Family Pictures 2012

Cancel, Cancel again, FINALLY.........

Family pictures are almost impossible to get done!  First we cancel due to Lee not being home in time.  Second time we cancelled due to atrocious winds and a grumpy baby girl!  Finally, 3rd times a charm, we were able to get everyone together, in a decent mood and perfect weather.  Woo.... I feared it would not happen and for another year, poor Marlee would again not be on our living room wall.  

Thanks to Angel, being able to come at the last minute, we were got dressed and ready for pictures.  I am sure Angel clicked hundreds of pictures and we ended up with one, one I tell you, one!!!! family picture that everyone is looking and not making a silly face!  Should it be this hard????

She was able to capture our family at our purist and for that I am thankful!  We are blessed beyond measure to have one another.  There are times this mommy wants to lock herself in the bathroom (although you moms know that still doesn't provide much quiet time).  But, we truly love one another and that is what it is all about!

Thank you, Angel, for taking our pictures!  

Our Little Slugger

Our little slugger experienced his first baseball battle wound last night.  Mommy was in the stands socializing while daddy was on the field.  Next thing I know I hear crying and you know how a mother knows her child's cry.  I am proud to say that I didn't completely overreact and let daddy handle it on the field.  But........ of course my baby wanted his mommy and quickly came to receive his dose of mommy compassion and love.  He did survive and got back out there to practice!  He is our tough little man and we know that this is first of many, sport related "battle wounds". Oh, how we love him!!!

Christmas Time is Here!!!!!

I love Christmas for so many reasons!  I love the traditions, decorations and how excited children are about the festivities to come. We always put our tree up the day after Thanksgiving, Trey just can't wait until it is up!  Another tradition we started last year is the Elf on the Shelf (picture courtesy of Angel Bowen).  It is so much fun and the kids LOVE it!  We don't put too much emphasis on Santa, society does that enough for us.  Our elf, Zeke, leaves notes for the kids, makes messes in the house, prays and reminds the kids to pray with an occasional scripture verse to start our day.  We want our kids to enjoy Christmas, but to also understand the TRUE meaning of the holiday.  
This is also the first year I have taken the kids to see Santa, at the mall of course.  I hadn't planned on going this year, then my friend Tammy called and invited us to go. Trey was so determined to go, that I gave in and off we went.  It was on a school night and we are driving to the Lakeland Mall at 6pm  with a six year old, 7 year old and two two year olds (you probably already see what our future holds)!!  We get there, go up to Santa and of course the girls want NOTHING to do with him!  So, as you will see in my picture below, mommy sat on Santa's lap this year too!  

Oh, the things we will do for our babies!  

Praying Parent

Dear Jesus, please keep my babies safe and healthy....... 

This is how I prayed for my kids, well maybe a little more in depth, but not as detailed as I should have been.  I am currently in a study class at church, based on the book, "The Power of a Praying Parent".  I grew up in a healthy, faith based home, where we prayed together and read the bible together.  Heck, my grandma would wake us up each morning singing one of those "old" hymns and send us out the door with a new scripture every day.  I feel like I should be a "professional" prayer, but I AM NOT!  This book by, Stormie Omartian, is phenomenal!!!
I like to read; BUT with 2 little ones, a house to keep clean, dinner to cook, a full time job, baseball practice, etc. it doesn't always fit in the daily schedule.  This book was read in the bathtub at night or after everyone else was in bed, whenever I could find time to read it, I did!  Every chapter is a new reason to pray for your kids with a prayer at the end to walk you through it.  Her stories are amazing and ones that we can relate to with our own children.  
As my life becomes more hetic by the day, so it seems, I see more proof that I need that alone time with God.  Why am I trying to maintain my sanity alone, when God is there waiting to help me. We all know that raising two stem-winders (as my father-in-law calls them) can cause some moments of insanity!!!
I encourage you all to read this book and explore her other books, I have a list of them I want to read myself.  If you read the book, let me know what you thought of it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0736922067/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1M4M6R35B6PH1XDY1W73&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1389517282&pf_rd_i=507846