Monday, December 29, 2008

Fiya, Fiya, Fiya!!

Thank you New Prospect Baptist Church choir for our awesome outing to Kabuki. The kids had never been and had the time of their lives. OK.....when they weren't totally afraid and scooting 3 feet away from the table.


OK, in this video it really does look like Jacob is about to lose an eyebrow or two. Wow! The kids were so thankful to go to such a cool place. What a cool gift and a cool way to show their appreciation. We are very blessed.

Here are some more pics. Our chef was awesome. He was really cool and gave Claire extra food. Almost everyone tried to catch scrambled egg in their mouths. Um....not me. Sorry to disappoint you.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Everyone left unscathed

Well, Christmas was wonderful. We had 11 people in our home spending the night and it was great. I think everyone had room. Our moms slept up in Matthew's room with our younger three children. The kids were beside themselves. They drew names to see who would sleep with whom. One (lucky/unlucky) person who drew the couch "had" to sleep by themselves. Hmmmm.

Santa brought a few various happies, but the big present was the Wii from our moms. They went together and got a Wii and Wii fit with some other games. Oh......my......goodness. It is totally awesome. I had no idea it could be so much fun. Matt is back on Wii Fit skiiing right now. I have actually broken a sweat for the first time in a while. (OK, I am badly out of shape.) I acknowledge that. We did have a few brave souls who would get on the Wii Fit and do the body test in front of everyone. It checks your BMI, etc.

I did mine yesterday after everyone left. Yeah.......it is super cool. Very motivating. I have done yoga, balancing games like hula hoop, etc. skiiing, running with Matt, etc. Oh, I forgot step. I am in love. I have a pretty cute trainer, too. I was a little jealous when Matt picked the computer lady to be his trainer, so I picked the dude. (I am kidding....well, not really.) I call him Richard Simmons. We do yoga together.

My balance has gotten better since yesterday. I can tell. I also feel muscles that I forgot I had. My "core" is a little more toned. :)

Here are some pics:

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

It's the most wonderful time of the year......

This week is so glorious. I am home with my family, getting ready for Christmas. Beginning to wrap presents..... planning for Christmas Eve with our families.

The musical at church was wonderful. Amber and Jontyler from church did so great putting drama with the choir. We had a great group in the choir. The children had part in it, too. It was such a blessing. I could barely sing, but managed to croak out some notes. I basically just stood in the choir loft and watched everything around me and thought of what it all means. I just stood there almost crying several times. After the musical we had a great time of fellowship with the deacons, their wives and our pastor and his wife. Someone kept all of the children at church while we went to another person's house. :)

Now the kids are watching "It's a Wonderful Life". I need to get up and keep cleaning for our company. Remember, I said it was my Christmas present? It is coming together. I told Matt that I didn't want to stress this holiday, so I am trying to lower my expectations a little. I mean I want it all perfectly clean and organized....that's all. Is that unreasonable? :)

Tomorrow we are going to try to get out and get the whole family to do something for someone else. We are praying about what we need to do. The kids have been making a little origami, so maybe we can go to a nursing home with those and sing. There isn't a soup kitchen in Oxford that I know of. We are so blessed, we need to be doing for others.

Our good friend, Amber, was sweet enough to take our family Christmas picture. We are blessed because she is a professional photographer. It was great (sarcastic...) . You may know how it is. "Kids, you better sit there and act like you are happy!!!!!!!!" "Nobody move....and SMILE." OK, it wasn't quite that bad. Almost. I think it turned out pretty good, though. Not everyone's best, but the best of the whole group.

Hope your holiday is the most blessed ever. Take care.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Ahhh......medicine













Another thing that I don't take for granted anymore. We are so blessed here in America to have access to medicine. I did finally go back to the doctor and was told that I have walking pneumonia and pleurisy. I was given about 10 prescriptions. (a little exaggeration) I feel better now. Yea!

Monday night was supposed to have been our Kindergarten program, but it was canceled because of the incoming ice storm. Thank goodness we missed the worst of the weather, but if it hadn't been for that, I would have had to wait until Tuesday night to go to the doctor. I was so grateful to get to get that taken care of. The program has been moved to tomorrow night. Only 2 more days of school................

Today was Claire's program at school. I took off at 11:00 to get to Oxford. The program was great. Her teacher is the choreography queen, so I steal a lot of ideas from her (being a music teacher myself). Claire was an elf. :)

We are going to have Matt's mom and brother, my mom and fiance' and my brother all with us Christmas Eve and then Christmas morning. Wow! We have never done this. Should be fun. I do get something for myself in the process. (Actually, subconsciously I think I did this on purpose.) Our house has to be cleaned from top to bottom. Yea!!!!! I have wanted this since we moved here. :)

Hope the rest of your week is wonderful. Merry early Christmas!

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas
















T
hanksgiving holidays were great. I am over my whining about being sick. (although I still am.....wahhhh.) It was wonderful seeing everyone.
Ron, Steve and Nana on Wednesday, the whole gang on Thursday. I could go into the whole story about how the toilet flooded about 30 min. before our company came to Mom's house and how they came in with their babies while we shop-vacked (do you like my new verb?) all the water from the foyer. Mom and I were laughing deliriously by the time we prayed and were eating.

We won't forget that one. Here are some pics. Claire had fun going around photographing everyone.

Friday we headed up to Mashulaville to see Grandma and Grandpa. Mamaw and Chris were there, too. We watched the Egg Bowl. ( Sorry, Mamaw.) Then we just hung out and ate some really good soup. I hated that I had to leave early Sat. morning to get Matthew back to work the Ole Miss basketball game.

Now we are decorating for Christmas, just watched Elf and are now watching a Child's Christmas in Wales. It doesn't get much better. :)

Have a great week.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

We take our health for granted so much

I am realizing how much we often take our health for granted. I have been "sick" since about two weeks ago. First, I thought it was just a chest cold or allergies. I just know I have had a fever and couldn't breathe. I think I am getting better, but I have gotten a little down about it because I have just felt a little puny. I have to stop and think about what it would really be like if I had a real illness or disease. How would I cope? I think about God only giving us what He thinks we can handle. What does this mean for me? Does He think I can't handle very much? I guess He knows me pretty well. Maybe we adapt when we have to. I guess I have more on my plate to handle now than when I was a lot younger.

I am feeling better today and I am grateful.

Well, tomorrow is Thanksgiving. We are traveling tonight to Mom's where I will see two of my brothers. Friday we are heading to Mashulaville to see Matt's grandparents. Should be great. We hate that it is so tough for us to get away to see all of them during the school year.

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week. We have so much to be thankful for.

I decided to not be a real woman and leave the whole pumpkins alone and chose to use canned pumpkin instead for my pies. I am even going to do the no-bake thing where I use Cool-whip instead of baking a big cheesecake. I know..........I am a wimp. :)

Monday, November 17, 2008

His grace still amazes me

Today has been a peaceful day. I had prayed a lot about some situations at work that I was in knots over and didn't exactly know how they would work out. God just seems to orchestrate things in a way that is so much better than we deserve. It is overwhelming to think that He really does hold us in His hands.

Here is a picture of the plate I made at Clay Canvas. Not sure if I have shown this or not. This kind of shows what stage our kids are in now.
This week the second graders are putting on a Thanksgiving musical. I love the musical. It has such great music and the kids are so excited about it. I love Thanksgiving. My husband has been accused of being the grinch (by my children) because he doesn't want us to watch Christmas movies before Thanksgiving. I totally understand and am with him. We can't jip Thanksgiving.

We have about 8 pumpkins on our porch that came from the pumpkin patch and sat through October. I am wondering if I am woman enough to make pies out of them. I feel like a real woman when I cook things from scratch. I love all things pumpkin. Last year I was into pumpkin cheesecake making. I did use canned pumpkin then, though. :)
I can't wait until next week. Sunday after we eat a Thanksgiving meal together at church we are heading to Jackson. I bought Matt and me Third Day tickets and I am so excited to be going with some of our good friends. Yea!!
On a different note: Turkeys come in tomorrow. Wow. Just call me delivery lady. Hope I can get everything where it all needs to go.
Have a very blessed week.

Friday, November 14, 2008

I needed this

I needed this tonight. This has been a long week. The Veteran's Day program on Monday was great even though the turn-out was small. They gave the kids a standing ovation. I know it did something for them.

I didn't want my school to have to get a sub and we are getting ready for more programs (a Thanksgiving one on Nov. 20th), so I went to school when I probably should have been at home some. Today, I finally went home after lunch. I know I am whining tonight. Sorry.

Matthew went with Lafayette to Pearl tonight to play the 2nd round play-offs. Lafayette won!!! Even though this may mean that I will be needed to work the concession stand, I am happy for them. I know they are excited on their way home right now.

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

My boyfriend's Back

Well, my mom has had a boy "friend" now for a few weeks. I guess that is how long. She didn't really tell me when they started "talking". He sounds like a great guy. My dad has been gone for about 10 1/2 years now and Mom has carried on by herself. Her perky, giving, self-sacrificing self. I hope this works out for them. It is great to see her so happy.


Wednesday was Matthew's birthday. He was 17. His guitar finally arrived today. Here is a little clip of him minutes after it arrived.


Amber and Matthew went to get tacos and then we had a short party after church. His real party will come later.


We are heading to Jackson tomorrow night. I am excited to be with Mom and then I am taking Matthew to visit MC in Clinton. He has always wanted to go there. I am not sure if it is because of certain people that are in Clinton or if he just feels really drawn to MC. It is a good school. We'll see.

Have a happy Friday tomorrow and a great weekend.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Life is a great big canvas. Ahhhh......

Don't you like my profound title? I guess there is always so much going on that who knows what to start off with.

After I posted that last blog I saw more of Arrested Development. Um....then I tried to get back on and delete the last blog, but the page wouldn't open. I know it is hilarious in a crazy way, but when they started showing a christian family I got really nervous. I hate to see how the world sees Christians. The family was of course really judgemental, but then very neurotic at the same time. I am just about done with that show. Sorry if any of you took my blog to heart and checked the show out. Don't get me wrong...there were some very funny moments. I just got a bitter taste from the total cluelessness of the writers/producers. What makes me even sadder is that I guess that is the church that the world really does see.

I guess it just made me want to be more real. To live out my faith in a way that brings glory to my Father in heaven. I want to show others grace the way I need God's grace myself and I want to live in His spirit so much that I show others that with God all things are possible.

I have been listening to Focus on the Family a lot lately. This is my morning drive listening. There is a big meeting for prayer and fasting this Sat. in California. I almost can't believe where this country is going. I so many times feel helpless, but these people are crying out to God to do something. So much to pray about and so much to be thankful for.

Matthew's birthday is next Wed. He will be 17! Unbelievable. He wants a really nice guitar and I am excited to get it for him. He has really gotten into playing the guitar and has gotten really good. He plays for worship with his youth group. I just have to order it tomorrow.

Last weekend we sang in Neil and Elizabeth's wedding. Mom kept the kids and Matt and I drove to Atlanta. It was great. We got to see my two brothers, my sister-in-law and my niece that I haven't seen since her high school graduation almost 4 years ago.

Anyway....I am going to have to post more often so I won't write a book each time. Hope you have a happy Friday. Friday, glorious Friday.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

I love this artist

OK....update on family happiness.....things went well tonight. Yea!

I am about to hit the sack. Matt was invited to jam with some other musicians tonight. I am glad he got to do that. He is such a good player (I am a little prejudiced, but I think many would agree...) and loves to play.

While I was waiting to go to bed I was checking out a few blogs which led me to this......
A friend of ours (actually the one who invited him over) told us we needed to watch this show. We watched it a few times. It is one of those that is horrible, but it makes you feel really good about your own life. Even the boringness (is that a word?) of it. The stability of it.....

Here is a picture that one of my favorite artists did of the show. Wow. Click on the picture to go to the artist's etsy shop.

I have been on fall break for these past two days. Today we did have staff development, but no students. Starting the week on Wednesdays is so strange. Weird with it already being hump day. Good, though.

I am singing with my principal Friday at the high school beauty pageant. There you go. Should be fun. Claire's birthday is coming up. She is getting so old. She and I had a good night tonight. It was hard for her to be unhappy when she heard that some people helped out with her fundraiser and made it possible for her to go on the limo ride/ pizza party in a few weeks.

Fundraisers drive us crazy, but we had guilt because we never participate in them to help the school. So....... we let Claire go up and down the street with her friend selling goodies. She does have to share the prizes with her brothers, though, because we didn't do their fundraiser this year. I wish we had thought about it a little more because their school needed the money more. Ooops. We'll have to work on that one.

Well, take care and have a wonderful rest of the week.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Did I say that we have a family circus?

Wow, having 4 kids is never boring. We are in the midst of teenage years and two guys who are pretty calm (for now) and then a 7 year old girl who is going on 40. I am getting used to just expecting anything. I think God wants me to totally depend on Him and to not have any pride.

All the ideas I had when I was young about what my family would be like have kind of gone out the window. It is so like that movie Parenthood. I laughed when the nutty grandma talked about the "roller coaster", but now I am totally there. It makes you a little numb. I have to keep going back to my corner to get strength from God and for Him to say "OK, go in for another round. You can do it."

My daughter and I don't always understand each other. I feel like I have to surf her emotions and pray that I land safely on land. I just need to say one thing.....Mom, I am sorry for all the grief I gave you growing up. I love being with my daughter. She is one of my greatest joys on this Earth. The same goes for my other kids. The middle guys are patient most of the time while we deal with the oldest and youngest. Just a minute ago I watched some of Pirates of the Caribbean with Benjamin and Jacob (like I had promised I would). Well, this caused a slight melt-down from the other side of the house. You would think that one would want to be wanted so much and feel "popular". I just want peace and happiness. I am going to chalk it up to her being really tired. That's it.

Now it is bed-time and time to get rested up for round two tomorrow. Kidding. What would I do without them? I am so grateful they are in my life.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

What a week!

I know our year is by no means coming to a complete stop, but I feel like breathing a huge sigh of relief now that the debate has come and gone in Oxford. There has been a lot of excitement around here for a while. There were so many patriotic performances all around the city. I saw Benjamin's performance earlier this week and then Matthew's band and the Oxford band played together outside on the square Thursday afternoon. It was great. I tried to get into all of the politicians' speeches, but I don't have a lot of faith in them too much nowadays. They all say good things, but I am not one to put my faith in what men and women can do. Have I become cynical? I will be nicely surprised if we do get leaders who really have a clue, but anyway...I won't get all into that now. We are so blessed as a country and I pray that we will wake up and see where those blessings come from. We can't keep spitting in God's face and expect for Him to just keep enduring it. He could and can do anything He wants to do about us, but I am so burdened for our country when I see so much depravity and people just wandering around blindly.
Thank goodness for His mercy.

OK....I got off track just a little.

Last night we thought the traffic was going to be crazy in town because of the debate. There were two big screens in the grove for people to watch the debate, and I think the whole town must have been there. Matt and I went to see Fireproof and saw some of the debate after it was over. I thought the movie would sell out because it was opening night so I bought our tickets online the night before. There were about 12 people in the entire theater.

Oxford was a ghost town even though in one little corner of it we had Katie Couric, Obama, McCain, and who knows who else. It was a pretty strange feeling to be driving the same way home from the movies that we always drive and to know that about a block over were the two men who are running for president. Kind of like the Twilight Zone. Weird.

Today was like a marathon. The kids had fun day at Avent park, mom and I went and bought a birthday present for Claire's friend, we dropped Matthew off to go on a bus to a competition with his band, Claire went to her party, Matt lead the choir for a funeral of one of their former students (so very sad), I got Claire and then went to the Clay Canvas for Amber's birthday, I painted a plate of our kids, we came home and then Nana, Claire and I went to Kroger to get a movie and shopped hungry so we bought really nutritious food like White Castle burgers, potato skins, and cream cheese stuffed jalapenos.......now the movie is over and we are waiting to get Matthew from their trip. I am looking forward to a boring Sunday, maybe.

Well, God bless you. Have a wonderful week!

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Google Pic game

I am a little under-the-weather right now and am home from Sunday night church as well as missing this morning. This feels so strange. I got tired of sleeping for now and told John Robert that I would do this game for him. I had mentioned it to him and told him I would put it on my blog.

I found this on someone’s blog, tried to copy and save it, but somehow it got deleted. This is about like what I found. Here is how you play it. You type the answers to these questions into Google search, then you take the first picture that comes up and put it under your answer. Have fun. Here are mine:


1. Age you will be on your next birthday____38_______




















2. Your favorite color____green___________























3. Your favorite place to be ______on my porch ______________


























4. Your favorite vacation _______to the mountains__________














5. Place you want to go in your life time _________Israel_____________
























6. Your first job ________The Balcony_____________



























7. Your current job _________music teacher_____________
















8. Your dream job ____Christian _performer_















9. The name of your spouse or special someone ____________Matt_____________
























10. Your pet’s name _________Coltrane__________________




















11. Your favorite food _________Gyros__________________




















12. Your favorite thing to do __________hanging out with my family_______________










13. The number of kids you have _____4______________













14. Your place of birth __________Tupelo, MS__________________














15. Your favorite kind of music ___________Christian Alternative Folk_________________












That's it. If you think of some good things to add, just comment and let me know.

Take care and have a good week.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

The Grace of God

Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society




If I weren't a believer and haven't really lived this verse very much lately, I would think that it sounds pretty strange. I am so thankful that we have a heavenly Father that is there to battle for us. I just need to be smart and know that and look to Him before doing or saying anything stupid to those I love. This is so hard to remember when you are in the heat of an argument. The enemy would so love for my family to fall apart. By the grace of God, that is not going to happen if I have anything to do with it.

This year has been kind of tough. Matt and I have really been trying to put first things first, but it seems like we are always chasing something. I need to remember to just be still and know that God is God and He is in control. I know this makes no sense for people who don't have a personal relationship with Jesus, but it makes complete sense to those who do. This is the peace that keeps a family together in these times. That makes it possible to forgive each other. To love each other even when the other (or you, yourself...or me, myself) is being a turd. (I can't believe I said turd on the internet.)

Thank you, God for not giving me what I deserve and for giving me what I so don't deserve.

I love you!!! As for my people....I love them too. Because you have given me this kind of love. Unconditional love. Even though I may be mad now. I am thankful that God offers me forgiveness.

Thank you, God, for helping us get up one more time than we fall down.

OK....now you are probably wondering what is going on in our family. We're good. We're just like you...we need prayer.

Take care,

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