My fam...

So blogger has been messing with me for the past 30 minutes and I don't know if I'm good for another 30 on the laptop...we'll see.  I had an old friend requested pics of my side of the family so they could see how the Arkansas side of the family has changed.  Oh my...you are in for a treat if you just knew us when you were a student at Harding. 

Let's start from the top....Jeremy married a great girl, get this, named Jennifer.  Yes, isn't that a hoot?  So, at christmas time we have to put our full names on the presents.  It's pretty funny.  I love her and am so thankful that she is in our family.  She and Jer have two of the cutest little boys in the world.  Of course, they are my nephews and I can say that about them.  Jesse is the blonde of the bunch and he is so smart!  Our Susannah asked the other day if she could marry him and I had to go all into why we don't marry our cousins.  She loves him and I know why.  He's super sweet.  Jonas is the little one who looks just like Jer in the pic.  He and our Parker were born 10 days apart and they are so funny together.  LOVE my nephews!!

Jess married Cliff almost 7 years ago (that went by FAST!) and they are giving me my first niece on this side of the family in April!! Can you tell I'm so excited??  Little Ella Kate should be making her appearance at the end of April and I hope I can make it there in time for her first peek at the world! :)  Cliff is a lawyer in Cabot and Jess is still working many hours at Dillard's, waiting for the little one to arrive.  They live out on the farm (as my kids say) because you can see deer out their back windows.  We love going to visit Uncle Cliff and Aunt Jess...we'll love it more after April!! Can't wait!!

Jon is our new college grad.  We're so very proud of him!!  He is all grown up...which is still hard for this big sister to believe...but he is doing great and looking for a job.  :)

Mom and Dad are doing great.  Actually, better than ever.  Dad is the dean of Communication now and currently...he's in Italy with a group of students and teachers that are filming a promotional documentary about Harding's program in Florence, Italy.  Pretty Cool.  You can read about their trip right here...Mom is still teaching in a little town outside of Searcy.  She loves her students and teaching.  I selfishly want her to retire so that we can see her and spend more time with her...but she is great at her job and the kids love her.  So...I guess we can wait a few more years!

So...there you go.  The James family....all grown up...well...kinda. 

She got it...

Grace has been asking for a while....I found her something else to do. She begged, we found another project. Finally, I gave in and she started her own blog. It's not that I didn't want her to have a blog, but goodness....I can't keep her in books and activities so I thought, why not? We made guidelines, we told her what she can and can't write on the blog, we are always close by when she writes. She is quite excited about writing something everyday on her "very own" blog. From softball to book reviews (it is Grace, remember?) So, if you have a second, go over to my blogroll and read, "Tales from a Redheaded Bookworm." That is our Grace. Just Grace. :)

I forgot...

Grace reminded me the other day that I forgot to post pictures of them and their Valentine boxes. Grace spent a ton of time on making grass and hearts for her box. Susannah just wanted to put hearts on hers...either way, they both were cute and the boxes did their jobs!

The girls have decided that it's okay to take their pictures together. Matter of fact, now I think we spend 20 minutes posing and taking pictures together at even given event....I love it!!

Happy Saturday....I'm off to play with my babies and love on my hubby! Who knows how long he'll be home this time...I'm taking every minute that I can get with him. :)

Oh Parker....

"You weigh a hundred and fifty degrees 'cause I measured you with my timer" said 3 year old Parker to the 5 pound yorkie as he picked her up.  I so hope that he gets a few of his daddy's math genes and not all of mine.  Yikes...right now, it's not looking so good.

Wednesday....

Wednesday is my favorite day of the week. I know, yours is Saturday or Sunday. You get to sleep in and be lazy. I love those days for that exact same reason, but Wednesday is still my fav. Wednesday mornings are the easiest day to get the kids ready for school. For some reason, both girls (that's good for Susie) get up to their alarms and get dressed without me on Wednesdays. Any other day of the week, I'm having to persuade Sus out of the bed with her alarm clock blaring. She is too much like me some days I think. I'm just glad she hasn't found the snooze button yet!! Parker is easy everyday...he just stays in his PJ's until it's time for him to go to school.

Wednesday is Ladies Bible Class day. I love that class. I love that there are 3 ladies that come and take care of our kids from 10:00-2:00 for us...for free! Parker's favorite day of the week is Wednesday, too. He loves those women!! We're doing the Beth Moore study of Daniel right now. That study, my friends is a duzy!!! It's challenged me on things of the bible that I've just never really thought about before. That is what is great about a study...you don't have to agree with the lesson one bit, but you can study on your own and decide how you feel about the end of days. Yeah, that is what the 2nd half of Daniel is about, if you didn't know. It's tough stuff, but it's a great challenge.

After our lesson, we all go to lunch. This is great. We have older ladies, middle aged ladies and then us young-ins. I just like to sit and listen some days. Then other days, I can yack with the best of them. It's a really nice mix. Some places we have lived, I've been the only woman under the age of 60 in bible class, which is fine...it's just nice to have a nice mix of ages. Here the mix is a real blessing to all of us involved.

After lunch, we go back and pick up our kids. Yes, by this time, it is almost 2:00. We sat and talked and ate for that long....it is great!! Parker and I go home, get some stuff done and then we're off to pick up the girls and the clock is just a running until church at 6:30. My VERY favorite time of Wednesday.

The kids have a great program on Wednesday nights at church that they love and for the first time in years....Aaron and I are upstairs in the youth room. LOVE. IT. Those kids energize me for the rest of my week. We're studying C.S. Lewis and his quotes about the Bible and how that the kids can take it back with them into their week at school. Here was this weeks quote:

“A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is.... A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in.”

We read about the temptation of Jesus and how he truly knew temptation...He was right there with the devil. That is about as tempted as you can get, isn't it? We then broke into our small groups and each group did a skit on how they are tempted in our everyday lives. Our kids came up with a great one and didn't think twice about having us in the skit with them. It was so great to see them excited about something like this and our kids in our group are not big actors...they just took the subject and ran with it for a great skit and how they see temptation every day.

God moves in the most awesome and amazing ways. I know he put Aaron and me up in the Loft to teach for a reason. I know he put us up there so that not only could we teach, but we could be fed. I love our Wednesdays...it's my favorite day of the week.

For my friend...

I love music. I do. I'm not the greatest singer or musician, but I love to be in the car with the tunes on loud and singing along. You can tell that I've rubbed off on my kids because they do it too. It's quite funny sometimes. Really. Parker is the really funny one to listen to and watch. We have some great stations here in Houston...it's a big city, lots of choices. I choose to listen to our Christian radio station here almost 80% of the time. This is the first town where we've lived where I've done that...Mainly because the other stations didn't play the kind of music that I like to listen to. I love Mercy Me, Casting Crowns, The David Crowder Band, Tobymac and then of course, now I really like the Sidewalk Prophets. Don't get me wrong....I Love my 96.5, too and I flip there often. But I don't like all the trash that comes with the mainstream music.

So, my kids do know Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and don't forget my favorite David Cook.....We mix it up...Mix 96.5 is our second place to be.

But, when the kids aren't with me (Tuesdays and Thursdays) I am a listener. I mean, I am a sponge. I listen and soak it up. It's like every song is speaking to me or about a friend that I'm thinking of and praying for right now. I know, they didn't write it for me...yadda, yadda, yadda....but isn't that what a good song (or story, or poem) is? It's one that people can put themselves in and totally relate or get something from....

This morning, this song was really "speaking" or "singing" (Whatever you call it) to me and what I really want to say to one of my friends that I've been talking to...

If you don't know it, I'm not going to put it on here...I'm not a big music on my blog fan....personally, it scares me half the time when I pull up my own blog! :) I only can say that first person because I had that silly Valentine's Day movie preview on here so long that I just had to change my # of postings to get it off!! Oh yeah...so if you don't know it, click here and you can go to Youtube and listen and read the words. If not, just read the words. I love this song.


"Things I Would Say"
Sidewalk Prophets


Three in the morning, and I'm still awake
So I picked up a pen and a page
And I started writing just what I'd say
If we were face to face

I'd tell you just what you mean to me
Tell you these simple truths

CHORUS
Be strong in the Lord
And never give up hope
You're gonna do great things
I already know
God's got His hand on You
So don't live life in fear
Forgive and forget
But don't forget why you're here
Take your time and pray
These are the words I would say

Last time we spoke you said you were hurting
And I felt your pain in my heart
I want to tell you that I keep on praying
That love will find you where you are

I know cause I've already been there
So please hear these simple truths

CHORUS

Say... from one simple life to another
I will say... come find peace in the Father

Be strong in the Lord
And never give up hope
You're gonna do great things
I already know
God's got His hand on You
So don't live life in fear
Forgive and forget
But don't forget why you're here

Take your time and pray
And thank God for each day
His love will find a way
These are the words I would say

Feeling pretty good...

Yesterday was amazing. Really! The weather was so great here in Houston on Saturday and yesterday that we were wearing shorts and riding our bikes. 72 degrees never felt soo good!! I can't remember the last time I dug in my shorts drawer and my poor little legs were screaming for some sunshine. I think it's more like screaming for a tan, but you and I both know that I don't tan so that's not a possibility! HA!

Grace had a softball scrimmage yesterday at 1:30 so we came straight home from church and just ate sandwiches to get she and Aaron out the door and to the game on time. The rest of us stayed home and enjoyed out day outside. Just glorious.

We rode our bikes...well, they rode their bikes and I rode the scooter. I want my own bike. I do. I feel like a 10 year old again on days like yesterday and can't wait to get a bike! I've been on Craigslist and I'll find one in the next few weeks so that on the next sunny day...I will be there with the kids on my own bike!! :)

We played with the neighbor kids in the cul-de-sac for a while which was a hoot. One of the little boys down the street had some packing materials that was from some new furniture they had just gotten and the kids played like they had kites and flew the packing stuff over their heads. I love our neighborhood and street. Buy the time that Aaron and Grace got home from softball, we were plum tuckered out! Parker was jumping on the trampoline and Susie and I were sitting on the swing, reading a book, and just enjoying the beautiful day that God gave us.

Can you tell that we loved out day yesterday??? We did all of these things and did I take a picture? Nope. Too busy having fun with my kids!!

Aaron is working from home today and Parker has a friend over for the day while her mama is at the dr. Sweet Hannah is so precious. She is playing dress up and Barbies and Parker is just clueless. He is such a boy. They played great together when she first got here, but now that it's been a while, he is just ready to play with boy stuff again and go on with his day. It's pretty cute. She is just doing her thing and dressing up and having a great time without him, too! Oh to be 3 years old and only have to worry about what princess that you have to dress like next. So precious.

After a great and what felt like, super short weekend, we are off and running for yet another great week at our house. Aaron finished the taxes,(yippe, cash back in the bank and in IRA's is always super!) the kids are all feeling healthy and I am one happy mama!!

Hope you have a great week and are feeling good, too!

Scattered....

My mind is going 40 different directions this morning. I have not an idea why...it just is. The house is clean, the girls are at school and Parker is enjoying having me and the quiet house to himself. Hence....I blog.

I've been trying this whole "couponing" thing. One of my friends, Karim, from church gave me a little tutorial on how to use your Kroger or Randall's card and get the bonus money off with double coupons and card. Yesterday, I ventured out to Kroger and did my thing. I only bought what I had coupons for....I spent $42.51 and saved $19.07. A total savings of 31%. Pretty fun. BUT...here is the big but....I wouldn't have bought most of these products anyway. My friend tells me that you have to get into the swing of things and plan your menu around the items that you get on sale. That's great...I guess, but yesterday's purchases included 5 boxes of cereal, 3 cans of chocolate frosting, and lots of Pillsbury canned breads. Yeah. Weird. So, I won't be having many big meals around these...but we'll see how the couponing goes this weekend. I'm not a big name brand buyer at the grocery store. Wal-Mart off brand is our big name brand at our house. Remember, I am from Arkansas. I do really like Jiff peanut butter and Miracle Whip salad dressing. That's about it. Oh and real Pop-Tarts. Can't do off brand pop-tarts. Other than that...we have a pantry full of white labels and white cans. If I can get it cheaper and it tastes the same, I'm going to buy it. Which brings me to these....Yes, did you know that there were such things as Chocolate Cheerios?? Oh my word. They are much better than I thought that they would be. But remember, I'm the mom that buys Honey Nut Spins in the white box. We don't buy much sugar cereal. For a surprise...every once in a while, I will buy Aaron some Lucky Charms (his favorite!) but it's gone in 2 days because it's just pure trash. They love it, but there is no way it can be good for you. So, I buy raisin bran, wheat cheks, and shredded wheat. Gotta have that bran, right?

I was a rockstar mom this morning with the chocolate cheerios. Really. The girls hugged me twice and Grace had 2 bowls of this delight. Why did I buy it? Why...I had a coupon. We'll see how long I last on this couponing kick....I might be back at Wal-mart by March 1st.

Oh...what else is running though my head?? I know you want to know this morning. Really. Hair. Yes. Hair. I am the mom of 2 little girls. One little girl has the most beautiful red hair. It's long and thick and she loves to let me play with her hair and brush it. The other little girl of our family, dear SusieQ, absolutely hates having her head even touched. Really. She will let me brush her hair long enough to get the nightly tangles out and put a headband on her head for school. Two little girls, two TOTALLY different personalities....I love it.

I found this blog, She does Hair, a few years ago. I use this blog and the links on her page, when I'm looking for some hair inspiration for Grace and her long locks. This is what we did this morning. Not bad for a mom that can't even french braid, huh? Yes, I can't french braid. I've been trying to learn and I'm getting better....just not for public yet.

Notice that Grace is reading a book while I was taking pictures of her hair this morning. That is what she does while I do her hair. Reads. All the time. The only time that she doesn't want me to do her hair is when I make her lean her head back to do the part in her hair....because she can't read for all of 15 seconds. It's so very funny. Grace and her books. Love it.If you have any other hair blogs or solutions of what to do with 2 little girls and their hair...share! I'm always up for something new!! :)

He's a tricky one, Satan...

I love this book. I've read it 3 times...I know what is going to happen and when it is going to happen and yet I'm a puddle every single time. This is my favorite (and not so favorite) quote from the book, "and those that are precious to God are important to Satan."

I know that we are all very precious to God. I know that, I know that, I know that! Satan is so cunning, so slick, sooo....so Satan. He can just sneak right in and before I know it, he has weaved into something without me even knowing that he is there. We all struggle. We're human. But man...some weeks, I feel like he is nipping at my heels just waiting for me. This week has been one of them.

In our ladies bible class on Wednesday mornings, we have been doing the Beth Moore bible study on Daniel. Wow. This study is a duzy if I've ever had one...really. We've been studying how we are in a modern day Babylon. Really. Have you watched TV lately? Does the Housewives of Orange County cross your mind? I've never seen the show, but I've heard plenty about it. But we are all in the middle of it....We always want more, something better, having to better "the Jones'" I'm just as guilty as anyone....really.

Do you remember when we were little? The words that they would say on TV or in the movies? If they cussed...we didn't see it or it just wasn't on the TV. Now, fast forward to watching tonight and see how many words you hear on the TV after 8PM. I'm so guilty. I'm watching it and acting like it's all okay. I sit right there on the couch and keep watching.

Daniel was right smack in the middle of all of this kind of stuff and more in Babylon and while he was praying for Babylon and the people there. Daniel included himself in the prayers..."(Daniel 9:4-19) We have sinned. We have done wrong. We have been wicked. We have not listened. We are covered with shame. Oh my word. Daniel was including himself in this nation yet he was innocent of so many of their transgressions. Instead of blaming the nation, he was including himself.

When you pray do you pray for OUR nation? We have not listened, Lord. We have all done wrong. Do you think that your prayers matter? I do. We are important to God. We are precious to God and therefore are important to Satan. I won't stop praying. Satan may have a hold of my heel but God has a hold of my heart.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

I love food!

I went to Wal-Mart (and, yes, I went to Wal-Mart. I'm from Arkansas...that is what I do. It's in my blood...) this morning and they had stew meat on sale. I love it when there is good stuff on sale!! I came home, chopped up some onions and sauteed them up in the pan and added my lovely (on sale) stew meat to the pot. After the meat browned, I put all of my veggies and meat together in the crock pot. It's only 11:45 and my kitchen smells so good. I mean...really good! Oh, I love the smell of food!
There is no way on this earth that I could ever be a person who doesn't eat. I love to eat. I do and if I don't I get headaches and who in the world likes to have a headache? Not me. So, that is my excuse. Therefore, I eat. Some days...oh my word...food just calls me. Yesterday afternoon, I made chocolate chip cookies because it just sounded good. Do you ever feel that way?

The new news is, I'm the mom....I get to plan the meals!! The bad new is...I sometimes can't wait for dinner to get finished and I snack all the way up to dinner because it smells so very good. I'm not a great cook. I'm not a Martha or a Betty...But, I do enjoy cooking. I enjoy creating something that tastes good (and smells good!) for my family that is good for them at the same time. I am a comfort food kinda gal, though. If it is cold outside, you can bet that we will be having Chili, Beef stew or Homemade Chicken Soup for dinner. Of course, you have to have cornbread with all of those dishes....it wouldn't be the same without the cornbread!!

So...on this chilly day outside....What is your favorite comfort food on a day like today??