Friday Family Funny

This funny is a pay back for something Travis did many years ago. Last Sunday at church we had Homecoming. The church was full with lots of former members there. We had a singing afte the service before lunch. We had decided to get Faith out of the nursery and bring her into the singing. After a few songs she looked at Alyssa and said she had to go potty. This was a big moment since we have never used the potty away from home. She left and when she was finished she burst through the front door and announced "Daddy I Pee Peed in the potty". Her Big Daddy was quite amused since Travis as a young lad had made a very similar announcement as Big Daddy lead music at a church.

Fun On the Farm

We had another fun week-end. Samuel did great again at the football game. Not that the score matters...but, Samuel scored the only two touchdowns for his team!

After the football game, we went to Niven's Apple Farm with Aunt Kendra and Memama and Granddaddy. We had a great time picking apples and pumkins. Faith was so funny, she was telling Grammy about it and she said, "I picked an apple from a tree!" I hadn't thought that she didn't know that apples came from a tree, not the store.

Here are a few pictures!

Aunt Kendra and the Perfect Pumpkin for her classroom

New Sparks Baby Pictures

Go Check out Meredith Annette Sparks!!!!!

Have a great week-end.

Alyssa

Friday Family Funnies - "No My Funny"

Good morning!

When Hannah Grace is talking about herself, she refers to herself as "my". Like, "My going to play in my room". Well yesterday she got very confused while I was trying to teach her the correct way to refer to herself.

She was sitting the floor playing with Seth and he was laughing really hard at her. She looked up at me and said, "Seth thinks my funny." I told her, you say, "Seth thinks I'm funny." She looked at me as serious as she could and said, "Seth doesn't think your funny, he thinks my funny!"

Yes, Hannah Grace you are funny!!!

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The newest Sparks Baby was born yesterday. It is a little girl, Meredith Annette. She weighed 8 lbs 14 oz and was 22 inches long. Eric, Kristi, Lydia, Steven, and Meredith are all at home doing well. I hope to have a picture to post later in the day. Grammy and Big Daddy headed down late last night and we hope to go down soon. Thanks to all who prayed.

Coming Soon!!!!

I received a call this morning that our sister-in-law Kristi is in early labor. Here is the e-mail I also received:

It looks like baby's going to come today! Yay!

I have started early labor, and my contractions are coming a little closer together by the hour. Eric and I hope it will be sometime later today (and not the middle of the night)!

Please pray for us today, for Lydia and Steven, and the baby, who we'll introduce you to soon, God willing!

Love you,
Kristi

Please pray for them today as the Seventh Sparks Grandbaby arrives today.

Thanks - Love, Alyssa for the entire Sparks Family

Football Fun

We hope that everyone had a good week-end. We did. Ashley came over on Friday night, so that Travis and I could have a "date". We went to Fuji and to Wal-mart and Target to do some Christmas shopping - what fun!!! We did have a great time together, it was nice to be able to eat and not have to worry about a child getting up and running around or spilling something or needing something - just to sit and eat and talk together. After we ate supper we went to Wal-mart to make a Christmas layaway. We loaded up our buggy with the one gift from Santa for each child and got to layaway and read some disturbing news: after this year, Wal-mart will no longer doing Christmas layaway's. Oh no, what are we going to do?!?!?! We didn't let that ruin our evening. Santa's gift are sitting in Wal-mart safe for this year atleast.

Samuel had another football game on Saturday morning and it is amazing how much he has improved in his ability and skills from last year. We are so proud of him. Last year, he knew what he was doing and enjoyed playing, but this year it has just clicked with him about the skills of the game. Or so I'm told, I don't know much about football. Ask me pretty much anything about racing and I can tell you, but football, I having to learn. He scored another touchdown and got many flags. And, what is so great - he is having fun and learning Christ-like sportsmanship and more about Christ. What could be better for a 9-year-old boy!!!!!

A boy that Samuel was in Kindergarten and First grade with was on the other team this week. I was talking with his aunt and he was so excited to get to play with Samuel again. They were the best of friends. They no longer go to school together, so it was great for Samuel to see him. God has given Samuel they biggest and tender heart. It always seems that Samuel becomes friends with those who might not have many friends. We have seen this since he was in 4K. He "best" friend then didn't speak a work of English, Samuel would come home asking for things in Spanish. Again, this year Samuel has made friends with a little boy whose Uncle was shot in their front yard. Samuel came home the first day and was telling me that he was able to tell this boy how he knew how he felt and knew that he was sad because his Great-Grandparents were shot too. I am so thankful for the young man that Samuel is becoming.

Hannah Grace and Faith had a great time playing with their friend Kendall at the game.

Friday Family Funnies - "I'm Fun!"

Good Friday morning to you!

Last night I had taken Samuel to football practice and the girls and I were headed back home and they both kept asking where we were going. I continued to tell them we were going home to take and bath and get ready for bed. Hannah Grace said she wanted to go to Target and Faith said she wanted to go to Wal-mart and they just wouldn't take no for an answer. They had both started crying. I proceeded to them that I didn't want to take them anywhere with the way they were both acting. Faith stopped crying real fast and said, "'Cause why, I'm fun!"

Have a great, beautiful week-end!

More Pictures

Hannah Grace looking at ducks

"Game Face"

Hannah Grace and Bubba

Faith eating Skittles at Samuel's Football game

Daddy and Samuel

Uncle Travis and Seth

Grandparents, Football, and Birthday's

This post will include a few things that we have been doing over the past couple of weeks. Since I have started work, I don't have as much time on the computer.

This past Sunday was Grandparents Day, and my kids have great grandparents! So, do I!!! Granddaddy came up last Friday to attend "Goodies With Grandparents" with Samuel. Samuel was so proud to take him to school and have breakfast and show him his classroom.

On Saturday, Samuel had his first Upward Flag Football game. He did great! He played so well, he even scored a touchdown.

This is right before he caught the touch-down pass

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Saturday was Travis' 31st birthday. The kids and I made him a card with 31 Reason's We Love Him.

Here is what the kids said:

We Love Daddy...

...Because he's fun, Samuel

...'Cause Why, Faith

...I Love Daddy, because Daddy goes to work everyday, Hannah Grace

Here are just a few reasons I Love Travis:

I Love...

...the way he brushes Hannah Graces' hair and tries to put it up in a pony-tail

...the way he lets Faith climb up in bed beside him in the early morning

...the way he forgives me when I mess up

...the way he leans up to read the scores on ESPN

...when he talks with Samuel about sports

...the way he misses Nannie and Papa

...eating cookies and milk in bed with him after the kids are asleep

...how he is funny without trying to be funny

...the way he loves Christ

...his vast amount of useless knowledge

...to play the piano as he leads worship

...and many more!!!

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I have more pictures to share, but Blogger won't work for me right now. Have a great day!

Friday Family Funnies - Reverting to Childhood

Most of you know that we live in the house that Travis grew up in. I love it. I love raising our kids in the house that their Daddy was raised. Travis has some great stories and memories of growing up there and now his kids are making memories and will have stories to tell their kids one day.

Anyway, one day this week, Travis reverted back to his childhood. It was so funny!

We were in our bedroom watching TV, Samuel was in his room watching TV and the girls were playing and Hannah Grace came in and was asking for something (I really can't remember what she was asking for) and Travis told her to wait just a minute and he would get it. A "minute" passed and Hannah Grace was back asking for it again. *This is when Travis became a 9-year old little boy again* He told her, "Just go ask Eric to get it for you".

Travis turns 31 tomorrow and I told him that his age was starting to show!!

Have a good week-end and Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband!!!!

A Daddy and His Girls

When the girls go to Amanda's, their Daddy takes them. Well, this morning, Daddy needed to go to the landfill and take the wood from the deck, so he took the girls with him. The three of them loaded up in Papa's truck and off they went.



I hear they talked the whole way and then talked all the way to Aunt Amanda's house about the BIG hole and the "Eternal Flame".

I love to see a Daddy with His Girls!

Friday Family Funnies

I struggled today with what "Funny" to tell. I couldn't really think of anything that had happened this week. So, I decided to share with you the "Funny" that the Pastor of the church where I am working shared in the Newsletter this month.

A man was walking through the Sahara desert, desperate for water, when he saw something, far off in the distance. Hoping to find water, he walked toward the image, only to find a little old woman sitting at a card table with a bunch of neckties laid out on it.

The thirsty man asked, "Please, I'm dying of thirst, can I have some water?" The woman replied "I don't have any water, but why don't you buy a tie? Here's one that goes nicely with your outfit."

The man shouted, "I don't want a tie Lady, I need water!" "Okay, don't buy a tie. But to show you what a nice person I am, I'll tell you that over that hill there, about four miles, is a nice restaurant. Walk that way, they'll give you all the water you want."

The dehydrated soul thanked the woman and walked away toward the hill and eventually disappeared. Three hours later he returned crawling back to where the woman was still sitting behind her card table. She said "I told you, about four miles over that hill. Couldn't you find it?"

The man rasped, "I found it all right. They wouldn't let me in without a tie."

Sometimes God prompts us to do something that doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. We rationalize, argue, and complain, but in the end we discover that we should have simply listened and obeyed. 2 Corinthians 5:7 reminds us that "we walk by faith, not by sight".

Have a good week-end!

We're Published!

If your church gets Lifeway's "ParentLife", pick it up and turn to page five and you will see our kids!

I had made a craft they had in the magazine back in February and sent them a e-mail about it and they put the letter in the magazine with picture of the kids.

Friday Family Funnies - "I'm Going to Tell Jesus"

We have been talking a lot about rules in our house for the past couple of weeks. Samuel has new rules at school. Hannah Grace has new rules at preschool. We have even been talking about God's rules - The Ten Commandments in church on Wednesday nights.

Well, on the way to Aunt Amanda's this morning, Hannah Grace would not keep her hands off of Faith and Faith was screaming. So I told Hannah Grace, remember your rules at school 'Keep your hands to yourself'. She proceeded to tell me that was a rule at school - not at home. So I then, told her remember God's rules, they say to 'Obey your Mommy and Daddy'. I told her that we have to obey God's rules. The touching stopped for a moment and Hannah Grace started again - Faith looked at her and said, "Stop, I'm going to tell Jesus!"

Have a great week-end!

Thanks for Praying

Thanks for praying for our friend Sharon. She did have the Heart Cath and Friday afternoon and had a 95% blockage. She stayed the night and was home by noon on Saturday for some much need rest for and Scott.

On Friday night, Jacob, their youngest son, spent the night with us and went to Samuel's school with us. They were having Family Fun Night. We had a great time and was able to talk to neighbors who live behind us quite a bit, who we have been trying to reach out to and minister to and then we talked with another family who Travis coached their son in Upward Basketball last year who are now not attending church anywhere. Travis was able to talk with them and invite them to church. It was amazing to see God use a function at Samuel's school for our family to reach out to others. We praise Him for using us and we pray that we can continue to build friendship and realationship that will lead others to Christ.

Samuel and Jacob

Hannah Grace and Faith (They don't look very happy here, but they did have a good time once the ride got started)

Friday Family Funny - "...Her Whole Heart..."

Most of you know our dear friends, Scott and Sharon Adkins (or as my girl's call them: Jaba and Sha-sha) well today's funny includes asking you to pray for Sharon. She has been having on-going chest pains for about a week now. Here is an e-mail that I received from Scott today:

SHARON IS HAVING A HEART CATH. TODAY ,FRIDAY. DR.MCDONALD WAS GOING TO DO IT MONDAY, BUT AFTER MEETING YESTERDAY AND GOING OVER THE STRESS TEST, HE WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND DO IT TODAY, ALL TEST POINT TO 2 BLOCKAGES, IF THAT IS WHAT THEY FIND, THEY WILL DO THE BALLON OR A STINT TO CLEAN IT UP. I KNOW THE GOD WE SERVE AND BELIEVE IN IS IN CONTROL, AND I ASK YOU TO PRAY FOR US AS A FAMILY, THE BOYSHAVE BEEN UPSET AND ASKING LOTS OF TOUGH QUESTIONS,TAKE CARE,COACH ADKINS

Well, I was talking yesterday with Amanda and telling her that Sharon was having a "heart cath" and Samuel overheard me and ask, "Are they going to have to take her whole heart out?"

I did explain to him what they would be doing and reminded him he needed to pray for her.

So, I ask you to pray for her and Scott and the boys, too!

Have a great week-end!

* I will try to update sometime over the week-end, if not I will let you know how everything goes on Monday.

First Day of Preschool

"O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male (female) child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his (her) life..." I Samuel 1:11

This is the prayer that I prayed the first day Samuel went to 4-K and I can't believe it, but today I sent the answer to that prayer off to preschool.

She had a great day and when she got home she said, "I'm ready to go back!" Faith had a great day with her "teacher" Aunt Amanda and Baby Seth and I am enjoying my job, Samuel is still enjoying fourth grade and Travis is excited that Training Season is almost over! So, as you can see, we are all doing well, just getting adjusted to our new routines.

Thanks for all your prayers!

What Hannah Grace did at school today.

Hannah Grace - First Day of Preschool

Friday Family Funnies - Where Does Spit Come From?

The other night Samuel was riding with Grammy and Big Daddy, and they looked back and saw Samuel with his first two fingers in his mouth. They ask him, "What are you doing, Samuel?" He responded, "I'm trying to figure out where spit comes from, my gums or my cheek."

Have a great week-end!

First Day of Fourth Grade

Discovery Island

Travis took the day off yesterday so that we could register Samuel and Hannah Grace for school. We didn't have to be at Hannah Grace's school until last night, so we went to Discovery Island water park for one last day of summer fun. And, did we have fun!

(Those are Hannah's feet as she is coming down the slide.)