Happy days!

It's the day before Halloween, and my kids are bursting with excitement. Jules has a school fall party, and then our church has a carnival with lots of rides. They have been talking it up all week at the preschool, so even though we were not planing on going, Jules has informed us that we are indeed going, "no exceptions!" My four year old just busted me with the "no exceptions" line! Lilly thankfully wanted to be a cheerleader, so free costume there, yeah. Jules wants to be Tinkerbell (freezing), and Amelia is a skunk.
It's always nice to come home after a vacation, you feel revived and refueled to conquer. A week with no yelling or fussing kids has led to at least 3 days of no yelling at home, except what Lilly has been doing.
Boot camp started back. It felt good to push my body after a nearly 2 week break. I was able to keep the cookies in too ;)
Everyday there is joy, if your not experiencing it's your own fault. I recently read where someone said "live it afraid" , what she was talking about was facing your fears, charging at them head on and not letting fear turn you away. So for now, I'm going to work on stepping out of that comfort zone and charging at somethings. I also will not be too busy for my kids. I will savor the moments where they make me laugh, and I will let the tears flow when they touch me so deeply I want to cry. These are the joys of life.

Jamacia Man!

Ahhhh, Jamaica...all inclusive, laid back, good music, and alone with my man!

These pictures are not in the right order, but we'll deal.

I discovered that I really enjoy running on the sky walks, and since Atlanta has lots of them, there were many opportunities. Unfortunately, people slow you down.
We chose Jamaica again this time, because the flights are so much shorter than going anywhere else. Although, the south shore is not a great beach, Nagrile was 10x prettier, it was still a blast. We flew into Montigo Bay, then took the much anticipated hour and 1/2 van ride to the resort. Much anticipated because it is through the mountains, and anyone that's been there knows how the roads (and drivers) are. Fortunately, we didn't start to get sick until we arrived, and we had a pretty conservative driver. We did however get stuck in the van with some very chatty, overly excited folks from Ohio. But that led to lots of questions, which made an informative tour.

The Peacock, that wanted my muffin. Sorry charlie, I'm here for the food. "Paul stop feeding the bird!"

The flame thrower at the beach party.

The view from our patio. Go ahead, be jealous. Fortunately, this was the hot tub of choice after dark.

Every afternoon, a storm blew in. The billiards were next to the main pool, so a lot of folks would run over, turn the music on, and have a pretty great party. This was my cheesy face getting ready to beat Paul. But what he won't tell you is that he got suckered by a guy named Otto, that showed him how the game was played.

(blurry, but he looked so cute)

Me, in the spot I rarely left.

And when I did leave, it was for this place, Cafe de Paris, a small cafe that had wonderful pastries and the best iced cappuccino ever. Discovered on the last day the secret was ice cream! I thought that was cheating.
The airconditoner in our original room leaked all over the floor, and in the closet (where my suitcase was). So we got an upgrade to a really nice suite.

Paul was pretty excited.

For more than one reason.

Here comes the rain.

We were so busy to busy having fun, that we didn't take a lot of picture. It was great to let loose and just relax. The island atmosphere does not take long to adapt to. We enjoyed it taking 45min to get dinner. By the way, take your own sunscreen, it cost $20 for a bottle of Australia Gold!

I've never had so many people comment on my accent, is it really that country? Have you ever read The Bernstein Bears book Stranger ? Well, just call me sister bear, because I spoke to every person that walked past, sat down by, swam past, and served. (Guess I've really been lacking in adult conversation around home) Just picture it, everyone is happy, enjoying themselves..Red stripe and rum flow freely..need I say more. People love to talk. So I started talking to the couple in the pool chairs next to us, and was going to offer him some sunscreen, he was so red I thought, "well, maybe he can't afford the $20 sunscreen, and he looks as though he could be in pain". He had on sunglasses, so when he didn't respond I just assumed he was asleep, and went my way. Latter that afternoon, Paul had gone somewhere, I was drying off at the chair, and the couple had woken up. So being the kind southerner that I am ;) I started taking to the guy (his chair was next to mine). After a minute, he looked at me and says, "me no understand" in a thick German accent. After I told Paul about this, it led to him saying to most things, "me no understand, me from Little Rock." Which is when I would laugh so hard I would cry.

Fair time and New foods

Dressed and ready for fun at the fair with Grandma and Pawpaw!

Showing off their goodies with Pawpaw. Jules chose a shark and Lilly chose a monkey, very fitting.
I've been trying to make new dishes, especially things to use left overs from the fridge. I've spent early mornings searching food and cooking blogs and websites. Since we cook an entire ham, I'm having to get creative to get every one to eat it. I was so excited to find this cheesy pasta and ham casserole from Joy In My Kitchen blog. It looked so good. We didn't have any penne so I used whole grain spaghetti. It also called for white whole wheat flour, and I only had regular whole wheat flour, so it was very "wheaty." I was so glad to wake up early Sunday morning and begin preparing this great after church lunch. And those of you that have small children, and a husband, to get ready for church...you know the hassles of Sunday morning. So I made this meal with love, and the dreaded left over ham. Rushed to prepare eggs at the same time. (I always fell productive and full of skills while cooking more that one meal at the same time.) Hurried to begin ironing clothes (too tired last night to do it), woke Paul up to feed Amelia, rewashed my hair...because it was way too bed headish to repair with a flat iron, get dressed, do makeup while in the car on the way to church. Ahhh, ok, we made it I think with everything. Only to walk in and they are already singing, what! Didn't even know we were late!

We arrive home, I'm so happy to have lunch prepared instead of the usual microwave something or other. Set it down in front of the girls, and Lilly responds

" ewww gross, POOP!"

It's hard to take picture of food. But even harder to cook for totts.

Race for the Cure 2010

Race for the cure 2010. Our family looks forward to this day every year. Its one of the only other days , other than Christmas, that we know almost every family member will be present. We walk in honor and remembrance of every man and woman ever affected by this disease. Primarily we walk in remembrance of my aunt Gayla Mitchell. (I will post more pictures as I receive them via email, don't know how to post off of FB)

This is a shot of all of the survivors awaiting the Survivor Parade.

Very moving to see so many women in one spot that all have the same thing in common,

they have survived!

This is just a few of our group. We had LOTS of strollers this year, since all of us "young ones" have had babies!
This was my first 5k to run. I've been jogging with my neighbor Courtney, trying to prepair for this particular race for about 2 months. She insisted we join the elite racers, and I obviously did not belong there! But that's ok. I now know what I need to work on. And this made it all worth while.
My sweet baby girl holding her arms out, so excited to see "mamama".
After the race we always head to Senior Tequila. Not sure how that tradition started, But alls I gotta say, NOT a good idea to indulge on chicken and bean nachos after running a race. Bad things happen. Bonus: I was really hot so the waiter decide to spill a glass of ice water on my lap :)

I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
2 Timothy 4:7

Punkit Patch

Today was Jules' day. Her preschool class took a field trip the pumpkin patch, where there were approximately 26 happy, hyper, screaming, running children. Here is my cutie on one of the mini John Deere tractors.
How much fun is it to tell a 4 year old, "run through the patch honey, you can pick which ever one you want."
Jules: "This one mommy, this is the perfect punkit, it's rolly."

Sitting pretty on the fake town front.


They had snacks under the tent. (after the fake bank robbing, that involved a shoot out with very loud fake guns, In which a number of the kids started crying and screaming they wanted to go home....Thanx.)
In the end it was a great day full of lots of giggly girls! Jules got to go eat pizza with her two besties.

Girls are fantastic!

yummm...cheese

This is turning out to be a quite delish weekend! We started out Saturday morning by heading to the First Annual Cheese dip competition. This was Paul on the way there. He's not so excited since he's on a diet, direct orders from the MD. :(

But as you can see, Lilly and I were VERY excited. Is it wrong to be this excited about a food?
We definitely found our favorites. Lilly like one so much, she licked the cup. It was all over her face and in her hair, and maybe even a little up her nose. She was happy.
Laid back munchkin decided she doesn't like cheese dip, she doesn't even like chips (what!) And, she was just happy watching her sister jump on the bouncy things. The smile says it all, she's a true people watcher.

Afterwards, we headed to out Sunday school fall party at the Crafts house, where there was more great food. My favorite, something called a Payday cake, and yes it tasted just like the candy bar! Lots of open space for the kids to run around. Jules got very excited about the hayride. (I think her daddy even had a good time).

Tomorrow is the field trip to the Pumpkin patch. For now, its off the the hardware store to start on Christmas Presents! Have I mentioned this is the best time of the year?

Looking forward to the weekend!

Finally did the photo wall
Lillys important photo of the day.

So, looking forward to this weekend. It is the first World champion cheese dip festival. Whats funny about this is I heard about it on a random blog from a girl in New York. Then we have a cookout with friends from church.

The girls are so excited. They are learning the joys of fall! Playing outside every day, cookout with friends, hay rides, Halloween, and preparing for Christmas! This truly is the best part of the year.

Jules wants to be a star girl for Halloween?. Guess we'll be making a costume :)

A new "season"

(Some of the friends currently visiting)

I've been wanting to post about my "new season" of current life for a little while, but it makes me nervous. I get uncomfortable talking about this. But after the message from our pastor this past Sunday, I felt it was time. The message was about going fishing, and what happens if we just "live." Pastor Jeff had a bullet point on the handout, and challenged each of us to fill in our stories. It was pretty much , life before, your coming, and life after. Before, coming to , and after Christ that is. It was a good motivator to work on your testimony, and moving ,to see a few just sit and write nothing. That's when he said, "what if you have no story?" I was so moved, knowing that my story just took meaning a few months ago.




I was raised by believers, mom, as long as we could remember taking us to church. Our step-dad, whom she married when I was 4, was a baptist minister. We went to church every time the doors were open, it was our way of life. When I was 8, a series of events took place, in which I was being taught about asking Christ into my life. There were things going on, a little to person, that set fear into me. And I reacted, out of fear.




Fast forward teenage years, I rebelled. I remember wanting to do things that I knew were going to hurt people. Seeking out these things...maybe trying to cause others to feel the pain I felt so deep.




Fast forward a little more, I began to feel real conviction somewhere around 15 or 16. But I refused to give in. I was very prideful and refused to make a fool of myself. Thus began the struggle. Every decision I made was to save myself embarrassment of some kind. I acted only what I was taught and expected to do, all the while having my own personal battle inside. Thinking things like, this is the biggest crap, there is no way the Bible is truth. My draw to science only made it harder. As one person said, "What so you mean, How can you believe in a god...you believe science, its what your made of." I hit hard.



The next 9 years, spiritually, were pure hell. I backed out on church for a while, started to dodge the guilt others were putting on me. I either cried during every service or left full of anger. I gave up and turned to myself for my own god and keeper of my soul.



I went to church one Sunday night, first of January 2010. I only went because Bro Dave was going to be discussing Roe vs Wade, and the March for Life. I enjoy Dave's talks to much because he enjoys history and science. He likes to do his research and prove points. The entire hour I was very informative. Not your typical church discussion like this. We read some versus toward the end and I felt my walls collapse!



Jeremiah 1:4-5 "Before I formed you ;in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you..."



Job 12:10 "In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind."



Psalms 139: 13-16 "For you created my inmost being, you knot me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was make in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of the came to be."



The invitation started, we sang Just as I am. Let me add here, We had left Amelia in the nursery, which I hated doing. We get pagers at our church, so they can get you if they need anything. I was meticulous in writing exact info for her, she is the baby after all. They had been paging me for a while, but I didn't know, I had inverted the numbers, which I triple check.



During the invitation, my legs went weak, my mind shut off the relentless dread, and my heart took over like nothing before. I went down and professed my faith, and my mistakes though all these years. After it was all said, I began shaking with fear because I realized I was standing in the front of out church( which is huge) and didn't even realized I had walked all the way down the isle.



Lynn, the womens minister at our church came forward to talk with me. She is the ONLY person I had been feeling lead to go. Don't know why, but my heart had been telling me to call her. If this was not God working, then I don't know what is.



The biggest fear was telling my family, which turned out alright and I was baptized the following Sunday.


Since, I have such a peace. I read scriptures and understand. I sing praise songs from the heart, even though I still hold back a little...must be that missionary baptist raisin'


I'm so thankful for my salvation.