Harvest Festival Fun

Today we went to the harvest festival at church ... and we had a BLAST (most of the time ...)

Here is how our day went down...

Now, Daddy was working and was gonna join us there when he finished. I decided to be brave and take the girls myself knowing he wouldn't be there for a while.

Half way there I realized that I forgot the camera. But, I did have the trusty cell phone:) Lucky you!!!

Our first stop was the corn maze. We left the stroller at the entrance and went in. Did I mention my bravery? Oh yeah, it paid off real well in the corn maze.... I was holding Sophie in one arm and holding Hattie's hand with the other. In the beginning both girls were enjoying it, then about half way through Hattie panicked. PA-NICKED! It got ugly from there. I had to drag her out screaming. By the time we got out she was inconsolable - and so was I. Sad to say, we were both crying. (I have no pictures of this moment. Shocking, I know...)

Eventually, with a little help from Mrs. Kathy (and a few donuts for Hattie - yes, a few ... what? Don't judge me!!!), we calmed down and made our way to the hay bails.

Oh, sweet hay bails, if I had only known of your goodness sooner ...



Hattie (sporting the first pair of sunglasses that she has ever kept on her face for more that 4.7 seconds) climbed on those bails for over an hour!!

And then Sophie decided she needed in on the fun!

So, yeah, ya see that other mom helping her child up the hay bail.

Now notice my ONE YEAR OLD daughter climbing up by herself. Oh yeah, Mother of The Year, that's me!!!

Eventually, Hubby came to our rescue - we were so very happy to see him!!

HE is a good parent and actually helped his ONE YEAR OLD BABY climb the bails!!!

SHOW OFF!!!

Only one thing could've gotten Hattie away from the hay bails. and that is horses!!! We rode on a horse drawn wagon and it was FUN!

This is what happens when Hattie catches you taking a picture of her ...

She whips her head the other way with such velocity that her hair actually flies up! Yep, she LOVES the camera!

Sophie, on the other hand, is a poser!

Eventually, we made our way to the pumpkin patch!

Hattie chose one right away, but then she gave it to Sophie ...

... because it was broken (see the stem in S's hand?).

And Hattie went off in search of another one.

Sophie was LOVING the tractor, until something a little more interesting caught her attention ...


Waldo the puppy!!!!

But, alas, Waldo soon became Hattie's new best friend and they went for a walk ...

... leaving poor Sophie all alone. But Daddy can always make it better.

Yay Daddy!

By this time, it was time to go. And this is what happened as soon as we got in the car ...

Seriously, we had not even started the car.

How cute is she?!?!?!

Hot For The Holidays - Week 6

So, here we are for another week. I gotta tell ya, I am feeling more than a little discouraged today. I have been a workout fiend this week - running (oh yeah, running ... have you MET me ... running, soooooo not my thing) on the treadmill at least a mile every day ... EVERYDAY, DVD workouts at least once a day (and a few times I had to jump around a crawling baby and a curious preschooler - which should SO count as extra!!!), totally sticking to healthy foods and COMPLETELY avoiding soda and coffee. I cannot tell you the no-caffeine induced headache I have been nursing this week, but I have stuck to only water, some juice and milk (in small doses) for beverages.

And, can I tell ya, that after all of this, to step on the scale and find only a .2 loss was very deflating. Now, to be fair, when I checked on Tuesday I was up a pound, so I guess any loss is a good thing. At least that is what I am holding on to. But still ...

As you can see, I am in need of some encouraging.

Seriously, so far this week I have found a carton of ice cream in the basement freezer, a big 'ol bag of corn dogs in the kitchen freezer and a Costco size box of graham crackers (a serious weakness of mine) in the pantry. So, clearly, a fall would not be hard. Staying focused and on this wagon, THAT is a feat.

Now, we are supposed to tell which body part we dislike or want changed. That would be the part between my noggin and my toes. Oh, OK, if I have to choose, I would say that my upper torso (arms and shoulders), because I want so badly to be able to wear tank tops and other such cuteness in the summer. If I could somehow, magically, have arms like Barby K., that would be swell!!!!!

Does Barby K. even read this? Hmmmm????

Plus, one single chin would not be so bad.

Anyhoo, because laughter is exercise, here is a workout for ya...



Now, that is FUNNY!!!!

Love Dare Anyone?

Alright - who's with me on this one? A few days ago I told ya all about the Fireproof movie and the "Love Dare" within the story. I also told ya I was planning on doing it for/to and possibly WITH my man. Well, actually, I hadn't planned on doing it WITH him, but he read over my shoulder and caught me so now we may be doing it together.

Hmmmmmm, wonder if I can get him to blog?!?!

Probably not...

Anyhoo, I am thinking that I can post each day's challenge and y'all (that is my Beth Moore impersonation ... did ya like it? Yeah, not so much ... sorry) can play along and comment about your experiences. Maybe, we can even do GUEST POSTS!!!!!!!

Oh, wait, don't run away ... Purely volunteer basis, I promise!!!!

So, I am gonna start on Monday. I will post the rules for Day 1 then. On Tuesday, I will post the dare for Day 2 and my experiences with Day 1 - both success and failures. Keepin' it real here, keepin it real! And y'all can comment on YOUR experiences.

The thing is, if you are not doing the dare as a couple - i.e. WITH your spouse - then you cannot let your spouse KNOW that you are doing it. So, you either BOTH take the dare or you take it in SECRET!!!!!

Make sense?

And remember, even a good, strong, HEALTHY marriage can benefit from this. I would like to think that my man and I are extremely happy and that we are more in love today than we were when we married, but it can always get better. This dare brings GOD into your marriage (if He is not already there!!) and shows you where TRUE love - the kind that does not end - comes from. There are no losers here, I promise!!!!

Any takers?

So far it is Calista and I (and possibly my man:))...

Let me know... see ya on Monday!

Picture Perfect Monday - Indian Summer

This weekend we had some "indian summer" weather, and we took advantage of it ...

...Sophie (in the execsaucer because she kept heading for the street) did some serious JUMPIN' ...
... Hattie played Cinderella with the carwash bubbles ...
... and OBVIOUSLY enjoyed it a LOT ...
... Sophie played Peek-a-boo ...
... and enjoyed THAT so much ...
... that she wore herself right out!!!!

Clean car and happy kids! GOOD DAY!!!!

Fireproof

Hubby and I saw Fireproof on Friday night. OH. MY. WORD. What a good movie. First off, it was from the Facing The Giants people, and that is one of my fave movies, so I knew it would be good. But, seriously, I had no idea!

The first couple of scenes had me a bit worried about the acting level ('cause I am a bit picky about that), but it got better. The story - oh man - was gut wrenchingly real. I know marriages that have been there. My husband was IN a marriage that was there. They are all around - people who just "fell out of love". Not realizing that love is not a feeling but a choice and a commitment. AND not knowing where REAL love comes from. We are soooooo incapable of really loving without God. He IS love and true love comes only from Him.

I know (because I SAW it) that hubby fought hard for his marriage. But he fought it alone and, unlike the wife in the movie, she never came around. She made choices that HURT, not just hubby but everyone involved. She hurt her friends, her church family (I was among them) and, especially, her sons. I know she hurt them because I had to really earn their trust when I came along. But more than anyone she hurt her husband. Another pain that caused me to have to work to earn the trust. But amidst all of the pain, lessons were learned. And a closer relationship with God was forged.

So, in the movie, both spouses are at the end and want out. They are headed, at full speed, toward a divorce. But the husband's dad steps in and gives his son a dare. A love dare. For 40 days he is to follow the steps in a journal given to him by dad. Each day is a step to take in rebuilding the love that has been broken down. And each day builds on the last day. For instance day one is about respect. He must hold his tongue and respect his wife enough to not say an unkind word to her - even if it means not retaliating when SHE does. And then day two is to CONTINUE to not be unkind and to add doing a kind gesture, etc...

I don't want to give away the rest. Let's just say that it is NOT easy, but along the way, Caleb realizes that there is only One way to find love (and what that One way is!!!) and that it is worth the fight. And it IS a fight. Big time!

So, there is a website and a book that detail the dare and it's steps. I think I am gonna try it on my man. We have a solid, strong marriage. But, as the speaker at church said today (and don't ya just love how God puts all of this together!!!!), all marriages could use some work and can get better.

So, does anyone want to do this with me? I can put the step for each day on here and then y'all can comment about how ya did and how he reacted. The thing is, you can do it as a couple OR you can do it for him on your own, but if you do it that way, he is not to know you are doing it. Sneaky huh?! So, let me know if you are interested. I am gonna do it either way. And I will be sure to let ya know how it is working:)

Bloggy Love

My sweet bloggy friend Calista (Can I Get A Witness?) gave me some bloggy love yesterday. Isn't it pretty - it's my first blog award!! I would like to thank the academy and all of the little people ... JUST KIDDING!!!!!!

I WOULD like to thank Calista though:)

And, as with all things good, now I must work for it...

I am supposed to list six things that make me happy and then pass the bloggy love on. First I will list my six happies. Of course the thing that makes me HAPPIEST is not a "thing" at all, but a great big loving God from whom everything else comes. HE is a given, so I will list six things that HE has given me:

1. My family - Hubby, the love of my life and my best friend - life without you would be no life at all. Steven and Chris - you accepted me as step mom and chose to love me. You will never know what that means. Mindy - in less than a month you will be our daughter in love, as if we needed confirmation of that:) Hattie and Sophie - being your mommy is the best job I have ever had, you are the sunshine of my days and I love you to the moon and back a thousand times. Watching the girls you are becoming and the ways you are growing everyday, both humbles and amazes me.

2. My fRamily - Friends as close as family and framily I would choose for friends. Where would I be without all of you. Especially my mommy - my "other" best friend!!!

3. My home - My man has given me the house of my dreams - a big front porch, back deck, mature trees swaying in the breeze .... heaven on earth!

4. My church home - After leaving the old one behind, we never thought we would feel so at home, but thanks to Andy, Eric, Mike and Aron, as well as all of the other leaders at MCC, we have found a true HOME and FAMILY. Praise God for Changed People Reaching People for Christ!!!! And they truly are all that they claim to be!

5. My Computer - I know this is silly, but since I started blogging (thanks to my PBFF Beth Moore), I have discovered a whole community of friends and siestas who come together in prayer and praise and actual genuine love and affection ... only God, my friends!! Only God!

6. Seasons - Spent most of my life in a place where it is either hot or hotter (except for maybe two weeks in January where you may need a coat when you leave the house in the morning), so I LOVE seeing the changing seasons and all of the beautiful pictures that God paints for me through it all. As I speak I can look out my window and see trees with multi colored leaves - today they are green and just turning to gold, red, yellow and orange, in a few weeks they will be bare and covered in white fluffy snow, followed by the whites, pinks, purples and yellows of Spring and the vibrant greens of summer. WOW! Thank you Father!!!

Now, to share the bloginess ...

I am supposed to pick two (at least that is what Calista did), so I am picking one from Bloggy world and one from MCC world (closing my eyes and pointing, so as to be fair and square!!).....

SuperModel - I'm Still Clay

Teri - Facedown

I wish I could pick more, I really do.

Don't be mad if I didn't pick you ... confrontation and disappointing others is one that makes me UNhappy:(

You still love me right?!

Hot For The Holidays - Week 5

OK, I have finally caught up from the 5 pound Breast Cancer 3day fiasco. I lost the extra 2 lbs this week and then an additional .3!!! Isn't that just thrilling? I am down .3!

Yeah, not so much!

But, seeing as how the tally for the week is 2.3 down from last week, I will take it! Gladly!

So, in summation, I have lost 5.3 total (I think, I am getting lost in all of this math!!!!). I had lost 5ish, gained 5 on the 3day event and have lost those 5 and .3 more. So, I am resetting the scale at this total and we will go from here. So as to avoid any further math related confusion.

Math smart, I am not. No siree. I think the only reason I ever passed math in school was so the teacher could pass me off to the next sucker and not have to have me in their class again!!!

PS - for more entertaining reading scroll down. Or, ya know, visit another blog. Whatever works for ya!

PPS - do ya think if I do my "90 Day Total Body Makeover" DVD 3 times a day I can get that new body in 30 days? 'Cause that's when I need it.

Yeah, this nice hole, dug it all by myself. Thank you very much!

Seriously, Where DO They Put It?

So, today Miss Belle came to play. Her Daddy is in Atlanta hanging out with some big name Christian Celebrities. BIG names, like BILLY GRAHAM!!! But hey, I am not jealous or anything. Nope. Not me!!! Anyhoo, Belle's Mommy is holdin' down the fort and she had to work today. 'Cause that tiny, cute, super adorable woman is totally smart too. She's an RN and she is on duty. So, Belle came to our house to play. Yay us!!!!

Now, Belle is a year older than Sophie, but is a bit smaller. She weighs probably HALF as much as Sophie (who weighed in at a whopping 29 lbs. this morning!!!!). Sophie is a baby and, thus, a fairly light eater - by most standards. And Hattie, oh sweet Hattie, well, she's not an eater at all.

Usually.

For the most part, when Belle is here, it is like pulling teeth to get anyone of them to eat - well, except for Sophie. Sophie eats. But she is only ONE. But today the three of them decided, simultaneously, that they were FAMISHED beyond all reason. They converged upon me and began wailing and crying for food. I could not get it made fast enough.

While I cooked I let them play drum line so as to keep 'em out of my hair. And they were OK with that, until they saw me take the pan to the table. At which point they abandoned those pans quicker than lightning.

Then they proceeded to eat like nobody's business. Don't believe me, I have evidence. I made two boxes of Mac and Cheese.



TWO BOXES!!!

I made the whole grain variety because I figured Hubby and I would eat the leftovers. And we all know that processed, powdered, make believe cheese substance is WAY more healthy on whole grain noodles.

DUH! That's just common sense y'all.

I did not figure on each of these little girls having at least four bowls each. FOUR BOWLS!!! I am fairly sure that Miss Belle ate MORE than her weight in MacNCheese.

Note - Photographic evidence that Hattie eats something besides Chicken Dinos, Pizza and birthday cake!

Do you see the empty tray - it was full when I turned to get the camera!


Seriously!

Check the pan for yourself!


Yeah, looks like I will be making something else for the man!

Good Day So Far

So, yesterday was NOT a good day. I started to write a post telling you all about it, but decided against it. Perhaps it was the fact that the reason the downward spiral began was because a certain mommy - who shall remain nameless - had herself a big 'ol tantrum when Hattie would not cooperate with hair time. Or maybe I thought better of airing the dirty laundry due to the fact that I could not decided, at 7PM, if I should say I was ALREADY in my PJ's or, make it real and admit that I was STILL in my pj's. However, SuperModel will be glad to know that I did NOT eat the ice cream that I had been contemplating for dinner. Nope, we had pizza.

Yeah.

I know.

BUT - today is already better. WAY better! Oh so WAAAAAYYYYYY BETTER!!!

Why, you ask?

Because, over at Mama's Losin' It she is givin' away a Hoover vacuum. And, guess what ...

I WON!!!!!!

Oh yes I did!

And, seriously, I could not be more grateful!!! Thank you very much.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go pick up the remnants of Hurricane Hattie and Cyclone Sophie so that, when the vacuum gets here, I can find the floor to clean.

And if I am not back here in five days, somebody please come find me amidst the debris!!!

Picture Perfect Monday - Friends ... IN REAL LIFE!!!

Today, Hattie and Sophie and I took a little trip to McDonald's for lunch ...



where we met up with my bloggy girl Teri from Facedown ...


... so, now I can FINALLY say that we are friends ...


... IN REAL LIFE!!!!!


Now, Teri has always been one of my fave siestas and a few weeks back we started emailing and then texting and then IMing on Facebook, and now I can honestly say she is one of my favorite people that I truly KNOW!!!! It was like finding an instant buddy. Not at all akward, we just started chatting like we had known eachother all along. We even agreed on POLITICS - Shudder - and that is HUGE!!!

However, she may have been scared off by the MAJOR fit that Hattie threw on the way out of McD's, all because she had thrown her milkshake away and I would not let her retrieve it from the trash can. 'Cause I am just that mean!

Poor Teri, nothing like a slam dunk into our craziness. Sophie mooched her fries and Hattie melted down in front of her! I hope she's still my friend!!!