Friday Family Funnies - The Hot Pool

Our cabin in the mountains and the indoor pool for the rental company both had hot tubs - or as Faith called them - "Hot Pool". Here are a few pictures:

*Warning - all pictures might not be suitable for all ages...ha! ha!*

Did I do that?

Hot Pool Family

Football Talk

"Let's get in before our parents have their turns"

Dreams Do Come True

When we moved from Kentucky to North Carolina, we would meet up with friends in Pigeon Forge each year. I always had a great time with my friends, but the thing I remember most was how much fun our parents seemed to have - staying up late drinking coffee, laughing, getting up early and drinking more coffee. I can remember even then thinking about how much fun it would be to do the same with my husband and friends one day.

That dream came true over this past week-end. We spent Memorial Day week-end in Harmon's Hideaway in Pigeon Forge, TN. Now, Travis kids me, but I am a lot like Clark Griswold - I build things up in my head and have visions of the way things should be that really no family can live up too. But, I have to say, my visions and day dreams of how this past week-end would go were BETTER than I had ever hoped for. We spent late nights (we did trade the coffee for Diet Dr. Pepper) talking, laughing and even crying. We spent early mornings, but not too early, having breakfast and talking and relaxing some more.

Anyway, I have lots of pictures to share with you and can't wait for you to see what fun we had!

I just want to take this moment to thank the Lord for the friends that he has given Travis and I and our family. We are blessed beyond measure!!!!!

We love you guys and can't wait till next year's trip...

Friday Family Funnies - Mmmmm Watermelon

Last year we kicked off the summer with eating watermelon - this week we enjoyed our first watermelon of the season, so I guess summer has started for us.

Today's Friday Family Funny is a picture of Faith "digging in":

Here are a few more pictures of us enjoying our watermelon.

Have a great Memorial Day Week-end!

Two Down...One To Go

Hannah Grace's last day of school was yesterday. Remember the first day of school.

I really can't believe that it is over for her. She is finished with preschool and will be going to Kindergarten. Oh my, I can feel the tears coming now.

She has had a great year and I predict she will be reading before too long. She loves to go to Grammy's and "Add and Subtract" and read "Dick and Jane".

She was blessed with two great teachers, who saw a quite little girl who follows the rules and does what she is asked, and still made her feel special in a classroom full of kids.

So that two kids out of school and one to go...

Faith's Last Day of 3-K Preschool

Today was Faith's last day of preschool; I can't believe it, the year has passed so fast.

Remember this?

Faith was blessed with two great teachers. The Lord knew they were the teachers she needed. She not only learned her letters, colors and all that stuff, she learned how to get along better with others and great social skills and she great fun while learning it all.

My Garmet of Praise

Sorry there was no Friday Family Funny last Friday. Just keep reading and we will get there.

Friday morning I was not feeling to "funny", I was feeling pretty down. Travis was gone out of town again and this time he was in Orlando, FL. I was already missing him and getting to the end of the rope (which should have been longer than it was) with being home alone with kids and I get a call from him from Downtown Disney and then I get another call from my In-Laws who were in the mountains for the week-end. So Friday morning, I was having the biggest pity party for myself - poor old me left all alone all the time...You should have been here, it was a big party!

Thankfully, the Lord showed me I had to leave the party and make the best of it and it ended up being a great week-end with the kids. He put on my garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3).

On Friday afternoon after I picked Samuel up from school we had a celebration supper at Chuck-E-Cheese, celebrating Samuel making 6th grade chorus. There weren't many people there and we had a great time eating pizza and playing games.

On Saturday morning we spent the morning cleaning the house and then at lunch we had a picnic at the park and spent the afternoon playing and taking a long walk in the woods."Help I'm Stuck"

Everything is so green around here now, it is beautiful

Here's the picture of the week-end to make-up from the missed Friday Family Funny. I was trying to get a picture of my three sweet kids and Faith just couldn't wait anymore, she HAD to go potty.

Here they are after we took a potty break in the woods

Faith was at the bottom of the hill saying, "I just can't take another step!"

Poor Little Faith

Once she found this "perfect walking stick" she could continue our walk.

On Saturday evening, our friends from church came over and played while their Mommy and Daddy went out to eat. It was nice to see other people besides the four of us.

Travis got home Saturday evening and all was better.

When I look back at how down and I was and how there are others who are away from their husbands much long than I am, I start to say I have no right to feel so bad and then I am also reminded that God cares about me as much as he does others and that He gives us each the strength go face the times He allows us to go through. I just have to use those times to look to God and to pray for those I know who are facing the same trials.

Awana Awards Night

The kids had Awana Awards Night at church tonight. They have had such a great time and have learned so much this past year. We are very thankful for all those who have taught them.

In other good news, Samuel auditioned for the 6th Grade chorus last week and he found out today that he made it! We are so proud of him!

Strawberries

I went to get strawberries to put in the freezer this morning and they are the BEST strawberries I have ever had! I can't believe how good they are - they are so sweet and juicy.

I have never seen strawberries so big either. When I was washing them I couldn't help think how great they would be covered in chocolate. So that's what I did this evening.

If you are reading this at Upward - I sent them with Travis this morning, ENJOY!

If your interested, the strawberries came from Strawberry Hill USA.

We Won!

Did you read the poem Samuel wrote for me for Mother's Day? It was a for a contest for HisRadio. The first 50 entries were to win a free CD. Samuel checked the mail each day waiting for the CD, I kept telling him I didn't think we would get the CD - but on Saturday I went to the mailbox and guess what was there? THE CD! He was so excited and I am enjoying listening to it in carpool line.

Mother's Day 2008

I hope all the Mom's reading had a wonderful restful Mother's Day. We had a great week-end - DADDY WAS HOME!

We spent the morning running around town and then in the afternoon Travis and I attended the wedding of friends that Travis works with. It was such a sweet wedding. It was wonderful to sit and hold his hand and think back to the moment he and I said our vows. Not to mention we were out with the kids...

Travis led worship at church on Sunday morning, that was another great treat.

Then on Sunday afternoon, Memama and Granddaddy stopped by on the way home from Kentucky and then we had a great dinner out with Grammy and Aunt Amanda for Mother's Day.

Here are a few pictures of the wonderful kids God has given me to be Mommy to.

Did you notice the haircuts? We went to see Sha Sha on Thursday night and Hannah Grace wanted to cut her hair "short", so we cut about 4 inches off; Faith wants to grow her hair out, so we just cut her bangs; and so how Samuel talked us and Sha Sha into cutting his a little different.

A Poem For Mother's Day

My Brunch With Mommy

Hey! It's me Faith. Most of the time you are reading about the funny things that I say. But, today I want to tell you about the fun day I with Mommy. Today, Mommy came to my school to have a Mother's Day Brunch with me. Every morning this week when I woke up I would run into her room and ask her, "Is today the day you come to my school?". This morning Mommy tired to trick me and tell me I wasn't going to school, but I told her - TODAY IS THE DAY...TODAY IS THE DAY YOU COME TO MY SCHOOL - I HAVE TO GO!!!!!!

Just like Hannah Grace's class I met Mommy at the door and showed her to her seat and and gave her the "corsage" I had made her. I had made her a Mother's Day card and a book about her. In my book about my Mommy I said she was 2 years old - I think that is better than what Hannah Grace said and I said she looks pretty when Daddy takes her out on a date. She laughed when she read that and said she hoped Daddy takes her on a date soon.

After my teacher read us a book we went to the Fellowship Hall. I had made Mommy a place mat and painted a flower pot for her.

We sat with my "Best Friend" and her Mommy. That was so fun!

Here is me and my friend saying the blessing.

My teacher read "Love You Forever". Mommy started crying even before my teacher started reading it.

Mommy and I had such a fun time today. She said she loves having time with just me and her. She also said that she loves me and told me thanks for making her laugh all the time.

The Last Two Weeks

I know I pretty behind in updating the blog, I'm sorry.

Travis has been gone for the past couple of weeks. It started with a training session. During that week-end, the church I work for had a Community Fun Day. It was a great day of fun for the kids.

Here is one of favorite pictures from the day. The church I work for has such a missions heart and this just show how they reach out and have fun while doing it.

When Travis returned from his trip on Saturday night, he began leading worship for a revival. We all went with him on Sunday. It was a great day of worship. Then on Sunday afternoon we stayed at a Lake House of a church member to rest. And was it a wonderful afternoon of rest - it came up a rain storm and it was wonderful to lay on the couch and watch (and sleep) the rain hit the water. It was wonderful! After the rain, Samuel headed out to do a little fishing.

The Pastor of the church has two girls that are about the same ages of our girls and the four of them had such a good time playing together.

God really blessed during the week the revival. He was so good to allow me to play for Travis on Sunday evening. I was so great to play for him again - I didn't realize that I missed it so much.

On that Wednesday evening, the kids Awana groups sang in church.

The revival was over on Wednesday night and Travis headed out to Seattle on Thursday afternoon. The kids and I rested on Thursday evening and then on Friday afternoon headed to Memama and Granddaddy's to celebrate an early Mother's Day week-end with her.

I will save those pictures for another post.

Thanks to those who prayed for us during the "eleven day stretch" that Travis was away. We missed him so much and I think he missed us too (we hope he did). We made it - although at one point on Sunday afternoon on the way home it didn't think I was going to make it. The Lord saw us through!

My Mother's Day Bruch with Mommy

Hey, everybody, this is Hannah Grace; I wanted to share with you my fun day with Mommy today. At my school every year we plan a special day for our Mommy's to come have brunch with us. You may have read about mine last year.

I have been so excited about our special day for weeks. I have told Mommy every day for the last week that she had to look pretty. Last night I helped her pick out her cloths and made sure she was going to curl her hair think she did when she went on a "date" with Daddy. I think Mommy was starting to get a little worried about how she looks every day since I was telling her EVERYDAY that she need to wear something pretty to my school. All my friends wanted their Mommy's to look pretty too, one of my friends even told her mom this morning that she had to make sure she shaved her legs, so she would look pretty.

When Mommy got to my school this morning, I met her at the door and took her to her seat and gave her pin that had made and painted. She said that she is going to wear it to church on Sunday. Here is a picture of Mommy and me in my classroom. I also made her a book; I told things about her. I'm not sure why, but when she read that I thought she was 200 years old she laughed.

My teacher read to book to all the Mommy's and my classmates and the we went to have our brunch in the Fellowship Hall.

Once in the Fellowship Hall we sang three songs. When I sing I am very serious and usually don't look away from who ever is directing me, but I was having so much fun!

Here am I waiting to have our special snack. Mommy couldn't believe how much older I looked from last year.

Here I am with the flower pot that I painted all by myself for Mommy.

Mommy and I had a great time together together - it was so much fun for it to be just me and her.

Mommy told me that she loves being my Mommy and that is proud of the young lady that I am turning out to be. She said she tries to be a good Mommy just like the Mommy's that God has given her.