Just checkin' in

Hello friends! 

Just thought I would check in with the 'ole blogger today.  So, whoever is reading...hello and I'm glad you stopped by.  :) 

My laptop battery is dead.  So, no pictures today.  I was thinking about a Wordless Wednesday because its easy.  But, no.  I am on our house computer and the pictures I have on there are from 2009.  While, cute..they are a little old.  I was going through them earlier and got a little weepy.  My kids have grown so much in 2 years. 

We went to Splashway with the family yesterday.  We had so much fun.  Splashway is a little water park stuck in the middle of nowhere...Sheridan, Tx.  I have no idea how I got there...I am just thankful for my good 'ole GPS or I would still be riding around.  Anyway, we all got a little too much sun, ate way too many dippin' dots (which I wish I would have invented) and enjoyed floating around all day.  The Lazy river was my favorite...that and watching the kids have a blast.

Our house is coming along great.  We have a meeting with the builder tomorrow and then they should start sheet rocking.  We are so excited and feel so blessed.  It has been so awesome watching it go up.  Those builders are so fast!  I love watching the kids run in the house to see what they have done in their rooms!  They already have their rooms picked out and Macy already knows that she wants a pink room.  Girl after my own heart.  :)  We are going to really appreciate our home even more when we move in after being stuck in this little apartment all summer. 

We are having a good summer so far.  What are y'all doing to stay busy this summer??  Do tell...

Finding Treasures...

I have found some really great things while packing up my house.  I have almost 10 years worth of love notes, letters from friends and family, articles and pictures that I have saved.  I consider myself somewhat of a clutter bug.  There are somethings that I just can't part with.  I saved some of the fun things I found and thought I would share them with you!  Some are funny, some are sad and some will make you go, "Why did she keep that?"  ha!

Today's treasure is one that I found way, WAY down in a drawer that was something I got YEARS ago.  Reading though it, it does sound a little outdated.  But, its still rings true for teenagers.  They have their own ideas and as a parent we need to let them soar...as hard as that is and will be for me. 

I am sure Mom saved this article for me when Reid was 3.  She's good at clipping articles.  And now...years later...I need it.  I can't believe that I have a teenager....he's a great kid and I hope as a parent, I do right by him.  I am so proud of him and hope that I always let him do the things that will make him a great man, like his Dad.  Anyway, I thought this was a great read....especially since it comes from the teens point of view.  It's a little long...so bear with me.  :)

Teenagers Bill of Rights

1.  Stand by us not over us.  Give us the feeling that we are not alone in the world, that we can always count on you when we are in trouble.

2.  Make us feel that we are loved and wanted.  We want to love you, not as a duty, but because you love us.

3.  Train us by being affectionately firm.  You will really achieve more with us through patient teaching than by punishment or preaching.  Say "no" when you feel you have to but explain your rules-don't merely impose them.

4.  Bring us up so that we will not always need you.  Teach us how to take on responsibility and become independent of you.  We will learn this faster and better if you will let us question you, your ideas and your standards.

5.  Don't act shocked when we do things we shouldn't.  It is going to take time to learn how to grow into life properly.

6.  Try to be as consistent as possible.  If you are mixed up about what you want from us, why shouldn't we be mixed up, too, in what we give you.

7.  Don't try to make us feel inferior.  We doubt ourselves enough without your confirming it.  Predicting failure for us won't help us succeed.

8.  Say "nice work" when we do something really good.  Don't hold back the praise when we deserve it.  That's the way to spur us on.

9.  Show respect for our wishes even if you disagree with them.  Respect for you will flow from your respect for us.

10.  Give us direct answers to direct questions.  But don't give us more that we ask for or can understand.  When you don't know...say so...but find someone for us who does know.

11.  Show interest in what we are doing.  Even though by your standards our activities may not be important or interesting, don't reduce them in our eyes by your indifference.

12.  Treat us as if we were normal, even if our conduct seems peculiar to you.  All God's children have problems;  that doesn't mean we are all problem children.

13.  Sometimes all of us run into emotional difficulties.  Should that happen, obtain for us professional counseling.  It isn't always easy for boys and girls to understand themselves or know just what they want.  That's why there are specialists in personal adjustments and vocational selection. 

14.  Teach us by example.  What you are speaks louder than your words.

15.  Treat each one of us as a person in his own right.  Children are people, not carbon copies of grown-ups.  Treat all children in your care fairly; that is as of equal value to you.  That is how we will learn to respect the rights of other people and treat them fairly.

16.  Don't keep us young too long.  We want a chance to prove what we can do as soon as we are ready to give proof.  Don't hold us back by love which over-protects and paralyzes.

17.  We need fun and companionship.  Help us share our interests and happy feelings with groups of friends.  Give us time to be with them and make them welcome when they come and visit.

18.  Make us feel that our home belongs to us.  We are at least as important as the furniture.  Don't protect things at our expense by making us feel like intruding bulls in a china shop.

19.  Don't laugh at us when we use the word love.  The need to love and to be loved starts early (and never ends).  We have the eternal desire to want to belong to someone and have someone belong to us.

20.  Treat us as junior partners in the firm.  Democracy starts at home.  If you want us to be worthy successors to you, take us into your confidence, and let us help you in managing our family, our school and our community.

21.  Make yourself an adult fit for a child to live with.  Prove to us "it ain't so" that parents are the worst persons in the world to have children, or that teachers are precisely the people least suited to teach.  Show that home and school are not simply places where children learn how to get along with disagreeable adults.

22. .  Find out what we can do or want to do before you force us beyond our capacity or make us become what you want us to be. 

23.  Give us the right to a major voice in our own lives.  Decisions that will affect our whole future should be made with us, not for us.  We have a right to our kind of future.

24.  Let us make our own mistakes.  To make wise decisions takes experience.  That means we have to try ourselves out and find out for ourselves.  We can only learn from our own actions...not yours.

25.  Permit us the failings of average children, just as we permit you the failings of average parents.  Let us both break the rules sometimes.  We can grow only at our own rate, which means in easy stages.  We want to become the best we can become, but we would not be human if we were perfect.

"How to Be Happy Though Young"

George Lawton

     

All moved in and so thankful....

We are done.  We are in our sweet little two bedroom, one bath apartment until the end of August or beginning of September.  That is when our house should be finished.  Our cute little home on Oak Chase Dr is no longer ours.  Of course, I cried when we left the driveway and I cried all the way to the closing.  It was so sad.  Driving away was a lot harder than I thought it would be.  We will miss that house and all the memories that we made there.  Even though we were ready to move and ready for more room....when it came down to it, I wondered if we had made the right decision.  Was I really ready to leave my comfort zone?  Was I really ready to leave the neighborhood and all those that know me?  Was I really ready to leave MY house?

That house is where my babies have grown up.  Where we brought Macy home from the hospital.  Where they learned how to ride their bikes without training wheels, rode their scooters and pushed baby doll strollers for hours.  Where the sidewalk chalk was plenty and pictures of smiley faces and footballs stayed on my driveway for days.  Where there were numerous lemonade stands with friends and making $5.00 to them felt like a million bucks.  Where the neighborhood kids played basketball in the drive,  Reid played wiffle ball in the yard and Macy walked to Jaycee's house about a zillion times.  Where we loved our schools so much and the friends that we had there.  Where Mandi, Jaycee and Macy would play for hours and where sleepovers were crazy fun.  Where we had block parties until all hours of the night and bonded with friends.  Where Cassie and I would drink our coffee while the girls rode their bike around the cul-de-sac.  Where my sweet family grew and where we loved and laughed together.  It's where birthdays, anniversaries, and all kinds of celebrations were made.  It's where at times there was fighting, maybe a little discipline and yelling but where love ALWAYS prevailed.  Where we loved each other and loved and served a God that is ever so faithful to us.  Where we always felt protected and secure.  Where the fondest of memories were made that I will hold forever in my heart. 

I know that our new house will hold many special memories as well and I am looking forward to the new chapter in our lives.  As long as I have my loves...my precious family...it's all good.

So, now we are on to enjoy our summer and the apartment pool.  Let me tell you...that has been nice!!  The Girl Scout camp, baseball camp and summer baseball games have started and we are loving every minute of it.  Never a dull moment with us.  :)

"Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, REJOICE!" 

Philippians 4:4

Welcome to Crazy-ville...and I am the mayor.

Isn't that a beautiful sight!  We are so thankful we sold our home!

I was going to make this post a Wordless Wednesday, because it would be easy, but I hated to cheat y'all out of all my craziness.  I can't even begin to tell you how busy we have been.  I could write a country song about it.  That's how sad it is. 

I thought I would fill you in on some of our crazy-ness..long 'ole list style.  Enjoy!

*We are still looking for somewhere to live this summer while our house is being finished.  We have been apartment hunting all day.  It's exhausting.  And FYI, they like to add fees, fees and more fees.  What's up with that??

*We are packing boxes and I see NO end in sight. Doesn't my living room look lovely??

*I went to the liquor store to get boxes and he knows me by name.  Isn't that sad.  I don't drink.  But, man those boxes are GREAT!  ha!

*I had a wreck Monday.  Fender bender.  My fault.  UGH!  I guess I could put a picture of me with a sad face but I will spare you the pout.  Just use your imagination.

*I went to the Museum on Tuesday and was in charge of 10 3rd graders.  Do you know they hate the museum??  It's sad because I loved it!  I bet I heard  I'm bored about 100 times.

*We had girl scouts on Monday.  Our bridging ceremony is next Monday and somewhere between now and then I have to make 14 green ribbon sashes and puff paint names on them.

*Macy had talent show try-outs yesterday with her 2 BFF's.  It was cute. 

*Macy had field day.  Fun times!  She had such a blast.  Look at that face.....can't you tell she is loving every minute of it!

*I need to laminate some stuff for Macy's teacher sometime this week.

*Reid has a game tonight and a tournament on Saturday and Sunday.  That boy has kept us busy this season.  No complaints...we love it!

*I am having a garage sale on Saturday.  I am not looking forward to that but know that it has to be done.  You should see all the junk I have.  If you are in my area on Saturday...stop on by! 

*Macy has her recital on Sunday afternoon.

*Macy has dance today and she gets her 7 year pin!  I can't believe she has been dancing that long.  I love watching her...she is a natural.  But, then again I am her mother and all mothers think their kids are naturals, right??  ha!

*I have been going through boxes of my kids baby clothes from the attic.  Yes, I cried.  Yes, Troy rolled his eyes.  I found a box of Reid's baby clothes....0 to 3 months.  I have held on to them one year too many.  ha!

*We go to the design center sometime tomorrow to figure out things we want in our new house.  I am super excited!  More so than last year when we built.  This time, it just feels right.

*Reid goes on his field trip today to tour high school.  sniff, sniff.  I told him I would chaperone.  He said, um, no.  I wasn't really going...I just like to get him all riled up.

And by the way, this post is in no way, shape or form a whine.  :)  I am thankful for my life, my crazy life.  It just means I am healthy, happy and energetic.  I just thought you might like a sneak peek in our wonderful, crazy-ness. 

Have a wonderful Wednesday, y'all!  Thanks for stopping by!

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

 

Jeremiah 29:11-13

Knee deep and a case of hives

I'm knee deep in boxes.  Knee deep in memories.  Knee deep in old pictures and artwork.  Knee deep in handprints and letters from my kids.  Knee deep in tape, sharpies and newspapers.  I have had black hands all day from wrapping all my pretties.  Call me crazy but many times throughout this whole process I have wished I was Samantha from Bewitched.  Twitching my nose seems like a far easier route than the the one I am on.  ((twitch, twitch))  Um, nope.  Nothin'.  Guess I will keep on keepin' on.  Knee deep...here I come.

Yesterday I got a LOT done!  We had workers here working on some things that we needed get to get done before the closing.  Which is June 3rd.  Can I just say...ugh!  Anyway, I hadn't planned on packing yesterday.  It just happened.  I thought for a split second that I could get caught up on all my favorite shows, play on the computer or maybe take a nap.  Then I quickly decided that would not be the best decision.  So, I started packing.  Man, it really is good therapy.  Once I started packing I was a wild women.  Well, that is until I got to my scrapbooks.

Oh, man.  If you want a good cry just sit down for 45 minutes and flip through your life.  All those memories came flooding back and the flood gate of tears opened.  I can't believe how big my kids have grown.  All those pictures seemed like I took them yesterday.  I am so thankful for the memories and for a split second I wanted my babies back.  Then I thought about it and I love the age they are.  They are fun and independent.  They love God and they make decisions that make me and their Dad proud....sometimes.  ha!  I mean what teenager and tweenager really do things without asking.  I still have to nudge a little.  They are still kids and still love on me and need me.  I love that.  They are really showing their personalities and I catch glimpses every now and then of how they might be as an adult.  I am so thankful for them....and my scrapbooks.  ha!

I got about 10 boxes packed yesterday.  Between tears and giggles I feel like I am making a little head way.  It feels good to get a little bit accomplished.  I still have a long way to go.  Long way.  Makes me break out in hives just thinking about it. 

Now, speaking of hives we are looking to find a place to live for the summer.  Our new house won't be done until the end of August.  So, I have also been knee deep in apartment and hotel hunting.  Why is it so hard?  I better not ask that.  The Sab's might just be pitching a tent or sleeping in the car for the summer.  Hey, it will be an experience we will never forget.  ;)

Happy Birthday to Macy

Beautiful Little Girl

by Cheri Keaggy

Beautiful little girl, discovering all the world

I wonder what she'll be, will she take after her Daddy or me

Careful to hold her hand and help her to understand

how much we love her so and how much we like to help her to grow...

Into a woman who loves her maker and who knows what she's living for, so that nothing cam harm or take her from you, for a woman who loves her maker has a quality you can see that will certainly mold and shape her into the woman she’s meant to be.

Beautiful little child

adorning a lovely smile, eager to learn to fly.

There's almost nothing she wouldn't try.

Lord help us do our part to give her a Godly start.

Teach her what she must learn and guide her until she’s ready to turn...

Into a woman who loves her maker and who knows what she's living for, so that nothing can harm or take her from you, for a woman who loves her maker has a quality you can see that will certainly mold and shape her into the woman she's meant to be.

Happy Birthday to our beautiful little girl!  I can't believe you are 9 years old!  Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you.  You are the most beautiful, sweetest, kindest, gentle, loving and tender-hearted soul I know.  Having you as our daughter is one of the greatest gifts God has ever given us.  

We love you, Mommy and Daddy.

Embracing the Camera

I know that Embracing the camera with Emily is all about putting yourself in front of the camera.  Well, sadly I have done a horrible job of that lately.  But, I promised myself I would do better.  I mean seriously, how hard is it to ask someone to take your photo?  I guess hard because I hardly ever do it.  I guess I am embarrassed or scared of what they would think of me.  Story of my life.  Anywoo, I thought these pics were cute.  So, enjoy and embrace life today.  It is a gift.

 Now, if this isn't embracing the camera I don't know what is.  My little poser! 

Cuties pies...We were celebrating Macy's 9th birthday! 

I love this one because he wants ME! haha!  He is embracing his YaYa!

Go linky up with Emily! 

Have a great day, friends.  Come back and see me.  Leave me some love, if you feel it.  ;)

Wordless Wednesday

guess what?

yes, we are crazy.

Explaining the hard things...with faith, hope and love

Yesterday I had to explain to Macy about the death of Osama Bin Laden.  It was hard because she had seen so many people on TV cheering for this man's death.  She didn't understand that.  And honestly, I didn't either.  I mean, come on.  He did some horrible, horrible things...but to cheer?  I don't know.  I had mixed emotions about the whole ordeal.  As an adult I know what he did.  It makes me sick at my stomach.  But her, she had no idea of the magnitude of his sins.  So, I explained it to her as best I could and she shrugged her shoulders and went on to Barbie land.  She has since forgot but me, its still on my mind. 

Today as I was looking at many blogs, emails, and other fun things on the WWW and I came across this great article from Relevant magazine.  I really thought it hit the nail on the head....but that's just my own little opinion.  Isn't that what blogging is all about?  :)  I really want my blog to be an encouraging place people can come.  I want my it to be fun and have people chuckle at some crazy story I might post.  I mean lets face it, my life can be quite comical at times.  But, with a tragedy like this I only want to encourage and give as much faith, hope and love for others as I can.

I have never read anything from Relevant Magazine so can't promote it, I just thought this article was good.  And I wish I could remember how I got to this particular article to give props to someone, but in my old age, I have forgotten.  oops.  So, thanks to someone for leading me to it...so, here it is...

Editor's note: The death of Osama bin Laden is a difficult paradox for Christians, which is why we asked Jonathan Merritt to unpack it. We think what he has to say is good and important, but we also know it's not the end of the conversation. So we ask that you weigh in with your thoughts on this world-changing event. We want to know what you think, too! We also ask that you write with grace and patience for your fellow comm enters.

The snuffing of Osama bin Laden’s life has left White House officials beaming, news reporters busy and the thumbs of Twitterers raw. I can’t blame any of them. After all, this is one of the biggest events of the last decade. When I got the call Sunday night and turned on the television, I could hardly believe it was true, even though it was in bold print across the bottom of the screen: “Bin Laden Killed by Navy Seals.” My heart leapt with joy.

But as the night rolled on and I watched the reports come in and then President Obama speak, I found myself flooded with twin emotions. On the one hand, I was elated that a man responsible for so many deaths was finally brought to justice. On the other hand, I was deeply saddened knowing that someone who by all accounts never confessed Christ had passed from life to death.


I began to question my reactions, asking myself which emotion was more appropriate, more Christian? Should I rejoice at bin Laden’s death ... or mourn it?


After the announcement was made that the world’s most infamous terrorist was indeed dead, the Twitter-sphere blew up. As many as 4,000 tweets per second posted to the social networking site—each one a 140-character reaction to an event that undoubtedly deserved more. For many Christians, it seemed they were not wrestling with how they should feel. Celebration was their clear choice.

Pastor Rick Warren sent out Proverbs 21:15, which says, "When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers." Coincidentally, The Atlantic reported that Warren’s Scripture choice became the #3 most tweeted verse on this subject. Jordan Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice tweeted: “Crank this up as you celebrate the termination of bin Laden  http://youtu.be/Fk8IbcHf0Cs.

I admit that there's a part of me that wants to pump my fist, signal a flyover and spit on the dead man’s corpse. But is this an appropriate response for a Christian, to celebrate the death of the wicked? Or, to push it further, can a Christian ever celebrate the death of a non-believer?

I’m reminded of the words of Ezekiel: “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live” (33:11, TNIV). The outcome that God desired and we should have too is that while Osama bin Laden was still breathing, he would have rejected doing any more evil and confessed Christ. This would have been cause for a true celebration—even the angels in heaven would have rejoiced (Luke 15:7). Anything short of this is a tragedy.

If nothing else, the propensity we feel to celebrate his death unveils the human tendency to want retributive justice for the sins of others but not for our own sins. Christians claim to believe all humans—yes, even Jesus-followers—deserve death (Romans 6:23). Justice demands such a penalty from each one of us. But we don’t want justice for ourselves; we want grace. Luckily, God has provided such grace through Christ.


“Rejoicing in the death of another, however wicked, involves forgetting the depths of our own depravity and the astonishing reality of our own salvation,” wrote Gideon Strauss of the Center for Public Justice in response to bin Laden’s death.

When a Christian points her finger in the face of the wicked getting what they deserve and shouts for joy, she is only revealing that she has forgotten her own need for grace. How can we celebrate God’s saving grace in our own lives on Sunday morning and celebrate retributive justice for others on Sunday evening? Is this not the ultimate hypocrisy?

And when justice is served to those who wish only to harm others—as it was last night—we may perhaps express relief. Relief in knowing innocent people woke up to a safer world this morning. But relief ... not celebration. God loves those innocents, and I believe He desires to see them free from fear and violence. Yet even as our spirits lift knowing that this man will do no more evil, our eyes should burst forth with weeping knowing that bin Laden will likely spend eternity like he spent his life: separated from the true God.


What do you think the Christian response is to bin Laden's death?

Jonathan Merritt is a faith and culture writer whose work has appeared in outlets such as USA Today, The Christian Science Monitor and CNN.com. He is author of Green Like God: Unlocking the Divine Plan for Our Planet.

So, what do you think about the whole ordeal?  I would LOVE to hear your comments.  I would love to know what you thought of the article.  How did you tell your children about the death that was ALL OVER the news?  It was so hard to shield them from it....would love to hear your views.  Pretty please, with a cherry on top?

"Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them. Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out."

Proverbs 24:17-20

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Crazy busy

Sorry I haven't been around lately.  I know my readers are just at the edge of their seats.  Yeah, right.  Anyway, just a little shout out to my peeps to let them know I am alive and kicking.  Just really busy.  Like crazy busy.  There is a lot going on in my little 'ole mind and in my little 'ole life.  A LOT. 

I hope to get a post out soon.  There are so many ramblings that I need to get off my chest.

Have a great Monday, y'all....

TAKS Tuesday

Today is the math TAKS test for my baby girl.  The first real TAKS she has ever taken.  It is such stress for an almost 9 year old.  She is so worried about being done last.  She said all the boys said you are stupid if you finish last.  Oh, those boys!  I told her it meant you were way smarter because you took your time and went over your answers just one more time.  She thought about it for a bit...maybe it got through.

Who knows.

Any way, I hope she takes her time and can focus.  We had a really good breakfast this morning.  She requested an egg and cheese omelet with bacon on the side.  I felt like I was a waitress at IHop.  I waited on her for at least 15 minutes.  I swear she needed more juice, more bacon, a knife, oh, and a napkin.  Please!  I would not make a good waitress...especially in the morning.  I have never confessed to be a morning person.  Just sayin'.

After our yummy breakfast she told me she felt full of energy and ready to go!  I know she will do good, I just hate all the pressure they put on our kids to take these standardized tests.  It's crazy.  I do admire her sweet teacher, though, because she has really prepared Macy and the whole class to do their best and understand the concepts.  The teachers at our school are the the best cheerleaders ever.  They cheer them on to success!   Macy has a wonderful, loving, sweet and AWESOME teacher.  We are so blessed this year to have her and I know how much she loves my baby and wants her to succeed.  I can feel her genuine compassion.  We need more teacher like her.  Thanks to all the teacher out there for their precious time, for their love and for the way they care for all the kids! 

Please pray for all the children taking the TAKS today....and the parents who are stressing.  Amen.

Hoppy Easter 2011

I just got back from a 3 mile bike ride.  Call me healthy crazy if you want to y'all but I'm done {{whew}} and feel better...now that I've cooled off.  I don't think bike riding today was one of the best decisions I have ever made.  I should know better after living in this city for 11 years that the spring/summers are brutally hot.  Bike riding at 1 in the afternoon is well, stupid.  But, nonetheless, its over and I've done my workout for the day.  Praise and Glory.

Our weekend was great. We missed Reid because he was at church camp all weekend.  He loves going because its only the weekend.  My Rooster isn't the best about staying away from home for a week so summer camp just isn't for him.  Who knows, maybe this year he will surprise me.  I learn something new everyday..isn't that how it is with teenagers?  Anyway, after he got home and he unpacked all those stinky clothes we stayed up late and I got to hear all about camp and the funny stories.  It sounded like they had a great time and I love hearing all that he gained from being there.  We are so lucky to have a wonderful youth group.

Macy and I were on our own for Easter.  Troy had to work.  :(  Peter Rabbit found his way to our house and brought lots of goodies.  Reid even made a little haul.  Macy was so excited that the bunny brought something to her brother.  She was worried that he would be left out.  That girl!  She is always worried about others.

We ended up not going to the 'Ville this weekend and we sure missed being with our family.  Since it was just us girls, I wasn't sure what we were going to do for lunch.  Maybe Cracker Barrel?  Wendy's?  Luby's?  Chick-fil-A?  Nope, not open on Sundays.  No worries.  We went to the best place of all.  The McKinnis house!  Kim invited us over for yummy pot roast, green beans, taters & carrots and the best pineapple upside down cake you have ever tasted!  We also had the best egg hunt ever with the sweetest friends ever....Macy's basket was so full it was almost embarrassing.  ha!  The rabbit that stopped there had a LOAD let me tell you!  We are so thankful for their hospitality and love that they showed us while we were there.  We always feel at home when we are with them!  Thank you Kim, Jason, boys, Olivia and George...We love you guys!

Don't you just love this note?  I was cracking up.  There is even a little diagram of the type of shoes that she wants.  I mean, this girl loves some shoes.  She has more pairs than I do. 

 

I hope you all had a wonderful and blessed Easter.  What a wonderful God we serve!

Rising HE justified, freely forever.  One day HE'S coming O Glorious Day!

I'm back....and feeling a little sappy

I love staying home with my kids.  I really do.  I always dreamed I would have kids and be able to have a husband who would provide for us and want me to stay home with our kiddos.  Of course a perk to SAHMs is to do the fun mommy things.  I always loved packing up my kids and going to bible studies, play groups, the mall and the all yummy Mickey D's. {{ick}} Give me Chick-fil-A any day.  Oh, let me tell you,  I could open my stroller and load a kid in a nano second.  I was always ready for an adventure with my friends and their littles.

I have been blessed many times over and I thank God for the times I got to rock my babies while watching The Young and the Restless.  Of course, when they were little babies it was a crazy madhouse at the Sab's.  This house was wacky messy!  The kitchen looked like Rachel Ray had been in there and forgot to clean up after herself, the bathroom needed some much needed scrubbing bubbles and the laundry...well, let's not even go there.  All day it was crazy and just when I thought that I just couldn't take it anymore, there was bedtime.  There was something about the bath time and bedtime routine. It was so sweet! I loved those moments when you tuck them in bed and they smell so good.  You snuggle for a bit and then hear the sweetest prayers in the world.  Makes my heart swell.  Then when they were all tucked in bed and fast asleep (fingers crossed) then I could sit on the couch for a minute, watch my recorded DVR shows, drink my hot tea, snuggle with my hubby and think.... thank goodness that all is good in the world. 

Now, years later I look at my precious kids and realize the babies that I carried on my hip all over town are long gone. Now I have one sweet "wanna-be" pre-teen and one awesome sweet teenager.  And these years that are upon me make me nervous.  Just thinking of Reid driving down the main Interstate in this big 'ole city makes me want to puke.  I love that Reid still needs me for things and that he still tells me he loves me.  I love that Macy still is my shadow and doesn't like me out of her sight.  She still needs me to lay with her, to tuck her in and to say those sweet prayers.  We always read nightly devotionals and I hope that never stops.  I hope my kids have sweet memories....

I miss not having babies around but I love this new season of my life....the all-fun teenage season.  It's here and y'all, I embrace it! Bring.it.ON!  I still have a wacky messy house, a crazy kitchen with dishes to the ceiling, a dirty bathroom and laundry out the wazoo.  But its ok.  It's a crazy life, but its my life and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Day

Yesterday was this sweeties birthday....

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday Dear Nana,

Happy Birthday to YOU! 

And many more...on channel 4.

Happy Birthday, Nana!  You are the best and you mean the world to us....always.  Wish we could sip some coffee and have some red velvet cake. 

Macy wants to know what you want for your birthday....it's all about the presents when you are 8....or 37 and 80something-or-another.  :) 

WE LOVE YOU A BUSHEL AND A PECK...

Words of Wisdom Wednesday....

...and the church says...AMEN!

I love you...





Momma's Next Food Network Star

Ever go to a fancy-schmancy restaurant and find a nasty hair in your food?  Well, not at the Sab's fancy restaurant.  We wear hair nets around here....AND don't you forget it.  :)

I am just thankful for help around this joint.  This cute little chef is one of the best helpers I have ever had.  The only meals this sweet, little chef can makes are tuna fish, sandwiches and taco soup but I can deal with that.  Oh, and she is cheap pay, too.  {{haha}} Gotta love that! 

She is always grabbing her apron looking for any chance to stir or brown something.  She is always very eager to help me in the kitchen and does so almost every night.  (thanks to Granny for making her cute apron)  Honestly, I have no idea where she got the hair net.  When I  came around the corner and I saw her wearing it I cracked up laughing.  She said, "Mom, are you gonna blog this?"  Oh, my kids know me so well.  Anyway, I think I just might see a cooking show in her future.....hopefully without the lunchroom lady hair net.

Sunday Snippits

Today my LuLu is sick.  Just a little headache and sore throat....she is feeling better now and wants to go outside and put Mentos in a coke bottle to shoot in the air.  Seriously?

So, today I am laying low and loving every minute of it.  I missed going to church but sometimes its nice to stay home and drink your coffee while thinking of how much we are loved by God.  I hate when I miss church because I love my congregation so much.  I love the people, the songs, the sermons, the leaders and the legacy that I am leaving for my kids.  I think about how much I want them to walk the christian walk and I am hoping by planting the "seed" that it will help them on their way.  Its a scary world....you need Christan friends and a strong church to make these days.  I am so thankful for my LC church.

We spent all Saturday morning at the ball park.  Our team got beat pretty bad.  But, let me tell you, we have the best group of boys ever on our team.  They gel together so well and have so much fun.  It helps that they have been friends forever, some since Kindergarten.  You can tell that  they all love to play together.  It is so heart warming to watch them cheer each other on and call each other by their nicknames.  I love to hear "GO ROOSTER" from the stands. It makes me sad that next year they will all be going to high school and be split up.  These big schools have their downfalls and one of them being that they separate all Jr. High kids to 2 different high schools.   I loved being at good 'ole SHS because you had the security of staying together with your friends from K-12th grade. 

After our game and lunch we headed off to our friends house for swimming, visiting and supper.  The boys (10+ of them) had a blast swimming and eating yummy craw fish.  There was even a little friendly game of baseball in the pool.  You know, the game where you use a boogie board as a bat and a wet spongy kickball as your baseball....then you run around the pool and hit pretend bases?  Yeah, I had never heard of it either.  These boys make up sporting events on a daily basis.  Thankfully, there were no major slips running around the pool.  There were plenty of Moms yelling to be careful.  We just knew any minute that we would be making a trip to the ER.  We just got a few ever so lovely eye rolls. They are some wild and crazy teenage boys!

We have had 3 showings this weekend.  Yes, our house is still on the market....11 months later.  God is still working on this journey for our family.  We are truly blessed to feel His hand in our lives.  You know, sometimes, life throws us curve balls.  This was just one small one and we have dealt with it.  Sometimes the curve balls are easy to swing at and other times we strike out in a major way.  I have done both.  Experiencing both has taught me to be patient and wait on God.  God has always been there for me even in my dark hours when I think He isn't listing to a single thing I'm saying.  I know He hears me, I do.  Sometimes waiting on Him is one of the hardest things we as Christians will ever do...other times it is one of the easiest.  His timing is always perfect and sometimes I forget that.  I can't wait to see what is in store for us....

You know in this post where I talked about how we give our kids money for certain things?  Well, Reid finally saved up enough money for his all precious iPad2.  He has had a smile on his face for days.  I am so proud of him for saving all that money.  He had been saving for over a year and was very patient in waiting for the prize!  We drove all over town looking for one and finally found one....and it was white.  Just what he wanted.....and, if you know Reid, you know that no one can touch it unless your hands are clean.  Oh, my sweet boy.

I am super excited about the Country Music Awards tonight.  Macy and I love to sing along with all the bands.  We are weird.

That's a lot of snippets, I know.  Hopefully you hung in there reading all this jibber-jabber.  If you did read it all....thanks y'all! I am so glad you follow me!  Hope you had a wonderful weekend.

Some Carnival fun & Embrace the Camera...Enjoy!

Saturdays are for school carnivals and cotton candy, right?  Well, that's what we did last weekend.  Macy claimed it the best Saturday she ever had.  I have to agree to a point.  I had a blast watching her play games, eat cotton candy, eat the ever famous carnival hot dog, play "book" walk and get two awesome chapter books, get her sweet face painted and get the all popular tattoo.  You wouldn't think she would miss that tattoo, would you? 

Thankfully, it was a beautiful day for a carnival and we didn't sweat to death.  The weather here has been awesome the last few days.  I am not looking forward to the 100+ degree summers that we have around these parts.  {{yee-haw}}  I would love for it to be Spring all year around.  I love wearing jeans and flip-flops and/or shorts and sweatshirts.  It makes me happy. 

My sweet girl...You can't see if very well, but she has a pretty cute

shooting star on the side of her face.  If she isn't getting a tattoo she is getting

her face painted.  Should I be worried??  Don't answer that.

Who doesn't love a dunking booth??  Well, Macy's teacher, that's who.  Mrs. P

was such a great sport....for 30 minutes!  Poor thing got dunked a few times

but always came up with a smile.  I love this pic of her feet!  ha!  I didn't ask her

if I could put her face on my blog.  So, her feet will have to do.  :)

Best Friends....forever!  Aren't they the cutest little turkeys.

Macy and Mandi in a race....I love their faces!  Macy was so serious

and competitive.  She takes after her Mama!  :)

My WINNER! 

 Oh, my....there is the ever famous tat!  She washed around it for days...

It's that time again....time to linky up for  Embrace the Camera!  Check out Emily's blog over at The Anderson Crew.  Her adoption story will tear at your heart...so will her pictures!  They are awesome.  Go check out her blog, and join in on the fun. 



Me and my sissy.....aren't we just precious.  We always have a blast together and can talk about anything.  Sisters are a true blessing from God and when you can call them your best friend you are doubly blessed.  I am doubly blessed.....



so, are you ready to embrace the camera?