Singing in the Rain

One day last week when I went to my sister's house it was sprinkling rain.  My nephew Paxton was running around out in the rain just a giggling.  It tickled me so that I had to take a few pictures.  Peyton joined in as well.  I just love how it doesn't take much to amuse little kids just a few sprinkles of rain.  He is growing so fast.  It seems like just yesterday Janie was pregnant with him.  He is so darn cute!

Happy Anniversary

Today 13 years ago I married the man that God created just for me! We have been through so many seasons together! We started our journey living with my 70 year old grandmother after my grandfather died. We lived with her for 3 years and built our house the last year of the three years! It wasn't easy being newlyweds living with someone but that is where God wanted us at that time. I was able to spend some precious time with my grandmother. She died about a year after we moved out! God has blessed us with two little ones that we can't imagine life without now! I feel so blessed to have married my best friend! There is nothing that I can't share with him (the good and the ugly). Even though it hasn't always been a bed of roses, there is nothing that we can't overcome together! He is a great Christian man and has always put his family first!


Tonight we went to dinner together at Bonefish.  This is one of our favorite places to eat.  My sweet mother-in-law took the kids out for a fun night (Wal-mart and Chick-fil-a).  It doesn't take much to entertain them.

My sweet husband surprised me with this yummy edible arrangement today.  The kids couldn't wait to get home and dig in!

This is a song we had sung at our wedding.  It is old but I love the message!

Happy Monday!

Tiger Mania

Our LITTLE TIGERS!

On Saturday morning we all got up around 5:30 and were on the road around 6:15 to see the Clemson tigers play Florida State.  It was a great day for college football even though it was a little warm.  I have to say short dresses and cowboy boots are definitely the uniform for college football games.  McKinley and I counted up to 100 pairs of cowboy boots before we lost count.  We had a great time walking around "Tiger Town" counting all the cowboy boots.

It was so funny because one of my co-workers and her husband and daughter went to the game this weekend as well.  We were surprised to discover that our seats were right beside them.  How funny was that.  We had great seats on the 40 yard line in the lower deck on the shady side of the stadium.  There is nothing like the excitement at Clemson football games.  We love the campus!  We just wish it was a little closer.  We had a great time and look forward to going back soon!



Look at all the ORANGE!



The kids touching "Howard's rock".

Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Vaught

Last weekend I attended Brittany Collins and Bradley Vaught's wedding.  It was a very nice ceremony and the bride looked absolutely beautiful.  I met Brittany while playing Bunco about a year ago.  Her mother-in-law plays Bunco with me and Brittany became a sub when people had to be out.  She added so much excitement to the group.  I have enjoyed hearing all about her wedding plans each month. 

I did learn a new dance at the reception called "The Wobble".  Can't wait to break it down at my friend Amanda's wedding in October.  We had so much fun dancing that my legs hurt when I got home.  I went with my bestest friend Cindy!

Serving with Humility

I teach the youth at our church!  On Sunday our lesson was about serving others.  We started out the lesson discussing what some of our unique abilities are.  I asked each youth, "What is something you do that everyone can't do?" Of course we had lots of responses: play a musical instrument, sing, speak in front of a crowd, etc. 

We then began to read the scripture for this lesson: Romans 12: 3-16.

Romans 12:3-4  For I say , through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.  For we have many members in one body, but  all the members do not have the same function.

To demonstrate how to put others before yourself, we washed each other's feet.  We discussed how Jesus humbled himself and washed His disciples feet as an act of love.  What an amazing experience this must have been for the disciples.

Me washing Charlie's feet



Meredith washing Hannah's feet



Charlie washing his sister, Meredith's, feet.  How sweet!!

Then we discussed that we are all a part of the body of Christ but we are equipped with different spiritual gifts. We each have a different function within the body!  This was a great lesson for all of us!

Also last week as Ethan and I were traveling to get our haircut we listened to KLOVE as we always do in our car.  He was just a singing in the back seat.  He has always had a little speech problem but as he sang all the words were just as plain as they could be.  I just thanked God that my children can praise Him through song.  What a great gift!!!

This is one our new favorite songs on KLOVE!

What a Weekend!

The kids have had a very busy weekend.  Deer hunting season started on the 15th so Ethan was up bright and early to go hunting with his granddaddy.  He looked so cute in his hunting clothes.  He found a turkey feather while in the woods so he brought it home to share with us.




Our Little Hunter and Chloe

Ethan with Granddaddy!



Saturday morning I took McKinley to the optometrist to have her eyes checked.  She has been having trouble seeing the board at school.  She ended up having to get glasses because she is a little near-sighted.  We had so much fun trying on all kinds of glasses.  She was very pleased with the ones that she chose and they look so cute on her.  She was able to get 2 pair because they had a special at Vision Works.

She had a lot to choose from!

Doesn't she look cute in her new glasses?

Hope that everyone has a great week!

5 Things Friday

This has been a very busy week with school, dance, football practice, and Bible Study!  Here are my five things for Friday.

1.  Monday night my family and I celebrated my 36th Birthday.  We had dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Carrabba's.  Our kids love this place too.  Of course they don't eat off the kids menu any more.  Their favorite dish is Sirlion Marsala.  My sister and Peyton joined us.  My birthday was officially on Monday.

2.  At school Monday, my sweet friend Anna K.  made a delicious apple cheesecake dessert for the first grade teachers for my birthday.  Last year we started this tradition.  We celebrate each first grade teacher's birthday.  This is great for morale and there is nothing like something sweet at the end of a hectic day!

3.  I am enjoying my Bible study; Discovering the Voice of GOD.  This is a study written my Priscilla Shirer.  So excited about what God has in store for me through this study!

4.  This week at McKinley's school they celebrated Grandparent's Day!  Both of her grandmothers were able to attend.  She was so excited and they even signed her out early from school!

5.  Today some of the teachers from our school went to see The Help after school.  I had just finished the book so I was very excited about seeing the movie.  It was great and I highly recommend it!  It will make you laugh and cry!  Afterwards my friend Jeana and I checked out the shoe sales at Belk and found a great deal of some very comfortable Dr. Scholl's shoes.

Happy Friday everyone!!!!

A Night with Friends

Last night I celebrated my 36th birthday with my wonderful girlfriends.  God has blessed me with the best friends.  These are the women that I talk with on a regular basis.  Each one of them hold a special place in my heart.  After a busy week at work it was nice to just hang out and talk with my  friends.  We had dinner at a little Italian place called Benny Rappa's.  The food was wonderful and the atmosphere was even bettter.  My great friend, Callie,  did a great job organizing this little get together.   I have so much to be thankful for!  God has blessed me with 36 wonderful years and the best friends that a girl could ask for!  Thanks girls for a great evening!




Jill, Callie, Me, Kristi, Charlotte, Cindy, Janie, Anna, Katie, and Kim





Me with my sweet sister



While I was out Curtis was home with a house full of girls!  We had to give up our king sized bed so they could all sleep together.  We ended up in the guest bedroom for the night!  The things we do for our kids!!!!!

Random

We have had a pretty productive Labor Day weekend.  On Friday Ethan brought home a Social Studies project that he was very excited to get started. His teacher has challenged her students to see how many state license plates they can find while traveling.  Since we knew that a lot of tourist would be in the area this weekend,  we started this right after school!  On Saturday we had to run out to Tanger and looked there.  Later we headed over to Wal-mart and discovered even more.  So surprised to see a California license plate way over here on the east coast.  So far we have found 23 of the 50 states.  We even saw one from Quebec.

We were also able to spend  a lot time hanging out by the pool this weekend because the weather was beautiful. We had such a nice breeze out by our pool.   I was able to catch up on some reading.  I started the book The Help and I am already half way through the book.  Also found some really good recipes in my Family Circle magazine.  Going to try to make a Cheeseburger Quiche sometime this week!

We stayed up late watching the South Carolina and ECU game Saturday night,  so I spent some time working in some of my stations for school.  Mckinley jumped in and helped me organize them!  We were proud that the Clemson Tigers won their game on Saturday!  We were pulling for ECU of course!

Beginning Sound Match



Last year at a Clemson game! GO TIGERS!!!!