a daddy, a mommy & one precious little boy

She was Great Y'ALL ♥

2011-11-20T22:36:00.006-06:00

Back at the end of September my mom and I had the pleasure of being in the presence of the one and only, Queen of the South, Paula Deen. We attended the Houston Metro Cooking and Entertaining Show. We had great seats on the floor, and we just laughed until we cried. She is everything you imagine her to be, especially when she is free from not concentrating on cooking. She actually didn't cook a thing, her hubby, Michael and an assistant did the cooking while she entertained us! We had such a great time and of course there was some great shopping at the show also. It was the perfect girls day!

5 Blessed Years

2011-11-14T13:16:00.005-06:00

Well now I have gotten myself into a position that I am going to have to catch up on Fall stuff too! I am going to start off with a very important and exciting milestone we just reached. On October 21, John and I celebrated 5 extremely blessed years of marriage!

In the last 5 years we have grown from being two crazy in love young people who weren't sure exactly what the future held to two crazy in love parents who cannot contain all that God is pouring out for us. We see an exciting future in ministry and things God has in store that we could have never imagined! We are so thankful for the plan that He has for us and what a blessed life we live! I pray that every day our hearts continue to be so hungry for Him, His people and His work! We seem so little in this scheme, but we have such big jobs to do... and we are so excited and on fire to do them!

Our schedule didn't work out quite like we had hoped for the week of our anniversary, so we only got to have a quick little getaway to celebrate! We also had to be back for my precious nephew's 2nd birthday bash and so we just stayed downtown by the Galleria and enjoyed some time just the two of us! We are lucky to live in a city we love, so even our little getaways are simply perfect. We love staying by the Galleria... it makes it really easy to relax yet still shop and do all that we want to do in a short amount of time. We took our R&R pretty serious on this stay; we stayed in our room and rented movies and just spent some peace and quiet time together for the majority of our stay. We snuck in some shopping and delicious food, and our tradition of getting cheesecake from the Cheescake Factory and taking it back to our room! But our number one goal was to just chill... and we completely achieved that... and it was PERFECT!

I have said it 982, 467, 582 times and I will continue to say it every day of my life. God blessed me with the absolute best man in the world. And he is continuing to grow into the most incredible man of God, husband and daddy. I could not be more proud and more excited that he is mine! I love you so much John Sheffield, and every day I wake up beside you is the best day of my life ♥

Sweet Summer Time

2011-10-18T22:42:00.050-05:00

Yes. It is October 19th and I am posting about summer. As Fall and the Holidays approach, I am realizing that I will have so many memories to record and I slacked so much this summer that I practically skipped a whole season. So, now I am playing catch up! I have to be ready for all the Holiday cuteness coming our way!

Memorial Day

Randy's cousin's come for a visit!!!

Rainforest Cafe'

Taking a ride on the ferry!

Fun in the sun!

Hangin' out with the Hesters!

Kenzi spends the week with us!

D'Amico's Italian Market Cafe

Shopping in the Village!

Fun with the Fam!

And this is the real story... HAHA!

The Grandkids!

Randy and Brady's first trip to the movie theatre to see Mr. Popper's Penguins!

Breakfast at Cracker Barrel!

Dinner with our besties!

Grandpa Turns 85!!!

July 4th

Family

Downtown - Hubcap Grill and The Chocolate Bar

Laci and the kids come to Texas!

Cook-Out at The Farmer's

Fun With Randy

2011-10-17T20:03:00.027-05:00

Just playing a little catch up! Here are some sweet pictures of our amazingly precious little guy and some fun things we have done with him lately!

Rae Rae took him on a date to the Houston Museum of Natural Science to the Dinosaur exhibit and a few of the other exhibits as well. He had so much fun and really wants to go again!

Eating at the Spot in Galveston!

The Train Museum. Such a neat place and perfect for this train crazy little man!

Having some ice cream on the Strand!

My handsome guys. I am so in love!

Having fun at Chuck E Cheese!

Blues and Burgers at Discovery Green Park. What a gorgeous day!

Tractor Time!

I am one BLESSED girl!

Seeing The Lion King at the theatre!

On a date with our little man at one of his favorite restaurants!

Vacation - Great Wolf Lodge

2011-09-14T19:23:00.030-05:00

The Great Wolf Lodge was completely amazing. It is the only place I have been that is Disney quality but not owned by Disney. This resort has everything you could imagine and more. And the town of Grapevine is the ultimate place for family fun. Besides the Great Wolf Lodge, there is the Gaylord Texas Resort, Grapevine Mills, The Seal Life Aquarium, Legoland and lots more. It was the perfect family vacation!

And at last, the rest of our vacation pictures...

Excited about the water park!

Lovin' us some Steak N Shake!

Getting ready for story time!

The Sea Life Aquarium

Vacation - Grapevine, Here We Come!

2011-08-29T20:25:00.016-05:00

On the way from Dallas to Grapevine we had to stop for TWO Happy Meals. This kid is going through some kind of growth spurt. The same kid a month ago I had to FORCE to eat!

Before we went to check in at the Lodge, we met some of the family at Taco Bueno.

My Aunt Donna and Uncle Jim and some of my cousins all had their kids in Grapevine and were leaving the day we got there. Lynzi and Asher were with them because Laci and Ryan were at General Council in Arizona!

Randy getting ready to help the Bellhop!

Very AWESOME place!

The Wolf.

This picture should really have it's own post. This is a wooden snake that we bought Randy at the General store at the Stockyards. My family and Shane's family arrived before Chad's family and mom. I can't name any names, but someone brilliant had the hilarious idea to put this snake in the bed where my mom would be sleeping. It is a very "wiggly" snake. That part is important. After everyone arrived and was settled in, my mom sat down on her bed and felt something lumpy. I urged her that she needed to see if something was wrong with the bed. When she pulled the covers back the weight of them hit this wooden snake just right so that the head "bobbed" up right at her. And then came one of the best moments of the entire trip. I am sure you can imagine.

Vacation - Dragon Slaying

2011-08-18T22:33:00.014-05:00

This post quite honestly has nothing to do with dragon slaying, except for the fact that my 3 year old is a hoot! But I will get to that in a minute!

My brother Shane and his family came up the day before we were heading to the Great Wolf Lodge and also stayed a night in Dallas. It was my sister-n-law, Wendi's, birthday and they had decided to celebrate at Medieval Times and invited us to join them! We had a total blast. Randy was just captive to the horse riding, sword fighting and jousting. He enjoyed everything about it... he even liked the food, which was not ordinary "3 year old" food!

As soon as we got there Uncle Shane bought him a sword that lights up and makes noises and his night was made. At one point, before the show started, he looked at Shane and said, "It is my oath to slay that dragon!" We had such an entertaining night. When we got back to the hotel, Randy was running around sword fighting and talking in a British accent like they do in the show and it was pretty close to perfect! I wish I would have thought to video it, it was classic!

Thank you Shane and Wendi for making us a part of the celebration!

I think this is his "dragon slaying" face!

We were the black and white team... and our knight won! Woo hoo!

He was not real enthused about taking pictures with the knights!

Vacation - Fort Worth Stockyards

2011-08-15T22:17:00.019-05:00

The Fort Worth Stockyards is one of the neatest places in Texas I have ever been! It is so unique with things you won't see anywhere else along with a Gruene and San Antonio feel. We had so much fun shopping at the General store and all the neat boutiques and markets. Randy was completely taken with the cattle run, petting zoo and train ride! This is one place I can't wait to visit again... maybe when it isn't a scorching 110 degrees outside! We didn't have time to fit it all into one day but there was so much we didn't do, they have all sorts of shows and rodeo events as well!

Did I mention it was 110 degrees outside? I could have easily found a bathroom, stripped down and wrung out my clothes. But I wasn't sure anyone would enjoy my naked butt standing at the hand dryer for an hour while they dried :D So, for everyone's enjoyment... I kept my clothes on and enjoyed the feel of sweat dripping down my back!

Cattle Run

Randy named Sheriff of the Stockyards :)

This could be the cutest picture ever!

Randy's dream come true...

It is so cool to see this train just pull right into the middle

of all these shops and restaurants.

Soaking up the AC in First Class, Praise the Lord!

I did not get a picture because my batteries died in my camera while on the train. Bummer. But Randy was just so blessed on this ride. We got to sit directly behind the Engine and when we got to the point where we had to turn around, they switched conductors and the conductor who had been driving came and sat right beside us. He was all decked out in his overalls and hat; Randy was completely mesmerized. It was an hour of pure delight for my sweet little man!!!

Let the vacation begin...

2011-08-14T20:15:00.017-05:00

We had a blast on our vacation to Dallas and Grapevine! We started our trip off just the three of us staying a couple of nights in Dallas. Well actually, Addison, by the Dallas Galleria. I grew up visiting Dallas about four times a year for the Dallas Apparel Market when my mom and aunt owned their children's boutique! We always went shopping at the Dallas Galleria and it is awesome, so I knew I wanted to be close! It sits just outside of Downtown Dallas. We were right in the middle of all the best food and shopping!

When we first arrived in town some of our wonderful family friends who moved up that way a few years ago and now live in Allen, came and met us for lunch. We had a couple hours of absolutely cherished fellowship. I was beyond thankful to get to spend time with Mark, Terri and Maresa Cooper!

We had so much fun just getting away and spending some quality time just the three of us. We had lots of good food, good shopping and did some neat things for Randy's enjoyment!

Mark and Joy had told us to take him to The Magic Time Machine, which wound up being the street over from our hotel. It is a great place for family fun; all the waiters are dressed up as different characters from throughout history and each section of the restaurant has a specific theme. Randy wasn't feeling great while we were there but he still managed to have a good time. We requested Sheriff Woody to be our waiter and he was great!

Randy got Sheriff Woody's autograph!

He wasn't real sure about taking a picture with him though...

More vacation fun to come...

Jus' Mac Me Happy

2011-08-13T14:35:00.003-05:00

John and I went to a new place that we came across on the Internet for date night last night. It is a little place in Houston called Jus' Mac. They serve any kind of macaroni and cheese you can imagine, panini's and salad.

It is a small, quaint little place that has indoor and outdoor seating. It was perfect for a fun date night. The macaroni was delish! It is served to you in an individual size cast iron skillet and stays piping hot through the entire meal. I had the Taco Mexi Mac and John had the Chili Cheese and Frito Mac. There are tons of add-ins and you have a choice of a thick layer of crunchy toasted bread crumbs on top... John had that and I regretted not adding it to mine. You can also choose what type of pasta... white, whole wheat or something else I can't remember!!!

I would definitely recommend Jus' Mac. It is great for date night or a night out with family or friends... especially if you are mac and cheese lovers like us!

http://www.jusmac.com/Jus-Mac-Menu.html

Memorial Weekend on the Boat

2011-08-04T20:22:00.019-05:00

Pawpaw took us out on the boat Memorial Day Weekend! It was a blast as usual and we pulled in and docked to eat at Boondoggles in El Lago. The last time I ate there was about a week before John and I met! They have great food! We had a wonderful time and that evening after dinner rode out past Kemah also, which of course was packed; we were thankful we were on the boat and not the Boardwalk. It was a hot summer day and beautiful summer night!

Summer Here, Summer There, Summer Everywhere

2011-08-04T00:55:00.015-05:00

So I am trying to keep somewhat of an order to this catching up so I am going to cover several small events, two extremely special events and one awesome surprise in this one post. I just have soooo much to catch up on and so many great pictures and memories to note!

First off, could this not totally be the cover of baby GQ??? He is so handsome!

My former boss and forever dearest friend, Monica had a birthday! We went to the school and had lunch to celebrate! Randy just loved all the women, can't you tell?

Double date night at T-Bone Toms because mommy was craving ribs. Nonny was Randy's date!

Randy began brushing his teeth by himself. And then I have to come up with some excuse of why I need to brush them also when he is done :)

My best friend, Joy, got baptized. It was an incredible day!!!

My beautiful sisters and the little stinkers too!

ChelseaHall Ward had her baby! Jack Marshall Ward...who now is just a little chunky ball of sweetness and looks nothing like this anymore!!!

Randy and Brady almost tore Cherry Berry to pieces in a fit of excessive toddler energy one afternoon after church! And the ice cream didn't help...

And the surprise of the summer... one of my other best friends, Ali, is going to have another baby! We were pregnant at the same time with Randy and Jade and at the current time she is 9 weeks along and just had her first ultrasound. I am guessing, GIRL! So, we celebrated with homemade rotisserie chickens for lunch and chocolate for dessert! And Randy and Jade had wonderful afternoon of play!

Boardwalk Fun

2011-08-02T15:26:00.010-05:00

So I have an entire summer to catch up on, and I know I will never get to it all, but I am sure going to try my best!

Randy loves the Kemah Boardwalk! He loves the train and the rides... but it is just so darn hot in the summer, so we have only gone a few times lately! Here are some pictures of my cutie patootie!

That is one sleepy boy...

Faster than Lightning

2011-07-07T00:04:00.014-05:00

Ok, I get so upset with myself when without even realizing it, I go on these blogging hiatus'. It has almost been 1 full month since the last time I blogged and it seems like it was yesterday. So, once again I am going to have to cram in the posts to catch up. I can't just skip it all because nowadays I don't do much scrapbooking and so blog books have become the memory keepers! Stuff I find I have skipped over when I look back at pictures I just journal about or write in Randy's baby book. But I can't skip a whole month, that would be ludicrous.

At the moment we are in Livingston spending some quality time with John's Mawmaw and Pawpaw Hood, his Pawpaw has been ill with cancer. We are having a great time but now that the house is at rest I thought it would be a good, peaceful opportunity to begin catching up.

I think I will start with a post about my little man, of course! He is growing faster than lightning could strike a tin man holding a metal pole in the air. He has too much personality for one toddler to contain, and has quickly become way too smart for his own good. He is a kid now, not a baby in my arms. But this is my baby. This is the little bean that before he was even the size of a grain of rice inside of me was taking me on a heck of a physical roller coaster... where most of the drops were headed straight down, way...way down, straight into the toilet bowl. When I closed my eyes, I didn't see sheets of black like a normal person; I saw bright white porcelain. I saw the bowl of my toilet more than I saw my husband. One of the places I find myself most comfortable is sitting on the floor, and I am pretty sure I owe that to hours upon hours of sitting, laying, even wallowing all over a cold, tile floor in our beautiful little bathroom in our apartment. This is the little baby that when I held him in my arms for the first time made that 8 months of agony look like a piece of cake. He was and still is my glimmer in that darkness, my little slice of Heaven here on Earth! And I am just not, not ready for him to be so grown up. It doesn't matter how many times someone says to you "Enjoy them while they're tiny, they grow up so fast"; you just have no idea the truth in that. You can't fathom the truth in that.

Now I know he is still "little", he is only 3 years old. But I mean, in 4 or 5 years I am going to be dropping him off for school and he is going to be asking me not to kiss him goodbye because that is not cool and I am going to tell him to get over it and pin him down and then that is just going to make him hate it even more. I can see it already. This sweet little mohawked ball of personality is going to blossom and become the social butterfly and always have better things to do than kiss his "old" mommy. Do you women my age realize that? When we were in elementary we thought every one's moms were so old, before we had much concept of age... YEP that's us now, by the way. I know I am sounding crazy and I am. Crazy for this child. Seeing Randy here today playing with his Great Grandparents, watching him be this precious, concerned, loving little spirit. Watching God's love pour out of a 3 year old. I can't help but see how much he is growing and developing. I could not be more proud to be this baby's momma! I love him with every ounce of anything that is in me. To "infinerry" and beyond as he would say!

I don't think I ever even wrote a post way back when to say that he was officially potty trained. Back around his birthday it became completely official. He had done so well since before Christmas on peeing but for whatever reason would have random spells like 2 weeks at a time where he would still poop his pants. And then one day, i just realized it had been like 3 or 4 weeks since we had one of those spells and never did again. We have been so blessed to not have a bed wetter either. He has never once wet the bed, and I do consider myself extremely blessed for that!

He has learned to swim this summer and is doing awesome! We swim several days a week and he has turned into a regular little fish. At the first of the summer he didn't even want to get in the water and was terrified to go under or even get his face wet and thanks to Mark and my hubs... all he wants to do now is jump off the diving board and be thrown in the pool!

He is just the most amazing little person. And he will always be my baby :) He will, I know he will! I made him pinkie promise me the other day, and then afterwards I explained to him that you could not, under any condition take back a pinkie promise...even for some girl when he is 35...40...no 45!!! ♥

Three New Recipes

2011-06-10T00:48:00.005-05:00

I tried out three new recipes today and they were all delicious! I will be making all of them again very soon.

The first one is a yellow queso recipe that is not all that different from the one I already make, but I think this one is my new favorite...the spicier the better! It is a Pioneer Woman recipe. Randy just received a personalized autographed copy of her new children's book! She came to Houston for a book signing and we missed her but my sister in law, Kayla went and got the boys books!

Revved Up Queso

32 oz Velveeta Cheese
10 oz Rotel Original
1 lb Jimmy Dean Hot Breakfast Premium Pork Sausage
7 oz chopped Green Chilies
1 whole Yellow Onion
1 whole Jalapeno, or more to taste

Dice the onion. Using a nonstick sprayed skillet, cook sausage and onions until brown, stirring occasionally. Once browned, drain some of the fat from the skillet.
Cube Velveeta loaf. Add cubes to browned sausage and onion mixture. Add can of Rotel (juice and all), can of green chilies (juice and all), and stir over low heat.
Cut the top and bottom off the jalapeño, slice into matchsticks, then rotate and slice to create a fine dice. (For a spicy version, leave seeds and white membranes. For a milder option, remove them.) Add to queso and stir.

♥

This next recipe is one that I ran across on the Food Network website while looking for another recipe. It consist of a lot of my favorite ingredients. We have made homemade pizzas before, but never on the grill, and they were absolutely amazing... and fun too! We loved the grilled crust; it is a perfect combination of ingredients. And I hope you all have someone in your family who is as great on the grill as my husband... this was the best grilled chicken he has ever cooked. I would highly, highly recommend this recipe, it is the perfect summer lunch!

Grilled Chicken Taco Pizzas

1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for brushing
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 16-oz tube pizza dough
1 packet chicken taco seasoning
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
2 avocados, chopped in large cubes
1 lime (juice)
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 Red onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream
Cilantro

Mix 2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning and the canola oil and pour into a Ziploc bag. Add the chicken to the bag, turning to coat, and marinate 30 minutes.
Preheat a grill to medium high. Grill the chicken until cooked through. Let cool, then cut into bite-size pieces.
Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Roll out each on a floured surface into an 8-inch round. Brush with canola oil, sprinkle with taco seasoning and grill until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes per side; remove from the grill.
Mix the cheeses in a bowl, then sprinkle on the crusts and top with the chicken. Return the pizzas to the grill, and cook until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes (I did this step under the broiler instead). Meanwhile, mix the avocado, tomato, lime juice, another spoon of taco seasoning, red onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Top the pizzas with the avocado mixture, sour cream and cilantro.

♥

And of course, what would a meal be without dessert? This is another Pioneer Woman recipe. These are completely mouth-watering. Very sweet, very rich, very gooey... I had to cut them in pretty small pieces. But over the course of the day, we have eaten quite a few of those pretty small pieces :) Oh and the title is hers as well...

Knock You Naked Brownies

1 box (18.5 Ounce) German Chocolate Cake Mix (I used Duncan Hines)- do not prepare according to package
1 cup finely chopped pecans
⅓ cup Evaporated Milk
½ cup Evaporated Milk (additional)
½ cup butter, melted
50 whole caramels, unwrapped
⅓ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, chopped pecans, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, and melted butter. Stir together until totally combined. Mixture will be very thick.
Press half the mixture into a well-greased 9 x 9 inch square baking pan or 8 x 11 rectangular. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and set aside.
In a double boiler (or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water) melt caramels with additional 1/2 cup evaporated milk. When melted and combined, pour over brownie base. Sprinkle chocolate chips as evenly as you can over the caramel.
Turn out remaining brownie dough on work surface. Use your hands to press it into a large square a little smaller than the pan. Use a spatula to remove it from the surface, then set it on top of the caramel and chocolate chips.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for several hours. When ready to serve, generously sift powdered sugar over the surface of the brownies. Cut into squares, and carefully remove from the pan.

Enjoy ♥

Family Zoo Day

2011-06-08T21:28:00.010-05:00

We had a family zoo day with some of our family and it was so much fun! Randy is just crazy about his baby cousin, Hollie and we are so thankful that Ryan and Tiffanie moved back from Chicago so that they can see each other so often. It was a great day and I can't wait to do it again!

Randy looks a little miserable in most of the pictures... he was so sleepy and just not himself; he wound up getting sick later that night, so that explained it!

Crawfish Boil

2011-06-01T23:30:00.014-05:00

Some of our best friends, Mark and Joy, had a crawfish boil at the first of May! It was a total blast and everyone else really enjoyed the crawfish :) I don't eat it but I sure had fun watching everyone else get all nasty and smelly while I enjoyed a nice plate of brisket!!! I actually did taste it for the first time and just honestly, hated it. I figured I would since I don't even eat seafood, but my hubby talked me into at least giving it a try; no thank you!

Family Frolics

2011-06-01T22:49:00.009-05:00

At least one Saturday night a month we spend the evening with my mom, and Auntie and Unckie! We usually tag along with them to eat a hamburger at Millers in Clear Lake, a long time family tradition and then go shopping at Stein Mart, Babies R Us and Carters and whatever else we can squeeze in. Then we end the evening with Unckie's favorite, ice cream from Baskin Robbins! Every now and then, when I can talk them into it, we will switch from Millers to Cracker Barrel. I love the food, but I love the store even more! We always have so much fun; our Saturday night out memories are so special to me! We have as much fun with them as we do with anyone! And Randy of course loves it because with this group in tow, he gets spoiled rotten! Here are some pictures of our most recent family frolics...

Mother's Day

2011-05-24T19:42:00.009-05:00

Genesis 4:1 "With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man."

Eve must have been so bewildered as she began her journey of motherhood. She didn't have a mother, aunt, sister or best friend who had been there before to rely on for help and advice. She didn't have a doctor or books to read or Google to hop on and search out the best remedy. All she had were her instincts and a total dependency on God. But if Eve ever did doubt or question whether she could do it, she answered her question in Genesis 4:1. "With the help of the Lord."

Motherhood is the greatest gift I could have ever been given. It was sure not something I was prepared for, I don't think anyone ever is. I had no idea the joys and struggles it would bring upon my life. There is nothing that brings more joy than a kiss from my sweet little man or hearing him say his prayers or watching him talk his life away. While there is nothing harder than having to discipline him and learning how to do so accordingly, or watching him cry over a busted knee. I never knew that the word MOTHER stands for pretty much every occupation in the books; it is every job in one. And I would have never known that even though there is no pay, you will never feel so rich!

This Mother's Day I was beyond blessed to look back and see what has transpired in my life since the day I became a mother. This title has changed my life and it has been one amazing ride, and I am only on my 3rd year. I have definitely had some learning to do, and my biggest lesson has been that of Genesis 4:1. "With the help of the Lord." I am surrounded by wonderful women who have been there, done that and have bushels of priceless advice. I am married to the most amazing man who could not be a better, more committed father and husband whose son absolutely adores him. But even then there are those days, the days when no amount of advise or help is just what you need. And it is in those times that the Lord's hand in parenting shines. When my strength in Him is the only thing keeping me from pulling my hair out. And when His comfort and control is the only thing that gives me the patience I would otherwise so easily lose. And I am not saying that I am perfect, even still, there are the days I lose the patience and then have to remember to seek the Lord and let Him take control. But He never intended for us to have to do it without Him. That is why he let us know from the beginning. Genesis 4:1 "With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man." When I think about it, it is actually pretty awesome to think that there is nowhere we can relate to Him better than in parenting. It is after all, even His ultimate job! Thank you Lord, for this gift and for your faithful guidance! God knows there is nothing better than being a parent!

The Friday before Mother's Day my best friend and sister n law, Rachel took my mother n law and myself (and Randy) out for a fabulous girls day as our Mother's Day treat! We had lunch at a tea room, ice cream and lots of laughs! It was a great day. Thanks Rae Rae, we love you!

Mother's Day

One of my favorite prezzies :)

Bible Study - Possessing Radiance

2011-05-24T16:16:00.014-05:00

Study by, Andrea Pharris

Radiance - an attractive combination of good health and happiness.

In today's society the word "radiance" is something you would most likely hear in association with a bride. "The bride looks radiant." Radiance is said to come from one thing: basking in the glow of love.

This is something most women desire. Especially when we see another "Radiant" woman, we most likely think, "I want that".

Radiance is something that women of God should possess. A Radiant, Godly woman is confident and rests in the glow of the Lord's love above all else!

How to be a Radiant Woman of God:

1. A Radiant woman spends time lingering in the Lord's presence; like Moses.

Moses lingers in God's presence for 40 days

Exodus 34: 29-35 "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was RADIANT because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near to him and he had given them the commands the Lord had given to him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lord's presence to speak with Him he removed the veil until he came out. When he came out and told the Israelites what had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord."

2. She stops at nothing to bring the Lord praise.

Psalm 34:1-8 " I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. Come let us tell of the Lord's greatness; let us exalt His name together. I prayed to the Lord and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to Him for help will be Radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed and the Lord listened; He saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the Lord is a guard; He surrounds and defends all who fear Him. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him."

3. A Radiant woman is devoted solely and completely to the Lord. "Sold out for God."

Mary Magdalene is the perfect example of a Radiant woman!

She followed and stayed faithful to Him from the time He healed her.

Luke 8:1-2 "After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. The Twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out"

She never left Jesus' side, and never failed to show her love for Him.

Luke 10:39-42 "She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Jesus first appeared to her after the Resurrection because she stayed at the tomb in relentless search of answers.

Mark 16:9-10 "When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him and who were mourning and weeping."

When a woman possesses Radiance, she pursues and seeks after the Lord fervently and relentlessly.

4. A Radiant woman keeps her eyes focused on Jesus.

Philippians 3:12-16 "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind is straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained."

When you keep your eyes on Jesus, you are intentional about reflecting His Radiance to others. When we seek Jesus, our lives are centered and focused.

Gary Thomas - " Everywhere around us we are reminded what happens when we stop tending to things. A garden will be overwhelmed by weeds, cars break down if the oil isn't changed. If we don't shower we will stink. In the same way if we aren't intentional about being radiant, not only will we stop glowing, we will regress."

5. Radiant women possess and seek the fruit of the Spirit.

Galations 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law."

Radiance is rare, like the fruit of the Spirit, it takes work and a true relationship with the Lord to obtain it.

Read: Proverbs 31

A Proverbs 31 Woman sums up what being a Radiant Woman is. She loves serving those around her, but above all, she loves serving the Lord!

A Radiant woman knows that we only have one life and soon it will pass and only what has been done for Jesus will last! A Radiant women is so in love with Jesus that she spreads His love wherever she goes!

Lord, let us beam with Your Radiance. Let our love be Radical so that our lives are Radiant! Let us never forget to bask in the glow of Your love!

Remember when we were younger...

2011-05-20T01:47:00.017-05:00

and all you could talk about was having babies?

This post is dedicated to one of my oldest and best friends, Chelseahall Ward. She is within a couple of weeks, maybe even days of having her first baby. She is already an amazing mom to her step-daughter but is about to engage in the full experience! And what an experience it is!

Well Chels... your time has come! All that talk is now a reality. I look back to high school and can remember you just beaming, talking about having kids one day, as you were already experienced from being the town babysitter. And I can remember thinking, "she is craaaazy." Boy did God show me! And now I look at our lives and see that everything is as it should be. Our dreams, (mine being a little different than they once were) have all come true. We are still lacking in having neighboring homes with a slide connecting them.. but you know, we still have some time to work on that! :) And though we are all grown up and have our own families and other things that consume our time and we don't get to spend a lot of it together as we once did; this moment is still something I have been waiting a long time for! I cannot wait for that phone call letting me know to get to the hospital, that baby Jonah Mac Ward is about to make his Grand Debut!

Not that you need it, but if there is any advice I can give you, it would be these things:

1. Don't listen to everything the books say. Our moms brought us up just fine and their advice is usually best.

2. Your baby is not going to break. You can actually scrub his skin in the bath and it is not going to fall off. He may seem fragile, but God created him to be held, bounced and played with!

3. Hold that baby boy all you want. They are only tiny for a little while and are too young to get truly spoiled. If you want to stay up until 3am just holding him and watching him sleep, there is nothing better!

4. Let him sleep when he wants and let him eat when he wants. I never put Randy on any kind of schedule at night as far as feeding. He let me know when he was hungry and that is when he ate. During the day it was about every 4 hours. From 3 weeks to 3 years I have had a baby that sleeps an average of 12 hours a night... and I fully believe he is a product of not being woke up to be fed... it can create habit. Just put him to bed with a full tummy!

5. Make time to focus on Stephen. God knows you are going to go crazy over that baby, but there is also someone He intends for you not to forget; your husband! I will say that sometimes that is not easy, it takes an effort at first. What is easy is getting caught up in taking care of a newborn, being sleepy and busy feeding and changing and cleaning up. The moments you will spend with the 3 or even 4 of you will be priceless, but so will the ones with just you and daddy... for the rest of your life. The moments you finally pull away for a date night only to get to dinner and not be able to talk about anything but your little man. It is hard leaving at first, but you will get used to it. It is ok to call 12 times the first few times you leave him somewhere... eventually my mom would just answer the phone and say "he's fine" and then hang right up on me!

6. Enjoy every single moment. Take it all in. Take pictures, take video, write everything down. What you are about to embark upon is the most amazing thing we can be a part of here on earth. I am sure you laugh to hear me say it, but there is nothing like being a mommy. But it just goes by too fast. Every moment will be something you treasure for the rest of your life. Every smile, every giggle, even every middle of the night wake up call! I can actually say the few times that Randy did wake up in the middle of the night and we just got to sit in the dark, just me and him, rocking and listening to him breathe with our cheeks touching were some of the most precious, and intimate moments. And I know that one day when he is grown, I will be so desperate for those moments again.

7. And last but not least... there isn't always a right way to do things. Those things they call "motherly instincts" are going to kick in and you will be surprised at how quickly they do. You are going to make mistakes. There are going to be days where you think, "how are either of us still alive?", and there will be days where you feel like you absolutely should be named Superwoman... and you should! But when you feel like you just can't figure it all out, just let God show you the answers...He is a pretty great parent, after all! Every day is not perfect, you are not perfect, only your baby is perfect :) and actually that is not even true in reality. But God trusted you enough to be the best you can be... and I know you will be! Some days it is scary, some days it is hysterical, some days it is a total delight...but every day, it is the greatest joy God could have given you!

I love you, I am proud of the mother you already are and are about to become and I cannot wait to meet Jonah Mac ♥

Banana Dog

2011-05-19T14:46:00.005-05:00

I am a catalog lover. I pretty much get every single one that is produced. Randy even likes to curl up with me on the couch and look at the ones that seem interesting to him! A couple of months ago, around his birthday, we were looking at a catalog that is mostly little odds and ins and gift type items. At the top of one of the pages was a little wooden figurine that caught his eye. It was a "Banana Dog". It was carved and painted to look like a wiener dog made out of a banana peel.

After that, tt was all he could talk about. He carried the magazine around for days and days talking about Banana Dog. He and his Nonny even made up a song about it; and in the meantime she had ordered it for him to surprise him!

The song goes like this:

Baanaanaa Dog! You're just the cutest little, Baanaanaa Dog!

What will we do with you, Baanaanaa Dog? Baanaanaa Dog, Baaanaaanaaa Dog, WE LOOOOOVE YOOOUUUU!

Sorry the video is sideways, I cannot seem to get it to flip...

He was so excited when Banana Dog came in the mail! He plays with him all the time and we have even had a broken ear that already had to be fixed. He will randomly bust out with the Banana Dog song while playing or driving down the road. I think Banana Dog will always be a part of our lives now!!!

Date Night with Friends

2011-05-18T17:53:00.009-05:00

Several weeks ago we had a group date night with some of our closest friends! Ginger and Danny, our cousins and then Mark and Joy and Jim and Kymala, who are also more like family than anything else!

We had a complete blast! We ate at The Melting Pot! Four of them had been there before and then for the other four of us, it was our first time. It was the neatest experience. I love chocolate fondue and now I love cheese fondue as well. We all did the Big Night Out, which was 4 courses; cheese, salad, meat and dessert. The meat was my least favorite just because you cook your own meat in the fondue broth and I am paranoid about my meat being well done... so in the end, most of my meat wound up pretty overcooked! Dessert was DIVINE. The best was the Chocolate-Turtle fondue. Most of us agreed that if we go again we would just do the cheese and dessert course. It was such a lovely evening with some of the people I love the most in this world - and some of the people who make me laugh the hardest!

Mark and Joy

Jim and Kymala

Danny and Ginger

John and Chelsey

Toy Story 3 on Ice

2011-05-18T13:28:00.005-05:00

Okay, I keep getting extremely behind on my blogging! We have so many exciting things happening and going on in our life right now that I just don't find much time to sit down and blog! But I am going to make every effort in the next few days to get caught up, even if I have to do more than one post a day! I have life things, Randy things, and Bible Studies running out my ears that need to be blogged about! I am starting to have blog books printed since this is pretty much how I keep up with memories these days; I sure have no time to scrapbook anymore!

Back in April, we took Randy to see Toy Story 3 on Ice. We made a day of it and had such a fun time. We had lunch at one of our new favorite hamburger places, Becks Prime. It is more of an upscale hamburger joint downtown! The food was incredible and surprisingly, they have some of the best chips and queso I have ever eaten anywhere. After lunch we went to the Galleria and did some shopping and took the boy to get some Toy Story stuff from the Disney Store. Then of course we had to ride the Galleria train and have his and daddy's favorite cookies from The Great American Cookie Company! Randy was in such a great mood and kept us in stitches all day long. Before we knew it, it was time to head to the show at Reliant. We had amazing seats, 7th row VIP seats! It was totally worth it, the seats were comfy and I think being close kept Randy's attention even better. We had a blast and Randy still talks about that night. I love making memories for this sweet boy!

God always has a way...

2011-05-11T17:51:00.000-05:00

... a very creative way of revealing things to us. I am one of those people that God always uses a lot of little signs to confirm things to me. Sometimes He will just flat tell me something and I know without a doubt what it is He has for me, or wants me to do. But then there are times that He will lay things on my heart, let me pray about it a while and then begin to drop hints everywhere I turn to confirm what it is He is telling me. What I am about to tell you about is more along the lines of the second scenario, but even still very creative and to me, mind blowing.

Have you ever had the Lord lay something on your heart, most likely something to pray about only to find down the road (even if it was years before), it had a very specific purpose? You just never know why the Lord lays certain things on your heart, but you almost always find out... and it is so exciting when you do. Here is one of those times in my life!

This story may end up being a little scattered but I am going to do the best I can to weave it together in an understandable manner.

Adoption, for a long time has been a desire I have had in my heart. Actually, before Randy was even a thought and back when I didn't think I ever wanted to bear children myself, I always thought I might want to adopt someday. Unfortunately, John did not have the same heart. For years I have teased him, just trying to soften him to the idea and told him that I was going to just bring him home a little Chinese baby one day and surprise him. But, his response has always been the same; no interest. And that was understandable, many people don't have that desire.

And then one beautiful day about four months ago, that all changed. After a very awesome church service one Sunday afternoon John sat me down and told me he needed to talk to me about something. It is rare that John gets so serious about anything and I just wasn't sure what to expect. He said that morning the Lord had completely changed his heart about adoption, in the blink of an eye, in the course of one moment of worship... the Lord had completely changed his heart. Please understand that this was not even something we had been praying about or talking about at this point. Now yes, there have been plenty of times that I have asked the Lord to change John's heart on this, but recently, I have to say that no... it had been a while since it had even crossed my own mind. I was ecstatic, and so was John. God had done a complete transformation from not ever wanting to do it at all to wanting to spend the next 3 hours on the Internet studying up on Chinese (because that is what I thought I wanted) adoption processes. I could absolutely see and feel the joy and desire for it spilling out of his newly transformed heart. As we began our research we quickly found that in order to adopt from China, both parents must be at least 30 years of age. John is 27 and I am 25, but that did not bother us because in all reality this is something that is probably at least 5 years down the road anyhow. America's #1 Chinese adoption agency, The Great Wall of China Adoption Agency, is nestled right here in Texas with headquarters in Houston and Austin. We saw that they will be doing a conference sometime this year for people wanting to adopt in the future; John signed us up on their email list so we would get the information when they nailed down all the plans. And for the time, that was that!

Now, let's rewind back to a random Monday night back in APRIL of 2007. John and I had just gotten home from our ETS (Equipping the Saints) class at church. We had gotten in bed and were reading and praying. As I was praying, the Lord said "Pray for BULGARIA" and to continue doing so. Now, being the brainiac that I am :)... had never heard of such a place, or thing. John said he was pretty sure it was a country. About that time my phone rang and it was my cousin Ginger, her and her husband are the student Pastors at our church. I told her what the Lord had told me and she confirmed that Bulgaria was indeed a country. We talked about how some girls from our church were going on a missions trip to Romania that summer and that maybe, somehow it had to do with that because they are near each other. So, I began praying for Bulgaria. Prayers over the country and the people of the country since I felt no specific direction to pray other than that. My cousin Laci and her husband Ryan are Assemblies of God missionaries and I had also told her about the Bulgaria thing. A couple of weeks later, late one night I received an excited phone call from her. If I remember correctly, they had just had some kind of missions conference and one of the speakers, was one of our only Assembly of God missionaries in BULGARIA. So, as we talked it hit us both about the same time; maybe the Lord was going to call us to be missionaries to Bulgaria. It was one of those moments of panic. Don't get me wrong, I have always had a heart for missions and at times I have wondered if in fact my calling would someday turn me to the mission field, but at the same time my heart dropped to the very pits of my stomach. And then in another instant I felt a complete peace. I told the Lord I knew He had a plan and we would be obedient to that plan. And quite honestly, after that moment of panic, I never really felt like we were going to be called to be Bulgarian missionaries. I continued to pray for Bulgaria for a really long time and I honestly can't even remember when in fact it was that I stopped.

Now, let's fast forward to one random night in APRIL of 2011. I was sitting at my desk late one night studying my Berean coursework and reading some scripture, I believe in Matthew, when the Lord brought Bulgaria back to my mind. That still, small Voice once again said "Pray for BULGARIA". Tears came to my eyes as I thought "Lord, what do you have in store?". It had been a really long time since I had thought about Bulgaria. So that night not only did I begin to pray for Bulgaria, but for God to reveal what connection it was that I was going to have to Bulgaria.

Two days later I logged into Yahoo to check my emails. It had been a few days and the junk mail had really piled up. I began going down the list clicking boxes for deletion. I clicked a box that in the sender column read "Children of the Nations". As I went down to the next email the title of the former one caught my eye and something prompted me to un-check the box and see what it was. The thought crossed my mind that maybe it was something from the Assemblies of God missions department or something along those lines. I finished deleting the unneeded emails and then scrolled back up and went straight for the "Children of the Nations" email. Before the email was even completely loaded, my jaw was on the keyboard. The top of the email read "WILL YOU BE THE NEXT FOREVER FAMILY FOR A BULGARIAN CHILD?". It was one of those moments where there were so many thoughts and emotions racing through my mind, I could hardly focus enough to even read the email. And then it got even crazier. I quickly realized as I began to scroll down the page that the email had been sent from The Great Wall of China Adoption Agency. "Wow, Lord!" His work is so intricate. So perfectly timed. So detailed. So full of meaning and purpose. So faithful. So creative. The list goes on and on. Well, it just so happens that this CHINESE adoption agency has decided to host and help this BULGARIAN adoption agency. So now through them you can adopt Chinese or Bulgarian. And while you have to be 30 to adopt from China, you only have to be 25 to adopt from Bulgaria. I have never seen anything that looks so random to the eye, but in reality is so divinely appointed. I couldn't go back and arrange anything to fall the way this has. To be confirmed the way this has. To be appointed the way this has. God is just the Master Craftsman, of all things.

And just another little confirmation to add is that several days after all of this revelation, my cousin Laci sends me a text that said they were at some sort of missions meeting and got to meet and talk with the new missions representative for the area of BULGARIA! So this is the second time this has happened within days of the Lord revealing things to me about Bulgaria! Wow.

Now, I am not telling you that we are about to be bringing home a new baby. There is still a lot of prayer and situations that have to fall in place before this can take place. We know that the Lord has His own timing for this to take place and it is not right now. It is most likely several, maybe many years down the road. We will most likely have another child of our own before this takes place. It is all according to God's timing. I just had to share this story to show what an incredible God we serve. A God who has a plan and a purpose for us. And a God who will go out of His way to reveal those plans and purposes to us. We just have to trust Him and always listen to what He is telling us. Four years ago, I had no idea that I was praying for a country that would most likely birth my own child. I had no idea that the prayers I was sending up was quite possibly over a woman who would become a mother that for whatever reason will not keep her child. I had no idea that my prayers for a country that I didn't even know existed would one day mean so much to me and have so much purpose in my life. So, until the day comes that God reveals more direction and timing on this, we will just continue to pray. But you can bet there will not be a day go by that I do not pray for Bulgaria and for a child that is not yet even a thought to a woman who will most likely, someday entrust me and my family with her baby. The thought just sends chills down my spine. God is so, so good!

Easter Weekend

2011-05-03T20:57:00.014-05:00

What better way to celebrate our risen Savior than to start the weekend with people you love and end it with worshipping Him?

Saturday my mom did lunch and an Easter egg hunt for the boys and our family! It was a great day full of fun. The boys wore themselves out!

After church on Sunday we had lunch at my Auntie's house and then went to visit Charlie and Cindy that evening. John had to work for the first Easter since we have been married. Brady and Randy wore matching outfits and looked precious. We did not get a good picture of them side by side. It was not the best day for Randy; we were up from 3am-6am having growing pains in his legs. So, he was tired and out of sorts. You can see in his Easter morning picture that his face was swollen from crying for so long.

Overall it was a wonderful weekend full of love and the presence of the Lord!

We went strawberry pickin y'all...

2011-04-27T20:09:00.012-05:00

For some reason this post makes me want to talk like Paula Deen. We love her. So read it with your best southern drawl y'all!

A couple of weeks ago (I seem to be behind on blogging again), we took Randy to pick strawberries at Froberg's Farm. He had such a blast. It was a lot of work for mommy and daddy to make sure we were getting the best of the best, but it was worth it! The strawberries were not real big, but they were delicious and plentiful! We also enjoyed shopping for veggies and of course, their hot and fresh fried pies!

So, we had to really come up with some yummy ways to use up with our gargantuan buckets of strawberries. I actually still have quite a few frozen that I haven't even used yet. But Joy and I did come up with a new, totally delicious dessert that we have already made. It is the strawberry rendition of a dessert my mother-n-law makes with pears and that Joy makes with cherries! Any version is wonderful but if you need to get rid of some strawberries, this is a delicious way to do it!

Strawberry Crunch

3-ish cups sliced strawberries or enough to cover bottom of 9x13 inch pan
Sugar for strawberries
1 box strawberry cake mix or chocolate cake mix
1 1/2 sticks butter
Vanilla ice cream

Slice strawberries and cover with sugar. Let sit until sugar and juice have formed a syrup. Then pour into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Take a fork and lightly mash strawberries (you don't have to do that step if you like bigger chunks of fruit). Take cake mix and sprinkle over top of strawberries. Cut butter into thin pieces and line to cover top of cake mix. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes, or until top is golden. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! YUMMY.

When Joy made this, she made it with half of the pan strawberry cake mix and half chocolate cake mix. They were both delish but the strawberry was our favorite!!!

ENJOY ♥

Befuddled.

2011-04-21T21:27:00.006-05:00

I would like to take this moment to protest the fact that I am losing my mind. I keep finding myself in measly little predicaments that I could really do without. I used to do quite well for myself at keeping everything in accord. I lived a pretty systematic lifestyle. Planner, calendar, total organization. I really began seeing things crumble when I became pregnant. I have full confidence that there is a hormone production of some kind during that time that really takes a toll on that part of your brain. And then once you aren't pregnant and those brain cells have already been destroyed, you add a baby to the picture. Then that baby turns into a highly energized toddler and steals every last bit of focus you had. And that my friends is what causes most mommies to look completely befuddled, like they haven't had a shower in 3 days (because they have probably forgotten the whole concept), and puzzled half out of their minds. It happens people. And I only have one of these boogers. Lord help me if you loose those brain cells with every pregnancy.

It is the only logical explanation for why I keep running into these situations that are totally out of character for me. And these are only the most recent. This has been happening for 3 years now.

Examples:

1. Making plans with my sister n law to take the boys to pick strawberries. Getting there and waiting an hour for her to show up, only to find out that I had told her a total different day than actually planned.

2. Continually leaving a load of wet laundry in the washing machine every night so that it sours and has to be rewashed every morning.

3. Setting a reminder in my phone that says "reminder" with no details so that when it went off I had no clue as to what I was needing to be reminded of.

4. Wearing my underwear inside out. 3 days in a row.

5. Forgetting things I was committed to until the night before I was committed to doing them.

6. Continuing to think I am 24, when in fact, I am 25.

7. Always looking for my phone when I am leaving the house, most of the time to find it is in my hand.

Oh the horror. And seriously, I absolutely did wear my underwear inside out, 3 days in a row. How do you do it that many times knowing you had done it the time before? I should have been concentrating on not doing it again. But most likely I was focused on keeping my 3 year old from running off with them on his head.

This is life as we know it. There is some piece of my mind that is no longer harmonizing and syncing up with the other part. 25 people. I should be at least another 25 away from these things happening to me.

Bible Study - Forgiveness

2011-04-19T15:19:00.008-05:00

Study by: Ginger Boyer

In the book of Matthew (18:23-35) we see a story of a servant who begged his king to forgive his huge debt, but refused to have mercy upon those who owed him much less.

Then in John (8:4-11) we see the people anxious to stone the adulteress woman. Jesus tells the person without sin to throw the first rock, but none of them fit that description, except Him - the one she had truly sinned against. He told her to go and sin no more and showed mercy to her just like He has shown to you and me.

One of the most important things the Lord tries to make clear to us is that our own forgiveness is conditional on whether we are willing to forgive others. Forgiveness is from the heart, not the mind. We must forgive to be fully forgiven.

Our real battles are not of flesh and blood and they are not ours to fight. Direct your anger toward the enemy (Satan), not the person.

Forgiveness does not justify a wrongdoing - it makes you free. The Lord did not ask us to justify our sins, He simply forgave them.

Matthew 6:14-15 "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

Psalm 85:2 "You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins."

Psalm 103:12 "As far as the East is from the West, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

1 John 2:1 "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have on who speaks to the Father on our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One."

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

Mark 11:25 "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."

Colossians 3:13 "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

Jeremiah 33:8 "I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me."

Matthew 18:21-22 " Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you not seven times but seventy - seven times."

Luke 6:37-38 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as as in Christ God forgave you."

These scriptures show us how important it is for us to forgive others, from our closest friends and family, to our worst enemies. Because our true enemies are not of flesh and blood. Now that we see how we must forgive, we can see how we are so graciously and mercifully forgiven by our Savior and King.

Isaiah 1:18 "Come now let us reason together", says the Lord. "Through your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; through they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

Colossians 2:13 "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins."

Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more."

Ephesians 1:7 "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace."

Psalm 32:1-2 "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Bless is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit."

Mark 3:28 "I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them."

Isaiah 55:7 "Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon."

Colossians 1:21-22 "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation."

Romans 4:7 "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered."

2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Hebrew 8:12 "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Acts 2:38-39 "Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call."

Psalm 79:9 "Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake."

We were so unworthy and so unclean. But God saw our worthiness and chose to make us holy by crucifying His child for our transgressions. A price that didn't have to be paid, but was, for every single one of us. As long as we accept it and live for and in relationship with Him. We all need to take a look at our lives and the people in it. Are you holding un-forgiveness in your heart? Maybe it is not for anyone but yourself? Sometimes it is our own filth and shame that cause us to not seem to be able to find ourselves worthy of forgiveness. But He found us worthy, worthy of dying for. Worthy to spend an eternity with Him!

Forgiving is loves revolution against loves unfairness!

Snippets

2011-04-12T23:09:00.016-05:00

I clearly don't do a great job of keeping up my blog like I used to. Previously I was very consistent with posting every other day or every two days. I am really lagging here. I usually do my blogging late at night which is now consumed with studying. Or I would do it during our hours of outside play which is now usually spent down the road swimming with the Peace's. And computers and pools don't mix. So, I am now just squeezing it in wherever I can; and as much as I love doing it, I will continue to find time to squeeze it in!

We did so many fun things during "spring break". I never found the time to finish writing about them all, but there are too many cute pictures to just bypass the events altogether. So, here are a few snippets from the rest of our fun activities.

One day we spent the day in Galveston. We started with lunch at the Spot and then the rest of the afternoon and evening at the Strand. It was a wonderful day of family fellowship!

The day before Randy's actual birthday Uncle Chad, Laleigh and Brady came and spent the day. We wanted to do something special for Randy. We spent the afternoon at the park and then headed to Kemah for the evening. It isn't one of our favorite places to eat, but we ate at the Aquarium so the boys would have fun and be entertained. Then we rode rides and ate ice cream to finish off the night!

One of our best friends, Mark, is a ship pilot. On one of his days off there was going to be one of the biggest ships that has ever come through the channel pass through. So, we went and hung out at the Monument Inn and watched. At first from far away it really didn't look that big, but once it got up on us, it was huge!!! A very cool experience!

Happy 50th Birthday Maw Maw!

2011-04-10T00:36:00.009-05:00

Although she doesn't look a day over 35, my beautiful Mother in law turned 50 years old on April 7th!

There are so many things to say about this woman that I could write all night long and not run out of things to say. She has not only become my second mother in the last 6 years but has become one of my best friends! I could sit and talk to her for hours and hours and hours (and I have) and absolutely never run out of things to say. Her heart has an endless capacity for love. Her tenderness and grace are more than comforting. Her wisdom is never ceasing. The testimony of her life will change the lives of thousands, if not millions of women some day; I know it will. God has blessed her with a brilliant anointing in writing skills and I can't wait to see what He has for her future on the matter. She is a one of a kind woman and we as her children are more than blessed to call her mom. And even more so, her grandchildren are blessed to call her Maw Maw. She is the true portrayal of exactly what you would picture a (young) grandmother to be. A soother, a nurturer and one fun, hip lady :D

I love you Cindy! Thank you for always being there and for being you.

Oh and P.S. - I can't wait for that trip :)

Tea For Two... or Seven!

2011-04-06T17:48:00.009-05:00

Spring Break didn't mean the same thing to me this year since I am staying at home now. But, I still got to look forward to it because it meant that a lot of the people I spend my time with were off and out of school!

For about the past 6 years, during the time we both worked at the school together, my mom and I have had a tradition that the Saturday after we got out for Spring Break we would spend the day shopping and eating at a Tea Room. This year we had a wedding that day, so we had to move it to the first of the week. The last couple of years Randy and my niece Kenzi have joined us as well! But this year we made it a family affair. Auntie and Tyler joined us along with my sweet hubby. We had so much fun!!!

Randy's 3rd Birthday Party

2011-04-03T18:22:00.021-05:00

Randy's birthday party was a total blast! It was at some of our best friend's home. Mark and Joy have a beautiful new home perfect for entertaining, there was plenty of fun for everyone!!! We had a jump jump for the kids but the real excitement was the firetruck. My awesome brother Shane and sister n law Wendi have a friend who owns a vintage fire truck and as a gift to Randy rented it and John got to go pick it up and bring it to the party. He was able to give rides to all the kids and parents too!

It was the perfect day full of fun and fellowship! Randy loved his birthday!!! Thank you everyone for making it such a special day for such a special little man!!!

Birthday Boy

2011-03-28T15:16:00.007-05:00

On March 19th, my big boy turned 3 years old. It seems unreal that 3 years have passed so quickly. He is growing into the most amazing kid! I cannot even imagine what the Lord has in store for this incredible boy.

On the day of his birthday, daddy was at work. We hung around the house, sang Happy Birthday and did the birthday dance all day long and then made cupcakes that night! He even had to have candles on his peanut butter and jelly at lunch.

His party was this past Saturday but that will have to be a completely different post! So for today, here are some pictures from his actual birthday!

Oh, he also kept telling everyone that called him that day that he was 10! Not sure where that came from...

Cirque du Soleil Ovo

2011-03-25T22:49:00.013-05:00

John, Randy and I were blessed with tickets by some dear friends to go see Cirque du Soleil Ovo! It was one of the most amazing performances that I have ever witnessed. Our seats weren't too shabby either; 7th row - dead center. With the way everything is set up it literally felt like we were sitting on the stage because the 1st row is only about 2 feet from it. There were several times throughout the show that there were some "bugs" that wandered through the audience and being in the front section meant they came right down our row! That part Randy wasn't too sure about, but it didn't bother him too bad!

I took a picture of the stage about 10 minutes before the show started and it was almost completely dark so it did not turn out well. And then the nice "camera watchman" came and told me there were NO pictures AT ANY TIME in the tent. Totally my bad, I just thought it was during the show. (Even though there were flashes going off everywhere!) So with all the strength I had, I put my camera away for an entire 3 hours; you all know how hard that must have been for me :) So, these pictures that I am going to post are some I found on Google; the costumes and stunts were just too brilliant to not have pictures to remember!

I truly can't find words to describe the immense talent these performers possess. It is inspiring and completely breathtaking. It is truly a spectacle to be seen! We can't wait to see more Cirque du Soleil shows; we all enjoyed it and Randy was completely absorbed... he talked about it for days!

This specific show is a total riot of excitement in the world of insects. The story is centered around a mysterious egg discovered by a new bug in town who falls in love with a resident ladybug! Oh, and Ovo is Portuguese for egg - in case you were wondering.

That is just a handful of the hundreds of fascinating acts performed. Another spectacular moment was the finale! At the very end of the production thousands upon thousands of tiny tissue-like butterflies came fluttering down in an array of magnificent colors and completely showered the stage and first section. It was the perfect ending; although I really, really didn't want it to end!

Bible Study - I'm In Love Cont.

2011-03-22T15:02:00.008-05:00

I'm In Love, I'm In Love and I Don't Care Who Knows It - Part 2

Hosea 10:12 "Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you."

We saw last week just how much God loves us and the ways that love is proven to us every single day. Now it's time for us to learn about returning that love to our Savior. These are some of the ways our love for Him shows in our lives.

1. We are overflowing with His joy.

John 17:13-18 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world."

To me happiness and joy are very different. The definition of happiness is: the quality or state of being happy, which is to be pleased or content. There are a lot of things or moments in life that can make us happy, but most of those things are temporary. The world is full of temporary happiness's, but not always constant. Even someone suffering from depression could experience temporary moments of happiness brought on by someone or something. The definition of joy is; the emotion of great delight caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying, or an outward show of pleasure; rejoicing. In other words, happiness is triggered by external events while joy comes from within. And in other words, our joy comes from the Lord. If we allow Him to fill us with His joy and the joy of His love and the joy of our love for Him, it will begin to overflow out of us and pour into those around us. Our joy can reveal the Lord to the world. His joy is constant and uplifting. And while the temporary happiness of this world can fade, or the devil can try and take them away... he can not steal our joy of the Lord!

2. We delight in Him and His works.

Psalm 1:2-3 "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers."

I think one of the most important ways for us to show God how much we love Him, is to not only be obedient in our lives but delight in doing so. When we are truly living for the Lord and have a personal relationship with him and are abiding by His commands, we should no longer desire the ways of the world but delight in living a Godly and holy life. We should strive every day to be righteous, and we will be rewarded for that. God knows that it is not easy for us to live a holy life on this sinful earth... but we should want to strive for that holiness and desire that holiness so that we can be more like Him. When we truly fall in love with the Lord, we desire His ways and not our old sinful ways.

3. We are willing to answer His call.

Isaiah 6:8 "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

God knows the plans He has for us. He knows what we need, when we need it. He knows if He can trust us because He puts us in positions to be obedient and gain that trust from Him. He knows when we are ready and when we are not. He knows our desires even before we do and He knows when and if we will have a change of heart. I am saying all of that to lead into this; trust God's call on your life and be willing to say YES! I think sometimes the hardest part in being obedient to a calling on your life, may be that you just don't trust yourself and have enough faith in yourself that you can do it. But God knows that you can. Or maybe sometimes you don't think you desire to do what God is calling you to do, but God knows how fast He can change your heart once you are in a position or situation for it to be changed. Trust God and trust yourself; if He is calling you, say "Yes! Here I am. Send me!" Nothing will prove your love to Him more than being a willing soldier of Christ.

4. We worship Him.

Psalm 100:2-3 "Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture."

You can always see someones love and hunger for God in their worship. Not by the characteristics of it; whether they jump up and down, or weep with their face in the ground; but by their need and desire for it. Your need to worship in the presence of God and dwell in His presence will show Him what He means to you. We were created to worship, that is something that is in us and one of the reasons I am sure people who don't worship God try and find other things or people to worship. I believe that desire is planted in us from the beginning. I always begin my prayer time just worshipping Him because my spirit gets so much in return from that; I can feel His gladness in my worship. There is healing in worship, there is peace in worship and there is comfort in worship.

5. We thank Him.

1st Chronicles 16:34 "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."

This verse is part of a song of thanksgiving that David wrote for the Lord because the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord had arrived in Jerusalem. David was so grateful for what God had done for him and glorified the Lord so much that God made a promise to David that because of his faithfulness the Lord would take care of his household and offspring and that He would make one of David's sons King. If we have grateful hearts like David, God will continue to pour out His blessings on us. Sometimes I like to stop asking of Him and just begin thanking Him in advance for what I know is coming!

1st Chronicles 16:8 "Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done."

6. We praise and rejoice in Him.

Psalm 31:7 "I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul."

When the people around us see us praising and rejoicing in the Lord that can be very contagious. I love rejoicing with other people over something God has done for them. Giving praise and rejoicing is exhilarating and exciting. The angels rejoice when we rejoice. We can rejoice in knowing we are in the hands of a mighty God who loves us so much. And in return our love for Him will create a desire in us to want to rejoice in Him!

7. We fear Him.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 "And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?"

I love the scripture describing the Proverbs 31 woman that "charm is deceptive, beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised". Don't live in fear of the enemy or in fear of what the world thinks or what the world is doing. The Bible commands us to fear the Lord. Fear turning from Him and being out of His presence, Fear disappointing the one who loved you so much He died for you, Fear not spending eternity with Him, fear His judgement, not the worlds. Fear standing in front of Him on judgement day and hearing the words "I knew you not"... you aren't going to care what the people of this world thought about you then.

8. We glorify Him.

Psalm 89:1 "I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations."

In everything you do, glorify the Lord. Let your lifestyle glorify Him, let your words glorify Him, and let your actions glorify Him. Live to glorify the Lord and Him alone. You can't be a better witness than you are if you live a life to glorify the Lord. If people can look at your life and see that you love God and live for Him and serve Him and obey Him... that will be the biggest impact you can make. In other words, don't talk the talk if you don't walk the walk. Leave a legacy, so that if the Lord tarries, your grandchildren and so on can look back and say "Wow, even in this crazy world, they truly lived for the Lord and glorified Him", that will be more important than we may realize.

9. We trust and obey Him.

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

We already talked about trust and obedience when we talked about God's call on our lives. God promises us over and over that He is with us and that He knows the plans for our lives and that we can trust Him. The Word itself is a promise; a promise that He came, He lived, He died, and He is coming back.

Psalms 32:8 "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."

10. We are patient with Him.

Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

We have to dig a little deeper here and realize that God is not only speaking of physical afflictions but realize that "affliction" can be any sort of trouble, grief or distress. It can be the storms of life. We may not always understand why God is allowing things to happen or waiting to do something, but we have to know that He is in control and be patient with Him. His timing is perfect.

11. We serve.

Matthew 20:25-28 "Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Jesus' entire life on earth was spent serving people. We were not only put here to serve God, but to serve His people as well. To be like Christ is to put others before ourselves, that is what He did. By serving others, especially those in need gives hope to them and covers them in the love of God. We serve God by serving others, and by being helpful and willing, by doing our part for the Kingdom just as Christ did while He walked this earth.

12. We give

Mark 12:43-44 "Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on."

Giving is so important in serving the Lord. Giving of our time, giving of our talents, and giving of our finances. If we are faithful in giving these things, God will remain faithful in providing these things. It probably has a lot to do with your spiritual maturity and the maturity of your relationship with the Lord, but you come to a point in life where furthering the Kingdom becomes more important to you than anything else. And if giving of something you may need more will bring more into the Kingdom of God, you give it even if it is a sacrifice. And God honors sacrificial giving and will bless you for it. And then if you are abundantly blessed, you can abundantly bless others and the Kingdom; and God will honor that also!

13. We spread the gospel

Acts 5:42 "Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ."

All I really have to say about this is that THIS is our mission on this earth. This is what besides having a relationship with Him, God put us here to do; spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Tell the world of His love for them. Never stop. This job is not complete until we are standing at those pearly gates.

14. We have relationship with Him

1st Thessalonians 5:17-18 "Pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

As we talked about in Part 1 of this lesson, our relationship with God is more important than any other. When we are in love with God and in true relationship with Him, we should be in constant communication with Him.

It is so important that we show not only Him, but the world how completely in love we are with our Savior. It is ok to be radical over Jesus. We should be radically in love with Him, look at what He has done for us? In the day we live in, the people of the world need to see true Christians being truly in love with our Savior. They need to know how real His love is.

Ring Bearer

2011-03-21T19:01:00.013-05:00

Two weekends ago, Randy was in his second wedding! Both have been friends of ours and couples in our college and career group at church.

The first wedding was Travis Pennington and Julie Grant; it was back in December! Randy did a wonderful job and was the perfect little ring bearer. He was also taken by the little flower girl who was not much older than him. Everything went off without a hitch and Randy danced the night away at the reception and stole all the ladies hearts!

Then on March 12th was Nathan Hanna and Caitlin Garret's wedding. Caitlin, also known as "Cait" has been Randy's girlfriend from the beginning. He has always loved and clung to her. She has even taken him on dates, though that stinky boyfriend (husband) of hers always seemed to be tagging along :) Randy's part in this wedding had a few bumps in the road. See, he was deeply saddened by the loss of his girlfriend, I suppose, and didn't cooperate quite as well as the former wedding! Gabe who Randy is also very close to had to carry snacks in his pocket to give to Randy on the stage because he had proven at rehearsal that he probably wasn't going to stand there like he should. At the other wedding they were under a gazebo and he wasn't as "front and center" as in this wedding... I think he may have had some stage fright. He roamed the stage for a moment after he came down the aisle and of course everyone got a kick out of that, then Gabe wound up holding him through most of the ceremony! At the very end while the bride and groom were at the unity candle, and the audience's attention was elsewhere he came running to me; I was seated on the front row with the mother's, so I was in clear view. Overall it really wasn't bad just not the smooth sailing I figured it would be because he did so well at his first wedding! I told Cait I just think he was mad at her for not waiting on him and marrying someone else ♥ Oh and did I mention that he managed to get everybody's attention again at the reception when he tried to crawl up under Cait's dress when Nathan went to take her garter off? Yep, that's my curious little man!!!

Bazoo

2011-03-11T16:09:00.013-06:00

For three solid weeks , ever since it began to warm up a bit, we have been trying to go to the Zoo. And every single day that we planned to go it turned out to be rainy or too cool. Finally, Thursday was the ultimate zoo day! We had beautiful weather and it felt amazing outside. For Christmas we received a year long, family Zoo membership. It is really neat because we get in free, get discounts on a lot of the stuff in the zoo and get to attend member-only events.

Randy has always referred to the "zoo" as "bazoo". I think when he was learning to talk he turned "the" into "ba" and it has stuck all this time. I love that he still says it because there are not many words that he does not pronounce efficiently, so to hear him "babify" such a simple word makes me smile and long for him to stay little and "babify" all his words. This was Randy's first trip to "bazoo". Not sure how in almost 3 years we have never taken him... but somehow it has slipped by us.

The sun was shining, the sky was clear, the breeze was blowing and it was the perfect day! Randy had a total blast. The new African Exhibit is really neat too. Randy says his favorite animal was the tiger but we spent the most time at the elephants; on a daily basis, they are usually his favorite animal. We ended the afternoon with a ride on the Herman Park train. It was a wonderfully perfect day with the two most amazing guys in the world!

While we were at the zoo, we discovered that Randy knows his right and left. I have not spent time with him working on this, so I guess he has just picked it up on his own. We did all kinds of little test on him like; "raise your right hand, raise your left hand" and "point to the left, point to the right", and so on. I was really impressed that he had learned that for himself!

Family Night

2011-03-10T00:34:00.015-06:00

This is Mark and Joy Peace. They are some of the most precious people in the world to us... and just some of the most precious people in the world, period. We first met Mark and Joy sometime about 4 years ago. They had become neighbors and close friends with my cousins Ginger and Danny when they both bought new houses across the street from each other. One of my first memories of Joy is that after meeting her just once, if I remember correctly, I received a gift certificate for a pedicure in the mail from her while I was pregnant because Ginger had told her how sick I was being. They are the most caring, giving and thoughtful people I have ever met in my entire life. The example I just gave is just one of hundreds of kind things they do for people on a regular basis!

This is a family that God put into our lives for so many reasons and I thank God for them every single day! Joy started keeping Randy when I went back to work and kept him for 2 years until I decided to stay at home. They also started coming to our church and they have completely become a part of our family and our dearest friends! I don't know what we would do without them.

We have been doing family night for a while now, one night a week, usually Tuesday nights. We do dinner, watch The Biggest Loser and now that it is warming up, swim! But more than any of that we have so much fun just laughing... we fit so well together; we are all a bunch of goobers!

Joy has a daughter named Kenzie who lives with them. Mark has a daughter named Rachel and a son named Matthew who live with their mom. And then there is Butter and Daisy... the two most precious Golden Retrievers, who kind of have a weird thing for my husband... they are a little attached :) The whole family is just wonderful and we love them so much!

We are so blessed to have these amazing people in our lives! God's love just pours out of them onto everyone around them and everyone who knows them would say the same! These are two of the most beautiful, special people I have ever known.

We are usually way too caught up in whatever we are doing for pictures, but I did snap a few of everyone in the pool the other night...

Partners in Crime

2011-03-09T22:06:00.008-06:00

My sister-in-law Kayla and I have been trying to get together every week and let Randy and Brady play. They live in Pearland and sometimes Chad and John are both off so they get to be there as well! Randy is almost 3 and Brady is 17 months, so they are getting to the point where they play really well together. Randy is starting to understand that Brady is smaller and can't do and understand everything he does, and at the same time Brady is getting old enough where he can interact and play like a big boy and not get knocked over in the process!

Not to say that Randy didn't nibble on Brady's finger a couple of weeks ago for no apparent reason; but they really love each other so much! I am so thankful that Chad, being 10 years older than me didn't have kids until later in life because it is such a blessing that we are getting to have kids close in age! I thought being the baby, 14 and 10 years apart from my brothers that there would never be a time where our kids were close in age. Not that my nieces Makenzi and Savannah are any less of a blessing but they are teenagers and wouldn't have been eligible playmates for my babies... although Randy finds them both eligible anytime they are around!

These boys love to play. I mean, I can't even describe what they can make a room look like in 2 minutes, flat. I think I am going to start calling them "the destroyers". It takes Kayla and I 30 minutes together to clean up what they can destroy in 2. I am talking rooms and hallways that are un-walkable. I think one or both of them may have capabilities to spin around like the tasmanian devil. BUT, thank you Lord, spring is here. And that means one thing to these mommas - playing outside!!!

There is still a mess (thanks to Kayla bringing out the 150 balls that we keep passing back and forth as a gag gift)... but nothing like the great disasters of the indoors.

Brady decided to pop a squat in my herb box... luckily, these are still the remains from last year!

Randy also has another baby cousin that he is recently getting to spend lots of time and play with. John's brother's family; Ryan, Tiffanie and Baby Hollie just moved back here from Chicago! It is taking some "training" for Randy to understand that girls need to be handled much more gently than boys, but he is getting the hang of it and is loving his cousin Hollie!

Bible Study - I'm in Love, I'm in Love and I Don't Care Who Knows It!

2011-03-07T14:56:00.003-06:00

Our second bible study last week was so blessed with the presence of God! He is already doing so many things among this group of women and He is already showing us how faithful He is. Things that we prayed over last week are already coming to fruition; and I mean life changing things. God is incredible and Satan is trembling. Satan has come against every single one of us, in one way or another this week and He failed. God has shown us things and promised things and the devil has seen it and is shaking with fear.

Last week I only made it through the first half of my lesson. The topic was Falling more in love with God by capturing His love for us. Some of you probably recognize the title "I'm in Love, I'm in Love and I Don't Care Who Knows It!" It's a quote from the movie "Elf". It immediately came to my mind when I was putting this weeks study together. The character skips into a room twirling and dancing shouting those words to the top of his lungs not caring who is seeing or hearing him. I feel like that is exactly the attitude we need to carry with our love for the Lord.

Science has proven that when you fall in love, the following physical changes can occur; glowing skin, sparkling eyes and increased heart rate. It's chemical, hormonal and very real. You could say a heart full of love produces a face full of joy. This should not only be the case when you fall in love with your spouse, but also your Savior.

When I fell in love with John, I wanted to learn every single thing about Him. As our relationship grew, I wanted to please him, spend lots of time with him and talk to him every time I had the chance. Our interest and desire for our relationship with the Lord should be the same way.

Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself." All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

The scripture above shows us that love is not a suggestion but a commandment. Not only to love God first, but to love those around you as well.

Revelation 2:1-5 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place."

This is not only a warning that portrays our deeds alone will not get us into heaven but that our love for and relationship with God is what is of the utmost importance. God is our true soul mate. Our mate here on earth is a gift from Him, but He commands to be held first and have that number one spot in your life. As my life has evolved into becoming a wife and mother, I had to quickly learn how to prioritize my relationships. Each love from Heavenly Father, to husband, to son is very different. I saw that it was so easy to let the two that are here in the flesh take precedence over the One I can not see. I had to learn to separate my love and attention 3 ways and keep my Father first and in the center of the other two relationships. Because if my relationship isn't lined up and where it needs to be vertically, it is going to affect my relationships horizontally. Your relationships here on earth can pull you this way or that if you don't have that center of gravity in the Lord. Make sure your relationship from earth to heaven is in order so that your earthly relationships can remain in order as well. When you have God in the right place in your life, everything else in your life will fall into place also.

To truly be in love with the Lord, we have to understand the depth and sacrifice of His love for us. God is love, He created us out of that love and expects us to return the favor of love to Him.

Jesus dying on the cross was evidence enough of His love for us. He needed not go any further than that but He did and does every single day.

This is how much He loves us (as if dying on the cross weren't enough):

1. He chose us before creation.

Ephesians 1:4 "For he chose us in him before the creation of

the world to be holy and blameless in his sight."

My human mind cannot even comprehend that before God even created the world, he had our lives predestined. Every breath we would take was already planned out even thousands of years before that breath of life was ever even breathed into us. He loves us so much to be so diligent in our creation.

2. He knew us before we were born.

Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born

I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

As children of God we were designed to be different. We were all born sinners but God had a specific plan for each one of us to be set apart from what the enemy was going to do in this earth. He appointed each one of us and put us here to go into the world and speak His name. When I look at the world and think of the times we live in; I can't help but believe that my generation and/or my child's generation will witness the rapture. I am so honored and feel such a weight of responsibility to think that this was the time I was created and appointed for. To be here in such a critical time; that God trusted me enough that I would do the job He needed done in these last days. Think on that and let that it motivate and strengthen the fire within you. If you are reading this, God chose YOU for such a time as this!

3. He created us to be His.

Ephesians 1:5 "In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through

Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will."

God created us as His children. But being God, being the ruler of all and the creator of everything, could have made creation however He pleased. He could have created us and "thrown us out to the dogs" and left us for the enemy to destroy. He could created us and not called us His own. But He is a GOOD God; and that is not at all what He had in mind for us. Instead, He made us to be with Him and to be His children. He desires us to call Him Father and He purposed us to be His for eternity.

4. He loved us first.

Romans 5:7-8 "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us

in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Because He first loved me. Had He not, could you imagine what kind of life we would be living and in what kind of world we would be living it? We just think the world we live in now is bad; imagine it if God had not loved us when we were born into this sin. But not only did he love us as sinners and does love those that remain in sin... but He sent His one and only son to wash that sin away and cover us in His blood. That is the perfect picture of love.

5. He has a plan for us.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to

prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

We have all heard and trusted in this scripture, time after time I'm sure. What a promise to know that God is going to take care of us and has a plan for us. Even when the devil might be trying to make you think you are headed in a bad direction and maybe you have lost hope or are living in fear... just remember that God has your future aligned. Although at times we may not understand a certain struggle, we can know that God never has a plan to harm or fail us and that He is the only one who can see the big picture. He is the only one who can know that trial or struggle may be about to lead you into the greatest blessing of your life.

6. He values us.

Matthew 10:29-31 "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."

Have you ever collected something valuable? Let's take precious stones for example. You know exactly how many you have. You know the colors, shapes, sizes, and each and every characteristic. Or maybe you are invested in Gold. You know exactly how much you have, what its value is and what your plans are for it. That is how our lives are to God. We are His valuables; except we are more valuable than gold and precious stones to Him. He knows everything about us, even the number of hairs on our head. We are worth everything to Him, because He gave up everything to save us and make us His. We are God's treasures.

7. He knows our needs.

Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Not only does God know our needs, but He provides to meet our needs. God didn't create a life where we would have to be burdened with constant worry, but told us that He knows our needs and is faithful in meeting them. If you live in constant worry, that is not of the Lord. That is a way for Satan to keep you down. God tells us we don't have to worry, because He knows what we need even before we know we need it. Don't humor the devil with your worries, that is just what he wants. We are human and there will be times that our concerns get the best of us, but give it to God. Lay those things at His feet and don't let the enemy have that control in your life. The Lord cannot handle our situations if we don't take our own hands off of them!

Matthew 6:7-8 "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your

Father knows what you need before you ask him."

8. He gives us power and victory.

Ephesians 1:18-21 "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the

present age but also in the one to come."

Although at times it may not seem so, WE DO have power in this earth and we do have the right to use it. God has given us all the power in Him that we will ever need to defeat the devil. And even though the enemy will get His time, we know the ending. We know that he gets thrown into the lake of fire and that the people of God will reign. We will have victory in this earth. God has given us the power to change the world around us; let's get busy!

Ephesians 6:12 "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

9. He makes us holy.

1st Corinthians 3:16 "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple

and that God's spirit lives in you?"

God's greatest gift to us is the Holy Spirit. That is how we communicate and have relationship with Him. God loved us so much that He sent His spirit to live in us so that we could be with Him at all times. The God who could not be contained by the heavens has chosen his followers as the vessel of His presence. Paul tells us in Galatians that if the Spirit dwells in us, we will bear its harvest:

Galatians 5:22-23 "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

10. He longs to talk to us.

Jeremiah 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great

and unsearchable things you do not know."

God desires a relationship with us. He desires for us to spend time with Him and get to know Him intimately. The more time we spend with Him and listen to Him, the better we will know His voice and the more things He will reveal to us and trust us with. Our relationship with God is like a beautiful flower. Once the seed is planted it needs to be nurtured, watered, and taken care of daily in order for it to bloom and thrive. Like any other relationship if you do not put forth the effort and spend time together talking and dwelling in each others presence, the relationship is going to begin to wilt and fall flat. As I mentioned earlier, your deeds are not going to get you into heaven. Going to church every week is not going to get you into heaven. Yes, those things are important, but you can do those things and on judgement day still hear the words "I knew you not." KNOW the Lord. Have a relationship with the Lord, that is what He wants more than anything else. Talk to Him daily, several times a day. He is the most important person you will talk to all day long. Give Him the time He deserves and desires. It will be the most fulfilling and rewarding relationship you will ever have.

11. He will never leave us.

Romans 8:35-39 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the

love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

I feel like this scripture says it all... there is NOTHING anyone or anything can do to separate us from the love of Christ. No matter how many times we may forsake Him, He will never forsake us.

12. He has prepared a place for us in eternity and is coming to take us home.

John 14:2-4 "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go there and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

You know the way to the place where I am going."

I cannot read this scripture without trembling. There is so much promise and power and anointing in those words. Not only has He gone to prepare a place for us; a place of mansions and streets of gold; a place where there is no more sorrow and no more pain. Not only is He preparing that wonderful place for us, but He has also promised that He is coming back to take us there and He has given us THE way; the only way home. Through Jesus Christ. So that we may also be where He is, for all eternity.

What a loving, awesome, gracious, merciful, precious, and faithful God. His love for us endures forever.

"His love endures forever" is repeated over and over in the Bible. That is a constant promise that we can seek and find fulfilled. Read Psalm 136 and you will see just how much He loves us and that His love endures forever!

The following is an excerpt from my Woman's Devotional Bible. I thought this story was the perfect ending to this half of the study.

There was a farmer who had an unusual weathervane on his barn.

Inscribed on the arrow were the words "God is love."

A passerby asked the farmer, "What do you mean by that? Do you think God's love is changeable, turning in the wind like an arrow?"

"Oh, no," replied the farmer, "I mean that whichever way the wind blows, God is still love."

God's love is unchanging.

In a world where we can no longer depend on many things to stay the same and remain a constant in our lives; we can depend on the love of God to do just that!

Next week I will be finishing this lesson. Now that we may have captured the depths of God's love for us on another level and have seen His love for us from beginning to end; it is time we return the favor and fall head over heels in love with our Savior. It's time to not be consumed by the love of the world but by the God who is going to save you from this world; He is your knight in shining armor. Stay tuned...

Kenny and Ziggy's

2011-03-04T20:13:00.010-06:00

John and I are crazy about the show Diner's, Drive-ins and Dives with Guy Fieri on Food Network. He has been to several places in and around Houston including the most delicious T-Bone Toms in Kemah that I have eaten at all my life.

My brother Chad and sister -n- law Kayla also watch the show. We decided it would be fun to start trying out some of his stops and when we go on vacations and things elsewhere we can try the triple D stops outside of this area. Chad and Kayla actually went to one in Maine last year!

A few weeks ago we spent the day at the Boat Show in Houston and we started our day out at Kenny and Ziggy's. Guy had gone there back in 2009. John and I have seen it so many times because it is on Post Oak and is really close to Maggiano's, one of our favorite restaurants. Being a deli, and me not being much of a sandwich eater, we had never given the place a thought.

Kenny and Ziggy's is a New York Delicatessen Restaurant and an amazing one at that. We have taken another trip back since our first visit and taken more people because it was just so good. The menu has more items than you can even comprehend...it can actually be a little overwhelming! You are going to have to be willing to pay $17 for a sandwich but do understand they have 10 ounces of meat of them. They can EASILY be shared. But for our first trip we were all about trying it all out and our table was so packed full of food that we could have fed several more families!

One of the items they are most known for is their corned beef. It is like a 60 day process and it is DELISH. I have never been much of a corned beef fan, but this is not your grocery store (or any other restaurant for that matter) corned beef. It is incredible.

I don't remember what everyone else ordered but I do remember that I ordered the Knish Nosh Sandwich. It was 10 ounces of corned beef piled on top of a potato pancake (knish) and covered in melted Swiss cheese. There is only one word to describe it. YUMMY! I also tried the Matzo Ball Soup for which there are dozens of trophies lining the walls for this soup. It was kind of like a chicken noodle soup with a big matzo ball. Not my favorite, but I know it is pleasing someone because it has won some serious prizes!!!

We had such a blast and I can't wait to visit our next Diners, Drive-ins and Dives stop! Oh and on our second visit John met Ziggy in the bathroom :) He was really excited!

Boy: A noise with dirt on it

2011-03-03T14:05:00.009-06:00

...that is a definition I saw recently and couldn't help but crack up. I don't know that I have ever heard anything more accurate! In the last 2 months of you not getting regular updates of my precious boy, he has changed from baby to kid, little to big, dirty to filthy, curious to living on the edge, and rough to ROUGH!

I had no idea what I was in for when my doctor said in my ultrasound, "You see that there? That's a penis!" That sentence changed my life. It took my world for a spin and it has never stopped...some days I feel a little dizzier than others. :) That may sound a little like a complaint, but that is not it at all. I am actually bragging. Bragging that I have been blessed with a gift that I had no comprehension was going to be so amazing, so mind boggling, so adventuresome, so heart stopping, so fulfilling and so perfectly crazy! Being the mother of a little boy is the most trying yet wonderful thing you could ever experience. I would not trade this boy for anything in the world. I would not trade the hard days because as hard as it can be learning to discipline and teach and keep this wild animal...I mean precious baby boy from breaking every bone in his body...even those days turn out to be the best days. Every day of being with this amazing child is full of love and laughter. Lots of laughter.

Randy is just blooming in every area of life. He becomes more brilliant with every breath. He talks to us like he is 20 years old. We were in Old Navy the other day and he pulled a pair of shorts off the rack and I teasingly asked him, "Have you lost your mind?" and he looked up at me and replied, "I don't know Mommy, anythings possible!" His imagination is profound. And at the same time as he is extremely creative and can come up with anything, he is still all boy! Dinosaurs, trains, planes, poop and farts, firetrucks, boats and dirt consume him. Brilliance and poop... sounds a little contradictory doesn't it?

He is growing so fast that I just can't keep up! It seems impossible that he will be 3 this month. How could that have happened? He has gotten so tall and is still very lean! He has all his teeth and has learned to brush them by himself...he loves brushing his tongue! His feet are still like little boats. All his new shoes that I have bought for spring and summer look like they should belong to a 6 year old. My favorite thing right now is to hear him pray! His prayers have become so real and so sincere. Sometimes they are spot on and sometimes they are a little comical! A few weeks ago we were out having lunch and we asked him to pray over our food and he started out by saying, "Dear Jesus, thank you for this day and all our blessings and thank you for my sins..." We all busted out laughing and he just couldn't figure out why we were interrupting him! I will never forget that prayer.

We are ecstatic for Spring. It is my favorite season of the year! We have gotten the backyard cleaned up and ready for some serious outside time. We are about to get it all prettied up with flowers, veggies and herbs galore! This last week has been more than perfect weather and Randy has soaked it up. We have lived outside and it has felt so wonderful to breathe in the crisp, fresh air and sunshine (without the scorching heat). Yay for Spring!!!

Bible Study - Comforts of the Lord

2011-02-27T01:08:00.006-06:00

Last Tuesday morning was the beginning of something that I am more than thrilled about. It is a Bible study consisting of a handful of women; family and dear friends who are more like family. It was one of those spur of the moment things that the Lord decided to throw out there and in a days notice we had a Bible study group meeting at my Auntie's house! It was such a precious time of learning and talking about God and being so intimate with these women I love so much! What a sweet time of study and prayer.

Let me just say that there are few things I find more powerful than a group of spirit-filled women coming together in the Word and in prayer. What a truly anointed time filled with the presence of God that I absolutely can't wait to be a part of every week!

For our first lesson I spoke on the Comforts of the Lord.

Psalm 94:19 - "In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul." OR "When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul."

Webster defines comforts as: " to give strength and hope to" or "to ease the grief or trouble of".

Your first reaction to the word comfort may be things like your family or your home. The smell of dinner in the oven or more obvious things you find that relieving sigh of comfort in. But when you dig a little deeper you will find that even those comforts truly come from the Lord. He is our greatest comfort because He is the Comforter. The Bible shows us over and over that we can rest assured in the comforts of Jesus.

I could write a list a mile long of the comforts we can find in and through our Savior. But here are 5 that I find to be the roots of those comforts.

#1 - The comfort of God's Love

This one is easy and obvious but probably the most important to us! Resting in the love of God can be such a sweet and relaxing feeling. Meditating on His love and in the presence of His love can sweep you away faster than any good romance. It's real and it will not change. It is a love you can depend on like no other.

These are a few of the things we came up with about God's love that are so comforting.

1. It's magnitude

2. It's unconditional

3. It's everlasting

4. It's sacrifice

5. It never fails

Jeremiah 31:3 - "The Lord appeared to us in the past saying "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness ."

#2 - The comfort of God's Protection

God's protection is like a strong house. It will shelter us no matter what kind of weather we face.

Some ways we can find comfort in His protection are:

1. By declaring the name of the Lord.

Our Pastor has taught us that the most powerful words in the human language are "In the name of Jesus." There is so much power in that name. The Bible tells us that when we say those words that demons have to flee. Every time I declare those words I get goose bumps all over and I truly believe that in that moment the spiritual warfare that is going on in the spiritual realm around us comes to a halt. There is victory in that name and in those words. What a powerful feeling. Next time you are scared or troubled or need victory over a battle, close your eyes and declare "IN THE NAME OF JESUS" and imagine those demons that are stirring up those battles all around you trembling and running away in fear of that name.

2. By knowing His Word.

Everything you will ever need to know is in the Word. It is the greatest weapon that God has given us. Know it and know how to use it! It is after all, the Sword of the Spirit.

3. By staying in His will.

We have all stepped out of the will of God at some point in our life. And God did not shun us and say " I'm done with you". He is always there and we are always His children. His love for us never changes but of course His discipline and relationship does. God is not going to force Himself on you and into your life. He wants you to want Him and to seek Him. When we step out of the will of God it can be like taking that dark dirt road that you don't know where it leads. You don't know the curvature of the road, if it dead ends or who might be waiting for you in the darkness. And while God is still there no matter what, that dark road is not near as safe as the one you were on. Stay safe on the path of God where every stone was put in place by your maker, the One who has laid out a perfect path for your life. Follow it! There is a quote in my Women's Devotional Bible that says, "The center of God's will is our only safety." Betsie ten Boom

4. By His Mercy.

This one pretty much speaks for itself. I can't tell you how many situations in life I have been in, from accidents to sickness' to being out of the will of God that I haven't said or heard someone say, "If it weren't for the mercy of God." God has mercy on our lives because he has a plan for our lives.

5. The Armor of God.

Some people may find the Armor of God childish and silly. Something you learned about in Children's church and never thought much about again. But, it is something we have begun taking very seriously in our life. What better way to start your day as a family, or alone if schedules don't allow, than to stand in front of the mirror and suit up with your armor? I challenge you for 1 week to do it EVERY MORNING. You watch and see how much smoother your day will be in those shoes of peace. Will you still face challenges? Of course! Will life still get chaotic? Yeah. But you will have the peace of knowing that you are armored up and guarded from what the enemy is trying to bring against you. Remind yourself and the Devil throughout the day that you are wearing it.

Psalm 55:16-18 "But I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me."

#3 - The comfort of God's Wisdom

God's thoughts are so much better than our own. What a comfort to know that especially on days when we are finding ourselves to be really human-minded that we can turn to a God whose thoughts are perfect. A God who has all the answers. But we also have to trust those answers and that wisdom over our life... even if at the time it wasn't the answer or the wisdom we were looking for!

As we talked about this one we realized we were dealing with two kinds of wisdom with the Lord. There is just the wisdom of God because He is God. The wisdom He uses in planning out our lives; the answers he holds that we may never seek, but that we still trust is there because He is God. And then there is the wisdom that He passes on to us to use and live by.

We can grow in our wisdom by:

1. Knowing His voice.

It is critical that we are in relationship with the Lord and know His voice. It is just as easy for the enemy to try and sneak in "wisdom" and you need to know when you are truly hearing from the Lord.

2. Heed His warnings.

3. Trust His provision and wisdom over your life.

Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways", declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

I'm Back!

2011-02-25T12:58:00.003-06:00

Wow! It has been 2 months since I blogged last. I have missed it so much, especially since I had been making myself do it at least every other day. I blog because I love to write, I love keeping memories of my family and my adventures of life and as a stay at home mom; and so my family and friends that aren't near can keep up with us! I found through this 2 months of not blogging that I have way more readers than I would have ever known. I have gotten messages, emails and facebook messages from so many people just checking on myself and the family since I had been gone so long. Thank you to all of you for caring and I am so glad you enjoy my ramblings!

Everything has been wonderful, with the exception of a sick family member. John's grandfather is very sick with cancer. Prayers are much appreciated and I plan to do a whole other post of the situation very soon!

Actually, other than that everything is more than wonderful. God is doing so many things and working in so many areas of our lives and in the lives of our families and those we love! I can't even begin to express my gratefulness to the Lord for all we are getting to see Him do in our lives and the lives of others. We serve such a faithful and awesome God. He never fails to prove Himself to us; and He owes us nothing because He has already given us everything!

During my break from blogging I worked on my book. Something the Lord was really pushing me to do. I decided for a few months when I had the itch to write or blog that I would put it towards that piece of work. I am not sure if I have ever talked about it on here but I am writing a Christian Fiction novel. Who knows what will ever come of it. I would love to have it published down the road whenever I finish it but if all that comes is the lessons that God taught me alone through it... that would be enough. It is amazing how God can use yourself to reveal things to yourself sometimes. He has used the story I am writing to teach me so many things and answer so many of my own questions. He is such a creative teacher.

I am also really excited because I just got a new MAC. I am a hardcore MAC fan...everything Apple, really. Ever since I switched to a MAC in 2006, I have never looked back! I was beginning to want a new laptop and was thinking about getting one when my sweet husband knocked mine off the arm of the couch and cracked the screen. So, my decision was made for me! I get to go pick it up tonight. They had converted all my files and everything over and were getting all my programs like Word and all downloaded for me. Another reason I love Apple products; you just can't find any other customer service like theirs.

I can't wait to get back to blogging regularly. I feel like I have made some real headway on my book and that I can come back and not put all my focus on that. I like being able to do that creative writing and then just write my thoughts and memories this way. I have missed this more than I thought I would. I have 2 months of catching up to do...so get ready to read!!!

My next blog will be from my new computer! I can't wait!

I'm still here...

2010-12-22T23:02:00.002-06:00

Just no time to blog during these crazy Holiday weeks.

I will be doing some major blogging after Christmas with all the details and pictures... PROMISE!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Yuuummmy Ooooooeeeeey Cookies

2010-12-10T22:51:00.005-06:00

I am going to make this short and sweet because I need you to immediately go to the store and buy these ingredients and indulge. Because you will. And you are not going to want to stop. I might be able to say that I actually ate these until I made my stomach ache.

I had no will power at the time to just stop.

They were that good. Yuuummmy Ooooooeeeey Cookies.

My mom made this new cookie recipe and I just don't know where it has been all my life.

Yuuummmy Oooooooeeeeey Cookies

1 (8-ounce)cream cheese,room temperature
1 stick butter,room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (18-ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner's sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and "gooey." Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Now these are the kind of cookies that if you eat them right out of the oven... you literally don't even have to chew them. They melt right down the back of your throat. I highly suggest eating these freshly out of the oven. They are still absolutely delightful a few days later... but that hot, out of the oven-ness is just beyond any goodness that I can portray to you here.

Must. Have. Milk.

♥ Enjoy

Brownie Bandit

2010-12-07T18:07:00.009-06:00

Randy has acquired quite the sweet tooth lately. He gets it from his father. I love sweets too, but nothing like these boys. I can do with or without them. I love baking sweets more than eating them sometimes!

Not him...

I guess this was one of the first times since he has been old enough to really enjoy them that he has made and eaten brownies. He calls them "brownie bread".

We were curled up on the couch watching movies and he asked for some "brownie bread". I went and got him one and set it on a paper towel between us. I reached over to pinch off a piece for myself and his little hand quickly met mine as he let me know that "I am gonna eat the whole piece". I tried to correct him and let him know he needed to share but it was pretty hard to do without cracking up at this one. He was really liking his "brownie bread".

So much that the next day this is how I found him. He had snatched the whole container and was having himself a treat. He had taken a bite from each one that was left and was shoveling them into his mouth faster than he could chew! It was a total Kodak moment.

There is never a dull moment with this one! I love it...

Thanksgiving Week

2010-12-03T12:46:00.010-06:00

So I completely abandoned blog-land during the Holiday and now I get to play catch up! Hold on to your hats because I am not stopping until I am done.

John took 3 vacation days so that put him off for 11 days! The weekend before Thanksgiving Randy was sick with those stinkin' sores in his throat so we didn't do much! Saturday morning he seemed a little better, so daddy and I took him out to Chili's for lunch and he wouldn't even drink a chocolate shake. We then attempted a little shopping but soon realized he needed to be cozied up in his jammies at home! We got in a lot of relaxing time curled up on the couch watching movies while he was sick. Sometimes those are the best days anyway!

On Monday Randy had a doctors appointment and then we spent the rest of the day trying to finish up our Christmas decorating that all the sickness had postponed.

Tuesday I spent the first part of my day having lunch, shopping and then helping Chelseahall Ward with some Christmas decorating at her house! Later that evening my niece Kenzi came to spend the night and we took her to the Cheesecake Factory as a late birthday celebration. After dinner we walked around the Galleria for a while then went around downtown and looked at some Christmas lights. We ended the night with movies and coloring. Yes, I am almost 25 and she is now 13 *deep breath* and we still looove to color together!!! :)

Wednesday was our annual family grocery shopping day. My family has a tradition of doing our Thanksgiving grocery shopping all together... the day before Thanksgiving... when the stores are completely nuts. We start out our day with lunch and then hit the stores. We usually have to visit 2 or 3 to find it all. And, YES, we are the ones you are probably looking at like we are crazy... because we are... or some of them are. This year my son... the sweet, innocent little 2 year old brought the most excitement. My precious cousin Tyler had him on the aisle where the summer sausage is shelved. Tyler gave him one and told him it was a big hot dog wiener. Apparently Randy only heard "wiener". Randy came running down the next aisle where I was located waving the giant summer sausage in the air yelling at the top of his lungs... "Mommy, Mommy! I found a tallywacker!" You could imagine...

*Sigh*

My family spends Thanksgiving here and John's family spends it at the farm in Livingston. Last year we decided instead of rushing through our day trying to make both that we would alternate years. Last year we spent Thanksgiving and the day after at the farm, so this was our year to be here with my family. We woke up and watched the Macy's parade and Randy loved all the floats. We had lunch/dinner next door at Auntie's and then spent the rest of the day chilling out until we had the -Kinect Dance Off- that night... in which I was the champion :) Thank you, thank you! We were originally going to take Randy downtown to watch the Post Oak lighting but the rain impeded upon those plans.

We have a tradition that has been going as long as I can remember in that the day after Thanksgiving our entire family spends the day downtown eating lunch and going to Central Market. None of us are much for the Black Friday sales so I suppose someone decided to go for a different kind of tradition... and it is a total blast! It is one of my favorite days of the year because we always have so much fun. This year we ate at Amazon Grill and then did Central Market. Everyone went their own way afterwards for different reasons. We had planned to spend the evening with Chad, Kayla and Baby Brady. After a quick brain lapse in thinking the Galleria would be fun on Black Friday we wound up back home watching Christmas movies, drinking Starbucks and visiting while the boys played... and while Randy tried to ride Baby Brady like a horse.

Oh and they had on matching outfits from Gymboree that were ADORABLE... did we get a full length shot that showed them? Uuuum NO.

Saturday morning we had Randy's Christmas pictures which I will give a post of their own in a couple days when I get the CD. Later that afternoon we had an early dinner at Ichibon with Papaw Charlie's family as a little Thanksgiving get-together. We go there pretty often for things like this and before Randy has always been a bit leery of all the commotion and fire. This time he was absolutely thrilled. He is the perfect age and he loved it and thought it was hilarious. The guy even did the ketchup bottle/yarn trick on him and once Randy realized what had happened, he just cracked up!

The last few days we have done a little shopping, a few errands here and there and started our holiday baking. But most of all we have relaxed and enjoyed John's last few days off before he went back on a regular schedule! He went back to work Wednesday, then had 2 days off... what a nice regular schedule, huh? We have taken Randy out the past 2 nights looking at Christmas lights and he thinks it is the coolest thing ever! This Christmas is so much fun... he is so into it all. Hope you are all enjoying the season as well!

Tis the season to be Jolly...

* I would like to note here that I was a hideously horrible picture-taker over Thanksgiving. I took so little pictures and even forgot my camera on "Central Market Day"...my family probably thought they were in heaven. I don't know what got into me.

Neglect...

2010-12-01T18:33:00.004-06:00

I have totally and completely neglected this blog for the last week :) I was completely enjoying every second with my husband, baby boy and family and I just never stopped to even upload one picture!

When I am getting emails and messages on Facebook about not blogging I guess that is a sign I have gone too long. But it is nice to know that many people really enjoy reading this stuff!

Furthermore, tonight is not the night to dive into all the holiday excitement from the last week because the holiday baking has commenced and I am smelling some really yummy aromas coming from the kitchen which means the treats are about ready!

Oh, by the way... I just spent the last 10 minutes feeding raw batter to my 2 year old. Mom of the year, I know!!! It was his Nonny's idea... blame her.

I promise to take the time tomorrow to catch up on all the fun and upload some pictures! I really have missed it...

Snowy Mashed Potatoes

2010-11-21T22:12:00.003-06:00

Mashed potatoes are possibly my very favorite food.

My pregnancy hindered that for a short while since that is all I could stomach for 8 months. But I am over that now.

You can create so many versions of the mashed potato and I have yet to find one that I did not love.

These Snowy Mashed Potatoes though, are my very favorite! I have been making these since I was in high school and made my very first meal. They are pretty basic and absolutely delish!

Thanksgiving is not Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes, so don't attempt it...

Snowy Mashed Potatoes

8 to 12 medium potatoes, (about 3 to 4 lbs)...I use Yukon Gold
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 ounces sour cream or creme fraiche
6 to 8 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon garlic powder... I probably use more
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Green onions for garnish

Peel and quarter potatoes. In a large saucepan, cook potatoes in enough water to cover for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Drain off liquid. In a large mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, butter, garlic powder, and pepper. Beat the mixture with an electric mixer till fluffy and smooth. Turn mixture into a buttered 2-quart casserole or baking dish. Top with the shredded Cheddar cheese and green onions.Cover and bake in 350° oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes longer.

Just to note... I usually don't make any mashed potato without throwing in a little heavy whipping cream while I am beating them. They are just so creamy. With everything else in these you won't need but a splash because once you bake them you don't want them to get too runny.

So Bobby Flay and Pioneer Woman took on the Thanksgiving throw down Wednesday night and it was proven by the loser, Bobby Flay, that YOU DO NOT GO NO-POTATO on a Thanksgiving meal. Why would you even consider it, Bobby?

Make these potatoes if you want a new twist to your potato dish this Thanksgiving! They are so dreamy and creamy!!!

Enjoy ♥

Deja Vu

2010-11-19T15:08:00.004-06:00

It was about this time last year that I was writing this same post.

Randy has the herpes outbreak again in his throat. :( It is just so heartbreaking because he runs such an extremely high fever which just zaps his energy and he won't eat a bite. I am thankful though that this seems to only pop up this time of year and last year we only had the one round. So hopefully he will be good and done with this by the time the Holiday hoopla really kicks into high gear.

Our last two weeks have been pretty humdrum. Well, I use that term loosely considering we have experienced one thing after another. But being stuck in this house is humdrum for us. We are not usually the homebody type. But it is the low times like these that make me so thankful for the friends and family that we have... they have all been so wonderful through all the sickness and the sadness.

Okay, I can't write anymore. It is really hard to type with this little boy all balled up on my lap. His fever is raging and we are watching The Santa Clause. I have to get this boy well by Monday because next week is just stuffed with too much fun for him to have to be sick!

Prayers are appreciated ♥

Little Pecan Pies

2010-11-16T22:16:00.002-06:00

Miniature. Petite. Itsy-bitsy. Bite Sized.

You can call them whatever you want to. I guess my Grandmother called them "little".

I am all about bite sized food. I know it is all the craze and I love it. Have you noticed at all the restaurants lately that everybody's menus include "little desserts". I think that is catchy. For someone like me, anyways, who has a little bit of an obsession with miniature foods.

These Little Pecan Pies are perfect for your Thanksgiving spread. And they are perfect if you like to be able to send some home with everyone!

Little Pecan Pies

Crust:
2½ cups flour
2 sticks oleo
1 large package cream cheese

Cream oleo and cream cheese together; cut in flour. Form into small balls and mash into miniature muffin tins and up sides to form crusts.

Filling:
1½ cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons melted butter

Mix all remaining ingredients together and spoon into unbaked miniature crusts. Bake at 325° until done. About 15 to 20 minutes.

This was my Grandmother's recipe. They are usually among our Christmas dessert buffet. But if you were planning on making a pecan pie for Thanksgiving, give these miniatures a shot! They will not let you down and they are just so darn cute!

Enjoy ♥