Thursday, August 28, 2008

Free family festival 8/30-8/31

I posted this on my bargain site, but I wanted to post it here too. We are planning on going Sat when it opens at 10am.

Family Festival

Back to the land of the living

I have not had internet service since Tuesday morning!! I seriously thought I might die. It's amazing how addicted I am. I have also noticed that email is my main form of communication. I feel awkward picking up the phone. Not to mention that I have an alarm that goes off that makes my children reach levels of screaming never known to man the second that the person on the other line picks up the phone!

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

First day of school


Well, the fun times have begun. Yesterday we started school. Kindergarten for Madison and 6th grade for Mackenzie.

Madison and Leah love it. Leah will be part time. In other words when she can sit still, she will sit in and learn something.



We had another milestone yesterday. We decided to send Mackenzie to middle school. We had originally got the Abeka video school for her. About an hour in to it, our thoughts and prayers were confirmed that she should be at school. I enrolled her and showed her the school yesterday. It's a very nice school. It's new and HUGE!! Lots of kids there. But she didn't seem very nervous. We made it through our first day today. It was very bittersweet for me, but she loved it and had a great first day. I am so happy for that. We missed having her with us today. We went to Kroger and Madison saw some flowers and wanted to buy them for Mackenzie for her first day of school. So sweet! So Madi hung them out the window as we picked Mackenzie up. It was awesome.

So we enter a new journey now. And we are excited to see what things are ahead.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Thanks to my friend Aimee's hubby....

I am posting from my kitchen!!! I got a new laptop last week and of course had no clue what to do with it. So Sam came over today and got everything running for us. Yeah!! No more hollering from the office, "Stop hitting and I will be right there!!"

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Tagged for randomness

I was tagged by Cristy and decided to play along. :)

So here goes on 7 random things about me:

1. One of the biggest desires of my heart (and Tim's) is to adopt a little boy. Believer's are called in James 1:27 "to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." And we feel for us, that means to literally take a child in to our family to love, provide for and above all, bring the Gospel to a child who might otherwise never hear about our precious Lord.

2. We "adopt" a little boy from DFACS, every year at Christmas time to buy for. We choose a boy who is around the age that Jacob would be and we use that time as a tribute to our son.

3. I love to cook. Anything and everything. I love to try new recipes and put my spin on them.

4. I can drive better than most women. My husband tells me this all the time. LOL!

5. I have lost almost 30 lbs in the last several months. This puts me at my lowest weight since 2002. And also puts me in a perpetual state of hunger. :)

6. Three of my babies were over 10 lbs, the largest one weighing in at 10lbs 14.4oz!! I literally looked like I was going to fall over since I am so short.

7. I am currently doing online training to help women who have poor pregnancy outcomes or who have lost babies at birth.


Okay, I will tag 7 people and if you play please link back to my blog and tag 7 people to keep the fun goin'.....
Tiffany , Annie, Brooke, Deborah, Nicole, Caroline, and Kellie.

Friday, August 15, 2008

What is it that our little girls are missing?

Ear rings!! So how do we correct the situation....



They all got their ears pierced today. Mackenzie tried to push for the 2nd hole in each, but I wasn't quite ready for that.


Here are some shots during the torcher


Madi actually did it!

She waited until both the others had gone and the peer pressure sucked her in.


Here are the close ups...

Madi has her birthstone, turquoise

Vivian has little pink flowers, of course.

And Leah got her birthstone which is diamond.

I am sure it wont take her long at all to be able to recognize the real thing from the fake!





Thursday, August 14, 2008

Heaven is all he will ever know

Just in the last few months, I have heard about so many families losing their babies. This has sparked such a sadness in me. I just ache for these parents. I ache for my self and our loss. I know that the ache will never go away and I am happy for that. I don't want to ever forget that my son is missing from my every day life. I was listening to a precious song today. This part really speaks to me...

I can’t imagine heaven’s lullabies and
what they must sound like
But I will rest in knowing, heaven is your home
And it’s all you’ll ever know…all you’ll ever know…

It's all my baby will ever know!! How wonderful to imagine.

You can hear the song on You tube, but just to warn you, some of the videos that come up on the side have graphic pictures of very small babies. Glory baby

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Am I softening with age?

We are admittedly pretty strict parents. We are tough on attitude, what we listen and watch, what we eat, etc. But I am beginning to notice a trend. I am buying things that I have not typically bought in the past (ie. the lunchables they had for lunch today,) all the girls (including Vivian) know the words to "Our Song" by Taylor Swift, and I find myself bribing them to do things rather than just laying down the law.

For instance today. I have been clipping coupons and taking advantage of MAJOR deals lately (see some of them at Bargain Mama.) And up to now I have gone at night to the store so I can go by myself. It's a lot of work (at least for me with very little brain) to keep track of what I am doing and spending at the store. So I leave them at home. But today I really felt like the Lord was calling me to be a blessing to my husband and get it done while he was gone. I also have to add here that I do have to leave my town to go to any store at all. So travel is also a factor in these outings that take me away from my husband. So anyway, I took them to Publix to stock up. And I left with lunchables for all four of them. Now they did very well for the amount of stress that's involved with going to the store. We're talking two carts, both of which must be wiped down before anyone can touch b/c I am a germaphobe. Then we go in and play musical carts for a few min until we come up with a set up that works for all involved. Then I do actually have to attempt to read the list while all four are talking/whining/crying at me. We make it to the first aisle before I have to discipline and have a talk with each of them. All while teaching them to stay on one side of the aisle as to not impose on others. We are a sight! The woman who checked us out asked me why I didn't just leave them at home (in a nice way, if there is a nice way to say that.) And I told her that I was working on being a blessing to my husband.

All in all I have to say it was a good trip. I didn't forget anyone & we weren't asked to leave. Although we did leave with lunchables so I think I am softening with age. Or maybe it's just that brain cells that are rapidly decreasing and I mistook them for a healthy lunch.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Finally posting pictures from our trip

And there are lots to see!!


The girls waiting for the plane


Madi and Leah settled into their movie


Vivian and I having a great time! She didn't want to be in the B'air vest with me.

This is after she escaped as we pulled into the gate in Boston


Madison with Tyler, two peas in a pod.

You know I will have to throw a picture in with a cute outfit. :)
Daddy "D" with the littles
Isn't this precious?
Leah had to get in on the action, of course.

We went to this great place called Davis Farmland. The girls had a blast!
Fishing
Leah and Nana Nana feeding the goat
The girls with Nana Nana on the hayride
They had the coolest little spinkler area to cool off in. I love this picture of Madi guiding Leah. How sweet!
Isn't that awesome?!?!?!?
Yes, my girls are the only ones with their shoes on. Germs, EWW!!!!
Madison having a great time shooting the water guns


The girls hanging with Aunt Sarah

Tyler is a master fire-starter

Sitting around the firepit

My sweety sweet

Sarah and Kenz

Family photo op time!!




My dad and sister Sarah

Mackenzie, Sarah, me, Michelle, and Madi

Tyler and Kenz

Me, my dad and Sarah

Daddy "D" and Kenz



Mackenzie and Vivian reading

Erica and Leah

Erica and I

(yes, I am PAINFULLY aware at how old I am. I was 14 when she was born and now she's a beautiful young lady!)

The girls making mousse with Nana Nana

The trip home

I straightened Leah and Madi's hair and they are wearing their "My dad rocks!" shirts.


Mackenzie is ready to be home. This is airport #2 for the day.

Madison is over it.

Yes, I resorted to candy that will probably the cause of a cavity for a few moments of peace on the plane.

My thoughts EXACTLY!

Don't let them fool you. That lasted for about 2 minutes.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Rascal Flatts!!!

They were incredible!! Tim and I went last night to the concert and it was amazing. Taylor Swift opened for them and I just love her. We had the best time. We also got to stay in town for the night and we were without our kids for a full 24 hours!! It was so nice to just have fun and hang out. Our pictures weren't great b/c we just took them with Tim's blackberry, but when we go next year (yes, this will now be a yearly thing for me and my man) we will take better pictures.



Waiting in line to get in
 
Goodnight Y'all!!
Jay, Gary and Joe Don
More awesomeness
This gives you an idea of the technology in the show. It was by far the best concert I have ever seen!
She rocked!
Taylor with her sparkling pink guitar