Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Shout Hallelujah....
My cousin Kathryn approached our family at Thanksgiving and asked us to participate in a year blog study of the New Testament. It's basically a New Testament blog that once a week breaks down different chapters in the NT with a short devo thought. The chapters are also on the blog so that you can just read that week's selection right there on the blog. I say all this because I have been working on my week's blog this past week. You know, in between school, church and laundry. Thankfully, the devo won out, and is written and will appear on next weeks blog. I would like to encourage my blogging friends to participate as well. If you are interested after looking at the site, Shout Hallelujah, leave me a comment or e-mail me and I can send you the schedule for the rest of the year and you might can even pick one of your favorite passages to write a short thought about to be posted on the blog. It is so rewarding and I hope the site gets many readers. Wouldn't you love for people to read a blog that tells of the best gift of all? Yeah, me too!! Pass it on and add it to your blog roll.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Parker and his food...
Well, all I know is that he was in hog heaven last night with that beater. I really don't think that he gets this from my side of the family (the eating all the time part) but I could be wrong. I do love to eat, but some days this little one is pushing it, for sure! It's a good thing that he is so active or he would be a really big boy and that, I mean!!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Monday, January 07, 2008
Small groups and Guitar Hero...
Okay, now on to small groups....Last night was our first meeting at our house of our small group. It totally rocked. Were things perfect? No. Was my house busting at the seams with kids? You bet. I loved every minute of it and it was over WAY too quick. We meet at 5:30 for dinner and then we started our worship service with all the family about 6:15 or so. We have one member of our small group that gets here late because of work so we want him to be a part of everything too. The singing was sooo GREAT!! I was so very impressed. I think we could have sat there and sung for an hour and it would have been no big deal. The kids were all singing, the adults were all singing and all I could think was that God was sure loving the sounds coming from our neighborhood, because there was some praise going on, for sure! We sang a few kids songs, but mostly devo songs from the song sheets and the kids all pretty much sang along or tried to, if they didn't know the words. After some prayer requests and a prayer, my friend Steph and I took the kids upstairs for their own kids bible study. Now here is where it got a little sticky! We had 16 kids but, 4 of those kids are around Parker's age. It was a little overwhelming at first to see all those kids in the room, but you know, after a minute, those kids were all (for the most part) listening to the bible story and then we colored a picture. This week, I'm going to work on a behavior chart with stickers because I think that might help a few of the little bit rowdier ones to remember to listen. Other than that, I think our kids bible study went fine. Steph is very good at looking at the big picture. I was getting an overwhelmed look on my face when we had 3 kids crying at the beginning, she says, "Remember, this is all new for them, too, they will get into a routine and will settle down." And you know, they did. Everyone was gone home by 8:00 and the kids were asleep by 8:15. Pretty good ending to a really great Sunday. I'm loving small groups church already. Now, I can't wait to be downstairs with the adults next Sunday night for some bible study! I read this today on a website and wanted to put it on here to brighten your day:
Find your "ordinary miracle" for today and be thankful for it. Wake up and expect God to show up in your life. When you see Him in your life, you're faith will grow and you will love Him more. When you love Him more, you'll love others more and they will see the light of the Lord shining thru you!
Thursday, January 03, 2008
I'm glad I don't live in Iowa....
I'm not much of a political writer. Matter of fact, I'm not much of a writer. Period. But, today I am so glad that I don't live in Iowa and have the first primary in my state. Yikes! What about you? Do you have someone that you would vote for today? I read several political blogs and of course, I read the news every day...msnbc, foxnews, cnn and then the local papers, including The Daily Citizen from Searcy, Arkansas. Have to stay right in the Searcy news, you know. But, I do not watch the TV news...I know, I'm terrible. But, first, I have children and I do not want them seeing everything that is on the news around here. Goodness, if I watched the local news around here, I might not ever leave my house. Second, I don't even like my TV to be on that much and if I am going to be watching the tube, I want it to be something that I enjoy! But, tonight I will faithfully be watching the major TV stations to see how Iowa and our nations presidential race is shaping up. That is until the Virginia Tech vs. Kansas game starts and then I'm in football heaven for a few more hours! Last nights' West Virginia vs. OU game was AWESOME!! (Sorry, Steph) But I loved seeing WV just take it to the Sooners! We only had to hear, "Boomer Sooner" a few times, instead of all night!!!
Enough for now, I'm working on a HUGE project with one of my friends from church that we have (and I mean HAVE) to finish by our Saturday morning Small group leaders kick-off breakfast!! I'm almost done and have a few things to finish! I'm off...But until then, I want to know how you feel about the upcoming elections? Are you already sick of them and it's just Jan. 3?
Enough for now, I'm working on a HUGE project with one of my friends from church that we have (and I mean HAVE) to finish by our Saturday morning Small group leaders kick-off breakfast!! I'm almost done and have a few things to finish! I'm off...But until then, I want to know how you feel about the upcoming elections? Are you already sick of them and it's just Jan. 3?
Saturday, December 29, 2007
End of year review....
Received this meme from my cousin, Kathryn. Her blog looks soo cool....
1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
I really can't think of anything...oh, we went to the SEC championship football game in Atlanta. I would love to go back if the Vols or the Razorbacks make it that far again.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
We moved into a new town and a new house so I wanted to have everything unpacked in 2 weeks and I did it in less than 10 days!! I also resolved to loose all my baby weight from Parker in 2007 and lost every pound and a few more. It makes a difference when you get on a good workout schedule and have a fun workout partner....let's get back to the gym soon, Jill!!
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I have had lots of friends this year....after all, my baby (so to speak) is only 18 months old!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No one in our immediate family.
5. What countries did you visit?
Not with 3 kids, no way!
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
I have NO idea! I would like to have more visits from family and friends....we love company!!
7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Jan. 2007, We moved to Ft. Worth and Grace started a new school and we have a great church family!
May 2007, Aaron came home from being in Houston for 2 months. We missed him soo much!
June 2007, Parker turned one and we had a house full of company!
August 2007, The whole family flew to Seattle to see Aaron's parents. We had a great visit and took the kids camping and hiking.
October 2007, Give away day at our church. So many people were helped and it felt great helping them!
In general, I loved 2007....we have made great friends and have a wonderful church family, all in one year! Great blessings all around!
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Putting together Aaron's surprise birthday trip to Atlanta without him knowing and Grace not telling!! Aaron says that I change more diapers than anyone, but I so know that is NOT true....I'm just trying to raise sweet babies.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Failure? YIKES...I really don't like that word....I don't like it that I haven't reached out more to newer families at our church, but with teaching the 5&6 grade class I just don't feel like I am always in the loop with the new people. I'm going to make it a point to do better this next year. It is never fun to be the new person.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Aaron bought me a Tassimo coffee machine system and I LOVE it! I use it everyday!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Grace! She read all of the Battle of the Books lists and made the team!!! The Competition is in one month, can't wait!! Grace also memorized all of her memory verses and recited them with the rest of her class in front of the church family. They all did so great.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I can't think of anyone off the top of my head.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Wal-Mart, doesn't everyones? Well and just general moving expenses
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Grace making her Battle of the books team, Parker walking, our family trips, Susannah starting school and Christmas.
16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
I have no idea....Probably the High School Musical 2 Soundtrack....I know every word and so do my girls. Isn't that just crazy?
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
a) happier b) much thinner c) a little richer-I'm always richer with my sweet family around.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Sleeping! But we are getting better...Parker and the girls all sleep though the night and it is WONDERFUL!
I wish we could have more people over to get to know them better. When we start our small groups at church (Next week!) that will change for sure!!!!
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Complaining, griping...I'm trying to get better, I promise!!
20. How did you spend Christmas?
At my parent's house in Arkansas, we are driving home tomorrow after church.
21. What was your favorite TV program?
Heros
24. Do you dislike anyone now that you didn’t dislike this time last year?
Nope
25. What was the best book you read?
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows (I didn't get to read much this year....It took me forever to even finish this one....when you are the mom of three, you fall asleep when your head hits the pillow!)
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
My greatest? Aaron is really good at the guitar and the kids love to dance when he plays, that is about it!
27. What did you want and get?
My Tassimo!
28. What did you want and not get?
A new pair of brown boots. Don't worry, I'm going shopping with Jill when we get home...those boots are mine!!
Now I tag Jill, Reagan, Beckie, Tammie, Steph, Jen Mall, Jason, Shelley and Jill P...Oh, goodness, and anyone else who is reading this!!!
1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
I really can't think of anything...oh, we went to the SEC championship football game in Atlanta. I would love to go back if the Vols or the Razorbacks make it that far again.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
We moved into a new town and a new house so I wanted to have everything unpacked in 2 weeks and I did it in less than 10 days!! I also resolved to loose all my baby weight from Parker in 2007 and lost every pound and a few more. It makes a difference when you get on a good workout schedule and have a fun workout partner....let's get back to the gym soon, Jill!!
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I have had lots of friends this year....after all, my baby (so to speak) is only 18 months old!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No one in our immediate family.
5. What countries did you visit?
Not with 3 kids, no way!
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
I have NO idea! I would like to have more visits from family and friends....we love company!!
7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Jan. 2007, We moved to Ft. Worth and Grace started a new school and we have a great church family!
May 2007, Aaron came home from being in Houston for 2 months. We missed him soo much!
June 2007, Parker turned one and we had a house full of company!
August 2007, The whole family flew to Seattle to see Aaron's parents. We had a great visit and took the kids camping and hiking.
October 2007, Give away day at our church. So many people were helped and it felt great helping them!
In general, I loved 2007....we have made great friends and have a wonderful church family, all in one year! Great blessings all around!
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Putting together Aaron's surprise birthday trip to Atlanta without him knowing and Grace not telling!! Aaron says that I change more diapers than anyone, but I so know that is NOT true....I'm just trying to raise sweet babies.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Failure? YIKES...I really don't like that word....I don't like it that I haven't reached out more to newer families at our church, but with teaching the 5&6 grade class I just don't feel like I am always in the loop with the new people. I'm going to make it a point to do better this next year. It is never fun to be the new person.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Aaron bought me a Tassimo coffee machine system and I LOVE it! I use it everyday!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Grace! She read all of the Battle of the Books lists and made the team!!! The Competition is in one month, can't wait!! Grace also memorized all of her memory verses and recited them with the rest of her class in front of the church family. They all did so great.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I can't think of anyone off the top of my head.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Wal-Mart, doesn't everyones? Well and just general moving expenses
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Grace making her Battle of the books team, Parker walking, our family trips, Susannah starting school and Christmas.
16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
I have no idea....Probably the High School Musical 2 Soundtrack....I know every word and so do my girls. Isn't that just crazy?
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
a) happier b) much thinner c) a little richer-I'm always richer with my sweet family around.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Sleeping! But we are getting better...Parker and the girls all sleep though the night and it is WONDERFUL!
I wish we could have more people over to get to know them better. When we start our small groups at church (Next week!) that will change for sure!!!!
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Complaining, griping...I'm trying to get better, I promise!!
20. How did you spend Christmas?
At my parent's house in Arkansas, we are driving home tomorrow after church.
21. What was your favorite TV program?
Heros
24. Do you dislike anyone now that you didn’t dislike this time last year?
Nope
25. What was the best book you read?
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows (I didn't get to read much this year....It took me forever to even finish this one....when you are the mom of three, you fall asleep when your head hits the pillow!)
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
My greatest? Aaron is really good at the guitar and the kids love to dance when he plays, that is about it!
27. What did you want and get?
My Tassimo!
28. What did you want and not get?
A new pair of brown boots. Don't worry, I'm going shopping with Jill when we get home...those boots are mine!!
Now I tag Jill, Reagan, Beckie, Tammie, Steph, Jen Mall, Jason, Shelley and Jill P...Oh, goodness, and anyone else who is reading this!!!
Friday, December 28, 2007
Christmas 2007 Pictures
Making the gingerbread house with Nana...it was shortly eaten. Parker loved picking off the little sweet tarts from the sides.
Susannah and Grace were so excited to see their dolls. Grace said, "It was just what I wanted!!"
Mom and Dad's tree before the kids came in to see all of the cool stuff!
Every year, the kids (even when we were little) would sit on the top landing on the top of the stairs while the parents go down and make sure that everything was okay. Really, we are just getting the video camera and still cameras ready to take pictures! This year, I was the person that sat at the top with the kids...all in our matching jammies.
My brother, Jeremy, is holding Parker and his son Jonas. They are the sweet babies of the family and are so cute!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
The big Christmas Day
We love Christmas at Nana and Papa's house...they go all out and it's fun for everyone. Christmas Eve the kids make cookies for Santa with Nana, watch a Christmas movie and then Papa read them, "The Night Before Christmas." They were so excited to get to sleep that I hardly had to tell them to go to bed and they were up the stairs. After the kids were fast asleep, the work began....We stuffed all the stockings and got all the Santa gifts out and ready for the morning. Then we ate the Santa cookies and drank the milk while we were waiting on Jess and Cliff to drive down from their Christmas with Cliff's family in Kennett, MO. They pulled in around midnight and we helped Jess wrap all of her loot for the kids and just all sat around and played until 2:30...it was great. Oh and we had to hide our newest Christmas tradition, "Elf on a Shelf" because in the story, he flies back to Santa on Christmas Eve!!
The kids got up nice and early (of course) on Christmas morning and all of us adults were still wanting to sleep....at least the kids slept until 9 and that is pretty late for my kids! They ran down and were so excited to see that Santa brought the girls new dolls and Parker a music set with a drum and lots of other loud instruments. Grace had wanted an American Girl Doll
for Christmas but we were not ready to drop over $100 for a doll that she may or may not play with after all of the other gifts have been opened. So, we went shopping at Toys R'us a few weeks before Christmas and she found found this Madame Alexander 18" doll with red hair....and it was on sale for $24.99.....and she fell in love with this new one and totally forgot about the expensive American Girl doll. Not that we wouldn't have bought her the American Girl doll, but you know little kids and if they are like my kids, they really want something and then when they do get it somehow it gets played with for about 2 days and then it gets thrown in the doll ben. Now Grace and Sus have 2 beautiful dolls that they love and they got a few more gifts, too!!
Aunt Jess gets the prize for giving the coolest gifts this year...the kids all got these cool new Crocs and Grace also got some UGG slippers that one of the shoe buyers at work gave to Jess. She also found 2 collie Webkinz for the girls that I have looked everywhere for Christmas gifts and could not find in our part of Texas! So the girls came out like bandits in the webkinz game...I don't know how they came up with names for them all, but they did!
Hope that ya'll had a great Christmas with all of your families. I know that we are having a blast around here playing all of the kids boardgames and of course, Aaron's Christmas gift, Guitar Hero 3!! We are now all rock stars!! I'll post some pictures later, for now, I'm off to play some Operation with my girls and sweet hubby and to enjoy some Barbs's bar-b-que!!!
The kids got up nice and early (of course) on Christmas morning and all of us adults were still wanting to sleep....at least the kids slept until 9 and that is pretty late for my kids! They ran down and were so excited to see that Santa brought the girls new dolls and Parker a music set with a drum and lots of other loud instruments. Grace had wanted an American Girl Doll
for Christmas but we were not ready to drop over $100 for a doll that she may or may not play with after all of the other gifts have been opened. So, we went shopping at Toys R'us a few weeks before Christmas and she found found this Madame Alexander 18" doll with red hair....and it was on sale for $24.99.....and she fell in love with this new one and totally forgot about the expensive American Girl doll. Not that we wouldn't have bought her the American Girl doll, but you know little kids and if they are like my kids, they really want something and then when they do get it somehow it gets played with for about 2 days and then it gets thrown in the doll ben. Now Grace and Sus have 2 beautiful dolls that they love and they got a few more gifts, too!!
Aunt Jess gets the prize for giving the coolest gifts this year...the kids all got these cool new Crocs and Grace also got some UGG slippers that one of the shoe buyers at work gave to Jess. She also found 2 collie Webkinz for the girls that I have looked everywhere for Christmas gifts and could not find in our part of Texas! So the girls came out like bandits in the webkinz game...I don't know how they came up with names for them all, but they did!
Hope that ya'll had a great Christmas with all of your families. I know that we are having a blast around here playing all of the kids boardgames and of course, Aaron's Christmas gift, Guitar Hero 3!! We are now all rock stars!! I'll post some pictures later, for now, I'm off to play some Operation with my girls and sweet hubby and to enjoy some Barbs's bar-b-que!!!
Monday, December 24, 2007
We should be asleep
We are here in Searcy. Having fun with family, eating WAY too much and laughing at funny christmas movies. Right now, I'm sitting in Mom and Dad's living room, with Mom and Dad....we should be all upstairs asleep. Yah right, Christmas Vacation is on TV and we are up watching it, of course. Mom and Dad love this movie, okay, okay, so do I. Oh, and if you were wondering where Aaron is, he is in the den playing his x-box that came in right before we left town on Friday afternoon. His x-box died, or should I say, got the red ring of death on Dec. 5 and we mailed it off very shortly after....it turns out that they just sent him a new one. So, he is enjoying his x-box time with his online buddies now while we are laughing out loud at this silly Christmas movie.
Oh, tonight after church Aaron and I went to see "I Am Legend" at the local (gross) movie theater here in Searcy. Oh my word!! I have wanted to see this movie for quite a while, but it WAS NOT what I expected it to be and that is all I'm going to say. It was still a very good movie, it just wasn't what I expected, AT ALL! So, now you need to go and see it and let me know what you think! Hopefully we can go and see the new National Treasure movie on Wednesday night after the kids are in bed while we are still here with our free (and super fun) babysitters!! Maybe next time we can drive to Little Rock so we don't have to see the movie in the stinky, very cold and squeaky seat Searcy movie theater!
Oh, tonight after church Aaron and I went to see "I Am Legend" at the local (gross) movie theater here in Searcy. Oh my word!! I have wanted to see this movie for quite a while, but it WAS NOT what I expected it to be and that is all I'm going to say. It was still a very good movie, it just wasn't what I expected, AT ALL! So, now you need to go and see it and let me know what you think! Hopefully we can go and see the new National Treasure movie on Wednesday night after the kids are in bed while we are still here with our free (and super fun) babysitters!! Maybe next time we can drive to Little Rock so we don't have to see the movie in the stinky, very cold and squeaky seat Searcy movie theater!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Christmas cards and cake
I'm putting off going into the kitchen this morning. I got Grace off to school, Sus is on the couch watching Sesame Street and Parker is still sleeping. I could not find one thing that I wanted for Grace's teacher. Last year, we got her teacher a Jim Shore Santa.
We were moving and I just loved Mrs. Miller, too so we got her something special. Well, the same goes for this years' teacher, Mrs. O'Neal. She is so supportive of Grace and helps her learn on her level. She even brought in some of her daughters old Junie B. Jones books to school because she knew that Grace liked to read them! So, I have been searching for yet another Jim Shore Santa like the one that I fell in one with last year...it says Naughty on one side and when you turn the Santa around it says Nice. Well, because it was last years Santa, no one carries it in their stores....of course, I found one online last night, but that is okay. I'm just going to get her a Sonic giftcard, she loves happy hour, just like we all do around here and I'm going to bake her a sour cream cake. Grace gets out half day so I best get to baking!!
As a former teacher, I used to get some real doozeys as gifts and I also got some gifts that I still have to this day and think fondly of those sweet little ones. Do you have any great (or not so great) gift memories? You know you do!!! Comment on your favorite gift from years past!
We were moving and I just loved Mrs. Miller, too so we got her something special. Well, the same goes for this years' teacher, Mrs. O'Neal. She is so supportive of Grace and helps her learn on her level. She even brought in some of her daughters old Junie B. Jones books to school because she knew that Grace liked to read them! So, I have been searching for yet another Jim Shore Santa like the one that I fell in one with last year...it says Naughty on one side and when you turn the Santa around it says Nice. Well, because it was last years Santa, no one carries it in their stores....of course, I found one online last night, but that is okay. I'm just going to get her a Sonic giftcard, she loves happy hour, just like we all do around here and I'm going to bake her a sour cream cake. Grace gets out half day so I best get to baking!!
As a former teacher, I used to get some real doozeys as gifts and I also got some gifts that I still have to this day and think fondly of those sweet little ones. Do you have any great (or not so great) gift memories? You know you do!!! Comment on your favorite gift from years past!
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