JT's 8th birthday

What a fun day we had celebrating JT's 8th birthday. We had decided that we would have a smaller birthday celebration this year. Toy Story 3 came out the day before his birthday and he really wanted a few friends to come and spend the night and go to the movie with him. We had a blast!

He had 4 friends come over on Friday night. We order pizza and watched Toy Story 1. The next morning we had a yummy breakfast and watched Toy Story 2. The boys were excited about getting to go the the theatre and see the new movie in 3-D!!! We left our house and went and had Chick-fil-a for lunch and then headed to the movie!

Everyone really enjoyed the movie! I think that they were all tired. They had not gone to bed before 11:00 the night before because JT was getting his new BUNK BED set up. The man was suppose to have it set up before 5:00 p.m. (the time the boys were coming) He didn't even get here to start setting it up until 6:30 p.m. and didn't leave until 11:00 p.m. What a LONG time!! It did provide the boys with lots of entertainment!!

We ended his birthday by celebrating with family and close friends!! What a great day!!

LS and Mommy at Cooking Class

Another fun treat of the trip to Amelia was the opportunity for LS and I to get to go to a pastry cooking class. It happened to be the same day that MJ had to get stiches. I went with MJ to the Urgent Care and LS went with another sweet mother and daughter to the cooking class. I got to the cooking class for the last 3o minutes. I was so thankful to be able to be with her for the last bit. I had been looking forward to spending time with her doing things that we both love to do!!

The class was taught by a pastry chef that went to the . LS thought that was most impressive. She taught our class how to make an Opera Torte. LS did a beautiful job! I was very proud of her. I had several of the adults tell me that she did a fantastic job and that she Asked really thought provoking questions.

I really hope that we get to do more of this kind of thing.

MJ's excitement in Amelia Island

Our family went to Amelia Island the first part of June for a business convention. We had a great time! The weather was wonderful and we all had a really good time. The 3rd day we were there MJ was swinging between 2 tables at breakfast and bumped her lip on the table. She busted it open and had to have 3 stitches. She was a real trooper. I was very proud of her. I went with her to the Urgent Care and kept her eyes covered so that she couldn't see the 3 shots that they put in her lip to numb it---plus them actually putting in the stitches. The doctor did a great job!! We are so thankful!

MJ became a SUPER STAR!! The manager of the hotel restaurant was absolutely a dear!! She sent a sand bucket up to our room full of all kinds of neat things. The next morning in the dinning room everyone wanted to see little MJ and ask her to tell them the story.

Grammy and Papa sent MJ a care package also. She got an adorable stuffed frog that she named stitches. She still snuggles him and sleeps with him. They also sent her sticker books to help her have something to do since she couldn't be in the sun and get her lip wet for 24 hours.

What a week!!

We have had a crazy week!! I will be able to blog more hopefully on Thursday. I have several recipe ideas and lots of updates of the kiddos. See ya' Thursday hopefully.

Chick-fil-a

Our kids LOVE chick-fil-a. If you ever ask them where they would like to go to eat they say "CHICK-FIL-A" at the top of their lungs. LS doesn't really love chick-fil-a--she says that she is tired of eating there so much and really I agree with her.

We have really dear friends, Fax and Jenny, are in the process of being owner/operators for Chick-Fil-A. They gave all the kids these shirts for Christmas. Jenny was our babysitter for several years. She started babysitting right after BG was born. She was such a HUGE help to me. She would go with me to the grocery store, to Walmart and to get my hair cut. She really helped me ease into being a mommy of 3 kids--with 2 little ones. I am forever thankful to her. When she and Fax got married, JT was the ring bearer and BG was the flower girl. It was the perfect thing for each of them. JT called Jenny his Jenny and BG LOVED Fax.

We wish that they lived much closer and that we could see them more often.

In the mean time I am very sure that we will EAT MORE CHICKEN!!!

A New Favorite Past Time

I have really begun to enjoy watching birds--esp. when they are building their nests. I love how the mama and daddy wren will work so hard together to build the nest and protect it.

My new interest started last spring (2009) A mama wren built her nest in the wreath on my front door. I watched her many, many times during the day as she and daddy wren worked so hard on their nest. Then I watched her lay an egg a day for 6 days. One day she laid two eggs so there was a totally of seven eggs. It really amazed me how she was able to fit all those tiny eggs in such a tiny nest.

I had done my research on how long she would sit on the nest before the baby birds were hatched and then how long they would be in the nest. I was amazed at how very short the time was that I would have them to watch.

It thrilled my heart to go and check on her every day. I realized that the door opening and closing was not a good thing for the little mama and her nest so I locked the glass door and kept the front door locked. The kids were told NOT to go out the front door but to use the garage door instead.

Lovey,our cat, had realized that the birds were always on the wreath and she would stay very close to that door. One day Scott saw something happen in the cul-de-sac that needed his quick attention. He hurried out the front door and didn't know to tell me to re-lock it. (I should have told him the whole locked door idea) Lovey, the cat, took that as a prime time to push against the door over and over again letting the wreath hit up against the glass door. This caused the nest to fall on the porch and all the eggs to break. I could hear the sad and panic cry of the birds and ran to the porch to see the mess and Lovey smelling and looking all around to see where her prize was.

I was heart broken. I cried and cried. Someone told me (I think it was my mother but not really sure) the analogy of where we build our house, on the sand or on the rock. It was a great opportunity for me to teach my children about things of this world that might look safe but really if we look closer we will see the danger and pit falls that are there.

SPRING 2010

I have eagerly awaited the arrival of spring and the hopes of another mama and daddy bird building their nest on my porch. My mom gave me this great bird house that suctions to your window where you can watch the birds build a nest from the inside out. What a neat idea. However the birds didn't like that idea this year. (Maybe because I put it on my laundry room window and I am in there ALL the time!!

This year they choose to build a nest up in the corner of the front porch. A much safer place. I have loved going to my front porch or looking out the laundry room window to see the progress of these sweet birds. The one huge disadvantage for me is that it is up too high and I can't see the eggs or new baby birds. I am eagerly awaiting their birth and hoping to be able to see them learn to fly.

Another set of birds built a nest in the shelves in our garage behind a WD 40 can. I kept telling Scott I thought they were building a nest somewhere in the garage and he couldn't see it and didn't think so. I would see the mama or daddy bird fly out of the garage and back in several times during the day. Today when we were doing our yard work outside we could see the mama bird fly in with a worm in her beak and hear the sweet sound of baby birds.

Thank you Lord for Spring and NEW LIFE. Thank you for allowing us to be able to watch the wonder of this happen before our eyes---and ears.

A Family Garden

Today was a wonderful day!! I LOVED today. Our family spent most of the day in the yard planting flowers. We totally redid 2 flower beds and transplanted many other plants. We went to a local nursery that I just love. Thyme after Thyme, the nursery, is a place of peace for me. This was actually the second time I have been there this week. I took my husband and three younger children with me today. I really wanted Scott to help me pick the flowers for the gardens. He took pictures with his blackberry (okay so the blackberry is good for ONE thing :o) ) and we showed Heather, the very helpful lady at the nursery, them. I was able to tell her what I had in mind and she led me to plants that are perennial and full of wonderful color all summer long! (you have to love that!)









Flower bed before



On our way back home we picked up our oldest from a sleep over and we all got ready to work in the yard.
To be totally honest--the younger three could really care less about working in the yard but they totally LOVED playing in the little swimming pool.

Scott, LS and I spent a good bit of time pulling overgrown mint out of the beds and getting them ready to till up. It was a lot of work. Finally, we had the beds ready to plant. We made the bed that is outside the play yard, one that you see when you pull down the driveway, a rose garden. We put knock out roses that are a beautiful pink along the back fence. Between the roses we put 4 different types of perennials of different colors. I think we put a salmon color, white, golden yellow, and a purple. They are stunning. To finish the bed off we put four dwarf rudbeckias. I LOVE THIS BED!!

We made the bed in the play yard a kitchen herb garden. Scott picked out the herbs for this. He planted basil, several different varieties, cilantro, thyme, chives and a few others. I know that I will use it a lot. Esp. the basil!

We also planted a couple of planters for the front porch. I am really excited about how everything is coming together!

We worked really hard to do but it was well worth it. It was great family time, great exercise and it really helped the look of the yard!!