"feeling- HOT HOT HOT"

The weather has been so extremely HOT this week... we have tried to stay either in the water or in the house! Here is a peek @ our week so far....

swimming.... A LOT!!!!!

killing bugs with our buddies...

swimming @ the lake with our sweet friends- so FUN!!!

2 of the most precious 6 yr olds that I know!!!

loving the ipad & spending time with daddy!!!

playing in the beach cabana on the driveway...
who says you have to be on sand??

I hope ya'll are staying cool wherever you are.... I think today is a perfect day for homemade smoothie pops! Here is the recipe we use:

• 1/2 c. vanilla yogurt

• 1 c. milk

• handful of frozen blueberries & raspberries & strawberries

• small handful raw baby spinach & 3-4 baby carrots (I have not tried this part yet but I think I will next time... they'll never know- shhhh)
  

• 1 banana

• honey to sweeten

"a re-post that changed my plans for the day..."

Today I did something that I haven't done lately...... I played with my children. No I don't mean that I sat down until the washer finished, or colored until the pot boiled. I mean play!!! I can remember my very best memories as a child were not the most expensive or most hyped-up events. They were taking old quilts to the "big tree" for picnics, making lawn chair mansions on the sidewalk, going to the drive-in theatre, & making dolly dresses with Cooner. We would sit together for what seemed like hours, without any agenda but my own. I LOVED IT!!!! I remember thinking even then that I was going to be just like her....... Now, I get all caught up in the duties of motherhood and forget to think of their childhoods. It is as you know slipping right through our fingers everyday- at a very fast pace! The house will one day be empty, but the dishes & laundry (I assure you) will still remain. So I decided to let it all go for a day: I built a giant castle with Ashton- several times, I arranged then rearranged his Automoblox cars- until he moved on to another adventure, I got girly with Priss and we painted each others toenails, I colored 3 pages- I love coloring, it is so relaxing, I drank 2 WHOLE pots of imaginary tea, and lots more. I let the kiddos plan the afternoon- they loved going from one thing to the next, to the next. Today I did not win any stunning awards from "Good Housekeeping" or "le table" for my clean house or scrumptious dinner. However I did win @ Candy Land and that means way more to me!!!!!!!!!

"my thoughts on forgiveness"

Lately I have been thinking about life & how I am ALWAYS learning from my kiddos. They make me want to be better, kinder, & sweeter. They remind me of my imperfections- sometimes daily. And as humbling as it is to apologize to one of them (sometimes daily too) I want them to be able to see the "plank in their own eyes" one day too! So... when my young, beautiful, longing to be grown, & all to wise to this world daughter asked me "what makes grown-ups not talk to each other? Don't they read the bible?" I smile with my face @ her wise words, yet my heart cries wondering the very same thing! "I do not know the answer to that sweet stuff" I say. "But I am praying believing that He who breathed this world into existence is carefully working ALL things out even as we sleep." I wonder how we as adults can expect to show Jesus is we aren't listening to Him ourselves? I heard it once said that "when a child learns that adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent & when he learns to forgive, he becomes an adult.....

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was YOU.

Mark 11:25
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

Colossians 3:13
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

"gussy-up the garage"

Sooo- while driving home last week from VBS.... I saw a tiny little tag-sale sign??? Then I saw this vision in red next to the curb???? She was discounted down (I love to go later when they want to literally give stuff away). The next thing ya know I was loading her into the car & painting her..... YES! WHITE!!!!!!!!!!!!





our garage catch-all before:


now the after: (although I got all excited & didn't get a picture of her before the paint)

I white-washed her a bit & filled her with a multitude of sins!!!

like nearly EVERYTHING that we need when we go out the door- shoes, pool bags, my market tote, & there is plenty of room for backpacks next fall..... We will be needing 2 hooks (the A-man will be starting pre-school- boo-hoo)! I also took a piece of scrap wood that I had to Lowe's & had them cut it to size to make a shelf for her (they cut for free). I kept the inside the original red color- that way it was less work for me.... and the fact that I couldn't wait to fill her up (I {heart} instant gratification!!!) and the very BEST part of her is that she is on casters so she rolls around VERY easily- ahhh I love her already! So don't shy away from a great piece of furniture just because your house is already furnished y'all- your garage needs some gussying-up too!!!!!

Happy Birthday
Aunt Carol!!!
(we love you!)

"bla bla bla..."

so it's monday and.....but it's monday so that means psycho/rigorous-scheduled-me is doing laundry and cleaning toilets and thinking of some super creative way for my sweet husband to take pity on me and bring something home for dinner...... any ideas?.... maybe i should also mention that another of my super close girlfriends- ashley is moving this week.... her daughter just happens to be one of prissy's super fun friends too... and her other daughter is a-man's little friend.... and her hubby is one of joey's close friends too... and...... is that enough? does that deserve a take-out-dinner????

"Happy Father's Day"

I recently read this little quote:

"a woman's heart should be so lost in God that a man has to seek HIM to find her"

Today I celebrate my precious husband who earnestly seeks God daily on behalf of our marriage & our family! He is the kind of man that I pray that my precious Priss finds as her help mate & the kind of man that I pray my darling A-man grows up to be like. God placed him in my life for many reasons, but as far as partners in parenting goes.. "I'd say he's boss!" So on behalf of all the little folks that I've grown... we want to say :

"HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, we love you PICKLE!!!!!"

and of course I want to say:

"HAPPY FATHER'S DAY"
to my daddy too. For ALL the times you said "yes" when I know you should have said "no" & for all the love that you have given me.... I love you PICKLE!!!!!!!

and...

"HAPPY FATHER'S DAY" to my wonderful father-in-law Jim! You are missed in our family everyday & honored today among fathers! We love you PICKLE too!!!

"we say..."

Baby Paige!!!

(we miss you & love you to the moon & back!)

"VBS"

This week the kiddos & I have been busy BUSY with VBS! I knew that Priss would adore it, but I wasn't quite sure about my little A-man?? He is however 3 & potty trained.... so I enrolled him... & guess what? He adores it too! Everyday he tells me a little more about what they do (mostly that he loves the snacks & that "there aren't any cars there"- I crack up @ that remark DAILY!) But the things that really make my heart happy is the sound of the children singing their hearts out for Jesus (I cry EVERY single time- you can ask Ashley D. about that..). They are so free in worship & they sing with everything that is in them! It has inspired me to play more christian music in the car & @ home. The Shane & Shane song called "When I think about the Lord" has really kicked me into gear about where my priorities need to be.... The chorus goes something like this:

When I think about the Lord.

How he picked me up

Turned me around.

Placed my feet on solid ground...

It makes me want to shout "HALLELUJAH! THANK YOU JESUS! LORD YOU'RE WORTHY OF ALL OF THE GLORY AND ALL OF THE HONOR AND ALL OF THE PRAISE..."

What are you waiting for? Turn OFF The TV & put on some praise music-
you'll LOVE it!!!!!

p.s. and did I mention that we suspended our cable for awhile (I didn't even know that you could do that?). We are gonna see how much we need miss it!!!! I'll keep ya'll posted on our progress...

“Where's the good in goodbye?”

Tonight we headed out to the "Pik 'n Pig" for some southern style BBQ & to say goodbye to our sweet friends. Jodi & her family have been close friends of ours since they moved here 5yrs ago. Our girls are the same age+we both have little curly headed boys+she loves the Lord+ she just happens to love shopping=best friends as far as I'm concerned! It was bitter-sweet cause I know that God has an awesome plan for her family, but I selfishly wish that it involved them staying here.... But ya'll know that His plan is FAR better than you or I could imagine don't ya??? I foresee a girls road trip in the near future- yee haw!!!!!

The girls 1 last time...
(at least for awhile)
Jodi, Me, Catherine, & Jodi



The little girls 1 last time...
Lydia, Eden, & Priss


Luke (pronounced Gooky By A-man at least 10 times daily around here) with A-man...


Sweet Anna & Me...
(she loves my jewelry- I {heart} that about her!)


A-man & JP
(watching the planes take off & land- did I mention that this place is connected to a small airport-where there just happens to be a fire truck on stand-by & a driving range with bucket after bucket of balls to hit??? A-man wants to live there....)


JP & Priss
(Catherine snapped this one for their rehearsal dinner- ha ha)

p.s. We ran into A-man's Neo-natologist (flying in for dinner). He did not recognize us.... & I was sad a bit about my friend leaving & wasn't in my usual stalker-mode (lucky for him ha ha) so I didn't bother him. I will NEVER forget his face, his name, or the fact that he himself took my little guy off of the ventilator & watched him take his 1st breath while I stood nearby with my heart in my throat! Tonight I prayed a special little prayer for him... I hope he felt it!!!!!

"summer va-cay"

(I L-O-V-E my new "Mary Poppins" sun hat- @ first I think my little family was a bit shocked/embarrassed... but they quickly changed their tune when people started asking me where I found her- (TJ Maxx of course)
well... we are back from our summer Va-cay & we ALL agreed that it was the BEST yet!!! The children are @ such great ages & there is so much to do now with them. We went to North Myrtle & stayed @ our usual spot (we've been going there even before the kiddos were born- about 10 yrs now). We have some faithful traditions: early beach walks in the morning, water park & pool trips everyday, shopping, pizza cafe (amore pie is the best!), long naps in the afternoons, & a little night life in the evenings! SOOO fun that we're going back next month with Cooner & Papaw!!!!!

these belong to my little chunky footed, curly haired (I can't begin to remember how may compliments he got on his hair) little A-man...

Miss Priss posing in mid-step- she knows the drill!


A-man with his newest bucket (we got through @ least 3 a summer) he chose orange- of course!!! He loves the sand like his daddy... Priss & I- we tolerate it (ha ha)...

She can appreciate an occasional castle or 2 (she really made a pretty one this year with shells & all- I didn't get a photo- shucks!). Then she begs for some fresh water...

this guy on the other hand... he would live right on the beach- if there was coffee of course!
(p.s. I picked out these swim trunks & he wasn't sure about them... he looks like a little hottie in them! Pa-lease... how could he have doubted me???)

ahh- some fresh water... A-man wanted to go back to the ocean (which we can see from where we are sitting- kinda mean of us huh??)... then he figured out that he could swim with his new "shark float"...

so then we heard.. "you guys NO help me.. NO your hands on me PEEZE... WATCH ME.. I do it MYSELF!" and that was it! The rest of the time he was swimming on his own!

p.s.s. I want to share Prissy's summer goals with ya'll (I think that it is SO ambitious of her & I LOVE the idea of goal setting)!

1. blow a bubble with bubble gum= done she has now mastered it!
2. learning the National Anthem= DONE thanks to Cooner & I BOTH Joey & Priss now sing it proudly! (this one took me COMPLETELY by surprise)
3. cartwheel= we're working on it...
4. dive= we are almost there with that one too...
5. making friendship ankle bracelets= she learned that one in a second (it took me a few minutes though to remember back to when Kimbi & I used to make them by the 100s)
6. finish a chapter book= "Enchanted" working on it steadily...
7. back flip in the water= done as of this morning!
8. front flip in the water= done as of yesterday!!!!!!! yeah Priss
9. choreograph a dance to a song & teach it to someone= Joey is learning it- so funny!!!!
10. host a sleep-over= I plan on helping her with that one!

now if I could only start marking things off of my goal list.......

"just a smidge more..."

well... i had to share some of the pics that Tina just posted! priss is positively GiDdY that the ones with her & the "aviators" turned out- she adored that accessory the MOST!!! as for me- i adore ANY little ole pic that has her in it!!!!

(I mean really... can she work it or what??)

Have a
FANTASTIC
weekend ya'll!!!!!

"Tina Time"

So.... without further delay- I can't wait to tell ya'll about my latest little endeavor... I am partnering with my sweet friend Tina @ tinawronaphotography.com to help with her new "Tina Time" mentoring sessions. I get to "stage" & help make the backgrounds/models look good while she gets to do her thing- teaching the art of photography & making the actual photos look amazing! You might recognize one of the precious models.... (I grew her... isn't she the cutest little thing ever!!!). We ALL had a blast & I look forward to many MANY more shoots with Tina in the future.