21 Days

School and basketball is back in full swing and so my time relaxing checking out Facebook, Pinterest, and my favorite blogs is very limited.  Not to mention, baseball has started up as well!  Some probably think we are crazy with all the busyness and yes sometimes it does drive me crazy, but I wouldn't change it for anything.  Last night we were talking while I cooked dinner and I asked the boys what they thought Dad and I were going to do after they were done playing sports.  Austin quickly shrugged his shoulders and said "Get a dog like Mamaw and sit and watch TV".  He makes us laugh so much!

Well, we are on day 17 of a 21 day fast that was spear headed by our churchwww.woodlakeag.org.  Larry and the boys gave up pop and I am doing the Daniel Fast.  We did this last year, but I guess I didn't do it with the right intentions last year because this year seems very different.  As a family we talked about what fasting was and as a family we decided on what we would be believing God for in our lives.  I also, shared with Larry what I was believing for.  And I can say that when the temptations come to break the fast, I just pray and believe God for what I am asking.  Then it becomes much easier.  And the temptations have come....baby shower at school with my favorite cake, cake pops for one of my student's birthdays, birthday dinner for my niece and brother-in-law that included my mother-in-laws yummy meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots, homemade cinnamon rolls (that we only get a couple times a year) and of course Merrit's birthday cake. I was very good and only ate the green beans and carrots!  This next week I will endure our January birthday luncheon which always has such yummy desserts and casseroles.  This will come on day 19 or 21 days, so I will be strong and bring my lunch and stay out of the teacher's lounge!

My favorite part of this fast has been watching my boys.  We don't let them have a ton of pop, but they do enjoy it.  And they have been so great!  Austin went with my dad to get gas before Cole's game last week. My dad was so amazed when he asked him if he wanted a drink.  Austin's reply was "I am fasting pop, but I will take something else".  Cole came to me last week and informed me he would be going to the AR party on Friday for going above his reading goal.  He was concerned because it was a "pop and chip" party (6th graders' favorite things) and could he take a bottle of water  for it.  I quickly hugged him and said yes.  I did tell him that if he had a little bit of pop as a reward for his hard work, then it would be ok.  He said he would think about it.  Who knows what he decided, but I was thrilled he was willing to be different from others because of his commitment.

I have no pictures of us to post, so I will post some of the yummy things I have been eating on this fast.

 I made the broccoli with some yukon potatoes.  I put olive oil and garlic salt on them.  YUM!!!

And here is the first things I plan to make on Sunday!

I am ready to bake and eat cereal, but I know God will bring Breakthrough in my family's life....so I will be patient!

Christmas Eve Festivities

We spent Christmas Eve afternoon with Meme and Papa and the rest of Larry's family.  Since Ron has a big house we have gone over there for most family gatherings.  Lunch was wonderful as usual! And we topped it off with Meme's cinnamon rolls for tradition's sake! YUM!

Papaw and Meme tried to trick Larry with a train box holding his gift card to Academy!  Larry and Austin thought it was a good trick!

We didn't make it to Christmas Eve service due to festivities at Uncle Ron's but we went to Nana and Papa's for finger foods and presents!  It was great to have Dallas, Sarah and the boys with us for both Thanksgiving and Christmas!  I hate when they are gone but know they are enjoying time with Sarah's family. This year we took turns opening presents (at least the kids did) so Nana could watch her boys open presents.  This was a great lesson in patience but it was really fun that we all got to see everyone open all their gifts!

 Rhett was first and he was so fun to watch.  His facial expressions were priceless!

Rhett would throw the paper and sometimes the gift at Uncle Larry when he was done.

Jude went next....he was so busy it was hard to get a pic of him facing me!

Austin was 3rd and he loved everything.  Here he is sporting his new glove from Uncle Dave!

 Nana and Santa got them a Kinect to go with their XBOX!

 Last but not least....Cole!  Rhett did so good watching and helping!

Braves fan!

And Pokes fan too!  Thank you Aunt Sarah (and Uncle Dallas)!  And the hat was from Nana which he wore for the rest of the evening!

Pre-Christmas Activities

Amazingly we have celebrated another Christmas!  I am in awe of how quickly it comes and goes.  As I was boxing up my stuff (on December 26th), I was reminded that so many people box up Christmas literally and figuratively.  I hope to never find myself doing this.  My world would be so  different out of control without Christ.  I am thankful for his birth, death and resurrection so I can have direct access to the thrown of God whenever I want!

I haven't had a lot of time to do any entries so before I go back to work, I am going to post several over a couple of days!

It used to bug me that Larry wanted to put the tree and trimmings away the day after Christmas.  But I just start decorating a little earlier (before Thanksgiving!) and I have grown to love getting things back in order!

We Larry didn't do any outside lights this year, so Austin insisted that we buy the "hangy-down" lights for next year.  Being the bargain shopper that I am training him to be, he wanted to hit Wal-Mart on the 26th to get some for next year....and we did!

Larry is notorious for figuring out his gifts and I spent our first Christmas mad at him for opening his gifts while I was at work and then re-wrapping them.  If he would have just kept that to himself, I would have never known.  This is what makes Christmas fun for him....ugh! Well after almost 15 years, I have learned to just get over it!  This year was no different.  I had ordered him and the boys some new Nike's online and purposely ordered them separately so when the box came the boys' shoes would be there and not his.  Well that worked out but he got home before me the next day and found his on the porch.  He opened them, tried them on and informed me that evening that he loved them!  So, even though I told him he could go ahead and have them, he waited and let me wrap them so he could open them on Christmas.

He got the stomach bug a few days before Christmas and I finally got approval for specials on Oakley sunglasses since he is a police officer.  So, with our upcoming anniversary, I ordered him some.  I thought this might be good, cause he wouldn't expect that for our anniversary.  But once again, he figured it out.  We went out to dinner for my birthday (late due to Austin having stomach bug on my b-day) and he insisted we go pick me out something for Christmas.  I repeatedly told him I only got him the shoes and he eventually spills out that he saw an email that his sunglasses had shipped and he loved them!  He never checks emails!  But he did this time and once again spoiled the surprise.  Oh, well!  It's what makes him who he is....even though it makes me crazy!

Here they are....$180 sunglasses for $90!  Love good deals

We did an Advent calendar this year filled with activities to do as a family.  We tried to get them all in but that stomach bug tried to ruin some of our fun.  Some of my favorites were sharing your favorite Christmas memory, drinking hot cocoa together, watching a Christmas movie, going to see Christmas lights, buying gifts for kids in need (boys were most excited about this since it was for some needy kids they knew personally) and camping out all night in front of the Christmas tree!

CAMPING OUT!

Austin decorating sugar cookies to go in gifts for our neighbors!

 Can you ever have too many sprinkles?

Cole making his favorite....Chocolate chip cookies to add to our gift bags for the neighbors!

It was especially hard for Austing to not peek...he must get that from someone.  I think he did look because he couldn't wait til the 24th because it was "open 1 gift".

Here is the 1 gift...and I got to choose which one!

They were hoping for something fun....but new jammies are a tradition!

More to come!

I CANNOT HAVE A 12 YEAR OLD!!!

Is it possible? Is it really possible that my first born baby boy is now 12?  I have no idea where the time has gone.  It truly seems like yesterday that Larry and I were trying to figure out just what to do with the small 6 pound gift God gave us.  He was not a sleeper and I spent many nights wondering how I was going to possibly go to work and stay awake for a classroom full of kiddos.  With Larry working nights, it was all me during the night and I spent many praying that Cole would "please go to sleep"!  I can't say I miss the sleepless nights, but I do miss the baby years.  Now I am finding it hard to wake the boy up to go to school.  Oh how times have changed.

But one thing remains.....Cole is still my cuddle-er.  He still unknowingly rubs my arm when he is tired or sick and my mind races back.  Nightly he says "Mom come sit with me" and we cuddle.  I know he will eventually grow out of this, but I hope not too soon.  (I guess it would be kinda weird when he's 20!)

Here are some of my favorite pics of my sweet Cole!

 This was early in the summer....

 ....this was in late July on vacation.  He is my little brownie!

Yes, it is sideways cause he was hanging sideways off the bed!

We celebrated Cole's birthday last weekend.  He got introduced to paintball last winter and has said that he wanted to do his next birthday party there.  It was a little delayed but we finally celebrated!  So glad he had a great time!

 Larry gets ready to go!

 Cole and his friends....Charlie, Alex, Brooks and Riley....getting ready to take on the dads and Austin and Colton.

Uncle Dave surrenders!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET COLE!!!