Lemonade Stand

I need a: How to Care Snails for Dummies Guide

2011-04-21T23:52:00.000-05:00

Taylor got a little glass jar full of jelly beans at church this week.

The first thing he asked me was, "Mommy, can I pour these out and use this to catch tadpoles?"

Brilliant!

But, instead, he found a snail and decided it would be his first pet.

Then another, and finally, this afternoon, another.

So now, we have 3 snails, in a jar, on my kitchen counter.

HELP!!!

Farewell my beloved 20's

2011-02-06T22:21:00.000-06:00

   At the stroke of midnight, it will all be over. Dooms day is staring me dead in the face. There's no going back after tomorrow. It's all downhill from here. I usually demand a week's worth of celebrating this time of year. I gave my husband a hard time about it a few years ago. He hasn't heard a word from me this time. After tomorrow, it's all stuck where it's at and the wrinkles only get more defined. Gravity has won it's battle by now.
   I have yet to tell anyone that I will be turning the big 3-0...tomorrow! My whole life I wanted to be a 20-something-er. I remember being a teenager and thinking that being 22 would be glorious! That 25 would be the absolute most perfect age. It would be the peak of my life...
   I have never been concerned about age, taken my "Asian" blood for granted. No matter how much Clinique de-puffer I use, the dark puffy lines beneath my eyes are here to stay. No offense to my friends, but I think 30 is old. I guess I can say that now. I DO FEEL OLD! Everyone keeps telling me that their 30's have been the best yet. If that's so, I'm going to be blown away with what all God does to top my 20's!
   When I turned 20, I met one of my best friends- Kalee and her mom Debbi. God fulfilled one of my 2, lifetime dreams by allowing me to go to the Philippines to share the news of Jesus Christ in villages along the Agusan River Valley on the island of Mindinao. I lost my real mother/sister to heart failure that summer too. When I was 21, I celebrated it with the Maid of Honor from my wedding, Mary Martha. I spent that summer in China, planting seeds of the Good News in Harbin. I lost another sister the next year to heart failure as well.
   When I was 22, I think, I am already losing my memory, Mary Martha and I had the ultimate privilege of spending 3 months in Thailand, teaching English cultural classes at a college in Bangkok, traveling throughout the northern hill country near Burma. Even spending a week down in the deep southern part of the country near, Cambodia, which was probably wiped out by the Tsunami a few Christmases ago. I even spent the night in a Thai hospital with the flu, sinusitis and bronchitis that summer. It was a whirlwind, but sharing the Gospel with everyone we met was at the forefront of our minds. School was sort of a distraction!
  Then, I GRADUATED COLLEGE!!!!!!!! When you are in 9th grade, graduating college never really seems a reality, kind of like the drive to Disney World, you never think you will get there. The end seemed like light years away!
   At 23, I attended the International Mission Board Conference in Virginia, and chose a missions position to be a salt trader in northern India. The next day, God, through the Holy Spirit, told me to go home. He had other plans.
   At His word, I moved to Okolona, MS, of all places, and had a dream job at Ann Taylor Loft in Tupelo, when, a month later, God blessed me by fulfilling my second life long dream--meet the man of my dreams, fall head over heels in love, get married, make babies and be a mommy! No lie, I wrote this one down in a journal somewhere so I would remember it. I only ever wanted to be 2 things growing up-- Miss America (I would have settled for Miss Mississippi! haha) and to be a mommy.
   My best friend Martha Ann and I married our husbands, a month a part. At 25, the age I thought was the perfect age, I had my first child, less than 2 months later, we moved to Washington, D.C., and Jim had, what he thought, was his dream job. At 26, I hadn't a care in the world, an entire foreign mission field in my condominium, was a part of a growing church plant in Annapolis, MD, and being mentored and taught how to love my husband and children by an older lady in our church. I made one of my favoritest friends ever...Kate. She's a real life ballerina! God drew us close over the 2 years our little family lived inside the beltway.
   By age 27, Jim's job had moved us back to Tupelo, I had our second son and we lived in what seemed like an abandoned subdivision with only 2 other neighbors for the entire next year!
   Jim threw me the best ever surprise birthday party when I turned 28. Turning 29 wasn't so bad, I was preoccupied with just having my first baby girl and Jim was starting his mid-life crisis by starting an entirely new career. Oh, and the Green Bay Packers did win the Super Bowl while I was in my 20's too!
   I now know why Jim wanted to avoid the hype when he turned 30...it's dreadful. Like coming home from church on sundays to a messy house, hungry screaming kids and a headache the size of Texas-dreadful!
   I never could have imagined God would bless my socks off like He did over the last 10 years, but He has. I don't doubt for one second that He couldn't or wouldn't do the same over the next 10.
  Over the last few weeks, I've been praying about this. Pouring my heart out to God about my role as a wife, mom, and child of His. When I was young, early 20's--I hadn't a care in the world. Only myself to think about. No excuses to not be in God's Word daily. Absolutely no excuses or reserves when it came to sharing the Law with the people I met. Now, even as an extrovert, I crave quiet, lonely moments, just so I can collect my thoughts, and focus on talking with God. Finding moments for Him to restore the joy of my salvation! I find excuses all over the place now for why I didn't stop and love that person, or share the Gospel, when that is exactly what we should be about.
  So yes, I am sad about seeing my 20's go. It was a time of tremendous growth in my relationship with the Lord, lost loved ones, took a million and a half journeys, and began a family with my soul-mate.
   My hope and prayer for this new era (yes, I know I'm being dramatic!) of life, is that my zeal for Christ would only grow stronger and deeper. That I would be even more burdened for the spiritually lost. That I'd seize opportunities to share the Gospel and teach my children the same. MAKE EVERY MOMENT COUNT FOR SOMETHING!
Oh, and that my memory would improve and that I would learn to embrace those gray hairs that keep popping up!
   Yep, that's about it! So, farewell 20's. It's been nice, sweet and even plain awesome!

I'm so mad I could, and might just scream!

2011-01-20T14:31:00.000-06:00

   I don't complain about much. Well, maybe I do, but I very rarely take to the web to vent my frustrations. I'll spare you the loud screaming, tantrum that my 2 year old threw when I had to take him into the North MS Pediatrics office in Tupelo this morning because he has been sick for a few days. He had gotten better by yesterday, but we were up with him all last night, hacking up his lung and throwing up at the same time, along with a fever.
   So this morning I whisked all three of my children, some still in their pj's, to the clinic before the early morning sick hours were over.
   Jim had to work out of town this morning and my babysitters were at school. So, Carrie Ann and Taylor really had no choice. Plus, I wanted to rule out that the muck in their eyes wasn't pink eye!
   We got there just in time and I was sooo impressed at how quickly they called us back to a room.
   Of course Andrew had a meltdown at the thought of having to stand on the scale to be weighed and his attitude only spiraled downhill from that point.
   I felt so bad for the staff. I had to weigh Andrew while the nurse held Carrie Ann. He screamed bloody murder.
   Then the nurse took a very light, very quick swab of the front of the inside of his nose. It's the first time any of my children had ever been swabbed, so I thought she did a great job, considering the fit he was throwing.
   While trying to get a swab of his throat, the doctor came in with his laptop, and wiped everything off the counter right into the trash, including the "swab" the nurse had just taken of his nose. I saw the nurse look, like, um...that was my stuff doc. What do you think you are doing.
   I was too busy trying to wrangle my squalling child, and keep a 1 year old off of the floor. The doctor said, I'll come back when he calms down. I didn't blame him!!!!!
   The nurse, reached into the trash can and took the swab with her. Um..........
   Had you been there, without a sinus cold yourself, not sweating and having had brushed your teeth, you would've had the cognitive sense to speak up.
   And honestly, I don't know that I was thinking about it at the time. My mind was too busy.
   When the doctor returned, he tried looking into his ears, listening to his chest, nose and throat, all without much love from Andrew. Andrew would not stop kicking him.
   The doc, rolled back on his little stool and repeated everything that I had told him already, congested, fever, mattery eyes, hacking cough. To him, it sounds just like the flu, but it's too late to give him anything. His ears are fine and we aren't going to do a strep test. No pink eye! So, he'll probably have fever on and off the rest of weekend. If he starts having trouble breathing or wheezing, bring him back in because he could get pneumonia.
   At this point, I'm stressed to the max because Andrew is still screaming uncontrollably! But I was beginning to get frustrated because I brought him up there, went through this, to get answers. I don't blame the doctor for wanting to get out of there as fast as he could, I would have too, but he's a pediatrician, it's the nature of the job! The doctor stepped out and came back really quickly and stepped just inside the door and said, "Well, the flu swab is negative, but I still think it's the flu. So again, if he starts having trouble breathing, come back, but other than that, it's the nature of the flu. Oh, I forgot your chart, let me go get it."
  When he came back, I was gathering our things, with Carrie Ann in one hand, Andrew was sitting on the floor with his feet against the door. The doctor reached his arm in and put the yellow check out form on my bag and walked away.
   I thought, good grief! Are you serious? Goodbye, good riddens, never come back, please! Whew!!
   I can completely understand the doctor's frustrations, and his eagerness to get us gone, but can you see my frustrations as a mother, who has a sick child and feels the doctor could care less that something is wrong. I expect more than the status quo. I expect doctors to want to know what is wrong, I want them to want to know!!! I want them to find out!!! Rather than say, well it's not this, but I really "think" its this! I want a doctor to be completely satisfied that he fulfilled his role as a children's health care provider!!! Is that too much to ask of the person I am paying to check over the physical well-being of my sick 2 year old????
   I guess what I wanted was for him to want to find out what was wrong with my son as much as I wanted to know what was wrong with my son! That's why I brought him to a doctor.
   Now let's get started on that swab. As I was leaving the office, it hit me, OH MY WORD.... the "negative" swab was the same swab that the doctor swiped into the trash, and the same swab the nurse had retrieved from the trash can, and the same swab that she had brushed just on the inside of the front of his nose!!!!! YES, I'm serious.
   I don't fault her for not getting a better swab, Andrew thought she was trying to kill him and was acting partly in self-defense, the other part, he was just plain mad!
   I was boiling, I wanted to cry. But I was done. And I really didn't know what to do!
   I called my good friend, who is a pediatric nurse, and who has two small kids' that are my kids' ages. She was appalled. She said a good, swab of the nose, should collect, not mucus, but membranes from the lining of the nose. And usually, when she gets a swab, sometimes the nose might bleed. I told her what happened. The whole dramatic story. Her advice, among other information was: Past behavior will represent future behavior.
   I have left a voicemail for the clinic's manager. In the meantime, I will never, and I absolutely, mean ABSOLUTELY NEVER use the North Mississippi Pediatric Clinic in Tupelo or recommend them to anyone, ever again.
   Is this how I should think, how I should feel? I'm beside myself with anger and dismay. I mean, what do you do in a case like this? Any suggestions?
This isn't the first problem I've has with this same clinic. Twice, I've had to wait longer than 2 hours to have my newborns seen for their 2 week check-up. Most clinics, whisk newborns in and out, as to avoid any illnesses being spread. The most recent, I waited almost an hour to get a breathing treatment for my son who was having chest retractions and wheezing. Then, when I wanted to purchase a nebulizer to use at home, they gave me the biggest most ridiculous fit for wanting to purchase it from a third party, because it was more than $100 cheaper! Then earlier this week, when I called to get an appointment for all three of my children to come in, the lady on the other end of the phone, scolded me for not having the same pediatrician for all three of my children. (Taylor and Andrew have the same, and Carrie Ann has a different one--{she had a tummy issue when she was born, the clinic gave me the doc on call, which I chose to stick with because he knew her from birth and really seemed to care!}) She informed me that was just not right and who ever had scheduled my children's appointments in the past had not made me aware of the "rules" that a family of children should all be seen by the same doctor!!!!! I asked her if she was getting on to me for choosing different doctors. I was then told that I didn't let her finish--that it wasn't my fault, but that they had newer help in the clinic and they had simply made a mistake! So, you mean it's like a sorority and this is my hazing? WHAT????
   I know what different care looks like, I couldn't believe the quality of care Taylor received from his pediatric office when we lived in Northern Virginia. Dr. Baldrate-- I really, really miss you and your office!!!!
   There's not many options in Tupelo when it comes to pediatricians. We stopped using the pediatric clinic after my 2-hour wait for Andrew's 2-week checkup. and began seeing a family practitioner. However, last summer, he and his family left for the mission field and I have yet to find good, quality care for my children. HELP!!!
   I'll take your recommendations and your suggestions!

Carrie Ann is turning 1

2011-01-11T22:06:00.001-06:00

Twelve Months Pink Birthday Invitation

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Christmastime

2010-12-16T23:54:00.000-06:00

   My fondest childhood memories are of Christmas. My mama always made this time of year extra special. It was packed full of traditions.
   Our tree was always cut from the back pasture and never resembled a triangle. Colored lights and silver tinsel were our theme.
   We had the green porcelain tree that had a light bulb inside that beamed through the little colored pegs on the tips of the branches. It stood in the center of the mantle above the fireplace beside the mechanical Santa and Mrs. Claus. I don't recall ever having stockings.
   My dad still has the candle lanterns we always placed in our windows. You remember, the ones with the white bulbs with orange tips? I used to love going through the house plugging those in every night.
   Mama always seemed to be in a jolly-ish kind of mood from Thanksgiving, throughout December. I'd sit and watch her meticulously wrap every present. {I now do the same thing myself}
   She baked a lot. I don't remember a lot of the details, but everyone always requested her Rum Cake for bake sales and gifts. Her chocolate pie was out of this world. That's a goal on my list next year...make the perfect chocolate pie!
   On Christmas Eve every one of my siblings were there for supper, and their children too. It was great! The cousins would bring their significant others and friends, even unannounced sometimes. That was okay with mama. She worked at a hosiery mill and always kept a few extra boxes of socks in the hall closet. If you were a girl, she'd pull out one of her Southern Living items that she had stock piled in said closet!
   There was always plenty of food. We finally got to use the fancy dishes.
   When they would begin to arrive at our house, my sisters and brothers in law would tell us that they had seen Santa in the sky, or that they had heard on the radio that he had taken off from the North Pole and was headed our way. I was the youngest person in our family. I ate the whole thing up. It was a fun, cheerful time. Not a care in the world down there at the dead end of Reece Road.
   And then, when the all the presents had been passed out, I would duck and peek, making sure that none had been forgotten under the tree.
   Then, the second wave of people would come. Daddy's side of the family. Our house was packed! It was great! They'd come for dessert and coffee. Then we'd do the whole thing again, I saw Santa here and there they'd say. He never seemed to be going in the same direction.
   Then, when all had quietened down and all the guests had gone home, I'd lay awake in my bed for what seemed like an eternity listening for the slightest foot step of the big guy in red. I was always so worried about him getting burned by the embers in the fireplace.
   Before I knew it though, it was morning! And Santa had indeed come and I must have fallen asleep because I never heard him!
   Christmas Day was just as special, just as fun. Not only did we celebrate the fact that it was Jesus' birthday, but it was also mama's birthday! The family was all together again that day. And MORE dessert!
   Christmas 1992 was mama's last Christmas. I was 11 that year. It's never been the same. There's been a void ever since. Santa never came after that. If I had known then what I know now, I would have bottled it all up and poured it all out for my little family now. {I can't listen to Faith Hill sing "Where are you Christmas" without balling my eyes out!}
   We aren't usually at our own home on the actual Christmas Eve and Day, and so for as long as we can pull it off, there will be 2 of each of those days for my kids! We usually celebrate Christmas Eve and Day with our little guys {and gal this year}, ahead of time, before we head up north.
   So, tomorrow, Friday, December 17th, is Christmas Eve and Santa comes tomorrow night! And on Saturday, it's Jesus' birthday, and we'll treat it as such- with a great breakfast and a birthday cake!
   But Jim's mom, she's got it going on! We head up to northern Illinois during the holidays, where there is almost always a promise of a White Christmas! Jim's whole family is there.
   We are there for about a week and there's always something baking, coffee brewing and Christmas music playing on the kitchen stereo.
   And on Christmas Eve...we all head over to Jim's grandma's house, just like they have Jim's entire life {he's the oldest of all the grandkids}. This year, the final tally comes to 33. From 5 months to 86 years old!!!
   And they have so many traditions, I'm still trying to figure some of them out.
   On Christmas morning, Santa even comes and hands out all 19 stockings to those of us at Jim's mom's house. Then we have a breakfast that is out of this world. Followed by the gift exchange, in order from the youngest to the oldest.
   So for now, I'll pour out all I can for my little anxious munchkins, mustering up all the great memories and creating some of our very own.
   Christmas Eve, crammed in a tiny, hot, suburban home might not be all that appealing, but my children will remember every second of it, and love every minute.

From our family to yours,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

from the Brown's

White Chip Chocolate Cookies

2010-12-13T17:31:00.000-06:00

No lie, you can make these cookies with a baby on your hip.

{See Jim, this is why I need a stand mixer, then I would be able to make you more desserts!}

   They are that easy! Usually, super easy recipes don't really taste all that great. And recipes off the back of product packages aren't that great either...but I'm telling you these are the exception!!!
   It's like eating a brownie cookie with little morsels of ooey goodness!!!!
   I'm headed to the Annual Troxler Cookie Swap in just a few hours and I'm taking a few dozen of these little treats.
   If you try them, you won't be able to stop at just one. Take that from a girl that is surprisingly not a big fan of cookies...I just have a husband who is!
All you need is this:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsels

Preheat oven to 350. Set out your 2 sticks of butter and 2 large eggs and bring to room temperature. {use butter, not margarine, for cookies. The oil in the margarine can make the cookies too soggy.}

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

{I like to sift my dry ingredients together. My husband doesn't see why I would need a sifter, so I use my small metal strainer.}

By sifting it, it should turn out looking a little like this when you are done.

Cream together butter and granulated sugar.

Add in your brown sugar.

Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Blend in eggs, one at a time.

Then gradually pour in your dry mixture.

The batter will be thick.

Use a sturdy spoon to stir in the White Chocolate Chip Morsels!

{White Chocolate chips make anything better!}

Now, if you don't have these next two items, a small ice cream scoop and a silicon baking pad, you should seriously ask Santa for one this year! They are a baker's best friend!

This scoop, that I found second-hand, makes the perfect sized scoops for cookies.

Place scoops of cookie dough about an inch and half apart on baking pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes.

This recipe yields about 60 cookies! I've got plenty for the cookie swap and a few left over for some hungry little boys and a very hungry daddy!

Cool on pan for 2 minutes then move to wire racks to cool completely!

I even think a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup would take this "cookie" to a whole new level!!!

Biggest bang for your buck and your Community!

2010-11-27T16:13:00.000-06:00

Two owners of local retail shops in the Tupelo area recently told Jim that their family owned and operated businesses will not make a profit this year.

   Our Sunday School prayer list has a family who had to close their family business this past week.
   A close friend told me her husband's business, which his parents own and employs many of their family members, is really struggling. She now must put her little boy in childcare and return to work.
   Maybe one little family spending a few of their hard earned dollars at a few family owned and operated retail shops won't make much of a difference during this holiday season, but a few families could make a little bit bigger impression.
   It could mean a Christmas bonus, Insurance premiums for one more year, or even your neighbor's salary.
   Sure, the ornament I bought from the local gift shop down the road cost about three more dollars than it would have at my beloved Hobby Lobby, but this business won't turn a profit this year, and maybe, just maybe, if I shop there, maybe my friends will too, and then their friends too! Get the picture...hint, hint!
   My point being, when and where you can, support your local merchants and put the money back into the pockets in your community.
   It's really easy to do. Need some ideas...here ya go...
1. If you are out at the mall, check out those locals who rent booth space down through the middle of the corridors. Sometimes there's a church or civic group selling fresh baked goods.
2. Get out! Get away from the popular shopping malls and centers and head to the boutiques. I recently needed some boots. My first thought was to head to Charlotte Russe in the mall and grab some cute ones that a million of other girls would have, with the help of a distracted teenager who would rather be anywhere but there. But instead, in my agenda to shop local, I headed downtown to Voe's Boutique, who just happened to have all her shoes on sale 25% off, I got great customer service from a person who actually enjoyed her job, and found the cutest pair of boots and a sweater on sale too!

3. Get Online! Ask your friends about online boutiques! My friend Stephanie is a stay-at-home mom of 2 with one on the way this week! She sews matching mother/daughter aprons, bibs, burp clothes, dipee/wipee bags and soooo much more and sells them at Ruffled Charm, her online boutique!

4. Give a gift card to a locally owned restaurant versus a national restaurant chain.

5. Gena Nolan makes these incredibly detailed and personal charmed necklaces, bracelets and other jewels. She gives half the cost you pay to St. Jude Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. Give her a call or email, tell her I sent you that way!

6. Neatest idea ever...Buy gifts that have a meaning and where your money actually goes to help a cause you are passionate about. Here's three of my favorites...

-The Scopel family is selling this really cool t-shirt to help raise money to adopt possibly, 2, children from Uganda.

Visit Amy's blog here and read her story, and see for yourself.

-I've been following the Weimer family for some time now.
The love for God and her children Heidi Weimer, the mom, has is very encouraging and inspiring as a mom. When I feel like I have a hard day with just my 3 little ones, I think of Heidi and think of the struggles she is going through. Check out her blog and their fight to "find" their Ethiopian daughter, Eden.

Finding Edengreat free widgetsWidgetboxMore info

They have these cool "One Family" t-shirts!

Shop local!!!!

They will love this Meatloaf, I promise

2010-11-18T18:02:00.000-06:00

   The Crown Restaurant in Indianola, Mississippi, put a new spin on meatloaf. They plopped the big ole glob of meat down into a pastry and baked it in a cocoon. When I tried the new style about a year ago, little did I know the hit it would be in my house!
   When Taylor, the eldest son who says he doesn't like meat, saw me place the meatloaf into a pie crust and put it in the oven. He asked if it was cake...Why, yes son, it is...It is meatloaf cake!
   Tell any child that anything is cake, if they don't know much of a difference, they'll eat that stuff like it's nobody's business! Sorry, no money back guarantees.
   To make this scrumptious concoction, all you need is a meatloaf mix, 2 lbs. of your meat of choice (mine is ground turkey), and a pie crust.
   To mimic the Crown's and Taste of Gourmet recipe, I swap out the bread crumbs for Whole Grain Oats!!! Try it, I dare you. You will comment with many thanks!
(If you want to order the Taste of Gourmet mix for yourself, here's a link to my friend Laurie, who can help you out with that! Click here)

If I have one on hand, I use one of those rolled pie crusts. I just roll it out thinner. Place it in your loaf pan, leaving the extra hanging over the edges.

Place your meat mixture inside the pie crust.

Wrap remaining pie crust over the top, sealing any open areas.

Bake according to the directions on your meatloaf recipe.

And be prepared to be amazed!

Without a doubt, this meatloaf delivers a yummy, delicious, scrumptious...all of the above...dish! I usually pair it with a veggie topped with shredded cheese.

So now, when I tell my chillins' that we are having meatloaf cake for supper, they actually cheer. Even though, Taylor still asks for his meatloaf cake, without the meat!

Bon Apetit!

Be one of those who learn from others' mistakes...

2010-11-16T06:40:00.002-06:00

   It was supposed to be an uneventful lunch playdate with Taylor's best bud Tyler. But it soon, became anything but that!
   As the boys bounced out of the car, I realized Andrew didn't have any shoes. I sat my diaper bag down on the curb beside me and I placed the shoeless child in the driver's seat while I looked for any sign of them in the back seat. "Don't touch anything!"
   There they were, on the other side. I ordered Taylor and Tyler to play in the flower bed while I resolved the issue. Each time, 3 to be exact, that I made it to the other side of the car to get the shoes, Andrew had locked the doors. The third, and final time, I dug my keys out of the diaper bag and marched over there and unlocked the door myself. He's 2, it is to be expected.
   I placed the keys on the seat while I adorned Andrew with his sporty silver and red tennies. We counted to three and he hopped out onto the ground. I closed the door and grabbed the door to retrieve the third child. Locked. hmm...that little...
   I dug around for my keys in my diaper bag that was still sitting on the curb. Still keeping an eye on two 4 year olds and a 2 year old playing in the Chik-fil-A flower bed, I see that the keys are still laying on the seat where I had placed them while socking and shoe-ing Andrew.
   lovely!
   It's okay, Carrie Ann's only a little fussy. What in the world do I do? Jim didn't have the spare key and was headed into a meeting. Tyler's mom, Deanna, had locked her keys in her car before and told me to call the police.
  She was right! The Tupelo police directed my call to the Fire Station and before I finished my conversation I could hear the sirens blaring from the new fire station just down the road. "Good grief ma'am, are they sending a fire truck?" To which she kindly and swiftly replied, "Yes ma'am, they will be right there!" I was mortified. Deanna was mortified. The boys, all three of them, were excited...What's that sound?
  Visions of what was about to take place ran through my head. I leaned my head against my car and shook it. They are going to use the jaws of life to get this little angel out of my car. Who, by the way, had no idea she was in there all by her lonesome. I should have taken her sweater off of her, it's probably hot in there.
   They arrived alright, bright and loud. Lights and sirens. The boys loved it!
   I was so embarrassed. My car was a mess. I felt like the worst mother ever. Standing there, blaming it all on my middle child!
   Naturally, I'm a drama queen, but I was oddly calm. I kept wondering when the "freaking out" moment would come. When the tears would pour. Or maybe, I'm just getting good at catastrophes by now!
   While these guys shimmied and pryed their way into my passenger side door...{of course I took pictures!}

This guy entertained the little guys...It didn't take much, all he had to say was, this is my truck!

Taylor even entertained him a little...

And this little princess had no idea what all the fuss was about!

She even slept through the alarm going off!

Safe at last!

Moral of the story...learn from others' mistakes and if by chance you don't, have OnStar installed in your car or call the fire department, they'll be there in a jiffy!

Trash to Treasure

2010-11-15T11:18:00.005-06:00

I have this place in my bathroom underneath my counter that needed a new purpose.

For the last two years it has been home to one of the many bouncy seats in our house. Admittedly it makes the best place to place a napping or playful baby while a busy mommy gets a much needed shower. I just pull it out and I can see baby and he/she can see me.

I've been begging Jim for something else to go there. When I was pregnant with Carrie Ann, I decided a little vanity stool would look great there, plus give me a place to sit while I am drying my hair or putting on my make-up.

A little over a week ago, I was down at my dad's house. I was looking through some of his closets and look what I found on the top shelf of the bathroom closet!!!

I know, exactly what I was thinking... It's perfect!!!

This was my mama's little seat that she always used in front of her dresser. It reminds me of her and her perfume that she always wore. With my dad's permission, I swiped this great find and lugged it all the way back up here to Tupelo, right to my bathroom!

It's exactly what this little space needed! I cleaned it up and washed the cushion, which I am sure hadn't been washed in more than 20 years. So, bye-bye bouncy seat for now. Carrie Ann really didn't like you all that much anyway. I hope that this little stool brings as many sweet memories to my children as it did for me!

It's Pizza Night!

2010-11-14T15:10:00.001-06:00

  Over the last week, I have been on a mission to clean out my fridge, freezer and pantry. Jim's family will be here for Thanksgiving and I have to make room for all the goodies that we'll be making.
   Last weekend I cleaned out our fridge, ridding it of leftovers and everything that I had successfully grown. I checked expiration dates and scurried to put some things in the freezer. My pantry was full of tied off bags of ends of loaves bread pieces and about 3 boxes of lasagna noodles. Who needs 3 boxes of lasagna noodles?
   I like to keep odds and ends when it comes to food. If I am in the mood for oatmeal cookies, cornbread, or pecan crusted chicken, it feels good to be able to go to my pantry and pull out those ingredients.
   My supplier on the other hand, i.e. Jim, doesn't agree. He likes to see the bare shelves. Clean, clutter free pantry and find things on a moment's notice. NOT ME! {I think if he was really honest with himself, he'd be really glad I had two different types of flour and 2 extra bags of chocolate morsels when he got a sweet tooth and was itching for a dessert!}
   I find a sense of security and peace from knowing I have plenty of food. I'm pretty sure this has counseling session stamped all over it. But I'm serious. I'm trying to overcome it and I think this week I have come a long way! Our security only comes from one place and it shouldn't be food!
   When I went grocery shopping this week, I got the necessities and perishables...milk, bananas, lettuce, cereal, yogurt and butter. I figured I could make do for a week with all I had stock piled!
   So over the last week I've treated my family to tuna and goldfish, goulash, spaghetti O's and apples, oatmeal with whatever frozen fruit I could find in the freezer, a fresh bag of dried cranberries, muffins and some funky seasoned potato wedges that no one liked. Today for lunch there was mini-corndogs, mixed veggies with cheese and yogurt.
   Yesterday, I managed to scrounge up some chicken stuffed with spinach, feta and pine nuts (yes, I just had those things lying around), Decaf sweet tea, Sister Schubert's whole wheat rolls, whole cranberry sauce and stir-fry vegetables that I steamed. Sounded so good we invited the neighbor over who brought some Kraft Homestyle Macaroni!
   So now, the day before grocery shopping day, and my fridge is brighter than ever, the shelves are bare. The light shines all they way down to the apples in the bottom drawer! My pantry is looking better... I'm down to just 2 cans of corn, a box of Uncle Ben's wild rice, a few cans of vegetables and tomato sauce and still wondering how I can use all of those lasagna noodles before Thanksgiving.
   I am so glad it is Sunday and pizza night!

Growing like Weeds!

2010-11-02T22:02:00.000-05:00

When I called my good friend Amanda of Reflections by Amanda Smith to schedule our yearly family pictures, the scenario in the above photo is exactly what I had in mind.

I wanted to post it right over there to the right, just to show you what everyday life really does look like in the Brown household.

I'm usually holding Carrie Ann, Taylor is always tugging me in a different direction and Andrew, he's usually being drug along, with his 'I hear you, but I'm not listening' attitude!

This little girl, who turned 9 months old yesterday, is still wearing 3-6 month old clothes and on this particular day, was all smiles and full of character!

This train track runs right through downtown Summit, Mississippi, where Amanda's studio is located. These two handsome guys could NOT wait to play on it.

All I could do was cringe at how dirty those baby blue pants of Taylor's were getting.

If you look closely, you can see how they looked by the final pictured...UGH!!!!

BUT...

Taylor's Bebbi had this stuff...

And after a few washes and one treatment with Grandma's Secret Spot Remover...those pants don't have a trace of the railroad track anywhere on them! (You can get this at Hobby Lobby or Hancock Fabrics)

Her daddy makes her smile so big!

This little stud muffin turned 2 this past July, and wouldn't crack a smile the entire morning. We had talked about it for weeks, he is used to having his picture taken by me all the time. He was just bound and determined to not let us get a single peep at those pearly whites.

You always wonder what went into a photo session to get some pretty amazing results. This not only epitomizes this day, but pretty much everyday.

Amanda was dying to use some new props for her time with Carrie Ann. My typed words wouldn't do these next few photographs justice...

Amanda, thanks for all your hard work. You definitely have an eye for the perfect shot and never cease to amaze me with your skill and talent! Keep up the great job!

It's all he knows

2010-10-28T23:08:00.000-05:00

   I met a young man named Willie today. At least I thought he was young, I can't tell anymore, they seem to be younger and younger these days.
  He was pushing a broom around, dusting the floor. He was going back and forth. He had a raspy voice that was hard to understand. The stripes on his pants were the same mint green color that is on my bedroom walls.
  I've never met anyone like him before. I am naive. And seemingly, uneducated, at least for the day anyway. He comes from a world I have never known.
  He was about 6 feet tall. He was a trustee - "doing his time." Willie also delivers packages between the government buildings downtown. All I could think of was a big manilla interdepartmental envelope.
   He was bussed in this morning from a minimum security facility. He has 2 months left, well, as soon as the county jail reports the time he served detained there. Otherwise, Willie would be there until February.
   Naturally, I asked him what he did to get arrested. Proudly, he said he made checks. You make checks, say what? "Not like regular checks, business ones, like from Geico."
  Country girl here might have been around the world a few times, but it had been a long, long stressful day. Part of me wanted to laugh at the absurdity of his joy in breaking the law and the other half was praying, Oh Lord, you want me to say, what? The boy needed to hear the Truth! Total Moses moment. I wanted to make like Jonah and head to Tarshish.
  So, Willie, have you learned your lesson? Will you ever do it again. Through a grin, he assured me, if he had to, he would. Sad.
  Well, what are you going to do when you get out of here? Get a job that actually gives you a check and you don't have to make them yourself anymore? Of course not! It sounds so judgmental for me to say that, but I don't lie, he told me this himself. I did think it odd that he and the bail bondsman sitting next to me were on a first name basis, even knew that Willie was from Philadelphia and his mama goes by Miss Maddie.
  He was relaying a message to the bondsman to give to Miss Maddie. He's going on house arrest soon and needs her to send money.
   When he stepped out of earshot, I shook my head, asking, he's seems so proud to be a criminal, to break the law.
   In a sigh, the bondsman told me, "that's all he knows."
   The tones of the thoughts going crazy in my head changed.
   As Willie made his way back in our direction, the floor perfectly shining by now, he propped his broom against the snack machine and told me he had been doing it since he was 15 years old. I thought, cleaning government buildings? I think he understood my puzzled look. I was numb. My brain couldn't wrap itself around such things.
   "Naw, I went to college to learn about computers. Then, a guy there taught me how to use computers!" He said nodding and grinning with a smirk on his face. I couldn't help but giggle. It was 2 in the afternoon and I was having this conversation with only a banana in my stomach since 5:30 a.m.
   He was good at it too. He only got caught this time because he had a young, inexperienced guy working for him and he went to the wrong teller at the bank. He had a girl at the counter that would usually cash the checks for him. GASP!
   I asked him what he thought God thought about this. Was he not concerned about how this would look when he stands before the Lord one day? He assured me he was forgiven and He won't hold it against him. Even sadder. That's the Truth, but not the whole Truth.
   The subject was changed quickly to all the material possessions he had gained by ripping off banks and businesses. Cars, shoes, jackets, stereos, the list went on.  He got to keep all of it, even after he was incarcerated. It's there at Miss Maddie's waiting on him. The authorities couldn't touch it. He had put it in his mama's name.
   I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, this is wrong!!! You should be shameful, embarrassed, somewhat remorseful, at least. But he was happy, almost gleeful. He was really good at making it look as if he was making the best of his bad situation.
   At least I knew now. Me and my big mouth. My nosey self. I just had to ask.
   I never expected his openness or willingness to share his story with me.
   I had seen Willie several times throughout the morning as I had traversed back and forth the government square. People walk by him all day, nodding to say hello, as we do here in the South. I wondered if they think the same things I think in those moments...wonder what he's in for? Oooh, did he kill somebody? Of course not, they wouldn't be a trustee if they killed somebody, would they?
   It doesn't really matter what I think, or his mama thinks, it matters what God thinks. God cares. He cares what Willie is going to do when his time is served. He knows Willie will most likely go back to the very same environment from which he came. He'll be faced with the same decisions again and again and again. But He loves him just as much as He loves my innocent toddlers. He cares about his soul.
   How can I show him grace and love if I don't open my mouth? People won't know I'm a daughter of the King if I just smile politely, open the door for them and try not to stare.
   Our conversation ended very soon thereafter when my business was complete.
   As I walked out of the building, Willie held the door, still clutching his broom. I thanked him and pointed my finger at him and told him to stay out of trouble. Just like a mama.
   I thought about Willie on the long drive home. I prayed for my friends who are a part of the jail ministry here in Tupelo and north Mississippi.
   It was a lemon of a day, but for this moment, it wasn't as bitter. I'll be back in that same place next week. Maybe Willie and I will meet again. I wasn't finished with our talk.

Coming Clean

2010-08-05T22:24:00.000-05:00

     Where in the world have I been? Because I sure haven't been camped out at my Lemonade Stand in quite some time!
     Mostly I've been playing on the floor with my 3 precious children! We celebrated Andrew's 2nd birthday in July and this month we have already celebrated Carrie Ann turning a half a year old and soon, haha, very soon, Taylor will be turning the big 4!!! Oh my word, I can't believe it! My babies are growing up and I feel like this time is so fleeting.
     When I look back at this time, 12 years from now, when Taylor is getting his driver's license, Andrew is growing hair in weird places and Carrie Ann begins rolling her eyes at me, I'm going to miss all the "controlled" chaos.
     It's days like today, when a simple trip to Lowe's leaves me wondering if my child would be okay after drinking the water from water falls in the garden center, that I want to remember the day as fun, easy. I don't want to miss a thing. I won't regret not turning my computer on for an entire month, spending every summer night letting my boys stay up late watching movies, or sitting on the couch with my husband til midnight watching detective shows.
    We've changed our routine, mixed things up a bit. The old one wasn't working out too well for me. The kids and I joined a gym. GASP! Yes, I actually exercised everyday this week! I might've broken a sweat once or twice, too!
     I've spent a lot of time in a little nook in my bedroom, in a place the boys have yet to look for me! Pouring out my thoughts, anxious ones at that, desires, prayers, cries and joys into a prayer journal. It's all muddled up in my head right now. Getting it down on paper makes things a little more clear. It's where I can come clean with my Lord, open His Word and saturate it with my tears-sad ones because I'm a mess, and grateful ones-because His promises are forever. He is merciful. I don't have to carry this heavy load. He sees each tear that falls and He is my strength.
   Needless to say, I've had a rough run of it these last few months. But I've remained on my knees. Stayed focused on the task I've been given. Tried to fight a good fight, even if Barney is singing in the background while I'm doing it! My house is clean, 3 burritos are wrapped snuggly in their beds, an unfinished craft needs finishing, the DVR is paused and 3 loads of laundry await my precise hand!
   I'll be back. Until then, enjoy these two songs I've been listening to lately by JJ Heller.

My ending isn't the same...

2010-07-14T15:58:00.000-05:00

Somebody stole my journal and totally re-wrote this song! However, the ending isn't the same as my story!

I. Can't. Function.

2010-05-31T20:59:00.000-05:00

    We made it safely to the beach yesterday. For the most part, our 14+ hour road trip was uneventful...except for projectile throw-up, twice. We got all the way to the East Coast and my sunglasses broke. No biggee...I'm up for a new pair! Then the worst thing imaginable happened.  My IPhone decided it's tired and it rolled over and died.
    I'm so lost. I'm so sick to my stomach. I haven't been able to stalk FB. Play Words or google everything under the sun! I can't even call my dad!!!!!! Do you remember when you knew everyone's telephone numbers? I do. I don't remember the numbers, but I remember the time before the age of the cell phone. And now, now I can't imagine life without my little white pocket computer. I can't even call my dad...I have no idea what his phone number is!!! I feel like I can't function without it. I know, it's a shame. Pitiful actually.
    Worst part...the part when the little ITunes notification came up saying it was hardware malfunction and it needed to be restored. Then upon clicking the Restore icon, it prompts me that ALL my data would be lost if I restored my IPhone!!!!!!!!!!! It makes me sick to my stomach to think about losing all the pictures I have on that phone and hadn't backed up yet. Really!!!! As all kinds of worldly that it sounds, I am praying that my phone would be resurrected. If not, that at least all my pictures would be recovered. This surely isn't helping all that icky sand seem any more appealing.

OBX or Bust

2010-05-28T22:30:00.000-05:00

Bright and early in the morning we'll load our entire gang up and head for the OBX. That's the Outer Banks of North Carolina! It'll take us 14 hours to get there. We plan to make the trip in 2 days, stopping at our beloved Hampton Inn and enjoying their free continental breakfast on Sunday morning. All the oatmeal Taylor can eat! He won't know what to do with himself!!!
To be very honest with you, I personally could care less about the beach. Jim told me not to tell anyone that. But, I'd rather ride around the country in the car for a week than have to deal with all the sand, heat, loading and unloading. Plus- my kids are great riders. That's the one time Jim and I get to have long conversations in day light. Every Sunday night we load all 3 kiddos into the car for a 10 minute ride to Little Caesars. We can so easily tune out our kids when they are strapped in and aren't sticking their fingers in sockets or eating toothpaste. So while Jim has vacation-itis and can't wait to play in the sand everyday....I'm looking forward to the 14 hours of "seemingly" peace!!!

My Daddy

2010-05-16T15:56:00.001-05:00

     Just got off the phone with my daddy. He turned 79 this past December. We talked for 40 minutes about the garden, vacant land, leaky gutters and tomaters. It's raining in Meridian today and he told me he was lonesome. He got up early this morning and went down to his garden and found two of his butter bean plants weren't doing well. He then told me he dug through the deep freeze and found some old packets of canteloupe seeds, so he planted them. Maybe we'll have some later this summer.
     My dad is a diabetic and legally blind due to macular degeneration. Daddy said his arms were all bruised up because he had been working on the belt of the tiller and he couldn't see to do anything. He reminded me of the tiller. I remember it. I remember exactly where it always sat in the dirt floor of the barn beside the house. It' red and white and I always thought it would be cool to be able to use it. Man, that thing has got to be as old as me! It wouldn't pass all the safety requirements they have these days for sure.
      He wants a new four wheeler and he was insisting I bring his old one up here for my boys! Don't even get me started on all the reasons that is a very bad idea! He's had a rough couple of years, but I've been working on patching things up for him since last May.
     I've always been daddy's little girl and I guess I still am. He calls everyday to see how Carrie Ann is doing. I'm proud of him. He has finally started to call her by her actual name and not what he thinks it is or should be. He doesn't like her name. Daddy thinks I should have named her Patricia, because it's a pretty name. He says he can't see her, but that she looks just like me when I was that age. I'll take it!
     I could hear the swing squeaking. He was sitting on the front porch, listening to the water dripping out of the gutter. Said he was probably going to walk up to the neighbor's house and ask him to come take a look at it, because he can't see anything.
     Then he said, you know what I really want? What daddy, what do you really want? All he wants is some fresh rootabeggas, collard greens, butter beans and a pan of cornbread. Some good cornbread, he said. He said momma used to make them all the time for him and she just loved it that he ate them so much. He reminded me of all the fresh vegetables and tomaters that we'd spend all summer picking and storing in the deep freeze. I remember all the picking, shelling, blanching, canning, and pickeling. I even remember the sound of the pressure cooker, very vividly actually. Those were the good ole days to him. He said he couldn't see to cook any of it anymore and that the people who live with him won't cook it right.
     Yes, I am trying my darndest not to cry right now. It breaks my heart that he is not being taken care of in the ways that he needs. I go down to Meridian about every other week, just to take him to the barber shop and to the dry cleaner's to pick up his clothes. He has taken his clothes to the cleaner's ever since momma died. Said nobody can get them as stiff! Seriously, his blue-jeans pant legs can stand straight up! He's probably the only person in the world who takes holey, worn-out jeans to the dry cleaner's!
     We had to end our conversation when my two boys started jumping all over me and demanding attention. He said, okay, he just wanted to call and check on his little girl. He meant Carrie Ann. Told me to take care of her. I will daddy, I will.

Worst Dessert Ever!

2010-05-15T03:10:00.000-05:00

     I don't let Jim in my kitchen very often, and when I do, it's only as my sidekick. When he married me 5 years ago it was okay to have a dessert every night. I hadn't yet birthed three kids and had a job that kept me on my feet 8 hours a day.
     Now, well you know the story, my sweet husband requires a dessert every night. If I don't have something made he will scrounge through the pantry and fridge to see if we have the ingredients for whatever he is in the mood for.
     I got smart a long time ago and started making him desserts that I didn't like just so it wouldn't be so hard to say no. But, there are only so many desserts that I am not going to like!!! Then I thought I was being clever when I just stopped making them, but that just opened the door for him to get into my kitchen and drive me batty. Yep, if I don't have a dessert, the crazy man gets in there and starts messing up my kitchen! It's not that he's not a good cook or anything, because he is, it's just that I'm afraid he might use the wrong side of the knife and put it back in the wrong place. And he really doesn't know the difference between Self-Rising and All-Purpose and I'd rather not explain the two! Just kidding. I'm just a control freak.
     Then one night, I had the best-most-worst dessert ever at a friend's house. She put a scoop of cookie dough in the bottom of an oven-safe bowl, baked it, and then served the cookie, in the bowl with a scoop of ice cream and chocolate syrup on top!!!!!
     You guessed it! I came home, made it for Jim and HE LOVED IT. Big surprise, I loved it too!
It's sooo awful, but so easy. And the best part is...it requires no messing up of my kitchen! I love it even more!

This has become my "go-to" dessert when I am not in the mood to make something or feel like thinking much that week. I make sure I always have the two key ingredients on hand: Ice Cream & Ready Bake cookies, like these:

{If you are like me and don't want to be tempted with this dessert, you can do what I do and buy a type of cookie dough that you don't like!}

The Tupelo Middle School Cheerleaders just came around selling those big tubs of cookie dough that you can keep in your fridge...Those are perfect for this dessert!

Next, you will want a bowl like this. These are our everyday bowls that we use for everything.

But make sure it says this on the bottom::::::

Oven Safe

Then you put a scoop, or 1-3 of those pre-cut cookies in the middle of the bowl. {I use 1, Jim uses 3!}

These cookie scoops in this pic are actually scoops of homemade cookie dough. I was making a batch and had enough left for 2 bowls of dessert.

Bake on 350 or whatever your cookie package recommends, for about 14 minutes. Top with a scoop, or two of your favorite ice cream and chocolate or caramel syrup and nuts...oh and the list just goes on! And that's it!!! You serve it in the bowls you make it in! See why I don't mind if Jim makes this one himself!

I suggest letting it cool for a few minutes after taking it out of the oven just so you can hold your bowl and ooh and ahhhh and let out a few mmmmmmmmmm's as you try to practice some self control and not lick the entire thing clean!!!!

I was out of chocolate syrup when I took these pics. Thank goodness!!!

You can thank me later for this one!

A Pound of Cake

2010-05-13T01:09:00.000-05:00

     We leave for the beach in the Outer Banks in T-Minus 17 days and I still have 11 pounds of baby weight hanging out with me. I'm just like the next girl and I stress about my weight and jean size just like the next girl. I don't know what I was thinking when I agreed to the beach vacation being planned so close to having a baby! {I really did miscalculate the timing...I even bought CA the cutest yellow-polka dotted bathing suit that is going to be way too big for her}
     So, ever since I got the go ahead from my doc, I've been attempting to exercise. haha! Mostly I've been walking at least 2+ miles most everyday, sometimes pushing 70 pounds of pure preciousness. I think I've done about a gazillion lunges. I gained about 22 pounds while I was pregnant, you can do the math...
     So with D-day quickly approaching. (That's the day I have to actually get the bathing suit out and try it on, just to make sure I can squeeze it all in, I wonder if they make any suits out of Spanx?). I've incorporated the help of my sweet neighbor, Virginia, and my very ripped and focused husband to help me.
     However, neither of these people are being very much help! I'll elaborate...
     Virginia's great, she and I have been walking together all week, but she enjoys my love for Creative Cake Cupcakes just like me!!! Enough said!
     And Jim....OH MY WORD!!!! He tried to teach me how to do a pull-up. But I think that bar in the closet is much better used as an extension to my clothes rack! I can't even do half a pull-up! I do good just to hold on! He told me if I would do those I would get ripped! RIGHT!!!! I'm sure he is right, but seriously. Tonight I asked him if he would help me work on my abs. He mentioned the number 500....500 what hun? Okay, we'll just do half.
     Then the nerve, oh the nerve....we got up off the floor and my sweet husband asks...Hey, we got the stuff to make that pound cake? Jim burns like 8,000 calories a day with all his running and all the other stuff he does. Eating a piece or two of pound cake right before he goes to bed can only help him! Me on the other hand, not only have no self control, I have no full factor since I've been nursing CA...I am always hungry! And the SUPERWIFE that I am, of course, I'm going to make him whatever he wants....because if I don't, he'll get my cookbook out and attempt to make it himself.
     He was hilarious! He smelled it when it was done baking. You should have seen his face when he saw it sitting on the counter. He made a beeline straight for it. That smile left real quick when I told him he had to wait 10 minutes. You would've thought he had gotten a bad time in a race. He was like a little kid. He walked around and around the kitchen island waiting for the thing to cool! He got the strawberries out and cut them up. Started to defrost the cool whip. He swung his arms back and forth. Like a kid at Christmas waiting for the grown-ups to stop talking and get on with the ripping open of gifts!
     The Pound Cake was surprisingly easy to make. All you have to have is:

1 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour

1/4 tsp Baking Powder

1/8 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

Allow the butter, eggs and sour cream to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder and baking soda, until well blended. In a separate bowl, blend the butter at medium-high speed for 30 seconds. Slowly add the sugar. Continue blending until light and fluffy {about 10 minutes}.

Blend in vanilla.

Blend in eggs, 1 at a time, blending mixture for 1 minute after each. Scrape sides of bowl frequently.

Alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream, mixing at medium-low speed, just until combined.

Pour into a floured loaf pan.

Bake for 60-75 minutes at 325 degrees or until the toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool for ten minutes, remove from pan, cool.

Yes, I used a paper plate....this was a super simple dessert that needed a super simple plate...and besides...it was 10:00 p.m. by the time Jim got to eat it!!!

I love you hun!!!!

Mommy, he's pooping!

2010-05-10T06:32:00.002-05:00

    We've reached one of the many hard parts of parenting a pre-schooler. Where certain moments warrant some very careful parenting. I think it's one of those instincts that are natural in little kids, like blinking and sucking---TATTLING.
     Nobody likes a tattle-tale. I think it is sooooo annoying. Constantly it's, mommy, Andrew took my car. Mommy, he stole my cookie. It doesn't matter who it is or what it is. Mommy, daddy won't let me wear my football helmet to Church. Mommy, so and so pushed me. Mommy, mommy, mommy... It's hard to know whether or not the situation should be a teachable moment, especially if you did not witness the accused perpetrator of the wrongful act.
     Sometimes you see the actual shove. Do I say, Andrew, we don't push, that's not nice. Or do I say, Taylor, we don't tattle. Where do you find the balance? They are only 3 and 1 so I can't expect them to work all their problems out on their own, but a little lesson in conflict resolution can go a long way.
     Then, there are those situations where you wish your 3 year old would tattle. Like when the 1 year old is pouring out ANOTHER box of Panko bread crumbs on that blasted dry-clean only rug. Or when he's getting into the pantry for the fifth time, headed right for my flour. You really wish you heard that little whiny--mommy then!
     For instance...like tonight...Mommy, Andrew's pooping! Andrew's pooping! Andrew's pooping! I was in the kitchen, bathing Carrie Ann. It was hardly audible from there. Couldn't make it out very clearly, until the third time he screamed it. Jim was giving the boys a bath in our big bathtub. I think he was right there, but was taking care of some other business. I definitely couldn't leave what I was doing. I heard Jim taking control right away, telling them to stand here, stand there, do this...Obviously Taylor was telling the truth.
     That was one of those moments where being the tattle-tale was a good thing. We praised Taylor for telling us. Not that Jim wouldn't have noticed in the next few seconds anyway. But, we were proud of him.
    This parenting stuff can catch you off guard sometimes. So tell me, how do you teach your child the difference between good and bad tattling?

Singin' in the Rain!

2010-05-09T20:30:00.000-05:00

     Back, oh so long ago, before our little people got here and sleeping-in meant sleeping past 9 a.m., Jim and I ran out the front door of our house into the pouring rain. We laughed and frolicked {wierd word}, like little kids. I remember like it was yesterday. There's a certain smile you get when you do something that makes you forget every stress, tug and duty you have on your mind, even if it only lasts a few minutes.
     Sundays are rough. If you have little kids on eating and napping schedules, you know exactly what I am talking about. It all gets messed up. We always seem a little more stressed on Sundays than any other day. Just something about getting all, ahem, 5 of us now, out the door on time in pressed clothes and shoes, oh, don't forget shoes, hun.
     So last Sunday, when the monsoons came thru the South, I had a huge grin on my face when I told Jim I had a GREAT idea! "After lunch, let's put on our swimsuits and go play in the rain!!! The boys will love it!" That smile I mentioned earlier, came across his face! Yippee!

It took Andrew a few minutes. His look is priceless.

Daddy helped him out a little!

Taylor decided to go feet first.

He doesn't really know what to think!

Here comes the frolicking!

And splashing...

Yes, I see it too!

And running...

Here's that look I'm talking about...

The poor turtle had a full load that day! He kept losing his shell.

We created fun, simple, free memories! And no one has come down with pneumonia...yet!

Fly home little Birdie

2010-05-09T08:36:00.002-05:00

Remember the birdhouse that Grandpa Adrian helped Taylor make...A House for the Birds....well, we finally hung them out for the birds!!!!

Jim scoped out a branch.

The boys helped too!

Jim filled the birdhouse with birdseed.

{He looks cute using a screwdriver!}

Look!!! Tweet, tweet...come on birdies....perfect little house just waiting for you!!!

We got a hummingbird feeder as well! Jim doesn't have much faith in it attracting any hummingbirds, so watch for those pics so I can make a believer out of him! ha!

Our inner Rachel Ray!

2010-05-08T00:04:00.000-05:00

You never know what to expect when you head off to cooking club! Get 13 ladies together and over appetizers and around the table you'll hear topics such as- freon gas {yep, apparently it makes the air conditioners work}, the relationship between heroine and pacifiers, facebook, bullying and washing lettuce and cabbage. It's a blast and I look forward to it every month! We get to talking and going on and on about stuff and forget the clock! It's so much fun-we get to let our inner Rachel Ray's come out to play! Tonight, however, I was interrupted by texts from Jim that my little milkaholic needed her mama. So I had to head out, but not before indulging in a very very delicious dinner. {For the compiled list of dishes, click here}

Julie served the White Bean & Bacon Dip, pg 70, along with the Rosemary Pita Chips, pg 77.

Jennifer made the best beverage: Tao's Punch, pg 100. I couldn't get enough of this stuff!

Debbie brought Baked Potato Soup, pg 547. she didn't like it, but I thought it was GREAT!

{pic borrowed from cookinglight.com}

Tiffany paired her Simple Slaw, pg 463 really well with the main dish! It was great and I will definitely be repeating this one!

Wendy hit a homerun with the Crisp-Crusted Catfish, pg 283!!!!

Everyone raved over Lori's Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter, pg 580.

Melanie, wow girl...I love me some mac & cheese and this one was a winner! Creamy Four-Cheese Macaroni, pg 331.

Sallie Belle's Parmesan and Cracked Pepper Grissini, pg 139, could be paired with just about any meal!

Lisa, oh Lisa...that Strawberry Shortcake, pg 168 was sosme kind of good!!!!

{And don't you just love Wendy's dishes...what a sweet Mother's Day gift!!!}

And we already saw my dessert{here}...the Molasses Cookies, pg 194 that were so yummy and yet so healthy!

I'll be soaking up the sun during next month's club meeting, but Wendy is filling in for me..thanks girl! Have fun at Julie's house!!!

Good ole Molasses Cookies

2010-05-07T13:17:00.001-05:00

It's Cooking Club time tonight!!! I love the first Friday of every month! As I mentioned before we are going through Cooking Light, The Complete Cookbook: A Fresh New Way to Cook. This month I have to bring a dessert. This cookbook is full of fun dessert recipes, but I'm going to go simple tonight. I am headed to the kitchen right now to start on Molasses Cookies.
One of the purposes of our Club is to try new things, and to see what something looks and tastes like and what worked and didn't work for certain recipes. I re-make at least one or two things from each month's club. It's sooo much fun!!! This month's choice for cookies is to remind myself to go back to something basic and simple!

Here we go and I am sooooo glad that I didn't eat these things before I got to Wendy's house... they are just that good! AND....they are actually low fat!!! Yah, check out the recipe to see how these delish cookies can actually be considered a healthy choice!

First though, I want to show you what you do when your oven is on 375, your hands soaked in cooking oil and all three of your kids wake up from their naps:

Yah, I know...she looks real excited to be there doesn't she!!

Anyway, back to the cookies... {I usually preheat my oven before I do anything, but wait...don't heat it up until you put the dough in the freezer. There will be plenty of time to heat it up then.}

You will need:

1/2 cup applesauce

1 1/4 cups sugar, divided

6 Tbs butter, softened

1/4 cup dark molasses

1 large egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2 tsps baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground gloves

Cooking spray

From the picture that looks like a lot, but really these were super, super easy.

1. Spoon applesauce onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels, let stand 5 minutes. {I used 3 regular absorbant paper towels on top and bottom} Scrape into a bowl using a rubber spatula.

2. Combine the applesauce, 1 cup of the sugar and butter; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended {about 3 minutes}

Add molasses and egg; beat well.

3. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups, level with a knife. Combine flours and baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves, stirring well with a whisk. {I used whole wheat flour, instead of ww pastry flour. If you do so, you can sub with 1 cup whole wheat flour minus 2 Tbs whole wheat flour for the 1 cup wheat pastry flour.} Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, beating until blended.

Cover and freeze 30 minutes or until firm.

4. Preheat oven to 375.

5. With moist hands, shape dough into 32 (1 -inch) {My batch made 48} Roll balls into 1/4 cup of sugar.

Place 3 inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. {I heart my silpat pad!} That's a silicone baking pad that nothing sticks to!!! It realllly is the best thing since sliced bread!!! I use it for everything. If you don't have one, seriously, get off this computer and go get you one!!!

Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes. {8 minutes makes them good and chewy!}

Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Now all you need is a very cold cup of milk and a comfy chair!!!!!

It's our choice, not theirs

2010-05-05T15:59:00.000-05:00

     It's a sad, unhappy day in Santa Clara County, California. If you haven't heard by now, some crazy people have banned McDonald's Happy Meals from some McDonald's menus until they can offer healthier options.....you can read the full story {here}
    It's something that I always said my kids would NEVER do...recognize the famous golden arches and scream with delight for a Happy Meal! Forget that plan I devised many moons ago. Yah...Taylor can spot those things a mile away!
     I can't actually remember the first time I ever actually fed Taylor something from McDonald's, but I know it was in the last year, possibly, last July when we drove home from Illinois and stopped there for breakfast. The boys had eggs, orange juice, pancakes. I'm pretty sure Jim and I had something very similar as well.
    The next time the boys entered a McDonald's was 4 months ago, in January. I discovered the McDonald's amazing Playplace in the restaurant here in West Tupelo. It's inside the restaurant, but the tables and boothes are completely separated from the rest of the fast food joint. Not only is it so totally child-proof, there's a bathroom off to the side and inside, it has an itty bitty potty next to the adult one....You have no idea what this means unless you have a little potty-trainer!!! We like it because we don't have to constantly apologize to other patrons for spoiling their meal when my child throws an apple slice across to their table!
     Back to my point....We are fairly healthy eaters. Well, Jim and the kids are...Carrie Ann is a milk-aholic, and I don't eat veggies, but I cook healthy meals and we stay away from greasy and fried foods, except Chick-fil-A and that's usually no more than once a week, if that much. We have a salad with every supper, try for non-sugary, sometimes organic cereal and fruit for breakfast. I have cut out processed meat and never buy white bread. I use ground turkey for everything that calls for ground beef {we do love beef though, ground turkey is just way less expensive and we aren't red meat aficionados so we can't tell the difference anyway} We make up for the unhealthy parts of our meals by staying active. We don't live sedentary lifestyles, who can with 3 little kids. Jim runs and lift weights and I, well...I do what our foremothers did...I do laundry, prepare 2 meals a day, pick up after my kids constantly, just about everyday lug all 3 gabinos around our neighborhood , I sweep and mop our floors, load the dishwasher, usually don't sit down until 8 o'clock at night. And my kids...they make up for it too, they are up at 7 a.m. and down in bed no later than 8 at night. They take at least a 2 hour nap in the afternoon, but are constantly on the move the other 10 hours. If you've met my two boys, you know I'm not exaggerating!
      So when we {that's me, my children's mom, and Jim, their dad} choose to eat at a fast food restaurant, it's one we know offers healthy options for our kids. We extend the choices we make at home, right into that checkout line. A typical Happy Meal for my kids might include the 4 piece mcnugget or plain hamburger, the apple slices {I keep the caramel dipping sauce to use in recipes at home}, the jug of white milk or the 100% juice apple juice box and I get the yogurt parfaits in lieu of the ice cream to have for dessert.
    I have two solutions to the issue of kids eating poorly. 1. Educate parents on making healthy choices. They are the ones placing the orders. My kid might kick and scream for a Dr. Pepper like mommy, but ultimately, I am the one the cashier is listening to. And 2nd...if government officials want to make a point about businesses offering healthy options, they should require grocery stores to remove all the candy and high calorie snack choices they have stocked at every single checkout line in America! Seriously! I'm not kidding.

You know, they stock these aisles with the same mindset as they use to stock the cereal aisle....all the sweet, enticing sugary stuff is along the bottom. Perfect line of site for my little people. I got smart...get the cart with the up-high race car, so they can't put their grubby little paws all over the buckets of sugar. Oh no, these marketers got smarter...we'll put it up high too!

We'll make all this sugar and lard a "point of sale" item...It's sold the minute you lay eyes on it! It's awful. You can choose what drive-thru you go thru, and for now my kids can't read, so they don't know that this restaurant offers french fries and ice cream and Big Macs, but I can't avoid the checkout lane.
In the end, it doesn't matter what the restaurant or grocery store checkout lane offers, it's what I, as the parent, decides to offer my child. Don't be scared to tell your child "no," especially if it means nurturing healthy eating habits that they will one day take over themselves.

Year 5 - a wooden gift

2010-04-27T15:46:00.000-05:00

Five years ago I married my best friend. On Friday, April 2nd, Jim and I celebrated our 5th anniversary. I never thought I could love someone so much. I knew God was hearing all those requests for a man of God to sweep me off my feet, but I didn't know His answer would be "yes."

We met at church. Tim Brown had invited me to the evangelism program at Harrisburg in February 2004. I was on track to be a Journeyman with the International Mission Board. My sights were set on being a salt trader in Northern India. I came home to take care of some business and MY plan was to return to Richmond for appointment in March. That's when it all happened. He walked into the Fellowship Hall. Jean jacket and khaki pants. He had just finished working out and was going to grab a bite to eat before visitation began. I looked at his left hand-empty!!! "I could marry that guy!" blared through my head. I physically shook my head to remove the thought, reminding myself that I was there to tell people about Jesus, not to find a husband.

Lake Geneva 2004

I have only had one other boyfriend besides Jim. What in the world does a 17-year old know about "love"??! I dated the same guy for most of my junior and senior year of high school and our freshman year of college. Looking back I see infatuation written all over it. At the time, I thought our break-up was the worst thing in the world. Over the next few years I began to see the error of my ways and realized that it was the best thing ever. I didn't date for the remainder of my college life. I knew God had a husband for me and I didn't feel it was my duty to go out searching for him. I met guys along the way. Oddly, I knew right away they weren't "the one." Then they'd become my case, to find out whether or not they knew my Jesus. They all became a mission. Mary Martha asked me once, "Candise, do you really think you are going to know who your husband is going to be the first time you meet him?" My blunt and maybe a little overly confident self exclaimed, "yes, I am!" I really had no idea if I would know, I hoped and prayed I would though!

My sophomore year of college, right after I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I began writing letters to my future husband. Yes, I'm weird! It kept my mind focused. I'd write about what God was teaching me in my quiet time. I'd pray for him. I told him all about my dreams, hopes, plans. I told him all about the mud hut we were going to live in while sharing the Gospel with an unreached people group of Asia! I filled a cigar box full of love letters jotted on coasters, napkins and scented paper for a guy I had never met. Until now!
So, my friend Beth was trying to set me up with her cousin, oh, I don't even remember his name anymore, but I did see him last year in Pontotoc when I was having a meltdown on Andrew's first race outing. I knew right away he wasn't the one, so I invited him to participate in the FAITH program at this church. I hadn't even visited this church yet, I had only been participating in its outreach program. I thought it would be a good idea to ward the guy away from dating me if I acted if I were interested in someone else. Thinking this through, right now, does make it seem like I used a cliched pick up line when I asked Jim, "Do I know you? You look so familiar..." as we boarded the church bus. Yah, it sounds pathetic, but really-- I had him at "Hello" LOL

August, 2004

The guy must have gotten the hint because he didn't come back! Good thing too, because he might have gotten his heart broken. Don't feel bad for him, Beth told me he's married now and has a kid. On the following Sunday morning I actually visited Harrisburg's church service. I sat a few rows in front of that guy Jim. Secretly hoping he would notice me. I wore a dark skirt and a really cute white blouse. Don't think I'm shallow...you probably did it too! I looked very sophisticated and mature. I wore my hair pulled back, that always helps me look smarter! {right, hehe}

My plan, rehearsed in my head, was that he would notice me just a few rows up and come talk to me when the service was over. My shoulders sank when he didn't. He turned away and walked out, without even saying hello. What a Yankee! I drove home feeling sorry for myself and comforting myself with the fact that, well, he must not be the one. Oh well. That's okay. I'm not here for the long-term anyway. I immediately set my sight back on Asia. But he would have been perfect! He's obviously into sharing the Gospel because he participates in the FAITH program. He's driven. He's handsome. I wonder if he would be into international missions? I wonder if he {Jim Brown} would live in a mud hut with me? hmmm...

Tuesday night came quick. I had absolutely no expectations of talking to this guy, Jim, again. I had marked him off my list-He's not the one. I didn't even get all purtied up for FAITH that night. I wore black sweats and a pink valour hoodie and tinnies. My hair was pulled up in a pony-tail bun. I even wore my glasses. It's easy to hide behind glasses and pretend you are invisible. {That's a whole other post in itself} Let's just say, it was obvious I wasn't there to make a huge impression on anyone. But as we were walking out of the back of the church that evening, Jim and I started up a conversation that lasted THREE hours! During that conversation I learned why he hadn't said hello to me on Sunday. He had a girlfriend up until that day. A girlfriend of about 6 years total...UGH.....{yes, yes, I'm the rebound!} And on Sunday, they broke up...bummer.

April 2, 2005

That's really all I remember from that conversation. I do remember not having to try and find words to say, it just all came naturally. I wasn't nervous like I had been with previous guys. Wow! Anyway---we both made phone calls on the way home that night. I called my friend Erin, eager to have her decipher my thoughts and emotions--had I really just met "the one!" He called his parents. I think it was his dad. They asked him if he was sure...I mean, really Jim? {Still not sure if they are sure! J/K}

The next few weeks were a blur. I do remember one of our first dates was to Subway. It was after FAITH and as we drove back to the church that night, Jim told me he "wasn't interested in anyone else." Still gives me butterflies. We made a commitment then, if we were going to date, it's for marriage, not just for the heck of it. It was with a purpose.

August, 2004

That left me at a crossroads...I think I had just met the man I am suppose to marry, and I am supposed to leave for 2 years with the Journeyman program.....After lots of prayer for discernment and a mission trip to France, I wrote my final love letter for the cigar box, for the guy I had never met. Laying in a tourist hotel in a northern province of Paris, I came to realize that I didn't want to be Lottie Moon, like I had once desired. I didn't want to be on the mission field alone, single. What I really wanted was to work alongside Jim in whatever ministry God placed us. I didn't want to do it by myself. So I wrote one last letter. This time, it was addressed to him directly.

God obviously had been working on Jim's heart that same week, because the night I got home from France, Jim took me on a walk in the park and asked me to marry him. I didn't respond with yes...I asked him if he was kidding! Looked around to see if anyone could see him down on his knee...and hoping he'd get up quick! Then--I realized what he was doing!

April 2, 2005

On that cool April afternoon in 2005, I stood on the platform of our church, as giddy as I have ever been, before our family and friends. I felt like a princess. I would walk around the house in that dress if I could fit into it! My groom was and still is so incredibly handsome. Jim and I promised to love each other forever. To remain faithful to God and one another (in that order) for as long as we both breathed. We pledged to serve the Lord alongside each other, to pray for the other and to respect one another. He placed my dainty little rings on my finger, as did I. Then we kissed. The End.

The rest is history, well, it's unfolding now. I know people see us with smiles on our faces and they think...wow, they have it so easy. You see my blog, my facebook pics and you think---wow...must be nice. Looks like it just comes natural. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't nice, it is. Actually, it's great! But it's hard work. Sometimes we aren't so easy to love, it isn't always easy to smile, I mean...Jim has put up with pregnancy and post partum hormones THREE times..poor guy, but we keep God and His commands first and the other second. That's the only way we know how to make it work.

Over the last five years, we've had 3 precious children, lived at 3 different addresses, walked at least a thousand evening walks together, had some really incredibly great times, even had some times we aren't so proud of....but through it all, we have no doubts, no regrets and love each other more and more each day...well, most days! Just kidding! In the grand scheme of things, we are still newlyweds because I plan to be hitched to this man til I'm at least 105---that's the year for the 10-carat diamond!

Through the years...

April 2, 2005

Moving to D.C.
September 2006

Walk on the Potomac River, pregnant with Andrew, our second son.
June 2008

On the steps of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C....the week we moved back to Mississippi.
June 2008

Taylor's 2nd birthday.
August 11, 2008

March 2010

To Be Continued....

A day in the life...

2010-04-20T12:57:00.002-05:00

     I thought I'd sit and unload on the laptop as I passed through the house. For the second night in a row, Carrie Ann slept through the night! She slept from 8 last night until 5:30 this morning. She's 11 weeks old now, I think. I thought I was supposed to feel more rested, like a new woman. I don't. I know they say you can't "make up" sleep, but it sure would help these nice lines beneath my eyes!
     As I sat and fed CA on the couch this morning, the older boy emerged from the playroom with black marks all over his forehead, "Mommy, can we go on a safari?" Two seconds later, the youngest boy came following him in his shadow...holding a tube of $6 mascara, black brown marks all over his shirt, hands and face. LOVELY! Where in the world did he get that? Well, I know where he got it, but HOW and WHEN, and what else is striped now? What do you do? She's got a great latch, great flow. The little guy heads for my bedroom. As soon I could unlatch the little darling I get to my bedroom just in time to find my nice white down comforter decorated with the little guy's grasping hand. Once again, LOVELY.
     Later, I locked myself in the bathroom to fill out our census form. They've sent us two because we obviously didn't have filling out the first one on the top of our priority list. It's pretty personal. Name, age, address, phone number...of everyone. There are enough blanks for 12 occupants of a household. I wonder what the Duggars do in that case? I have an extra form if they need it!
     On to bills. During snack time I called the hospital billing office to inquire about the note on the bottom of the bill I received from them for Carrie Ann's and my delivery and boarding, etc. It stated that if you paid within 2 weeks you could receive 10% off. Woohoo...Because I am so prompt and not a procrastinator at all...I called, hoping that they wouldn't notice that yesterday was day 14! I heard the lady, Stephanie, calculating and crunching, pushing buttons on a calculator. I heard, minus 15.....She gave me my total...then said, "and you saved $262.44...WHAT??!.!!! I wasn't even going to ask about the 10% off, I'll take 15!!! Woohoo!!!!! This made the mascara mishap seem much smaller!
     Then to run errands for the daddy. I quickly loaded the boys and we listened to Barney sing along all the way to the post office and right on over to the bakery for some Sweet Treats!!! My friend Kasey is on bed rest while she is pregnant with her little girl. She has 3 boys and has 19 weeks left in her pregnancy. She starts having contractions every time she gets up and moves around. This particular bakery is Kasey's favorite, I know it would make me smile if I wasn't even allowed to GO SHOPPING!!! After ALL the work we've done this morning and all the money we've saved, I could definitely afford these calories of my own, so I got us some sweets too!
     Now, I'm headed to Barnes & Noble to find a parenting book on how to get your 3 year old to stop asking SO MANY QUESTIONS.

The Caramel League

2010-04-19T16:36:00.002-05:00

It's 4:31 at my house this afternoon...soup's heating on the stove, kids are napping and Carrie Ann-well, she found her thumb! Best paci in the world. For the last two days, since it's discovery, she has gone right to sleep! I didn't even get buzzed at church yesterday- woohoo! Jim just got back from a run and I desperately needed some blogger-therapy!
Naps are running late today. We met with our good friends Shae and her son Brinson and new daughter, Bealey Cate and Melissa and her son Chan and brand spankin' new girly-Celia! Imagine all of us in the food court...it rivaled our playgroup chaos!

It was so much fun getting to catch up with good friends!!! I miss Shae a lot...we were in D.C. together! I owe surviving Taylor's first year to her and Jim's sister Jenny! Celia is just a month younger than my little CA, so it's neat to compare and share... At one point we were all three nursing...it was our own little LeLeche league meeting! I laugh when I see that word, sounds like The Caramal league! Haa!

Reality

2010-04-10T21:27:00.000-05:00

For once she was happy just sitting
and I gave Jim a break from keeping
Andrew out of the drainage hole!

Tonight I sat down on Andrew's bed as Jim was leading the boys in prayer. It's a precious moment that we love to do and hate to miss. We snuggle, give Eskimo kisses and ask about their day and any memory verses that we've learned. I sat there thinking, whew, this day went by fast, but boy was it so much fun! I don't want it to end. It was actually pretty normal for us, all but one thing...

Our paths met in the bathroom. Just passing each other as we were both involved in separate tasks. Jim had gotten up early to run a 5K and had just returned and finished up showering. I had chosen to not attend the race, in fear of any drama or stress. Instead, when the kids woke up at 7:20, I fed them a quick breakfast and we headed out to watch the Hot Air Balloon race that we missed by like a long time...I misunderstood the brochure for the event, so since we were out, I took the kiddos-all 3- to Walmart for our usual...milk, bread and bananas! While I was there I also cashed in a gift card and got the boys a sandbox. Note to self: never let your kids walk through the toy section without first being strapped into the cart!
I was headed to feed Carrie Ann and I paused...thought for a minute and looked up at Jim. I had missed his race. I never miss a race. Jim and I have been practically inseparable since we married 5 years ago. We have always done EVERYTHING together. I have always been at the starting line of every single race. We have a little kiss tradition that we do before each one. This morning he had slipped out quietly as to not wake me or the baby. I would go to different spots on the race route to see him and cheer him on. Once our first child came along, I continued to attend the races and began just waiting at the finish line. When #2 got here, I missed my first race. It was very sad. I've missed quite a few since then and I think it gets tougher with each one. {I know, I'm weird, but I'm Jim's biggest fan!}

I came out of the bathroom last week
and saw this amazing site!

After returning from my errands, I had to feed Carrie Ann and get her peaceful so I could head out to an exercise class. Jim had decided he was going to take all 3, yes, all THREE, to the track meet at the high school.{{{{He did take all 3 to the track meet and I was sooooo proud of my macho man! When I questioned him about taking all three, he shrugged and said..oh, it'll be fine. I can handle it! Like it was a piece of cake! He gets major rock star points in my book today!!!}}}} It was weird. As I stood in the bathroom, I stopped him from whatever he was doing and said I had something serious to tell him. Something kind of sad. That got his attention! I expressed how sad it was that this was an inevitable point in our little family's existence! We were doing separate things. I knew this would come at some point, but I didn't know it would creep up on us like it did. I was taking the kids in the morning, he was taking them in the afternoon. I am sure some of you think this is very healthy and it's fine. Yes, I agree, but when I say we do everything together, I mean we do EVERYTHING together! We load up all three kids in the car to take a 10 minute ride to Little Caesar's to pick up our $6 pizza every Sunday night. We loaded them all up tonight after baths and in pajamas, just to get gas in my car! One night, right after Carrie Ann was born, I didn't take the ride for pizza-Jim took the boys, I kept the baby. He later told me that he missed me and enjoyed those little rides.

When I got home from the exercise class, the boys had finished lunch and were watching a cartoon while Jim was tending to Carrie Ann. He handed her off to me to feed and for about 10 minutes we sat and talked...caught up on our day thus far...it was 1 p.m. and we were just getting to really talk. It was short because he was going to take Taylor back to the track meet during nap time to watch Jim's friend Max run.

Finally...at 4:30...we met again in the garage....Carrie Ann snoozing and the boys playing in their sandbox in the backyard....we get in a hug and an I love you. For a few moments we ignored the chores we had to do and forced ourselves to connect and enjoy each other and to, together, go and enjoy our little boys.

It was great. Just great. God has blessed Jim and I with so much...I don't mean materially, I mean, in our relationship and marriage, and sometimes, we get ourselves so preoccupied that we take that for granted.

So tonight, after our pajama run, we tucked all three children in their beds, I made us some fruit smoothies and now, we are going to do one thing that we realllly love to do together...watch some t.v.!!!

Sallie Belle, this one's for you!

2010-04-09T22:56:00.000-05:00

     Tonight at Cooking Club, my friend said she was hoping my company would hurry up and leave so I could get back to my blog! Ha! So Sallie Belle...I came home tonight, after leaving you fine ladies, put that fussing baby in her chic nursery and sat down at the kitchen table {not that we have another table, just thought I'd clarify, it's not the patio one}to let my brain flow.
     It's been a fast, long, emotional week. We stayed home for the majority of the week. The weather has been perfect, so we've been outside. We opened all the windows and have let the breeze come through. By Wednesday, Taylor's eyes were so puffy and mucus filled that I called nurse Grace over to confirm that it was in fact allergies and that he didn't have lice or a brain tumor because he won't stop scratching his head. You know, as one observer pointed out at playgroup this week, his itching head could be coming from all the hair. I haven't been able to take him to get his hair cut for the last 2 months. Can't imagine why, but none the less, 3 weeks ago I did have to cut off a 1 inch rat tail that he had grown. I'm afraid had I waited any longer it might have looked like we were trying to bring the mullet back in style. At one time I had convinced Jim that the $10 I spent on the electric clippers at Walmart were going to pay for themselves with just one child's haircut, but after butchering the kid's poor head one too many times, he's sure hair cuttery is not for me! I'm sorry, I just don't understand sideburns and I seem to mess them up every time.
     ANYWAY....I'm rambling. Back to my point. This week was Jim's last full week working with the American Family Association as their National Affairs Correspondent for OneNewsNow.com. He has worked with them for 10 years and this past year Jim was approached about getting into finance stuff. If I've learned one thing in marriage, it's that guys need a challenge and wives should support this need. He is now a Financial Advisor for Modern Woodmen of America. {Woodmen...apparently I don't speak very well and some of my friends have been wondering why Jim is all of sudden working for Modern Woman!} It's a complete career change. I'm just glad he didn't switch from a real super expensive degree, like medicine or biochemical engineering! Our decision to leave the AFA and AFR came with much prayer. There's no one thing that made him just want to leave and find another job, in fact, he has been working for MWA since October of last year and had every intention of just doing it on the side to supplement our income and my Hobby Lobby addiction. But after being away from the office for an entire week when Carrie Ann was born, he realized he didn't miss his job. He hadn't turned the news on once, and it felt good to not know what was going on in the world of politics.  Sitting in a cubicle all day, submerged in the culture war can be draining. Then come home to 3 small kids knowing that the world isn't getting any better. We love the AFA and AFR. He's not saying he's retiring his notepad and headset forever, just for now. The door's still open, but for now, he needs a change and a challenge and this is where God has led him, and thus, providing for his family.
     For me, right now, it's relief. One reason my posts have been sparse is because he has been gone a lot, working during the day and having evening appointments, by 8 p.m., when the house is quiet, {or should be}I'm too tired to think, let alone deal with Blogger's picture posting problems. So I've had to choose, blog or sleep or spend time with Jim. You'd be surprised to know that I have only gone to Hobby Lobby twice in the last 2 months! Yep! I'm too tired to deal with the drama and it's not like I can do anything with anything right now anyway...any smart functioning brain cells I had left are being used to feed Carrie Ann, who has taken a hiatus from a bottle. So I'm tired. And forgetful. I found the unopened power bill yesterday. Asked when March 30th was. Called the power company to explain why it was late and wondering if by chance I had paid it unknowingly. The lady at Tombigbee Electric told me not to blame it on the baby. Guess they have heard that line a few times!
     Two really great things happening right now is that, one, my hair hasn't fallen out this time. Upon examining family photos of myself from previous periods after births, I've noticed a very noticeable missing patch of hair on my head. Don't go scouring my blog for those pics, they aren't on here. They are on Facebook. So I've been dreading that awful hormonal effect all pregnancy. My bangs aren't intentional people, just a result of that curly headed Andrew! And the second really great thing, is that when my memory starts getting bad, I know it's because I'm distracted and flustered. I can't focus on Bible Study or crafts or even blogging. When that happens, my time with the Lord gets better. I am forced to remove distractions. I have to focus on focusing. When I feel like I am hanging on by the seat of my pants, I know that all I have is God. I grab hold of him and His Word. When I can't wrap my mind around the requests I need to bring to the Lord, Scripture fills in the gaps. When I wake up in the morning and my thoughts go immediately to time, tasks, dust, food, planning.... I remember Scripture...it's not much, but it's enough. Each rare moment that I have alone, in quiet, when I can think of something other than myself and the kids and Jim, I force myself to zone in. Because, let's face it people, if you aren't in fellowship with God, then you are going to fall apart completely, and you will begin to make irrational decisions and then it's all downhill from there, it's inevitable.
     So tonight I took Carrie Ann to Cooking Club and Jim took the boys to the Hot Air Balloon Festival. I think he went grudgingly and it wasn't his first choice of things to do tonight, but I kind of thrust it on him. I had purchased the tickets earlier thinking how much fun it would be!!! Forgetting that I had plans already. I love festivals, but Jim would rather play in the yard, so it was more of my thing than his, but I really didn't want to miss CC. Tomorrow morning I will sleep in while Jim goes to run a 5K. Then I'll take the boys over to the airstrip to watch the hot air balloon race take off. Then, then, then!!! I'm so excited...I'm going to go to my first Zumba class. Going to look like an idiot, but I've got to shake these last few pregnancy inches and Dancing with the Stars has me all interested! I'm sure you will be able to read about it here!
     Salllie Belle, I hope this has quenched your appetite for a Lemonade post! Love you girl! I keep wondering, trying to remember, what in the world did I do with all my free time when I only had one child!

I haven't forgotten

2010-04-01T21:50:00.000-05:00

I'm here, I haven't forgotten about my Lemonade Stand, I miss it quite much. We've had family here for the last two weeks straight and I've really enjoyed getting to visit and relax. But, I have missed my Stand terribly! But the house will be empty tomorrow, my new "blogging chair" has arrived and I'll be settling in to tell you all about the fun stuff we've been baking, the kiddos and what's new for Cooking Club this year.

This picture is just for those of you who think Andrew ISN'T trouble!!! hahaha

Taylor's recipe for Monster Cookies

2010-03-14T12:46:00.002-05:00

Today, while Jim and I were preparing lunch, Taylor brought a plate of cookies to the table, exclaiming--I made dessert!! Really, they are the Leap Frog Alphabet letters from the fridge door and the plate is a book!

He gave me a taste...mmmm...yummm-O! He wouldn't let me have a whole cookie, I had to wait til after I ate all my lunch!

I placed them in the middle of the table throughout lunch and they were the source of the entire conversation, that went a just like this: {seriously, I wrote this down as he was telling me the ingredients!}

Me: Taylor, what kind of cookies are they?

Taylor: They are rasberry cookies, mommy.

Me: What all did you use to make them?

Taylor: A cup of flour, a cup of milk, a cup of mud, and um, a cup of dirt.

Jim: Dirt? What does that taste like?

Taylor: It's not yucky dirt daddy, it's yummy dirt from the store.

Us: Oh, Okay.

Me: Is that all?

Taylor: Some sugar and some butter and some leaves from the store, not yucky ones {I'm assuming he means lettuce!}

Me: What about the berries, didn't you say they were rasberry cookies?

Taylor: NO mommy, they are strawberry, and um...blueberry.

Jim: What else?

Taylor: No bugs-that makes cookies yucky!

Me: So then, what do you do, do you bake them?

Taylor: I bake them in the oven.

Me: For how long?

Taylor: 5 minutes.

Me: How many cookies will that recipe make?

Taylor: 4 cookies mommy, here, wanna taste one?

One adorable Mug!

2010-03-13T20:45:00.000-06:00

Have you met Andrew? No? Well, you should! He will give you baby fever for sure. Most of most days I'd have a desire to have more kids if I knew they would be like him...he's just that adorable. {Not to say the other two aren't adorable, they are, I'm just giving Andrew a little extra attention today!} A few days ago I posted this picture on FBook, titled The Face of Trouble.

{That's lotion he's getting into, he's going to eat it}

Some people were having a very hard time believing that this face can be trouble! {Let me just say this, Andrew is a very normal 20 month old}

Shall I remind you of this:

He did this, not once, but THREE times! We have a child safety lock on the pantry door, but the little guy is a smart cookie! He watched his brother open the door, now he knows how to get into it. We even moved stuff up higher. But this weekend Jim woke up, went into the kitchen, and there he is again, standing on a chair in the pantry finishing off a box of Valentine Sweethearts!!!!!

I'll reiterate---If the boy wasn't so stinking cute, Jim and I wouldn't be in the trouble we are in now! He smiles and Jim melts. He smiles and I crack.

He listens very well, he knows what and where time out is. On Tuesday night Jim sat Andrew in his room for time out during supper because he kept pushing away and screaming for no reason---refusing to eat. After 2 minutes, Jim goes to get him and Andrew is sitting in the middle of his bed, reading a book! I thought it was cute...Jim scolded me! This is why Andrew is the way he is! On Wednesday night, same scenario...Andrew was fussing during supper, pushing away from the table and refusing to eat. I told him if he was going to be fussy he could go to his room. He poked out that bottom lip and slowly walked down the hall--sqwalling the whole way. My house rule is--if you are going to be fussy, go be fussy and whiney in your room, when you stop, you can come back. He was still crying a few minutes later, when I realized he wasn't in my shadow. I found him, sitting in the dark, on his bed, back to the door, crying. He just needed a good cry...It was soooo cute. I know, I'm a wuss!

When he doesn't get his way--his brother has something he wants, his milk isn't warm enough, we can't hold him, the animal train went in the wrong direction, this is what he does...he throws a tantrum. Throws his arms out in front of him, hits his knees and bows down.

Then he does stuff like this-hides in the curtains--all the time--thinking you can't see him.

He's a quiet little guy. An introvert, just like his daddy. He's got brown eyes, olive complexion and curly hair AND he still smells like a little baby! LOVE IT!!! He will do something just awful then flash his signature grin.

It's irresistable.

Yesterday, he thought it would be fun to start potty training. I am not really wanting to encourage this at this very moment, I think it might be just a little overwhelming. Could you imagine us out in public! One busy 3 year old, an infant attached to mommy and a 1 year old screaming to go potty!!! I couldn't keep his diaper on him! He peepeed AT the little potty twice. He wouldn't keep his diaper on and he kept going to the bathroom. Both times he pooped, he went to the bathroom, closed the door and did his business! I will just die if he does any of his business on my blessed dry clean only rug! On Tuesday night Jim was getting him ready for a bath. He had a poopy diaper and as Jim went to throw it in the garbage, he sent Andrew to the bathroom while the tub filled. When he returned, Andrew left Jim a nice treat through our room to the tub! You should hear Jim yell! It's so funny because it's so rare! Andrew was so proud of himself!

It's easy to understand why no one believes me when I say he's TROUBLE! He's just into everything. He sure chose the perfect time to come out of his shell! I'll say it for the thousandth time...Even on our worst, most hectic days, I'd stop time right now, right here. One day he won't want to give us eskimo kisses at bedtime or say 'gnigh' as we shut the door as we leave.

This chair is trouble too! Its the one he gets when he wants to get into something he shouldn't! On this day, I caught him using it to try to escape the jungle! He was trying to unlock the dead bolt lock and get out the front door! He slighly slid off onto the floor, pretending to play with the rug....Yah!

Over my head & Into my heart

2010-03-11T21:42:00.002-06:00

     Jim teaches our Sunday School Class at our church. At the present, and last, um, forever months we have been going through the book of Revelation. It's one of Jim's favorite books of the Bible and you can tell it by the depth of his lessons. But it's waaayyyy over my head. I nag and complain to move on---what's the point. What's it matter, I know my revelation! And I know the ultimate Revelation-GOD RULES! I'm lazy and all the imagery and references that send you to a different Scripture every other verse is really tedious and can be boring. And just to make it worse- Jim's repetitive! :) BUT- there's a method to his madness I tell ya! I might shake my foot, roll my eyes and even sigh out loud in class sometimes to get him to move on (I know- I'm awful- if it makes you feel any better or bad for him- I don't think he notices OR he's gotten really good at ignoring me because it doesn't work!). I mean really, what's it matter what I believe about the Rapture and the Second Coming- I know where I'm going no matter which one comes first.
     Maybe it seems repetitive to me because we've discussed the lesson at home or he's really trying to drive home a point. Last night I was asking him about certain books as we were skimming through the Bible in search of memory verses. It was so neat to see him stop at books, and watch him get intrigued by what he was reading. I had no idea that certain books were the names of prophets. {I knew a lot of them were, but there were certain ones that I was unaware was a prophet} He started telling me how important it is to read these books because they are full of prophecies and promises about Israel from God.
     So tonight I settled on Micah. In all honesty, I can't recall having ever read much from it. I've always thought these prophetic books were boring, full of stuff that I knew nothing about. A lot of begets and thous and shalls. {As Jim is proofing this for me, he informs me that there are no "begets" in the prophetic books! Who knew! Good to know hun!} I have no clue as to what stuff means and mostly, what I am supposed to learn from it. But as I began reading the first chapter of Micah, I couldn't stop, then I realized something---I completely get this!!! I know what it's talking about-- I caught myself thinking "oh yah! Jim talked about that in Sunday school!!!". I could read it and completely understand it's context! I wanted to wake Jim up at the time to tell him but I don't think he would've been as excited about Micah as I was at that late hour!
     The further I read, the more I understood and I began to see the importance of studying Revelation. The importance of reading and studying the full counsel of His Word, not just the good, interesting stuff.  I was able to connect the events that Micah wrote about with events that will happen during the end times. It all made sense now!!!
     Once you get the background and the scene is set, you are finally able to put it all together and actually see what God intended for you to see! (Hallelujah! A very bright light bulb went off in my head!). If you know what a certain verse is referencing to, for instance, in Micah 1:2 it's talking about when Jesus appears in the Second Coming. We know from Revelation He is coming to-one fulfill prophecy, but also-to bring justice, among other things.
     Then you can take the Word literally and that's where it gets deep. It gets scary. It gets real. It's not a fairytale or just imagery anymore. It brings you to your knees. We know this because John was revealed this in Revelation. Jesus is there, tromping through those valleys, He's there to do business .... And souls are at stake. Well, it's too late by then, the Son of God has come, but what it means for us here and now is that judgment will be had on the entire earth. People we know and love will be washed away with those mountains. Maybe even you yourself too if you have never made Jesus the ruler of your heart and repented. It's a good reminder to be fulfilling the command God gave us in Matthew 28, to go and be telling others about God's love and saving grace. Or...maybe we've stopped praying for someone we know who doesn't know God's love yet. Quite personally it made me think of my children. Jim and I pray for each of their little hearts everyday. Once again tonight I prayed for each one of them specifically that they'd have no other gods before God. And that they would one day fall completely head over heels in love with their Savior. I couldn't imagine eternity without them.
     So next time you are in deep in Numbers (Cris-that's for you!) or lost in the sermon or lesson because the context is way over your head or irrelevant, remember, listen to it anyway, if God put it in His Holy Word, then He thinks it's important.

Let's Catch Up!

2010-03-09T15:44:00.001-06:00

The biggest question we have been asked since baby girl arrived is: How are the boys adjusting?
Well, let's see....

Taylor, sweet, helpful 3 and a half year old Taylor....loves his little sister to death! Really! He asks at least 10 times a day to hold her. He followed suit and did just like everyone said and grew up a whole bunch! However, he's really concerned about her "eating me" I am having a very difficult job explaining this to him without using the word-cow, suck and well, you know the rest. He seems to be adjusting very well. If she is crying he is quick to find something, no telling what, to pacify her. Be it his stuffed animals, his basketball, a blanket. It's realllly sweet to watch him want to care for her. Every girly pink thing he sees, he wants to get for his "baby sister." Here are a few pictures Taylor took of us....He was insistent that he take our picture!

Andrew...well............sweet, quiet, introverted Andrew. You know he turned 20 months this weekend. I forgot...Let's just say he has transitioned from second child syndrome to middle child very well! He'll be the quiet kid over in the corner at school eating glue, though he favors lotion right now! He marches to his own beat and if he wasn't so darn cute, he'd be in a world of trouble! He makes the worst days adorable with one little smile and a cock of his head. He adores Carrie Ann, really he does. If she is on the floor, he's the first one there. Even if it is to pounce on her. If she is in her swing, he's going to be right there to make sure it swings high! And if she's crying, he's going to try to comfort her with whatever he can find..btw...a straw to the nose won't make her stop crying. Just this weekend he asked to hold her. For a child who doesn't talk very much, he communicates very well. {he would have been a good child to do baby sign language with, but then, he really wouldn't have talked} If he sees me giving her a bottle, now he wants to help.

You just have to know Andrew...he and Taylor are night and day. One quiet, one not so quiet. One thing they both have in common is the word NO . It only works one way with them...coming from them! But since Andrew chooses not to talk, he just shakes his head no. If he knocks his entire bowl of green peas on the floor because he doesn't want to eat them, he'll gladly say, uh oh, gets down from his seat and picks everyone of them up! See.... his cuteness is irresistable. He's at that age when he is into everything, curious as ever and pining for our attention. It's hard to cater to this like we did with Taylor and we'll one day face it with Carrie Ann. We try to make sure that we pay special attention to him, since he doesn't verbally demand our attention like others in our house do!

Together, Taylor and Andrew, are hilarious and trouble! Taylor is the typical big brother always beating up on his little brother. Andrew is the typical little brother, always wanting to do whatever big brother is doing. It's fun and exhausting to watch...whew. One minute they are all about the other one-I don't even have to tell you what happens in the next minute, and the next!

Yay for Mother's Day Out!

2010-03-09T01:46:00.000-06:00

I don't know how to relax. I just realized that as I was sitting on the couch feeding the baby this morning. I'll elaborate a little. Here goes: First of all, I nurse Carrie Ann, one part because it's good for her, one part because it's cheap, one part because I'm lazy-so it's a cop out...Andrew's dirty diaper needs changing--hun {that's Jim} can you change it...gotta feed the baby! And the rest--best weight loss program on the planet, though I haven't seen the best results from it yet.

Anyhoot, back to my point. It's Monday night and almost 1 a.m. on Tuesday morning. This Monday was absolutely WONDERFUL. What a blessing! What a treat! Thank you Lord! I don't want it to end! Nobody likes Mondays, but I have come to love them. For the past 3 weeks I have been taking the boys to Mother's Day Out at our church on Monday mornings so I could do whatever mother's are supposed to do "Out." I tend to over analyze some things and choosing to use this "ministry" that my church offers is one of them! I struggled with taking Taylor to MDO. I had a lot of outside voices saying, he needs to get out, you need some you time, you need time alone with Andrew. It came from both sides, in both directions. I felt guilty that I even felt that I needed a mother's day out...God gave me this child, I should be able to take care of him. God equipped me to handle two little boys, by gollie, I should be able to do it.

When I did take him to MDO, I usually spent the time shopping and spending money. So, financially, that didn't work out too well for the budget. I missed him like crazy. I couldn't stand being at the house without Taylor...it was too quiet, too still. So I quit taking him.

This time around, same voices, same speech--you really should take the boys to Mother's Day Out. This time around- I need it!!! I've never understood why they actually floated the idea of Mother's Day Out as a ministry, except for the fact that we do have some unchurched people who bring their children. That's enough said. But how is it a ministry to the mothers who are churched. Well, let me tell you how!

     In previous weeks I have dropped the boys off around 9ish and Carrrie Ann and I have run a million errands that I just haven't been able to do with all three, i.e. grocery shopping, doctor's appointments, clothes shopping, Hobby Lobby, etc. Yesterday I contemplated the necessity of them going this morning. I knew it was going to be a beautiful day and I hated to waste it by not having them here to enjoy it. I didn't have any plans or pressing errands that needed to be completed, so I decided, they'd go, and I'd go grocery shopping, then I'd tackle my housework and laundry! Oh, how easy that will be without stopping every other minute to put out a toddler-sized fire! I'd be super-wife...surely score some points with the hubby if he came home to a sparkling house and clean underwear!
      When I drove away from the house at 8:40 this morning, the washer, dryer and dishwasher were going. As the garage door came down, I prayed that God would protect my house from burning down.
     Somehow, not having kids with you in the grocery store doesn't really make you anymore faster. I seem to have more time to stroll, actually look through coupons, sale papers, compare labels and prices. Plus minus the meltdowns, potty breaks, snacks-----same time people!
     By the time I got the groceries in the house along with the 5 week old sleeping beauty, it's time for her to eat again. So as I sat on the couch, feeding the girl, all the windows open, nice breeze flowing through, I realized, this isn't going to go as fast as I had thought. I didn't factor in feedings when I over analyzed my to-do list! If I counted up the time right, I'd have to feed Carrie Ann like 2 times before I had to be back to pick up the boys. That leaves me with hardly any time to get everything done in the house that I wanted to get done.
    She finally got full, poople and fell asleep and I went to work! I had my Casting Crowns: Until the Whole World Hears cd on repeat. It was great. I was working on a time frame. I still had fine tooth cleaning to do after all our tummy issues over the last week. Six loads of laundry to tackle {I super sort everything}. Working against a sleeping baby is different than working against the clock. You just never know!
    When it was feeding time again, I sat, and finally, relaxed! I turned the music down really low. It was so quiet outside. It was beautiful. I love spring! I could sit, feed my little girl, talk to her, and brush her hair...without a certain toddler climbing on us, snatching and grabbing at the hairbrush. It was precious. Had to hold back tears. Then I realized, this is okay. It's okay Candise. It's okay to relax. It's okay for someone else to entertain your kids today. It's really okay. If they were home, they'd have to be inside with me right now while I feed Carrie Ann, not outside playing, enjoying the beautiful day God blessed us with.
     This is why Mother's Day Out is a ministry! It's helping me get my bearings back. Teaching me to once again, to slow down, take it one minute at a time, enjoy the preciousness that you hold. Enjoy the quietness. Enjoy the time you are getting to spend with the Lord.
    I sat here on the couch, praying, thanking God for my church family, for the ladies who love on my kids when I feel like I am just give out, for the ladies who lead and teach the Bible studies. Thankful for the blessing of Mother's Day Out. When I picked up the boys, I was rejuvinated. It felt great. I was in a good mood!
    It's not about not being able to take care of your kids or needing a break from them {well, maybe}. But sometimes a little breathing space, a little privacy in the bathroom. Some extra time alone with God without interruption. A chance to focus, a chance to complete a task without having to step away--I think that gives us task-oriented folks a sense of peace and accomplishment. So, hats off to those of you who serve through programs like MDO... God Blesses You!

New Frames!!!!

2010-03-08T21:39:00.001-06:00

It's been weeks, no, actually months, since Mr. Adrian finished my picture frames. Well, after Christmas, a new baby, life....I finally finished them today!!!! I've had the pictures all ready for them since November! I'm a very prompt and timely person, can't you tell!

The decorative part is a decorative molding made of poplar that I found at Lowe's. The outer part of the frame is pre-primed pine that we got from Tupelo Lumber. They are made to fit a 11x14 sized picture.

I don't know how Mr. Adrian made these, he showed me all the neat tools and gadgets he used, but really, it went in one ear and out the other. I was just so amazed at how great of a job he did!

I began by staining the poplar with a gel stain.{Minwax: Walnut} I used two coats.

Then, months later, I used some dark brown craft paint and painted the white, pre-primed outer part.

Using a foam brush I quickly painted it on in the direction of the grain. And then, with a paper towel, I quickly wiped it off, using long strokes to make it look like old wood.

I roughed up the edges with some sandpaper and this is how they turned out....

Looks good, doesn't it!!!

These are the pictures Amanda, over at Reflections by Amanda Smith, took of the boys back in October. Where's the third...well, when I get Carrie Ann's newborn pic printed, it'll go up there too...probably by Christmas!

I linked up over at Cheri's party over at:

and with the girls over at:

Growing like weeds

2010-03-08T21:01:00.000-06:00

WooHoo....we've survived! It's been 5 weeks this evening that little Miss Carrie Ann blessed us with her presence and she finally slept without me last night! All I got to say for myself is survival mode! I'm actaully able to sit here and blog tonight because I pulled her away and decided it was due time to get back into a routine. I was strict with my boys about scheduling and routine. I was even faster and more organized the second time. But all the rules and expectations have been out the window with this little girl. You sleep when you can and if that happens to be while a little girl is attached to you, well then, so be it! Cringe, roll your eyes, say that's a big no-no, go ahead, I said those things too, but now I just do what works for me. It just so happens that tonight is the second night I've worked on a schedule with Carrie Ann. Bedtime between 7 and 7:30...I did this last night and she woke up at 1 to eat and then again at 6.....I actually put her back into her pack n' play in our room at 7 and at 2 so she slept without me! Woohoo. {She'd be sleeping in her room, but Taylor is back to the couch in there. We tried, for a second time, to let the boys sleep together in their room that we completely re-did just for them...however, after the second night of mayhem and a bloody nose, the privilege was lost and hasn't been found yet...not that we are looking for it!}

We are growing too! Carrie Ann now weighs 8lbs, 15 oz. Big girl!

When to call for backup

2010-03-03T22:00:00.003-06:00

     It was really a great day! Or at least it started out with high hopes! It has only been a week since the flour fiasco and the days have been just as eventful ever since. Today proved to be no different. Just when I thought--wow....we are doing good! I looked at the clock to see that I had 20 more minutes before we had to head out the door. That's a lifetime in my world! All I had left to do was change Carrie Ann's clothes and dress myself-easy. Except, I changed clothes 3 times, only to settle on jeans and a baggy t-shirt because I feel like a Hippopotamus-fat rolls and all. It's depressing. I hate my mirrors. I hate my scale. Ugh! I know, you feel my pain, it's awful.
     Bible study was great, kids were great, lunch went smoothly. We went to visit Mr. Adrian and Mrs. Bonnie and their daughter Terri for about an hour and then headed home. We hadn't gone 100 feet before Taylor said he had to go to the potty. Then he told me he had to get sick in the potty. I questioned him about his feelings. He told me to hurry home. I asked him if he had to throw up in the potty. He said no, he had to get sick in the potty...hmmm....
     I am pretty sure that the onset of spewing came from my speeding home in fear of him peeing in his car seat or a replay of the first year of his life when he threw up just about everytime we rode in our Jeep Cherokee-yuck! The other half was probably from Carrie Ann screaming halfway home because she had just woken up from her nap, hasn't pooped since Monday and like usual, wants to be attached to me!
     I handed Taylor a bag, told him to get sick in it if he needed to. Well he missed. I'll you save all the gorey details, but I did strip Taylor down to his tighty whities in the middle of our driveway. He went straight to the shower from there.
     I brought Andrew inside. Go play son! Retrieved Carrie Ann. Go check on Taylor...Entire shower is covered in blue soapy shaving cream! Don't miss it- I'm about to get my Mother of the Month Award for this one!
     Sometime, while going between Taylor, the rotten back seat of my car and Carrie Ann, Andrew, the sweet and quiet middle child, found his way to a drawer where I keep our razor. It's a drawer he hasn't been able to reach, until today.
    When I came upon him, between my closet and laundry room, he had my Swiffer Mop out squirting the cleaning liquid onto the carpet...attempting to scrub something red...Andrew, what are you doing? What is all that red stuff....What did you get into? It was all over him. His face, his legs (He had lost his pants somewhere, I think in the bathroom, because he was in hopes he was going to get to take a shower with his brother), his arms, his hands. The Swiffer was covered in red stuff...OH MY WORD...you are bleeding son....
    I'm trying not to panic. I ran him to the sink and wash off what I can to survey the damage. Thank the Lord, it was just a surface cut on his thumb, but the blasted thing would not stop bleeding. I tried to keep my mind from going to deep and dark scary places, but the more I tried to control the bleeding, the more irritated Andrew got, the more scared I got and the more upset I became.
    And just a side note, those cute little Sesame Street bandaids aren't worth a flip! That first-aid kit that I keep putting off buying sure would come in handy right about now! Carrie Ann's still screaming, Taylor has used up all the hot water and I am only making matters worse with Andrew. I can't get him to calm down or his thumb to stop bleeding-all over everything! My mind races between how much worse it could be and how awful of a mom I am for allowing him to cut himself. I was trying not to just lose it. I needed backup!
     I reluctantly called Jim---I let our son bleed all over our bathroom, I'm pretty sure Carrie Ann has exploded in her car seat and Taylor is freezing--- I need you!
   Daddy to the rescue. As soon as he got there, helped Taylor dry off and then was able to calm Andrew down. I found an adult bandaid and wrapped up the raw thumb and Jim comforted him while I rescued Carrie Ann. Taylor was great! He was so helpful! I was so proud of him. You'd never know he had just lost his lunch just minutes earlier. Whew....

No tears this time!

2010-02-28T15:39:00.000-06:00

It was a success!!!! The race I mean! Jim ran really well and once again, God sedated my ducklings! Well, baby girl did explode out of her diaper into her car seat just as we were headed to the starting line. I had to change her little toosh in the back of the car in the freezing cold...poor thing! Melissa and her friend Hannah were rockstars! They showed up and helped me out!

That says a lot about their character, for 2 college girls to get out in the freezing cold on a Saturday morning to help a boring, married mama with her ducklings!

Really, I bribed them with hotcakes from McDonald's! After the start of the race we piled into the warm car and headed over to McD's where Taylor devoured 6 pancakes and 2 yogurt parfaits. After potty runs we were back in the car just in time to catch Jim at the 12 mile!! The boys got out and gave him a high five!!!

We had plans to hang around Oxford to do a little shopping and eat lunch, but after the first store I was done. That was all the Oxford-snobbiness I could handle.

Friendly Reminder

2010-02-27T09:12:00.001-06:00

Just a friendly blogosphere reminder to change your air filters!!!

It's race time again!

2010-02-26T21:09:00.001-06:00

It's beginning to be that time of year again---race time. Jim's a serious runner, whatever that is, all I know is he trains a lot and he's fast. He could care less about placing or getting a medal. He races against the clock, trying to improve his time, something I love about him! It is a plus when he does win races where there's a monetary award though! I love going to his races. Before we had Andrew, I never missed a race. After Andrew's first race, Jim's gone solo to quite a few.

Tomorrow {Saturday} will be the first race that all five of us will attend together! Yah..I'm nuts! There's just something about showing my support for my husband in all he does, not only in our home, but in public as well. I also think it's pretty cool for Taylor and Andrew to get to cheer for their daddy! It's so sweet! Jim is a super hero to these boys. At the Watermelon Festival in Water Valley last year Taylor had a throwdown screaming tantrum at the start of the race because he couldn't go with his daddy. It was so embarrassing...I couldn't even hear the prayer or the starting gun because he was wailing so loud. Jim keeps asking me over and over if I really want to go. All he can remember is the first race I took Andrew to.

It was the Bodock Festival in Pontotoc, MS. It's an evening race and one of our favorites to attend. We hadn't gotten to go to this race in 2 years because we had been in D.C. I was so excited. Not only is there a race, but a festival, vendors and lots of carnival-type food--my favorite!!! I don't know what I was thinking, taking an almost 3 month old out at 7 in the evening in the hot, sticky, muggy Mississippi humidity. Ya'll think I hold it together in public now.... Well, I didn't then.

The race crowd was bigger than I had remembered...had to be a million people there. {exaggeration, probably a few hundred} Taylor was excited! Andrew was fussy. He was having tummy issues at the time and we hadn't yet figured out what was wrong. I got very very overwhelmed. Among a million people, with a 2-year old and a screaming 3 month old, I got a rare and very, very bad case of clausterphobia! It was awful. I thought everyone was staring {they probably were just admiring my glowing beauty=my sweat}. I thought everyone just kept getting closer and closer. For the first time ever, I wanted Jim to be the first one coming down that hill for more reasons than one. I wanted to get the heck out of that place. I was scared to death. Jim did come across the line first. By the time he found me on the courthouse steps I was doing all I could to not to burst into tears.

He could see it on my face. "Honey, can we go home, NOW?" I hated leaving all that cotton candy, chicken on a sticks and corndogs behind, but I really couldn't take it anymore. As we walked away from the race, without Jim's prize for first place or getting his official time or having his picture taken for the Pontotoc Progress, I began to sob. Andrew and I cried all the way back to the car.

So, as I prepare snacks, outfits, and blankets for our race debut tomorrow morning, Jim is remembering that long walk back to the car. He's probably asked me 10 times tonight if I was sure I wanted to go! I'll most likely regret going, but I have help meeting me there.{Melissa--remember her!! She's a life saver!} It'll be freezing, not a sauna...a plus in my book.

I had to get back in the kitchen sometime

2010-02-26T18:10:00.000-06:00

My sweet friend Tammy had us over for dinner recently and made Chicken BBQ "Sammies" in her crockpot!!! OOOhhhhhhhhhhh, those things melted in my mouth. Jim even had seconds. It was sooo good. She got the recipe from Heather at Home with Heather and I of course had to have it too!
I have never successfully made anything in my crockpot, but Tammy and Heather make it sound so easy and very helpful for busy mommies. I knew I was going to have to get back in the kitchen and start cooking at some point, so why not try these Sammies!

Here's what I used:

1 cup Ketchup

1/2 cup Maple Syrup

2 Tbs Mustard

2 tsp Lemon Juice

1/2 tsp Chilli Powder

1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

4 Chicken Breasts (boneless, skinless)

I mixed all the ingredients in my greased crockpot pot.

I didn't have any garlic powder so I used minced garlic instead.

I cut as much fat from the chicken breasts as I could

Set my crockpot for 4 hours, I think I was supposed to do it for 5 though.

Added my chicken breasts.

In about 3 hours, my chicken was tender enough to shred with two forks.

And that's it! I think I had my crockpot up too high though, because to finish out the 5 hours, my liquid all got absorbed and seemed a little dry to me, but it was still sooo yummy. We ate this on whole wheat buns and it lasted us for 3 days! Tammy had all the fixin's though...she had the cole slaw, potato salad and pasta salad!!!

The next time I make it, I'll attempt to make some cole slaw!

Cooking in my crockpot was finally a success! Maybe I'll try it again!

Just another ordinary day!

2010-02-25T21:51:00.001-06:00

     We began our new Bible study this past Wednesday on the book of Jonah. I am sooo excited about this study because Mrs. Kay is leading us through the book, verse by verse, my favorite way to study Scripture! I think I was more excited Wednesday morning than any other.
     I got us all prepared on Tuesday night, uncertain just how I was going to make it out the door on time without any meltdowns. It was our first time back to Bible study since Carrie Ann had arrived. I packed the diaper bag for Andrew, including both boys' snack bowls and extra snacks. Packed Carrie Ann's bag, bottles, diapers, etc. It was all in vain!
     Jim and I awoke to rattling coming from our bathroom Wednesday at 6 stinkin' a.m....I had only just fallen back asleep from feeding Carrie Ann. The sound is our two other little monkeys hanging out in our bathroom (our bathroom, closet and laundry room are all connected so you can get there from the kitchen). The rattling is them shaking their snack bowls to get their goldfish out. Six a.m.!!!!!!!!!! They usually don't get up until at least 7!!! Awful, just awful! Jim put them back in their rooms. At 7, I got up with the boys and fixed their breakfast, found the trail of goldfish and raisins the boys had made. Turned on a cartoon and sat both boys on the couch while I went for a shower. I do this just about everyday. Well, not the breakfast part, Jim usually does that, but I usually turn on a cartoon for them while I get a shower.
     I'm showering, Jim's shaving. I get out, hear the boys having way too much fun for Mr. Philips, so, in my towel, wet hair, I head to the kitchen, when I arrive, this is what I found:

Can you see Taylor standing there in the background? He's saying, mommy I didn't do it..Andrew did it. Andrew did it, Andrew did it.

Andrew was soooo proud of himself, he threw his hands up and it rained flour. When he got up to walk away, he acted as if he was skiing...

Upon further examination of this picture, I can see that Andrew didn't in fact act alone...there are big brother sized footprints all through that stuff! If anything, he instigated and cheered him on!

Can you see why I was really looking forward to Bible study that morning!

I know what you might be thinking, same thing I would think had I seen this happen to someone else: where were the parents? Well, I was in the shower, Jim was shaving. Mr. Philips 47 inch was babysitting. Might sound more pathetic had we been doing productive, more necessary things like nursing Carrie Ann or using the bathroom, something like that. The pantry, from which this flour was retrieved, had a child safety lock on it...ironic dontcha think!

I held it together, I didn't cry, at least not then. While I was drying my hair, not once, but twice, Andrew pulled the two Swiffers and dust mop down out of the laudry room, breaking my beloved Swiffer Vac in the process. As I was digging through the boys' dresser drawer for matching socks, I lost it...I am the the one who had the meltdown! I stood there and cried like a baby!

For lunch, I strapped those kids in the car and made them eat in their car seats...I didn't want to clean anything else up! Then...2 minutes before naptime, I am feeding Carrie Ann. Taylor starts giggling, pointing and squealing. Andrew has taken his pants off, along with his diaper! He's standing in the middle of my blessed dry clean only rug {note to self: never buy one of those again, no matter how good it makes your room look}. DO NOT PEE ON MY RUG!!! He takes off running, I can't unlatch Carrie Ann fast enough.

Yep, that's exactly what you think it is! Tee Tee!

And again...he was soooo proud of himself...at least he stepped around it before he ran off!

So now, I have a broken Swiffer Vac and ruined the filter on my vaccuum, because apparently, you aren't supposed to suck up flour with it! Go figure!

A house for the birds

2010-02-23T14:00:00.002-06:00

A few years ago I met Mr. Adrienne. I finally met his wife, Mrs. Bonnie, less than two years ago when she was leading a Bible study I was attending at our church. She is such a delight! I have really enjoyed getting to take Bible studies under her leadership. I see Mr. Adrienne every Sunday in the hallway outside our classroom...he does something out there with the records, not sure what though.

Mr. Adrienne had told me once that he used to teach shop and that he would help me with anything I needed. I love those kind of offers!!! I commissioned Mr. Adrienne to make me some matching picture frames for my living room for my three ducklings.

I started staining them the week before Carrie Ann arrived and haven't had the first second to finish them up yet! However, when we went to Mr. Adrienne and Mrs. Bonnie's house to pick these up, Mr. Adrienne had a project for Jim and Taylor to do! He had cut out all the pieces for a birdhouse for Jim and Taylor to assemble!

Jim is explaining why this is the first time he has ever used a nail gun...

Mr. Adrienne is very methodical and has a tool shop that made me giddy!

He led Jim and Taylor step by step in assembling the birdhouse.

Taylor was scared of the little drill at first. Then he got the hang of it!

They added the car tag roof.

Taylor had soooo much fun!!!!

They added a sparkplug as the welcome post!

Taylor is Mr. Adrienne's new adopted grandson!!!

He even cut out a birdhouse for Andrew, but we are going to wait until Andrew is a little older to put it together.

This was a very special time, we loved it and had so much fun!

Taylor's new birdhouse is sitting on his dresser, waiting to be hung out by the water early this Spring...It'll make that bluejay that hangs out on Carrie Ann's window sill a very nice home!

Thank you Mr. Adrienne!!!! {And thank you Mrs. Bonnie for rocking Andrew to sleep!}

A picture's worth a thousand words

2010-02-22T21:21:00.000-06:00

Here's a sneak peak at Carrie Ann's newborn pics...
If you love 'em, as much as I do, let Amanda over at
Reflections by Amanda Smith know!!!

Nana's Apple Cake

2010-02-19T08:03:00.000-06:00

Our friend Mary sells Tastefully Simple products. It's like Taste of Gourmet and Company's Comin'. If you are unfamiliar with these, they are a semi-homemade person's best friend! They usually consist of all the non-perishable ingredients to a recipe-you add the perishable. One of Jim's favorite is Nana's Apple Cake offered by Tastefully Simple. {See Mary's site here}

Really, this is all you need!

The mix, 2 cups of chopped apples (any type) and 2 eggs.

There are lots of options listed on the side panel that make different versions, but I went for simple!

I used Golden Delicious Apples, it only took about one and a half apples to make 2 cups.

Mix all ingredients, pour into 8x8 dish and bake for 45 minutes on 350.

I scooped out a spoonful of delicousness, topped it with some cool whip and toasted pecans and drizzled melted caramel over the top!

Visit Mary at Tastefully Simple to see what else they have!

Our Family

2010-02-19T00:04:00.000-06:00

These last two weeks have been fun, yet exhausting. But, I have had a very helpful little "Big Helper"---Taylor! He has been the best helper. I've taken this time to teach him that he is his brother's keeper. For instance, when his little brother sticks the Mr. Potato Head ear in his mouth {exact reason I don't allow them to play with these un-supervised} Taylor is quick to snatch it from him!

Or when Carrie Ann is fussing, he'll sit down in front of her and pile tons of toys on her to see which one it is that she wants.

He's picked out every Barbie doll there is for her. When she got her Valentine cards from his cousins, he asked me what would happen if Carrie Ann didn't like princesses?

They like to pull their chair up right in front of her swing and "look" at her! Yah....I was washing dishes and looked over and saw the swing seat about to do a complete 360...They don't get to do this anymore!

This is how we spent our Valentine's Day...relaxing!

And this is what I ate!....well, not all of it...Jim got one piece!

Finally, I blog again!

2010-02-18T22:02:00.000-06:00

     Yes, finally! I put a cake in the oven {for Jim, hehehe}, sat down to nurse the baby, the Daddy put the Middle Child down for bed, and played with Bigger Boy, while nursing...looked over at the Daddy, told him I missed My Lemonade Stand...funny---he said he noticed today I hadn't gotten to blog in week!
     The baby fell asleep while nursing, the oven beeped-cake is done. Yum, Nana's Apple Cake smells sooo good. Put sleeping baby in swing, put Bigger Boy down for bed, convince him he doesn't need a lamp to sleep. I return to the living room and I push the power button on my computer. Wow, haven't done that in a while. The Daddy retrieves the cake from the oven. I get all the dressings out for the cake- roast some pecans, cool whip, make some caramel topping, stuff like that.
     That little stinker of a Baby is awake and screaming...OH MY WORD... She has sucked me dry so I made her a bottle. I picked her up to find she had pooped. Upon further inspection, I see that her diaper failed and she's gonna need a sponge bath! Once cleaned, she drinks her bottle, burps and I hand her off to Daddy. I return to the kitchen to find my cool whip had melted on the cake...
    Melted, schmelted! That stuff was good! Wouldn't you know it, as soon as I picked up my computer, typed the word "Finally," and that Baby Girl would start suckling on her daddy's chest...OH MY WORD....I do remember something about a growth spurt around 2 and a half weeks...
     So, if you are wondering how it's going...well, my vacancy from the blogosphere should explain it all. This is it! It's going great! I'm being mommy and wife with very few distractions and very short to-do lists. I've been busy, to say the least, but it's been a good busy. So as I type this out, I have figured out how to rig this Baby Girl up on the left side at the same time...yes, I know...ever the multi-tasker!
     This Baby Girl has been my best nurser, which is great for so many reasons. One, being the best, most natural weight loss plan God ever designed!!! Only problem...all the desserts people keep bringing us! {Don't stop bringing them, oh no...I'm just sayin' is all}

My Demise

Thanks Lori!

Oh Happy Day!

2010-02-11T16:11:00.000-06:00

     My 19-month old, Andrew, just wimpered, he's waking up from his nap, early no less, and my milk let down! Oh, I do love my babies! Ca..razy!
     My mind is fadunkled {I made that word up} today. God has blessed me immeasurably over my life and especially more so over the last 2 weeks. I gave birth to our third child 10 days ago. That's 3 in 3 1/2 years. Jim and I have decided that now, with three, we are certified ~~nutcases~~ parents...not that one doesn't make you a parent, but now we feel like pros! {Who are we kidding...we're a circus act about to make it to the big top!} We'd like to be done having babies, but we all know Who's really in control of that.
     My friends here in Tupelo, and those from afar-via email/facebook, have gone above and beyond blessing our socks off with their love, generosity and cooking! It looks like Reynolds wrap threw up in our fridge! No lie! I haven't had to crack a pan since I came home from the hospital...except Jim did make me breakfast in bed for my birthday on Sunday. They've come to visit, sit with me, play with my kids {they just want to hold the baby, I know how they are!} remind me that the world still exists even though I am too chicken to leave my house! It's been so great and so wonderful. I can't thank them enough! You girls know who you are! {~~Cris, Deanna, Tammy, Sandy, Anna, Jennifer, Bebbie, Rebecca, Martha...and the list continues!}~~
     With new chapters, new changes get to occur. This spring Jim and I will be in the middle of some 180 degree changes in our life, we'll celebrate our 5 year anniversary, new professions, new roles...and me...I've got a new plan! I'm going to slow down.
     I thought Jim was going to spit his chocolate pie out of his mouth last night when I told him that I have loved not getting out, not having any plans, no demands of things to do {this coming from a very task-oriented person} If bedrest and pregnancy didn't keep me down...being strung out on pain meds {not really, but I was last night}, no sleep and nursing around the clock will! Because I've sat still, my house has been cleaner, Jim says I'm nicer {??}, I've gotten to play on the floor with my boys, concentrate on nursing more.
     I've made new goals...daily goals...
Like...today I will shower; tomorrow I will empty the trash; I'll do only one load of laundry a day; vaccuum the floors today. So far, it's felt great to mark off on my to-do list...even if there was only ONE thing on it!

Well, now both of my boys are standing in front of me squalling, with eyes full of tears...I have no idea what they are crying about...don't think they do either...so guess I gotta go save the world!

Playroom Makeover

2010-02-10T16:16:00.001-06:00

This disaster is was our playroom.

This is the playroom when it was in somewhat of an orderly state...

With some convincing, Jim let me sell the couch, and it's matching loveseat, woohoo!

This wasn't a room on our original home plans. It was the space for the dining room, and just a column where the corner is. We had the area walled up and added french doors so we could use it as a study or playroom. With a tight budget, I am well on my way to making it a fun playroom for our kiddos as well as a warm, cozy place for Jim and I to come be alone and watch t.v.

We {Jim was out running and I was supposed to be doing something I'm sure a lot less straining...I did do this 2 days before Carrie Ann arrived!} I started by cleaning out the room.

The floors in this room are great, but we are carpet people and I want it to be warm and soft for the kids.

For $48 I bought a carpet remnant from a local carpet company that was just a foot larger than the actual size I needed. I also purchased carpet padding to help soften up the feel and to help protect the hardwood.

Andrew didn't think it was a good day for a nap and thought he'd help his pregnant mama instead.

Using a tape measure, scissors and Jim's {haha} new rotary tool set, I cut the carpet remnant to fit. I shewed Andrew off to the living room to play with his un-assembled train table.

Back when I made my trip to IKEA the day after Christmas, we got this really cool shelf on the super inexpensive side. Now, had I been aware of Ana over at Knock Off Wood: How to Build Knock-Out Knock Off Furniture, I would have built and customized it myself...but I didn't so I got this shelf for $69!!!

The shelf to the right is also an IKEA piece, that we bought before moving to this house.

And, Wahla!!! And yes...it stays this perfect all the time. Gotta go pick out a cool lamp for the far left, to finish out the look. The big black bins are all sorted with different toys and I intentionally put the heavy stuff in them so the boys wouldn't pull them out!

This room is..To Be Continued...because I got interrupted by labor...but that is okay. As soon as I am fit and able, I will go lamp shopping at none other than my mecca...Hobby Lobby... At the opposite end of the room, beside the window will sit a big comfy chair and ottoman. I will visit my favorite fabric store..PHI Fabric Wholesales here in Tupelo and get some fabric from their clearance reems to make curtains for the window and for the french doors. {just in case we ever have a house full and need to use it for sleeping!} On the right wall, I intend to use magnetic and chalkboard paint and make a big chalkboard/fridge door for the boys...they love the chalkboards in their rooms.

It's still a work in progress, but Jim and the boys have been very pleased with how it has turned out so far!!

To be continued....

The Baby Blues

2010-02-09T16:12:00.000-06:00

     Ugh... The baby blues. I put them right up there with the awfulness of labor itself. And they get worse with each subsequent baby. They, along with the thought of another miserable pregnancy and labor, tempt me to ask God to be done with me in the baby making department. Surely there's another use for me! I mean surely!
     I think 90% of my emotional drama is none other than- you guessed it- Jim! The thoughts of not having him here with me to keep things focused and on task just drive me batty! The doubts of not being able to actually do anything outside my house, in civilization makes up the rest. I don't think I'd be able to breath without my BFF right by my side! My emotions have been so rampant this week, the night before he was to return to work, I gave him permission to snore! {not that he needs my permission, he freely does it every other night!} but I wanted him to know that I'd rather have his snoring skinny-legged self than not have him at all... Yah he was just going back to work 10 minutes from our house, not the moon, but seriously, at that point, to me, he was already strapped to the rocket and headed to the moon- forever! Yes, I know, I'm nuts, but this is what having babies does to you!
     I know, I know, this too shall pass, I have survived it twice before, I'm not gonna die over it. However, I might die from dehydration from all the tears. But as long as I stay in the Word, curling up in my Father's lap for His peace and not shutting myself off from my friends and life beyond these four walls- I'll live!

And yes, Jim did snore that night! I thanked God for keeping him breathing, then kicked him in his skinny leg to shush him up. Ooh, that sounds mean when I read it. Really it was more of a nudge.

Sweet Carrie Ann

2010-02-08T17:16:00.000-06:00

     I had every intention of writing this during my little mini-vacation in the hospital, but I didn't even turn my computer on until the day before yesterday. It's been a whirlwind this last week and by now, Carrie Ann is a week old. Here's how it all started out!
     Monday morning started like many other mornings over the last few weeks...waking up to contractions at an obscene hour in the morning, {3:38 on this particular morning, to be exact} timing them, and then finally heading to the tub to soak to see if they would go away. On this particular morning, however, they did not go away, they just slowed down. They were very sporadic, going from 15 minutes, to 6, to 3, then back to 8 minutes apart. By the time Jim was ready to leave for work, I felt awful, had straigtened up the entire house, made all the beds and had Carrie Ann's and my bags packed and sitting on the foot of the bed. As Jim put on his tie, I sat in the bedroom floor, folding a load of laundry and through tears, told him I was DONE! That I couldn't take not having any sleep, I was done with pregnancy, I hurt, I was miserable and I miss getting to be all that I could be to the boys. {sounds like an army ad!} I was giving up having painful contractions that seemed to me to be in vain. I had a doctor's visit scheduled for later that morning and I asked him if it was alright if I asked the doc to induce me if I wasn't in labor...seeing my bags packed and my pitiful self almost in tears, he abliged!
     When dropping the boys off at our friend's house, I cried as I drove away, thinking that I might not see them for the rest of the day. Low and behold...I really was in labor! See, not every pregnancy is the same! I had dilated to 2cm and had every other signal that labor had begun, so to the hospital I went! Nervous, anxious and scared to death. Doc told me not to go get Jim, go straight to hospital to get IV started and all the other drugs that speed along labor...Guess she was thinking I would go fast since it was my third baby to send down the shute.
     At 11:30 I got my IV...bunch of fluid the epidural guy wants you to have so you don't dehydrate or something. Then they started the P-tocin {sp?} At 12:30 the doc came in to break my water and from that point on...I wanted to die! Literally!
    I had to intake the entire bag of fluid before I could get my much anticipated epidural and I must say, it wasn't an easy-peasy wait like I had planned! To help me along in my pain, my nurse gave me Stadol...all I knew is that it was a narcotic, it would not take away the pain, but it would help me not care about it.....All I got to say is...now I know how people can get hooked to pain meds....not sure why they would want to feel like that all the time, but oh my goodness was I so incredibly loopy, beyond the normal point.
     When the epidural guy got there, oh, was I ever glad to see him, he said...oh, we'll give you this such and such type of epidural...you'll go fast...third delivery...yah, gotta get it started quick...sign your life away right here and by the way, this is our student epidural guy right here, he'll be administering this such and such type of epidural today...okay, let's get started....Remember, I'm on Stadol...and thought I was dying....next thing I hear is, tell me if you feel a shock....ouch!!! I did! Oops, sorry, I hit a blood vessel. Oops? OH MY WORD....I know at some point I asked the student epidural guy what was taking so long...he seemed to be taking forever...he responded--you have some tough ligaments back here...Yah right dude...get on with it! We were great friends by the time the such and such type epidural began and I had forgiven him for hitting a blood vessel...I even had the nurse take a pic for you to see the student epidural guy's nice handy work! {really, thinking that this might be my last pregnancy ever, I wanted to make sure I remember it all}

Finally, relief!!! I could relax!!!

Ya'll this was like two hours after the doc had broken my water...in the mean time, I threw up, heart rates went up and down, a lot. I actually had to use that pink pan.

As long as it was, I do have to say, it was one of the more relaxing sweet, deliveries I've had. There was just the doc and my nurse and just before Carrie Ann came, her own nurse came in. Then there was Jim, my friend Melissa and my mom. Now, Melissa has a super duper camera and took some pictures to document this for me...I mean, she really captured the essence of labor and delivery! I am so glad I got my hand on the delete button before Jim saw any of the pics.

The star of the show took her own little time coming out. She was turned face up and when I began pushing at 5:30 p.m., she had no intentions of budging below some bone of mine. When I had no energy or grunt left to push, the nurse and doc tied two knots in a sheet and we played tug-of-war...really...the nurse pulled one end and I the other with each contraction. I pushed every minute or so for like 55 minutes before the doc was able to get Carrie Ann turned face down and wouldn't you know it, once she was turned, she came out with only 2 contractions...go figure!

Beautiful, I know, but gross.

Carrie Ann Marie Brown, born Monday, February 1, 2010, 6:26 p.m.

7 pounds, 7 ounces and 18 inches long

I survived!

And look a there!

We're home...today Carrie Ann is 1 week old, sleeping and eating well. My lovely varicose veins are taking their precious time leaving, with all that pushing and stuff, so I am healing, resting and enjoying my very blessed little family.

I was one of Dr. Turner's first patients here in Tupelo. I am so blessed to have had her deliver all three of my precious babies.

Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement throughout this pregnancy, labor & delivery and the time since. We covet more of your prayers as we enjoy this new glass of lemonade the Lord has made for us!

Whew...It's been a busy last 7 days.....

2010-02-06T21:58:00.000-06:00

I'm sorry...I had to take a short break from the Lemonade Stand. But, oh, how I have needed it's releasing powers! We've had a busy last seven days....to start, last Saturday, we

Completely Re-Did the playroom (it's not finished...we got interrupted)

Before:

After:

On Sunday, I successfully made a chocolate pie! (tutorial to come)

Then on Monday...February 1, 2010 at 6:26 p.m., God blessed us with this precious little girl--

Carrie Ann Marie Brown

Weighing in at 7 pounds, 7 ounces and 18 inches long.

This little girl took her time, and no matter what anyone tells you, just because it's your third delivery doesn't mean it will happen any faster! Needless to say, after a 14 hour labor and pushing this daisy out for an hour, I am still exhausted, still healing and still crying my eyes out! So between nursing, sore everything, Taylor & Andrew (who love her to death), staying close to my Father, trying to sleep and a thousand visitors (which I've really needed and enjoyed), I am slowly getting my story together! It'll be here before you know it! Til then, enjoy these pics I've captured over Carrie Ann's first few days!

Thank you all for your prayers and encouraging words...keep 'em coming!!!

Easy-Peasy Labor Delivery (I pray)

2010-01-30T19:49:00.000-06:00

     The massage therapist laughingly said, "Candise, it's sad that you are looking forward to labor, just for the break!"
     Some of you might be thinking...she is soooo impatient, that baby girl will come when God is ready for her to come. I agree, you are exactly right!
     However, I will elaborate a little on why I am ready for this precious little gift to be here!
     First of all, I've been having contractions on and off and sometimes for an entire day since week 34...I am a week and half from my due date today and have only progressed to 1cm...She's at the -2 station so she's entered my pelvis thingy and therefore preventing me from bending, walking or sleeping like any normal person. If I am going to be in this much pain, I want it to be for something...seems like we are getting nowhere!

Then, I am definitely looking forward to that break! Yes, I am actually looking forward to labor!!! It's our third time around, we know what to expect. The decision for pain management has been made for me, eliminating the stress of knowing I will have to make that decision. My plan {God might have different plans, but I am praying we are on the same page} is to labor at home til a certain point, then head to the hospital...get shot up with a sweet epidural and then relax! Easy-Peasy-Lemon Squeezy...maybe I'll even get a nap in! ha....then, that precious little girl will come and we'll be in the hospital for a few days, peace! ahhhh....The amount of chaos and noise that goes on in a delivery room and the few days that follow are no where near the activity that goes on at my house on any given day! Then, once we go home, Jim will be home for a week, loving on his favorite little boys like no one else can and I can just relax and enjoy my little girl. Like our little mini-sleeples-vacation!

     And finally, a lot of my impatience is simply due to anxiousness in meeting this little girl. We can't wait to see who she is going to look like, Jim or me! Taylor is the spitting image of Jim (with my personality), Andrew has a few of my traits, complexion, eyes, but looks a lot like his brother (with Jim's personality). Now get this...if Carrie Ann comes out with a head full of dark brown hair---you are for sure to hear about it! I'm the odd ball out in my family, being the only Filipino (half). I don't look like anyone I know or that I am related to. Andrew's my closest resemblance, and well, he's a boy!
    So maybe now you can see that I have the same anxieties and reasons most of us have when we are trying to speed up labor and delivery.
     Today we finally got to finish the playroom. Only have to get our chair and do wall accessories. I'm keeping the laundry caught up, just in case we are caught off guard. The boys' lovebugs are on pins and needles, texting everyday wanting to know how we are doing.
     I'm headed back to see the doc on Monday, and on Wednesday, CA will be 39 weeks and at that point the doc will do what she can to help speed things along.
     I have a million blog posts that are just waiting to be jotted down....i.e. recipes, Cooking Club, my boys!!! Stuff like that. Pray for us as we head into this, the final stretch. We will be a family of 5 in the next few days or so and we are beside ourselves, anxious, tired and a little exhausted as well.

Cheerful laugh for the day!

Another perk of pregnancy I will miss...my own personal little food tray!

Due South Designs of Atlanta: GRAND OPENING GIVEAWAY!!

2010-01-28T22:35:00.000-06:00

Hey Ya'll!!! Check out my friend Rachael's new website for her monogramming, appliques and vinyl business..... She's having a Grand Opening Giveaway too!!!!! Make sure you top by and see what all she's got!!!!

Due South Designs of Atlanta: GRAND OPENING GIVEAWAY!!

3 things I WILL miss after pregnancy

2010-01-23T23:49:00.000-06:00

Okay, maybe 4...or 5!

1. I will definitely miss keeping Carrie Ann so safe...well as safe as a mother of 2 toddlers can! I've only fallen 3 times. I'll miss taking the Lord's Supper while pregnant...I've gotten emotional everytime we do this at church while I am pregnant, knowing that this will be the last time they get to partake until they are Believers....I think too much!
2. Sympathy votes...people are prejudice towards pregnant ladies...most of the time...there are exceptions to this, but I remember sticking out my barely 6 month pregnant belly as far as I could to the parking guard at the Nashville marathon in hopes that he would feel sorry for me and let me park up next to the stadium...it worked...or when you are in LensCrafters and they break your glasses and you burst into tears and they want to do whatever they can to make the pregnant woman feel better and to stop spewing like a hydrant so in a tizzy they give you 50% off a new set of lenses and frames.
3. I will definitely miss the extra 3 seconds the big belly bump allows you to add to the 5 second rule...you know, the food falls, hits the bump, bounces, goes air bound and then....the 5 seconds begin!!!
4. Sucking in my stomach to make people think I actually do ab workouts like my husband!
5. The great excuse for everything that goes awry....oh..officer, I'm pregnant and I think my water just broke, or yes, Insurance agent, I forgot to pay our insurance this month, did you know I was pregnant? and then the very next month... Jim says-hey hun, got a call from ins. agent...said you paid the insurance twice this month...hey honey, why is there a gallon of milk in the pantry? CANDISE!!!!....upon monitoring our online banking...YOU PAID OUR MORTGAGE TWICE THIS MONTH... to which I respond, shocked myself--I'm sorry Jim, it was a tough day, being pregnant and all!--gotta use the pouty lips with this one and it usually helps if you are looking pretty cute at the time too!

Five Things

2010-01-22T20:41:00.001-06:00

I don't read, nor do I send forwards, but my super chic and stylish pregnant college friend Sally tagged me on her blog and I thought I'd waste some perfectly good napping time with you!
Five Things

Instructions:

Answer 5 questions with 5 answerss
Tag 5 other bloggers

Questions:

1. Where were you 10 years ago?

--In my spring semester of my freshman year of college at Hinds Community College in Raymond, MS.
--Lost as a goose when it came to my salvation.
--Insecure in who I was, appearance and eternity.
--In a dead end relationship with a guy that was going no where fast.
--I was all into ME...a cute little community college cheerleader who seriously needed a reality check.

2. What is on your TO DO list for today?
--Go grocery shopping {check}
--Shop for a diaper bag for Carrie Ann {check}
--Pack hospital bag.
--Hang Carrie Ann's ballet slippers up in her room.
--Cook supper.

3. What 5 snacks do you enjoy?
--Double Stuf Oreos.
--Cheese and Crackers
--Grapes
--A chunk of raw cookie dough
--A cheese stick....beginning to see where my weight comes from!

4. Where are 5 places you have lived?
--Tupelo, Mississippi...this is our second time to live here.
--Falls Church, Virginia...when Jim worked on Capitol Hill
--Okolona, MS....after college, with my mom, until I married Jim and moved to Tupelo, the first time.
--Columbus, MS...The W!
--Clinton, MS....the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college.

5. Name 5 things you would do if you were a billionaire.
--Fund and financially support Centerpoint Church in Annapolis, MD, and FFC counseling center here in Tupelo and our missionary friends who are in California and all over the rest of the world through the IMB.
--Buy Jim's parents a new house, just down the road from us.--
--Buy my sister and her family a house, preferrably near me, but we'd get them a car too.
--Set up college funds {annuities probably, since that is what Jim does} for our children.
--Get a house on the beach so we didn't have to ever search through beach house rentals ever again!

Now I am tagging:
--Amanda of Refelctions by Amanda
--Amanda at Colby Michael Jones (who at this very moment, January 22nd, 2010 is in the hospital having her second son, Chase)
--Lesli at a les than ordinary life
--Cris at The Curry's
--April at A Day in the Life of All of Us

Trash to Treasure in my Bathroom!

2010-01-22T06:49:00.002-06:00

When we were picking the colors for the rooms in our new house back in May 2008, we made a purpose to not be afraid of color. We were fearless! Every wall is a different color and we just recently added our fifth shade of blue to an accent wall in the boys' new room. I got one room of my very own to girlify...our master bath. Pink was totally out...Jim's rule, so I picked red. It's a pretty dark, lipstick red. Too bad the painters used flat paint {don't get me started on that}. I wanted a spa-like master bath...Candles all around, warm and sweet aromas, relaxing...feminine. Here's what I ended up with!

It's not that bad actually...

The picture is the Millennial Sunrise over the Sea of Galilee. It was a wedding gift from our pastor...his brother took the picture on one of his many trips to the Holy Land and Brother David had made this particular print into a poster. It's one of Jim's favorite pics. Above the jacuzzi tub, directly opposite our french doors that overlook our back yard and small lake, it's kind of perfect.

The curtains were a great find on the Walmart $1 stack of fabrics. I bought 9 yards of this shear material and attached it to a spring rod I already had. Nine bucks was worth the sad attempt to spa-ify my master bath!

But look what it has turned into! This is where the boys prefer to take their bath...it's a big tub, that's why I like it too. Jim's smelly running clothes have found their home in here as they await their turn in the washing machine. My pretty red flower, you know, the one that got stolen off my back porch {here}, used to sit on the back left corner. It has been replaced with dolphins, sharks, boats and dinosaurs.

It's sad, I know.

Can you imagine the thoughts and ideas that literally raced through my brown-eyed head when I spotted this marketing print in a local department store!!!

I stalked that store for a month waiting for their graphics to be changed and this master piece to be tossed to the side!!!

Well, yesterday was trash day for them and treasure day for me!!!

I absolutely love the Sea of Galilee picture, but no one ever sees the pretty thing in our bathroom except for us. I have better plans for it.

This picture is perfect for this room.

Doesn't it add a certain spa-like ambiance!!!

Here it is at a different angle, just in case you just don't get it yet...

I called Jim in, so excited to show him.

He looked....sigh....turned to the Sea of Galilee picture I had placed in our bedroom and said, I like that one better. I mean, that's just a canvas on the wall. I don't like it. {Shhh...he doesn't know that it's really a reallly thick plastic, might sound worse to him}

What do you think of my trash to treasure find?

Just to make you smile!

2010-01-21T20:49:00.000-06:00

Just thought I would share some cute shots of Andrew in the Lion suit today during playgroup.

No, he doesn't have on any pants...he had on just a shirt and diaper all day because he soaked his pants earlier in the morning and I just washed all his clothes and didn't want to dirty anything else...and lazy too! Jim will think I'm so redneck!

Andrew is very photogenic...he knows when I say cheese, to smile and pose for the camera...guess he's used to it!

He's missing a sock, too, I see...and yes, that's my other son behind him in the half-matching Packer's helmet and blue pants! What a crew I have!

Girlified!

2010-01-21T11:50:00.001-06:00

I'm all about re-using whatever baby boy items I have accumulated over the last 3 and a half years. So ever since learning that our third little sports star was going to be a girl, I've been hard at work re-inventing! Not sure where or when I got this little hat, but it's quite tiny and since both my boys were born in the dead of summer, there hasn't been much of a need for it.

I know, I was thinking the same thing...It's perfect for Carrie Ann...being that she will be born between today and February 10th!

It was missing something though, when she is tiny enough to wear this hat, she will still look like a scrunched up alien and hard to differentiate from a male scrunched up alien, so I found this piece of pink satin ribbon in my craft closet tonight and got a little crafty!!!

I weaved the ribbon in and out of the crocheted cuff of the hat. I taped the end of the ribbon to help guide it through, making sure to keep the ribbon from twisting along the way.

I tied off the end of the ribbon in a square knot and cut the ravelled ends at an angle.

When I actually do pack that hospital bag, this darling little hat will definitely make it's way in!

Precious Child of Mine

2010-01-20T23:45:00.001-06:00

As a parent you can doubt yourself quite often when it comes to whether or not you are teaching your children the right things and if you are setting an example for them that is pleasing to the Lord. In my short 3 and a half years as a parent, I have felt this A LOT. I'm constantly asking the Lord if He is pleased with the job Jim and I are doing, what more can I do, am I doing enough? Am I being a good enough example for Taylor that will want him to know and love my God as I do? Have I messed up so badly at times that he will deny God's gift of eternal life--Lord, have mercy on him and me! Amidst my doubts and questions, God always seems to give a glimmer of hope and a little thumbs up as to say...You aren't doing so bad my child!

At the grocery store last week I came across a book rack that had "The Berenstain Bears: God Loves You!" on it....stopped me right in my tracks...backed up and OH WOW.....Taylor and Jim love The Berentain Bears and wow...there's one about God, Sunday School and Prayer!!! WooHoo....for $4 I got the God Loves You one and on Monday night, Jim was reading that book with Taylor for like the 50th time since Friday! Seriously! Upon opening the book, it has "God is Love." - 1 John 4:16, inscribed in the front cover. Towards the end of the story the cubs learn about the rainbow and why God gives us rainbows.

Here's where this 100th post gets interesting! Taylor then asks Jim, "Daddy, where does God live?" I am in the kitchen washing the supper dishes when I hear this and I am eager to hear Jim's answer for him because I get it all the time from Taylor. Jim responds, " He lives in Heaven." "How do we get to Heaven daddy?" I am serious! I'm not exaggerating one bit, I promise!!! Jim thinks a second as how to answer this BIG question from such a little guy... "Well, Taylor, we get to Heaven by trusting in Jesus, believeing that He died for our sins." By now I have turned the faucet water off and am trying to listen very carefully...this was getting interesting! Taylor then climbed off of Jim's lap and sat on the couch beside him, clutched his hands together and bowed his head, and prayed. "Dear God, thank you for the rainbow, thank you for my vegetables and I trust in you, AMEN!" I hurried over to them and asked Jim if he just said what I thought I heard? He nodded, with a smile on his face. Taylor jumped up from the couch and yelled, "Mommy, I trust in God, can I go to Heaven now?"

Oh, how I love that zeal of a child! I sat down on the ottoman and pulled Taylor onto my lap and he asked again, "Mommy can we go see God in Heaven now, I trust in Him?" "Taylor, I want you to go to Heaven, but not right now, I want you here with me right now!, I heard what you just said and I hope and pray that one day you will actually understand what you just said." A little disappointed that he couldn't go to Heaven at that moment or that I didn't mention a timeline for when we could, he hopped down and went on with his next piece of business! Oh wow, is all I could think. I rubbed Jim's knee and said, "Well hun, we're obviously doing something right!"

I returned to the kitchen, thanking the Lord for that little piece of encouragement, maybe I haven't ruined Taylor after all. How glorious it will be, that day when Taylor actually does understand he has a sin nature and that Jesus took the fall for him and that HE is the one and only way to God.

If we do nothing else productive as Christian parents, let it be that we teach our children about Jesus and His saving power from death and hell. In Ephesians 6:4, Paul teaches us, "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." It doesn't matter if we ever teach them proper grammer, their alphabet or even the importance of eating their vegetables, what's important is our purpose as parents- To raise our children to be disciples and missionaries of the Lord Jesus Christ! That's our ultimate goal and our mission as Christian parents.

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."

Proverbs 22:6

BTW....this is my 100th post! Unbelievable, I know. I started blogging back in October as an outlet for my angst and to help me sleep better at night...it has worked...maybe too much because I'm addicted and can't seem to get enough of others' blogs either! Jim has really enjoyed getting to "read" what's on my mind and many times he'll say...oh...I didn't know you did that, or I can't believe you blogged about that! It has been so much fun and I am so thankful that God has provided this outlet for me! So, have a great day and happy 100th post to my Lemonade Stand!

Lemonade Stand

I need a: How to Care Snails for Dummies Guide

Farewell my beloved 20's

I'm so mad I could, and might just scream!

Carrie Ann is turning 1

Christmastime

White Chip Chocolate Cookies

Biggest bang for your buck and your Community!

They will love this Meatloaf, I promise

Be one of those who learn from others' mistakes...

Trash to Treasure

It's Pizza Night!

Growing like Weeds!

It's all he knows

Coming Clean

My ending isn't the same...

I. Can't. Function.

OBX or Bust

My Daddy

Worst Dessert Ever!

A Pound of Cake

Mommy, he's pooping!

Singin' in the Rain!

Fly home little Birdie

Our inner Rachel Ray!

Good ole Molasses Cookies

It's our choice, not theirs

Year 5 - a wooden gift

A day in the life...

The Caramel League

Reality

Sallie Belle, this one's for you!

I haven't forgotten

Taylor's recipe for Monster Cookies

One adorable Mug!

Over my head & Into my heart

Let's Catch Up!

Yay for Mother's Day Out!

New Frames!!!!

Growing like weeds

When to call for backup

No tears this time!

Friendly Reminder

It's race time again!

I had to get back in the kitchen sometime

Just another ordinary day!

A house for the birds

A picture's worth a thousand words

Nana's Apple Cake

Our Family

Finally, I blog again!

Oh Happy Day!

Playroom Makeover

The Baby Blues

~~Sweet Carrie Ann~~

Whew...It's been a busy last 7 days.....

Easy-Peasy Labor Delivery (I pray)

Due South Designs of Atlanta: GRAND OPENING GIVEAWAY!!

3 things I WILL miss after pregnancy

Five Things

Trash to Treasure in my Bathroom!

Just to make you smile!

Girlified!

Precious Child of Mine

Sweet Carrie Ann