New Church Building

After the move-in date was pushed back many, many times, we started to wonder if we would every move into our new building.  Tonight, we finally did.  It is beautiful!

God has blessed our church & church family so much.

Only in the South

This morning, after going to the dentist, I stopped by Chick-fil-A for breakfast.  When I pull into the parking lot, this is sitting in one of the parking spaces. 

Only in the South is a tractor considered a form of transportation. :)

The Beach

We met some friends at the beach for the last day of school. 

What a great way to end a great school year.

It was a little overcast at first.  The sun did shine later in the day.  It was breezy & not too hot.  The water, to me, was freezing, but the kids loved it.

Little Surfer Girl, Faith. 

Will

Collin

Addie, Will & Collin looking for shells in the water.

Whit, Collin, Addie & Will having fun.

Sand fun.

We went to a fun little pizzeria on the strip.   

Will

We were all sandy & tired, but it was a great day.

Painting on Water

Hanging Out With Will

I love spending one-on-one time with my kids.  Tonight, Will & I had that time together.

I'm not a big coffee drinker, but oh my!  This was wonderful.  Pecan, Carmel Latte.

Will got a Vanilla Frappe that he said was awesome!

Sandwiches and Farkle. We love playing games.

After dinner & games, we headed to see Soul Surfer.  It was a great movie.  We can't wait until it comes out on DVD.  I would love to have church on the beach.  

I realized that watching this movie the night before going to the beach, probably wasn't a great idea.  All the way to the beach, I was praying, Lord please don't let a shark come near us. 

Will & I had some great talks about life, our dreams & silly what ifs.

Wakko's 50 State Capitols with Lyrics/Subtitles

Girl Time

 
I am a little girl at heart.  I love fairy tales.  What's the best way to enjoy one ~ by watching a real prince and princess get married.  I was not about to get up at 5 A.M., so I asked my father-in-law to record it for us.  Last week, Faith & I waited until the boys were fishing with Daddy to have our Royal Tea party while watching The Royal Wedding.

Faith enjoyed setting our little table.

Serving the tea.

We had American Scones, (biscuits out of a can) along with apples & tea.

 

If you watched the wedding, you know that there was a lot of long slow places.  One great thing about recording it is that you can fast forward through the boring parts.

I found these really cute coloring pages online for a crown, design your own Princess Wedding Dress, & 2 pictures of Princess Kate & Prince William.  So after we had our tea party, we colored these pages while we were finishing up the wedding. 

When Faith asked Jesus into her heart, I told her that if she really meant what she prayed then, she is now a real princess because her Heavenly Father is a King.  Oh the excitement!

Princess Mama & Princess Faith with her Royal dog Tinkerbell.

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This week when the boys went fishing, Faith & I had another fun girl morning.  She got her hair cut & we had brunch at Panera Bread.

If You Can't Find It, Make It

I found this really cute skirt for $1 at a thrift store.  It has bird cages all over.  I wanted to find a blue shirt with a bird on it.  Let me just say, that is almost impossible to find when you are specifically looking for it.

So when you can't find what you want, make it.  I found this shirt for $3 from Old Navy & I embroidered a bird.

Mother's Day

Thank you Lord for choosing me to be Mama to Will, Collin & Faith. You knew my strengths and weaknesses long before you gave them to me to raise for You & yet You still chose me. I am soooo loving the most important job on earth that You have given me ~ being a mom.  

 Me & my babies on Mother's Day morning.  Several ladies from our church decided to wear hats to church.  I love hats & wish they would come back in style.

Saturday before Mother's Day, we went to Lowes for their Build & Grow workshop.  The kids made Heart Flower Vases for Mother's Day.

 

The idea for this project, I totally took from A Bird & A Bean blog.  It is the kid's thumb print in clay.  I got a lot of complements on it.  We made one for my mother-in-law too.

Saluting Special Ladies Part 7

I am so blessed to have so many wonderful ladies in my church.  I wasn't able to take all of their pictures.  Many of these ladies are old enough to be my mom or grandma.  There is so much to learn from the older generation.  I just love being around them.

I have know these ladies (Mother & 2 daughters)  about 17 years.  Mrs. Evelyn & my nanny used to work together.  All 3 have such a sweet spirit.

Sweet ladies that I love to get hugs from.

Sharon (2nd from the left) & I have been friends for about18 years.  Her mom (1st on the left) has always been a great encourager to me.

 

There is so much that I could say about these ladies.  I love cutting up with them, praying for them & receiving their prayers as well.

Patricia & I have been friends for quite a while.  We got even closer through some trials in her life.  She has been such a great friend to me through my joys & trials as well.  Funny how God brings people into your life just when you need them.

Saluting Special Ladies Part 6

The special ladies for today, are ladies that I was friends with in school.  We lost touch for a while & then we were reunite.  We are now enjoying wonderful friendships together.

Amy, Kyle & her beautiful children.

Amy & Kyle were high school sweethearts.  All 3 of us graduated together.

We were reunited through homeschooling.  Amy is a very talented  photographer.

She loves her family & is a wonderful mama.  We love hanging out with them.

Melinda & her children.(Sorry, no pic. of daddy) Melinda & I were in youth group together.  We saw each other again at my niece's birthday party & kept in touch.  She started our homeschool co-op this year.  We have really enjoyed getting to know her (again) & her children.  She loves her family & her Lord. I have learned a lot from this family. 

Karen with my kids & her son Jacob.

Karen is a new friend, but I have know her husband since Kindergarten.  Her son, Jacob & Faith started playing together at a homeschool park day & have been great friends ever since.  Thus bringing Karen & I together.

Karen is a very special lady.  She loves her son, husband & her Lord.  We have really enjoyed getting to know each other this year.  I am blessed to call her friend.

Saluting Special Ladies part 5

The Special Ladies today are new friends.  We have met in the last few years. 

Holly & her girls. (Couldn't find a pic with her hubby.)

  I was thankful to meet this pretty lady a few years ago across the street from my in-law's house.  She is a amazing mama.  Her darling girls are so sweet & Faith loves playing with them.  Holly has been such a wonderful and encouraging friend to me.

Julie & her family.  

We met a few years back in another co-op.  God keeps bringing us together.  She is a sweet mother that loves her children very much.  We enjoy spending time with this family.

Danita & her family. 

We met them a few years ago playing homeschool

tennis.  We kept in touch & then ended up in the same co-op.  These ladies

are stylish, funny & love the Lord.

Laura & her family.  

We haven't even known this family for a year yet, but it feels like we've known them forever.  We are different in a lot of areas, but that is one thing that I love about our friendship.  Laura is a wonderful teacher, loves her children  & the Lord.  Her children are so sweet ~ we really love hanging out together.

Tracy & her family.  

We met them a few years back in a different co-op too. 

We have really enjoyed their friendship.  These ladies really love the Lord, have such

a sweet spirit & are just fun to be around.

I have been blessed to have these ladies in my life & have learned so much from them.  As I was writing about my new friends, I remember singing a song called "Make New Friends" when I was in Girl Scouts.

Make new friends,
but keep the old.
One is silver,
the other is gold.

With all this silver & gold in my life, I am truly rich.  I am so thankful that God continues to bring wonderful ladies in my life. 

 

Saluting Special Ladies Part 4

Rhonda, Darlene & Andrea have been my life long friends.  I met all 3 girls when I was in the 6th grade.  I met Rhonda on my very 1st day of attending my new church.  Darlene & Andrea, I met when I started going to Sunday School a few weeks later.
 

Rhonda & I went to the same school. She is 2 years older than me, so she was on Varsity when I was on JV.  We had spent the night together so many times, went to the beach together & spent hours on the phone.

 Me, Annie & Dar

Andrea & Darlene went to a neighboring school to ours, but we still got together a lot.  We were all in the same youth group.  We went to Tennesse on a mission trip, San Antonio for an Acteen convention, spending many nights together, and long hours on the phone as well.

We shared our dreams, plans, secrets, etc.  I was so blessed to have 3 wonderful Christian girls as friends to grow up with.  

Then we grew up.  They all married wonderful men that love the Lord.  My children love playing with all of their children (13 kids in all).  We all still live close by & get together when we can.  Although, I wish it was more often.  Rhonda, Darlene & Andrea have become beautiful, sweet, amazing godly Mamas, wives & friends.  I am so thankful to have such wonderful ladies to call friends for over 26 years.

Rhonda & her husband, Chris.

Rhonda's 3 precious children.

Darlene & her husband, Mike. 

 Darlene's beautiful girls.

Andrea & her husband, Kevin.

Andrea's 4 sweet children.