My husband

I don't do this often enough, but I just want to take this opportunity to brag on my husband. Last night, we had a much needed date night. With money tight and watching every dime we spend, we finally had the opportunity to go out. We hired a friend of mine to come watch the kids, so Chris and I headed to the outlet mall. We ate dinner at Chick-Fil-A (who wants to spend $50 on a meal anymore??) and then went across the street to do some shopping. We both needed a few clothing items, but, of course, found a few more things than we were looking for. It was wonderful to spend time with Chris, just walking and talking. One of the things I love about our times alone is that we almost always have a conversation about how our relationship is going. You know with kids it's so easy to just get used to each other, take each other for granted and be caught in a rut of going, going, going... So, I enjoy these conversations because it gives a chance to reflect on what's going on between just the two of us. One of us normally starts the conversation with some kind of question that we both have to answer. This time, I started the conversation... "What's one thing that I do that you really like or that I do very well, and what's one thing I could use improvement on?" Of course, Chris named off a bunch of things that he thinks I do really well and named one thing I could use improvement on. So, then it was my turn to answer the question about him. Here's the things my husband does well...

1. Balances work and home EXTREMELY well

2. Works VERY hard to provide for our family

3. Easy to get along with

4. Takes care of himself by exercising and eating healthy

5. Has activities/hobbies that he enjoys outside of the house

6. Doesn't micro-manage me

7. Is an AWESOME dad (plays with the kids when he gets home from work, lays with them in bed at night just talking, wrestles with the boys)

8. Is involved in an accountability group (yes, that's important to me)

9. Loves the Lord

10. Serves in our church

I could go on, but I wanted to list things that really are important to me. The one thing he could improve on? Bring home flowers more often. :-)

I love you, babe!

Morgan participates in the Boosterthon Fun Run at school.

Morgan throw out peace signs while doing homework - not always a "peaceful" time! :-)

I did yesterday what I swore I would never do... I let Morgan skip school to celebrate his birthday. Yes, I did! Morgan's actual birthday is Saturday, but he'll be with his dad this weekend. Chris and I had promised to get a mountain bike for Morgan for his birthday, so we made a day out of doctor's appointments, getting the bike and lunch at his favorite restaurant. After lunch, Chris took Morgan mountain biking while the little ones and I rested at home. We don't make a habit out of skipping school and I really don't think, in the grand scheme of things, it would be a big deal. (I know, Mom, you disagree.) Anyway, we did have a great day and topped it off with dinner out with the whole family at Red Lobster.

When we got to the doctor's office in the morning for Morgan and Ivey's well-checkups, we didn't realize that Ivey was due for 4 shots plus the flu shot. Needless to say, she was NOT happy about that! She tried to be so brave with the first two shots, but then she lost it when we had to flip her around for the other three in the opposite arm. I felt so badly for her, but she made it through, the nurse gave her some Tylenol and she got a surprise at Target a little later. Morgan was in the 50th percentile for height and weight. Ivey, on the other hand, was in the 90th percentile for height and weight. She weighs 42 pounds and was 42 1/2 inches tall. Holy, Moley!! She's a solid girl!! She's certainly not fat and I am very careful about what she eats... she's just a big girl. They also weighed Gavin while we were there so he wouldn't feel left out and he only weighs 30 pounds. Ivey's only 16 months older than Gavin and outweighs him by 12 pounds!!Anyway, we got through the doctor's appointment and spent the rest of the day celebrating Morgan's 12th birthday.

Apple picking

Thanks to my neighbor, Maryanne, who gave me this great idea about apple picking... Chris and I took the family to Ellijay this past Saturday for some apple picking. We had a blast, got some great pictures and came home with a TON of apples! We went to a place called BJ Reece Apple House. It was really fun spending time with the kids, watching them run around and spending quality time as a family. Here are some pictures from our day...

Morgan loved climbing to the tops of the trees to get some big, juicy apples!

Gavin enjoys a fresh picked apple. I'm not sure if we were supposed to eat them on the spot or not, but we did enjoy one or two...

Ivey tries hard to get that apple off the tree!

Chris and I enjoy a silly moment. That apple WAS yummy!

Chris could barely carry our bag of apples. We had packed the bag with as many as we could fit. Now, I'm off to find some great apple recipes!

Mom and I headed down to the Auburn game Saturday. Auburn was playing Arkansas at home. I love going to the football games. I used to go with my family as a kid, but it really is so much more fun now than even then. I went to a local college that doesn't have a football team and because I had a baby, I didn't really get to have that "college experience." So, for me, going to Auburn football games is a way to have that experience, to enjoy and take part in the traditions and to enjoy the college atmosphere. My dad, mom and sister all went to Auburn, so we've been Auburn fans my whole life. Anyway, mom and I had a great time just hanging out, going to Tiger Walk, watching the band, shopping and, most of all, cheering for the Tigers at the game. It was a great game and lots of fun. Unfortunately, we lost... but every team is bound to have a bad season at some point. Here are a few pictures of our time in Auburn.

Auburn fans hanging out before the game.

I LOVE to watch the band - it's almost as exciting to me as watching the game itself. I especially love watching the drumline, since I was a drummer in high school.

At Tiger Walk - an Auburn tradition. Fans line up in street to cheer on the football team as they walk from the athletic dorms to the stadium. Here, I got a picture of Tommy Tubberville.

Here we are - my favorite part!! The band runs on to the field to do the pregame show. I love it!

Mom and I had seats in the endzone, on the 5th row, right across the stadium from the band and student section. When the teams were on our end, we could see really well. I was hoping to get a picture of an Auburn TD, but not so much...

Mom and I enjoying the game.

Psalm 78:32 - 39

In spite of all this (the miracles the Israelites witnessed in the desert), they kept on sinning; in spite of his wonders, they did not believe.

So he ended their days in futility and their years in terror.

Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; they eagerly turned to him again.

They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.

But then they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to him. They were not faithful to his covenant.

Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath.

He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.

This is what I read in my quiet time this morning. How often I do not believe in his miracles even when I witness them time and time again. How often I doubt God's ability to deliver me or other people from the muck and the myre that we so often find ourselves in, usually due to our own decisions. So, God undoubtedly and relentlessly gets my attention and I go running to him. I cry out to him. In my weakness I beg him to change the circumstances, I get mad because he isn't doing it... Then I remember that he is my Rock and my Redeemer. He's the reason that I sing. He's my Strong Tower, my Deliverer, my Shield, my Strength, He's my God. Yet, again, I walk away from him little by little. I get complacent. I get comfortable. I forget who he is and what he's done. I see my circumstances. I'm blinded by my wants and desires. Yet he is merciful. He holds his wrath from me. He restrains his anger and remembers that I am but a passing breeze, a vapor in the wind.

Lord, may I glorify you during my short time on this earth. May I praise you and worship you and know you for who you are. May I remember the miracles I've seen you give, may I bring honor to you in all I do. Let me not to see my circumstances from underneath the tapestry, where everything looks like a big mess, but from above the tapestry where every string, every knot, every loop makes a beautifully woven piece of art. You are my Rock and my Redeemer.

Another day...

Well, after running several errands this morning... the wheels of my brain were running a hundred miles an hour trying to think of things that people would actually buy. With the economy the way that it is right now, people aren't buying much of anything... but a girl's gotta make some money. So, this afternoon I started making baby bibs with a monogrammed saying, bows and a matching hair bow. I must say they ARE really cute, but who knows... I'll put it on etsy or ebay and see what happens.

On another note, I enjoyed watching the presidential debate last night. Although, I must admit that most of the time they were talking WAY over my head... all those BIG words... YIKES! I think God put some sort of block in brain when it comes to vocabulary.

Anyway, so what's up with me? I'm still frustrated that money is tight. We have been VERY blessed and this year has been a great learning experience for me monitarily speaking. Things could definitely be worse. I'm thankful that I AM able to stay home with my kids, we ARE able to put our little ones in preschool, Chris DOES have a job, we ARE NOT starving, we DO have clothes, we DO have enough money to go to the doctor, we ARE able to eat something other than ramen noodles... I guess things really aren't that bad. Thanks, God. You're awesome. You provide food for the birds of the air, how much more you provide for me because you love me.

What's going on?

I can't believe it's been several weeks since my last post. Of course I've been busy "doing things", but what's really been going on? (Thanks, Bud!) Honestly, I'm not really sure. I read all of these beautiful posts by people who really know how to write. But, me? I just know how to put my thoughts down and that's about it. So, here's what I'm doing...

I'm currently praying hard for a marriage in our family to be reconciled. I'm praying for my husband's business to flourish. I'm praying for my oldest son's achievements in school, wisdom to raise him and to keep an open relationship, and that God would bless him with a God-worshipping wife in later years. I'm going crazy that my youngest isn't potty training, but, after all, that really isn't at the top of my priority list right now. I'm frustrated that Chris and I have dug ourselves into a medium-sized hole of debt from our early marriage that we've spent the last 6 months and will spend the next 6 months viligently paying off. But, that means no new clothes, no new shoes, no extras and living on a VERY fixed cash flow each week. I'm frustrated and a little depressed that I want and need to make some extra money, but can't seem to get anything off the ground. I've made hairbows and handmade dresses, tried my hand at monogramming and have only sold ONE item - twenty dollars isn't really going to make a dent into anything. I'm loving my children and having a great time playing with them. I'm trying not to focus on the incoveniences of life right now, trying to enjoy the time at home and being with the family, but, well... you know. I'm loving my Lord and trying to honor him in everything. I'm enjoying reading the Bible - I'm in Psalms and Proverbs right now. I'm sure there's more... Anyway, that's the honest truth about what's going on with me right now.