So many Christmas memories...

We have been so very blessed to have wonderful families to share our holiday season with...We made lasting memories once again. We tried to capture the "moments" in pictures, but some memories will just stay in our hearts forever! (Thanks to all of our family members that made Christmas extra special for us...We love you ALL and are thankful that you are in our lives!) Thought that I would share some of our Christmas fun with you... my blogging friends. Hope that you all had a memorable Christmas!

christmas 08

Merry Christmas and blessings to all!

Enjoying the holidays...

We are SO in the Christmas spirit around our house(with the exception of the flu bug that hit us!)....WE have been up to lots of holiday fun...decorating, baking, parties, shopping, visiting with friends and family....I enjoy it all!
I always "catch" the spirit of Christmas at the annual church ladies' Christmas party, hosted at Mother's beautifully decorated house...Everything sparkles and glows there(a tree in EVERY room, mind you!)and you leave feeling festive! I enjoy helping her out by doing some holiday baking. Sis Melba Sams(our dear Conference President's wife) gave us a wonderful devotional and we ladies bonded over fun, food and fellowship!

ladies christmas party 08

Then several of our friends and family members went to a Gaither Homecoming concert where there was Christmas in the air....from the beautiful Christmas songs that were sung to the lovely snowfall that fell that evening...it was a perfect night out!
There was Corey and Cassie's Christmas piano recital...they did a great job! I love hearing their beautiful piano renditions at this time of the year!

recital 08

We also celebrated my nephew, Nathan's, 21st birthday....a special milestone for a special young man!

nate's 21st birthday

Our church celebrated Christmas on Sunday...Those pics will probably show up on the church website soon! We had a wonderful day!
We have some more fun things planned....a Christmas fieldtrip for the kids, more parties and celebrations , but thought that I would share a few pictures! Don't forget the REAL "Reason for the Season"! God is SO good!

Happy Thanksgiving!

My "life~goal" is to be happy, thankful and content. It is not always easy in this busy, sometimes~stressful lifestyle of 2008; however, God has blessed ALL of us in different ways~~He is amazingly good! What a wonderful time to give Him thanks! Hope that all of my blogging friends will have a special Thanksgiving day....We will share the day with Indy family and eat lots of yummy, traditional Thanksgiving food. We plan to make homemade candy and may even play a game or two (Danny and I just saw the game "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?"...I think that we might purchase it...that could be interesting! :)). Anyway....Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Thought that I would share a verse that is special to me...
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING,present your requests to God, and the PEACE of God, which transcends all understanding, will gaurd your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:6-7 NIV.

Happy 40th Birthday, Danny

As a girl I dreamed of someday meeting a young man that not only would make my heart go pitter~patter but that would treat me with love, respect and thoughtfulness. God sent me that gift in Danny.(Ever heard of a big teddy-bear?) He is a #1 husband and father. He is also my best friend. He leads our family with his hand in God's...He exudes kindness to all of us. Thanks for being you, Danny! Hope that you have a special birthday...Welcome to the "40's".....You make "40" look great, Babe! Love you!

Fall fun...

Football, colorful clothes, festivities with friends, and playing in the leaves...A slice of chocolate cake(or apples dipped in hot caramel), the smell of vanilla spice or cinnamon candles, toasting your hands with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee on a cool, crisp day...These are a few of our favorite "fall" things! Hope that EACH of you are having a fantastic, "cozy" fall season! May you feel God's peace each and every day...(Can't believe that Christmas is just around the corner!)

fall 2008

Go McCain/Palin!!

We had the privilege of attending the Palin "Road to Victory" Rally that took place in Noblesville, IN on Friday. How FUN to be in an excited crowd of about 25,000 Republicans...all sharing the same values and dreams for America! Sarah is an inspiring, classy lady and we came away with hope in our hearts! Go McCain/Palin! Here are a few pictures!

Palin Rally

Church Camping Trip...

God blessed us with PERFECT weather for the annual church camping trip this past weekend! We had a beautiful, wooded camp site in Brown County State Park...The air turned crisp under the starry sky but a roaring campfire kept us toasty warm(at least until we made our way into our tents! :)).Fun included singing and great conversation around the fire, a late~night hike through the woods, a day hike around the lake, cornhole, bocce, football, table games, etc. The food was fabulous...It always seems to taste better when eaten out in God's Creation! Everyone pitched in to bring the trimmings for hotdogs and hamburgers and a breakfast of bacon, eggs and doughnuts. Snacks included lots of yummy treats but the campfire popcorn and banana boats(a totally delicious concoction of bananas, marshmallows and chocolate chips toasted in foil over the fire...Ahhh!)were at the top of the list! All in all...we had a blast and are looking forward to next year's event!(After we get "rested up", that is! LOL!)

Camping Trip

Too busy to blog???????

It seems like life has been a bit busy lately and I am just trying to "keep up" with a smile on my face~~~SO I haven't visited blogworld as much! :) Hope that I haven't missed any exciting news! We recently had picture day...so thought I'd share some of the poses. (Poor Cade wasn't feeling well when we had them taken but was such a "trooper"!)

Happy 11th Birthday...Corey!

Today, Corey is 11 years old!!!! We celebrated at the Rascal's Fun Zone last Friday and had a really fun evening with family and friends. His theme was "football" since he is going to play this year. Corey is an all-around good kid...He has a bright creative mind (a walking encyclopedia of interesting facts), is extremely thoughtful and polite, keeps his room very neat...(thanks, Corey!:)), continues to have a great interest in "creepy crawly" creatures and the wonderful outdoors, but most of all~He loves God with all of his heart! Thought that I would share some party pics! Hope that you have a special day, Corey! Love ya!

First day of School...

Ahhh! Fresh school supplies, fun new outfits, new teachers and a whole new school year to look forward to! We started homeschooling today (We are continuing to use the ABeka DVD program)and are looking forward to a GREAT year! It's back to structure and routine which has its benefits, I guess! Corey is in fifth grade, Cassie is in first grade and Cade is a preschooler! We have some fun fieldtrips planned and also plan to become involved with some local homeschooling groups this year(we are shopping around). The kids will continue music lessons and Corey is going to play football this year! We kept our back-to-school tradition of "going out" (on a family date) for ice cream this evening. Happy school year to all!!!

End of summer fun...

Is summer REALLY over? We have truly enjoyed every week and plan to bask in summer fun right up until Monday morning!(smile) We are excited about the new school year but have made some wonderful memories throughout the summer! Thought that I would share some of our "end of summer activities"...a sleepover, a campout, the State Fair, family visitors from the Northwest...Thank you God~for the beautiful changing seasons and for precious friends and family to share them with! You are so good!

summers end

A girl's day out...

My sweet husband took a day off work and offered me "a girl's day out"! How could I refuse that? :) I came back feeling refreshed and relaxed! I was able to take my dear Mom to a beautiful tea house nearby, to celebrate her belated birthday lunch. We had so much fun admiring the unique teapots, china and Victorian finery! Our menu included the following...strawberry-almond salad, creamy chicken-vegetable soup, chicken-pecan salad sandwhiches, scones(white chocolate-macadamia nut and cinnamon chip...yum!),chocolate iced cookies, chocolate covered strawberries and a variety of teas. The food was delicious and we made wonderful memories! I forgot my camera and had to buy a disposable one...hence the quality of pictures! Oh well! I then went and had a facial(an hour long, mind you...) and a hair conditioning treatment! Talk about feeling pampered! Thanks from my heart, Danny!

tea party

Our vacation in North Carolina...

We spent a few days with my parents, my brother and his family at a cabin in beautiful North Carolina. We had such an amazing time! We went hiking in the mountains (saw alot of pretty deer), enjoyed a campfire every evening (the weather was PERFECT...50-60's in the evenings AND we had our own guitarist to serenade us with his beautiful guitar playing...very cool! Thanks, Nate!),cooked and ate way too much yummy food, went antique shopping one afternoon, took in a Daniel Boone outside drama entitled "The Horn in the West"(very well done), read, played Scrabble, watched old movies, talked and laughed alot, and ended our days with family devotions...usually at about 12-1 am in the morning! A "chilling out" vacation was just perfect for our family. We bonded, relaxed and enjoyed God's beautiful Creation.(Corey wanted me to add that he found a snake skeleton and some other fun creepy crawly creatures! YIKES!)

Blue Ridge Mountains

Cassie turns "7"...

God sent us a wonderful, sweet blessing when "Cassie Diane" arrived in our lives seven years ago! We love having her for a daughter! She is sweet, thoughtful, creative and LOVES everything girlish! The theme of her party this year was "Fancy Nancy". We had a fun evening at our house celebrating with family and friends. I think that I am a little girl at heart...I enjoyed her "girly" gifts as much as she did! Thought that I would share a few pictures! Love ya, Cassie!

Cassie's birthday

Strawberry Festival and July 4th

It was a good time had by all as most of the England Clan met at Mom and Dad England's house to make strawberry jam. The guys picked the strawberries for us and then with a "system" in place...we proceeded to make strawberry jam! The kids played outside for most of the day...it's always refreshing to be out in the country. The little ones enjoyed tractor rides, the older boys played in the woods, and the girls did hair and all the things that girls do. Fun,fun!

July 4th was spent at the Jewetts' church shelter and fellowship room. The kids had great fun riding bikes, scooters, and 4 wheelers in the church parking lot. Everyone pitched in and brought some yummy food for our cookout. We ended the evening by watching downtown Indy's fabulous fireworks!

Great summer memories!

strawberry festival, july 4th

Cade turns "4"...

Happy "4th" Birthday to our sweet little man, Cade,...You make our family "complete" and bring so much laughter and happiness into our home! You are a special gift from God! Cade's birthday was during our church camp so we postponed his party until this past Thursday! We went to the "Rascal's Fun Zone" and did we ever have fun! Cade's theme was "Speed Racers" and alot of the night was spent racing around the go cart track...most of the adults enjoyed this too, I do believe! Those that braved the bumper boats got rather soaked! Cade seemed to have so much fun and we hope that he will have special memories! Love ya, Cade!

Cade's 4th birthday

Highlights of Church Camp...

Another year has come and gone at Beulah Grove Church Camp! Our little family enjoyed our time there very much....a peaceful time of worshiping God out in the country! We had BEAUTIFUL weather....cool breezes and sunny skys "most" days! We not only heard "God inspired" messages and singing that drew us closer to Him, but got to "catch up" on fellowship with friends and family!(The cook did an awesome job, too!) Our kids are already looking forward to next year, I do believe! They played NONstop with their friends and cousins in between children's services in the pretty little white chapel! We are blessed to be a part of the Bible Methodist Church!(Our Cade turned "4" on Sunday at church camp...can hardly believe it! We plan to celebrate a little later this week!)

bible methodist camp 08

Happy Father's Day!

I'd like to say "Happy Father's Day" to some special people in my life. First, God has blessed me with an awesome Dad...He has always been a wonderful Christian example...a godly, hard-working husband and father(he is a fantastic grandpa, too!). He can grill a great steak, play a mean game of checkers, knows his Bible, sings beautifully, and keeps his yard and car perfect (and he always has a great shine on his shoes - I love it!). Thanks for being you, Daddy.

Second, God gave me Danny...he is such an awesome Dad to our kids...I knew he would be the first night he held our firstborn in the recliner all night long when I went back to work. Not only has he always helped with routines such as baths, getting everyone ready for church or doing school projects, but he "plays" with our kids, "prays" with them and "praises" them. They can't wait until he gets home from work every day. Thanks, Danny, for being an GREAT Dad to our kids!

As a bonus, God gave me an awesome father-in-law. He is a godly Christian man and I am so proud to call him my father-in-law. He taught Danny to have a good work ethic and Danny remembers his prayers even as a little boy. Thanks, Dad!

Love you all...

Our "Get-away" pictures...

Thought that I would share a few vacation pictures(only about a third of them)... On the long journey to Texas, we stopped in Missouri to visit Lambert's, "The Home of the Thrown Rolls". Such delicious "southern" food...the rolls were to die for! San Antonio was such a beautiful, fun city (a bit warm ~just "97" degrees a couple of days). It almost felt like we were in another country! Our hotel was located on the lovely Riverwalk. We enjoyed taking long walks and dining at some of the great restaurants there almost every evening(we ate some FABULOUS Mexican food!). We took a riverboat tour one evening at sunset...that might have been romantic! ha! We saw "Remember the Alamo" at IMAX prior to visiting "The Alamo"...I think this made it more meaningful. We visited Market Square one day and enjoyed walking through shops that had a beautiful Mexican flair. We enjoyed a day at Six Flags Fiesta Texas ~ we were able to walk right on the rides without a wait...very cool! Cassie and I visited a beautiful doll shop and picked out all the dolls we wanted. We all played at a neat park one afternoon. Corey saw many lizards and even brought one home to add to his collection. We ended our trip by coming through Louisiana and visiting family. We had a lovely day there...the kids were able to ride 4-wheelers, fish, etc. Scott and Suzanne fixed steaks with all the trimmings for us...thanks,guys, we love you! Monday AM brought us back to reality (there's no place like home!). We thank God for family, friends, fun, summer, and "get-aways"! Hope that you are enjoying your summer!

san antonio trip

Adios...We're headin' to San Antonio!

The excitement is palpable...The van is packed...Everyone is waiting on ME! We're heading to San Antonio, Texas! See ya when we get back!

SCHOOL'S OUT! - SUMMER'S HERE!

There was excitement in the air at our house today...SCHOOL'S OUT! Corey and Cassie have worked hard and done well this year..our first year of homeschooling! It has been a fun and rewarding year...We now have a "first" and "fifth" grader and of course, our little preschooler, Mr. Cade! We celebrated by eating out at Don Pablo's last evening. The kids stayed up late and slept in today. The fun is just beginning!! They have been invited to spend the night at the Going's house tonight and are so excited! We hope to have a wonderful, relaxing summer...We have some fun plans...Here's to long, warm days, playing in the park, a more relaxed schedule, vacation, church camp, snow cones and the list goes on! Hope all of my blogging friends have a great summer!

Happy Mother's Day weekend....

Thought that I would share a couple of neat quotes from "God's Little Devotional Book For Moms"..."Mothers are like fine collectibles~as the years go by they increase in value."..."Mother means selfless devotion,limitless sacrifice, and love that passes understanding." I thank God for giving me a wonderful, loving, Christian "Mother"...I am so blessed to have her in my life! She is a true "lady"! She is a woman of "prayer". She is also a woman of many talents...sewing, cooking, beautiful victorian decorating, flower arranging, organizing, etc. What is most beautiful about her is that she always thinks of everyone else before herself! She is also an AWESOME Grandmother! (She babysat tonight so that Danny and I could go on a date....the kids always have a blast at her house!) She inspires me to be the best "Mom" that I can be! I love you, Mother, and hope that you have a special Mother's day!!!(P.S. I love my dear Mother-in-law,too! She is precious and gave me the best gift ever when she gave me "Danny"! Thanks for being YOU, Mom!) Hope all of the "Moms" or special people reading this have a nice day...You deserve it!

"He restores my soul..." Psalm 23:3

How is your day going today? I hope that it is beautiful, calm(or exciting...whichever you prefer!) and HAPPY!I couldn't sleep last night...My heart was heavy for different people (all very special) in my life. I know so many people that are going through their own personal heartaches, tests, or even times of making decisions...all amidst the joys of life. I picked up my Bible and in the front cover, there was a list that Pastor Mike had printed out for us after we had "brainstormed" together. The topic was "Oh Lord, I thank you that you are...". Thought I would share my favorites..."Oh Lord, I thank you that you are... Loving, Kind, my Comforter, Patient, Trustworthy, Faithful, my Healer, my Provider, my Friend, a Peacemaker, my Savior, IN CONTROL!" I gave all of those on my mind to this awesome God last night...He gave me peace! Have a blessed day and a FUN weekend!

I, too, have been "tagged"-by a very nice "Mrs. Lisa"!

[What I was doing 10 years ago...] I was happily married to "my man", Dan, and enjoying our firstborn...Corey! He was a dream come true for us!
[Jobs that I have had...] Office cleaner, babysitter, RN(Med/Surg.-2 1/2 yrs./Cardiac-1 yr./OB-16 yrs.),wife-17 1/2 yrs. and Mommy-10 1/2 yrs.(the last two being my favorites and the most important!)
[What I have planned for today...] Homeschooling, tidying up the house(the "I.H.C." laundry is all done, though! ha!),taking the kids to piano lessons, giving all of my four "blessings" lots of hugs and kisses, and helping some "little ones" come into the world(tonight is my work night).
[Snacks that I love...] Mexican dips/salsas with chips, honey mustard pretzels, celery filled with crunchy peanut butter...warm, iced, "homemade" cinnamon rolls really "do" it for me(My dear Mother-in-law makes the BEST)...oh, and how about creamy, chocolate fudge filled with nuts? I could go on...
[States that I have lived in...] West Monroe, Louisiana(I was born there); Indianapolis,Indiana(moved here when I was 10); New Castle, Indiana(my family moved there for a couple of years, then back to Indy); Cincinnati,Ohio(my college days); Griffin, Georgia(an adventure!); Kettering, Ohio(my husband's college days)and FISHERS,INDIANA(where I hope to stay!)...
[Bad habits that I have...] Worrying over things out of my control(I am praying for God to help me in that area!), sporadic exercise(I am admonishing myself daily about this area!), and forgetting to take my one-a-day vitamin(Yes, I AM in the medical field and know better! Thank you very much!)
[If I were a billionaire...] I would become "debt-free"(My husband and I would go to a Christian financial advisor to help us decide for the future, of course);I would assist family and friends to become debt-free; I would give generously to Christian ministries/missions/orphanages; I would help my husband plan a lovely Victorian house to build on a nice piece of land(maybe it would have a beautiful creek running through it...OK, now I am really dreaming!); and I would love to take a LONG, impulsive, relaxing, family vacation with no deadlines to meet(maybe a MONTH long OR even longer! Oh, and any friend/family member with a nice, relaxing personality could go along!ha!))!!!!!! OK...so there ya have it! I am tagging anyone that cares to be tagged(Catrena?- Kelly?- Bette?- Charlotte?- Shelly? -Nett?- Jessica?- Becky,my sis-in-law?(Are you blogging yet?)-Anyone that has not been tagged????????)I just know that you would LOVE to play along...AND I would really like to hear about YOU!

Just lovin life...

I have been recently contemplating about how "fast" the days go by....what gets accomplished, etc. My "Cade" was giving me lots of hugs and kisses tonight(He is my "funny" child...the other night in church Pastor Mike said "Can I get an AMEN?"... Cade said rather loudly..."Hallelujah, Praise the Lord"...then he whispered to me, "I was just helping God out!" I had to laugh!). Anyway, as I touched his baby soft cheeks and lips and felt his little arms around my neck...I wanted time to stand still! But it doesn't, so I must cherish these moments. Hugs from my precious Grandmother, chats on the phone with my dear Mom, sharing dreams (and yes, kisses) with my sweet husband, sharing everyday moments with my three children(even when there is housework to be done)...the list could go on but you know what I mean, right? It is so easy to look ahead and not live in the moment! God, help me to focus on the everyday blessings and sweet moments that you give me and not take any "one" of them for granted! (OK, bloggers...I am feeling serious! ha! No, I am just loving life!)

Special guests...

Our special friends--David, Annette, Austin and Emily Marcum came for a weekend visit! We so treasured every moment! God has blessed us with "forever" friendships that originated many years ago! Nett and I talked, talked and talked(while the guys were extremely goofy! ha!).The kids played nonstop( I think they are making forever friendships, too!). Friday evening, my parents and my brother's family stopped by for coffee and dessert....Nate serenaded us with his beautiful guitar playing! (They have all loved Nett since I first brought her home from G.B.S.!) After a leisurely brunch on Saturday, we went to the IMAX and saw "Hurricane on the Bayou". It was a rather moving experience! We also shopped for Colt's gear since Austin is a big Colt's fan! We were "treated" to dinner at "On the Border"!(Thanks guys..it was delicious!) We so enjoyed our time together! We love ya'll! Thanks for coming!

Easter memories...

Easter is such a beautiful time to reflect on all that Jesus has done for us...It is a time of worship and praise to God for sending His Son to die on the cross for our sins. It is also a time of glorious hope for... He is risen! A time to celebrate...to worship as a church family through beautiful songs and the glorious message of the risen Christ AND a time to enjoy family. After church we gathered as a family to eat at Mamaw Smith's house...lunch was delicious! Thought I would share my pictures! Hope all of my blogging friends had a great Easter!

Easter

Family fun...

This past weekend we had family guests from WV[Dan and Becky(Danny's sister),and their three children...Joey, Jenna and Jacob]. We had such great QT! Danny has four siblings and we always enjoy family reunions, but it is so fun to have "one-on-one" time with each family. Dan, Becky, Danny and I were able to "catch up" on great conversation and alot of good laughs. Fun for the kids included an Easter egg hunt at the Gaither's studio(there was a really cool Christian magician/balloon artist there, too), pizza at Ben and Arie's(a game restaurant)and just being together. We also tried out some new recipes... AND got off our diets a bit!(smile) Thanks for coming, guys! We love you! God has blessed us with wonderful family!

Field Trip and Piano Recital...

A couple of weeks ago Danny came home at lunch and we headed out for an afternoon fieldtrip to downtown Indy...We visited the State Museum and had a great time! Corey has been studying about state history and so this was very beneficial to him, but Cassie and Cade really enjoyed it also! We browsed through the museum, watched a couple of movies, had a midafternoon snack of buttery popcorn and pop from the snack stand(SO bad for my diet! ha!), and bought souveniers at the gift shop. We really had a fun family day! Then, last Saturday was Corey and Cassie's Spring Piano Recital... Corey played "Firefly Fandango" and Cass played "Something's Under My Bed".(Dressy attire was required MUCH to Corey's dismay...a suit on Sat.? Cassie on the other hand loves to get dressed up...any day of the week! Typical male and female perspectives...I guess!) Thought that I would share my pictures...

ism,recital

"Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10a

As I recently noted on a girlfriend's blog site...I ALWAYS have a "list". Lists help me stay organized! I am sure that for most of us (Moms or women in particular) that like to keep our ships running smoothly....there is always an "agenda"! A house to be cleaned, a new recipe to try, a project to be done(helping with a book report or even ABC's, sorting SOMETHING, reorganizing SOMETHING...ha!), cartrips(to the dentist, the doctor, the grocery, music lessons, and/or the library),oh! and WHAT about the new exercise program????????(We want to stay healthy and fit, right?)I recently browsed through a book that I want to purchase...."Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World" by Joanna Weaver. I feel the need to just "be still" and focus on God! Can anyone relate?(Please don't take this wrong! I LOVE my role in life...it is a privilege and a blessing! I just want God to be the center of my life and to keep a healthy balance in the midst of my daily responsibilities!)

I'm dreaming...

The smell of beautiful spring flowers, the sounds of birds chattering to one another, the taste of homebaked cookies and tall glasses of fresh-brewed iced tea(shared with a friend)... while sitting on the front porch , watching my kids playing on the playground or riding their bikes(no one sick, of course), feeling the warm breeze while taking a walk in the park(with my sweetheart)...Oh! Guess it's still beautiful "winter" in snowy Indiana! Must have been dreaming! (smile) Is anyone else ready for Spring?????????

"For I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances". (Phil. 4:11, NIV)

February...The month of love!

I always think of February as the month of "love"! Romantic love shines around this time. Heart-shaped boxes of candy, flowers, fancy restaurant dates, the colors of pink and red...all the above accentuate Valentine's Day. (I love sharing "romance" with my wonderful husband!) My three children enjoy this month from a childlike view...they take great care in picking out their Valentine cards! We have made a tradition of having a family Valentine's party complete with decorations and candlelight. This particular month...Corey was required to memorize "1 Corinthians 13" for school...As I was reading this chapter in the NIV, verses 4-5 stood out to me..."(4)Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (5)It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs." Wow! If we could all just portray "God's" love...wouldn't the world be a better place? Happy Valentine's Day to all my blogging friends!

From tea parties to leopard geckos....

I think my close friends know that I am very "feminine" at heart, but when God blessed me with my firstborn son..."Corey"...He opened my heart up to a whole new world! Corey has loved creepy, crawly things since he was about two, I believe! He is a walking encyclopedia of information regarding insects, reptiles, and even birds. Let's see...He has had fire-belly frogs, hermit crabs, lizards, various insects and the list goes on! He is currently the proud owner of "Leia", the leopard gecko(who eats live insects for dinner!). He so wanted me to share this with my blogging friends! He would love to own a snake, but I have to draw the line somewhere! ha! I DO love tea parties, but I wouldn't trade my boys and all they enjoy for anything...I still scream when I see a spider, though!(smile)I also added some pictures of our beautiful golden..."Buckeye". Hope that all you girls enjoy this post(as you sip from your china teacups)...

pets

Dedication of Alyson Dawn...

I can't think of anything more breathtaking than a baby dressed all in white..pure,sweet and vulnerable...a blessing from the Lord! Thanks, Shelly and Greg, for inviting us to share in this beautiful day with you! "Aly" looked like an angel in her gorgeous white dress...I think we all shed tears as Anita sang "You are a Masterpiece"! God is truly so good! After the dedication...family and friends shared a delicious,beautiful meal together. We love you, Aly! Thought that I would share my pictures...

Alyson's dedication

Girls and Tea Parties...

Guess I am still a little girl at heart...I love tea parties! I enjoy collecting teapots...I have one that was my Mamaw Kennedy's that I will always treasure! I recently was given a teacup and saucer set that was Danny's Grandmothers. My 6 year old "Cassie" has inherited my love of tea parties...It is not uncommon for us to have a tea party in the middle of the afternoon on any given day. She loves planning the menu and usually Cade is invited to come, too! She and I have special memories of the day we had the priviledge of taking tea at the American Girl's Tea House in Chicago...The food was beautiful and each American doll even had a place to sit at the table! On her fourth birthday, we had a "girl's day out" to a tea house with her good friend(and mine,too). On her fifth birthday, we had a real tea party for all of her girlfriends. Everyone came dressed in tea party finery...They looked adorable! The menu included butterfly and flower shaped sandwhiches, fruit kabobs, fancy crackers with cheese, soft party mints, cookies, and "pink" tea! We had so much fun! Our ladies from church have gone to different tea houses. We once had a very fancy, catered tea party by candlelight...all the ladies wore hats! I would love to go to a "high tea" in London! Would anyone like to go with me? (ISN'T IT FUN TO BE A GIRL?)

Teaparties

Happy New Year...2008

Happy New Year to all my fellow bloggers...Trust you all had a wonderful Christmas and that your 2008 will be blessed! Thought that I would share a few of our Christmas and New Year festivities with you...We so enjoyed being with family and friends! Just can't believe that it is over and we are on to a brand new year! I am trusting God for a wonderful year...I want to "slow down" and enjoy each precious day! Playing in the snow with my kids, snuggling with my husband, reading a good book in front of the fireplace, enjoying a cup of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows...(and yes...I would love to lose a few pounds!--smile)

Christmas 07..New Years 08