Dates! - Biggest Blessing 4

James and I each had a date this weekend with the kids. James and Caroline went out, and Jack and I also enjoyed a date. I love dates with the kids! It is so much fun and they seem to really enjoy it too.

Caroline and I before we are taken out by two really awesome guys!

James and Caroline enjoyed a fun lunch at Moe's and then enjoyed shopping at five stores (although all they bought was the Fireproof movie DVD). They had fun hanging out and talking.

As this is my blog, I can really only talk about my date with Jack. We went to his favorite restaurant, Steak and Shake. Before we left, Jack said, "Mommy, can you please wear something pink on our date. You look so pretty when you wear pink." Where does he get this stuff? After I got dressed, he also had to pick out my jewelry, a bracelet with hearts on it (because it was a Valentine's Day date) and pink earrings. When we got to the restaurant he insisted on opening the doors and asking for a table for 2. He also had to order us a chocolate milkshake with a cherry on top and two straws. Someday he'll make an awesome date for some lucky lady!

We talked about the dinosaurs we had seen yesterday and then the conversation turned to the future. Interesting conversation with a five-year old to have. Jack told me he was going to marry Sarah Crouse when he became big. After they were married, he was going to pray and ask Jesus for babies in Sarah's tummy (his knowledge of how babies are made) and they were going to have three - one boy, named John and two girls, one named Sally, the other one named Maddie. (hope Sarah likes those names). He was going to be a vet when he grew up so he can have money in a wallet and pay for things. After Sarah has children, she will stay home with the babies for about 6 months. He said, she will probably hold the babies on her lap, while she gets online and puts pictures of the children on the blog. (no joke, he said this ~ guess he watches me a bit too much). He also said he will drive a blue mustang and Sarah will have a green Honda. Neither one will have lids they will be convertibles). All their children will have to sit in carseats and be buckled up each time they get in the car. Maddie's birthday is going to be October 6th. And for her 2nd birthday she is going to have a ballerina birthday cake. I'm not sure if I'm impressed he thought this all out in such detail or scared to death that he thought it out in such detail. It definitely lets me know he is watching everything we do. He said, his job at night will be to fix the glasses for the kids to drink and to do the dishes after dinner and pray with the kids and put them to bed. (just like what his daddy does each night). So I know he is taking it all in.

What a joy it was to spend time with my sweet boy, who gave me a glimpse that he is growing up far too fast. After lunch, we went to the Dollar Store and Jack bought a kite we enjoyed flying after lunch. Such fun! Even if it was a cheap kite that we had to throw away when we were through.

Love dates with our kids. Memories very much worth it! I look forward to the next one!

Everyone do the Dinosaur.....

Yesterday we spent the day at Fernbank National History Museum. Yesterday was the Grand Opening of their new exhibit on dinosaurs. We watched the new IMAX movie on Dinosaurs that was super cool and educational too! Here are some of our fun pictures!

Next to the large Triceratops head

Looking at dinosaur teeth and claws!

Watching how the T-Rex actually runs

Jack comparing his hand to the dinosaur footprint!

Whose nose is bigger?
Caroline and Jack looking at some really neat dinosaur models

Caroline next to an amethyst Geode

Jack comparing the claw of a dinosaur to wear it goes on the T-Rex model.

Caroline, James and Jack after a fun day - pretty tired out!

Spoken like a true man....

We are in the process of a getting a new van. Well...new to us. After driving around the current van with its broken rear tail light, interior lights that come on whenever you turn a corner or go up a hill, weird brake sounds, doors that don't close unless slammed, cup holders that won't hold cups anymore, etc. (what can I say it is 9 years old and we drive cars until they literally fall apart), we are super excited. We didn't think it would be possible right now, but due to a deal we are getting from my parents (it's their van) and the bank, we can do it now. That being said..... here are Jack's thoughts on it yesterday morning...

Jack: "I don't think we should buy MaMa's van."

Me: "Why not? It's a nice van."

Jack: "I think we should buy a Mustang. A blue one with no lid on it. They are way cooler and faster than a van."

Me: "Well, the van has a DVD player in it so you can watch movies."

Jack: "Still not as cool as a Mustang."

...such a boy.....

Doing the Snow Dance

As the rest of the country sits under a blanket of snow and ice, we here down in Hotlanta have barely had a cold day, much less a Snow Day. It is the prayer of every child in the south to see just one day of snow each year. We don't need a lot, just a bit. There is a slight (very slight) chance of snow to come through tonight. So following old folklore, we decided to partake in the age old Snow Dance.

You have to put on pajamas, wear them inside out, dance like crazy and scream into the freezer 5 times "Snow, Snow, Snow, Snow, SNOW!!!!!!!!"

For purely documentation purposes, and to prove we did our part to try and have a snow day (and thus a day off from school!) here is our version of the Snow Dance.

Jack decided to not just put his pajamas inside out, but backwards too! (can't hurt!)

Caroline and Jack dancing together (to a song from Happy Feet - seeing as the movie took place on the snow and ice!)

Screaming into the freezer!!!

We'll let you know tomorrow if it works!!!

Biggest Blessing Blog - Week 3 - Po Puppy

I'm a week behind.. Oh well that is the kind of weeks we've been having.


My biggest blessing this week is our sweet new puppy, Po.

What a joy this sweet pup is. So playful, fun, cuddly and darn cute to boot! He has already added a lot to our family and I look forward to him' being a special part of our family. I love the giggles and laughter that come from my children as Po nibbles their toes. Not a better sound anywhere....


My sister, Heather and her family, were so generous to let us have one of their dog's sweet puppies for not much more than a song and a dance. We are very grateful to y'all!



Here are a few of the 100 or so pictures we've taken of Po (got to document for posterity!)

With Jack

And Caroline

Learning to shake?????

Why chew your new chew toy, when perfectly good shoes are lying around.

Now if we can just get him house trained....

Biggest Blessing Blog - Week 2 - My Fun Kids

My entire life I always wanted to be a mom. It was something I dreamt about, thought about, planned for. I went through my 20's without a husband or children. So when I finally met my James and shortly after we got married, I was blessed to become pregnant, the awesome journey being a mom began. To have some really fun kids has been great too. It is my biggest blessing this week!

There are a lot of things that I will probably focus on with my kids over the course of this 52 week blessing blog - but this week... I want to focus on how fun my kids are. Looking back over the course of this blog at all the fun things we do together I am truly a blessed mom. Both Caroline and Jack have wonderful imaginations and it is a joy to watch them interact with each other. They say funny things, play well together and love to hang out as a family. Here are some things that happened just in the last 24 hours.....

Playing Rock Band with James....

Sunday morning fort

Playing in the fortHanging out with my fun kids - My blessing for this week!

Biggest Blessing Blog - Week 1

Some friends of mine were talking about doing a weekly scrapbook page of those things that were their greatest blessing week by week over the course of the year. At the end of the year, you would have 52 things to look back and reflect on that were a blessing to them. I love the idea, but not being a scrapbooker, I decided to do mine in blog format and at the end of the year, I'll make a blog book! If you would like to join me in blogging about your greatest blessing week-by-week, that would be awesome! Let me know if you do, I'd love to read about what is blessing you!

New Beginnings
New year, new goals, new relationships, new beginnings. The biggest blessing I have experienced this week is getting a fresh start, a new start, a new chance to try again, a New Beginning!

I love the first day of January, when you pull out a brand new calendar for the upcoming year. Nothing on it. Empty. Full of promise, ideas, plans, dreams....new! New Beginnings.

It has been a blessing for me this week to start getting up and exercising. Not that I like doing it or have really enjoyed it at all. (I am not an exerciser by nature). But, having gotten up at 5:15 am to exercise is a blessing to me. I like feeling those sore ab muscles and thigh muscles that let me know that my early morning rising has not been in vain. That my muscles are strengthening and stretching. Renewing my good eating habits after a couple of weeks of indulgence during the holidays. A new beginning on an old goal, to keep pushing and striving towards my plan to become healthy and lose the remaining weight that I want to shed. New Beginnings.

To be reminded about the the new beginnings that comes from forgiveness when we do something wrong or hurt someone. I was shown forgiveness this week and it was a wonderful reminder of how much I am loved. I also had the opportunity to show forgiveness and that is a huge blessing as well. That forgiveness allows for a new beginning ~ a fresh beginning on a current relationship/friendship. Jack and I talked this week about how when we do something wrong and ask for forgiveness that the Lord remembers it no more, He doesn't hold it against us or remind us "Remember you did this two weeks ago, and I forgave you then, why can't you get it straight." We get a total do-over, a chance to try again. New Beginnings.

New Beginnings....My Biggest Blessing this week!