Smell...

I have a very sensitive nose. I can sniff and smell anything, anywhere, good or bad! When I was pregnant my sense of smell was even better. There are still some things that I can smell that will instantly make me sick because they remind me of my time "with child." Some such smells are cucumber melon bath and body works and Pleasures perfume. I can pass someone in the grocery store wearing a certain perfume and think of people in my past. My elementary PE teacher had a certain smell about her and it frequents me even though I havent seen her since 5th grade. I love the smell of my kids... sweaty and clean. I love the smell of my hubby fresh from the shower. I have known others that love smells and can "sniff" out anyone. A friend and I once had the discussion about "family smells" ... how each family has their own specific smell. She use to comment on how she loved our family smell. Abbey has mentioned the whole philosophy on family smells, as well. Abbey says she loves to come home and smell it. She thinks we have a good smell. I am glad she likes it! She and I also love "Beautiful" perfume!

I say all this because yesterday in church the speaker challenged us to smell like Christ. Now, I have to admit, I had never really thought about smelling like Christ. I have prayed to be transformed more into his image, but had never thought that being in His image would also cause me to take on the the smell of Christ. The speaker's text was II Corinthians 2: 14-16..."But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life." WOW the fragrance of Christ... I was to stop and smell God and be an aroma of Him that others cant help but notice!

Lord, help to carry your fragrance in my life! Help me to show my girls the sweet aroma of Christ...

THE BEST...

My favorite verses: I John 4: 7,8
"Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love."

My favorite song... LISTEN AND ENJOY!

Happy Weekend!!

HELP!!!

Ok, I admit it... Will and I are anything but TRAVELERS! I am working on a trip to Disney World this summer. FOREVER we have told the girls we would go when Abbey turned 8. Well, Abbey is 8 and will be 9 in August. (That is so hard to believe!) Anyway, the planning as far as the room, Disney tickets, meal plan, etc... is going great... BUT NOW IT IS THE AIR FARE. I am so confused. I need some advice from some of you who have flown more then just a couple of time in your life :) Where do you find the best air fares? We dont have ANY air miles or anything like that... so how can I find some bargains? HELP!!! All responses GREATLY WELCOMED!!

Happy Weekend...

A Night at the Museum...

Ok... it wasnt really a NIGHT at the museum, but we had an awesome day at the Mayborn Museum yesterday. All of the elementary and jr. high GT kids had a great day touring one of the best children's museums in our area. I had never been before and it was amazing. Here is Abbey posing in the old school house. Our first stop was at the historic village. They had it set up just like Little House on the Prairie. Each building was decorated with furniture, pictures, dishes, etc from the time period. They had a school house, church, saloon, a few homes, hotel, and general mercantile.
Then it was back inside to the tour all the areas inside. Here Abbey and a friend were pretending to be news anchor.
Here, Abbey Grace is playing Mary Had a Little Lamb on the giant piano.
Then it was off to pose by a giant sea turtle skeleton. The museum had rooms on energy, recycling, communication, pioneers, Native Americans, water, simple machines, a cave, lots of fossils and rocks... I really could go on and on. The GT teacher came and found us after two hours in the museum and told us we were meeting everyone out front in about 20 minutes. We were not even half way done!!! I am planning on taking all three girls there one day this summer... It will make a great day trip!!!

Spring is in the Air...

I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR! Since my windows are open, the fresh air is flowing through my house, and there is a spring in my step despite a bit of lack of sleep due to Miss Em and the ever present tummy bug... I would like to share some of my favorite things about this time of year. I was so excited last week when my mother in law informed me that it was OK to put out the hummingbird feeders. I cant wait to greet my bird friends again. I love looking out my kitchen window to see my two feeders, my hanging pots, and the green pasture.
I also spotted our first bluebonnet over the weekend. I cant wait for our "side yard" to be covered again this year.
The girls and I picked plants to decorate the front porch. I love potted plants and the colors that "liven" up my porch.
The bird feeders are out, filled, and ready for some visitors.
And more spring cleaning... I painted this old Hoosier cabinet of my mom's. (Mom, if you ever want it back, we will have to strip it again!) I painted it red... with a bit of rustic touch. I LOVE IT. Friday we were busy rearranging, decluttering the living areas, painting the girls' bathroom, and welcoming spring...

What do you love about this time of year? Whatever it is that makes you happy... embrace it and give God the glory as He gives us the gift of SPRING!!!

Happy Easter...

Happy Easter... Christ has risen indeed!

(Easter 2003: Lainey 21 months, Emiley 7 months, Abbey 3 yrs.)

We LOVE flowers...

Lainey's conversation this morning: "Momma, you and me LOVE flowers so much that I wish I could grow them out of my head and put them in a pretty vase every morning for you!"

Lainey Girl, I love you, your unconditional love for me, and your vivid imagination so much!!

Happy Weekend...

The Short and Sweet...

We are home safe and sound... Here is the short and sweet version of our Spring Break (so far.)
It began on Saturday with a trip to F'burg for my cousin's wedding. It was simple and beautiful. The girls loved playing with their cousins and seeing some family. The wedding was at a small country church, so after the service, the girls played outside running up and down a small mountain!
We then headed to dinner with MiMa, Gary, and Vi... YUMMY!
Then Sunday we headed north to spend time with the Hortons. All the kids had a great time. All ten of them matched up in pairs. They are all so cute... Kenna and Averi :)
Aliviah and Emiley... notice the confetti in their hair. Ms. Poe had the great idea of coloring Easter eggs and having a confetti egg "war". The kids LOVED IT! She is super mom!

Kate and Lainey in their matching clothes! Lainey was in a bit of a goofy mood the whole time.
Kooper and Abbey... best buds.
Case had lots of fun with coloring the eggs. Hope his hands go back to their original color before Easter Sunday. While up north we say the Horton movie with the Hortons, did some shopping, visited McDonald's, played lots and slept little...
On the way home, we stopped off for some China Buffet and a little time at the zoo. Abbey got to take the class dog "Buzz" with her for our spring break trip. While at the zoo, we found a sign with is name on it!!!
The kids had fun and enjoyed the "stop" along the way home... Now we are home and back at the daily chores. Abbey and Lainey took turns (which is so nice of them) with the stomach virus all night last night. Lainey started "being sick" at 9 last night... Then Abbey at 11, then Lainey at 1, Abbey at 2, Lainey at 3:15, Abbey at 4, Lainey at 5:20, and Abbey again at 6:45. At this point I was just praying that I didnt join in the rotation! Emiley is safe so far, too!!!

Happy Thursday :) Lots of laundry, sanitizing, and bleaching to do... good thing we dont have a single place to go!

I am HERE!

Yes, we are alive! We are currently further north hanging out with the Horton's while our sweet hubbies work tax return after tax return after tax return. Amy, Gina, and I spent some "quality momma-time" while Amy's little sister kept all 10 kids!! We went shopping ALL DAY. I found a few bargains!!! We have some HGTV work to do today around Amy's house. First on the agenda is recovering her dining room chairs. The kids are hoping for a trip to Mickey D's. We took the kids to see "Horton Sees a Who." So far so good... Hope you are having a great Spring Break!...

Cutie Pie...

The glasses are in and my, oh my, what a CUTIE PIE!

Menu Planning...

Tonight there will be no menu planning for me! I will be having dinner here... It looks absolutely lovely...

This is menu that has been planned for me with no cooking or dishes to do...
And this is my date!

Happy Weekend!!!

A Follow-up...

A little follow-up to my random five things... So many of you commented on my "first runner-up" in the Miss Heart of Texas Pageant. It was such a big deal in our county. Anyway, I did not get gypped, one of my best friends won and she is a doll. Now, my prize crown and sash are dress up items for my three little ones. I have always loved pageants and this year during the Miss USA pageant I got out my pageant dress (Yes, I still have it, but cant get it zipped!) and my sash and crown and the girls took turns wearing it all! Even Abbey. Secondly, when my parents got divorced they came across my $50 savings bond that I won. I quickly cashed it in because how can I keep up with it for five more years until it matures and got a smooth $47 and some change!! I do have charm on my charm bracelet... just as reminder of the good times in small town Texas!

Now on to the recent business... I feel like a WILD goose. We have been having some super good times these days. Miss Em had her Easter program at preschool yesterday. She was most excited that her Mi Ma came to watch her. She had told everyone about Mi Ma... one of her teachers even said, " She was so excited about Mi Ma coming you would have thought she was some big movie star!!"
Emiley has always been a performer and this program was no different. She wasnt sure she would be able to do it though without her glasses though. I hope she loves those glasses as much when they get it!!
Emiley and Denver got to lead the prayer before our snacks. SO CUTE!!!
Miss Em found lots of eggs full of candy!
Best of Buds...
Emiley and her girlfriends. They are so cute and LOVE each other SO much!! Now it is off to open house, softball practice, and tomorrow is Lainey's Easter party and Abbey's day of China celebration. THEN SPRING BREAK!!!! Yeah.........

Takin' Care of Business...

Well, its 8:49 and I am finally having my computer time today. It has been a crazy, busy one and tomorrow appears to be lining up just the same. Emiley and I headed to the city early today to do some shopping and for an eye appointment. We got all the eggs, candy, cupcake ingredients, and sprinkles needed for the upcoming Easter parties and all the gear Abbey needed for softball. Emiley did great at her appointment, but does need glasses to see close up. She picked some adorable "mod" brown frames. Super cute and we are looking forward to them coming in (I will post a picture when she gets them!) Then it was HEB for two weeks worth of groceries... then home for ballet, softball practice, and cooking dinner and LOTS of cupcakes!! WHEW... it was a busy day, but made me appreciate those slow days at home. We are excited to have Mi-ma and Aunt Vi coming for a visit tomorrow and Miss Em. performing at preschool!

Almost a week ago, I was tagged to list five things about me. Since I am "checking off my to-do list" I will take care of that business, too...
(I hate doing these things, because I know I am random and I admit it!)
1. I have had four knee surgeries...one on the left and three on the right! Yes, I am a klutz. The first was a basketball injury, then a cheerleading injury, then just a screw removal from being klutz over spring break in college, then more cartilage repair trying to play softball as an adult with three children. Hopefully I have had my fill FOR LIFE!
2. My girls were all born in three years and three weeks. I was literally either pregnant or nursing a baby from December of 1998 until February of 2003 when I told Emiley she better learn to LOVE the bottle.
3. I competed in the National Cheerleading Association Finals in 1993 (my senior year) in the small varsity division. I wasnt the greatest of cheerleaders, but cheered through high school and jr. high (minus one year b/c of my stinking knee when I didnt make it) I loved to cheer and love football!
4. I dont really know what I want to do "when I grow up." I think this drives my hubby crazy since I do have a master's degree as an educational diagnostician...I want to do something that allows me to take my kids to school, pick them up from school, go to all their parties, be the room mom, and be home in the summers. That is why I am JUST A MOMMY right now!!!!
5. *** I hate these things*** Should I tell you I was voted best looking of my class in high school, or that I was first runner up in the Miss Heart of Texas Pageant, or that I LOVE mascara, or that I hate my complexion, or that I am thankful for my great hubby and beautiful girls, or that I worked at a salvage pool (yes, a junk yard for wrecked cars) during college, or that my parents were divorced just a few years ago and it is the hardest thing I have ever been through, or that I love to take a HOT bath, or that I miss my Pi-Pa like crazy and wish he knew my wonderful little girls, or that I am trying to learn to run and running the half marathon is one of the greatest things I have done for myself, or that I want to go to NYC more than any other place right now, or that I HATE cancer and what it does to loved ones, or that I really enjoy swimming and biking, or that I hate waking up early, or that I LOVE coke, and I love wearing my same GAP pj's every night that Will bought me on my 22nd birthday, yes 10 years ago, or that I love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, and mind. I am just me... as random as that may be! Thanks for loving me anyway!!!

Weekend Realizations...

We had a great weekend! I had some realizations that I would LOVE to share with you...
1. Friends are friends forever: I say this because the girls and I and Betsy and her girls met up with Amy, Kate, and Kooper. We had a great time as crazy as it was with eight kids shopping all day. (And I do mean all day. We got home after 10:30 BEFORE the time change.) The kids visited and played all day even though they dont see each other all the time. It is so sweet to see how they just pick back up after not being around each other for months. Even Kate and Katie who had not seen each other in years had a good time shopping and visiting. The mommas had fun, too, but were pooped by the end of the day!
2. I LOVE my sleep: Friday night I was out late at a MOMMY party and then Saturday we were out late, too. I sure was ready for a good Sunday afternoon nap!
3. My girls are growing up quickly and they are turning into AWESOME little helpers: Sunday after church they helped me with the dishes, cleaned the bathroom, sorted the laundry, started the washer and switched the loads at the appropriate time, cleaned the glass on the french doors! WHEW...I love it!!!
4. I dont like the time change. Well, dont get me wrong, I love it in the evening, but HATE it in the mornings especially on morning like today when it is also raining. SUPER dark and SUPER hard to get up!!!
5. My girls are different as night and day. Now, I have always known this, but this weekend it was thrown in my face. I was dreaming of buying them matching Easter dresses, but OH NO! They each had their own agenda. I finally let it go and let them pick their own style. And own style for sure they will be displaying on Easter Sunday. I love each of the dresses that they picked out and they each fit their own personality perfectly. They acted like little models trying on dress after dress until they found the PERFECT one. It was so much fun...

Let the Explanation Begin...

(Will and I at an ACU "Disney Grub"... 1996... Will may really get me for this one!)

NOW THIS explains why Abbey Grace loves Tinkerbell SO MUCH!..Oh, the things you find when you clean out.
Happy Weekend!

Pretty, Perplexed, and Pics...

JUST FYI: Pretty random post ahead...

Thanks so much to everyone who gave me some suggestions on the digital picture issue. I have saved lots of pictures on my computer and on disk. I do have an account at WM where I have ordered some prints before. I think I will continue to work on ordering a few prints every once in awhile from WM. com and have them delivered straight to my mailbox. I think most people said they use some type of service like this.... so until then... thanks for the responses.

This is before...

And this is after.... The pictures I do have printed have been in a horrible pile in the corner of my bedroom. They were the latest victim of my spring cleaning. Now, each child has a blue box and there is a box for pre-children pictures. There are a few random newspaper clipping tucked under the blue boxes, but it all fits great into a long, clear box... neatly under my bed!

I think Emiley is feeling a bit neglected with all the cleaning out I am doing...Yesterday she says to me, "Momma, you are the best mommy in the whole world and you are so pretty! Would you play Candy Land with me?" Who can say no when you are getting showered with those kind of compliments.

When Lainey got home from school yesterday she informed us that perplexed is her new vocabulary word. (yep, just Kindergarten!) She said she was so perplexed with all the work she has to get done at school. She is ready for some time off!

Have a good one :)

What do you do?...

Ok... this week is a backwards edition of WFMW . My question for the week is... drumroll please... "What do you do with your pictures on your digital camera?"... Sounds simple enough, but do you download them to your computer and then save them to disc and then go print them, do you take your memory card and print them from that, do you just take lots of pictures and then only download once a month or so... HELP. I have lots of files of pictures on my computer that I need to have printed. Just tell me what you do and why it works for you!

Secret Life...

(What's a post without a picture...even if the pic and post have nothing in common!)

Well, since Will is working 24/7, I get lots of momma TV time after 8:30 when the kids are in bed. Last night as I was surfing between HGTV and TLC... I came across a new show called "The Secret Life of a Soccer Mom." Of course I had to watch!!! So here is the scoop on the show... they take a stay at home mommy (like myself) and sweep her away for a few days to get back into the work world or the real world, which ever way you want to look at it! On this particular episode... the mommy takes another shot at being a fashion designer which was her career pre-kids. The mommy did great and even designed a dress that Jennifer Hudson later wore!!! AWESOME... In the end, the mommy was offered a job to return to the work force and give up her time as a full time mommy. This show got me to thinking... If I were to be swept away for a few days to "get back to work" what would I do??? Now dont get me wrong... yes, I was a past special education teacher, preschool teacher, and Kindergarten teacher, but would that really be as glamorous as a fashion designer? I think not!! So could they sweep me away and let me try one of my dreams like selling roses in NYC or being Super Nanny for the week and traveling the USA (especially Hawaii or Maine) helping families or even be a motivational speaker (I really dont love speaking in front of people, but would love to make a positive influence on young Christian women) like Beth Moore. Even if I was offered my dream job that I am not even really sure what it is... would I give up being with my babies at home... Right now, I dont think so... All of this DEEP thought reminded me of Ecclesiastes 3: 1-9

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what has been planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to laugh;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

For me: It is a time to raise my babies and be a mommy!! Thank you Lord, for giving me the opportunity to take care of my girls everyday... Help me to be thankful for the season I am living in at this very moment in time.

So for now... I will continue to be a soccer mom, until they offer me the leading role on Grey's Anatomy!

In a Nutshell...

Well, I think I have just been in a "list making mood." Here lately I have made lists of things I want to "spring clean", things I want to do to the house, daily to-dos, grocery lists, and health goals. Since I shared a list on Friday... I decided to start off the week with a list of the craziness of the weekend. Well, really the weekend was not crazy... but lots of fun enjoying the 70 degree weather... but we have cranked up the heater once again since it is now in the thirties, rainy, with an outlook of possible snow! How can the Texas weather change so quickly...

1. I continued my wacky, cleaning mode... and cleaned out the girls' clothes. I put up some winter things that they have not worn in weeks and went ahead and hung up the summer, spring stuff. This is one of those chores that I DREAD every season. This time it was not so bad. The girls are getting old enough that they can help. They helped me fold the clothes that go in their drawers. They also have an opinion about which clothes to keep and give to charity. It was nice to have them help me... I was feeling SUCCESS once again on Saturday morning!

While cleaning out, we came across these fancy dresses that I store in the back of the closet. It would not have been cleaning out time if we didnt try on the dresses and pose for some "princess" pictures! As a treat for all their help... we spent the afternoon at the park and creek with some friends...

2. What would a Saturday evening be without the company of good friends, good friend, and some domino playing... I have to post this picture of Will and his buddy doing the dishes. WE WERE IN SHOCK! No one stopped them...It was a great treat for me! Thanks Babe!! There is nothing like a spur of the moment get together. We decided about four o'clock we would have some company... and two hours later we were blessed with a great evening... four couples and and 11 kids! The kids were so tired they slept until 8:30 Sunday morning...

3. Will and I decided we were going to be unable to watch TV for the next day due to all the presidential TV commercial... WOW it is going to be a few long, cold days in TX with ad after ad after ad... I voted early and I hope that all my fellow Texans will exercise their right to vote as well! There is no way you can forget to go to the polls. They are reminding us every 30 seconds....

4. Abbey had a China project for school. She choose to make a kite! I was so proud of her. She found this Chinese symbol in the encyclopedia... it means "up" which she thought was so "smart" to put on a kite! I think I only burned myself three times with the hot glue gun...

5. Finally, Will and I tucked the kids into bed on time... and enjoyed a funny movie ! The perfect ending to a great weekend... Happy Monday everyone!