fashion faux pas friday

seriously....

the only thing that comes to mind with this one is...

who let the dog out??

(woof...woof...woof...woof)

....i mean, my hair looks poodle-ish...and what is that???...a chew toy in my mouth?? the striped, one-piece jumper is a huge fashion crime!

someone should have kept this dog locked up (pun intended).

so, how 'bout you?? have you committed any crimes, fashion or otherwise?

so long, insecurity....

you've been a bad friend to us....

yep. that's the title of beth moore's book on, well.....insecurity. in her book, beth gives possible reasons for insecurity, funny anecdotes, biblical truths, and tools to overcome it! i devoured this book a few weeks back, and i have already lent it out. you're welcome to borrow my copy(as long as you're close enough to come and get it)....but if you deal with this issue, i highly recommend you buy your own.

beth shares lots of insight and personal stories. she has dealt with insecurity for her entire life. about a year and a half ago, the Lord took her on a personal journey...which resulted in this book. boy, am i thankful that the Lord anointed beth....to write and speak His truths to women like me.

here goes nothin'.....

if you've followed me for more than a week, you know that i deal with insecurity. i haven't kept it a secret, and those closest to me know that i am plagued by it. i have been insecure for as long as i can remember. i can't really pinpoint why i am this way, but i know that when i look to anything other than God's Word for my security- i will always feel as though i just don't measure up.

you know- modern day culture is really hard on us. when we watch a tv show, go to the movies, or look at the cover of any magazine.....we hear/see:

you're not pretty enough.....

you're not skinny enough....

you're not smart enough....

you're not rich enough.....

you're not______enough.....(you fill in the blank)

well, i don't know about you...but i am constantly comparing myself to others. so, when i compare myself to the world.....i will never be good enough. but- and this is a big but- if i look to the Lord for security....if i read and internalize His truths about me....i will never feel more beautiful and/or loved. the thing is....i know that God loves me. i know that He delights in me and finds me beautiful. i guess i've just always had a hard time transferring that knowledge to my heart. what i am trying to say is.....i don't know that i've ever really (truly) felt it down deep.

or maybe it's that i have struggled with wanting other people's approval...more than i've cared about the Lord's. one of my "life verses" (i now have too many to count) is galations 1:10. it says, "am i now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? or am i trying to please men? if i were still trying to please men, i would not be a servant of Christ." wow. here's the thing...if my Maker thinks i'm beautiful, why should i care about what anyone else thinks?? if He delights in me, why should i be concerned if others like me or not?

....are you picking up what i'm laying down?? anyone out there "get" me??

in her book, beth encourages us women to stop making comparisons. when we do this- we will always feel inadequate. we are each unique and different, and God has given each of us different talents, purposes, and strengths. basically, we should be comfortable in the skin we're in!

beth also tells us: don't trip another woman's insecurity switch! that was awesome for me hear. what we say to others should be uplifting and encouraging- and our words should not cut or belittle, but rather- they should bless. i pray you're not like me...because i can remember many, many hurtful things that have been said to me. i can remember one of my friends calling me "big boned" throughout our childhood. i remember being called "four eyes" because of my glasses. i can remember a (dumb) boy in high school calling me "mosquito bites" because of my flat chest. (okay, okay....stop laughing!! you're not supposed to think he was funny!!) anyhow, hopefully you get the point. if you don't have anything nice to say...don't say anything at all! if we struggle with insecurity....why in the world would we want someone else to feel as miserable as we do?? thinking back has allowed me to see that those people said those things to me, because they were insecure and they wanted the focus off of themselves.

apparently, i could go on and on. i apologize for this post, because it's been all about...me, me, me. i just hope that maybe someone can identify with my struggles and start to take some steps in the right direction. look to the Lord. lay your insecurities out before Him. read His Word to see what He has to say about you. here's a freebie: "the King is entralled by your beauty; honor Him, for He is your Lord." (ps. 45:11)

i will be writing a part two to this post, so that you can see why i'm sayin'.....

so long insecurity....you've been a bad friend to me!

part two....so long, insecurity

(you may want to read part one...the previous post first!)

last weekend, i was blessed to be able to attend a simulcast on beth's book, so long, insecurity. beth was in atlanta, while over 300,000 women were in 869 churches across north america. i was at my friend's church in arizona...with around 50o other insecure women.

phew! at least i'm not alone in my insecurity??

or maybe i should say i wasn't alone. from that day forward, we vowed to live as women who are secure in Christ Jesus.

okay, the Lord gave beth His Words last saturday. as she spoke to hundreds of thousands of women, the Lord gave us a big-time reality check.

here's the first note (of many) i took that day:

insecurity is not a weakness- it's unbelief!

(that God isn't who He says He is...and that I'm not who He says I am!)

ooh. ouch. guilty, as charged.

from that first point on, God gave beth so many truths to share with us. i took page upon page of notes, so i will try to highlight some of them...but you know how i can be....uh, wordy. and, listen....skip this whole post if you want. maybe you don't share in this struggle. if you do, though....i encourage you to read some of what God told beth to tell us. me and you. you and me....

eph. 4:22-24 says:

"you were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

*victory and defeat live in the mind.

*memorize scriptures.

a SECURE woman is:

Saved from herself

(often, my own insecurity is my biggest enemy. insecurity is idolatrous self-interest. insecurity is it's own form of pride. um...ouch, Lord.)

Entitled to truth

(when we wander, our thoughts get darker and darker. <--- leads to addiction. the enemy wants to keep us from truth and we start thinking....'if i could just have this.' 'if i could just be that.' sometimes, we "manage" instead of just being free!)

Clothed with intention

(a woman dresses with intention. we're going to dress with intention....we're going to get up every morning and say, "that was the old me...this is the new me." it will begin to make its way to the depth of my heart. Christ is my security! 2 tim. 3 says...."don't be weak-willed.")

*take the "step" with our minds and then act.

*secure people don't have to think about themselves all the time.

*you won't find a secure woman who is secure accidentally.

Upended by grace

(eph. 2:8. how much of our unforgiveness is because of insecurity? eph. 4:32 says to forgive each other. Christ forgave us. grace has been given to us and we need to grace others!)

*if we're not convinced we're forgiven, then we will withhold that grace from others.

*we give grace away in the form of forgiveness...but we can also keep it! we think we'll have "lost" if we give it (anger, bitterness, resentment, hatred, etc.) up!

*it is our freedom to forgive!

Rebounded by love

(eph. 5:1-2....we are completely and unfailingly loved....by the God of the universe!! can you go out and live like the dearly loved child that you are? be imitators of Christ.)

*if a heart does not heal, it hardens.

*to be secure, we've got to know that Someone loves us unfailingly.

*when we know we're loved, we love.

*when we know we're forgiven, we forgive.

Exceptional in life

(everyone of us has a need for significance. if we all became secure, how exceptional would we be?!)

*we've got the chance to blend in at the mercy of our culture OR we can be the exception!

*remember what we've been taught by our Lord.

*He will use things that are deep, intense, and painful.

(rom. 8:28 says that He will work all things together for the good of those who love Him.)

romans 8:18 says....

"i consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."

*believe Him and move on in SECURITY.

so....last sat., i had to hold hands with a partner....look her in the eyes (a hard thing for an insecure person to do), and vow to walk in the security of Christ. one of the main things i walked away with is that it's a daily choice. i have to wake up and say: "that was the old me...this is the new me!" i have to make the daily decision to believe God. praise Him! i am so thankful that i was able to stop. look. listen. (ha!) i stopped and sat in that church, long enough to look at His Word....and listen to Him speak to me.

i am going to choose

-each day, each moment-

to be secure in who God made me to be.

so long, insecurity....you've been a bad friend to me.

you've done enough damage...

you've caused enough misery....

you've stolen too much of my life...

and i'm done. with. you!

third time's a charm.....

...or is it "thirty" time's a charm??

for us, it was somewhere in between!!

bryson recited his speech meet verses today (in class) and got the highest score possible.

he has worked very hard, over the past several weeks, to memorize a passage from romans. i wanted to tape him and share it with you. the thing is.....it was tough to get it just right.

first, bryson kept scratching at his face....and it looked weird.

the second time around...he messed up and said the verses out of order!

then, bryson was moving from side to side and it was distracting!

then....hudson was being really loud and we couldn't hear what bryson was saying over all of the background noise.

then, bryson and i both got the giggles and couldn't make it through even one taping without cracking up. bryson then told me....."dude, i need an onion or something!" he said that would help him to calm down and cry, rather than laugh. i asked him to imagine what being an actor would be like. i think we both decided that it's way too much work.....

finally, we got it right. without further adieu....

bryson, age 7

reciting romans 15:5-7

the gum goes in your mouth.....

....not all over your body!

seriously?? isn't putting gum other places...like...i don't know....

a two year-old thing??

(yeah, yeah, yeah.....it's my fault for buying the big league chew, and for ignoring him for an hour to talk on the phone!!)

fun with my friend

so, hey....have i mentioned that i went to arizona this past weekend? ha!

my good friend (christy) and her family moved to mesa (az) about a year and a half ago. her hubby's job transfered him, which just rocked my world. the Lord is totally blessing them there, but it was a hard transition....for christy and for me. christy and i had started doing our own bible study over two years ago. she would come over to my house once a week....and she would bring her son (cooper). our boys would play, we'd chat and do our study, and then we'd go get lunch together. most weeks, we found some reason to go to the bible book store, too! we are both avid readers, so we are constantly buying and trading books.

christy's parents, and her brother and his family, live in orange county, so she tries to come out every few months, but it's hard not to see her each week. we still do our study, but now it's on the phone. when she comes out, we always meet at the bible book store, and we pick out our studies together. bryson and i got to drive out for a visit a while back, and this past weekend was my second time visiting her.

josh grew up going to church with christy and her family, and during his high school days- one of his best buddies was her brother, randy. the guys are still good friends, though with work and life- they don't see each other very often! christy and i met because when i taught...her daughter (savanna) wound up in my kindergarten class! it was all a small world type of thing!

savanna is now sixteen (my, i'm getting old) and she has a very artistic eye for things. she showed me lots of drawings, photos, magazine cut outs, etc. while i was there. savanna painted my toes, and her mom's....and she gave us some fun and funky patterns!! savanna and i both commented on how funny it was that she's a former student of mine....and there she was, painting my flinstone feet (she didn't call them that. i did!). i am so sad that i never got a pic with savanna!

savanna's work....

my lovely friend, in her beautiful front yard....

kristi and christy

cooper (age 6) and i had lots of fun...telling each other knock knock jokes! this is one funny kid!!

(knock knock. who's there? boo. boo who? why are you crying?!)

(knock knock. who's there? lettuce. lettuce who? lettuce in, it's cold out here!)

i had a blast and though i missed all of my boys, i was sad to leave. christy and i had some great girly time....and i ate so much that i thought i was going to explode. we got to go to the beth moore simulcast, target, golden spoon, pei wei, sprinkles, yogurtland, and an outdoor mall. we spent time with her family and at her church. christy works at her church (in children's ministries), and so it was great to put faces to the names of her new friends and co-workers. the weather was absolutely gorgeous and i am thankful that i was able to go out for a visit. i am looking forward to her next trip out here. i thank the Lord for awesome friends like christy cran....

retro treats....

when i was a kid, my dad would always bring back a little gift (or two) for me...when he came home from a business trip. i remember scratch n' sniff stickers, girly pencils, and big, fat chapsticks! my parents took several vacations without us- and they always brought back treats! (actually- they still do it!!) every time josh and i go away, we do the same for the boys.

i love, love, love the little country store at cracker barrel, and i found some fun, retro treats for the boys- when i was there this past weekend!! they were thrilled with their little gifts and i didn't have to spend much at all!

aren't these boxes adorable?!

who doesn't love a tricky worm??

the boys have had sooooo much fun with their worms!

who doesn't love.......big league chew?

a fine feast.....

when i was growing up, there was a cracker barrel (in orange). i grew up eating grits (my dad got me hooked), and shopping in the cute, little store that was attached to the restaurant. my memories have faded over time, but i do remember going to cracker barrel with friends- after church on sundays.

fast forward to december of 2008.....bryson and i drove out to arizona, to stay with our good friends (the cran's). i "made" my friend, christy, take us to one in chandler, arizona. it was just as good as i had remembered, if not better. i vowed to return every time i traveled to arizona!

this past weekend, i got to fly to arizona- alone (hallelujah!!)- to visit christy, and to attend a simulcast for a new book of beth moore's. i have many pics to post and i have lots to tell you about, but i wanted to start by telling you about my friday morning feast!!

prior to leaving for my trip, i asked christy if we could go back to cracker barrel. she kept telling me yes, but i found some way to ask her and/or remind her that i wanted to go- every time we talked about my trip. two days before my trip, christy said the most wonderful thing to me on the phone....

christy: your flight gets in at 9:20, right?

me: yes....

christy: well, don't eat breakfast and we'll just go straight to cracker barrel- after i pick you up.

me: really?? (jumping up and down)....are you serious??

christy: of course!

me: thank you! are we going there because i mentioned it about 200 times??

christy: oh, was it only 200??

well, my lovely friend kept her word and straight to cracker barrel we went.

here's what i ate: grits, 3 pecan pancakes, turkey sausage, and scrambled eggs with cheese.

aahhh.....i imagine heaven will have feasts like that! and- i won't gain two pounds after each meal!

(see the little bottle of maple syrup? it was hot and soooo delicious!!)

one of my most favorite people....christy cran!

after we ate, we had fun meandering through the store. i bought the kids some little treats and i will post some pics of them soon!! the photos will cause you to take a trip down memory lane....

so, tell me.....did you grow up eating at cracker barrel?? is there one near you? wait, don't tell me if there is!!

"fashion faux pas" friday

some bloggers have wordless wednesday, not me! monday, or friday favorites.

welcome to my (new and exciting...hee hee) edition of a weekly post....

i am calling it fashion faux pas friday.

you're sure to get a good laugh at my expense each week. it's okay, though....

i am learning to be secure! ha!

***seriously, though....i just finished beth moore's book on insecurity and i am planning to share some insight(s) with you soon. i am headed to AZ today, for a simulcast on the book! when i'm back- i will share with you all of the wonderful things i have learned!***

alright....here's my first faux pas....enjoy! and, just so you know....i showed some of these photos to my friend, joanna (who's about to pick me up and take me to the airport). she (literally) had tears rolling down her face. yes- she was laughing that hard. at me.

happy friday and have a super duper weekend!

in my defense....i don't think this outfit would have been nearly as bad- had my mother not talked me into wearing her hideous coat. i love my mom, but she is partly (and/or fully) responsible for some of my most serious fashion crimes. you'll see. just you wait....! anyhow- i guess the hair and the nylons are pretty bad, too. and don't even get me started on the christmas decor in the background.

see ya! my ride's here!!

meet jana....

jana is a dear friend of mine. we met last year, when our boys were in kindergarten together. now, the boys are in the same first grade class! their friendship is still going strong, and so is ours!

jana had told me a while back that she was asked to speak to her mom2mom group. she would be sharing part of her story....her journey with the Lord. well, this past monday was the big day and i was blessed to be able to attend.

jana's message from the Lord was full of hope and encouragement. jana is witty, funny, engaging, and humble. she made us laugh and there were times we got teary-eyed. i think every woman in the room could relate with/to jana, as she talked about fears, insecurities, and moving forward triumphantly- in the Lord.

i was so blessed to hear jana's message. here's her story in a nutshell: jana was 75 pounds over weight and had tried every diet in the book! through the Lord's strength and the fact that she cried out to Him....she was able to lose the 75 pounds (weight watchers). that wasn't all that the Lord wanted to do with her, though. last year, jana worked her tail off and ran her first half marathon. she did several 5k's and 10k's as well. in june, jana will be running her first marathon! mind you, this girl was not a runner! wow!! she claims philippians 4:13 as her life verse.....

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

one of the things jana mentioned was the story of peter- walking on water toward Jesus. you remember the story, right? peter gets out of the boat and starts walking toward Jesus. peter starts to get scared....he starts to lose faith and he starts sinking. he cries, "Lord, save me!" Jesus reaches out, catches him, and says...."you of little faith...why did you doubt?" Jesus and peter get in the boat and the wind dies down. all those in the boat worshiped Jesus and said, "truly you are the Son of God." (matt. 14:25-33)

jana talked about faith in Christ. strength through Him. and...then she told us about a song she loves. i have it playing on the blog, because i love it, too. it's funny- i had bought britt nicole's cd a few days prior to hearing jana. when jana mentioned the song walk on the water, i came home and checked to see if it was on my new cd. i have enjoyed listening to this song, along with all the other ones on the cd. i wanted to share the lyrics with you....

walk on the water (britt nicole)

you look around and staring back at you

another wave of doubt

will it pull you under

you wonder

what if i'm overtaken

what if i never make it

what if no one's there

will you hear my prayer

when you take that first step

into the unknown

you know that He won't let you go

so what are you waiting for

what do you have to lose

your insecurities

they try to hold to you

but you know you're made for more

so don't be afraid to move

your faith is all it takes

and you can walk on the water too

so get out and let your fear fall to the ground

no time to waste, don't wait

and don't you turn around, and miss out on

everything you were made for

gotta be, i know you're not sure, more

so you play it safe, you try to run away

if you take that first step

into the unknown

He won't let you go

chorus

step out, even when it's storming

step out, even when you're broken

step out, even when your heart is telling you,

telling you to give up

step out, when your hope is stolen

step out, you can't see where you're going

you don't have to be afraid

so what are waiting, what are you waiting for

chorus

*please check out jana's running blog at www.runsoncoffee.blogspot.com*

i have not done jana's message justice here...but i pray you can be inspired nonetheless. the Lord really anointed her that day and His message through jana was awesome!! i am so thankful i could be there!

what is it YOU need faith to do?? where do YOU need the Lord's strength?? many thoughts are runnin' through my head.... :)

It's simple, really....

1. God's hands made me.

2. I disobeyed.

3. Jesus took my punishment.

4. I can ask Jesus to be my forever friend.

5. And live with Him in heaven someday.

for instruction in righteousness...

...is a "topical reference guide for Biblical child-training"....

from back cover:

the Bible contains everything we need to know about child training. for instruction in righteousness is simply a handbook to help you use the Bible as you train up your children for the Lord.

use this book as a quick reference during everyday discipline situations, as a manual for family worship, as a guide to personal Bible study.

find out what God says about sins, what He promises will happen to the sinner, how He blesses those who obey. take those truths from Scripture and use them as a pattern for practical discipline and reward ideas to use with your children.

this is life-changing material!

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training (instruction) in righteousness, so that the man of God may by thoroughly equipped for every good work."

-2 Tim. 3:16-17-

my friend, jessica, recommended this book to me about three years ago. boy- am i glad i listened to her?! this book has been an amazing tool in the disciplining of my children (namely my eldest). i ordered it online and it's a tad pricey (around $30 on amazon), but it's worth every penny! you can quickly look up any situation you are dealing with (be it: anger, defiance, lying, unkind speech, bullying, etc.) and find practical ways to teach and discipline your child in a loving and godly manner. i have to say that i am guilty of not using this resource enough. last week, i was able to recommend it to two friends. last night, another friend who has the book was telling me about how she used it yesterday, with her oldest child. i highly recommend for instruction in righteousness. please don't let the outdated cover fool you. we all know better than to judge a book by it's cover!!

letters to God

grab your kleenex (lots of it) and go see letters to God.

now. seriously....go. c'mon...shoo.....

you will laugh and you will cry.

you will want to go home and love on your kids and your spouse.

last night, i had the privilege of going out with some girlfriends. since i love me a chick flick, i decided to look online and check out some movies and their times. i came across letters to God, but i hadn't heard anything about it. i'll admit that i rolled my eyes when i first saw the title. you see, i'm inclined to think that anything that comes out of hollywood- and is put on the big screen with God's name in it- must be a bad joke. however, i watched the trailer, and looked at the reviews on www.pluggedin.com (a christian site for movie/music reviews). they gave it a "5 out of 5!"

letters to God was made by christians, who have put out some other great movies (facing the giants and fireproof)- in hopes of spreading the gospel. well, i mentioned the movie to my friends and we decided to see it together. i could tell from the trailer, that i'd need kleenex. i mean, it's about a kid with cancer, an alcoholic, a widow, and a troubled teen. but- it's about SO much more than those things. it's about overcoming trials in life. it's about God's saving grace. it's about forgiveness, grief, and joy after the grief. it's about living victoriously in Christ.

let me tell you- i not only cried, i sobbed (it turned into the ugly cry). as a matter of fact- i don't think i've ever cried harder in a movie before. but, please- DON'T let that stop you from seeing letters to God. in a world that's falling apart at the seams, it's so refreshing to go to an actual theater- and see the good news of Jesus Christ proclaimed. with the crying, there is laughter. and, okay...i hate to say it....but in the past, there have been some movies made with awesome messages...and subpar acting. letters to God not only has inspiring messages of hope and salvation, but it has some great actors. you will want to eat up the little ones, especially! they are incredibly adorable.

please, please, please....do yourself and the christian community a favor-

and go to see letters to God.

i have included a review and synopsis below.....

"A heartfelt tale of inspiration, hope and redemption, Letters to God is the story of what happens when one boy's walk of faith crosses paths with one man's search for meaning -- the resulting transformational journey touches the lives of everyone around them. Tyler Doherty (TANNER MAGUIRE) is an extraordinary eight—year—old boy. Surrounded by a loving family and community, and armed with the courage of his faith, he faces his daily battle against cancer with bravery and grace. To Tyler, God is a friend, a teacher and the ultimate pen pal—Tyler’s prayers take the form of letters, which he composes and mails on a daily basis. The letters find their way into the hands of Brady McDaniels (JEFFREY S.S. JOHNSON), a beleaguered postman standing at a crossroads in his life. At first, he is confused and conflicted over what to do with the letters. Overtime he begins to form a friendship with the Doherty family – getting to know not just Tyler but his tough, tender yet overwhelmed mom (ROBYN LIVELY), stalwart grandmother (MAREE CHEATHAM) and teen brother Ben (MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER BOLTEN) —— who are each trying to stand strong against the doubts that come with the chaotic turn their lives have taken. Moved by Tyler’s courage, Brady realizes what he must do with the letters, a surprise decision that will transform his heart and uplift his newfound friends and community –in an exhilarating act of testament to the contagious effect of one boy’s unwavering faith against the odds. Inspired by a true story, Letters to God is an intimate, moving and often funny story about the galvanizing effect one child’s belief can have on his family and friends." (from iTunes movie trailers)

house beautiful

here are some pics of (my cousin) kari's beautiful home.

she has graciously allowed to share them with you.

let me just say that these pics don't do her home justice.

kari helped me (soooo much) when we bought our current home.

we made countless trips to fabric stores, furniture stores, and tar-jay!

she has a knack for decorating and an eye for all things gorgeous.

kari is so talented and has been asked to help decorate many other homes.

you're about to see why.....

back yard/patio

(and look at the fabulous windows)

one of the table decorations (for Easter)

...and yes, that's my super big gulp in the background...sorry!....

a view of the built-in bench/table in the kitchen

(and my sister's arm...)

family room

family room

kitchen and dining area

entry way

guest bathroom

laundry room

master bedroom

jack and sam's room

the boys' bathroom

maddie's bedroom (the ladder leads to a loft!)

maddie's bathroom

there's something cute in every corner of this house...

the house is gorgeous, but it's not "stuffy." they live in it. kari and jason are amazing hosts and their home is so warm and inviting. i didn't get photos of every room in the house, but you get the idea....this girl knows what she's doing! every light fixture, faucet, wall hanging, etc. was kari's idea!

*thanks, kar, for allowing me to show these!! i think your house should be in the next issue of house beautiful.*

proof that white boys can't dance

(pause the playlist, so that you can get the full effect of this boy's er, um...."rhythm.")

"let them praise His name with dancing

and make music to Him with tambourine and harp."

-psalm 149:3-

eclairs, parties, keys, zits, a sick kid...and a whole bunch of other random stuff

and here's a totally random play by play of our weekend....

'cuz you really care, don't you?

friday night:

josh takes the boys (who had woken up with bad coughs that morn) to red brick pizza for "boys' night out." they get pizza and drinks, while i wait for my (bible) study crew to show up. only four of us make it to study and we think, hmm....why don't we take a field trip? to claim jumper? we hop in theresa's car and i call josh to tell him the plan. he tells me to swing by red brick, because he has a claim jumper gift card. the gift card says $50, but i know we've used at least some of it. we go to cj's, share an appetizer platter, clam chowder, cheesy garlic bread, and an i declair. okay....i haven't had one of those things in about fifteen years.....and oh my goodness....there are not words to describe the heaven on earth that it is. no word encompasses the joy one feels while eating that thing. it is huge. it is fattening. and it is delicious. the four of us have awesome conversation(s) as we discuss our study, we sit at cj's for three hours, and then we finally decide to pay the bill and head out. i ask our server if he can check the amount on the gift card, to which he points at the $50 and smirks. i tell him we've used it before and he goes to check the amount. he comes back and tells me, there's $1.74 on the card. i tell the ladies i'll be happy to make that my contribution to the bill.

saturday:

i get to sleep in a bit, before getting ready for my hair appointment. josh takes the boys to a birthday party in ladera ranch. i get done with my hair and have about two hours of alone time (bliss). i go to target and borders and i meander. i dilly dally. i take my time. i come home and have time to work on my bible study before the boys get back. we have a quiet, lazy afternoon...before heading to leah's house (to celebrate lukey's birthday). we pull up to leah's, and josh parks so closely to the car in front of us that i'm sure he's going to hit it. i hit him and say something sarcastic. then, as if in perfect harmony, josh takes the keys out of the ignition and tosses them toward my lap...as i open my car door- he misses my lap, causing the keys to fall straight down into the storm drain we've just parked next to. yep. gone, they are. i say something to the likes of....well, i guess that's what you get to do all night, and i head inside. i don't freak out and neither does josh. the kids run around and have fun playing, i start chatting with the ladies, and about a half an hour and three men later- the keys are retrieved (yes- josh had to crawl down in there). now we'll be able to drive home and get back into our house. yay. we eat a wonderful dinner, and the kids are still running around. a bit later, it's time to sing and have cupcakes and ice cream. hudson, who has been pretty cranky, sits down by josh- to share his ice cream. hudson starts coughing-hard- and because of his gag reflux, throws up into josh's ice cream. i sit there, wiping his face, while josh holds the bowl of melting ice cream and puke. after about ten minutes and five or so bouts later, josh takes hudson and goes home. bryson and i stay. someone (and i'm too nice to say who) at the get together/party has a gigantic, red, painful...pimple type thing on their nose. we joke about it and i tell the person maybe they should guide santa's sleigh that night. the person complains of this thing all night long and then i insist that everyone watch a really disgusting video on youtube- that my sister tricked me into watching a while back. i forget the exact title, but should you want to be truly disgusted....go onto youtube and type in something like biggest zit ever popped. don't say i didn't warn you. anyway- i get joy out of grossing everyone out. then leah is kind enough to bring bryson and i home (josh had taken the car). we'll probably never be invited back. josh and i go to bed. i read for a bit and josh watches an old clint eastwood movie. we eventually fall asleep.

sunday:

josh and i are awakened around 4:30 am. hudson now has a fever and is coughing horribly. he is afraid he's going to throw up again, so he's given a bowl to keep by his bedside. josh sits with him for a few minutes, we both pray over him, and i head back to bed. josh gets up around this time anyway- and heads to church, to blow down the grounds. hudson wakes up several more times, and tells me about two-headed dragons. we have a full on conversation, before i can get him to close his eyes and drift off. i finally fall asleep again, and don't remember hearing josh come back home around 6:45. my alarm goes off at 7:45 and i wake the hubby- to decide who's going to church and who's staying home. it's decided that i will go to church alone. i go and am blessed by awesome worship and pastor jack's message. i call josh when church lets out, and he sleepily answers the phone. i think he's messing with me, pretending to be asleep- because it's 11:15 when i call him. nope. he's not. he and the kids are all still sleeping. must be nice. anyhow- i get home and everyone eats lunch. we relax and just hang out. bryson builds a huge track out of hot wheels sets, and asks us to videotape him sending cars down it. hudson watches monsters inc.. we are supposed to meet my family for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants (urban thai). josh and i tell each other, you go....no- you go, and finally we make a horrible parenting decision.....that we will all go. hudson's fever was down and his coughing had quieted a lot. we stop by borders, so that i can make a return. we use a bunch of coupons and the kids get dragon books. i walk away with (free) super cute bookmarks. josh gets nothing. we head to dinner. hudson falls asleep on the way. josh lets him sleep a bit before bringing him into the restaurant. we have a delicious dinner with my sis, bro-in-law, peytie, and my dad (mom's in hawaii and dad is headed there tomorrow). after dinner, my dad offers to buy the kids an ice cream. i have to run into trader joe's for a few things and suggest that we find ice cream there. i do my shopping while the family walks around. the kids choose their frozen treats, everything is paid for, and then we all stand outside tj's...eating ice cream in the cold. the kids run around like wild animals, while the adults talk about how cold it is. we say our good byes, and justin saunters over to my car with a tv in his arms. we look at him weirdly and he tells us they are returning a tv we lent them. we don't even remember this, nor do we want the tv back. kelly says she's nesting (she's expecting) and we all have a laugh. everyone heads home. the kids go to bed and josh and i sit in front of the boob tube (not the old one we just got back!). i fall asleep on the couch. josh wakes me up and we head to bed. the kids sleep through the night.

monday:

...is not part of the weekend, but i just need to share that bryson woke up on the wrong side of the bed (even though his bed is built into the wall and there's only one way out). he does not want to go back to school....after having ten days off. he's nervous about the speech meet today. he has to recite three verses by memory and he will be "judged" on his performance. i tell him that he can "do all things through Christ who strengthens him." we pray and he and josh leave. he's trying not to cry. i pray that today will turn around for him. i keep thinking about how i hate mornings like this. the other kiddo wakes up...happy. he is complaining of a stomach ache, though, and has a low grade fever. poor dude. i pray with him as well, and give him some toast. i am reminded of how blessed i am. i think about how i married an amazing guy. he's a doting husband, and an attentive father. he should get an award for all he's done this past weekend (and for putting up with me). i pray for the week ahead. i wonder if there's anyone who will really read this whole post? ha. i check through the post for errors, while eating steel cut oats from tj's. i decide to send this really random post out and i think i have seriously gone mad.

beach bound

a beach trip,

fun dips,

water and sand galore....

food,

friends,

perfect weather,

who could ask for anything more?

4 adults + 10 kids= fun at the beach!

frolicking in the ocean....

it was lukey's 3rd birthday!

brother (cameron) and sister (rachel), digging in the sand......

hmm.....this is really yummy!

...micah with a mouth full of melon!

my sandy boy and his fun dip!

first time with a fun dip!

drew really enjoyed it, as you can see!

green teeth!!

pure sugar! woo hoo!

rachel, drew, cameron, hudson, and taylor...making silly faces!

sometimes....

...i actually feel like a good mom.

it doesn't happen very often, but it did yesterday.

the kids and i went to the beach with lots of our friends (pics coming),

and we had a blast.

it was a gorgeous day. perfect, even.

when we got home, bryson went straight for the hose and started messing around with it.

before i knew it, i had taken over and started a water fight with the boys.

they were soaking wet, and laughing uncontrollably.

bryson asked if he could spray me, and i actually said...yes.

you see, normally, i'd say no right away. i'd say things like...

we don't have time.

i just did my make up.

i don't want my hair to get wet.

and so on, and so on.

it seems that "life" these days is always rushed. hurried. it's: get up, get ready, get out the door....and get to where we need to be. usually, it's school...and then homework, and then dinner and the bedtime routine. this week is bryson's easter break, so we've had time to relax. slow down. be fun.

well, the sprinklers came on at the tail end of our water fight...and the boys ran through them. i did, too. i can't remember the last time i did such a thing. i felt like a kid again. and you know what? it was fun. it felt good. i thought about how the simplest things (the little things) are the things they'll remember when they get older.

last week, bryson asked josh and i to play four square with him. it was a family affair and he loved it. since then, i've heard him tell several friends about it. when i hear him get so excited over simple things, i ask myself why i don't do them more often. why do i nag so much, yet play so little?

it was great to let loose, if you will. to giggle. to laugh. to squeal.

and it felt good to feel like a good mom.

i think i shall try it again soon.