Beyond Our Wildest Dreams

Looking for the Rainbow;)

2012-01-24T05:40:00.000-05:00

It was a rather cold, dreary and rainy Monday. The BIG boys had the day off from school due to a teacher workday. There were no alarm clocks to set before going to bed on Sunday night, no lunches to pack, and no buses to catch first thing in the morning. Everyone slept in and we all enjoyed a little extra rest.

PURE BLISS!

What a nice way to kick-start the beginning of another full week.

And because it was rather blah outside, I thought a little something extra was needed to ensure our day wouldn't turn out like the weather;)

I surprised the kids by making them rainbow pancakes for breakfast.

Yes...it kind-of looked like they were eating play-dough, BUT even so...
my kids thought they were AWESOME.

I mean, who wouldn't enjoy eating a bright blue or purple pancake, right!?!?

After breakfast, I asked the kids if they wanted to hit the Y pool for a swim.
A unanimous "YES" was heard around the kitchen table.
So off to the pool we went.

Going swimming in the winter is always such a fun and unexpected treat!

We met my sweet friend, and her four little girls there for a morning of swimming fun!

We stayed for several hours before it was time to head home for lunch.

The BIG boys hated to leave, but the babies were tired, hungry, and getting a little grumpy;)

I think swimming wore everyone flat out though, because as I type this...

my house is really quiet.

No one is actually napping, (I'm banking on a 7:00pm bedtime for ALL) but everyone is content and playing quietly!

***We received BIG news today concerning our adoption!
Our I-800 was approved!!!
This is HUGE!!!

What we thought would take up to 60-90 days waiting for approval, happened on day 46!!!

What this really means for us is that now we have EVERYTHING we need in order to send our dossier to China!

Our paperwork still has a few more "stops" it has to make (like Raleigh, Washington DC, and California) before it will be bound for China, but it will be on it's way VERY, VERY soon!!!!!!

This was the best news we could have received on this gloomy Monday;)***

What IF...

2012-01-23T06:50:00.009-05:00

What if she would have chosen convenience?

What if she had been selfish?

What if she would have thought it was nothing?

What if she would have thrown it away?

What if she would have believed the lies?

What if she didn't listen to the truth?

What if she thought she had the right?

WHAT IF this precious little girl, who brings our family extraordinary amounts of joy would NOT have been born????

The thought alone BREAKS MY HEART!!!!!

Yesterday was Sanctity of Life Sunday, and once again my heart was flooded with an overwhelming gratitude for sweet Sophie's birth mommy.

We live in a world that believes in the name of ease and convenience, you have the "right" to take another innocent life. We live in world that believes human life is disposable.

I am beyond thankful that Sophie's birth mommy did not believe those lies.

But despite what was "easy" and "convenient", SHE CHOSE LIFE!!

She chose to give my sweet angel the gift of LIFE.

And then, what was probably the most difficult decision she would ever have to face...

she didn't just choose LIFE, but she chose a better life.

She chose us.

Remember that there is no difference between an unborn child and one who has already been born except size, location and feeding ability. At conception a child has 46 chromosomes, is male or female, has his/her own DNA, has it's own fingerprints, and in fact has every piece of genetic information it will EVER have.

Abortions happen every 30 seconds in this country at a pace of over 3000 per DAY in the name of privacy or choice.

Psalms 139:13-16

For you created my inmost being;

you knit 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 made 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 them came to be.

**I just wanted to add...please understand that if you are reading this post and have experienced an abortion, or someone close to you has...I am in no way standing in judgment of you OR them!! I have not walked in your shoes, or traveled the road you have. But I know that we ALL have done things in our lives that if given the opportunity, we would go back in time and do differently.

There is forgiveness. and there is healing! God LOVES you!! You matter to Him! He paid a GREAT price in order to help you! He knows you and is willing to forgive you. All you have to do is ASK!

Isaiah 43:25

“I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake
and will never think of them again.

Saturday Snapshots...

2012-01-22T16:50:00.001-05:00

On Saturday morning,

this little girl...

AND this little guy

were the first ones up in the house.

SOOOO...

Sophie and Riley helped me make breakfast for the rest of the crew!

We decided to make homemade doughnuts.

I found this easy recipe on (where else) Pinterest.

I was waiting to make these on a quiet morning at home when we didn't have to rush out the door to be anywhere.

Saturday was the perfect morning to give it a whirl.

It was cool, dark and rainy outside AND we had no where we HAD to be!

I heart mornings like that;)

These were super easy to make!!

Some we just glazed and then others we dipped in cinnamon sugar.

Either way, they were delicious.

Corban made my day by declaring that he thought these were even better than the Dunkin'!!--HA!!

Now THAT'S a true compliment!

After a quiet morning at home, it was time to brave the rain and head out the door.

We decided to take the kids to the Y for a while before running a few errands.

Then it was back home again for naps and to get the house presentable for company.

Saturday evening we hosted my family for dinner and celebrated my wonderful mom's birthday!

Our meal was simple:

Barbecue chicken sandwiches, baked beans, spinach salad, chips and CAKE!

After dinner, it was PRESENT time!

Look at all those sweet homemade cards.

Each made by little hands.

Each made with LOVE!

And what party is complete with out a little dance competition?

Yup...we know how to ROCK it out over here!

And this may surprise you,

but my sweet Grandma is a super star when it comes to...

"The Monster Mash";)

Can I Carry You?

2012-01-21T06:00:00.002-05:00

I guess that I can hold you

one more time before you grow.

And tell you that I love you so that you will always know.

Please let me tie your shoe again.

One day you'll tie your own.

And when you think back to this time I hope it's love I've shown.

Can I help you put your coat on?

Can I please cut up your meat?

Can I pull you in the wagon?

Can I pick you out a treat?

One day you might just care for me, so let me care for you.

I want to be a part of every little thing you do.

Tonight could I please wash your hair?

Can I put toys in your bath?

Can I help you count your small ten toes before I teach you math?

Before you join a baseball team can I pitch you one more ball?

And one more time can I stand near to make sure that you don't fall?

Let's take another space-ship ride

up to the planet Zoor.

Before our cardboard rocketship doesn't fit us anymore.

Please let me help you up the hill

while you're still too small to climb.

And let me read you stories while you're young and have the time.

I know the day will come

when you will do these things alone.

Will you recall the shoulder rides and all the balls that we've thrown?

So will you let me carry you?

One day you'll walk alone.

I cannot bear to miss one day from now until you've grown.

--by Brad Anderson

Bobcats Game Day EXPERIENCE!

2012-01-20T08:20:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe it's Friday already. Boy, did this week fly by! I'm so thankful that the weekend is just around the corner and that my sweet hubby will be home tonight after being gone all week!

I've been a little slack in my blogging lately, so I'm going to have to do some caching up.

On Monday, since my boys had the day off from school AND since Shane had the day off from work, we had something fun planned. My wonderful mom watched the two little ones while the rest of our crew spent the entire day at the Bobcats arena!

It was a day of nothin' but Bobcats, basketball and FUN!

A little boys day in paradise!
Over the years, our boys have been blessed to be a part of a group call Dynamic Performance Sports. DPS is a Christ centered organization that not only teaches kids the rules of the game, but also how to reach their God-given potential off the field as well. My boys have participated in their sports camps and several of their mini-training camps. DPS is celebrating their 10th anniversary this year and as a way to commemorate the occasion they invited family's like ours, who have been a part of DPS, to join them for a day of fun at the Bobcats arena!

When we told the boys exactly WHAT their day would hold...they were ecstatic!!

Jumping up and down, shrieks and screams, high-fives and chest bumps...yup, that's how we show our enthusiasm around here.

After arriving at the stadium, the kids were invited onto the court for some shooting practice.
Shot after shot, they aimed at that ten foot high goal. I was actually quite impressed at how many balls went in! They made it look easy, so I too decided to give it a try!
I did my best good- ole'- granny- shot but still missed the goal entirely.
I then had listen to my ~~sweet~~ little boys yell..."AIR-BALL"!
HA!

Once the shoot around was over, it was time for some organized games.
The boys competed in some speed drills, shoot outs, and relay races.

Just like the pro's, they practiced offense, defense, and how making shots under pressure.
After a FULL morning ON the court, it was time to head outside to re-fuel with a picnic lunch!

Chi-fil-@ provided FREE chicken sandwiches to all who were there with DPS.
LOVE us some Chic-fil-@!!!
After lunch, we headed back inside where we enjoyed a brief tour of the stadium.

The boys even got a chance to help the camera crew direct a sports news clip which was being filmed while we were there!

Soooo cool!!!

Then with popcorn in one hand and cotton candy in the other,
it was time to find our seats!

It was GAME TIME!!!

It was a CLOSE game, but unfortunately for us--
our Bobcats couldn't pull through with the win!
And although we lost, my boys were still smiling!
Not even a disappointing loss could wipe the joy and pure delight from their faces--
for they had just spent the day in little boy heaven;)

Motivate me Monday;)

2012-01-16T07:39:00.002-05:00

Today is Motivate me Monday over at Running to be skinny--my sweet friend Jessica's blog.

I've been reading Jessica's blog since before I even entered the blogging world myself. She was one of the first people I ever "met" when I entered blog land, and I have no doubt that if we lived closer we would be BEST friends!

Jess invited little ole' me to do a guest post about my own "running journey" on her blog today. I'm not sure how "motivational" I really am, but I was excited to have the opportunity to share about how much running has changed my life. Anyway, you can check it out HERE

And speaking of running...I just had to show you my new kicks...

(Okay..seriously...this picture makes my 8.5 foot look gigantic...oh well)

These bad boys went on their first run this morning and did pretty well! I totally broke out of my comfort zone yesterday when I purchase these NEON pink and grey sneakers, but when I saw them I thought..why not?

During my marathon in November, I noticed that ALL the runners who finished the race first wore really funky colored shoes. I'm thinking that there is a correlation between cool colored shoes and SPEED!

I'll have to let you know if my hypothesis is correct:)

Anyway...
Happy Monday Y'all!

Lose It!

2012-01-13T09:17:00.001-05:00

Okay y'all, so I don't usually do posts that focus on things like weight loss and such, but I just HAD to share with you something that I'm totally LOVING right now! I may behind the times here, so forgive me if you already know about this, but it's a new thing for me.

Background info:

I am not a big dieter per se, but one of my New Year's resolutions was to be more conscious about exactly WHAT I eat during the day!

Confession: I am a total mind-less eater;

Meaning---I eat a little bit of this and a little bit of that while I'm fixing meals for my family, but when it comes time to sit and eat the actual meal, I'm no longer hungry. I couldn't tell ya what I just ate, I just know that I'm not hungry anymore. I think it's because of the busy phase of life I am in, but mealtime for me is such a hectic time. I usually manage to eat a healthy breakfast, but during lunch and dinner time, I'm so busy feeding kids, that I don't have time (or take the time) to sit down and eat the meal too.

What ends up happening is...I graze.

I can literally graze all day long!

Okay, so what's this post really all about?

Well, it's about a FREE app for the iPhone that I've found called Lose It!

How it works: you enter your current weight, goal weight, and how much you would ultimately like to lose each week. It then calculates how many calories you should be eating in a given day.

Then, through out the day, you enter what you are eating and it subtracts that amount from your total calories allowed for the day.

(When grazing, I had NO concept of how many calories I was actually taking in!)

Oh, and if you exercise, you can enter that in too and it recalculates your calories for the day;)

You can also plug in the ingredients for a recipe and it will calculate the nutrients and such for you too.

The BEST feature though is the bar code scanner. You can literally scan the item you're eating into your iPhone and it automatically enters that item into your daily log!!

SO VERY COOL!

Another confession:

I have a few stubborn "winter" pounds that I would really like to lose before summer this year.

This app has not only helped me stay on track, but also become more aware (and accountable) about what I put in my mouth.

Just thought I would pass this little bit of info along:)

Happy Friday Y'all!

The Big Boy Club...

2012-01-11T14:16:00.003-05:00

Is it possible? Can it be true? Should I even think it? Should I even believe it?

All signs though are pointing to a resounding... YES!!!!!

Drum roll please...

Our house is officially diaper free!!! Well, minus the one we use at night time still. Although, Hudson has managed to keep that one dry for several nights now too!!!
Other than that...we are DONE!!!!!

Done, Done, Done with diapers!

YUP, this little guy, who by the way is totally obsessed with Lightening McQueen, potty trained like a real CHAMP!

A true CHAMP, I tell ya!

Within a few short days, he totally got the hang of it!

I'm so proud of him!

He's had minimal accidents, and is very proud to officially be a part of the BIG BOY club now!

And with the two little ones OUT of diapers, I'm dreaming up ways I can spend that extra cash in our budget now!

Bi-weekly pedicures are sure sounding nice---HA!!!!!

Burlap is IN!

2012-01-09T08:40:00.001-05:00

Burlap seems to be the new "IN" thing for craft lovers right now. It's all over Pinterest and the projects I've seen using it are just AWESOME! Just recently, I came across a tutorial on how to make burlap door hanger for the front door.
I knew I had several yards of burlap, left over from a Thanksgiving project, just sitting on the shelf in my craft room. I actually had enough to make THREE new door hangers for my front door.
This was a super easy and SUPER CHEAP --as in didn't cost me a dime;) project!!

I made one for Valentines Day!

one for birthdays,

and one...just because;)

Fingerprints and a little black book

2012-01-05T20:29:00.000-05:00

This has been such an AWESOME week for us. Shane has had two FULL weeks off from work and we are enjoying EVERY MINUTE of having him home. He was off last week AND this week--which has been such treat! We have been able to get a lot done, especially concerning our China adoption.

Anytime we accomplish something adoption related, we celebrate! It makes us feel good to cross off another item on that endless "to-do list" AND it makes us feel like we are that much closer to bringing our Addy-Kate HOME! This week we had to be fingerprinted! No camera's are allowed in the support center, so in order to properly document this event, we had to take this picture once we got home.

So now you know why we are all waving our little fingers in this picture above--

this was FINGERPRINT day;)

And since Shane has been home this week, we have made great strides in getting our dossier ready for China!

This little black notebook may not look like much to anyone else, but to us it literally holds OUR ENTIRE LIFE. Almost everything we need in order to bring our Addy-Kate home is contained in this three ring binder! Countless hours of work have gone into getting this note book together and if our house caught fire tonight, THIS BOOK would be the first thing I think I would grab-ha!

Yup, we are paper chasing like CRAZY, but it's so worth it...

SHE'S WORTH IT!!!

We cannot wait to bring her home!!!!!

A Look Back at 2011

2012-01-02T05:30:00.009-05:00

2011 will FOREVER be remembered as a bitter sweet year for our family! For it was the summer of this year that the Lord graciously called my Grandpa home to heaven.

Oh how we long to feel his arms around us again and count the kisses he places on our cheeks. --One of the many silly things my sweet Grandpa was known for:)

But we also rejoice knowing that one day we will see him again!

And even though he is gone physically, his godly legacy continues and I'm certain will continue for MANY years to come!

Yes, our year had moments of tears,

but THANKFULLY it was also one filled with JOY too!

Great, abundant, exuberant JOY!

We smiled a lot, laughed a ton, and simply relished in the many blessings the Lord has bestowed upon us!

We rejoiced as rewards for hard work were earned!

We cheered each other on...

as goals were set...

and accomplished!

We finished preschool

and started Kindergarten!

We turned EIGHT years old,

and entered the THIRD grade!

We enjoyed a SURPRISE trip to Disney with just the BIG boys!

We went to baseball games...

and cheered our team on from the sidelines!

We painted with pudding...

and made fools of ourselves with Oreos.

We played lots of FUN games...

and usually got messy in the process!

We did A LOT of baking...

and even more crafting!

We made many new friends...

and had to say goodbye to old friends as they moved away;(

We skated and...

learned how to make ice cream!

We spent a week at Surfside Beach and

enjoyed a week of fun in the sun!

We played pretend...

and dressed up like a princess!

We started ballet...

and continued to play soccer!

We picked strawberries,

visited the apple orchard,

and found the perfect pumpkin!

We took bubble baths,

turned THREE, and

hiked in the mountains!

We dressed up like super hero's...

and enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving!

We grew up A LOT

and became more independent.

BUT above all else,
2011 will FOREVER be remembered as the year we saw
this precious face for the VERY FIRST TIME!

It was in September of 2011 that God confirmed in our hearts His call for us to adopt again.

So it with great anticipation that we say "Goodbye" to 2011 and welcome in this new year! For this is the year that that precious face will no longer just be hanging in a frame on our wall, but we will wholeheartedly welcome that sweet face into our HOME!!!

We can hardly wait to experience all that the Lord has in store for us THIS year!

Riley's Reindeer Party

2012-01-01T07:13:00.002-05:00

Christmas birthdays can be so hard. There is always SO much going on in the month of December, that finding a date and time to schedule a birthday party is nearly impossible. Riley actually turned six on December 22-- but we decided to wait until Christmas was over before we threw Ri his special birthday celebration.

So on Thursday the 29th, Riley had his much anticipated party! We still went with a Christmassy kind-of theme AND because Christmas was over, we scored some really great deals on all the party supplies ;)

And to be honest, it was really nice to have something FUN to look forward too and celebrate with Christmas Day behind us!

Riley decided he wanted a reindeer party. I'm not really sure where he came up with the idea, but I totally LOVED it...so a reindeer party it was!
We made a Smilebox invitation and Riley chose a few friends to invite!

As friends and family arrived at our home Thursday morning, everyone was given a red Rudolph nose and a pair of antlers to wear during the party.

After all our guests had gathered, it was time to start the "Reindeer Games"!

The first game we played was "reindeer target practice". Santa's reindeer receive special training on how to make specific and accurate landings. They are responsible to guide Santa's sleigh around the world on Christmas Eve and precision is key as they land on rooftop after rooftop;)

The kids each got three tries and took turns throwing their reindeer onto the Target. I must say, Santa had no worries on Christmas Eve. He had some very well-trained reindeer guiding his sleigh:)

Next, it was time for my favorite game. Shane was such a great sport and a made such an adorable Rudolph--if I do say so myself;)

The kids each took turns attempting to toss the rings onto Rudolph's antlers.

This was a little harder for our littlest reindeer's, but some of our "more-advanced deer" were quite the PROS!

After games, it was time for CAKE!!!

Sine we did a mid-morning birthday party, a Dunkin' doughnut birthday cake seemed like the PERFECT choice;)

"Happy Birthday to you!"

"Happy Birthday "deer" Riley!"

"Happy Birthday to YOU!!!"

After everyone gobbled up their doughnut(s), the kids gathered back in the living room for a story.

Then it was outside for the much anticipated pinata!

We tried our BEST to find a Reindeer Pinata, but had NO success. Oh well...Frosty the Snowman would have to do. (And since Frosty was on sale for only $3.00 after Christmas...he did JUST fine, just fine indeed;)

The pinata was filled with lots of goodies, and everyone took turns hoping they would be the one to crack open that snowman!

Oh they gave him quite the beating alright,

but to no avail;)

Then it was time to call in the BIG guns!

And with ONE solid whack...that pinata was TOAST!

Candy was flung everywhere and there was a mad dash to fill their bags with treats!

Soon it was time to open gifts and of course Riley couldn't wait!

He was blessed with many wonderful things, but a morning spent with family and friends was truly the BEST gift of all!

And as our guests headed home, Riley gave out his "reindeer noses" party favors to each of his friends and thanked them for making his 6th birthday so special!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

2011-12-27T10:24:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday sweet Jesus!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

I'm so glad it CHRISTmas!

All the tinsel and lights

And the presents are nice

BUT the real gift is YOU!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

I'm so glad it's CHRISTmas

All the carols and bells

Make the holiday swell

And it's ALL ABOUT YOU!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Jesus,

I LOVE YOU!

Merry CHRISTmas...

2011-12-24T07:15:00.002-05:00

Wishing you a very Merry CHRISTmas full of love, joy, and hope in our Savior, Jesus Christ!

May the splendor of this season remind you of Him who is worthy of all our praise!

Christmas Blessings and Happy New Year!

Love,

Shane, Jenny, Corban, Riley, Sophie, Hudson (and coming HOME in 2012) Addy-Kate;)

This little boy is...

2011-12-22T17:46:00.000-05:00

SIX today!

Oh how can that BE?!?!?

Happy Birthday to THE sweetest, funniest and cutest six year old EVER!!!

Christmas in Uptown!

2011-12-20T05:30:00.001-05:00

Saturday, we met our dear friends, the Howard's for a fun-filled afternoon.

We didn't tell the kids exactly where we were going until we were in the car and well on our way there. Of course they were full of questions.

"Where are we going?" "Who's going to be there?" "What are we doing?" And on and on it went.

Finally, they broke us down and we had to tell them;)

We were actually on our way to the "train station" aka the light rail.

The kids LOVE riding the "train",

but riding the train with friends...now that's a real treat.

After we purchased our tickets, we headed up the ramp to the train.

As Sophie waved our train into the station, the kids got ready to board.

I loved the fact that each one of our kids all found a little buddy and quickly got comfortable in a seat.

Like I said, riding the train is such a treat, BUT riding with friends is...the BEST!

The kids laughed and giggled all the way into town.

Once we arrived at our destination, we gathered up our belongings and hopped off the train.

We then walked over to Founders Hall to see the Bearstein Bears preform.

This is one of my most favorite Christmas attractions to visit in town.

The mechanical bears form a little orchestra and continually play Christmas classics every hour.

The kids got a kick out of them and enjoyed listening

(and in Sophie's case-dancing) to the music!

After our visit with the bears, it was time to feed this hungry crew.

Five guys sounded good to all...

so Five Guys is was!

After everyone was thoroughly stuffed , we walked over to the Ritz-Carlton to see their life-sized, organic gingerbread house.

It really was AMAZING and the kids had fun touching, smelling, and even in some cases... uh...tasting the house;)

We also knew there was a FREE Bobcats scrimmage going on in town on Saturday too. We decided to sneak in and catch the last few minutes of the game.

Soon it was time to head home, but not before one last stop at McDonald's for ice cream.

It was THE perfect way to end to a sweet day

spent with precious friends.

Bethlehem Dinner

2011-12-19T04:50:00.001-05:00

I love CHRISTMAS!

I love Santa, his reindeer and candy canes. I LOVE gingerbread houses, snowflakes, and hot cocoa.

I love the wonder, the magic, and the fantasy this season brings.
But... I want MORE.
Oh, so much more!

I really want my kids to get it! I really want them to understand!

More than ANYTHING...I want them to be AMAZED!!

It's NOT at all about a man in a red suit, BUT it's ALL about a baby in a manger.

It's not about beautifully wrapped presents beneath the tree, but about the sweetest gift EVER given.

It's not about a smile on a child's face Christmas morning, but about finding TRUE joy which lasts ALL year long

It's ALL about our SAVIOR!

Shane and I were talking the other night about ways we can make sure our children get IT!

We do the whole Santa thing and it's totally GREAT, but we want to make sure our kids truly understand that Santa and presents are NOT what it's all about.

And as we get ready to go into yet another week chalked full of festive activities, we decided to take a moment tonight, and spend some time focusing on the TRUE meaning of Christmas!

Tonight, we hosted our very first Bruce Family Bethlehem Dinner!

We all got dressed up, using sheets and pillowcases, and pretended we were the characters in the nativity.

Sophie was Mary,

Hudson was Joseph,

Shane was the Inn Keeper,

Corban and Riley were shepherds,

Molly was...well Molly was a grazing animal in the stable-ha,

and I was the narrator;)
I really wanted to be Mary, but Sophie was adamant that that was HER part;)

For dinner, we ate things that may have been readily available to Mary and Joseph, and familiar to Jesus during his time on earth!

We had to use our imaginations a little bit here, but this was the menu we came up with:

Bread dipped in balsamic vinegar and olive oil

cheddar cheese (we didn't have any goat cheese on hand-ha)

grapes

hummus

fish (for us it was popcorn shrimp and crab cakes-ha)

AND

grape juice to drink

Since Jesus was born in a dirty, dark and cold stable, we decided to eat our meal on the floor of our dirty garage. We turned off all the lights and ate by candle light only. The kids totally LOVED it!

We ended our night by reading the Christmas story and singing (Sophie and Hud's FAVORITE Christmas carol) Away In A Manger.
Shane and I did feel a little silly at times, but we hope our wacky night made an impact on the kids!

Our deepest desire this Christmas is that the TRUE meaning of why we celebrate will be engraved in their precious minds AND written on their little hearts---FOREVER!!

Jesus is the ONLY reason for the season!!!

A party and a picnic

2011-12-17T07:55:00.003-05:00

Shane arrived home from Florida yesterday!!! YAY!!! He pulled up just in time to go with us over to the boys school. Since Riley's birthday falls during Christmas break, Mrs. Becker (Ri's teacher) allowed us to celebrate his special day before the holiday break. Before we headed to Riley's classroom though, we joined Cor's class for lunch.

Corban had no idea we were coming, so he was super excited to see all of us!

He was especially thrilled to see his daddy;)

After lunch, it was time to head to Ri's classroom!

We HAD a special birthday boy to celebrate!!!

Riley had no idea his daddy would be coming to his party too!

When he saw him walk through the door, he was over the moon!

Mrs. Becker's class sure knows how to make a birthday boy feel special!

Not only did they "bake a special cake" AND sing "Happy Birthday" to our boy, but each of Ri's friends made him a sweet birthday card.

While the kids were enjoying their cupcakes, Mrs. Becker read Riley his cards!

I know of one little girl in particular who really enjoyed that cupcake!

Happy EARLY Birthday my love!

I cannot believe you'll be SIX on Thursday!!!!

And a BIG thank you to Auntie KK for coming to school with us too.
I know she made Ri's day that much more special!

Ri, you sure are one LOVED little guy!

And since we are now officially on Christmas break,

we decided to celebrate last night with a pizza picnic under the Christmas tree.

We turned off all the other lights, and enjoyed our dinner under the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree!

After dinner...

the kids snuggled on the couch with daddy while they

watched a Charlie Brown Christmas special!

And the BEST part of the night...the BIG boys grabbed their pillow's and blankets and headed downstairs to sleep beneath the Christmas tree!

Sweet Dreams Boys;)

AHHH...so glad Christmas break is finally HERE!!!!!!

TGIF...and a holiday party;)

2011-12-16T06:13:00.003-05:00

I cannot even begin to tell you how glad I am that today is Friday!!!! With Sophie and Hudson under the weather for several days now, and Shane out of town since Sunday, it's been a rather wild week! Shane comes homes TODAY (yay!!!!!) AND it's also the last day of school for my big boys until NEXT YEAR!!!!! Christmas break is finally here and we get to enjoy TWO full weeks off!!!
WOO HOO

Yesterday, I got to spend some time at school with my sweet Ri!

The kids were all invited to wear their cozy PJ's to school as they celebrated the upcoming holiday season!

There were three other moms, along with myself, who were responsible for organizing this Kindergarten class party. Our theme was "Gingerbread"! I was put in charge of the craft;) I thought the kids might enjoy decorating their own individual gingerbread house, so before the party I hot glued graham crackers around empty milk cartons to resemble tiny gingerbread houses.

During the party, Riley and his friends had fun being creative and decorating their own little house.

Parents in the class sent in candy and icing for the kids to use, so imaginations could go wild as there was a plethora of sweet treats to decorate with!

For snack, the kids enjoyed homemade gingerbread waffles--topped with syrup, whipped cream, and sprinkles.

The waffles were a HUGE hit and oh my goodness did they smell heavenly as they baked. The recipe used was from here. I plan to make these again for breakfast one day next week.

The kids also had fun playing a round or two of "gingerbread bingo"...

and listening to the story about the Gingerbread boy!

This was the first time all year that I actually got to spend some time IN Riley's classroom. With two little ones still at home, it's hard for me to get over to the school for much more than an occasional lunch date.

I have to say, I was so super impressed with Ri's teacher, Mrs. Becker. She possessed the PERFECT combination of fun and enthusiasm, while still maintaining control and order with in her classroom. I LOVE her and am so thankful that Riley gets to spend this year with such an AMAZING teacher!

Oh, what a fun-filled morning it was and I soooo enjoyed spending it with my sweet Ri!

Cupcakes, the dentist, cousins, and gingerbread fun!

2011-12-14T14:16:00.002-05:00

Yes, I know...that is the most random post title EVER, but I can't think of anything better. And because my day was filled with all of those things, it'll just have to do;)

Yesterday morning, I headed over to the boys school for Corban's Christmas party.

I LOVE being a part of school parties. It gives me a chance to meet some of the kids in Cor's class as well as some of their parents.

The kids were asked to bring in a wrapped book to school. As they listened to a story being read aloud, each time they heard the word "snow" they passed their book to the left.

At the end of the story, whatever book they had was the one they got to keep.

It was a fun way to exchange gifts, and the kids seemed to really enjoy it!

After the book exchange, it was time for the REAL fun to begin. The room mom in Corban's class came up with a super idea. She had the kids decorate their own personal cupcake. And for a fun and challenging twist, after they were done decorating, the cupcakes were going to be judged by the head of the school cafeteria.

It was a rendition of Cupcake Wars, but third grade style;)

The class was instructed to sketch out a few ideas on paper before they actually began to create their cupcake.

Corban got to work sketching out a few ideas he had. He didn't have a lot of time, so I encouraged him to go with the plan that he thought was the simplest to complete.

He decided to create a Rudolph-the-red-nose-reindeer cupcake and (I must say) it turned out super cute!!

I guess the judge thought so too, because Corban was awarded FIRST PLACE!

As a prize, he was given a gift certificate for a free cupcake from SAS cupcakes;)

He was super excited!!!

After the party was over, Corban (who we had to check out of school early) and I raced back home to pick the up the other kids. We then headed back out the door to the dentist.

All four kiddo's had dental appointments scheduled for Tuesday morning.

This was actually Hudson's first cleaning, and lets just say he was less than thrilled about it.

He cried most of the visit, but his crying actually made it easier for the hygienist to clean his little teeth;)

Bless his heart!

Sophie on the other hand was a CHAMP! Six months ago, when she had her last check-up, that was not the case. She screamed and cried her way through the entire visit. However, this time around, she did GREAT. They were even able to do x-rays!

Thankfully, they ALL received great reports,

and once again everyone was cavity free!!!

No cavities is a reason to celebrate, right?!?!

We think so. So celebrate we did!!

We headed over to SAS cupcake, and Corban spent that gift certificate he had earned earlier in the morning!

Tuesday's are their two dollar cupcake days, so we all got to enjoyed a little treat along with him!!

Cupcakes for lunch!?!?!

Why not!!

Later in the evening, we met my mom and three sisters at the Ballantyne hotel to tour their beautiful gingerbread house display!

I love how excited my kids get as they admire each and every house.

"I like this one, mommy!"

"Wow, check this one out!"

"How cool is this one!"

"Hey mom, we should make one like this next year!"

"I want to live in a house like this, mommy!"

And on and on the admiration continued!

Each house so unique and different.

Each one BEAUTIFUL!

I attempted a cousin shot, but this was the best I got.

And we are missing one...

where's Jake?

Ah...too much to do and explore to sit still for a picture;)

We finished the night out with dinner at Wendy's,

and frosty's for everyone for dessert!

A prayer request...

2011-12-14T10:51:00.000-05:00

A sweet blogger friend of mine emailed me and asked if I would be willing to post this prayer request regarding this precious family. Their home completely burned down to the ground just a few days ago. The husband and wife are both nurses. They are in the process of raising support in hopes of heading to Togo, West Africa in the fall of 2012 to serve as missionaries. I just spent a little time reading their family blog. I am blown away by their courage and faith! They are an amazing family, who despite tragedy are choosing to point to the cross! What an amazing testimony!! If you would like to help this family, or just want to know how to pray for them specifically...then go here!!

ChristmasTown, USA

2011-12-13T05:30:00.003-05:00

Saturday night, our good friends the Robinson's, invited our family over for an impromptu dinner get-together!

It's so... nice to have such great friends living just a few houses away.

It makes fun get togethers happen much more frequently than they might happen otherwise.

My friend, Juli, threw together an AWESOME taco dinner and I brought all the fixings for a build-your-own Christmas sundae buffet.

After inhaling our dinner and dessert,

we all jumped in the car and headed out to see the Christmas lights in McAdenville--

aka Christmastown USA!

This quiet little town is located only about thirty minutes from where
we live and it is just BEAUTIFUL---

especially at Christmas time!

Loved this house;)

I ADORE McAdenville, and to be honest, I've told Shane this before...I secretly wish we lived there--seriously!

The decorations are all so fun and festive and the lights make it feel somewhat magical!

Even Santa himself takes time away from the North Pole to visit:)

Usually, when we go see the lights, we just drive through the city.

But this year we decided to bundle up, brave the cold and walk through the town!

I'm so glad we did!

We had the BEST time and would have missed SO much of the experience had we just done the normal drive through!

Like posing with these cute little carolers,

or dancing to the festive music...

while these Christmas carolers sang.

Those of us who weren't dancing around...

kept warm by sipping hot cocoa

and munching on some popcorn!

After warming up a little, we continued our walk through the city!

We didn't want to miss a single light!!!

The kids were having so much fun, and we were meltdown free the entire night;)

Yup...that is how Shane and I have come to measure success of an outing---
by the number of meltdowns we experienced-ha!;)

Thanks Robinson's for a fun-filled family night!

This was definetly a new tradition in the making;)

"Curlies" and Santa...

2011-12-12T07:57:00.000-05:00

When I was a little girl, every Saturday night, my mom would roll my hair, and each of my sister's hair, in pink sponge rollers. We would sleep in them all night long, and when we would wake up for church the next day, we had a head full of bouncy curls.

Well this week, while I was running errands, I picked up a bag of sponge rollers for my Sophie girl.

Friday evening, I rolled her blond hair in those little rollers.

I put Frosty the Snowman on the T.V. and much to my surprise, she sat really still while I curled her hair.

She also had fun handing me the color of roller that was needed for each section of her hair;)

After I was finished rolling, I covered her multi-colored head in an old pair of stockings.

She got a real kick out of what she looked like, and later that evening I found her staring at herself in the mirror-ha!;)

She slept GREAT, and when she woke up

the next morning, she was super excited to take her"Curlies"(as she called them) out!

The result was a beautiful head of tight blond curls!

{LOVE}
Saturday morning brought a very special visitor to our neighborhood!

That's right, Santa Claus was at our clubhouse, ready to meet and greet all the neighborhood kids and hear their secret Christmas requests.
Last year, the babies wanted NOTHING to do with the big man in the red suit.
THIS year however, they were completely mesmerized by him!

They jumped right up on his lap and began sharing with him their Christmas wishes.
Sophie wants a "new baby doll", and Hudson wants a "Lightening Mcqueen."

Sophie caressed Santa's white beard the entire time she was on his lap.
It was so.......cute!

Then it was the BIG boys turn to sit on Santa's lap.

Oh, but wait...who's that little girl that managed to climbed back up on Santa's lap...AGAIN!
Yup...that's my Sophie.
Seems she needed a few more Santa snuggles before saying goodbye!
Bless her heart!

Both my boys are still "believers" this year which makes Christmas so much fun!!!

I know it's only a matter of time before Corban figures things out. He is beginning to ask questions this year, but I know he still really WANTS to believe. I answer his questions honestly and don't try to persuade him one way or another. One thing I know for sure...because Corban is such a GREAT big brother, when he does figure it all out, he'll still enjoy helping Shane and I make Christmas "magical" for his brothers and sisters. He's just that kind of kid!
LOVE him!!!

After our time with Santa, we enjoyed making a few fun crafts...

and munching on some doughnut holes.
Santa and Doughnuts...who could ask for anything more!?!?

"We made a house of gingerbread..."

2011-12-08T05:32:00.001-05:00

We made a house of gingerbread.

It was so sugary sweet.

It took us ALL day long to make.

But, just a week to eat.

Monday we ate the ceiling!

Tuesday we ate the door

Wednesday we ate the windows!

Thursday we ate the floor!

Friday we ate all four walls!

Saturday we ate the lawn!

Sunday we licked up all the crumbs!

My gingerbread house is GONE!!

Another Step Closer!

2011-12-07T15:46:00.001-05:00

On Friday, December 2nd we put our I-800 in the mail---FINALLY!!! To many, I know much that doesn't really mean much, but to us it means that we are another HUGE step closer to getting out precious Addy-Kate!

Praying this will be approved quickly!

Sophie is ready to meet her sister;)

Christmas Tea

2011-12-07T08:19:00.003-05:00

Saturday afternoon, I attended our church's annual Christmas tea.

From the moment you walk into the room you are surrounded by Christmas elegance. All eighty tables that fill the space are beautifully decorated by a different lady from our church.

Each table is unique and special.

Oh, how I just LOVE walking around the room, admiring all the lovely Christmas decor. It truly is a beautiful sight to behold! Last year was the first year my mom and I decorated a table. We really enjoyed doing it, so this year we decided...why not do two. We needed a little extra help though, so we recruited my Grandma to decorate with us as well. It truly became a family affair;)

The first table we did was a replica of last years. We went with our whimsical gingerbread theme again, and had lots of fun decorating it!

The second table was much more elegant in nature.

We used my Grandma's beautiful china which has the prettiest winter landscape on it. My friend, Melanie let us borrow her lovely lantern, which served as the perfect centerpiece.

And even though this was an afternoon fit for a lady, many gentlemen were on hand as well. These men graciously gave up their time on a Saturday afternoon to volunteer at the tea as servers.

My sweet Daddy and brother Tim were two of those volunteers!

I was so proud of them;)

Of course, the food was divine...

BUT the company was even better!

This year, gathered around our table, was my three sisters, my mom, grandma, friend Juli and her daughter Leah!

We had THE BEST time!

After our afternoon of elegance was over, it was time to race home, throw on those jeans, grab that white elephant gift, and head on over to our Sunday School class Christmas party.

This year, we decided to go with an "ugly sweater" theme for the party!

Shane and I didn't really have an "ugly" sweater sitting in our closet, so I thought it would be fun to make us matching reindeer sweatshirts instead;)

Some of our friends though, did a fantastic job coming up with really great attire for this theme!

Our good friend, Reggie literally had an entire Christmas mantle sewn onto the front of his sweater.

It was AWESOME!

He won the best sweater for the guys...

And his wife, Jessica won for the girls. Her sweater was great too, but I must say...even in that ugly sweater, my sweet friend still managed to look ADORABLE!!;)

Our good friend Bryan, did an incredible job being the MC for the night.

He kept us in stitches the entire evening!

Seriously, I haven't laughed that hard in a L-O-N-G time! It was GREAT!

And as I looked around the room that night, I couldn't help but pause and thank the Lord for giving us such an amazing church family and blessing us with so many wonderful friends!

It's truly is a privilege to "do life" with these sweet families!

Better watch out, better not cry...

2011-12-05T06:03:00.003-05:00

Better not pout, I'm telling you why...

Santa Claus is coming to TOWN!
And not only was he IN town this weekend, but he joined us for breakfast at the mall on Saturday;)

Our neighbors (and dear friends),the Robinson's, invited us (minus Cor because he was at a sleepover) to join them for a morning of fun-filled Christmas festivities at our local mall.

We had never participated in this event before,

but it will be on our "MUST DO" Christmas list from now on;)

Thanks to chic-fil-@, the first 100 guests enjoyed a FREE chicken-mini kid's meal breakfast!

How AWESOME is that-right!

There were tons of activities for the kids to do, and immediately after finishing breakfast they were off, ready to check everything out!

Riley had written a sweet letter to Santa earlier in the week, and he brought it with him to give to Santa personally during breakfast. When we got to the mall though, Santa had a BIG mailbox set up right in the middle of the food court. Riley excitedly placed his letter inside!

Sophie had colored Santa a special note too and was excited to send it off to the North Pole as well!

The kids also got busy decorating little gingerbread men cookies!

With bowls full with candy, sprinkles, frosting, and treats, the kids had no problem creating a very yummy Christmas cookie!

Sweet Hudson needed a little extra help from Daddy!

Riley, who is my little artist/perfectionist, patiently created his masterpiece--one sprinkle (literally) at a time;)

Bless him;)

Sophie, on the other hand, couldn't get enough candy or sprinkles on that cookie of hers!
{Grin}

The more stuff, the better!
Her gingerbread man was piled sky high with every sugary morsel and treat that was available;)

After our sweet treats were made, it was time to make a snack for Santa's reindeer!

The kids each received a Ziploc bag and had fun filling it with the things reindeer like to eat.

Did you know Rudolph and his friends enjoy popcorn, dried oatmeal, marshmallows, cheerios and raisins?

Who knew...
We'll make sure to sprinkle our reindeer food on our lawn before bed on Christmas Eve.

Santa's reindeer are gonna need a hearty snack in order to re-fuel while they make that long trek around the world that night:)

The "Daddies" were great sports and enthusiastically jumped right in to participate in a fun Christmas game!

How many balloons can you stuff in your shirt in only ONE minute!

Apparently, Santa wasn't the only one walking around with a little too much "jelly in his belly"--HA!

This was the last booth we visited and I thought it was an AWESOME idea! The kids had the opportunity to thank our troops by writing/coloring a Christmas letter and then mailing it to them!

Soooo many of these men and women will be spending Christmas far away from their friends and family.

I can't imagine, BUT I do deeply and sincerely appreciate their love, sacrifice, and service to our country!
Shane served as a Marine for six years, so the people in the military hold a very special place in our hearts.
You know what they say right...Once a Marine, Always a Marine!"

Anyway, I hope our little letters to the troops bring a small smile to their face and a little Christmas cheer to these wonderful, selfless individuals!

And with that our fun morning came to an end, BUT really our day of Christmas fun was actually just beginning. We still had two wonderful Christmas activities planned for the day, but those details will have to wait for another post...

Welcome December!

2011-12-02T09:18:00.001-05:00

Our little elf, Sam, is still causing quite the ruckus at our house.

He seems to be excited that December is finally here, and decided to leave the kids a jolly Christmas greeting this morning!

And because December is here, the kids got to open a little gift from my sweet Grandma.

These packages have been sitting on the counter just teasing them for the past few days!

Each year she buys them a special advent calendar.

This year, the calendars are filled with...

CHOCOLATES!!!

Now that's my kind of calendar;)

One thing I do know...

The promise of a chocolate candy waiting for them each day this month is a sure fire way to get my kids to jump out of bed in the morning!

THANKS GRANDMA!!!

Sophie got to put the first puff of white on Santa's beard yesterday!

Hudson didn't quite understand that he and Sophie had to take turns putting a puff on each day.

{Insert Hudson's meltdown here}

He was less than thrilled with the fact that Miss Sophie got to go first,

SO from this day forward...

each puff will be split into two parts.

That way everyone is HAPPY-ha;)

And I'm sure your just dying to know what our first activity was on our Family Advent Calendar-ha!

Well... we made and decorated popsicle stick snowflakes.

I love a little project that everyone gets excited about...

AND one that everyone can do without much assistance from me.

My kitchen table and floor were literally COVERED in glitter and sparkles, but the results were worth the mess;)

Who knows if we'll see any REAL snowflakes this Christmas season,

but at least we can enjoy a few flurries sprinkled through out the house;)

"Rolling" through Tuesday

2011-11-30T14:18:00.003-05:00

Every Tuesday morning, the babies and I head to Bible Study at our church. Right now I am doing a Beth Moore study on the life of Paul and oh.my.goodness is it good! I am learning sooooooo much and growing more than I have in a very long time! Paul was an amazing man that God used mightily! He faced extreme hardships and unimaginable challenges, yet still he NEVER wavered in his commitment to the Lord!

AMAZING!

While I'm in my class, the babies are off enjoying their time together too! They have THE sweetest and most patient teachers EVER! After a kind-of rocky start to the year, they have (finally) settled down now and are actually enjoying Bible Study too!

To know they are cared for, loved on, and having fun is such a blessing to me;)

Tuesday evenings are usually quiet and spent at home doing the same old same old, but THIS Tuesday proved just a little different. Because the boys school surpassed their fundraising goal in the "Race for Technology", they rented out the local skating rink for the entire night to celebrate.

Two hours of skating fun, with all your friends, for FREE!

Now who can beat that kind-of deal, right?!?!

I'll be honest, I was a little less than thrilled about taking all four kiddo's skating by myself. I mustered up the energy though and decided to embraced the challenge;) Last time we went skating, I had an extra set of hands with me, which proved to be a BIG help!

This time, much to my surprise, the kids did GREAT and had no trouble staying upright;)

The were rocking and rolling all over the rink!

Even sweet little Hudson did amazingly well!

He actually preferred to be on his own and refused my help several times;)

And when the little ones had had enough skating for one night, they were off to explore the in's and out's of the arcade games.

The night ended with the "Ultimate Bare Foot Race" across the skating rink floor!

Run Riley Run!

Of course, the babies would not be left out, and wasted no time jumping right in!

And there goes our Sophie--trying her best to keep up with her BIG brother;)

...And that's how we "ROLLED" through our Tuesday!!

"Babies" and "Buddies"

2011-11-28T09:33:00.000-05:00

I've been asked before about when we think we'll STOP calling these two little ones, "the babies"? We've called them that for SO long now, that the term has just kind-of stuck around.

And even though they are two-and-a-half and three years old now (and definitely no longer babies) they are still affectionately called that by most of our friends and family.

So until we come up with something else, these two will forever be known as "the babies"!

However, when I look at this picture, which I snapped right before church yesterday,

I see anything BUT babies.

They are growing up fast and changing right before my very eyes!Here they are exactly two years ago...

so little and oh SOOOOOOO very cute!

My home time flies;)

Okay, so on a TOTALLY different note I wanted to post this yummy crock pot recipe. It's no secret about how much I love my crock pot. I use it throughout the week, but on Sundays, it's a definite MUST!!!! I LOVE throwing my meal in before we head out for church and by the time my hungry crew walks back in the door that afternoon, lunch is DONE!!!

No prep, no mess, and only one pot to clean up after!

Totally can't beat that!!!

Yesterday we had THIS.

It's definitely not a new recipe,

BUT it's a goodie.

On Sunday afternoon, after we got lunch cleaned up, and the babies down for their naps, I got to hang out with this little cutie. Like I've said before, Riley is my little crafting buddy. He loves drawing, coloring, and creating!

Ahh..a boy after my own heart;)

A new craft store opened up close to our home and I was dying to check it out. When Ri found out where I was going, he was begging to go too!

So off we went. I ended up purchasing some material for the 16 pairs of Christmas PJ'S I am making this year, and Ri ended up with a package of M&M'S.

I'd say we were BOTH happy;)

And while we were out shopping, these two did a fine job holding down the fort! Every Sunday afternoon, this is a typical scene you would find in our home...my two biggest boys, cuddled up on the couch, cheering on their favorite football team, and keeping their fingers crossed for a victory!

Thankfully yesterday, our Carolina Panthers were FINALLY able to bring home a WIN!!!

Our Elf is B-A-C-K!

2011-11-26T07:48:00.003-05:00

For the fourth year in a row, our little elf "Sam" has returned from the North Pole to spend the holidays with our family. The kids have anxiously awaited his arrival since, well...since July!
(No, I'm totally NOT kidding!)

He usually arrives the day after Thanksgiving, and this year he seems to be a little more mischievous than in years past;)

I found this really great link on Pinterest that has 100 fun ideas for your Elf on the Shelf!

Seems to me like some of Santa's elves are causing some trouble this year;)

And now that Sam has arrived, it's time to start counting down the days until Christmas is here!!!

Can you believe? Christmas is literally just around the corner? That's just CRAZY!! This is by far my most favorite time of the year, but it can also be the busiest. We have LOTS of wonderful activities planned throughout the month of December, but in order to get it all done-- and not forget anything-- the boys helped me make an activity advent calendar.

Each little envelope has a "secret" activity stuffed inside and each day the boys will take turns opening up their envelope.

Of course, the weekday activities are very simple in nature and the "bigger" activities are saved for the weekends!

And since the boys got their own advent calendar this year, I thought it would be fun to make one for the babies as well.

After looking on (where else) Pinterest...I found this one and thought it was just too stinkin' adorable!!!

Everyday, the babies will add one cotton ball onto Santa's face, and by the time Christmas gets here, Santa will have a nice full beard!

Now really...

how FUN is that?!?!?

Beyond T-H-A-N-K-F-U-L

2011-11-25T06:27:00.000-05:00

As I write this Thanksgiving post, all is still and quiet in my house.

It's still early, and I have at least an hour or so before my day will actually begin.

I LOVE this time of day. Time to be still and a moment to reflect.

This Thanksgiving, I am once again humbled and overwhelmed by the Lord's abundant mercy and goodness to me!

My heart is so full of gratitude that it feels as if it might BURST!

The Lord has blessed me with four...

beautiful,

sweet...

...soon to be five...

HEALTHY babies,

a giving husband who loves me (and proves it daily),

Attentive parents and

godly grandparents,

siblings who are also...

my best friends,

extended family we LOVE

and ADORE,

Food to fill our bellies and

a stocked pantry.

a church we LOVE, friends we ADMIRE,

a comfortable home, kind and caring neighbors,

warm beds, closets full of clothes, and shoes on our feet.

Seriously y'all...my list could go on and on and on...

As I was preparing to host both of our families for Thanksgiving dinner yesterday, a little chorus I often heard my Grandpa sing flooded my mind...

"Thank you, Lord for saving my soul.

Thank you, Lord for making me whole.

Thank you, Lord for giving to me

Thy great salvation so rich and free."

Oh, how I am most grateful for my salvation and my personal relationship with Jesus Christ!

Without Him, I AM and would be NOTHING!

What a truly wonderful day it was.

A day to remember, reflect, and rejoice in what the Lord has done!

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!!!

I'm so glad I'm not a turkey;)

2011-11-23T06:49:00.000-05:00

My sweet Riley came home from school this week singing a little Thanksgiving poem which he had learned in class.

Since then, it has been totally stuck in my head and several times throughout my day I'll catch myself humming the tune;)

"I'm so glad I'm not a turkey, a turkey, a turkey."

"I'm so glad I'm not a turkey on Thanksgiving Day!"

"They STUFF you, and BAKE you, and then they ALL EAT you."

"I'm so glad I'm not a turkey on Thanksgiving Day!"

So enjoy that turkey y'all

...and be thankful that you aren't one this year!!

They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness!

Psalms 145:7

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

My First Pinterest Project

2011-11-17T08:20:00.000-05:00

I just entered the AMAZING world of Pinterest this week!

I tried to stay away, I really did, but at last it got me!

Now I'm totally hooked and just can't seem to get enough of this amazing site!!

Oh my goodness y'all...the creativity and ideas are simply endless!!!!!!

I LOVE IT!!!

So yesterday, Riley(aka my little crafting buddy) helped me make my very first Pinterest project!

HOW CUTE IS THIS?

Wednesday evening was our last night of church activities until the new year. And while my big boys are in AWANA each Wednesday night, I get to teach in Sophie and Hudson's classroom!

I came across these adorable turkey's on Pinterest and thought they were just too cute.

I decided to make them and pass them out as a Thanksgiving favor to all my "little turkey's" who are in my class!

They were super easy to assemble and even more delicious to eat;)

You can find full directions here!

Gobble! Gobble!

Having Sew Much Fun!

2011-11-11T07:06:00.001-05:00

Thursdays are usually my so called "Sewing Day" around here! I try really hard to have my house in order and my laundry caught up earlier in the week, so come Thursday I am able to sit and sew guilt free:)

I always have a few projects waiting to be completed, but finding the time to complete them isn't always easy. Well, yesterday I got a few of those little projects crossed off my "to do" list!

First on the list...

"Turkey Day" shirts for the babies!

My good friend, Melanie, came across a picture of the cutest turkey shirt and sent it to me. The turkey feathers were made out of ribbon instead of the usual fabric! I thought it was such a darling and clever idea!!

I went to H@bby L@bby (one of my very favorite stores) and picked up some really colorful and festive ribbon.

After a little trial and error, I finally got it right!

I was thrilled with the way it turned out and can't wait for Sophie to wear it this Thanksgiving;)

Hudson had to settle for the usual ole' turkey day shirt,

but hey...it's

still fun!!

I also decided (for the first time ever) to try and make a little cash by selling some of these turkey day shirts. I posted my idea on Facebook and within a few hours I had more orders than I could possibly fill.

How AWESOME is that;)

Guess me and the turkeys will be spending a lot of time together this weekend filling orders;)

I also had fun yesterday, finishing a few dresses for my Sophie girl.

I am in LOVE with this peasant dress pattern, which I just purchased for my all time favorite etsy shop Little Lizard King.

This shop is where I also purchased the apron dress pattern AND the ruffle pant pattern;)

Anyway, I just can't say enough about her patterns.

They are totally fool proof and super easy to understand!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THEM!!!

Last week, I made my first peasant dress per the request of my friend for her three year old daughter.

My friend also requested a coordinating knot dress for her other little one too!

Oh how I love "sister" dresses!

I'm seeing LOTS of these sweet coordinating dresses in MY future now;)

Here are two of the peasant dresses that I just finished up yesterday for my Sophie!

The one of the left, she will be wearing for our upcoming family pics next week.

I just loved the blues and greens!

I also got two Christmas dresses completed as well!

I fell in LOVE with that Santa fabric (on the right) and couldn't wait to make something with it!

PERFECT for our breakfast with Santa in a few weeks;)

And just in case you are wondering

WHAT in the world my little ones are up too while I'm so busy creating?!?!?

Well here's just a little peak...

Yes, that's a jumpy house in the middle of the living room, AND a table full of play dough and accessories.

Enough said;)

New Pictures Of Our Baby Girl!!!!

2011-11-08T07:19:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning to an inbox FULL of wonderful new pictures of our darling Addy-Kate!

Be still my HEART!!!!

As I opened each file and stared intently at each one, tears began to fall.

She looks so beautiful and healthy!

Thank you, Lord Jesus!!!

Thank you for answering our prayers!!

I seriously cannot wait to kiss those sweet, sweet cheeks...

AND put a BIG OLE' BOW on that precious little head!!!!

I have to give a HUGE shout out to Sheri and Katherine at Gifts to China with Love!

These ladies have seriously gone over and beyond to not only get us an update on our precious Addy-Kate, BUT lots of pictures as well!!!

I am so, so, so very grateful!!!!

(We also received Addy-Kate's updated measurements this week too, so you know what that means?!?!?

Now that I know her size, I can start to make her and Sophie matching outfits too!

YEAH!!!!!)

Marathon Weekend

2011-11-07T06:18:00.004-05:00

Friday morning we hit the road bound for Savannah, Georgia!

I was so very excited (and slightly nervous) to be participating in the Rock n' Roll Marathon there this weekend!

Shane and I decided it was best just to take the big boys to the race and let the babies sit this one out. It was going to be a whirlwind of a trip with lots of time spent in the car.
Sophie and Hudson got to enjoy a fun-filled sleep over at Mimi's and Papa's house instead, which

I think they were totally okay with;)

After getting the little ones settled, AND a quick run through Dunkin Doughnuts,

we were finally on our merry way!

When we arrived in Savannah, our first stop was the running expo where we picked up my race packet and bib number.

My sweet friend, Ginger, met us at the expo and we had a great time touring it together!

After a little Rock n' Roll fun, it was time to head out and grab a bite to eat!

Shane suggested the Olive Garden as the place to go...

He knew I would have no trouble carb-ing it up there--ha;)

After dinner, we called it an early night and checked into our hotel. We knew Saturday morning would dawn bright and early and we wanted to make sure everyone was well rested and ready for the day ahead.

Our alarm sounded at 4:30am, and in less than a hour we were dressed, checked out of our hotel, and off to catch the shuttle to the start line.

Because we were staying just outside the city, and because there were over 23,000 runners participating in this race, the only way in and out of Savannah on race day was by shuttle or ferry boat.

All the roads down town were pretty much closed for the day.

We jumped on a shuttle bus and began our trek into town. Unfortunately, our bus driver got a little confused on the route into town and actually got lost while driving us there. What should have been a twenty minute ride, ended up taking over an hour!

Thankfully, I made it to the start line in time, but with only a few minutes to spare.

I was so blessed to be running this race with two very sweet friends. Ginger is a dear friend from church, and Stacy is my neighbor and daily running partner.

For the last 18 weeks, Stacy and I have been up long before the sun, pounding the pavement, and counting miles together.

Stacy was such an encouragement to me during the race. Not only did she help me keep a consistent pace, but also helped me shave ten minutes off my time from my last marathon.
This was her first marathon and she rocked it!

While we were busy running, Shane and the boys had fun cheering on other runners from the sidelines...

and playing a little football with friends.

They did their best to meet up with us at several mile markers during the race, which was a HUGE encouragement to us as we ran!

I loved seeing their sweet faces and collecting their enthusiastic high fives as I ran by!

Stacy and I crossed the finish line at 4:32:37.
Exactly where we hoped to be for this race!

We each were presented with a beautiful medal as we crossed the finish line!

It felt great to accomplish our goal, but my legs seriously felt like jello and I was so glad to be done!

Before long, it was time for our crew to head over to Lady and Sons for a delicious lunch!

Unfortunately for me, my stomach wasn't quite in the mood for Paula Deens sweet southern buffet like I had hoped:( I can't brag about how good the fried chicken was, or how wonderful that banana pudding tasted.

A couple glasses of Sprite was all I could handle;)

Oh well!

What I can tell ya is...

the sweet memories made over the weekend, and the friends we enjoyed this experience with were just as filling!!

Rock n' roll Marathon

2011-11-04T06:49:00.000-04:00

Well...our bags are officially packed, and the car is being loaded!

In just a few short hours we'll be Georgia bound!!!

Savannah Rock N' Roll Marathon...ready or not...here we come!

I am super excited about our weekend and to be running this race with two very sweet friends.

It should be a lot of fun! I'll be honest though, the ONE thing I am looking forward to most about our little get-a-way is...

eating some good ole' southern cooking at Lady and Son's--Paula Deen's restaurant!

We have reservations for lunch there after we finish our race!

Can you say pass the fried chicken and banana pudding, please!?!?

Mmmmm!

That right there may be enough motivation for me to run fast and finish quickly;)

HA!

Cannot wait!

Made my day;)

2011-11-03T09:45:00.003-04:00

I woke up this morning and had a sweet email waiting for me from Sheri @ Gifts to China with Love.

It included a short note about our sweet Addy-Kate!

"I MADE A CALL TO MS GAO. SHE TOLD ME ,YU HU YING 'S FOREVER FAMILY SENT THE GIFTS BEFORE.

SHE SAID YU HU YING IS IN THE ORPHANAGE TAKING CARE. SHE CAN WALK AND CAN SPEAK SOME WORDS LIKE MAMA.

THEY WILL SEND INFORMATION AND UPDATES TO US. THEY JUST MOVE IN A NEW PLACE NO INTERNET YET."

Oh, I know it's not much information, but to me this email meant the world!!!

Boy, do I wish I could have been there to see my baby girl take her first steps!

How I long to hear that sweet little voice call ME mama, but just knowing how my baby girl is doing thrills my heart to no end!

Words cannot even express how much I love this little one already!

CANNOT WAIT TO BRING YOU HOME ADDY-KATE!!!

52 days...

2011-11-02T05:30:00.002-04:00

Now that Halloween is behind us, it's time to start thinking about THAT wonderful time of year!!
Can you believe it?!?!? Thanksgiving is just a few short weeks away, which means CHRISTMAS is literally just around the corner! --Insert squeals of excitement here;)--

52 days from today to be exact, but who's counting right!?!?
And since Christmas is coming soon, it's time to start thinking about those beautiful Christmas cards you're going to be sending out! Sending, but especially RECEIVING those cards is one of my most favorite things about the holiday season. Because snail mail is so rare now-a-days, it's a real treat to walk to the mailbox each day during the holidays and be greeted by sweet Christmas wishes sent from friends both near and far!

Each card our family receives is proudly displayed on our pantry door, so we can enjoy it through out the entire Christmas season!

We will definitely be using Shutterfly again this year to do our family Christmas card!

I use them all the time when ordering prints throughout the year,

and have never been disappointed.

I'm really excited about the many Christmas card designs they have to choose from again this year!!

Not only do they have some AWESOME card designs, but they have some great gift ideas too!

Now go snap that perfect picture and...

have fun shopping!!!!

Are you a blogger? Want a chance to receive 25 free Christmas cards from Shutterfly?All you have to do is go here!

It's a bird, it's a plane...

2011-11-01T07:35:00.002-04:00

No...it's the THE SUPER HERO FAMILY!!!

Meet Super Hero Dad and his Three Loyal Sidekicks...

And Super Hero Mom and her Little Apprentice!

We had such a fun Halloween this year!! Of course, my big boys have been anticipating this day for weeks now, but surprisingly enough, even the little ones were eager for it to arrive!

Seriously though, who doesn't get excited about all that FREE candy-right?!?

I had a ball making our costumes this Halloween.

I really didn't set out to do homemade costumes this year, but after one look at the prices of a store bought one, my mind was made up!!
I think I made ALL six of our costumes for the price I would have paid for just one from the store;)
Each year, I do my best to come up with a theme that everyone can get excited about! I realize that as my kids get older, the less thrilled they will be with the whole "themed Halloween thing"--sigh,

but I was delighted to be able to pull it off for at least one more year!

It's tradition now, that my sweet sister-in-law and her family accompany us for trick-or-treating first and then dinner afterwards. Our good friends (and neighbors) the Robinson's were able to join us for the evening too.

Corban and his buddy Dr. Micah!

Sweet Leah and Super-Hud!

The streets in our neighborhood are literally just a sea of trick-or-treaters!

Kids run from door to door, and as they get their candy they quickly throw out a "Thank You" over their shoulder and run off to the next house.

Sweet Hudson did his very best to keep up with the bigger kids, but (bless his heart)

his little legs just couldn't go quite as fast!

We had to empty his bag several times too because it got too heavy for him to carry;)

Sophie Lu on the other hand was a wild and crazy girl!

She literally ran non-stop the ENTIRE time we were out!

She paused only for a moment so I could snap this picture of her and her sweet friend, Elise,

and then she was off running again;)

After over an hour of trick-or-treating fun, Hudson (and I) were cold and ready for a break.

We headed home to get dinner going so it would be hot and ready when our hungry crew walked in the door!

And while I cooked, sweet Hudson got to sample a little bit of that yummy Halloween candy!

What a fun night!

Hope y'all had a Happy Halloween too!

Sweeter Than A Pumpkin Pie!

2011-10-31T05:00:00.003-04:00

Yup, that's my girl!

A very very sweet friend passed down ALL of her daughters beautiful smocked dresses to Miss Sophie. Most of them are still a little too big, BUT she was able to wear this one to church yesterday morning!

I LOVED it!!

That's the one thing I adore about smocked dresses--they can be a little too big in the beginning, but as she grows, the hem can be let out and she can wear them for several seasons!

Love, Love, Love me
some sweet pumpkin pie:)

What does a football player and a scarecrow have in common?

2011-10-28T14:53:00.001-04:00

Well...not much, I guess...except for the fact that they both sure did look extra cute as they headed out the door this morning!!

Today, Corban and Riley had LOADS of pre-Halloween activities and parties going on at school!

Riley celebrated his day as an adorable scarecrow!

All kindergarten classes were asked to dress up like scarecrows and be ready for a day full of fall fun!

I love this little scarecrow!

Honestly though, could that sweet face really scare away any crows!?!?

My big guy, Corban, celebrated "Character Day" today.

Not only did he have to dress up like a character from his favorite book, but he also had to do a presentation on it too!

Because it was such a fun-filled day at school today, and because everyone was going to be dressed up, we decided to join the boys for lunch and check out every one's costumes!

My sweet mom and my sister Al called me up this morning and told me they wanted to come along for the fun too!

We met up at the school and enjoyed a nice lunch with our Riley!

He was beyond thrilled to see everyone!

After we finished lunch with Ri, we headed back home for a few minutes.

During that time at home, my sister KK dropped by. She was in between classes and was able to join us back at school for round two of Halloween lunches!

Our football player was super excited to see all of us, and couldn't wait to tell us about

how his big presentation went.

So proud of this little guy!

What a fun-filled day

and I'm really looking forward to the great weekend ahead!

TGIF everyone!!!!

A Little Halloween Sneak Peek;)

2011-10-27T16:24:00.001-04:00

I finally finished our costumes for trick-or-treating!

Can you guess what we are going to be;)?

A Day in the Mountains!

2011-10-25T08:40:00.002-04:00

Shane took the day off of work on Friday, and since the boys only had a half-a-day of school anyway, we let them play hooky instead, and headed to the North Carolina mountains for a day of fun!!

I seriously don't think there is ANY place more beautiful than the N.C. mountains in the fall!

The beauty takes my breath away!

Before heading out the door though, we stuffed our bellies full of pumpkin pancakes!

A perfect way to kick-start our FALL day;)

After a short two hour scenic drive, we arrived at our first destination---the Linville Caverns!

The kids had never been to the caverns before and were super excited to check it ALL out!

They jumped out of the car and immediately started running and climbing on every rock and bolder in sight!

We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day to visit the mountains.

The weather was sunny and gorgeous with just a hint of that lovely fall chill in the air!
It was PERFECT!!!

Because they only take small groups into the caverns at one time, we had to wait a few minutes for our turn to enter.

Everyone waited patiently for our turn to come!

Before long, we were called, and we began our decent into the deep dark cave!

I'll be honest, I was a little worried about the bats that I knew called these caverns home!

Sure enough, just as soon as we entered and turned the corner, we had our first bat sighting!

It was tiny, but a BAT none-the-less!!

I was a little creeped out by it, but my kids were ecstatic to see the critter!

We squeezed our way through the tight corridors, and made our way to the deepest (and darkest) part of the cavern. It was here, in the inner most part of the cave, where they turned off all lights on us and let us experience "total darkness"!

Again, I was a little creeped out, but my kids thought it was "AWESOME"!

We finished our hike through the cave, and before long we were

back in the car, heading to possibly my most favorite place on earth...the little town of Blowing Rock!!!

Kilwin's Chocolate Kitchen was calling our name...

and the promise of a yummy ice cream cone was on every ones mind!

"After that hike through the scary cave mom...ice cream sure does hit the spot!"

I couldn't agree more, Riley!!!

Everyone gobbled up their delicious ice cream cone and were soon ready to hit the town playground!

The kids were having the BEST time just running around and playing that we could have just stayed at the playground the rest of the day!

They were in no hurry to leave,

however Shane and I still had a few other places left on our "to visit" list!!

So we bid farewell to the playground...

and headed to yet another beautiful spot in down town Blowing Rock!

I'm not even sure what this park is called, but it is right behind main street in Blowing Rock?!?

If someone knows, let me know.

Anyway, we brought along our leftover lunch scraps and

and I think the ducks appreciated that!

They sure did seem to enjoy our leftovers;)

We enjoyed a nice walk around the pond

and stopped just long enough to snap a few pictures along the way!

I LOVED this signed which is perfectly placed right at the exit of the park.

Sweet memories left with us that day--for sure!!!

Once again, we jumped back in the car and headed to our final destination listed on our agenda...

Moses Cone Memorial Park!

This park is located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, right outside of Blowing Rock!

We had never been here before, but I had read online reviews about how beautiful it was,

and a "Must See" while in Blowing Rock!

The trails within the park were described as easy,

so I thought it would be the PERFECT place for our family to hike!

This was our first ever real hike experience as a family and the kids did great!

They had so much fun running around and exploring all the things around us!

Whether climbing to the top of a great big hill, or skipping stones across the lake...

what ever it was...my kids were loving it!!

And as I watched their sweet faces, saw each precious smile, and heard their squeals of delight, I was once again blown away and humbled by all the Lord has entrusted to me!

Psalm 96:11-12 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy.

Just a little fall fun

2011-10-20T08:45:00.002-04:00

So last Friday, (yes, I've been a little behind on blogging lately)

my sister B invited the babies and I over to her house for a fun-filled play date!

She had several wonderful fall crafts planned, and just as soon as we got to her house,

the kids went to work!

Making Silly Spiders...

As Sophie worked,

she serenaded us all with her own version of "The Itsy Bitsy Spider"!

It was pure SWEETNESS!!

A tissue paper candy corn craft also added some more sweetness to our fun fall play date!

Al and Hud work hard to complete the project;)

Three budding artists show off their sweet masterpieces!

L-O-V-E!!

After a great day at B's, we decided to continue with a little more FALL fun after we got home.

Every year our neighborhood participates in the "BOO" game! This is such a fun way to kick off the FALL season and my kids look forward to it every year!

On Friday evening, we decided it was time to get the game going again this year! We picked two of our unsuspecting neighbors and surprised them by leaving a BOO treat for them on their front porch!

When darkness fell, the kids got ready to go!

They quickly set the buckets by our neighbors front door, rang the door bell, and then hightailed it home as fast as they could, hoping they wouldn't be found out by our surprised neighbors!

I just loved watching their faces as they "rang and ran"!

Such a fun way to spread some Halloween cheer!

Inching closer (an adoption update)

2011-10-19T15:34:00.003-04:00

I'm happy to report that I finally feel like we are making a little progress in this adoption process. My heart is so anxious and every time there is a delay of some sort, I begin to feel frustrated. The adoption process, in and of itself, is tedious, but I think this time around, knowing Addy-Kate is just sitting in an orphanage waiting on US, makes this process much more difficult for me.

I'm just so anxious to get to her!

I find myself daily, even hourly, on my knees before the Lord, begging for patience, wisdom, and PEACE as we walk this journey.

The Lord is gracious as He lovingly reminds me (over and over again) that He is in control.

John 14:27

"PEACE I leave with you, my PEACE I give unto you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid!

He is in control of the process!

He is in control of the timing!

He is in control of our paper work!

AND

He is holding Addy-Kate in the palm of His hand!

I have no reason to fear!

Thank you, Jesus!

As we continue on this journey to our sweet Addy-Kate, we have had plenty to do to keep us busy.

Every day there seems to be a new paper that needs to be ordered, signed, and notarized!

Every week is filled with yet more appointments that need to be scheduled and attended!

And just yesterday, we finished our twelve hours of training needed for our adoption too!

Breathing a sigh of relief that that's DONE--whew!!!

Thankfully though, each month that passes means we are that much closer to meeting our baby girl--YAY!!

All the kids (and Shane and I) had to have well-checks AND blood work done-UGH for our homestudy update!

Last week, we met with our wonderful social worker, Miss Kim!

Kim was our social worker when we adopted Sophie,

so we feel beyond blessed to be working with her again!

But the BEST thing we got to do so far, in this entire process, is order our very first care package for our baby girl!

We ordered it via Ladybugs n Love!

I sure do hope Addy-Kate likes her soft new blankie, and I hope the nannies enjoy the candy and nuts:)

Just today, I received a sweet email from Ladybugs n Love letting us know that our care package was on it's way!!! It should arrive at Addy-Kate's orphanage on Saturday or Sunday--YAY!!!!!

I'm hoping and praying that we will have some updated pictures of our precious girl soon!

I'm just dying to see that sweet face again!!!!!

You can be sure I'll ~~show her off~~ post them when I get them;)

Cannot wait!!!!!

Recital time!

2011-10-19T07:15:00.000-04:00

Friday evening, Sophie danced in her very first ballet recital!

I was a little nervous about how she would do though.

Her actual class is held in a small room and parents wait outside of the studio while the girls practice.

The recital took place in a very large room, and of course there were lots and lots of people there to watch!

I wondered how she would react to all the people in the room staring at her, but much to my surprise (and relief) she did AWESOME!!!

Not a bit of stage fright in this girl at all!

I think she was born to dance;)

Sophie's class performed to the cutest song entitled "Special Me"!

As they danced, they held sweet little teddy bears.

Seriously, could they be any more P-R-E-C-I-O-U-S?!?!?

After their sweet performance,

each little ballerina was presented with a special certificate of participation;)

Sophie and her friend Clare!

To our beautiful ballerina...

What a joy it is to watch you dance baby girl!

We are oh so proud of you and love you more than you could ever imagine!

A sweet Wednesday!

2011-10-13T20:51:00.001-04:00

Wednesday was just an all around sweet day for us.

After I got the boys out the door for school in the morning, the babies and I headed to the nursing home to visit Shane's precious grandma.

Unfortunately, she fell about a week or so ago, and as a result had to have hip surgery.

Bless her heart!

She's recovering now, but has a long road ahead of her.

When we walked through the door of her room, Maw Maw's face lit up. She was beyond thrilled to see us, especially the babies, and I was so glad to see a smile on her face!

After our visit with Maw Maw, we headed to a play date at my friend, Erin's house. Erin and her husband, and their two little ones, just recently moved back to this area a few months ago. Believe it or not, but Erin and I have been friends since second grade!!! She graciously invited us over to their new home near uptown for lunch and to meet their newest addition, sweet baby Fletcher. He was sound asleep while we took this picture above though.

We had THE BEST time visiting and catching up while our little ones played! I am SO EXCITED that Erin's back in town now and foresee MANY more fun play dates in our future!

I got home from our play date just in time to get my BIG boys off the bus. Wednesday was the much anticipated REPORT CARD DAY! I'll be honest, I was a little nervous about Corban's grades this quarter. Third grade has been an adjustment for Cor and we've really struggled through the first couple of weeks of school. It's definitely getting better though, but we have had a rocky start.

Okay, so forgive me please, but I just have to brag on my sweet Corban for just a moment! Corban came home with a SUPER report record! All A's and B's! He even made the A/B honor roll!!!

How AWESOME is that!?!?!?

He earned those grades through a lot of hard work and determination and

we couldn't be more proud of him!

Love that boy!!!

Happy 37th!

2011-10-13T14:00:00.000-04:00

Tuesday was my wonderful husbands 37th birthday!

And just like last year, Shane's co-workers went CRAZY decorating his office for his special day!

Shane had NO idea that when he left for work that morning,

THIS is what awaited him!!!

The birthday boy sportin' his new apple poncho;)

How fun!!!

Our celebration at home wasn't quite as over the top as it was at work, but it was just as sweet!

We enjoyed a yummy Mexican dinner, complete with Shane's FAVORITE cake...

Yes...those are matches serving as birthday candles:} I couldn't find my candles so instead of taking the time to hunt for them, we just improvised:}

Yellow cake and chocolate icing.

Simple but oh so DELICIOUS!

And even though an ipad was on Shane's birthday wish list, a new adoption t-shirt and the anticipation of a wonderful trip to China in the near future made my guy just as happy this year!!!!

Throw in a few precious homemade cards from the kids, and you have yourself quite the birthday celebration!

Happy Birthday Babe!

I love you with ALL my heart and look forward with great excitement to all that God has in store for us in this coming year!!!!

XOXOXOXOX

Pumpkin Time!

2011-10-13T08:48:00.002-04:00

Monday was Columbus Day and my BIG boys had the day off from school!!!

Oh how I live for school holidays!

We enjoyed a somewhat lazy morning at home, and then decided to call up some friends to see if they wanted to meet us at the pumpkin patch near our home!

Outings are always much more fun when shared with friends-right?!?

We quickly packed a picnic lunch and then headed out the door to meet our friends at the patch!

The weatherman was calling for rainstorms, but thankfully he got it wrong! Instead of showers, we were blessed with a cool, cloudy fall day!

It was PERFECT!

The kids had a BLAST chasing each other through the hay maze, and I enjoyed watching them burn off some of their unending amount of energy!!!

After playing for a bit, it was soon time to get down to business!

We were on a mission!

A mission to find that PERFECT pumpkin!

Corban won for finding the tallest pumpkin, but

after searching high and low, it was actually Hudson who found THE ONE!

Yup...he found our Jack-o-latern!!!

After a lesson on farm life,

and a group photo...

It was time to hit to the park!
We enjoy that picnic lunch and attempted to burn off more of that said energy;)

Oh y'all...next year I'll have a little "A" pumpkin running around too and joining in on all our crazy FALL fun!
I.cannot.wait!!!!!!!

Oh how my heart longs for that sweet day!!!!!

A Little Princess

2011-10-10T20:45:00.002-04:00

Once upon a time, in a castle far away, there lived a beautiful princess named Sophie.

This princess wore a crown of rare jewels on her head

and carried a crystal wand in her hand.

The wand was used to help her grant the secret wishes of her adoring subjects!

The princess herself had a secret wish though. She dreamed of one day going to a ball.

Okay okay, so maybe it wasn't quite the "ball" she wished for, but Disney on Ice has got to come pretty close, right?!?!?

Friday night, I took my sweet little princess to see Micky, Minnie and the rest of the Disney gang!

Thanks to my Mother-In-Law who surprised us with last minute tickets, my baby girl and I had a night out on the town!

Sophie was so excited and could NOT wait for the show to begin. With it being two hours long though, I wasn't too sure how long she would actually sit. But to my surprise and amazement she did fairly well.

By the time intermission came though, she was getting antsy!

A bag of her favorite treat totally did the trick. Yes, my girl LOVES her some cotton candy!

I totally caved and spent $12.00 on that sugary stuff, but at least it came with a cute foam crown for her to wear;)

She looked so super cute sportin' that new crown, that it almost made spending that much money on bag of cotton candy worth it (smile)!

And as I sat there, next to my precious little princess, I looked over at her sweet face and was once again reminded that "Dreams Really Do Come True!"

Lunch date with my BIG boys!

2011-10-07T05:30:00.000-04:00

I LOVE that my boys go to school just up the street from our house!

It makes popping in for lunch each week fun and easy!

Wednesdays are designated as Ri's "lunch day" and Fridays are for Cor!

Because the boys eat at two totally different times, we have to visit on separate days of the week or the babies and I would be at school all day;)

Sophie and Hudson carry their own lunch boxes with them each visit and I know they feel like such BIG kids as they eat with their brothers!

LOVE OUR SPECIAL LUNCH DATES!