A Honor Roll

Kellen went from the A-B Honor Roll (1st six weeks) to the A Honor Roll (2nd six weeks) and Matt and I wanted to do something special with him to celebrate.

He decided (with a little encouragement from Mommy and Daddy) that he wanted to go to Grand Station.  This worked out nicely for Mommy and Daddy, since Mommy had apparently been hoarding quite a few gift cards for Grand Station.  And he enjoys playing games - especially lazer tag with his Daddy, so things worked out really well!

We went to Grand Station and started off playing putt-putt.  But not just any putt-putt...glow in the dark putt putt!

Kellen was actually pretty good at it...Tatum, eh...not so much.  She ended up getting frustrated and just picking her ball up and dropping it in the hole.  I think all three of the 'actual' players ended up getting at least one hole in one, and Matt ended up beating me by one stroke, I believe.  But them again, he was keeping score, so......

So much fun!

We then played some games together.

Then Daddy and Kellen played lazer tag while Tatum and I played some games.  (And if you're wondering, she isn't actually playing this motorcycle game, but she certainly thought she was and felt like BIG STUFF doing the demo).

When the boys were through with lazer tag, we played some more games

Then we had snacks, left and drove through Central Park to look at Christmas lights, then called it a night.

It was a good celebration.

Memorizing scripture in 2011

I follow Beth Moore's blog, and she's doing a challenge to memorize 24 scripture verses in 2011...2 a month.

You know me, I like to set goals, so I'm accepting the challenge and am signing up (albeit a few days late).

For additional information, check out her blog post with instructions.

After I post my scripture on her blog, I'll *try* to post it here and link back to the relevant blog post on her site.

My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. - Phillipians 4:19

Who's with me?

Sweet Jacey

Soft skin, tiny fingers, and a hand that grips so tight.

These are the things you hold so dear, in the middle of the night.

Rockbox

So I discussed the Rockbox in an earlier post about our anniversary weekend getaway, but I wanted to display some of our photos from that show.

Let me once again reiterate how incredibly fun that night was!

Still as goofy as ever!

 Roy Orbison...

Bette Midler...

ZZ Top...Santa style

The English Brothers (who were the guest performers for the night).  They sang Cowboy Christmas songs and we loved them so much that Matt ended up getting an early Christmas present...they were selling their CD's!

I'm so glad that we were able to go to this show!  Thank you, Matt's friend, for getting us the passes!!

Christmas Wreath

Now that Christmas is over and we're in the process of taking down decorations, I thought I would finally take the time to share the Christmas wreath that I made this year.

A co-worker of mine donated a large box of Christmas decorations to me and I had many wonderful ideas for things to do with them.  Their still great ideas, but for most of them, that's as far as they got.

I did; however, end up making some Christmas wreaths using materials currently existing in my Christmas decorations.

Take one wreath, one strand of ribbon (originally used in my wedding and now used in Christmas decorations), some gold nonbreakable Christmas ornaments, plus one adorable snowman ornament and viola'.........

You have your very own Christmas wreath!

10 Year Anniversary Weekend

Matt and I made use of some free hotel nights in the Hill Country on our anniversary weekend and went away to celebrate our 10 years together. Maw Maw and Paw Paw graciously watched all three kiddos while we were gone.

Did you catch that? All three kiddos. Yes, I went off and left Jacey for an entire weekend. Wow.

Anyway, we had a relaxing weekend and just enjoyed being together without having to wipe someone's nose or bootie, which is rare for us.

Here is a recap of our weekend, primarily in photos.  Most of them center around food...but the food was really good!  Unfortunately, I just realized that I didn't take any pictures of the picnics and sandwiches that sustained us for the majority of the weekend, but oh well!

Friday night we walked around Fredericksburg and window-shopped. We went to eat at Auslander and had the first meal of a weekend that included some really good German cuisine.

We went to the downtown area and admired all of the festive Christmas lights as well.

Saturday morning we made our way to breakfast at Save Inn in Kerrville.  We ate there on Sunday morning as well. Great breakfast, and you know it's good if it's packed with locals and cops (eating, not patrolling)...means good and quick service!

We went to the Pacific Museum on Saturday for a while, then walked around the town.

One stop we had to make was to the Rather Sweet Bakery. Here's a picture of the delectable goody Matt and I shared and a picture of the storefront.

Later on Saturday night, we ate at Der Lindenbaum and here is a picture of my fabulous meal and the storefront.

And a picture of our dessert....yummy goodness with icing so rich neither Matt nor I could eat it all. And that fact alone should tell you something!

We were blessed with passes to the Christmas show at Rockbox. I highly recommend it and if we're able to get passes again, it's worth it to plan a trip to the Hill Country around this show. Really. Good, clean, family friendly fun!

On Sunday after breakfast, we leisurely made our way to Fredericksburg, stopping to see a few sights on the way.

We have a few shots of this particular cross, which is the first of what appears to be a large prayer garden project. It was H-U-G-E, as if you can't tell from the tiny two people standing near the base of it.  I have some hilarious pictures of Matt running toward me to get this picture, as we had to have the camera on a timer and taking two - yes two - pictures to actually get the entire thing in frame.

This was just a cool (large) piece of art made from scraps (hence the license plate 'Scrappy') and it thought it was so neat that we pulled over on the side of the road to take pictures of it!

We then went to the Pacific Combat Zone guided tour, which I highly recommend.

I just love this phrase....very appropriate for wartime, don't you think?

Then we went around the town square again to get some pictures to commemorate the weekend.......

All in all, it was a wonderful anniversary celebration!

10 Years!

I'm thinking back to 10 years ago, when Dawson Skow, Laura Schrib (now Turner) and David (Pez) Lobban performed this song for Matt and I at our wedding.



For all the changes and craziness that the last 10 years have included, I'm glad that God designed Matt just for me. I know that God is going to do wonderful things with Matt and I in the next 10 years. I simply need to hang on tight, because life with Matt is never anything short of a wild ride!

Happy 10 Year Anniversary hon!

Merry Christmas

Rejoice Lord King Religious Christmas 5x7 folded card

Shop Shutterfly for elegant custom Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Need a gift idea?

How about one that helps others?  How about several?

Our church distributed a Holiday Shopping Guide which included several gift options that would benefit various ministries.  I'll share them in case you're looking for that extra-special gift for someone (excerpts taken from the brochure).

Compassion
Gift of compassion (Any Amount)
Whether you donate towards renovation or sanitization of kitchen facilities or towards potential income generation through pig farming, Compassion will use your contribution to release children and families from poverty in Jesus' name.
Child Sponsorship ($38/month)
Connects your child with a loving, church-based child sponsorship program that provides: food and clean water, medical care, educational opportunities, and important life-skills training. Most important of all, your sponsored child will hear about Jesus Christ and be encouraged to develop a lifelong relationship with God.

Bite Back
One Treated Bed Net ($10/ea)
Malaria starts with a fever and is followed by headaches and vomiting.  If not treated quickly, malaria can overwhelm the body or even infect the brain and cause a coma. At this point, malaria becomes fatal. Children are hit the hardest by malaria, a disease that can keep them from school several weeks a year and weaken their bodies in the process. If untreated, malaria can spread to the brain and quickly kill a child.

Hani Coffee Co.
One pound of Hani Coffee ($16/ea)
Great coffee, changed lives. As a startup company, we're about more than just offering a premium product. We're about investing in people. The beans for our signature roast come from the terraced mountains of Southwest China. Working alongside of the Hani villagers who helped grow and harvest the beans so many enjoy, we partner to provide better medical, educational and clean water opportunities.

SHIP (Shelter the Homeless International Projects)
Orphanage Construction (Any Amount)
In San Salvador, El Salvador, thirty-three children, the Orphanage Director, and his wife live in an abandoned school building that is approximately 1,400 square feet. The building is kept as clean as possible, but the conditions are substandard, the children have little to no room for playing, and there are many safety concerns for this location and building.

Honor Our Troops
Soldier Care Package ($25/ea)
H.O.T. is an organization based out of the Midland/Odessa, Texas area. Our mission is to send care packages to as many service men and women as possible, on a weekly basis.

Missionary Care Packages
Care Packages (Any amount)
Central Baptist Church supports over 30 missionaries serving all over the world. Send a package as a family or with others from your fellowship group and let them know that we love and care about them! Contact the Missions Office at missions@cbcbryan.org for information on sending a care package.  [For those who attend a church other than CBC, contact your church for information on sponsored missionaries.]

Disclaimer: By no means is this an exhaustive list of gift ideas that would be of benefit to others around the globe. This list was compiled b the Missions Ministry of Central Baptist Church.

How are you sharing your Merry Christmas this year?

As for me, I've been all over the place the last few years....carefully written letters detailing highlights of the last year complete with pictures, photo cards, regular Christmas cards, and unfortunately the last couple of years...nothing.

Yes, nothing.

Zero. Zilch. Nada.

It's not because I didn't want to, or even for lack of effort.  In fact, I have one completely written letter that simply never made it to the pages of a printer. I don't lack the motivation, I simply stuggle on the implementation and follow-through.

*Sigh*

Well I'm determined NOT to let that happen again this year.  Although I've sent out birth announcements for Jacey (I do actually have a few stragglers still left to send out), I still want to highlight the events of this memorable year, 'cause hey, my kiddos are adorable (and let's face it...Jacey was born in July, so there's a whole half of a year waiting to be discussed)!

Which leads me to Shutterfly Christmas cards. Yup. I've spent countless hours over the last couple of weeks working on photo gifts from Shutterfly. Let's not discuss it wouldn't have taken me nearly as long if I was more consistent in actually uploading my pictures, but hey...I'm shaking that Mommy guilt right off my shoulders here.  I won't link specifically to my completed projects, simply because that would take the fun out of it for the various recipients, but I am happy to report that I've received two of my three packages already - my calendars and photos for 'old-school' scrapbooking!!  My next project was going to be Christmas cards.  Loe and behold, Shutterfly comes along with a deal for bloggers....all for touting their stuff, which I happen to love and adore anyway, so much so that my mommy guilt takes over when I think about what I haven't put into a photo book yet. Wait. Let me shake that off my shoulders again.

There we go.  Much better.

So I'm here to share the information about the awesomeness that is Shutterfly (in case you aren't already aware!) and in the process receive 50 free Christmas cards from them. 

Anyone want to WHOOP with me on that one?

WHOOP!

There it was....

Ok, so I'm liking the photo Christmas cards because, well, as I've already mentioned, I have some pretty cute kiddos (perhaps I'm a little biased on that one, though). 

Here are some options:

Rejoice Lord King Religious (which I already obviously like because I've already worked it up and have posted about it here)

Family Wall Red

Merry Plaid

Oh What Fun

Peppermint Bliss

Wrapped with Ribbon

My problem is that I have three kiddos, so I either need one good shot of all three of them, or enough spaces for individual pictures.  So whatcha' think?  Which of these formats do you like?

Just to give you some ideas about other photo gifts (in case you need them), we've also ordered coffee mugs in the past (and Matt still regularly drinks from one showing Kellen as a baby, as does his Paw Paw...).

Merry Christmas

Rejoice Lord King Religious Christmas 5x7 folded card

Make a statement with custom Christmas cards at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Thankful and Blessed

25th - Happy Thanksgiving! I am blessed beyond measure and thankful for the three children who ended up in bed with me this morning, and the husband who's already given me snuggles today...and it's still early.  Have a wonderful day!

24th - I'm thankful for my hubby (you didn't think I would leave him out, did you?). He loves me and our kids something fierce, and it just makes my heart melt to watch him wrestle with Kellen, have tea parties with Tatum, and swoon over Jacey. He drives me crazy like no one else, he makes me laugh like no one else, and coming up on our 10 year anniversary, we've certainly had our ups and downs. But we love each other and we keep working on US...and that's what really matters. In a marriage, it's not the destination that counts, but the journey along the way. I'm glad that God designed Matt and I to travel along this journey together.

23rd - Today I'm thankful for my parents. Parents who raised me correctly. Parents who were involved in and took me to church...who sometimes went to a church in a town 45 minutes away so that their kids could be involved in a vibrant youth group. Parents who I'm sure I disappointed greatly, but who still love me immensely. Parents who have had to start over from scratch three times in their life but still managed to provide for me and my brothers. Parents who taught me the value of money, how to be thrifty, how to shop smart and how to stretch a dollar. Parents who are coming to my house today to spend the night and watch my two older kids tomorrow while I go to work. I'm so thankful that I have parents who, after 38 years of marriage, are still in love with each other and model selfless love daily.

22nd - Today I'm thankful that Jacey slept through the night last night. We (I) started night training her (again) last night. We had worked with her quite a bit to get her to the point where she was going to sleep on her own and sleeping pretty well. That all ended after she had croup, because none of us could stand to hear her cry and the croup freaked us all out so much. So...since she's now well over that, I decided it was high time that she learned to fall asleep on her own again. After two hours of her ripping the paci out of her mouth and screaming, she finally fell asleep. And stayed asleep. All night. From about 9:30 last night until after 6 am this morning. I'm thankful for a full nights rest. I didn't realize how much I had missed it until I got it. Funny how that works.

21st - Today I'm thankful for our church. Matt and I worked on the children's ministry during service today as parent helpers...also known as crowd control.  This ministry meets the elementary students where they are, with messages that they can relate to, and gets the kids excited about God and church. They have a variety of mission projects in which the kids can participate, which helps them think beyond the borders of this town, which I think is wonderful!

20th - Today I'm thankful that the Aggies had yet another great win over Nebraska. I'm amazed at the outpouring of support by the Ags...we broke both the TAMU attendance record AND the college football student attendance record. And managed to win without scoring a touchdown. And haven't allowed a touchdown in 6 quarters. I love this school, love being an Aggie, and am so very thankful that this is where God wants me to be right now!

19th - I'm thankful for music. I attending the Skillet/TobyMac concert last night and it was such a wonderful event! My vision of heaven is one where I can praise God while jamming out and dancing....much in the same manner as we did last night, only on a much grander scale.

18th - I'm once again thankful that I am an Aggie. Today marks the 11th anniversary of the Bonfire collapse where 12 Aggies lost their lives. I can't believe it's been 11 years, because I can remember so much about that day like it was only yesterday. Running downstairs in our fourplex to wake up Jules to tell her, phone calls, trips to the hospital, floods of emails from students....the memories. I'm saddened by how much it seems that campus has changed since then...there's a part of the Aggie culture that's gone forever now. But I'm thankful to be part of a university where, regardless of what side of the Bonfire issue you land, there's no question about the support we have for each other....in good times and in bad. Always remember.

17th - Today I'm thankful for a daughter who is growing and thriving! Jacey had her 4-month check up today (there will be a separate post solely for this check-up) and she's doing wonderfully!

16th - Today I'm thankful that there are individuals out there doing exactly what God wants of them. For example, Kellen had the meet the coach night tonight and I was reminded of the incredible time commitment some folks invest to work with my kids. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

15th - Today I'm thankful for a job where people care enough about me and my health to buy light covers for the lights in my office that are supposed to reduce migraines. They were installed today and my office is lit, but much dimmer than it has been for the last 6+ years.

14th - I'm thankful for quiet and restful Sunday afternoons. The kind of days where, after church, one kid naps, the other works on Sparks and practices his scripture, and you sit in a chair holding your infant, doing your Bible study, while the TV plays (or doesn't...whatever) in the background and you just ENJOY EACH OTHER AND THE MOMENT. There is a reason God designed a day of rest...and I would be well-served to remember that more often!


13th - I'm thankful today for my in-laws. I am so fortunate not to have any of the somewhat 'normal' (but oh-so-unfortunate) in-law issues that many folks seem to face nowadays. They love me as if I was one of their own kids, and adore my children...doing for our family so often and spoiling not only the kids, but me! Today, thank you for the sunglasses, shoes, top and pretty toes!!
--As a bonus thankful...I'm thankful that the Aggies pulled off a win over the Baylor Bears!
--I'm also thankful for the brownies, ice cream and chocolate syrup that helped me through watching the bizarreness that was that football game!

12th - I'm thankful for hot chocolate on a cool day. Shallow perhaps, but it's nice to take time to be thankful for the little things, right?

11th - Today I'm thankful for veterans. Those folks who give of themselves so that I, and others around me, can do whatever it is that we do. A I would like to give a special thank you to my countless uncles and counsins who have served and are serving, and a specific thank you to my daddy (Air Force) and my hubby (Marine).

10th - I'm thankful today that Kellen is meeting with our paster to discuss getting baptized. He's not a perfect kid, but I'm not a perfect mom and we certainly don't live in a perfect world. It's a good thing we both realize that the one good and perfect person in the world died for us!

9th - I'm thankful that, right now, my kids get along wonderfully. I am under no illusion that this will always be the case, but I'm sure enjoying it now! (Note: this is not to say that they don't fuss with each other, but they genuinely like each other, and I can't ask for more!)

8th - I'm thankful that on a cool day, with iced and foggy windshields, that I have a vehicle. One that fits all my kids, their car seats/booster seats and their gear. One that fits a few more people, even with my family loaded. One that starts regularly. One that has working brakes (odd thankful, you might think...except in high school my boat didn't always have reliable brakes and I'm always thankful when brakes work consistently). One that is, in general, in good working order. One that gets me from point A to point Z (not B, because I have 3 kids and there is no such thing as a simple trip any more).

7th - I am thankful for friends. Friends that you see a lot, and those that you don't. Friends that no matter how long it has been since you've seen them or talked, when you do it's as if no time has lapsed at all. Friends that you don't have to clean your house for. Friends that know you inside and out, and still love you. Friends that call you to the carpet and hold you accountable.

6th - I am thankful that I went to A&M. I am part of a culture unlike any other. One where a ring and a common experience connects you to others. It's a large network and a small world, and I love running into Ags wherever I go. I'm looking forward to the football game tonight. Gig 'em, Aggies!

5th - I'm thankful for my job. I love, love, love my job. I get to interact with students every day all day, and it keeps me young (not that I'm old or anything, just to clarify). As an advisor, I meet students where they are and help them move to where they need to be. It's a longer journey for some than others, but I love the adventures along the way. God continually confims to me that I'm exactly where He wants me to be, doing what He wants me to be doing. And can it get any better than that?

4th - I am thankful for Jacey. She's the child I never knew I always wanted. Our oops baby. And I can't imagine our life without her. She's a sweet baby. An easy going baby. A baby who will clearly communicate to you when something is wrong (when she's wet, dirty, hungry, etc), but other than that will just laugh and smile at you. She has a great laugh. She has a wonderful smile. My heart melts when she looks at me and smiles that big ole smile of hers and coos to me. She loves her brother and sister, and loves snuggling with all of us. I love her precious baby smell...the smell that makes me want to just inhale her hair and skin because it smells so wonderful. I would be content to sit and hold her for hours - and she would let me. She has baby soft hands and a strong grip, and I'm reminded that she's been entrusted to me to raise when she grabs hold of my finger and doesn't let go. She's not quite as adventurous and her brother and sister, not liking it too terribly much when Daddy plays with her in his rough-and-tumble daddy way. In that respect she is very different than her siblings. She's made me throw some of my 'I'll never....' out the window, and that's ok. She still doesn't sleep through the night, VERY different from her brother and sister, who were doing so consistently at 6 and 7 weeks old, and that's ok, too. She's brought out a protective nature in Kellen and Tatum that I don't think existed in this magnitude before, and I love to watch them both interact with her. I'm so glad that God knows what I need way more than I do, and I'm glad that He decided we needed another kiddo!

3rd - I'm thankful for Tatum. She's a wonderful mixture of girly girl, complete with all things pink and beautiful long hair, and tomboy. She'll be the first to try something out, slide down a huge slide, zip line right there with the 'big kids' and shake it off when she has a bump or bruise. She's stubborn and strong willed, which will serve her well later in life when she has to stand up for what she believes in. She loves making Mommy and Daddy proud, which she did yesterday when she got a wonderfully awesome Happy Note from school. She adores her brother, and wants to do everything he does. She dotes on her sister, wanting to help with her, hold her, give her lots of hugs and kisses and even share her toys. She loves to play dress up. She loves her stuffed animals and her lovey, and she loves, loves, loves to read. She likes coloring, crafts, and playing with Play-doh. She likes cats (which is odd because we don't have one and she's rarely been around then) and acts like a kitty cat quite often. She loves tea parties and playing in her kitchen. She reminds us to say night-night prayers with her and gets upset if we forget and is the first to say our 'good morning' prayers on the way to school. Despite the current discipline issues Matt and I seem to be having with her, she is a great little girl and I'm so blessed to have her!

2nd - I'm thankful for my son. He's all boy. He likes to play sports and try different things. He has an amazing and compassionate heart. (His Sunday school class is collecting toys, so he decided to go through them and prep some to donate to kids in the hospital because 'they need toys to play with in the hospital, and I have other toys'. He tried to convince his sister to do the same, telling her, "Giving things to other kids will make your heart happy!") He loves the Lord and was saved last week, and will soon be speaking with our pastor about getting baptized. He got upset at a kid at school for drawing a picture of Jesus in the clouds getting shot and falling to the earth, because "...you shouldn't draw things like that about Jesus and it really made me upset". He's smart - super smart. He likes to invent and build things (like robots out of cardboard). He loves to read. He likes superheroes. Did I mention he loves to read? His book of choice at night is his Sparks book or his Bible. He gives hugs and kisses for no reason. He plays with his sister(s) and puts up with Tatum's antics. He makes lunches for Tatum (and sometimes me) every day...he helps her with breakfast and helps with Jacey as much as he possibly can. I am so blessed and thankful to have the son I do!

1st - I'm thankful that I've been saved by a God who knows me and loves me anyway. One who loved me so much that He sent His perfect Son to die for all the yucky things I have done, ever will do, or even think about doing. One whose love won't change no matter what I do - or don't do.

Thankful

23rd - Today I'm thankful for my parents. Parents who raised me correctly. Parents who were involved in and took me to church...who sometimes went to a church in a town 45 minutes away so that their kids could be involved in a vibrant youth group. Parents who I'm sure I disappointed greatly, but who still love me immensely. Parents who have had to start over from scratch three times in their life but still managed to provide for me and my brothers. Parents who taught me the value of money, how to be thrifty, how to shop smart and how to stretch a dollar. Parents who are coming to my house today to spend the night and watch my two older kids tomorrow while I go to work. I'm so thankful that I have parents who, after 38 years of marriage, are still in love with each other and model selfless love daily.

22nd - Today I'm thankful that Jacey slept through the night last night. We (I) started night training her (again) last night. We had worked with her quite a bit to get her to the point where she was going to sleep on her own and sleeping pretty well. That all ended after she had croup, because none of us could stand to hear her cry and the croup freaked us all out so much. So...since she's now well over that, I decided it was high time that she learned to fall asleep on her own again. After two hours of her ripping the paci out of her mouth and screaming, she finally fell asleep. And stayed asleep. All night. From about 9:30 last night until after 6 am this morning. I'm thankful for a full nights rest. I didn't realize how much I had missed it until I got it. Funny how that works.

See the first three weeks here

Thankful...winding down

I've gotten so much of out this project, that I might reserve at least one day a week to try and continue to remind myself to be thankful for what I have...We all need added incentive to be thankful and content, don't we?

22nd - Today I'm thankful that Jacey slept through the night last night. We (I) started night training her (again) last night. We had worked with her quite a bit to get her to the point where she was going to sleep on her own and sleeping pretty well. That all ended after she had croup, because none of us could stand to hear her cry and the croup freaked us all out so much. So...since she's now well over that, I decided it was high time that she learned to fall asleep on her own again. After two hours of her ripping the paci out of her mouth and screaming, she finally fell asleep. And stayed asleep. All night. From about 9:30 last night until after 6 am this morning. I'm thankful for a full nights rest. I didn't realize how much I had missed it until I got it. Funny how that works.

Read the rest of the month here