Let's Play Catch-Up

Like I said last Friday, I have been having trouble with my internet connection, but for right now it is working, so let's play catch-up...

On the Thursday Travis and I left for Orlando, it was 50's day at Samuel's school.

Doesn't he look cool?

It was Western Day for Faith.

And of course, we couldn't leave Hannah Grace out!

After Travis did his visit with the church, he and out had a romantic dinner, just the two of us (really just the two of us - there was no one else in the Japanese Steak House) - it was great fun!

On Friday morning we headed across the street to Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. Now remember, just a few months ago we were in Orlando visiting Disney World - crowds and people everywhere. On this morning, we walked right in and jumped right on the Hulk Ride, no waiting just hopped right on. What a way to start the morning...

We rode a few other things and then rode Duley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls. Travis sat in the front seat and protected me and the other two folks that we riding with us from the water.

I laughed and laughed, which I should not have done...

Next we rode Popeye's & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barge. Not fun! We got soaked - I mean there was not a stitch of clothing on either of us that was dry. I guess it that was my pay back for laughing so hard at Travis.

Here we are with "Sam Am I" shortly after the ride.

Seuss Landing was my favorite part of the park - here we are with The Cat in the Hat. The girls were so excited that we got to meet The Cat in the Hat and others.

By lunch time we had rode everything in Islands of Adventure and headed over the Universal Studios where we met Shrek and Donkey.

We stayed at Universal Studios until about 5pm and really rode everything we wanted to. After we rode Revenge of The Mummy, I told Travis that I believed that I had rode enough thrill rides to last me a while and I was ready to go.

On Saturday we didn't have anything planned until that evening - we slept late and drove around trying to fine a Wal-mart and even took a nap that afternoon.

That evening we went to The Pirate Adventure Dinner Show - it was a lot of fun. Here's Captain Travis...

We had a great time away and the girls had fun at Memama's and Granddaddy's and Samuel spent the week-end with Grammy and Big Daddy and had fun with football and a birthday party.

Thanks again to everyone who helped us out with the kids.

It was fun to be away from the kids and act like kids ourselves...

One last picture of our Thing 1 and Thing 2

Friday Family Funnies

OK - I am having terrible trouble with my internet so I can't upload any pictures with this post. I was going to share with more picture from our week-end in Orlando...check back sometime over the week-end and hopefully I will get them uploaded.

Anyway, we visited a church this past Wednesday night that does Awana. Samuel has done Awana before, but we really had taken it for granted and not really thought about the girls never really doing any type of "program" at church. Because of their age there has really never been anything for them.

When we picked the girls up and were heading home. Faith could not stop talking; everything she said was one long sentence.

"Mommy, we played in the gym and um, Daddy, I got to run and um, I went to class and um, we talked about Jesus and um, I got a sucker and um, Mommy and Daddy, if I come back next week I get a badge and coat!"

If you know Faith, I'm sure you can hear her now - getting louder and more excited the more she told us.

It was so good to hear our kids excited about going to church. Of course, Samuel doesn't want to visit anymore - he has found where he wants to stay. Hannah Grace had a great time too, but she didn't say as much as Faith. She takes things in and thinks about them a lot before she will say much.

Travis and I enjoyed the prayer service. The pastor took special time in the service to pray for rain. All day yesterday as it was pouring and I was getting soaking wet putting the girls in the van at school, I was tempted to complain, but the reminded me to thank Him for answering the prayers of His people.

Please pray that God would direct Travis and I to the church He would have our children and where we are to serve and worship Him.

Have a great week-end and check back for me photos - some of them are pretty funny too...

Week-end Get-Away

Travis and I returned yesterday from a wonderful week-end get-away in Orlando. Thanks to Grammy and Big Daddy, Memama and Granddaddy, and Aunt Cindy (and Upward) who made it possible for us to leave the kids and spend some much-needed time together!

We had a great time. If you are thinking about going to Orlando - September/October is a great time of the year. It was not crowded at all, even compared to this summer. At Universal, I think the longest we waited was 20 minutes; most everything else we just walked right no with no wait.

I will share more pictures later in the week, but here is a picture of us at Universal Island's of Adventure in Seuss Landing.

Easy Apple Cobbler

We were given apples this past Sunday at church, so the girls and I headed back into the kitchen to make Apple Cobbler.

1 stick butter, melted

1 cup self-rising flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup milk

3-4 apples, peeled and sliced

4 tbsp butter, cut in small pieces

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix melted butter, flour, sugar and milk (I use an electric mixer to get our all the lumps) until blended. Pour mixture into baking dish and put sliced apples onto of the mixture.

Do not stir apples into mixture, it will bake around the apples and make the crust. Place the small pieces of butter on top of the apples and sprinkle with cinnamon (I also sprinkle a little sugar on top of the mixture).

Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 - 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

I also use this recipe for peach cobbler.

Big Daddy if you are reading this - yours is on the way...

Miss B.J.'s Homemade Chunky Applesauce

The girls have a new Science teacher at school this year, Miss B. J. She sent home this recipe for applesauce and the girls and I had a great time making it the other night.

2 Granny Smith apples

2 Red Delicious apples

2 Golden Delicious apples

2 Gala apples

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup water

(I added about 1/4 cup brown sugar)

Directions: Wash the apples (child)

Peel, core and slice all apples (adult) I found this neat apple slicer at Target for $1.00.

Place apples in a pot, gently stir in cinnamon and pour water over all.

Cook on medium high heat for about 10 minutes; turn to low and cook until barely tender. At this point I wish that I could smell - I'm sure that the house smelled wonderful.

After cooking let cool and let you little one mash the apples with a "wavy" potato masher.

This should serve eight little ones! Yummy!

Friday Family Funnies - No Arm Holes

A good thing about being the one who writes most of the post on our blog is that on Friday's I get to share Funny things about the kids or others in our family and I get to keep the funny (stupid) things that I do to myself. Well today I am going to expose how funny (dumb) I can be.

A couple of weeks ago when we went to the Woodruff Football game I saw this little girl with a adorable jumper on in the Woodruff colors. I talked about how cute it would be and how I thought I could do that.

So off to Wal-mart I go to buy a pattern and material; I find this maroon gingham print that will be great for Wooduff games. Now, I have only had my sewing machine about a year, but I feel that I am pretty crafty, so why shouldn't I be able to do this? I washed and dried the material, cut out the pattern and to my sewing machine I go.

I begin sewing up a storm - really becoming proud of the job was doing. I finished the dress except for the hem and call Hannah Grace into the room to try the dress on and to see where I need to sew the hem. We slip it over her head -great fit except that I had sewed the arm holes up with the side of the dress!

There Hannah Grace stood with a sack on with no arm holes; all pride when out the window.

I gave up for the evening.

Over the days that followed I re-thought the dress and decided to try again. This time went for a dress that Faith could wear to Bubba's games and this is the final product. I was still in a crafty mood after the dress so I made a trip to Hobby Lobby last Saturday and got the idea to make the shirts that the girls wore to the Woodruff game last week so Hannah Grace would not be left out.

Have a great week-end!

Picture Day for the Girls

Yesterday was picture day for the girls at school. Here are a few pictures I took of them before we left. Come back Friday for a Friday Family Funny about the dress Faith is wearing.

Monday Night Football

Football, Football, and More Football

Our past week-end consisted of football, football, and more football. On Friday night we all got dressed and ready to go to Woodruff for another football game and just as we pull out of the neighborhood the bottom falls out and it begins to pour (I mean pour). They ended up postponing the game until Saturday so we went out to eat and then went to visit with Grammy and Big Daddy and hit the bed early to get ready for Samuel's first football game.

Here is Faith sporting her new haircut and her new football hair bow. A friend of Aunt Amanda's made it - didn't she do a great job?

Like I said, Samuel had his first football game on Saturday morning. He was so excited, he woke up before 6am and wanted to put his uniform on...

We all were ready to cheer Bubba on!
He did great!

On Saturday night we headed back to Woodruff as they played Chesnee.

"Touchdown!"

Faith loves Jaba!
Woodruff won the game again. This week not only did Coach Brown lead his team in prayer - he lead both teams in prayer!

Apple Farm with Daddy

Hannah Grace went to the Apple Farm with her class yesterday and Daddy went with her.

Daddy said it was quite the field trip. Because of the late frost the farm lost much of their apple crop. Hannah Grace's class took a hay ride and then they dropped them off in the orchard to "pick" apples. Travis sent me a text that read: "There are no apples and everyone is crying"

Hannah Grace did have an advantage, her Daddy is six feet tall. Travis said he was trying to reach to the top of the trees to get apples for all the crying four-year-olds, but there wasn't any to pick. Everyone did get to bring home a bag of apples that they picked from the boxes out front.

Hannah Grace painted her shirt that she is wearing, isn't it cute?

Friday Family Funnies

Travis was home yesterday afternoon to cut the grass and do somethings around the house. He got a new weed eater for his birthday and wanted to get fresh gas/oil for it, so I went to the gas station to get the gas. Seth was asleep and Hannah Grace and Faith were suppose to be laying on the couches resting and watching a movie. As I drove back into the driveway, I found Faith like this at the water hose in the front yard.

Woodruff Football

This past Friday night we all went to Woodruff to at High School football game. Our great friend, Jaba coaches and one of his sons, Caleb (who is in 9th grade) plays. Travis and Samuel had gone a couple of Friday's before and the girls and I stayed home, but his past Friday Travis wanted us all to go. I have to admit - I did not want to go. The girls had not rested that afternoon and really I just don't get into football. But, Travis talked me into and I'm glad he did. The Lord showed me something wonderful.

Woodruff won the football game in the last seconds - which was kind of exciting for football and we went out on the field to see Jaba and Caleb. Their coach, Coach Brown, gathered all the players and parents around and gave a victory speech. I felt like I was in the movie "Remember the Titans". And then Coach Brown did something that brought tears to my eyes. He began praying. He was thanking Jesus for their win and praying for his players. It was so wonderful to see a coach seeking Jesus. It opened my eyes and just might have turn me into a football fan because on another Friday night you will find me in the stands at Woodruff!

Happy 32nd Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful, sweet, and loving (I could go on and on, but I won't) husband!

I am writing this late, but I believe Travis had a good Birthday. Because it fell on a Sunday things were a little busy, but we did have a good time at lunch with everyone.

Tommy had been praying about a message to preach this past Sunday and had talked with Travis about it this past Thursday night at Samuel's football practice, but still was just struggling on what God wanted him to preach. The message that he felt God was leading him to preach was a very difficult, confrontational - but from God and God's word - message. As Tommy got up to preach he began to tell the congregation that God was leading him in a different way that was in our bulletin. At that moment, I looked over at Travis and he was already praying for his Dad - his Pastor. I tell you that because I am so blessed to have a husband whose first response in any situation is to go to our Father. I am so thankful for my husband and the man of God that he is for our family. And by the way - I believe he is this man of God because of the man of God his Dad is...

Happy Late Birthday Baby - I Love You!

For Travis' birthday he and Samuel went to "Rally in the Valley" at Clemson with the church I work for. Samuel has been excited for weeks. They had a great time!

Friday Family Funnies - "I Can Whistle"

Faith woke up this morning and came running into our room saying, "Mommy I can whistle, when I was laying in my bed my nose was whistling."

Have a great week-end!

Non-Labor Day Week-end

This past Labor Day week-end we had a wonderful visit with Mammy and Popeye. This visit they came to visit not to labor and help us around the house like this or this.

On Sunday afternoon we went to Cleveland Park and had a picnic and played on the playground. We all had so much fun!

A Proud Moment for Dad

Last night was a proud night for Dad. Samuel had his first football practice as a Bulldog. I don't know who was more excited, Daddy or Samuel. I loved watching Travis last night; he was such a proud Dad. At one point he came to me smiling and said, "This is a day I have been looking forward to since you called me and told me I was having a son." Samuel was pretty proud too. One boy had on an Bulldog jersey and told Samuel "This was my uncle's jersey - he played for Boiling Springs", Samuel proudly replied, "This was my Daddy's jersey - he was a bulldog too!"

After they had practiced for about 30-minutes they had their first water break and we saw that Samuel looked a little upset so Travis went over to talk him. Samuel was getting upset because he didn't think he was doing good and I think was overwhelmed with the entire idea of "tackle" football ( I know I am). Travis encouraged him and said, "Listen buddy, this is isn't Upward anymore." Samuel kept going and during his second break and told his Dad, "This is fun - I like hitting!"

So, ready or not - Samuel is a proud Bulldog with an even prouder Bulldog Dad!