. I never know what I'll find when I "empty" her card. But it's always exciting to see how my little photographer in training is progressing! I think she does a great job for a 4 year old!! I was still cutting off heads {kindof important to keep} around the age of 10!! ;-) I love my little shutter-bug!!

Katie's Kindergarten Graduation

2011-06-14T16:25:00.000-05:00

I know this post is LONG overdue...it's been crazy lately.

Katie was so excited to have many of her friends and family at her graduation, especially her Nana and Pawpaw, who drove from Mobile to spend the weekend with us!

Austin and Nana before the graduation started.

Austin & Pawpaw before the graduation started.

Some of the decorations for the graduates.


Katie's display board over-viewing her kindergarten year.

During the ceremony, the graduates did two special songs -- "Who let the letters out?" (sounds like "Who Let the Dogs Out") and "One Small Voice" (their sweet, sentimental song). They all did a fantastic job on their songs!

"Who let the letters out?"

Austin was singing "One Small Voice" right along with the graduates...Katie practiced with him for several weeks prior to graduation. They both loved this song.

"One Small Voice"

As a homeschooling mom, there are many great privileges I have teaching my children. One privilege was, as her teacher, to be able to present Katie with her kindergarten diploma for all of her hard work this past year. Such a special moment for a mom just beginning her homeschooling journey.

Katie receiving her diploma.

Katie's proud of her diploma. I'm proud of her hard work!

Mommy & Katie

After the graduation ceremony, Katie was surprised and excited to see her flowers, bear, cards, and gifts.

We are both looking forward to moving forward with our homeschooling lessons soon, after a much needed summer break! :-) Congratulations, Katie! We're so proud of you!!

Paint Night

2011-06-13T13:20:00.000-05:00

I recently attended an "Adult Paint Night" with my Mom and sister at Hartselle Art Studio & Gallery, and had a blast! Honestly, I think I could do that at least once a month...for fun a little adult conversation, fun, and de-stressing! Ms. Michele does a FANTASTIC job with this!!

Here is my painting of a guitar from our paint night...

We all painted the same picture, but all came out with a slightly different "view" of it. I love that...lots of great artsy guitars :-) Be sure to check out HASG for more adult paint nights! It's only $30, and that includes dinner, supplies, and a masterpiece done by YOU!! SUCH fun!

Time with God for Fathers - A Book Review

2011-06-03T14:00:00.000-05:00

I was recently given the opportunity from Booksneeze.com to review Time with God for Fathers by Jack Countryman. This is a small hardback devotional book especially for fathers. I think it's well made and would be a great gift book for any father! I let my husband read this book to be able to write the best, most honest review, since I am not a father.

My husband has greatly enjoyed this devotional book. It is not meant to read all in one sitting, but a short section day by day. This is great for a father on the go. Even 5-10 minutes would give you enough time to read this devotion each day. However, I must say that though this devotional definitely touches on subjects that families and dad's deal with this day in age, it is not an indepth study on any one topic. I would suggest using this devotional as the start of a daily devotional, coupled with reading God's word.

I think this would definitely be a great book for any father! If you're looking for a neat Father's Day idea, here it is!

Transforming Prayer - A Book Review

2011-06-03T13:44:00.000-05:00

I was given the opportunity by Bethany House Publishing to read and review Transforming Prayer by Daniel Henderson. My first thoughts were skeptical of yet "another" book about prayer...not that we don't need them, but how different would this one be compared to all of the others, and could it really help me to see things in a different way, thereby changing my prayer life as I know it. So, as skeptical as I may have been, I picked up the book and began to read. It is not a read it in one day type of book. Honestly, I'm STILL reading the book...and may read it again when I finish. But I read it slowly, not because it's boring, but because it's something that takes time to soak in and think on.

There have been so many times in this book that I've found myself nodding in agreement of the testimony given...the way we often think of prayer and why (like an emergency go to list when things aren't peachy), etc., and nodding more when a deeper challenge of what God intended for communication with Him to be.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking to go deeper in their prayer life/communication with God. Though some points are probably well-known to many believers, I think we could all walk away from this book challenged, encouraged, and ready to go a step deeper in our relationship with our awesome God.

I was given this book to review from Bethany House and received no compensation for my review. The above opinions are my own. A positive review was not requested or required.

Wordless {WORD-Y} Wednesday

2011-06-01T15:07:00.000-05:00

I know I'm soooo far behind on blogging...I KNOW I owe you a look at Katie's kindergarten graduation...I know. I'm working on getting our internet fixed {again} and hope to have it up and running again this weekend so I can play catch up on here. Until then...

Take a look at these curls :-)

Is he not the cutest thing you've ever seen?? He's growing into such a boy now...loving dirt, bugs, swords, guns, and super heroes. I just {love} that little boy...

Many Faces...

2011-05-23T12:24:00.001-05:00

I couldn't let you think (after seeing our recent family portraits) that my children were always posed and ready for pictures. Here are just a few of Austin's many faces from our recent photo session...

Do you have a favorite Austin face? ;-)

Overdue Family Pictures...

2011-05-20T15:56:00.000-05:00

It's been a good year (plus some) since our last family pictures...so, I think we were definitely overdue. But do you know how hard it is (as a photographer) to put down the camera and let someone ELSE take the pictures? You don't? Well, trust me...it wasn't easy! Thankfully, my Mom agreed to use my camera to take pictures of us yesterday, and I then did all of the post-processing on the pictures. Here are a few favorites.

Now for the fun of picking which pictures to use to update the blog pictures... ;-) It's amazing to see how much the kids have changed in a year!

Homemade Tigers

2011-05-17T15:52:00.000-05:00

15 minutes into quiet time...
while Mommy makes a few phone calls...
and we surprise her as...

HOMEMADE TIGERS!!

And Mommy just laughed, cried, and considered a little screaming...

Impromptu Bowling...

2011-05-17T09:28:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning, we decided to take the kids to the Arsenal library...one of their favorite places. While there, we decided we'd also enjoy an impromptu bowling trip on the Arsenal, as we'd heard such great things about their bowling alley. {I didn't have my camera with me, so the below pictures from my phone will have to do for this memory.}

The kids were BEYOND excited when they heard the news...honestly, I didn't think we'd even get them to eat their pizza before bowling (as planned). But, they tried their pizza and didn't stop eating until it was pretty much demolished :-) Then, on to the bowling fun...

Katie using the dinosaur's back to help her position/roll the ball down the lane...why didn't they have these when I was a young bowler?? ;-)

Austin - super excited about his bowling fun...and the funny little characters that started singing and dancing on the screen after each turn. :-)

It's Austin's turn now! He was pretty good!! He even beat me! (but that doesn't say that much...)

our final score (don't laugh too hard...I haven't touched a bowling ball since early college years...a good 6 or so years ago!)

We'll definitely be returning for more bowling fun...and highly recommend it over any other bowling lanes around, if you have access to the base :-)

Summing up Life| Parenting Woes & Encouragement

2011-05-12T07:22:00.000-05:00

A friend shared this article the other day, and it was just the parenting encouragement that I needed. I encourage you all to read Kevin DeYoung's "Parenting 001" article, as well.

As for our house...the following excerpt pretty much sums up our life with the kids right now {in a humorous, but oh so true, way}:

Excerpt from "Parenting 001" by Kevin DeYoung

I don’t consider myself a particularly good parent. I was asked to speak a few years ago at some church’s conference. They wanted me to talk about parenting. I said I didn’t have much to say so they should ask someone else (which they did). My kids are probably not as crazy as they seem to me (at least that’s what I keep telling myself anyway), but if I ever write a book on parenting I’m going to call it The Inmates Are Running the Asylum.

There are already scores of books on parenting, many of them quite good. I’ve read several of them and have learned much. I really do believe in gospel-powered parenting and shepherding my child’s heart. I want conversations like this:

Me : What’s the matter son?
Child : I want that toy and he won’t give it to me!
Me : Why do you want the toy?
Child : Because it will be fun to play with.
Me : Do you think he is having fun playing with the toy right now?
Child : Yes.
Me : Would it make him sad to take the toy away?
Child : I guess so.
Me : And do you like to make your brother sad?
Child : No.
Me : You know, Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves. That means loving your brother the way he would want to be loved. Since Jesus loves us so much, we have every reason to love others–even your brother. Would you like to love him by letting him play with the toy for awhile?
Child : Yes I would daddy.

I try that. Really I do. But here’s what actually happens:

Me: What’s the matter son?
Child : I want that toy and he won’t give it to me!
Me : Why do you want the toy?
Child : I don’t know.
Me : What’s going on in your heart when you desire that toy?
Child : I don’t know.
Me : Think about it son. Use your brain. Don’t you know something?
Child : I guess I just want the toy.
Me : Obviously. But why?
Child : I don’t know.
Me : Fine. [Mental note: abandon "why" questions and skip straight to leading questions.] Do you think he is having fun playing with the toy right now?
Child : No.
Me : Really?! He’s not having fun? Then why does he want that toy in the first place?
Child : Because he’s mean.
Me : Have you ever considered that maybe you are being mean by trying to rip the toy from his quivering little hands?
Child : I don’t know.
Me : What do you know?
Child : I don’t know!
Me : Nevermind. [I wonder how my brilliant child can know absolutely nothing at this moment.] Well, I think taking the toy from him will make your brother sad. Do you like to make him sad?
Child : I don’t know.
Me : [Audible sigh.]
Child : He makes me sad all the time!
Me : Well, I’m getting sad right now with your attitude! [Pause, think, what would Paul Tripp do? Thinking . . . .thinking . . . .man, I can't stop thinking of that mustache. This isn't working. Let's just go right to the Jesus part.] You know, Jesus wants us to love each other.
Child : I don’t know.
Me : I didn’t ask you a question!
Child : [Pause.] Can I have some fruit snacks?
Me: No, you can’t have fruit snacks. We are talking about the gospel. Jesus loves us and died for us. He wants you to love your brother too.
Child : So?
Me : So give him the toy back!

Then I lunge for the toy and the child runs away. I tell him to come back here this instant and threaten to throw the toy in the trash. I recommit myself to turning down speaking engagements on parenting.

As funny as it is to read, this scenario happens more often than I can count in our household right now...especially with our oldest. While I find humor in it, and even a little comfort in knowing I'm not the only one who deals with this, I also must seek to continue to be the godly parent that I know I need to be for my children. So, I'm praying for more patience...more wisdom...and more of God's wonderful grace!

Awakening | Book Review

2011-05-09T12:00:00.000-05:00

I was recently given the opportunity by Blogging for Books to read and review Awakening by Stovall Weems. This book initially intrigued me as it stated “21 days to revolutionize your relationship with God”. No matter how devoted to Christ you are, what Christian would not have the desire to get even closer to God? There is an over-abundance of self-guided devotionals to strengthen/challenge your relationship with God, so there was an immediate question as to how different this book could possibly be from all of the others out there.

Though I’m sure there are plenty of books that hit on many of the same ideas/topics mentioned in Weems’ book, I think he did a great job getting down to earth with each reader…encouraging them that no matter where you’ve been, you can still have the ‘awakening’ in your spiritual life. Weems had no problem going back into his past and giving examples to let readers know that his life was far from perfect, but he still awakened his spiritual life.

This book includes 21 days of prayer, fasting, and personal devotions that are easy to read and apply, regardless of your knowledge in the faith. I was impressed with the author’s honesty and down-to-earth talk in the book. While I’m sure there are equal books to aid in spiritual growth, I think this one is worth reading and trying, as you try to dig deeper into the Word of God and learning more about Him.

Something's fishy...

2011-05-07T15:29:00.000-05:00

Due to the tornadoes in our area and the widespread power outages it caused, we made an unplanned visit to our Mobile family for a long weekend. We enjoyed getting to spend extra time with our family (and the power/hot water, as well)!

While there, we were able to take the kids fishing. This was Katie's 2nd time to fish and Austin's 1st. They were both SO excited about their fishing trip! Here are a few pictures of them catching their fish :-)

Katie caught a fish!!

So proud of her first catch!

Who would have though Katie would have TOUCHED her fish!?

Bless Austin's heart...he waited to fish all day, but was so worn out that he fell asleep on the way to Pawpaw's to fish. I had to wake him up to hopefully give him a few minutes of fishing time (I knew he'd be heartbroken if he slept through it all).

Watching Pawpaw get ready to let Austin fish.

He loves his Pawpaw time.

Looks like he caught something!

Austin's first catch!!

"Look at my fish!"

And, a family fishing outing just wouldn't be complete without a little silliness...

So thankful for the extra time with the family we had, even though the circumstances weren't the best.

Wordless Wednesday (a day late...)

2011-05-04T06:20:00.005-05:00

Katie and her "adopted" kitten...she shares our neighbors cats with him...on a daily basis. Austin is always nearby, chasing the other kitten. They love these cats...just not certain that the cats always love them ;-)

Easter FUN!

2011-04-29T07:25:00.000-05:00

Mom had all of the kids (and grandkids) over for a nice Easter cook-out and egg hunt. We adults loved the cook-out, and the kids had a blast hunting eggs!

Sydney did a great job hunting for eggs with Katie and Austin

Katie was prepared for this hunt...down to the tennis shoes for fast running!

Austin liked to take his time finding eggs...

and chose to hunt for eggs without having to carry a basket

Even little Lakyn enjoyed the beautiful

Easter weekend in Aunt Megan's arms

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-27T13:20:00.000-05:00

Regardless of what you may think, I did not encourage my sometimes wildly loud child to tape his mouth shut. That was his own idea...but I may have enjoyed the temporary quiet. :-)

Bedtime??

2011-04-22T19:55:00.000-05:00

Just when you think it's time to settle down for the night and play a quick game on the wii to pass the time before bed...

Katie snuggles into her self-designed pillow bed...

and Austin gets silly with Daddy...

I just love these fun moments...even if I am tired and past ready for bed ;-)

HOOK!!!

2011-04-16T13:23:00.000-05:00

Lately, our little man has become almost obsessive about Captain Hook & Pirates, to the point that he goes around the house holding a clothes hanger and saying "I'm gonna get you with meee hook!" It's quite hilarious...until he aggravates his sister a little too much. ;-)

So, while we were at the beach, we ran across this photo opportunity, and absolutely could not pass it up!

Beach Bums

2011-04-14T07:11:00.001-05:00

Though early April sounds a little too early for "Beach Bums"...we had a great time at the beach this past weekend with Nana, Pawpaw, Uncle Myles, and Aunt Angela! Austin, especially, has made HUGE progress with his love of the beach...instead of crying when he touched the sand, he cried because he had to leave the sand!

I am afraid our next several Mobile visits are going to require a day to once again become a "Beach Bum"...at least, if our kids have any say in the matter!

Oh! THANK YOU, Nana, for lending us your camera to snap these memories :-)

"Mini-Me" in the making...

2011-04-13T19:09:00.000-05:00

On our recent visit to Mobile, Katie found a new hobby...and, considering it was her first time to even touch a camera, I think she did amazing!

She loved taking pictures of Aunt Ruth & Uncle Frankie's beautiful flowers!

And, unlike me at her age, she didn't even cut off heads!

She even used her creativity to get herself in the pictures.

After seeing her love for the camera, we had to let her "document" our trip to Godfather's Pizza.

Looks like I may have a "Mini-Me" photographer in the making...and you know that makes my heart soar ;-)

Early Morning Flights

2011-04-01T06:22:00.000-05:00

I've never been a fan of early morning flights, but somehow, I always seemed to get them in the past. Now, I get to see early morning flights often! Austin loves his early morning jet flights...that's usually one of the first things he does when he crawls out of bed and makes his way to our room. See?? ;-)

His eyes may not be fully functioning yet...

...but his jet sounds sure are!

He's all boy in the sound-making department...

and it makes me laugh...

even during those early morning flights!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-30T05:50:00.003-05:00

Rays of Sunshine, Fields of Purple

2011-03-29T07:41:00.000-05:00

My grandparents' yard is completely covered in purple...purple weeds to most people, but children know them as the most beautiful purple flowers. So, you know we had to find a day to enjoy the beautiful rays of sunshine and fields of purple to welcome in the early spring!

I don't know the "official" name of these unique weeds/plants, but we grew up calling them "bunny rabbits", and that was good enough for us. Can you see why we called them that??

We also made sure to teach the kids the "bunny rabbit" names...and why we call them that. Katie had to do some major investigating to be certain they indeed looked like bunnies ;-)

And sweet Sydney loved the "bunny rabbits" as well!

Austin was trying to teach Sydney where the "bunny rabbits" were. They play so well together...most of the time *grins*

As you can tell, all of the kids had a great time at Granny and Papa's house!

And you know I enjoyed being the photographer of all of the fun!! ;-)

I love you too much...

2011-03-28T14:16:00.001-05:00

{I'm interrupting our normal blogging to talk from my heart today. It's long...it's serious...and it's heavy on my heart. I warned you...now you can decide whether you want to read on or not.}

To my "little" sister, with love, from your "big" sister:

I am well aware that this could turn your thoughts of me from your friend and confidante to your stick-in-the-mud, overprotective sister, but I love you too much to let that stop me.

I love you too much...

not to tell you how I feel about your current motorcycling endeavors. 

to let you think I'm totally cool with the thoughts of you riding down the road with all of the other drivers out there.

not to let you know how much I disagree with 14 years old being the legal age of motorcycle riding.

to let you think, as most teenagers (and some adults) do, that you are safe enough...smart enough...good enough not to end up a statistic for motorcycle riding.

not to tell you how heavy it makes my heart to think that over 80% of motorcycle accidents end in injury and/or death, compared to 20% in cars...and that with the average motorcycle driver being around the age of 35!

to encourage or even accept this desire of thrill-seeking adventure.

not to beg you to forget the motorcycle antics...at least for a while (though, I wouldn't mind if it were forever!)

to let you think it infuriates me that you are being encouraged to pursue this by someone who has seen first-hand the effects of motorcycle riding because he's been an EMT, fireman, and now law enforcement.

not to tell you that you are loved so much that you had to be told the truths of the matter... 

I know this is an exciting new adventure for you. I know it is fun. I know Dad is encouraging it...even being an EMT, firefighter, and now, law enforcement...and he's seen first-hand the dangers involved, so why wouldn't you trust his judgment over mine? I know you've found your motorcycle already. I know that all that stands between you, the motorcycle, and the road is a little test. I know you are planning to retake the motorcycle examination soon...probably until you do finally pass. I know what I say will probably be pushed to the back of your mind, while you run toward the new past-time that awaits you. But I also know the terrible dangers that are present, especially for motorcyclists. I have read the statistics (trying to make sure I was being fair to you about this, and not just giving opinions)...only to find myself almost sick thinking of you putting yourself in the chance of becoming a statistic like others. But, before you retake license exams or buy a new motorcycle, would you consider these statements (that were not made by me):

"Most people literally don't see motorcycles, because they're so used to looking for larger moving objects...you are virtually invisible to everyone else."
"It isn't just your driving skills that affect your safety on a motorcycle...things even as simple as a chasing dog is enough to change your stability enough to crash."
"Motorcyclists were 34 times as likely as passenger car occupants to die in a crash in 2004, per vehicle mile traveled." {yes this one is old...but the statistics have not improved!}
"There are two types of motorcyclists: Those that have crashed, and those that are going to crash." {This is just an old saying, but those sayings came from somewhere...}
"You can't account for everything. How much is your life worth? Mine's worth more (to me) than gambling it that the other drivers on the road know what they're doing and their vehicles aren't going to fall apart in front of me." {From a motorcycle rider...who learned the dangers of motorcycling the hard way.}
"The trouble with motorcycles is, as mentioned above, the high cost of crashes. Had I been in a car, it would have taken the bulk of the damage, not me. I stopped riding because, despite having worn proper clothing, going under the speed limit and the weather being perfect, there was too much out of my control. In such an environment, I'd rather have the steel around me, thanks."
"No matter how good a rider you are, you are going to be taken out eventually by something outside of your control. You have to decide if it will be worth it in the long run."
"Motorcycle riders between the ages of 16 and 24 are significantly over-represented in accidents; motorcycle riders between the ages of 30 and 50 are significantly under represented. Although the majority of the accident-involved motorcycle riders are male (96%), the female motorcycle riders are significantly over represented in the accident data."
"Crash bars are not an effective injury countermeasure."
"According to the federal government, per mile traveled in 2007, the number of deaths on motorcycles was about 37 times the number in cars."
"Although rider education courses can teach novice motorcyclists basic operating skills and help experienced motorcyclists refresh their skills, they don't appear to reduce the risk of crashes."

I love you too much not to pray you change your mind...and so do so many others. And, if it will change your mind in the least, I'll start counting votes to see just how loved you are...but I'm quite confident I'd win that one! :-)

Look-Alike??

2011-03-28T13:09:00.000-05:00

As Mark and I were looking at our pictures from the Rodeo, we couldn't help but freeze when we saw this picture {that hides the lighter and shorter hair}...

WHO does this look like to you??

Just wondering if we were the only ones who were beginning to see that Katie and Austin were turning into look-alikes?!

A Little Country Fun...

2011-03-26T16:17:00.000-05:00

Mark and the kids experienced their first RODEO last night...and from the looks of it, had a great time! I know I loved being there with them.

Katie said her favorite part was the bull-riding...which I never would have guessed...as much as she loves horses!

Austin enjoyed it all, but really wanted to ride those tractors they had ;-) And, if Uncle Myles has anything to say about it, he'd probably agree that Austin was born to be a cowboy! What do you think??

Katie is stylin' and profilin' in her new hot pink

cowgirl boots...and loving every second of it!

Sherriff ~~Woody~~ Austin

Kicked back and relaxing while watching the rodeo...

Brother had to be just like his big sis...

Austin was wearing down toward the end, but

still enjoying his first rodeo with Daddy

Great times...country fun...loads of laughter...perfect family evening.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-23T10:57:00.000-05:00

Katie said these silly faces were especially for Nana and Pawpaw :-)

Not My Child!

2011-03-21T08:04:00.001-05:00

This week, my son did ~~not~~ come after me one his front end loader, AKA his tractor, yelling "I'm gonna throw you in 'da ga'bage can! hahahahaha!!" When I began playing along and saying "oh, no! don't do that!" , he came back with "it's otay, Mommy...I'd get you back out!!" Gotta love little boys...

Speaking of boys, my sweet little boy definitely did ~~not~~ help me turn at least 3 shades of red while in line to check out recently, when he started telling the world {very loudly, might I add} that the lady standing only 2 feet away from us had PURPLE HAIR. And, since Mommy was trying to nod and get the subject changed, he insisted that I had indeed not heard him, and broadcast the news even louder! Not, my child!!

Over the weekend, the kids and I used Mark's little Aveo {quite a funny sight, might I add}...which meant the kids had no kid CDs to hear, no DVDs to watch, and no toys in the car to play with. That didn't deter them, though. My kids did not decide to invent a new game with a piece of shoe string that Austin had grabbed on his way to the car... I did ~~not~~ hear the kids in the backseat yelling, "I've got TOE POWER!" When I started trying to see what they were doing, I found them playing tug-o-war with the string and their toes...gotta love their creativity!

And, I cannot forget to mention that Mark and I did ~~not~~ make a little boy mad at us yesterday, after refusing to let him hold the "Princess's" hand (AKA our little Katie). Bless the kids heart, he was so frustrated at me when I told him a second (or fiftith) time, he kicked my shin and stepped on my toe! LOL I'm definitely not ready for boys to be chasing her...not until she's at least 25-30! haha But it does look like we may have our work cut out for us...

Sorry about the lack of pictures...places to go, things to do today :-) I'll be posting more with pictures later this week!

More than 100%

2011-03-15T12:09:00.000-05:00

It's really sad that it has taken me 10 days to add an updated post here of our family. What's more sad is that it wasn't that I didn't have things to say...I just couldn't find time to do it!

I know we all have the same 24 hours in a day, so I've been trying to find that perfect balance in all of my "jobs" that will all time for everything to be done. However, I'm learning, more now than ever, that I have a problem...a perfectionist problem...

You see, one of my {many} life mottos is that whatever I start, I finish...and finish the right way. I give it 100% of myself, and see the benefits of holding to that at the end of the project, when it's done as expected or better than expected. What could possibly be wrong with this motto?!

Well, apparently, I've found a large error in my motto lately...

{hold on to you seat...this one is profound...and in random order}...

.....

...............

........................

.................................

........................

...............

.....

100% + 100% + 100% + 100% + 100% + 100% DOES NOT EQUAL 100%

You see, no matter how hard I try, I cannot seem to get everything done...

if I give homeschooling my children 100%, then my house goes uncleaned...my business lacks what it needs to survive and thrive...my family blog is neglected...and on and on it goes.

Now, I know what you're going to say...balance...and that's what I've been working on...trying to see how many tasks I have to complete on any given day, then deciding what percentage of my energy and time I can dedicate to each task...being sure not to let priorities go awry. It's a work in progress...really...but at least I've finally learned the basis of the problem...

100% + 100% + 100% + 100% + 100% + 100% DOES NOT EQUAL 100%

Now, hopefully, you'll be hearing and seeing more updates from our family...but be patient...there's much to sort through! This relationship-building, child-rearing, home-managing, homeschooling, home-based business owning stuff is TOUGH! ;-)

In the meantime...here's a snapshot of Katie taken this past weekend...

And, for laughs, courtesy of Katie: Katie asked to please play the computer games yesterday morning, so I agreed while I was getting ready and preparing breakfast for the kids and our house guest. Within minutes she found me with a very confused look on her face. She said "Mommy, I wanted to play the Backyardigans In Outer Space game, but Mommy, they said I had to have a SPACE bar! How do I get that!?!"

Going to Nana's...

2011-03-05T16:05:00.000-06:00

I've been looking the last few months for a great vintage suitcase for a few photography sessions I'll be doing in the near future. I know those "great treasures" are out there...people just wanting to get rid of "junk"...so, I look and wait (instead of paying the outrageous prices many charge for them online.

And, my waiting finally paid off! We were walking around in the Habitat ReStore yesterday afternoon with the kids, and I spotted this awesome vintage green set...in near perfect condition, especially on the inside. I was thrilled for my $6 find {large suitcase and smaller matching suitcase - not pictured}. What I didn't know was how much my kids would love them, too!!

Katie found a similar small blue suitcase that she needed...and for $2 purchased it with her own money...the best $2 she's ever spent, if you ask her! Now, I have little ones that go around the house with all of the suitcases completely packed and ready for their trip to Nana's. They've been going to Nana's since their eyes saw the suitcases in the ReStore...it's been hilarious!

So...now that I've taken tons of time explaining the old suitcases...here's a few funny pictures of the kids this morning.

Meeko needs to see Nana and Pawpaw soon...

And so do these little jokers

{they're trying to make "puppy dog" faces}

"We're ready for Nana's! Can we go now??"

{gotta love those silly faces...and Katie's bedhead!!}

We're pretty certain Meeko wants to come, too...

So...get ready, Nana! You may have extra suitcases coming with the kids soon! We haven't been able to get them to leave them alone...

Double Yellow

2011-03-03T15:39:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Pawpaw Barton, we are now enjoying our beautiful

DOUBLE YELLOW Daffodils

straight from Mawmaw Walker's flower gardens

I just love early spring colors and blooms...

even more so, when they have a little history and sentimental value :-)

Only on Monday...

2011-02-28T14:37:00.000-06:00

Only on Monday...

would I spend lots of time in the office...

working on my unending to-do list...

adding more to my list...

editing photographs...

planning more for my business...

and letting the kids just be kids!

Only on Monday...

will I leave my office to find

a trail of evidence of my kids' playtime

leading from one room...

{where they obviously played dress-up}

to the next room...

{where they obviously grew tired of playing dress-up}

to the next room...

{where they started making a cage under the table...

for what animal?? I'm not sure...}

to the next room...

{where they sorted the cars and

lined them up to go to the party}

to the last room...

{where, obviously, the party has started,

and all of the toys were invited...

and obviously clothes were not!}

Now...time to break the news to them that...

they have to pick it all back up!

Only on Monday...

Pink Sequin Bible - Product Review

2011-02-23T16:38:00.001-06:00

I was recently given this adorable, oh so girly, pink sequin Holy Bible to review by Thomas Nelson Publishing (booksneeze.com). I was so excited to review this Bible, as I knew my 4 year old daughter would love it! Our little girl has been asking lots of questions lately about salvation, Heaven, etc., which is very exciting for all of us! I thought this would be a little encouragement for her at her age to want to read God's word daily. And, to say the least, she didn't let me down. She absolutely adores her new "big girl" Bible, and loves to show it to everyone around...telling them about God's word.

This Bible is decorated beautifully with vibrant colors on hearts, flowers, and polka-dots, and accented with sequin hearts and glitter. I was a little concerned when I saw the glitter, fearing that it would come off easily, as many things do, but it is made into the cover and does not leave a trail.

This Bible is in the Children's International Version, which at first made me a little hesitant, as we try to teach our children their verses from KJV. But I have quickly come to love the translation to help me explain a story/verse/passage that I've read to her from KJV. The language is modern and easy to apply to a child's level. And this Bible contains the entire Bible...no more little New Testaments, etc. There are even nice maps in the back of the Bible that makes it "just like Daddy/Mommy's Bible".

I think the design and language of this Bible is perfect for the age of 4-8. Although most 4 year old children are not reading something on this level on their own, they can have it read to them and understand it quite well. I give this Bible 5 stars. It is well made, cute, and as girly as it can be. Perfect for that little princess in your life.

I received this book free from Booksneeze as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Wordless Word-Y Wednesday

2011-02-23T12:55:00.001-06:00

I'm sure you've seen Katie's beautiful curls in all of the past pictures...

but have you seen Austin's most recent curls??

It looks like he may try to out-do Katie's "do" before long...

And, if you can't tell, he's pretty excited about it :-)

Wordless Word-Y Wednesday

2011-02-09T11:45:00.002-06:00

Valentine's Day...FOUR years ago...

Has it really been FOUR years??

W.O.W.

I am so thankful for all of the changes and additions

God has given to our family over these last four years...

especially these two precious gifts!

Happy {early because we're heading out of town} Valentine's Day!

Secure Daughters, Confident Sons ~ Book Review

2011-02-08T14:20:00.001-06:00

For the last several weeks, I have been reading Secure Daughters, Confident Sons, by Glenn T. Stanton. I was given this book to review through Blogging for Books.

I was very excited to receive this book to read! My 2 year old son, loves to follow his older (4 year old) sister around and do everything she does. And, while I know that there is no problem with that at this age, I wanted to hear more perspectives on just how much was "normal" versus when something needed to change. The back cover of this book names several things that you will "discover" in the book, and the first one was "what gender-appropriate behavior looks like at various ages -- and why you shouldn't panic if your toddler boy plays with his sister's dolls." That alone was enough to convince me to read the book!

This book is not a thick book at all, but it was not an "easy read", either. I had to take my time, reading only a chapter or so at a time, in order to soak in the information and apply it to our family. We do live in a very gender-confused world in today's time, and I am so thankful for books like this that help parents to see what we can do to help our children be secure and confident, the way God made them to be, whether boy or girl.

I would highly recommend this book to any parent, whether you have one child or ten, all girls, or a mixture of both girls and boys. I think everyone could easily come away understanding more and be challenged to do more to help our children become confident sons and secure daughters.

I received this book free from Blogging for Books as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Homeschool Happenings & Such

2011-02-07T13:47:00.000-06:00

I have been a terrible blogger for the last week or so. It seems that I have this perfectionism problem. When I sit down to do something, I want to do it 100%...with all that I have. And, that isn't a bad thing...except, I only have 100% to give. SO, what in turn happens is that I have to rotate what I'm giving my 100% to...since I haven't yet been successful at multi-tasking.

Anyway...I say that all to say that, I have a good bit of blog catch-up to do, but I can't even promise that it will happen this week, as it's turning out to be a full week before leaving for a short trip down south this weekend. But I will do my best, and will make up for it soon...when it's my blog's turn for my 100%!

Lately, Katie has been drawing for hours at a time...though she loves to draw, normally it would only be for 10-15 minutes here or there. SO, since she's enjoying her art time so much...and is making such great improvements in her art techniques...I wanted to share some of her most recent work with you.

Owl on Tree Branch

Tiger

"Toodon" Dinosaur {we're studying Dinosaurs this week in home-school}

Sea Dragon {she saw this in her art book}

Snail on Grass

Katie's "Banana Bug" {I'll tell you the story of this creature later in the post}

Rocket in Space with Planets

Deer...especially made for PawPaw Greg

Her artwork is definitely coming a long way for a 4 year old! It makes me proud to see her most recent ones, because she is putting to practice on of Ms. Michele's suggestions...leaving nothing blank! She's beginning to love coloring the backgrounds of each and every picture. I'm sure Ms. Michele {from Hartselle Art Studio} would be proud, too!

Now, I'm sure you're all wondering what a "banana bug" is, right? Well, other than seeing her creative artwork of it, I have no idea, myself! But I can tell you how it originated in her little mind :-) Each night, we've always told her the little rhyme "sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite...if they do, hit them with a shoe...til they're black and blue". Lately, she's started changing her rhyme to be something different like "don't let the unicorns bite...if they do, hit them with a rainbow, til they're pink, purple, blue, and black." This week, her new rhyme was "don't let the banana bugs bite...if they do, hit them with your foot until they're {insert all colors she could possibly think of}" So, we asked her what a banana bug was, and she said she'd have to draw it in the morning...and she did. :-) Gotta love those big imaginations!

And, while we're on the subject of Katie and her recent progressions...she's doing fabulous in her reading and writing skills! She's sounding out and reading many words now, which makes Mommy very proud :-) And we're continuing to work our way through "My Father's World" kindergarten curriculum, as planned. There are some things that she catches on to very quickly, so we move faster...and other days when she needs more practice, so we slow down...one great pro to homeschooling! She is learning her sight words, understanding rhymes and having fun with those, and doing a great job counting, adding and subtracting! It's amazing to think we've come this far in such a short time, but we both love it :-)

Austin isn't quite as enthusiastic about doing structured school work at age 2. He does, however, love to create things with "shapes and colors", and is doing a wonderful job of remembering his shapes and colors. He is also saying his entire alphabet and recognizing many of them and their sounds by playing learning games with me and Katie.

It has been hard work for sure, but I love homeschooling our children!! I'm so thankful that God has given me that opportunity, and that Mark has agreed to let me take that opportunity :-)

More updates and pictures will come soon, but for now, Katie needs help with her special Valentine surprise for her sweet little friends she can't wait to see this weekend! :-)

The Stuff...

2011-02-03T14:45:00.000-06:00

My mom shared this song with me today, and it hit home for me in so many ways. So...I'm sharing it with you to see if you can relate to it, too. :-)

There are so many times that I get frustrated at little the little things in life that I see as inconvenient...but God uses each part of our lives to mold us into who we need to be for His plan in our life to be possible. I am truly so blessed for "this stuff" in my life...even when I don't understand it.

This Is The Stuff

by Francesca Battistelli

I lost my keys in the great unknown
And call me please 'Cuz I can't find my phone

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

45 in a 35
Sirens and fines while I'm running behind
Whoa

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

So break me of impatience
Conquer my frustrations
I've got a new appreciation
It's not the end of the world
Oh Oh Oh

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff
Someone save me
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
And I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

Oh Oh Oh Oh
This is the stuff You use

Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-26T12:54:00.001-06:00

Are You My Mother?

2011-01-20T16:19:00.000-06:00

Austin's favorite story...his version... :-)

"Are You My Mother" by Dr. Suess

Thoughts from a 2 year old...

2011-01-17T17:48:00.000-06:00

So, we're getting ready for our second night of our "Enriching the Family" conference at church tonight...and had some humorous thoughts come from our 2 year old's mouth. I had to share them...

Daddy, what you doooin?

I'm ironing my clothes for this week.

Ironin close (clothes) dis week?

That's right.

**And then Austin breaks into a song he made up just for Daddy**

Iron close iron close,

everywhere ironin close...

Iron close iron close,

everywhere ironin close

...somepin (something)

Mommy, what you doooin?

Putting on a slip.

Mommy put on swip (slip), so you don't fall down?

{Laughs} Yeah..."somepin" like that...

Don't you just love their little inquisitive minds?? I do...especially at times like this. Priceless memories...to laugh and smile about for a lifetime!

Love & Laundry

2011-01-13T15:49:00.000-06:00

I finally got to listen to my new Point of Grace CD {a wonderful Christmas gift from my inlaws} today...and I heard "Love & Laundry" and had to share with all of you moms out there. The had to have written this for me {and every other crazy-busy, hard-working mommy out there!}.

ENJOY!!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-12T09:58:00.000-06:00

Daddy's big "diggin" helper

Winter Wonderland

2011-01-11T17:46:00.001-06:00

~~The kids~~ WE ALL had a great time with
our "snow days" the past two days.

We thought getting 2-3 inches of snow as great at Christmas...
now 8-10 inches...in Alabama?!?

Needless to say...
we have all loved our Winter Wonderland :-)

Katie ran outside and immediately "fell" into the snow...

Austin decided that since the soft snow didn't want to make a good snowman,

he'd turn himself into one...

My little snow babies :-)

And, just for future reference...

Our "redneck sled" (AKA laundry basket & ratchet straps) used in THIS snow

really doesn't work so great

in more than 2-3 inches of snow...

and definitely not in 8-10 inches!

Maybe we should look for a real sled for next winter...

ya think?? ;-)

Snow Cream

2011-01-10T13:09:00.001-06:00

Since hearing of our "treacherous" winter weather {per the local weather stations}, the kids have been begging for snow cream! So, we left a large plastic bowl on our table on the back porch to catch us some "clean" snow...perfect for making snow cream.

What we didn't know was how difficult it was going to be

to find the large bowl of snow by morning...

it was nicely hidden under 8 1/2 inches of snow...we measured the table!

We also didn't realize that our son preferred snowcream minus cream...

No...I would never suggest eating snow off of the ground...

but I couldn't help but take a picture of my little snow eater

when I caught him in the act!!

Improvision...

2010-12-31T18:48:00.000-06:00

This is improvising...at it's best!

No sled? No problem!

Just find the nearest ratchet strap and laundry basket...

take it to your nice snow-covered hill in the backyard, and, TA DA!,

perfect snow-sledding fun!

SNOW much FUN!

2010-12-31T08:07:00.000-06:00

We had SNOW much FUN...

Building our first family SNOWman...

Even if we did have to improvise with...

celery (nose),

dirty rocks (eyes),

kid shovels (arms/hands),

and pinto beans (mouth & buttons)!

What can I say?! I wasn't prepared for this!!

SNOW much FUN!!

Christmas Morning

2010-12-30T19:36:00.002-06:00

What better way to start Christmas morning than with a snow-covered yard, snow steadily falling, homemade chocolate gravy & donuts, two kids anxiously awaiting their gifts from Mommy & Daddy, and lots of fun in the snow?!

Here are a few snapshots of our Christmas morning... ;-)

Let it SNOW!!

2010-12-30T10:48:00.000-06:00

Little words are needed to describe my kids and their first snow!! So, instead of words, here are a few pictures to show their excitement... :-)

What a perfect addition to our Christmas...a WHITE Christmas!

Christmas Pictures

2010-12-29T18:32:00.001-06:00

Each year, we do our best to take updated pictures of each family represented at my Granny's house. Here are a few...

Our family...

Me with Mom & my sisters

My sweet Papa & Granny

All of the "cousins"...all grown up :-)

An Amish Love

2010-12-29T15:10:00.000-06:00

I recently received the An Amish Love to review from Booksneeze. This book is a beautifully written trio of novellas by three different authors, but woven together from story to story through the setting and through characters. Each of these novellas are very easy to read, and very difficult to put down once you begin to read them. The all share stories of love, loss, hope, and forgiveness.

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book of novellas, and getting small glimpses into the Amish life, while also reading fantastic Christian romance at the same time. I rated this book 4 stars. I would recommend this book to any woman who love the Amish stories, or would like to begin reading the Amish romance stories. The novellas are relatively short, which makes them easy to read, even for the busiest person.

I received this book free from Booksneeze as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-29T06:46:00.000-06:00

Our "oh-so-yummy" homemade chocolate gravy & donuts, courtesy of my Granny.

What better Christmas tradition breakfast could there possibly be!?

Just Like Daddy

2010-12-28T07:16:00.000-06:00

One of Austin's Christmas surprises from Mimi & Papa Ricky was his very own Buzz Lightyear bath set, complete with shaving cream and a razor. Now, Austin gets to shave with Daddy, instead of just watching! He's just like Daddy...