Mother's Day

Despite having some jet lag and a horrible head cold, this has been a really great Mother's Day. First of all after being away from my babies for 5 days, I was really to soak all 3 of them up. We all went to church this morning and then headed out to eat. Since I have this horrible cold and can hardly taste a thing I thought Mexican sounded really good. . . and, it was. I could taste it somewhat.

We then went to Wal-mart. Yeah, I know it was last minute for shopping, but that kind-of stuff doesn't matter me. . . maybe it's because I'm a "Last-Minute Lady" myself. . .

We came home and Jon told the kids he and them were cleaning the whole house for me. Wow! This meant so much, especially considering there was a week's worth of laundry piled at the back door, along with suitcases galore. . .

Meanwhile, I lay in the bed reading a book my friend, Bethany, had let me borrow. Yes, I started this one on my trip.

It was quite funny hearing the "clean the house fiasco". Even Hanna thought so. She walked through my room giggling.

"What's so funny Hanna?"

Giggle. "Daddy cleaning the house."

"Why's that so funny?"

"Because he's downstairs trying to do the laundry. I don't think he knows which detergent to use." Giggle. Giggle.

He was yelling at the kids some, but cleaning the house will do that to you. . . that's why I try to avoid it. . . ha!ha! I kid! I kid . . . kinda.

We then all climbed into Jon and I's bed and watched a movie. Lazy days are the B-E-S-T!!!!!!

We went to Gigis to celebrate with her.

This was my yummy banana split.


We all ate on the patio. It was such a nice evening.

I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful mother-in-law and mother. I can't wait to celebrate with my mom!!!!!!!

Also the kids and Jon got me a really sweet card. My little sister sent me a super sweet text thanking me for being a Godly example. Also Jon and the kids got me a new subscription to "Runner's World" Whoo! Hoo! and "The Dawn Treader" I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all the Narnia movies.

But, even if I didn't get a clean house, sweet cards, or gifts, the Lord has blessed me beyond measure, and I'm so very grateful for my sweet husband and precious kids!

On the eve before I leave

Well the night before I left I wanted to have some sweet time with the kiddos. So we made make-your-own pizzas. This is a family favorite. We then played a couple of rounds of Uno Flash and, to my amazement, no one pouted or got made (that's a rarity when we play games :))

I had a long list of things to get done. I let the kids watch TV while I tried to mark things off my list. . . tieing up a few loose ends before I left.

One thing I always do whenever I leave to go out of town is write my children notes. I hide them in their bags (or if they are at home I put them under their pillows) and always pray they will find them at a time when they need to.

The sweet thing is is I actually saw a note in my bag placed in there by one of the kiddos. Come to find out it was a letter from Ashley. This is what it said.

Dear Mommy,

I love you so much and already miss you so much. But I love you and hope you have the best time ever. I jus can't reapeat how many times I love you cause its more than you think. Here's a kiss (picture of red lips). I hope you and Daddy have the best time.

Sincerly,

Ash

P.S. I love you

Attached to my letter was another card made by her. Here's what it said.

I love you Mom and already miss you so much and I know you miss me and I can't wait to see you. But while your there have THE BEST TIME EVER!!! I love you.

That girl is some kind of sweet!!! Yes, I know we need to work on her spelling, but don't you just love her heart of gold?

When I dropped the kiddos off with GiGi and Grandaddy Ash was actually better than I thought she would be. Hanna was very clingy (she's my girl with no words, holds everything in) and didn't want to let me go. Not like a "i'm going to hold onto you so you won't leave me" more like a "i just want to hug on you until the absolute last minute you have to walk out this door." Alec was good. Very loving, but he knew we'd be home and he did want to talk to me that night to ask me about my flight. I have some wonderful kiddos, don't I?????

One of my Favorite Sounds!!!

If I had to say what my very favorite sound is in the whole wide world. . . it would be really hard to choose from. . .

Let's see. . . laughter. . . I love the sound of laughter.

Children praying. . . Oh yeah, that one may be my favorite!

A heart that is desperate for the LORD . . . oh that sound moves me so. . . can I just have more than one favorite. . . please?

Well, this is my blog. . . so I'll just make the rule that I can have more than one favorite. . . K?

Well, one of my favorite sounds is the sound of my family and friends entering my home.

As I was upstairs putting my makeup on. . . my family always makes a grand entrance.

I think I heard my Mom's loud, happy, southern draw first. . . then everyone else just feeds off of that. It is an entrance that full of hugs and smiles and warmth and, I quietly thanked the LORD as I heard all this noise from afar. Such an incredible blessing it is. When our friends showed up a little while later. . it's the same sounds. . . it just makes my heart so very full.

My little sister Kristen came up and spent the night with us so that we could have an old fashioned trick-or-treat.

I can just eat this sweet baby up!! I have to fight my girls for her! I love watching my "little mamas" hold her, talk to her, love on her. I'm so thankful there's another baby in our family.

Isn't she just precious?

Here is the trick-or-treat crew minus the army men (Noah and Alec) and Mario (Joseph-Scott)

Even Emory had on a poodle skirt!

That her Nanna made for her!

These kiddos were so anxious to get out and get some candy. GA was playing FL on TV and they went into overtime. We left Scott, Steve, and Jon at the house to finish watching the game. Faith actually got to see Jon in rare form. . . excitement over the football game.

However, we trick or treaters had serious business to take care of! We headed out the door and let them catch up later.

Two of the cutest 50s girls!

This precious cowgirl that I named Annie Oakley.

A real, true-and-blue cowgirl knows how to swing her hat off her head!

A 50s girl and a Southern Belle

Three 50s cousins

Mama went as me when I was a majorette. Can't you tell? She brought my Letterman jacket from high school. She was trying to dump off my junk on me. . . but I told her she had to take it back to her house :)

The boys were incognito in their camo

No cars or trucks or hayrides for this trick or treatin'. . . we walked. . . just like Charlie Brown.

Except I don't think Charlie and his gang walked as far as we did. We went through woods (pretty spooky).

Through a golf course. . . and all the way to Gigi and Grandaddy's. . . which is about a 2-mile walk. We were exhausted. Thankfully Gigi had cookies for everyone to munch on. Then the men went and got the cars so we could ride back home. Our treak or treatin probably took us 2+ hours. It was so fun though!!! We had lots of laughs!

The kids got lots of good candy too.

As the night wore on Jon and Steve got funnier and funnier. They were both so hilarious. They had us all crackin' up!!!

Even we moms decorated ourselves up for Halloween. . . a poodle mom, a pumpkin mom, and a cat mom.

This pictures just makes me grin!

I love this little girl!

138. Friends that are like family.

139. A loving family who wants to be with you.

140. Sweet sisters.

141. Nieces and nephew.

142. Fat baby cheeks.

143. Good health to walk long distances.

144. $5 pizzas.

145. Laughter, loudness, southern warmth.

Family Fall Fun

The Mum. . . I think it is my very favorite flower. . . well, I really like the Hydrangea too. . . but the Mum is either first or close to first. . .

Why? I think I like it so much is because it signifies fall.

I just love fall. . .

The crisp, cool air, hayrides, bonfires, football, pumpkins, leaves changing colors, and. . . corn mazes!

A few weeks ago we took a family day and headed to Southern Belle Farms. Normally we go to Rock Ranch, but we decided to change it up this year.

The girls loved jumping on this bouncy thing. . .

Here's the family in my personal favorite. . . the corn maze.

Alec and Hanna practiced roping a cow's head. . . I guess in case we ever decide to move on a ranch one day **grin**

There were duck races. . . how do you think that went in a family full of competitors?

There was cotton pickin'

Oh, and a hayride. . . I just LOVE the smell of hay and freshly mowed grass. I think these scents take me back to my childhood. Every Halloween "Pruett" (my granddaddy) would pack his truck full of hay, and we would ride in the back of his truck and go from house to house trick or treating! I just loved it!

As we were in line to order some snacks Alec and I got a kick out of this man's . . . should I say . . . murse?

This sweet thing and I took it easy while the other 3 were in charge of getting our food.

That girl wanted a chocolate apple so badly. . . Can't you tell how much she is enjoying it?

The girls loved the corn house.

Hanna needed a bird's eye view for one of our favorite events. . .

PIG RACES . . .souee weee, s-s-s-souee weee. . .

It's amazing how someone can spray paint a couple of pigs, turn them loose, and the crowd goes WILD!!

I love my family so very much! Our time together is precious. I'm so thankful for the memories we're making!

Boy, do we know how to P-A-R-T-Y!!!

September is a big month for birthdays around our house. My Dad, Melissa, Hanna, and Ash all occupy the month of September.

Good excuse for a get together.

This year we combined the girls' birthday party. They got to pick 2 friends a piece to spend the night with them.

Mom, of course, made their birthday cakes.

Hanna's face cracks me up. She must be surprised that Ash can blow out so many candles!

Both girls wanted soccer cakes. . . so Mom made them a cake a piece. She's the BEST!

Next, time for presents.

Y'all know what else happens on Saturdays? College football!

Kara Jane gave Hanna a necklace that said "Best Friends". She has one part of it, Hanna has the other. . . so sweet!

Maddie gave the same thing to Ash!

Later, we headed outside to tie dye aprons. MaeMae got to tie dye an old shirt of Jon's. She was so excited she got to hang out with the big kids.

How does a very unorganized person keep things from going chaotic with permanent tie dye ink? We'd all just take turns and say "pass the bottle". It actually went pretty smoothly considering I had 7 girls around the table.

Next, it was time for "make your own pizza"

The cool thing about this slumber party. . . Hanna's 2 friends and Ash's 2 friends were sisters. It's really neat! These girls are all so.very.sweet.

By the end of the night Skyler became a snaggle tooth. I pulled a loose tooth for her.. . . too funny!

I learned that polyester does not dye as well as cotton. Our aprons didn't turn out quite as bright as I had hoped. . .but the girls loved it, and that's what counts!

It was so much fun. I ended up not going to bed until 12:30 that night, and then got up extra early because I knew I would have 7 heads (including my own) of hair to fix! I also had to teach Sunday School that morning. I ran purely on adrenaline (which just gives me such a rush). It was so fun! I can't wait until we do another slumber party. . . .the sound of little girls giggling is one of my favorite sounds in the world.

Speaking of sweet girls. . . my niece, Noelle, had been calling my Mom wanting Mama to help her plan a surprise party for my sister.

Although Melissa knew about the surprise, she was a great faker. . . maybe cause she has a Ph.D in "fake" (her words folks, not mine:))

Alec looked out for Melissa and Scott

This year I wished Melissa a happy 31st birthday. She's not 31, she's 32. I think I was hoping if I made her 31 this year, then come Jan. on my birthday I could just turn 33 again and not 34. . . wishful thinking, huh?

Mama had GREAT party games planned. . . like pin the tail on the donkey. There is a good joke here folks for this picture, but I'm just going to keep it to myself.

And, what party isn't complete without a pinata?

All the kids went head first for the candy!

What a fun day! I'm so blessed to be apart of such an amazing family! Sometimes we're all mad as spit at one another. Sometimes we all laugh so hard our bellies hurt! Sometimes we all cry for one another. . . but one thing is ALWAYS for sure. . . we love each other like crazy . . . and. . . there is NEVER, EVER a dull moment!