Charlie...

Charlie... 

He is had been a part of our Christmas tradition for as long as I can remember.  

He brings us Christmas Joy each morning.  

I never used Charlie as a "Santa's Watching" tactic.  He was simply a silly little elf who moved each night and made us smile each day.  

(I think Charlie has drawn on this picture of the girls every Christmas!) 

 The last couple of years we have added a Christmas countdown box to our Charlie fun.  

I fill the countdown box with small $1 goodies such as gum, nail polish, makeup wipes, candy, or even cash for a Sonic happy hour drink!  

The girls wake up each morning to look for Charlie so they can check the box!  Many mornings they are fussing with each other because someone wins two days in row!  

(Charlie and the girls love Cocoa Krispies and the Kellogg men.) 

 Charlie doesn't get into near as much mischief as he use to.  He just goes from room to room each day.  It's still such a fun tradition we have and I will continue it FOREVER!  

(Yes, one day my girls will bring their children home and Charlie will be here.  The girls will be able to tell their children stories of Charlie from their childhood.) 

 Sometimes Charlie leaves fun napkins for breakfast or little cups that make us smile!  He's a fun elf.  

I have never thought that Charlie was going to give my girls the "wrong idea" of Christmas.  

Charlie is an added bonus to the joy, excitement and wonder of the season.  

We believe in Jesus. 

We celebrate His birth during this special season. 

We take time to count our blessings, be filled with the joy He brings us, 

and celebrate His love for us.  

JESUS is the REASON for the SEASON! 

All the extra fun (Charlie included) help us realize the joy God wants us to share and enjoy in our lives.  Joy with HIM, Joy with each one dear to us and then that joy can spread to those we come in contact with each day.  

Enjoy every tradition, every moment, every blessing of this special season.  

Merry Christmas

This is Life...

 Y'all, THIS IS LIFE!  And sometimes life doesn't work out as we had it planned.  

Having three girls in three years and barely finding time to breath for many years... 

Finding so much joy in these three precious girls over the years that I often cry with Thanksgiving...THIS IS LIFE. 

Being blessed with some of the best friends in the world... 

Going through ups and downs with them and learning what true friends are... THIS IS LIFE!    

Working hard to achieve status in a job...

Finding satisfaction in your job only to be "let go"... THIS IS LIFE. 

Struggling to get it all done and being so physically, emotionally and spiritually exhausted...

But at the same time feeling so fulfilled in all your do... THIS IS LIFE! 

Turning 40...

Feeling like you have reached the halfway mark... THIS IS LIFE !

Feeling a sense gratitude for all you have been blessed with...

yet filled with pain because you want to help others not so fortunate...THIS IS LIFE! 

Walking into your job each and everyday...

Feeling like you are serving God and serving those you come into contact with if even in the smallest of ways... THIS IS LIFE! 

Preparing to send children off into the world...

In one way your heart hurts, but then you are so proud of the young people they have become...

 THIS IS LIFE! 

Struggling in your walk with God...

Praying earnestly for guidance and peace and seeing GOD in so many situations... THIS IS LIFE! 

Struggling in your most important relationship in life, marriage... 

Only to have it just fall apart year after year... THIS IS LIFE!  

God hears us as we travel through THIS LIFE. 

This past year I have prayed for pure courage.  Courage to speak my heart.  Courage to be really feel my deepest feelings.  Courage to face hard stuff and not just let it pass.  Courage to be proud of myself and who I am as a mother, teacher, friend and Christian.  Courage to not let others bring me down but to LIVE to my fullest despite.  Courage to face THIS LIFE day by day.  

I have clung to Deuteronomy 31: 6, "Be strong and courageous.  Do not fear or be in dread, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you.  He will not leave your or forsake you."  

The Lord has not left me, nor will he ever leave me.  He's been by me the last 42 years and I am so thankful.  He has been with me this past year.  It's been a hard one.  

Divorce is never an easy word.  It cuts you to the core.  It makes you question things but also makes you focus on what you truly believe.  

I believe God is good. I believe God works all together for the good.  I believe God loves me married or divorced.  I believe God is a great healer, protector and giver. 

 I believe God has show me love like never before. 

 I believe God is there for me in all I do. I believe God is watching over every aspect of THIS LIFE.   

THIS IS LIFE! 

THIS is MY LIFE! 

Just a little More Mascara Madness...

Well, when my girls read my last blog about the mascara choice of our family, they said I need to also share the other mascaras they love!  

My girls have a simple process when it comes to mascara.  They apply...dry... apply another coat.  Sometimes they use the "blue tube".  Other times they use a coat from blue tube, a coat from green tube..

Their other mascara favorites are Scandal Eyes by Rimmel and the 'ole fav of many, 

Great Lash!  

They will often use a safety pin to help separate their lashes.  I

 don't have the patience for that!  

 

Another little eyelash secret is they wash out an old mascara wand and use to to get the clumps gone or to separate the lashes.  

Simple and FREE tip!  

Happy Monday!  

Let's Talk Lashes...

My girls and I get asked weekly what kind of mascara we use...

Saturday my sweet nail lady asked me what type of glue and lashes I use...

I broke it to her that they were "natural!"  

She was shocked!  

God blessed us with some great lashes and I don't take it for granted.  

I always hesitate to break the news to everyone that we use Rocket Volume Express by Maybelline. 

YES! You can buy it at your local DG or WM!  

And, its cheap!  

Emiley probably has the longest lashes of the 4 our us.  They are simply gorgeous.  Since she is just 14, she is just learning to apply mascara and really just beginning to love make-up.  

Lainey has long lashes and they curt naturally.  She is "doubly" blessed!  

Abbey, now 17, has her lash skills down to an art!  They are beautiful and she spend the time on them to make them look fabulous everyday!   

Yep, that's me as a lumberjack on Halloween.  :)  

Maybe I need to take more close-ups to "prove" I'm lash worthy...

But for today, this is the best you get!  

 Let me know your favorite "cheap" mascara.  

We may have to try a new kind!  

Happy Tuesday folks... Here's to great lashes!  

This Has Gotten Ridiculous...

Hello Blogging World... 

Remember me?  Shelley, momma of three. 

Yes, well I hardly remember myself some days.  

I do remember I loved blogging and miss it terribly, but the hustle and bustle of following three teenagers around has taken over! 

 To add to the crazy, I am teaching JH Science this year.  It's so much fun, and I feel like I am working hard just to stay ahead.  

Last week we "played" with internal organs of a cow and pig.  

See, My life is glamorous.  

These three beauties make me proud every single day and keep me hopping.  

We rarely spend one evening a week at home due to their sporting events. 

I wouldn't trade it for anything but also need to get back to blogging to document the craziness of what it is having three teenage daughters.  

 Like many people, I choose a word of the year.  

For me, my word this year is "courageous!"  

I want to be courageous in my life.  I want to pursue the things I love courageously.  I want to be courageous and stand up for the things that aren't positive in my life.  

I love all things simple and having one simple word to focus on is so much more relative then a list of resolutions.  

Do you have a word of the year?  Do you hope to make small, simple changes as this new year is quickly underway?  

I'm so thankful for this new sign that sits in my living room.  It reminds me to be courageous, to keep my life simple and do all things with great love!  

Happy New Year, blog world. 

I've missed you!  

Miss Em...

Well, I'm only almost a month late to say "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" to Miss Em on this dear old blog!  

Emiley turned 14 on Sept. 18.  For some reason this birthday was hard for me as a momma to swallow.  

Maybe it's because my baby is growing up right before my eyes.  

Miss Em has always been such a happy girl and as she grows into a young lady, teenager, I still see this great quality in her.  She brightens a room where ever she goes and genuinely cares for other.  

She has a heart of gold!  

She is a natural leaders and the life of the party!  

Emiley, you make me proud and make me smile EVERY SINGLE DAY!  

Happy 14th!  

These Girls Amaze Me...

Yes, because I was an awful blogger the last year (plus), you may have missed the AMAZING year that the Hamilton XC team had last year.  These girls WON STATE!  Yep, they were the best 2A XC team in the state of TX last year.  I was pretty proud of them... heck, the whole town of Hamilton was proud of them!  Well, I new season of XC began this last Saturday and these girls performed once again.  They competed in Dallas and come out 3rd against over 100 teams 4A and under. 

 (yep, that's against school much larger than we are!) 

 This wasn't just a regular cross country meet.  In this meet there were hay bales to jump... 

At one spot in the race, there were multiple hay bales stacked on top of each other that they had to climb up to get over... 

And these girls jumped them like it was no big deal.  

 These girls are so fun to watch.  

They admit that it's not always "fun" or "easy" but the friendships they are forming and the memories they are making will last a lifetime.  These girls work so hard.  They love each other.  I love them, too!  

 And there are perks that occur when you place 3rd out of over 100 teams and you are the reigning state champs... You SCORE an interview with Milesplit after the race.  

I chuckled so hard at these sweet girls... they are so naive and shy.  It was priceless to watch them in this interview.  

Great Start to the season, Lady Bulldogs!  We can't wait to watch you all the way to STATE 11/12/16!