Random Pictures

This post is a followup to my Random Words post. Mama and James wanted to take me a on ride through their trails in the woods to show the some tornado damage they incurred about a month ago. They are so much fun. They make these golf cart trails and name them. . . They've just started working on these trails, but one of this is named "Poison Ivy Patch". I have to say I got the red-carpet treatment or, should I say, the brown-leaf treatment. Yep, those brown leaves were all rolled out for me to step on and my mom pulled up with valet parking. . . Yep, the golf cart!
Here's the creek on their land. I don't think they've named this yet. It's beautiful though!

And, here is just a smiggin' of the trees that have been uprooted. . . beautiful, beautiful oak trees.

We also had an egg hunt. Mom had 8 prize eggs with money. Alec was focused on finding these. He cared nothing about the candy.

This is what James did while we were hunting.

That Hanna is ONE SERIOUS egg hunter!

He then moved to get a better view of the action. . . still sipping on his coffee? Do you see why I like coffee the way I do . . . it's in my blood!

(If Melissa reads my blog she is going to KILL me for putting this picture on here). . . I'm taking my chances here people.

This is my cousin, Sally's, little girl, Rachel. She spent the night with my mom that night. Very sweet girl. She was even calling me "Aunt Michele".

Mama and James

Mel and I

The Easter egg crew

As stated in my Random Words post this is the Seder supper we went to.

The Rabbi is the one holding the microphone.

I just loved the Jewish music.

This was very sweet. We had to dip our finger in our wine or grape juice (you got to chose) and for each plague (remember this is to commemorate the Exodus from Egypt), you said the name of each plague and sprinkled the juice onto the plate.

One thing I took away so much from this is how to trust in the sufficiency of God, which I think I do, but it was just put in a different way or struck me differently this night. Whatever He has for you in life, wherever you are at, He is sufficient. They didn't ask for anymore or any less than what the Lord had portioned them. I really want to read back through my booklet and glean other things. I will definitely be doing this again next year!!! It was a very sweet night and very, very meaningful. So much JOY!

It's grape juice, I promise :)

Here is the tornado damage that wiped across our county last week.

Here is a trailer park we went to help at. They are literally sitting on top of all their things. A local school was open for a shelter, but no one would leave because people were stealing one another's things. This makes me so very sad!

I just loved seeing the compassion of people also. They were all so very, very grateful! My heart left very full even amongst the destruction.

Nothing like tragedy to bring people together.

This is Ash's old Sunday School teacher's house. Precious, precious lady. She was so sweet. She was trying to give the kiddos candy for helping. Even amongst all of this she was still thinking of others. Something about her reminded both Melissa and I of Faye (grandmother).

These are the cedar trees where some of their things are caught up in.

Things I Want to do in Sodom and Gomorrah

Okay. . . well it's Las Vegas. . . that's where we're headed. Here's a list of things I want to do.

1. See the Grand Canyon. . . not going to make this one. Jon is literally in class from 7:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. So that means no time for a 4 hour drive. Shucks!

2. Read.

3. See an Elvis Chapel with Elvis impersonator. . . cause I'm a big dork.

4. Read.

5. Sleep late.

6. Run on trail where we run through canyons.

7. Read.

8. Hang out by the pool.

9. Read.

10. Share the Gospel with people I meet.

11. Read.

12. Take a gondola ride in the Bellagio (I think that's the name of it).

13. See a show. We're broke and those things are expensive, and although Jon's company is paying for ALOT, they're not paying for our entertainment. Shucks again!!!!

14. Read.

15. See the desert.

16. See the town lit up on the strip.

17. Go letterboxing (yes, without my kids and yes, b/c I'm a big dork).

Okay, so I mentioned reading quite a few times. I love to read, but our days here are so packed I don't get to do it nearly like I would like.

Here's my list of books I'm taking.

Random Words

To try and do a quick catch up of the week I thought I'd do just a very wordy random post. To follow? Well, you guessed it . . . pictures (since I have that disease where I can't blog without pictures). So, next post will be random pictures. . .kind of like a part 2 of this post. . . sound good? Good! Here I go.

• I've been fascinated by the Will and Kate royal wedding. I just love the fact that she is so common, an underdog. . . makes for a good movie. I've read and watched all kinds of stuff about the royals this week including Princess Diana and Prince Charles. . . wouldn't want that kind of life for all the tea in china. . . still, I am fascinated by it. My thoughts have even drifted to the wedding feast of the Lamb. . . when Christ will be united with His bride (church). Now, IMAGINE the splendor of that! I can't wait. I know I'll be there!!!



• We had tornadoes hit our area, like missing us by a little over a mile or two. It's been devastating and heart breaking. The kids and I went out the day after and tried to help. We went to a trailer park and got some things the people needed. Then, we went to Ash's Sunday School teacher (last year)'s house. It was completely and utterly demolished. It is a miracle they are alive. I've never seen anything like this in my whole life. Literally their stuff was caught in cedar trees. They still can't find their roof. . . I'm so grateful they are alive and I'm so grateful we are safe. We did get up about midnight when the weather radio went off, headed downstairs to get under the stairs. I was quite the ill pill. Jon was being a goof off. . . texting, passing gas. . . yada, yada, and I wasn't laughing or very jovial for that fact. I need my sleep. Hanna heard on the news where you were to cover up, meaning with blankets and pillows. Instead she layered her clothing. Seriously, the kid had on 3 different pair of PJ pants. If I wouldn't have been so ill, I would've been laughing at that.



• Easter was great. The kids went to church with Melissa b/c they spent the night with Mom. Jon and I were going to a Seder supper with our friends Bethany and Scott. However, Jon has SO MUCH WORK going on right now he couldn't make it, so Jen. B went with us. It was a precious night, very moving and sentimental, and thought provoking. I later went and asked the Rabbi why Christian's don't celebrate the feasts? He literally stopped in his tracks and in a nutshell told me "antisemitism". Hopefully more thoughts from this girl's mouth on this later. I'm really afraid we Christians may be missing the boat. I 'd love any and all thoughts on this issue. However, when we entered the seder supper I told my friends, " I feel so Gentile". I texted Jon the same thing. He replied, "Good, because that is what you are." Thanks for confirming that honey!!!! Jon and I went to church Easter Sunday. I felt so very lonely without my kiddos there with us. I didn't like that feeling AT ALL. I felt all out of sorts. . . not like myself at all!!!! We got to mom's, ate her good cooking, rode through what some tornado damage had done about a month ago to their property, and hunted eggs. I love being with my family.



• Tonight the kiddos and I took Jon to the airport. It was his first plane ride EVER. He has a fear of flying. On the way up there he was so nervous about possibly getting sick on the plane. . . you know, throwing up sick. He really was quite nervous and caught up in this idea. He was very distracted and out of sorts. We get to the airport, find where to check in baggage. He's a little frazzled (just not knowing what to do). I told the kids to lets stand back and just watch him. He didn't need us on his heels. Ash then proceeded to throw up 3 times. Seriously, I just laughed. . . all I could do. . . I think I did this b/c if I didn't I would have started crying. . . crying for Jon for his nerves and crying for my sweet girl for her pain and crying for me for my embarrassment (especially for the man who rolled his luggage across it). So, I laughed instead. . . quite a bit, actually. I'm anxiuos to hear from him when he lands. Oh yeah. . . this is the Sodom and Gomorrah I referred to in earlier posts. I'll leaving you hanging, but just try and guess where his conference is based on my clue. Oh, one thing that just touched my heart so. After Jon hugged all of us goodbye, he wanted us all to pray. . . so here, in the airport, my little family of 5 huddled around in a circle, bowing our heads in prayer while Jon prayed outloud. So thankful for Jon and his leading our family spiritually.



• Tomorrow I'm going to pick up Andrew and he is spending the night with us. Doug & Angela are in SSI celebrating 10 years of marriage, so we get to keep Andrew. I'm so very excited. . . all the kids and I are. I really am quite afraid I have forgotten all my baby skills. . . hopefully they will come back to me. It's been so long since we've had a baby in the house.



• I got my passport in today! My picture is H-O-R-R-I-B-L-E!!!!!!!!!However, it will serve its purpose. I'm going on a mission trip to Guyana in July and I'm excited, nervous, and all the in-betweens. . .



• Ash has been exceptionally clingy this week. She's oh so very sweet and no one loves me like this girl does. She is her mama's girl through and through. I'm not trying to take anything away from Alec and Hanna. I know they love me as well, but they're much more Daddy's boy/girl. . . which is totally okay with me. . . I was a Daddy's girl too, so I understand their hearts. But Ash, I don't know what it is. . . extremely, extremely binding to me this week. . . like at my heels everywhere I go. I think she is anxious about the upcoming week and not having me with her for an entire week. Oh, she's so sweet!!!!!! Hanna even was somewhat clingy on Wed. night???? She's not as verbal with her feelings, so it is really hard to tell what is going on in that head of hers.



• Wanna hear something funny? Here is something Hanna said last week. We were talking about Babylon and Hanna said, "I wish the tower of Babel didn't happen so I could understand what those ladies at Judy's Nails were saying."




• I took the kids out to eat Mexican tonight. We are on a super-tight budget right now. . . so normally where it would be around $30 or so for our entire family. . . we ate El *____* for $14.02 AND we even had cheese dip. I told the kids if they wanted to eat out everyone had to drink water and we all had to get something that was under $3.00. They obliged b/c they didn't want to eat my spaghetti :)

82 hats

Nahhh. . . I'm just kiddin'. . .not 82 hats, but by the looks of these pictures you'd think so. I'm still talking in 82s. . . but what I meant was 82 years. Melissa and I were going to miss Grandmama's big birthday shin-dig. Well, it really was just our family and they had to all get together on a day my cousin, Brian, could do it. . . . I already had previous plans, so Mel and I took Grandmama to lunch to this sweet little tea room nearby.

Grandmama started the fashion trend of a hat. . . she's been having to wear one b/c she had a premalignant place come up on her head. . .

These girls were so good. An older lady leaving the restaurant came up to me and complimented me on how well behaved they were. That makes me claim them! If they act like a bunch of scaliwags. . . uncivilized and all. . . I pretend I don't know whose children they are. . . I kid. . .I kid..

Here are my 2 aunts and my sweet Grandmama who has been walking this earth for 82 years!

Melissa and Hanna

Beans, Mel, and me (I feel like I look like a flight attendant in this picture)

We found these funny hats on the wall. . .so Melissa grabbed one and I followed her lead. We wanted to look like Grandmama. . .

Sharon and Wanda thought they'd join in the fun as well.

Pretty lady!

Sweet little Southern Belle

Here's another one. . .

And. . . another one. . .

Afterwards Wanda took all the kiddos to the store by the tearoom and got them each a piece of candy. . .

Poor Alec was such a good sport about being at a tearoom. He was the photographer, and it wasn't until I uploaded these pictures that I realized he wasn't in a SINGLE one of them. I think he prefers it that way. . . that way there's no proof he was actually at a tea room. . .

We love our Grandmama so very much. She's so special and has made a mark on each of our lives.

Saturday Confessions

Okay, thought it'd be good for me to do some fessin' up. I saw this on someone's blog. . . so, for my first confession.

1. I copied this idea from someone else's blog.

2. When my kids are in trouble, sometimes I will punish them by making them brush my hair.

3. Also, if they want to earn extra money (they don't get paid for chores), they can earn that by brushing my hair . . . for every 10 minutes then get $1.

4. I've got to put candy in eggs tonight for an egg hunt at my Mom's tomorrow. She specifically told me not to buy chocolate because it melts. I disobeyed and bought the chocolate.

5. I just got back from a long run and I've eaten almost 1/2 the bag of chocolate I bought.

6. Every time I pass this field I want to dress my kiddos up and have my sister (who's a photographer) come take pictures of them. Isn't it beautiful????

However, I've never done it because it has this sign posted on it.
7. One of my girls' Sunday School teacher will say some things to their class that I don't really agree are biblical. I tell her, "Just don't listen to ______." (I actually fessed this one up to my running partner this morning).

8. Jon and I skipped Communion last night and stayed at home. If the kiddos would've been here we would have gone. However, Jon was going on 4 hours of sleep, so we skipped out. I heard the service was amazing. However, I did enjoy my time with my hubby.

9. Jon and I also have a big decision to make by Tuesday. It's one of those you're stupid if you do it, but you're stupid if you don't. . . just trying to decide which stupid we're going with :)

10. I coveted Melissa's cute outfit yesterday.

11. I also coveted her long hair.

12. I'm sitting here on this computer and I told Jon I would be cleaning the house.

Oops. . . guess that's enough fessin' up for today.

What the Books Don't Teach You

This time of year I'm always so ready to be finished with school. It's the fever. . . Spring Fever, I think is what they call it. When my mother-guilt sets in over this, I have to remind myself that my kids are learning so much that a book doesn't teach you (although, you all know what a BIG book nerd and book LOVER I am).

For example, both of my girls know how to read a recipe, work the oven, stove, and microwave and could really whip out a meal. I enjoy being in the kitchen with them, both cooking it and cleaning it. . . it's called "treasuring the mundane". . .

A book certainly could not teach you how to properly talk on the phone and cook at the same time. Ash, oh sweet child o' mine. . . has mastered this to a Tee! I give her an A+. Just look at that perfectly cocked head to the side. . . not tilted too little, not tilted too much. . .just right. . . And, see. .. she's still grating cheese all while moving her mouth and getting her thoughts out!

And just look at Hanna here. . . she has mastered the art of being silly while cooking. Yes, you can cut up and be a clown and cook all at the same time. She's really learned this more from her Daddy than me. I'm so thankful my kids have a Daddy who likes to cook and be in the kitchen.

Alec has not only mastered the art of cutting the grass. . . Shoot a goose, anybody can push a mower. . . However, cutting the grass and looking super cool while doing it??? Well, that is an art in and of itself. He also learned this from his Daddy.

Dressing alike and talking on your cell phone. . . well, again, a book can't teach you THAT! Being a good friend even when one minute you may be mad at one another and the next you may be loving each other. . . books don't teach you those things. Being willing to forgive one another when you've made each other mad. . . these girls have perfected that to an art!

Having someone around who is like a big sister to you. . . her fixing your hair, talking, goofing off, and just enjoying life. Loving others like you love yourself, well that's stuff right there that just all has to be put into practice!