Even still .....

My computer crashed about 8 days, 53 minutes & 30 seconds ago and we have tried, tried, tried to get it back up .. to NO avail ....Even w/ the handy help of the customer service reps @ several well know computer companies. But who is counting? Certainly NOT me! :)

My van needed $600.00 worth of repairs ... & even after it was repaired, our other car "conked" out. We are a 1 car family now .. whohoo

Some $$$ I expected didn't arrive ...

This summer is starting with a BANG!

We are also STILL doing school because Ethan missed three weeks after his surgery in February and he is NOT happy.

BUT .. I have spent WONDERFUL amounts of time with my family, we attended the BEST VBS @ our church in 21 years, hubby & I have had more meaningful conversations than we've had in a long time ... we've learned a few new frugal lessons, we've baked lots new goodies, found a few FREE events & kiddo things to do (that will become a part of our weekly plans) and now I am planning out each day for the rest of the summer so my children can have "the best summer ever".

They are unaware of most of the lovely things going on around here .. except the cars, but they think it is fun to take daddy to work & hang out & talk w/ him in the car until he gets out @ his company and walk to places on the days daddy has the car.

With all that has gone on, I still believe that God has NOT left us .. He has held us in the palm of His hand. He has continued to provide for us & will continue to provide even past these "funny money" days for us this summer. I don't know how our ends will meet, but I'm not going to start doubting him now. There are a cloud of witnesses that have gone before me in the bible and in my own family ... He is a waymaker.

He IS Jehovah - Jireh

Memorial Day

This about sums it all up! Watermelon, watermelon, watermelon. I think he had 6 pieces just yesterday ALONE!Thought about an overnight road trip. Does it really take 4 BAGS?

Trying to get a good pics of the boys ..

If at first you don't succeed, try try again. DONE!

YES! Mom let us play in the water in our jammies. It must be a holiday.

Rethinking this "playing in the water" thing.

Headed out to get some slushes, but the troops have fallen asleep.

Good ... more for me & hubby! :)

Mid-afternoon Break

I decided we need to go for a walk after a long week of assignments, assessments & tests. So, we put on our walking shoes and headed outside for an afternoon stroll. Somehow, we ended up HERE!

Sooooo good, but now we need to walk for two more days to cancel out the MANY calories eaten at our little hometown favorite. :)

What happens ..............

When you leave your 3yr old alone for 2 minutes with a box of crayons & MARKERS you didn't know where in the box?

My daddy ...Originally posted in 10/2008

We spent the day with the Make A Wish Foundation and the Corvette Club @ Texas Motor Speedway and it made me miss my daddy. I wish he could have been here to join in on all the fun. Love you daddy.

I took an unexpected break from blogging, but needed the time away. My dad's birthday was last week (He's been with Jesus for nearly 3 years now) and my emotions have been all over the map.
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I was and am still a "daddy's girl" only daddy is not here to tell me anymore. There were 3 girls in my family and daddy treated us like his little princesses. I am the oldest, so I got to spend 4 extra special years being dotted on by my daddy. I had the privilege of having him walk me down the aisle and that is a day I will never forget.
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My daddy was a strong, loving, family man who loved his wife and his kids. He grew up in the deep south (Alabama) and endured many racial situations, but never used it as a crutch. We grew up being taught we could do anything and be anything.
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My daddy's yard was always impeccable and if it wasn't you knew something was wrong. Perfectly manicured even his older days. (His daddy was just like that). That gene must have skipped a generation, but I am getting better about details.
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My daddy told corny jokes ALL THE TIME, but we laughed anyway, because he always got a kick out of them and started laughing even before the punch line. The staff at the hospital knows what I am talking about. Mr. Jay and his jokes .. even the ICU and surgery staff ...
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My daddy loved all kinds of jazz including Ramsey Lewis, Carlos Santana, Miles Davis, just to name a few. I wish he could be here to see that he passed this love to his grandkids (my boys) because all three could live in front of YouTube and listen to Dizzy Gillespie singing shooby, dooby, oo, oo ... all day long .. they would only take a break to eat.
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My daddy barbecued (some call it grilling) all the time ... even in the dead days of winter. Now as an adult if my hubby says I am gonna BBQ, he is speaking my love language. My daddy could cook, man o man could he cook and he passed his skills on to his kids and grandkids.
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My daddy always had a sports car even after the children started arriving, that just meant he needed to get one with a backseat. In his 60's he drove a 5 speed candy apple red Chevy Camaro with mag wheels. (I have it now) He always wanted a Dodge Vipor and now so does my oldest son, if he gets one we will call it DaddyJay.
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He always said age is just a number and he was youthful to me every single day of his life. He was so handsome and many of my teachers through the years would always ask "How's your daddy?" in that special let me know if he is ever single voice. :)
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He taught the girls about cars and what was under the hood, so we could never be taken advantage of by the service department at a dealership. I know how to change the oil, listen for certain sounds and bargain like there is no tomorrow.
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God left a great reminder of my daddy with me, my middle son, looks, acts, walks and laughs JUST LIKE MY DADDY .. all Austin needs is a pair of blue jeans and a jacket to match and some Ralph Lauren cologne.
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My daddy knew he was gonna die, but was so brave about all the bad news from the hospital, but kept telling us we were gonna be okay. He just wanted to die at home which by the grace of God he did, we got him home just a day before he would go to be with Jesus.
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Thank God my daddy knew God and excepted Jesus as his Lord and personal Savior. Thank God for I know I will see him again.

Isn't she lovely?

My mother .. in her college days ... BOY, I miss this lady.

Mother's Day has not been the same since she went home to be with Jesus.

Love you mother.

Reading is fundamental ..

He doesn't even know all his sounds yet, but he LOVES looking through books.
If he could read all day, he would. I'll have to remind him of that in a few years, I'm sure.

Did you know that you can borrow the latest DVD, music, of course books from your local library? You can also borrow learning game systems like LeapFrog!

The key is .. to bring the items back on time ... or you will pay a fine. Not that I know ANYTHING about that. :)

Lazy Days

Sundays are always for family! We go to church, have lunch @ home and hibernate for the rest of the day. This past Sunday we ventured outside and I think we may have found a new getaway spot.

First time in the sand ..

DeClan


Ethan looking out on God's precious waters ...

I'm going to have some dirty boys by the time this is all over ......

We are going to do something different each Sunday after church until football starts again ... that's when I lose my hubby & oldest son to the NFL.

May is National Foster Care Awareness Month

I have volunteered and worked with children in foster care for more than 20 years. Each year gets harder and harder, but when I think about the children and pray for their futures, I know it is going to get better and better.

Fostering parenting is NOT for everyone, nor is it easy, but the children need people like you and me to step in and step up! However we can. You don't have to perfect, you just have to be willing to help and make a difference.

I know that there IS something every single person CAN do ... PRAY!

Pray for the children, the workers, the counselors, the therapists, the birth parents, the foster parents, the adoptive parents and the finances to continue the work that NEEDS to be done on behalf of people who have a very small voice.

To learn about foster care awareness month, just go here.

To learn more about becoming a foster or adoptive parent of children in the US foster care system, go here.

Happy Birthday to me ....

This year has flown by so fast, I simply could not believe my birthday is here. I spent most of the day with my oldest son @ the doctor's office and then we treated ourselves to Happy Hour at Sonic. Two thumbs up from Ethan's neurologist; there's not a better gift out there.

This past weekend hubby & I talked about breaking out the grill for my b-day, but it seemed like the rain was going to roll in, so I decided to shoot for another day to bbq. (my love language) Hubby decided we needed to go OUT for dinner to celebrate my birthday. I reluctantly agreed and off we went. We couldn't really decide what to eat and then I remembered a WONDERFUL Mexican restaurant my sissy turned me onto. YUMMO.This is AFTER we ate everything in sight:) I'm glad hubby vetoed my decision and made us go out to eat. I didn't have to cook or clean up and did I say, the meal was DELICIOSO?

Birthdays mean more to me now because you CANNOT take your life for granted and tomorrow is NOT promised. I want to live each day to the fullest, enjoy what God has given me and be in HIS will for my life.

Biggest for me is celebrating life and time with my family doing meaningful things that will make memories for my sons.