Miscellaneous Monday!!

Wow!! I can't believe it's the end of January- it really went by so fast!! I'm kind of glad- except this past weekend was beautiful and gave me hope!! But the winter is so dreary to me!! It was just so lovely on Saturday that it makes me excited about spring!! We've been busier than ever so I thought I'd play catch up, here goes...

-We celebrated 100 days of School!! It was the first time in two years no one was sick!! PTL! Francie was the cutest little old person ever!!

-We had Birthday Dinner at Sol Azteca with Graham and Julie for Graham and Will's Birthday (they share a birthday)!! We had so much fun!! They really are like family and I'm sad we don't see each other more throughout the year than we do! I am determined to get together more this year -even if it means I have to get Graham to build me bookshelves in my living room! ;)

-Last week was HORRIBLE!! Francie ended up getting strep!! EVERY DAY seemed like a struggle!!

-We went to see Country Strong, it's good, but it's so sad!! I bawled my eyes out the entire movie!! I love the songs though, I am going to get the soundtrack!!

-The video from my favorite song in the movie...

I LOVE this song!!! LOVE IT!

-Will split his cheek open during church service! He was sitting on his knees in the pew and lost his balance and fell face first on the pew in front of him (his hands were behind him)! And then in the floor!! It was pretty bad!! We had to leave in the middle of church and go to get stitches!! Who knew?






















-No School again today due to power outages!! Weird!! I guess we'll be going to school forever to make up all these days we've been out!!

Will's Birthday Weekend!!

I know I say this every year but really -I cannot believe my first born son has turned nine years old!! It is just amazing to me!! We had a truly wonderful weekend with Will!! He even got a day off of school on Monday (MLK Day)!! Friday we met cousins at Pizza Hut for dinner then we all headed to the Alabama vs. Auburn Hockey Game (aka The Iron Bowl on Ice -hehe ;) !! Roll Frozen Tide!! It was a blast and Alabama kicked some butt!! We left at the start of the 3rd period and it was 8 to nothing!!

Saturday we hung out at home together and later went to Nana's house for a delicious birthday dinner!! She had gotten Will cake bites that were to die for!! Will's not a big cake fan -so these were perfect -there was caramel, chocolate, red velvet (my fav), and white cake -she got them from a place in Homewood called Pastry Art (I think)?! You must swing by and get a few or a few dozen -they were great!!

Sunday was his real birthday and after church we met my family at Will's favorite, really everybody's favorite place, Pablo's!! We had fried icecream and just a plain ole' good time!!

Happy Birthday Will!! I love you more than anything!!

Blink...

Teach me to number my days
And count every moment
Before it slips away
Take in all the colors
Before they fade to grey























I don't want to miss
Even just a second
More of this























It happens in a blink, it happens in a flash
It happens in the time it took to look back
I try to hold on tight, but there's no stopping time
What is it I've done with my life?























It happens in a blink
It happens in a blink























When it's all said and done
No one remembers
How far we've run
The only thing that matters
IS HOW WE HAVE LOVED























I don't want to miss
Even just a second
More of this

















It happens in a blink, it happens in a flash
It happens in the time it took to look back
I try to hold on tight, but there's no stopping time
What is it I've done with my life?
















Slow down
Slow down

Before today becomes
Our yesterday

It happens in a blink, it happens in a flash
It happens in the time it took to look back
I try to hold on tight, but there's no stopping time
What is it I've done with my life?

It happens in a blink....
*Words and Music by Revive

I heard this song a while back and just cried my eyes out!! I just thought about my life and especially about being a mother and how it seems like it's gone by so fast and how I've just missed out on a lot of stuff because I've been focused on the wrong things! I've been feeling this way for some time now!! My prayer this year is that I would live life!! Be in the moment -experience -really feel it!! I don't want it to just pass by -I want to love better -to be more intentional in everything I do -and really work on strengthening friendships and family relationships!! I can't believe that it is 2011 and Will's Birthday!! Before we know it, we'll be celebrating another new year!! I don't want to miss out!!

9 years ago...

I was one happy momma!!

And I still am!!!

Snow Days!! 2011

I can't believe we have gotten MORE snow!! Last year we had a snow day, but no snow!! This year has been completely different!! It started snowing on Sunday afternoon along with sleeting! Clint had been hunting with some of his students and some friends from Briarwood down near Auburn!! They ended up hunting til dark and by then it was getting yucky out there!! He made it back safe (PTL)! He just turned a 1 1/2 hour drive into a 3 hour drive!!

We were all excited to have a day off of school!! There was hot chocolate and fires, playing in the snow, watching movies, reading!! It was so nice!! The weekend just flew by so fast, so it was good to have a little longer off!! Thank goodness I was prepared with The Pioneer Woman's Cookbook ~I got it for Christmas!! I made her French Breakfast Puffs (delish) and her Olive Cheese Bread!!

Then, one day turned into two and then two turned into THREE!! Since we go to a private school where people travel a long way to get to us, we were able to stay off one more day! That completely caught me off guard! I am sure we will not have any more days off for the rest of the school year due to "Winter Storm 2011"! But I sure have loved easing back into the second semester!!
























Enjoying Hot Chocolate by the Fire!!














































Murdy Loved Playing in the Snow!!
























The Most Delicious Breakfast Ever!!



















Olive Cheese Bread!! Yum!

The worst part about the snow days was Auburn won the National Championship!! It broke my heart!!

Ladies and Hunters!!

Last week, Francie and I got a little "girl time"!! It's always a pleasure to be able to spend some one on one time with her!! We had a very exciting day planned: First we went to lunch at everybody's favorite -Pablo's, with Granny!! Then we headed to the mall to get Francie's ears pierced!! I didn't know how things would go -so I was glad when Granny said she would go with us!! It turned out that Francie did AWESOME!! She didn't even cry!! (My heart was beating out of my chest though)!! After the ear piercing we headed downstairs to Francie's favorite place -Build A Bear Workshop!! She made the cutest gray kitty and got her a Hello Kitty dress and some pink heels!! Ha! She also got a Hello Kitty chair that the kitty can sit in!! Too Cute!! After we left the mall we dropped Granny off at home and headed to Mommy's favorite -Edgar's!! For cupcakes -what else?!


Granny and Francie at Pablo's!!






Brand new earrings!! And not even one tear!! :)











Francie at Build A Bear!!







Francie named her kitty Nancy!! ;)




















Our yummy cupcakes!! Mine is strawberry and Francie chose a firework one!!

















While we were doing all these fun things Daddy and Will were hunting with Uncle Chad and Cole and Turner!! I think they had a pretty awesome time too!!

Happy New Year!!

January 1st- "My eager desire and hope being that I may never feel ashamed, but that now as ever I may do honor to Christ in my own person by fearless courage." (Phil. 1:20)

As I read these words on the very first day of 2011, my heart echoed this desire. The devotion book for the year is My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers!! Perfect! I've been thinking about this new year and what I really hope to achieve and above all I want to be in the will of my Heavenly Father! To do all that he asks of me ~ to trust and obey!! I cannot believe 2010 is over!! This was a really wonderful year ~so many blessings I didn't expect, just fell from heaven!! I am really excited to see what God does this year!!

Just thought I might share just a few changes I personally will strife to make (with much prayer) for the new year:
* say "I love you" FIRST more...
* turn to Jesus first...
* be a better friend... spend time, listen, encourage, help
* give more... be generous
* be thankful and spend more time counting my blessings... time to relax and enjoy my family at the holidays... a sweet puppy dog, who is so crazy she fits in with our family perfectly... my sweet kiddos! They are so fun to be around and love watching them grow and they just light up my world... my sweetie, who I can't get enough of, who also lights up my world... family!! They are like a breath of fresh air! Just being with them rejuvenates my soul!! :)


"Now to him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20