11.28.2012

Wordless Wednesday (almost)


"Muri"

I'll be posting soon about that adorable smile and more.

Counting my blessings in so may ways.

11.27.2012

Happy Birthday Carrie



my baby girl is 25 
let me say that again, 
my baby is 25

I think that officially makes me feel old


just a little family dinner of your favorites
cheese tortellini with chicken
assorted sauces and roasted vegetables

we missed Ryan (working) and Kelly (Illinois)


Dylan always volunteers to help open presents


I love how you still close your eyes to make a wish


your dessert of choice, peanut butter pie


and I couldn't resist this adorable little owl cake from Publix
because you love all things owls


twenty five years ago I became a mom for the last time

I went into labor on Thanksgiving day just as I finished making our
Thanksgiving dinner.   Of course I couldn't eat but everyone was able to finish
and clean up before I had to head to the hospital.  You were two weeks late
which was convenient because your sister had just gotten out of the hospital
the day before after a 7 day stay.   You were thoughtful that way.  :-)

You were a very sweet baby girl with the most black hair 
I had ever seen on a newborn.  You were a big girl (10 lbs 3 ounces) and
21 inches long.  When you were born your collar bone broke but you 
never cried with it, not one time.

You slept through the night from day 1.  Yes, that's what I said

DAY 1

our lives would be taking a tumultuous turn over
the next few years and I am so thankful that God saw
fit to bless me with such a calm, sweet and beautiful little girl

Happy Birthday Carrie

Keep closing your eyes when you make wishes, work hard and dream big.










11.24.2012

Thanksgiving 2012

Another Thanksgiving come and gone.  I never really got around to posting about all of my many blessings and I didn't even take my camera out at  Thanksgiving dinner.  I was having such a good time that I never got around to it.  Something I'm now regretting......

                                                    just posting a few things to remember



Mike was able to nab me two sets of the Publix Pilgrims on Ebay

My blessing tree is very full.


For our anniversary Mike bought me the dough bowl/trencher I've been wanting.
It was a great surprise and I love it.
I made this runner this year for our Thanksgiving table.

The napkins are from Sasha of Lemonade Makin Mama.  They're beautiful.
I've ordered several things from her and the quality is the best.
She also happens to be one of my favorite bloggers so hope over and have a look.




The only visual proof of Thanksgiving and I have it because Taylor
took an Instagram of her and some of her cousins.
An now  that Thanksgiving is over, we wasted no time to bring on the Christmas season.
No Black Friday shopping for us.  It's all about the Christmas tree.






I did get a fun Friday in with Dylan.  We had a sleep over and watched our first 
Christmas movie of the season together.  Elf. 
We also squeezed in Charlie Brown Thanksgiving..... again.
I think it's so cute he has an Ernie like his Uncle Bubba did.



and just because I miss my sweetie and her brother so much I just had
to post a picture of her with her missing teeth.  She's actually lost
a couple  more since this picture (6 total) and she just
turned 5 at the end of July.  She's always been precocious.  

*******************************

November is the month we celebrate all of our blessings.

I thank God for loving me in spite of myself.
I thank Jesus for my salvation.
I thank God for my husband who puts up with me.
I thank God for my children that I love unconditionally.
I thank God for the blessing of the most special grandkids I could of ever imagined.
I thank God for my parents who loved us and were great role models.
I thank God for my brothers, sisters and their spouses.  I love my family.
I thank God for my nieces and nephews of both generations.
I thank God for my Aunts and Uncles and cousins.
I thank God for the best friends in the world.
I thank God for my neighbors.
I thank God for my health and the health of my family.

Even though there are material comforts that I'm grateful for,
the only thing that really matters is above.


Remember to be grateful for what you have and less about what you want
during this holiday season.

Jesus is the reason for the season.







11.13.2012

Turkeys

I had to opportunity to spend a couple of days with my great nieces and nephews while their parents were visiting Ethiopia.  I always love when I'm lucky enough to spend the day with them.  I got to do
a little bit of homeschool teaching while I was there and I've come to the conclusion that I should of
been an elementary school art teacher.  I love to do little projects with them and my grandkids.   I took
advantage of the fact that my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving and I came up with some "themed"
projects.  On our first day together we made a turkey picture out of cutting up pieces of scrapbook paper .  They did such a great job.  Jessica and Nick have a group of budding artist on their hands.








On the second day together we did the ever popular pinecone turkeys.
The only problem was the part of town we live in has very few pine trees and the grounds 
around the trees I found were picked cleaned.    I made it over to their house with 5
pinecones.  I knew we needed two for  Caleb and Eli.  They  really
wanted to make some for their Mom and Dad so we needed four.  
 I planned a walk through their neighborhood to find the rest.  
After 4 or 5 blocks it was apparent that wasn't gonna happen.  Not
a pine tree to be found.  So in the very large van we went on a pinecone hunt.
We were so lucky that the first park we happened by had exactly one pine tree with
exactly 4 pinecones underneath.  Thankful for that.

            Dad                                              Mom                                                           Rahel
                Caleb                                                                                        Hermela
                  Caroline                                               Meron                                        Colton

and Baby Eli

and while we were on a roll with our homeschool classes, we decided to throw
a little home economics lesson in and made some cupcakes to welcome
their Mom, Dad, Caleb and Eli


spice-caramel cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
with pilgrims and indians of course

Thanks kids for such a fun couple of days






The big reason for all the extra time with the kids.....


Jessica is bringing home our newest little family member

Eli


and also, she got to spend time loving on sweet Muri

our sponsor child from Trees of Glory


Blessings








11.11.2012

Veteran's Day


Thanksgiving blessings:

November 11th

Nov. 11th.  I am thankful for all the veterans in our country's history that have bravely
served to keep us safe and free.

Especially the members of our family.


Dad


                                      Mike                                                                         Pat


Ben

Thank you.  We love you and honor you today.


11.09.2012

3 parks and a movie



                          I had the opportunity to spend the day with two of my favorite boys.


Dylan and Colton are 4 year old cousins.  Their mom's (first cousins)  are the same age and spent most of their early childhood together constantly.  Their uncle's, who are the same age also, did the same.  These two remind me so much of my son and nephew when they were little guys.  I don't get the opportunity to be with just the two of them very often.

We are having awesome weather in Florida right now.  It was sunny, blue skies, breezy and in the low 60's.   We decided to spend the day visiting different parks in our area.


                                                         So at 8:30 am, off we went.
             
                                                                       We had a ......


bridge crossing


                                                             rock climbing and camera posing






spiral sliding




rock skipping


root pulling


McDonalds eating


movie watching


army man playing 

kind of day


We had a great time and the boys are looking forward to another play date soon.

Thanksgiving blessings:

Nov. 3rd.  I'm thankful for the opportunity to visit Savannah with Mike.

Nov. 4th.  I'm thankful for an unexpected stop on our way home and discovering the
beautiful costal town of St. Simon (only 3.5 hours from home).  Plus the added
windshield time with Mike.  It was his idea to stop and I just wanted to get home
and thought is was a "waste of time".   Just think of what I would of missed.

Nov. 5th.  I'm thankful for all of my children that I love more than anything.

Nov. 6th.  I'm thankful to live in a God "Blessed" country and for our privilege to vote
on election day.

Nov. 7th.  I'm thankful for the opportunity to spend the day with my 
great nieces and nephews.

Nov. 8th.  I thankful for my day at the park with the little boys and for the fact that 
we had the most beautiful weather.

Nov. 9th.   I'm thankful that no matter what political side you're on or who the president
is, Jesus is King.

Nov. 10th  I am thankful for a day of Christmas music playing while riding around
town with the window open, sun shining and cool breeze blowing with my husband.




Remembering to be grateful in all things

870.  finishing my Thanksgiving table runner
871. our beautiful November weather
872.   little boys on playgrounds
873.  Makenzie loving school


874.  the best friends a girl could ever have
875. " gotcha" days