The past few weeks have been usually busy. I have finally gotten my house back in order from the last week and a half. We decided that we would use some of our tax-return money to have the interior of our house painted. We've had the same builder-grade, boring-khaki color on it since we moved in 2 1/2 years ago and it was starting to depress me. So, we agreed to get the kitchen, two-story foyer and family room and the upstairs hallway painted last weekend. It looks so much better and is a very calming khaki-greenish color. I love it!

Also, last weekend, my husband was gracious enough to let me spend Friday night and Saturday at my parent's lake house with a few of my close friends. We had a great time just relaxing, talking and soaking up the sun. We laid out for about 5 hours on Saturday with the exception of lunch. It was like we were back in high school again. It was a very refreshing weekend and a much-needed time to get away with girlfriends. So, this week I've been trying to get my laundry done, clean the house, run errands, fill the cupboards and get the decorations put back on the walls.

Thank you, Lord, for my beautiful family and wonderful friends. Thank you for a healthy body, a nice home and a family that loves me. Help me to be kind and calm and to have a teaching heart towards my children. Give me wisdom in knowing how to discipline them and wisdom in setting my priorities. Help me to know how to show my family that I love them in ways that they will recognize. Thank you for your word and for your everlasting love, mercy and grace. I am so undeserving of you and your faithfulness. Help me to be faithful to you and, through faith, give me the power I need to follow you and to act according to your will. Amen.

As you may know, Chris and I are attending Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University class at church. It only has a few more weeks left, but Chris and I have really enjoyed this class. We have not only learned about budgeting and spending wisely, but also about investments, retirement, saving for college, marketing and other aspects of financial "stuff." I wanted to tell you about a town hall meeting that Dave Ramsey is doing next week called "Town Hall for Hope." He will be in Oklahoma City, but the meeting will be shown LIVE throughout the United States via host churches and the internet. Right now, there are more than 5,000 churches across America hosting this event. The meeting will be held Thursday, April 23rd, at 8 PM and is free to everyone and free to any church that wants to host it. He will be talking about today's financial times and what we should be doing with our money during this time. Of course, if you can't find a way to attend a church event, you can always watch it on your computer. I am SO excited about this and can't wait to go!!! Just wanted to spread the word...

This past week was Spring Break for the kids and I. It turned out to be a great week although I didn't get to do some of the things that I wanted. I wanted to be able to take Morgan out one evening, but ended up doing other things and then he went to his dad's the last half of the week, so I'll definitely be sure to do that within the next week or two. We pretty much just stayed around the house, played and enjoyed time with family. Chris ad I did get one night and day to ourselves which is always really nice! We went out to eat and rented a movie and then the next day I spent cleaning the whole house while Chris was working. I know that may not sound exciting, but the days of my whole house being clean at one time are few and far between!

We enjoyed a great weekend with Chris' brother and his family who came down from Charleston. We went out to our favorite Japanese restaurant, Kani House, and the girls went shopping to help me find fabric to make curtains with and the guys played golf.

Easter was fabulous, but busy. We enjoyed our Easter morning at church and then came home to eat lunch and have an egg hunt for the kids. After everyone left, we cleaned up, watched the end of the Masters, fed the kids and then put them to bed early.

Here are a few pictures of our family on Easter...

Chris and I

Gavin hunts for eggs, but he didn't really get into it. He was fine with only 5 or 6.

My sweet girl.

My mom helps Ivey open her Easter eggs filled with goodies.

Morgan and Arden open their eggs, too, and have a great time catching up.

It's been another busy, but relatively uneventful week - which is good. Monday was spent doing laundry, going to the gym and taking my Grandaddy to the doctor. Tuesday, while the kids were in preschool, I paid the bills, went to the grocery store to fill our nearly bare cupboards and met a friend for lunch. Then, my in-laws came over for dinner and my mother-in-law and I took Ivey to the mall to buy shoes except there was NOT ONE spring shoe in extra wide. So, I ended up having to come home and order them online, but atleast shipping was free. Today, I did a power clean-up in the kitchen before heading to get my hair trimmed and then went out to lunch with Chris and "the guys" before picking up the kids. Chris just left to take Morgan to the dentist, Ivey has to be at dance inn 30 minutes and then we're off to dinner at church... this is the life I lead. Stay-at-home moms know what I'm talking about... you're running around like crazy but feel like you never got anything done or, even worse, can't even remember what you did! It's great though and I wouldn't trade it for anything!



So, anyway, the other day while I was fixing lunch, Ivey started singing this "Flower" song that she says she learned at Cubbies. I thought it was veryy cute and God definitely spoke to me through it. I think it's quite amazing how God works through children even with the simplest of songs. I hope she never forgets it. Here it is...