What 30 looks like

Mario Time

For Matthew's birthday this year, he chose Mario! I did my first attempt at a Mario man. I wanted to carve him out and do a big giant cake, but in the end I decided to just do a normal cake and "paint" Mario on the top. I realized too late that the arms didn't match but even still, I think it came pretty dang close. And most importantly, Matthew thought it was awesome!  Here's a peek into his birthday celebration!  I still can't believe I have a SIX YEAR OLD!

6 already

This past Saturday was Matthew's birthday.  Six.  Six!  Can you even believe it?  It seems like we only celebrated five last month, not last year.  I still don't have the camera updated from his birthday (so cake pictures to come) but here's just a little love note to my sweet boy.

Dear Matthew,

You amaze me. You amuse me. You are so handsome. You are so sensitive. You are also a goofball. I pray that God will continue to grow in you the desire to study and learn His Word and His ways. You already have 45 scripture verses memorized and are placing His Word in your heart as He tells us to do. I'm blessed beyond words by your desire to learn more about Jesus. I am so thankful that you've asked Jesus into your heart and desire to live with Him in you. I am looking forward to you being baptized in obedience next month when we get back to Georgia. You're so smart and so curious. You are a great explorer. You are so kind and gentle to your bothers.  You are such the little helper. And I'm so blessed by you. I thank God for you, for my first sweet miracle. My darling Matthew, my firstborn son. May God continue to grow you in wisdom and charm and in His grace.

Much love to you,

Love, your Mommy.

Tomorrow he'll be TWO.

How did another whole year pass me by? Tomorrow by baby boy, my beetle bug, my snowman, my Markie will be two. Two. TWO?! How did that happen? Wasn't he just born? Wasn't it just Christmas night and we were bringing him home from the hospital? Do you remember the little bump in the road at the hospital we had to overcome?

(Mark with his IV in for meds)

What a sweet precious gift it was to come home Christmas night with our most blessed present in our arms... My sweet baby boy, you are so wonderful. I love being your mommy. Do you all remember this cute (messy) face from last year's cake experience?

Mark, you continue to floor me with your cuteness. How can one little boy be so cute? Even Matthew will tell him he's being cute from time to time, Mark really is just a cutey pie. I love you to pieces. I was thinking about how you wont be the baby soon the other day when I was rocking you to sleep. Soon you'll be the "middle child" but you will always be my baby. My sweet darling baby. For now you can be the baby and I'll continue to rock you to sleep as long as you like.

Here's a few pictures from his party Monday night,
the theme Blue's Clues if you can't tell from the cake:

The most wonderful time of the year....

And no, I'm not meaning Christmas just this one time. Today is my most favorite day of the year. Don't exactly know why it means THAT much to me, but it just does. My sister's birthday was yesterday and tomorrow is mine. And for this one day only, we're only 1 year apart in age instead of 2 years. I've always loved this day. She called me today and said "I know it's your favorite day of the year today" and it just is. I didn't think she'd think about it any. I didn't say anything about it yesterday. I don't' really think I say anything about it any other day of the year unless you're taking some silly friending quiz, you know and there's a question like "what is your favorite day of the year?" and then I get to answer: August 22nd! 22 happens to be my most favorite number anyhow. Don't know why. Maybe it evolved from this date business, I'm not sure. So it's a double win for me. I'm particularly fond (cough) of even numbers. So there's a triple bonus maybe? Uh-huh, I totally know I'm rambling. But oh well. If you want to read the ramblings of a slightly delusional white chick, then you're in the right place. If you don't, then "go away eh" (Brother Bear quote). So there you go... for me... Today was the most wonderful time of the year... with the kids jingle belling and everyone telling you be of good cheer... Oh yah, I got distracted. Christmas is then my next most wonderful time of the year of course. So yah. ... Yesterday Jamie said something about Silver Bells and that song was in my head all day. mmmm Christmas music rocks.

Anyhow, Happy yesterday Kris.
Happy tomorrow me.
Happy day. Today.

Happy birthday Mom!

Happy Birthday Mom! I love you so much. I'm glad I am yours and that you love me. I hope you had a good day today. I am sorry I don't get to see you but know that I'm thinking about you! Matthew thought it was pretty special to have your and Grandpa's birthdays so close! You're amazing Mom. Thank you for teaching me more of who I want to become.

mom and me just after the wedding

Mom and Matthew and me, Matthew is 5 or 6 days old.

Matthew and Grammy on the STL Zoo train July 2008

Grammy and Mark, 12-24-08, one day old.

Grammy and Mark, May 2010

me, Kris and Mom, May 2010

Happy Fourth (tomorrow)

Here's the cake I made for today's cookout at my friend Kathy's parents' house. I was pleased. You can't tell from this picture, but it's a two layer cake. Red cake on the bottom, blue on the top, white icing of course and the sprinkles!

GOD BLESS AMERICA. MY HOME SWEET HOME!
OH GOD BLESS AMERICA, MY HOME SWEET HOME!

June 2009

June 2009

June 2008

Tomorrow is the Fourth of July and my Daddy's birthday. If you get to watch any fireworks... he'd tell you they were for him. (This must have really been said a lot as a child, be/c I just went back in my posting archives and basically said the same thing July 4, 2008 and 2009).

Happy Fourth, America! I pray that we'll be able to get out of the mess we're in as a Nation. I believe that if our founding fathers could see what we've done to the nation they worked so hard to build and keep our freedom safe and secure, they'd be horrified. However, we are instructed to respect our authorities. This comes hard in a situation where you do not think your leader is deserving of respect. But it's not up to me to decide that now. He is in charge and it's our job to pray for him. And to pray for those serving him. And to pray that lots of people vote in November! (cough cough) okay, I'm very rarely political in my postings, so I'll stop. but there you are. Either way, America has survived another year. And we have MUCH to be thankful for. God has blessed us with a great freedom, both in this country but also so much more importantly, from our sins, through the blood on the cross shed by Jesus Christ, His Son. Thank you Lord for the Cross!


And thank you Lord, for my Daddy.

My daddy, leaving me at the aisle to marry my sweet Jamie.
Oct 2, 2004

May 2006
Grammy and Grandpa

July 2007 (with Matthew)

July 2008 (with Matthew)

August 2009 (with Mark)

May 2010 (reading stories on Memorial day morning)

Happy birthday Pop! I love you so much.
I hope you're having a great time in Arizonia with Kris.
Here's just a few things my dad is good at (I went to excel and put it in alphabetical order so no one can know what I thought of first haha!)

-Being a good example

-Being a grandpa. His boys love him.

-Being a pillar of strength

-Being a teddy bear when no one is looking

-Being a voice of reason

-Cooking

-Dancing. I can remember dancing on my daddy's feet when I was little. I bet he'd still let me…

-Driving -Eating whatever I cook.

-Grilling

-Holding your hand, even when he might not want to

-Hugging

-Knowing what you need to hear, even if you don't want to hear it.

-Loving -Loving my mom

-Making breakfast in general

-Making Eggs

-Making the Goofy and Donald noises

-Making waffles

-Making you spit milk at the table… and I swear it's his goal to get me to do it every trip I go back home…

-Playing cards… well playing any game really

-Quoting old movies

-Requiring laughter when you're sobbing

-Showing respect for my mother and teaching us girls to do so

-Singing

-Watching movies (with you)

Father's Day weekend pictures

Father's Day weekend threw us many emotions. It was definitely a roller coaster of events. It's started with horribly sad and tragic news Friday. Matthew's birthday party on Saturday. Leaving our children Sunday morning and driving towards family. Sunday afternoon spending with Granddaddy and celebrating his 84th birthday. Sunday night at a funeral home. Monday morning, saying goodbye to Jamie's cousin, Katie. Monday afternoon driving back home to pick up our children and hold each other tight as a family unit. We had such sorrow mixed in with moments of happiness. I tried to capture the happier moments. At the end of the day, we're still family and we need each other.

Remember to hug your children before they go to bed tonight. And if they are grown, call them. Tell them you love them. You never know when it might be the last time to say so.

Matthew's party:

Matthew with his conductor's hat!

Happy birthday time!

Mark and Papa
Matthew and his presents!

Matthew and an upclose of the Thomas Train!

Grandaddy's Party Sunday:

Granddaddy and his cake!

Jamie and his Nanmommy

Jamie's mom and me

3 generations: Jamie, his grandaddy and his dad.
It physically hurt that Matthew and Mark weren't there with his granddaddy.
We'll have to go back soon.

Us kids: Jamie, Kate, Rick, Chasity and Kimby

After the service Monday:

Jamie and his Nana

The men:
Rick, Chuck and Jamie

The girls:
Kate, Sandy, Kimby, Chas

The family, minus the children:
Rick, Chas, Nana, Kimby, Chuck, Sandy, Jamie, Kate

Being that it was Father's Day weekend, let me share with you the gift that Matthew made for Jamie at church. ( I love our church! ) On a travel coffee mug is Matthew's big smiling face. And in someone's neat handwriting is Matthew's dictated words: "What I love about my dad is that he plays puzzles with me and makes bacon with Mommy." It was a sweet gift. We'll cherish it. Thank you to Matthew's teachers at church for it.