Now don't get your hopes all up that this post will contain pictures from Christmas festivities... because it will not, and if that isn't a discouraging way to start off a post, I don't know what is.
We did survive all the merriment and have a wonderful 4 days of Christmas meals and presents. Having all our family so close by means lots of folks under foot, but contributes to the tradition of the holidays that we've always had.
Hayley really got the present thing this year. A couple of times we even had to reign her in for asking where more presents for her were... eek! We also watched her unwrap all her presents only to move over and play with Bowen's... but really, a gift to one of them is for both of them since we are working on the "share" rule at our house.
Bowen was not all that impressed with the present opening routine. She loved playing with the toys and things once they were opened, but actually unwrapping them herself was highly overrated. She never even pulled her stocking stuff out, and I can only recall her even putting her hands on about 5 different bags/boxes. And opening with "assistance" on those. She will not do what you want her to do just because you want her to... obviously.
I do hope to get around to some pictures and posts with actual quality material sometime in the new year.
But this week, the girls are enjoying Daddy Daycare while I'm at work and I have big plans for lunch with a friend and the third annual trip to see the Chipmunks movie with Lane & our Moms... and yes, I am aware that none of those trips involved taking actual children by age to the movies.
Thursday, December 29
Saturday, December 24
Friday, December 23
not at all related to Christmas
Ok, so y'all know I have some issues with public restrooms...or even semi-private restrooms like the ones at work.
Someone in the 5 who use the same restroom I do left a wallet calendar in the bathroom 4ish months ago... 1. weirdness. 2. why in the world? 3. just plain weird.
This week I noticed that someone left a Land's End catalog in the bathroom.
Um, WHAT?!
Who spends enough time in the semi-public work bathroom to warrant a catalogue? And really, seriously, what good does that do... its not like you can come out of the bathroom and be like "Y'all, have you seen the super cute boots on page 23?"
weird. weird. weird.
and completely unrelated to Christmas.
Someone in the 5 who use the same restroom I do left a wallet calendar in the bathroom 4ish months ago... 1. weirdness. 2. why in the world? 3. just plain weird.
This week I noticed that someone left a Land's End catalog in the bathroom.
Um, WHAT?!
Who spends enough time in the semi-public work bathroom to warrant a catalogue? And really, seriously, what good does that do... its not like you can come out of the bathroom and be like "Y'all, have you seen the super cute boots on page 23?"
weird. weird. weird.
and completely unrelated to Christmas.
Thursday, December 22
so far we're still breathing
We are taking our last deep breath over here as the Christmas festivities with famly officially kick off tomorrow and run through Monday.
Tomorrow: Christmas with my immediate family
Saturday: Christmas with Michael's immediate family
Sunday: Church at 10:30, Lunch with my Mama's extended family, Supper with my Daddy's extended family
Monday: Recovery day, aka the very last no-more-available vacation day from work of 2011.
Tonight I got the last tiny little presents wrapped and under the tree. Made sure Christmas jammies were clean for the girlies and gave my random assortment of ingredients on the counter the once over for preparation over the next few days.
Now I'm stretched out in the bed, remote in hand, laptop in lap and hoping that by deep breathing while I type I'll manage to deep breathe myself through the entire weekend... (and still crossing my fingers that I'm not really seriously missing a gift for someone somewhere along the lines)
If you're gonna be around our small corner of the county this Sunday, join us for church...10:30 a.m.
Tomorrow: Christmas with my immediate family
Saturday: Christmas with Michael's immediate family
Sunday: Church at 10:30, Lunch with my Mama's extended family, Supper with my Daddy's extended family
Monday: Recovery day, aka the very last no-more-available vacation day from work of 2011.
Tonight I got the last tiny little presents wrapped and under the tree. Made sure Christmas jammies were clean for the girlies and gave my random assortment of ingredients on the counter the once over for preparation over the next few days.
Now I'm stretched out in the bed, remote in hand, laptop in lap and hoping that by deep breathing while I type I'll manage to deep breathe myself through the entire weekend... (and still crossing my fingers that I'm not really seriously missing a gift for someone somewhere along the lines)
If you're gonna be around our small corner of the county this Sunday, join us for church...10:30 a.m.
Tuesday, December 20
This Just In
Gift that I was Pretty Sure I forgot... Figured it Out Today in a semi-frantic call from my sister-in-law.
Its a present we are supposed to be doing from Nana for someone else.
A present that will no way get here by Christmas.
So.
Yea....
Its a present we are supposed to be doing from Nana for someone else.
A present that will no way get here by Christmas.
So.
Yea....
Monday, December 19
ahem. let us begin with a moment of silence.
Well, last year... I had my act together. I mean, really together.
This year... its all grandma MEGHAN got runover by the month of December and has no idea how Christmas is less than a week away, please and thank you, slam bam thank you ma'am!
Y'all, it has been a slap crazy ridiculously blurry month. But from the remnants of memories that peek out from the overly exhaustive piles of boxes and trash and gift exchange remnants and last minute grocery shopping (who in their right mind realizes that their house is out of all staples the week of Christmas? that's right.. not holiday food needs, staples! like milk and poptarts and bananas and things that feed little bellies... the week of Christmas no less) and new gifts that have made their way in the house but not to a designated space...
Lord have mercy, Christmas has overcome us!
We had big plans of going smaller this Christmas... less stress, less running around, simplified family life, togetherness... sure, there were daycare gifts and school gifts and a school program... but other than that, it was going to be a slow go. WHO ARE WE and WHERE IN THE WORLD did we get the idea that ANY OF THAT was under control in the month of DECEMBER?!?!
I'd like to say we even scaled down the presenting traditions...and while we started with humbling beginnings, somewhere in all our crazy, I think we lost count of presents, and now we have no idea how things got so out of hand. And I'm pretty sure that I'm still missing something for someone in all that mix... so if its you, my dearest apologies.
...time out for life...post to be completed soon...and by soon I hope you know what I mean...in that, soon is whenever December releases me from its chaos for a few short minutes of solitude.
This year... its all
Y'all, it has been a slap crazy ridiculously blurry month. But from the remnants of memories that peek out from the overly exhaustive piles of boxes and trash and gift exchange remnants and last minute grocery shopping (who in their right mind realizes that their house is out of all staples the week of Christmas? that's right.. not holiday food needs, staples! like milk and poptarts and bananas and things that feed little bellies... the week of Christmas no less) and new gifts that have made their way in the house but not to a designated space...
Lord have mercy, Christmas has overcome us!
We had big plans of going smaller this Christmas... less stress, less running around, simplified family life, togetherness... sure, there were daycare gifts and school gifts and a school program... but other than that, it was going to be a slow go. WHO ARE WE and WHERE IN THE WORLD did we get the idea that ANY OF THAT was under control in the month of DECEMBER?!?!
I'd like to say we even scaled down the presenting traditions...and while we started with humbling beginnings, somewhere in all our crazy, I think we lost count of presents, and now we have no idea how things got so out of hand. And I'm pretty sure that I'm still missing something for someone in all that mix... so if its you, my dearest apologies.
...time out for life...post to be completed soon...and by soon I hope you know what I mean...in that, soon is whenever December releases me from its chaos for a few short minutes of solitude.
Friday, December 16
You're Here
This is my newest favorite Christmas song... We heard her sing this in Albany at a Christmas Concert 2 years ago now, and it brought me to tears... if you've heard it before, I know you love it too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2xxqRm3Hyg
Also, can't get this embeding to work...grrr.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2xxqRm3Hyg
Also, can't get this embeding to work...grrr.
Monday, December 12
Please accept this in leiu of regular posting which evidently took a Christmas vacation for basically the whole month without telling anyone. I'm sorry and you're welcome.
And for the record, I was gonna do a thing about having over 10,000 page views which I think is crazy ridiculous, but y'all jumped right over it before I got to it. So thanks for coming back to visit approximately 1000 times each! : )
Friday, December 2
Monogram Swap.. or in my case, buy!
Putting a monogram to these faces...
Hayley or H: Size 2T and larger
Grady or G: Size 24 month and larger
Bowen or B: Size 18 month and larger
Please email me at meghan(dot)p(dot)williams@gmail.com or comment here and I'll touch base with you!
Hayley or H: Size 2T and larger
Grady or G: Size 24 month and larger
Bowen or B: Size 18 month and larger
Please email me at meghan(dot)p(dot)williams@gmail.com or comment here and I'll touch base with you!
puppy woes
Y'all.
I don't even know if I can do this story justice through words alone.
Epic. It was epic.
Last night, in the chill of the cold evening, as we arrived home I saw a quick dark something scurry down the edge of the house and under our porch steps. I practically shoved Hayley inside, jumped in myself, slammed the door and then peeked out the window to see what it was (because that's what all sane people do in these situations)
It was a puppy... a brown and black little munchkin of a puppy with a simple plastic collar on.
I drop all our stuff inside the door and proceed into the house.
I find out that while Michael unloaded the child from his vehicle, he did not unload all the other daily necessities for today from it. I realize I'm going back outside...with the puppy that almost killed me via surprise element just minutes before. I tell Michael there is a dog out there.... He tells me not to worry about it and just get the stuff out of the car.
I open the door and a little puppy face pops out from under the truck next to the steps.
Ok, he's little. I can take him. and by take him I mean drop kick him if he starts acting the fool in my general direction... at least that's what I tell myself in my head because we all know that I'd probably be backing away very slowly or maybe quite quickly dashing to the door because I don't have it in me to kick a puppy should he begin to act the fool in my general direction)
I go out to the car.. not making eye contact or speaking to the puppy. He need not believe that this is his new home.
He beats me back to the porch and is between me and the door.
Then the little beast starts growling at me.
"Hey! Cut that out! Not at my house are you gonna growl at me. Get down. Get out of the way!"
this puppy obviously hasn't learned that people instructions matter
Then the puppy starts whimpering instead of growling as I take the first step up.
He's on the backside of the door where the hinge is.
In my diluted distraction, I think to myself, with my two full hands of stuff and shoulder bag of camera bag... I'll just ease the door open, he'll be between it and porch railing, and I'll jump into the door before he gets around it.
Idea meet failure to account for tiny puppy size and wit.
The door is not even a quarter of the way big enough for my stuff to get through let alone me when the puppy takes two sniffs with his tiny nose and wiggles himself right underneath the door into the tiniest of openings and takes off into the house.
My house. With the two daughters who are petrified of all dogs. Even tiny ones.
I yell "MICHAEL!" about the time the puppy rounds the corner and Michael lays eyes on him (Michael who was until this point sitting in the chair on the telephone). I drop my stuff, close the door back (y'all, its cold out there!), and commence to coming into the house to get to the girls or the dog or whichever came at me first.
I see the little squirt dart through the living room and into the door of Hayley's room. Michael appears to be moving in slow motion and is still on the telephone to boot. Then the puppy runs into the bathroom. The smallest room of the entire house. Where there are two girls. One on the potty. And one standing next to the bathtub.
Cue TERROR SCREAMS! Legs flying up. Bowen almost goes headfirst into tub. All I see when I round the corner is her diapered covered butt and bare legs scrambling to try and climb a bathtub. Hayley is screaming bloody murder and shaking and pulling her legs up and convulsing tighter to the fetal position everytime she looks at the dog.
Who is now hiding behind the trashcan and toilet on which she sits. Probably scared out of his ever-loving mind because I'm pretty sure he wasn't counting on busting his eardrums with children screams when he darted into our house. I sit down in the floor and grab up Bowen, start issuing condolences and its oks and quiet down. And loudly telling Hayley to stop screaming and be still and its fine and we're good.
And for the love of all things good and holy why is this dog still in here and where is Michael?
Michael, is standing in the door trying to figure out how to get to the dog between the two screaming children, the sprawled out mama and the hiding dog behind the toilet. And he's still on the phone.
Michael gets his hands on the dog and throws him back out on the porch where he tries to scramble back into the house but Michael gets the door shut. I, meanwhile, have gotten Bowen calm and am now having the "Why was there a dog in our house? I don't like dogs. I only like Lou (who is a dog who is the exception to the rule). That puppy needs to go to his house." discussion in rapid speed of
peat and repeat with Hayley who is still sitting on the potty with one lone tear still hanging onto her cheek.
I come out of the bathroom and Bowen is now playing in the living room like nothing happens. Hayley goes through the same line of questioning with Michael who has finally gotten off the phone after throwing the dog out the door.
And this all happened in less than 3 minutes.
I kid you not.
Today's note: I was greeted by the same little puppy when I came out the door this morning. He was covered in a mix of spiderwebs and dew drops. I have a very bad feeling that he has self-proclaimed our house as his home. I'm not sure where our signals got crossed because I am quite sure the girls made it perfectly clear that he was not welcome.
I however am my father's daughter, and while he will not come in my house, and I will not feed him today in hopes that he will find his way back to his owners, or they will find him, I did put a box with a towel out in the yard. It's cold and he's little. Shut your face.
I don't even know if I can do this story justice through words alone.
Epic. It was epic.
Last night, in the chill of the cold evening, as we arrived home I saw a quick dark something scurry down the edge of the house and under our porch steps. I practically shoved Hayley inside, jumped in myself, slammed the door and then peeked out the window to see what it was (because that's what all sane people do in these situations)
It was a puppy... a brown and black little munchkin of a puppy with a simple plastic collar on.
I drop all our stuff inside the door and proceed into the house.
I find out that while Michael unloaded the child from his vehicle, he did not unload all the other daily necessities for today from it. I realize I'm going back outside...with the puppy that almost killed me via surprise element just minutes before. I tell Michael there is a dog out there.... He tells me not to worry about it and just get the stuff out of the car.
I open the door and a little puppy face pops out from under the truck next to the steps.
Ok, he's little. I can take him. and by take him I mean drop kick him if he starts acting the fool in my general direction... at least that's what I tell myself in my head because we all know that I'd probably be backing away very slowly or maybe quite quickly dashing to the door because I don't have it in me to kick a puppy should he begin to act the fool in my general direction)
I go out to the car.. not making eye contact or speaking to the puppy. He need not believe that this is his new home.
He beats me back to the porch and is between me and the door.
Then the little beast starts growling at me.
"Hey! Cut that out! Not at my house are you gonna growl at me. Get down. Get out of the way!"
this puppy obviously hasn't learned that people instructions matter
Then the puppy starts whimpering instead of growling as I take the first step up.
He's on the backside of the door where the hinge is.
In my diluted distraction, I think to myself, with my two full hands of stuff and shoulder bag of camera bag... I'll just ease the door open, he'll be between it and porch railing, and I'll jump into the door before he gets around it.
Idea meet failure to account for tiny puppy size and wit.
The door is not even a quarter of the way big enough for my stuff to get through let alone me when the puppy takes two sniffs with his tiny nose and wiggles himself right underneath the door into the tiniest of openings and takes off into the house.
My house. With the two daughters who are petrified of all dogs. Even tiny ones.
I yell "MICHAEL!" about the time the puppy rounds the corner and Michael lays eyes on him (Michael who was until this point sitting in the chair on the telephone). I drop my stuff, close the door back (y'all, its cold out there!), and commence to coming into the house to get to the girls or the dog or whichever came at me first.
I see the little squirt dart through the living room and into the door of Hayley's room. Michael appears to be moving in slow motion and is still on the telephone to boot. Then the puppy runs into the bathroom. The smallest room of the entire house. Where there are two girls. One on the potty. And one standing next to the bathtub.
Cue TERROR SCREAMS! Legs flying up. Bowen almost goes headfirst into tub. All I see when I round the corner is her diapered covered butt and bare legs scrambling to try and climb a bathtub. Hayley is screaming bloody murder and shaking and pulling her legs up and convulsing tighter to the fetal position everytime she looks at the dog.
Who is now hiding behind the trashcan and toilet on which she sits. Probably scared out of his ever-loving mind because I'm pretty sure he wasn't counting on busting his eardrums with children screams when he darted into our house. I sit down in the floor and grab up Bowen, start issuing condolences and its oks and quiet down. And loudly telling Hayley to stop screaming and be still and its fine and we're good.
And for the love of all things good and holy why is this dog still in here and where is Michael?
Michael, is standing in the door trying to figure out how to get to the dog between the two screaming children, the sprawled out mama and the hiding dog behind the toilet. And he's still on the phone.
Michael gets his hands on the dog and throws him back out on the porch where he tries to scramble back into the house but Michael gets the door shut. I, meanwhile, have gotten Bowen calm and am now having the "Why was there a dog in our house? I don't like dogs. I only like Lou (who is a dog who is the exception to the rule). That puppy needs to go to his house." discussion in rapid speed of
peat and repeat with Hayley who is still sitting on the potty with one lone tear still hanging onto her cheek.
I come out of the bathroom and Bowen is now playing in the living room like nothing happens. Hayley goes through the same line of questioning with Michael who has finally gotten off the phone after throwing the dog out the door.
And this all happened in less than 3 minutes.
I kid you not.
Today's note: I was greeted by the same little puppy when I came out the door this morning. He was covered in a mix of spiderwebs and dew drops. I have a very bad feeling that he has self-proclaimed our house as his home. I'm not sure where our signals got crossed because I am quite sure the girls made it perfectly clear that he was not welcome.
I however am my father's daughter, and while he will not come in my house, and I will not feed him today in hopes that he will find his way back to his owners, or they will find him, I did put a box with a towel out in the yard. It's cold and he's little. Shut your face.
Thursday, December 1
One Year
I brag about Mikie's weight loss quite a bit in person, and I've talked about it some in the "Wellness Wednesday" posts of days gone by... but y'all, this is what some dedication and diet control did for him, and for us, in ONE YEAR!!!
December 2010 (2 months into weight loss)
November 2011 (1 year of weight loss, 1 month of maintaining!)
He dropped 2.5 ring sizes... for his birthday, I had his wedding band resized since its been months since he's been able to wear it without it falling off his finger!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY (tomorrow) MICHAEL! We won't talk about how old you are today...but just how great you look! : )
Click on the "wellness wednesday" tag right down here to see what I have shared about choices we made with Mikie's journey!
Monday, November 28
and you there
Hayley,
Stop growing up so darn fast. Except for the part where you grow out of the complete meltdown of a mess stage that has come with being 3. I mean, I know you are 110% girl and some of that will never go away, but some of it, some of it we could do without. But overall, stop looking like a little girl and return to being Mama's baby face.
P.S. Didn't Breezy do a great job on your turkey shirts? Even though all you and your sister's rough housing have their feathers all ruffled by this point!
this. face.
Dear Bowen,
This face of yours. This face. It is iconic of your temperment when things aren't going your way. You aren't even 2...not even 1 1/2 officially yet...but you know to pull out this face to let us all know exactly how you feel about it.
It is terrible. And it is wonderfully you.
Just please, get this out of your system before you are 16.
Love,
Mommy
Saturday, November 26
Wednesday, November 23
thankful, rewind for 2 weeks
Y'all... I really, really, really am awful about getting my thankfuls in! I guess that is nothing like a shove in the face for where I need to get my priorities in line!
15 - Thankful for a school to take my daughter to every day. There are so many parents in so many places who don't have options or choices or funds to keep their kids in school. We are so blessed to have choices and transportation, options and funds to support our children's education. In many places, it is not a right of citizenship.
16 - Thankful for Operation Christmas Child and the work they put into providing shoesboxes of love and gifts for children across the world each and every year. And thankful that they've added a "track your box" function where you can find out which country received your boxes this year.
17 - Thankful for a paycheck that hits the bank today...and every two weeks. So thankful to be able to provide for my family and have funds to minister with by having a job to go to every day.
18 - Thankful for the wonderful "girls" who went to supper and Chonda Pierce together... it is so refreshing and good for my heart to spend time with other believers just "doing life" together!
19 - Thankful for great seats to a less-than-stellar game on the greatest campus in the USA. So glad to have spent it with my cousins who we don't see a lot, but really had a great time with
20 - Thankful for fresh popped popcorn and movie night with our Church family at the Clubhouse. Thankful that my girls antics don't cause hard hearts and frustrations between our young family and our not-as-young church members.
21 - Thankful for the ladies of HOPE circle...for good food, and laughs, and voices and words of truth in a setting of friendship. Thankful for John Riley and praising God for the supporters of Radical Life ministries in Costa Rica and what amazing things God is doing there. Extremely thankful for good open conversation with the best friend. Even if it was WAY WAY WAY past my bedtime when I made it home.
22 - Thankful for the next generation of daughters who are getting old enough to take part in the dumpling making and celebration preparations for family Thanksgiving. I am also thankful because now I can blame the floury mess on the littles instead of taking the blame all by myself.
23 - Thankful that today is my "Friday" and that it will involve a trip to see Jo sing in the big city of Patmos this evening with my family
15 - Thankful for a school to take my daughter to every day. There are so many parents in so many places who don't have options or choices or funds to keep their kids in school. We are so blessed to have choices and transportation, options and funds to support our children's education. In many places, it is not a right of citizenship.
16 - Thankful for Operation Christmas Child and the work they put into providing shoesboxes of love and gifts for children across the world each and every year. And thankful that they've added a "track your box" function where you can find out which country received your boxes this year.
17 - Thankful for a paycheck that hits the bank today...and every two weeks. So thankful to be able to provide for my family and have funds to minister with by having a job to go to every day.
18 - Thankful for the wonderful "girls" who went to supper and Chonda Pierce together... it is so refreshing and good for my heart to spend time with other believers just "doing life" together!
19 - Thankful for great seats to a less-than-stellar game on the greatest campus in the USA. So glad to have spent it with my cousins who we don't see a lot, but really had a great time with
20 - Thankful for fresh popped popcorn and movie night with our Church family at the Clubhouse. Thankful that my girls antics don't cause hard hearts and frustrations between our young family and our not-as-young church members.
21 - Thankful for the ladies of HOPE circle...for good food, and laughs, and voices and words of truth in a setting of friendship. Thankful for John Riley and praising God for the supporters of Radical Life ministries in Costa Rica and what amazing things God is doing there. Extremely thankful for good open conversation with the best friend. Even if it was WAY WAY WAY past my bedtime when I made it home.
22 - Thankful for the next generation of daughters who are getting old enough to take part in the dumpling making and celebration preparations for family Thanksgiving. I am also thankful because now I can blame the floury mess on the littles instead of taking the blame all by myself.
23 - Thankful that today is my "Friday" and that it will involve a trip to see Jo sing in the big city of Patmos this evening with my family
Sic 'em!
I am sure this wasn't recorded with the University of Georgia in mind... but GO DAWGS!!!!
Battle Hymn... Muppet Style
(couldn't get it to embed...you'll have to click over)
Battle Hymn... Muppet Style
(couldn't get it to embed...you'll have to click over)
Sunday, November 20
Go Dawgs! Sic 'em!
12:30 a.m. Get in bed from Friday Night Concert
4:10 a.m. Get up from bed to get ready to leave
4:30 Leave Bluffton
7:00 Stop at Nastiest convienent store in town for bathroom break and fill up gas tank
7:03 Decide Hardees would be good... use Hardees bathroom to wash all the filth of the world's sketchiest bathroom across the road off my hands... give Michael a hard time for not letting me know that Hardees was being considered as next stop so I wouldn't have entered world's sketchiest bathroom in the first place
9:30 Arrive in the Classic City. Walk past old dorm. Visit bookstore, find name on Graduate plaque for 2006. Attend Dawg Walk.
10:45 Climb 500 million stairs and walk halfway around stadium to get to Gate.
11:00 Pay $10 for slice of Dominos pizza and 20 ounce Coke with no lid
11:05 Realize it took less than 5 minutes to eat $10. Walk 2 levels down to find seats.
11:15 Fall over dead at how good our seats are. And that they have the cushion seat things.
11:45 Still gush about being in the best seats of my entire life. Head off to find Audrey and catch up on life before kickoff.
12:30 Kick off!
12:30 - 4:30 Marvel at how good Kentucky d-line and o-line are. Almost get caught in the middle of grown people brawl over whether its appropriate to flash the middle finger repeatedly in the presence of small children. Watch us force turnovers and do nothing with the ball. See failed attempt at getting touchback. Get the detailed description of "pass blocking" from Michael to explain why the Kentucky line is so effective. Catch up with Steve & Shelley during halftime. Finally, see a Georgia Touchdown in 4th quarter...did we really just go 3 quarters without turning in a TD from the Red Zone. yes, we did. We win. 19 - 10 ... worst looking win in my book, but it makes us SEC East Champs. We gotta get tough and moving if we want a fighting chance at SEC Championship in December.
5:00 Mexicalli with Lane. Yum. Yum. Yum. Yum. Listen to Michael harrass Lane for not following him on twitter. Realize that Mexicalli offers a Tofu taco salad...gross.
5:45 Leave the Classic City headed for home.
7:00 Am practically sleep driving when we stop in Forsyth. Make mandatory swap in drivers, drink a Sunkist, ride a little, sleep a lot.
9:15 Miss a turn almost kiss a deer through my window
10:00 Home. Get girls in bed.
10:30 out. done. finished.
Friday, November 18
weekend whirlwind...
...here we go!
Tonight: Girls Night Out: Dinner and Chonda Pierce... woo hoo!
Tomorrow: Ga vs. Kentucky... leaving at 5 a.m. to make it to the Classic City before game time. Returning to the not-so-big city same night
Sunday: Church + prep for movie night at chuch laundry that hasn't been done in 3 days + unpack all bags from shopping trip yesterday + actual movie night at church (Soul Surfer...from my winning!)
And then the week continues on...
Monday: Work and Monthly Womens Devotional Meeting (in which I bring dumplings for our "Thanksgiving" meeting)
And then the building up to Thanksgiving and shopping for what I forgot to buy yesterday and shopping for the county children's toy collection that I keep forgetting to do.
And then Thanksgiving... 3 family meals in one day... how many will we make???
Day after Thanksgiving: Decorate House for Christmas!! yay!
Sunday after Thanksgiving: Photo Shoot
Dec. 5th - Tree of Life Ceremony at Work
Dec. 10th - Holiday Awards Banquet for Work
Dec. 16th - Hayley's School Program
Yowzers...the Holiday months get me every year!!!
Tonight: Girls Night Out: Dinner and Chonda Pierce... woo hoo!
Tomorrow: Ga vs. Kentucky... leaving at 5 a.m. to make it to the Classic City before game time. Returning to the not-so-big city same night
Sunday: Church + prep for movie night at chuch laundry that hasn't been done in 3 days + unpack all bags from shopping trip yesterday + actual movie night at church (Soul Surfer...from my winning!)
And then the week continues on...
Monday: Work and Monthly Womens Devotional Meeting (in which I bring dumplings for our "Thanksgiving" meeting)
And then the building up to Thanksgiving and shopping for what I forgot to buy yesterday and shopping for the county children's toy collection that I keep forgetting to do.
And then Thanksgiving... 3 family meals in one day... how many will we make???
Day after Thanksgiving: Decorate House for Christmas!! yay!
Sunday after Thanksgiving: Photo Shoot
Dec. 5th - Tree of Life Ceremony at Work
Dec. 10th - Holiday Awards Banquet for Work
Dec. 16th - Hayley's School Program
Yowzers...the Holiday months get me every year!!!
Monday, November 14
catching up...again
Thankfuls:
10th - generous donations from employees to our Volunteer group...either by purchases or outright donations for equipment for our hospital.
11th - fire by the lake
12th - a husband willing to ride 65-miles of yard sale with me...from 7 am to 3 p.m. ... without complaint
13th - an afternoon talking wedding with my recently engaged cousin...this makes me mostly estatic and a lot grateful to have her!
14th - impromptu trips to Breezy and Big Dave's house...and girls in bed on time without a fight!
10th - generous donations from employees to our Volunteer group...either by purchases or outright donations for equipment for our hospital.
11th - fire by the lake
12th - a husband willing to ride 65-miles of yard sale with me...from 7 am to 3 p.m. ... without complaint
13th - an afternoon talking wedding with my recently engaged cousin...this makes me mostly estatic and a lot grateful to have her!
14th - impromptu trips to Breezy and Big Dave's house...and girls in bed on time without a fight!
Friday, November 11
Pinned: No more Trays?!
Love these creative options for stepping up fruit and veggie and cheese trays....
Linking Up With: http://5minutesjustforme.blogspot.com/ for The Pinning Party!
Linking Up With: http://5minutesjustforme.blogspot.com/ for The Pinning Party!
Thursday, November 10
quote it
“Grace is not about giving people what we want them to want.”
Read Full Story Here
love. that. line.
It is not our role to choose what we give and when we give and what the outcome is... it is our role to give to those who are needing...even if we don't agree with what they need for.
Read Full Story Here
love. that. line.
It is not our role to choose what we give and when we give and what the outcome is... it is our role to give to those who are needing...even if we don't agree with what they need for.
Wednesday, November 9
Breezy's Day
Nov. 9th - Today I'm thankful for...
Breezy! It's her birthday, and I am so thankful for all she's done for me and my family and our whole family our entire lives! I want to be just like her when I grow up...except for the crazy parts, I'll leave those out!
: )
Breezy! It's her birthday, and I am so thankful for all she's done for me and my family and our whole family our entire lives! I want to be just like her when I grow up...except for the crazy parts, I'll leave those out!
: )
Tuesday, November 8
today's thankful
Nov. 8th : mexican restaurant for lunch...and the fact that the waitress brings me a cheese dip and a dr. pepper as soon as she sees me sit down (yes, I eat there that much!), a box of nerds shared with Hayley girl before school, a hot shower, plans finalizing for a girls night out,
If all the cool kids are doing it....
Monday, November 7
Get Shoppping/Giving/BOTH!
Y'all...there is some really Serious Goodness!!! happening over with The Welch Family & The Mercy House Kenya project.
If you haven't done your Christmas shopping, this would be a great way to get double bang for your buck... awesome product for you or your loved one...100% of proceeds benefit Mercy House!!
If you are thinking of doing some kind of donation at Christmas...why not change it to now?!
And there are several things on there that would qualify for my wishlist (and the fact that the money is not profit but gain for a ministry sweetens the pot in my book)...so you can always shop for me! (you know, because its completely legit to beg for gifts on your blog) ha!
If you haven't done your Christmas shopping, this would be a great way to get double bang for your buck... awesome product for you or your loved one...100% of proceeds benefit Mercy House!!
If you are thinking of doing some kind of donation at Christmas...why not change it to now?!
And there are several things on there that would qualify for my wishlist (and the fact that the money is not profit but gain for a ministry sweetens the pot in my book)...so you can always shop for me! (you know, because its completely legit to beg for gifts on your blog) ha!
catching up!
Nov. 4 fried dill pickles, a meal where both girls manage to make it through the meal without complete breakdowns (or 5 trips to the bathroom); warm covers hand-knit by a loved one
Nov. 5 mornings at home, new babies to love on and their families to see, a large family who does special events together
Nov. 6 fall back! we didn't get the extra hour in the morning, but we got it through nap and early bedtime! The many ministries that are serving orphans and their families and the many people who support through prayer or financial devotion the efforts of ministries around the world!
Nov. 7 the sun being up when its time to leave the house, health and wellness in our home, means to support ministries such as Operation Christmas Child (and the shopping trip that's in store for today)
Nov. 5 mornings at home, new babies to love on and their families to see, a large family who does special events together
Nov. 6 fall back! we didn't get the extra hour in the morning, but we got it through nap and early bedtime! The many ministries that are serving orphans and their families and the many people who support through prayer or financial devotion the efforts of ministries around the world!
Nov. 7 the sun being up when its time to leave the house, health and wellness in our home, means to support ministries such as Operation Christmas Child (and the shopping trip that's in store for today)
Sunday, November 6
There are no outcasts, there are no orphans of God...
I read this article...which presented to me, for the first tim, a change in paradim when thinking of orphan care....what if, instead of focusing care solely on providing for those who have been orphaned...we focused on preventing the reoccurence of orphaning...what if, we focus on the support systems needed to keep families from deciding to release their children to orphanages???
Y'all...that is some deep, serious stuff right there.
And its not to discredit any means by which we minister to the orphan...or in what setting we do so...
But, what if, the answer isn't as simply as more orphanages? What if the answer is substainable change in the cultures and families which reduce dependencies on outside aid through programs that also prevent orphan-ing?
Projects Like These:
In Haiti
In Mozambique
In Kenya
and I'm sure many, many more!!
The Bible is clear in stating that there will always be poor and needy. The Bible is clear in stating that it is through our actions that we demonstrate our love for Christ and His love for even the least of these. There is no quick fix to orphans. There is no one solution fits all. There is no way to prevent the natural or man-made disasters that leave children parentless.
But the call to think outside of the box...to prevent the cycle of creating more orphans while caring for those who have already been orphaned....that, is something to think about.
Today is Orphan Sunday... where do you fall in what you can do for orphans? Prayer, donations, international involvement...whatever it is.... do it.
Y'all...that is some deep, serious stuff right there.
And its not to discredit any means by which we minister to the orphan...or in what setting we do so...
But, what if, the answer isn't as simply as more orphanages? What if the answer is substainable change in the cultures and families which reduce dependencies on outside aid through programs that also prevent orphan-ing?
Projects Like These:
In Haiti
In Mozambique
In Kenya
and I'm sure many, many more!!
The Bible is clear in stating that there will always be poor and needy. The Bible is clear in stating that it is through our actions that we demonstrate our love for Christ and His love for even the least of these. There is no quick fix to orphans. There is no one solution fits all. There is no way to prevent the natural or man-made disasters that leave children parentless.
But the call to think outside of the box...to prevent the cycle of creating more orphans while caring for those who have already been orphaned....that, is something to think about.
Today is Orphan Sunday... where do you fall in what you can do for orphans? Prayer, donations, international involvement...whatever it is.... do it.
Thursday, November 3
Speak It!
Love this: Read It Here
Sidenote: Saw Pricilla in person at .Mom...she is one of the most graceful ladies I've ever seen in my life...but she moves and speaks with power!
Maybe I should speak these as much over myself as I consider speaking them over my children.
Sidenote: Saw Pricilla in person at .Mom...she is one of the most graceful ladies I've ever seen in my life...but she moves and speaks with power!
Maybe I should speak these as much over myself as I consider speaking them over my children.
30 Days of Thankful
This are going to be posted haphazzardly as internet connectivity for the next few days will be just that... however, this month, I'm going to do Daily Thankfuls in the spirit of Thanksgiving!
Nov. 1 - Cold sweet tea and french onion dip & chips waiting at Mom's house for the ultimate slumber party week; oldest's girls first barefoot trip through a peanut field
Nov. 2 - Leftovers for lunch, a church family who listens to me ramble, a babbling Bowen
Nov. 3 - a job that provides a paycheck, a super happy Bowen in the mornings which makes waking up and getting going much easier, an unexpected phone call, leftovers for lunch
Nov. 1 - Cold sweet tea and french onion dip & chips waiting at Mom's house for the ultimate slumber party week; oldest's girls first barefoot trip through a peanut field
Nov. 2 - Leftovers for lunch, a church family who listens to me ramble, a babbling Bowen
Nov. 3 - a job that provides a paycheck, a super happy Bowen in the mornings which makes waking up and getting going much easier, an unexpected phone call, leftovers for lunch
Friday, October 28
Pinned: For the Educators in My Life
I am not a teacher... but there are many near and dear to me who are... these are for them...
Linking Up With: http://5minutesjustforme.blogspot.com/ for The Pinning Party!
Linking Up With: http://5minutesjustforme.blogspot.com/ for The Pinning Party!
Wednesday, October 26
Not for the faint of heart...
I watched this tonight: http://www.180movie.com/
Michael actually brought it home on DVD from a pastors' conference he attended earlier this week. I had seen the first few minutes from where it was shared on http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/ (one of my large family/adoption bloggers).
Y'all, if you don't have the heart or the stomach to watch this, because parts of it are TOUGH,
Know this.... 53 million babies have been killed in abortions since Roe v. Wade.
I don't talk politics much, or at all really, and I'm not all that confrontational about hot button issues.
But y'all, those are babies.
Gone forever.
Babies that would have been little girls and little boys and then big boys and big girls...and... y'all.
That is enough.
Michael actually brought it home on DVD from a pastors' conference he attended earlier this week. I had seen the first few minutes from where it was shared on http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/ (one of my large family/adoption bloggers).
Y'all, if you don't have the heart or the stomach to watch this, because parts of it are TOUGH,
Know this.... 53 million babies have been killed in abortions since Roe v. Wade.
I don't talk politics much, or at all really, and I'm not all that confrontational about hot button issues.
But y'all, those are babies.
Gone forever.
Babies that would have been little girls and little boys and then big boys and big girls...and... y'all.
That is enough.
Happy Halloween!
My sister says this is unfair typecasting... I choose no comment.
I am a California raisin. Yes I am. SHUT UP. I AM!
Minnie Mouse...with a questionable makeup job...
evidently, I was REALLY excited about being a witch.
that's right, cone. head!
Friday, October 21
Spirit Week
Cowgirl Day
Senior Citizen Day (and no she didn't wear her pink sunglasses to school)
80s Day
Professional Day (she has no idea what "when you grow up" means)
Homecoming T-shirt day... also known as, refusal to get off the stroller that is still parked inside the house from Wednesday because I can't figure out how to fold it down without losing my temper day and trying to get pictures otherwise also result in meltdown of small child day
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