A Jolly-Good Time...

A great visit to see Santa today. No tears. No screams of terror. No refusals to see Santa. Brody was doing great until Santa asked him what he wanted for Christmas- his body language says it all!!!!

Ho Ho Ho!!!!!

Christmas Card Outtakes 2010

It seems like I just put this blog up for 2009, but it's true... another year has passed by. As you may know, this is my favorite blog of the year. This year wasn't as eventful as past Christmas card outtakes, but it had its own shining moments.

Our idea was to stack the boys up. Jadin and Brody waited perfectly while Jeremy prepared to place Dallas on the top of the stack. But, Brody's ticklish nature got the best of him and Dallas was not happy about being on top of a giggling Brody.

So, when your out shopping for that perfect gift, we hope that our outtakes will remind you that you can't please everyone!!!

Merry Christmas to ALL!

Time to Take Back Time...

There are not many places you can go these days where you won't know what time it is. The time is ticking away on wall clocks, alarm clocks, cell phones, computers and wrist watches. And despite the attempts of anti-aging products, it's clear that time is not something you will escape. A quote from one of my favorite movies, Steel Magnolia's, says it best, "Honey, time marches on and eventually you realize it is marchin' across your face."

I was thinking about how much time we are given. No one knows the exact number of days we will be on this earth, but if I were to estimate how many days I had left, would it change how I live? So, let's say I live to 100- a lofty guess but I will think positive. If I were to live to 100 from the age I am now, I have approximately 26,000 days left. Does that sound like a lot? Knowing that I have already lived roughly 10,000 days, 26,000 does not sound like a lot to me. And what if it were less? A lot less.

I have decided that I don't want to squander the days I have left. Whether it's 26,000 or only a few. How do we waste time? Well, each of us could probably answer that individually but I am sure we all could resonate with the next few time-wasters.

I have wasted days being mad at someone. I have wasted days feeling sorry for myself. I have wasted days feeling insecure. I have wasted days being critical. And I have wasted days in regret. In fact, I think that looking back is one of the main ways we all waste time. Sure... there are lessons to be learned from looking back- thus the statement 'Hindsight is 20/20.' The past usually gives us a clear picture of what we need to do better. And if it's a clear picture, then take a peak, take note and get your eyes back on what lies ahead.

How many days have I wasted wishing I would have said something I did not say or did not say something I said? How many days have I squandered wishing I would have taken a risk that I didn't or waited a bit longer before I took a leap. Too many to mention. Paul says in Philippians 3, "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which Christ has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." This is what I want. I do not want to waste one more day pumping my time into things that bear no fruit. I want to press on.

So, how do I put this into action? Well, I was given the chance last night. A situation popped up and I immediately felt mad. Rather than stewing over it all night (which I have done an embarrassing amount of times) I dealt with it, gave it to God and moved on. You do all you can do and then let God do what you can't. And instead of losing sleep because I was stewing all night, I enjoyed my evening and slept well. I couldn't help the fact that I got mad, but I could make a decision as to how long I was going to stay that way.

No more wasting time- it's far to precious.

The Best Play-Dough EVER!!!

By popular demand... here is my recipe for play-dough. I made the batch we have now 2 years ago and it is still like new and smells good. Enjoy! Below is Blue Raspberry...

Play Dough Recipe

2 cups flour
1/2 cup salt
2 cups water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup cream of tartar
1 pkg unsweetened powdered Kool-Aid (gives color and smell)

Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan. Cook and stir over low/medium heat until play dough is completely formed and no longer sticky. Allow to cool slightly before storing in an air tight container.

Back from the Dead...

After receiving a new phone from our cellular provider, we had an unfortunate event... It went through a complete wash cycle!!! In fact, it went through the dryer too. But only for a few minutes. The knocking was a sure sign something had gone wrong. I'll take the blame... since I do the laundry... and the person that left it in HIS jeans will remain nameless.

Anyway, it's been dead for over a month. We took it to our provider and begged for them to give us something... but we got nothing. We had to go back to our old phone which is... hmmm... how shall I say....HIDEOUS! But, the great friends in our small group suggested we put it in a bowl of rice to absorb the moisture... thus, the picture. After 24 hours, I said a prayer and plugged it in. Low and behold.... we have a working phone. It's a miracle!!!

Thanks to all our great friends for the great advice!!!

Perserverance

I remember everything about this moment in history. I stayed up with my dad to watch the United States win the Gymnastics Gold Medal after Kerri Strug's final vault. The difference between the gold and silver medal would be determined by a teenage girl. Talk about pressure!

We sat on the edge of our seats as Kerri approached her first vault. Because this was her best event, it was a shock to everyone when she botched her landing. And she was hurt. She limped back to execute her 2nd and final vault. This is the moment she left such an imprint on my life and on the lives on many others. She could have quit right then and no one would have blamed her. But her dream of winning a gold medal was so strong that she decided to persevere through her pain and proceed.

I haven't seen this clip since the night it happen 14 years ago, but I have played it out in my head many times when I felt like giving up. Watching it again brings tears to my eyes... reminding me that my dreams deserve my determination. So do yours...

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:4

Fingerprints

Who hasn't taken the opportunity to write in some frosty glass? Or make a hand print? It's like a right of passage in the cooler months of the year. And when the frost goes away, the print does too. Or so we think. The next time the glass fogs up, the print will reappear- it's like magic to a kid.

When my brother was young, he showed a talent in anything mechanical. By the age of 13, a local small engine shop hired him to fix lawn mowers and along with that talent came greasy hands. We always knew where Brad had been by the fingerprints he left behind. And although this was a minor nuisance to the one who had to clean up the greasy prints... the prints followed him to a career in mechanical engineering.

Now that I have boys, I often clean up sticky hand prints from food, dirt and crafts. But, that's what we do... We use our sense of touch on millions of items each day. And everywhere we go, we leave our fingerprints- visible or not. Webster's Dictionary defines fingerprint as something that identifies: as a trait, trace or characteristic of revealing origin. Fingerprints reveal who you are.

Every time you touch your children, you are leaving characteristics of you all over them. What type of fingerprints will you leave behind? Every time you interact with the people at work, traces of you fill the room. What will you write on their frosty windows? And whenever you interact with the world, your traits stick to everything you touch. What type of imprint will you leave on the world?

Ephesians 4 urges us to live a life worthy of the calling we have received. We will one day be held accountable for the millions of fingerprints we are responsible for. I challenge you to ponder the prints that identify you each day.

The Nose Speaks...

Yesterday... The boys were playing at the playground and a mom approached me. She said, "Is that your little boy over there?" I immediately got nervous. "Yes." I said.

Then she said... "Well, he had an accident. Pee is going everywhere." Now, I get that this was a 'had to be there' kind of moment. But, the way she said it was as if she had NEVER had a child wet their pants and was pronouncing judgment on me. She wanted him off the playground ASAP.

I approached the boy with the pee on his pants and he was terribly embarrassed. He had wet his pants on the mulch, not on the playground equipment but she was staring me down waiting for my exit. Then, to make matters worse, her friend showed up for a play-date and she begin to point and make faces as she described her disapproval.

I think this was a bad case of 'snooty.' Did I need to know that my child had an accident? Of course. But, would he probably have run by me a minute later and brought it to my attention without the public embarrassment of the Accident Police? Absolutely.

So, come on moms... we have to stick together. I have noticed the judgement between mothers since I became a mom five years ago. Moms ask other moms questions just to gloat and brag about their own child? Like, "Is your baby sleeping through the night? Oh, he's not???? Little Johnny has been sleeping all night since he was one day old."

My dad and his immense wisdom gave me a great answer to all of those judgemental moms. He said, "When they say something that is mean and judgmental, say, 'Well, my baby does 20 baby push-ups every morning.'"

Makes me smile. I think of it whenever I am standing in front of a judgemental mom.

And the truth of the matter is... we just don't need that from each other. Motherhood is a challenge. And no matter how you choose to go about it, the judgement of others always seems to be there. But, who made any of us the standard that all other mothers should live up to?

Jack Welch, an American businessman and author said at a recent leadership conference, "Don't be more proper than you really are; don't be snooty. People hate snooty." So, if our nose is higher in the air than it should be, which basically means we think we're better than someone else, we should take a minute to remember that it is not well received. Instead, be a person of authenticity who exudes the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Qualities that are always well received.

From 5 pounds to 5 years...

Jeremy and I had only been married 6 months when we found out I was pregnant with Jadin. After I told Jeremy the news... we slipped into a month-long coma of shock. What about our 5 year plan? How would we be able to afford a baby? Would we still fit in with our childless friends? I remember confessing to a wise friend at work my fears about having a baby and she said, "The one you aren't expecting always turns out to be the valedictorian." And she couldn't have been more right.

At 9:21 on the morning of 9/21, Jadin entered the world at 5lbs 12oz. He was born 4 weeks early due to preeclampsia, but he was perfect. And again, Jeremy and I sat, stunned. But, this time... our surprise came from the overwhelming amount of love we experienced for this 5 pound little boy. All of our anxiety about having a baby walked right out the door with our selfishness and parenthood fit like a glove.

Jadin is nothing short of the valedictorian in our lives. He is a 'first born' through and through and he has such a heart for Jesus. I am blown away by how rich and sweet Jadin has made our lives. He is something special... there is no doubt in my mind about that.

Although it seems like yesterday that Jadin fit into that baseball glove, time has marched on... And today... my baby is 5. I will always remember the day he was born because it changed my life for the better and it has only gotten sweeter.

Happy 5th Birthday to my Jade-bug!

Oblivious Exercise

A few days back, I pulled out a workout dvd that I do pretty regularly. Because Jadin doesn't take naps anymore, he decided to to join me in my afternoon workout. He was enthused and pumped up about his first workout. He went and made a couple of weights out of some toys in the playroom, found a mat and grabbed a bottle of water, just like me. I was amused.

On the first workout, he did windmills 3 times as fast as I could. Actually, he did most of the exercise moves presented at triple speed. On the second day of the workout, he took pauses here and there. By the third day of the workout, he laid on the floor and got up only twice for his two favorite moves: butt kicks and boxing. At the end of the third workout he said, "Why do you do this? It's kind of boring."

Isn't this how most adults go about a new exercise/diet plan? The first day: we're pumped. The second day: we are less enthused. And by the third day, we're ready to quit. I think Jadin exposed a valid reason as to why we do this: exercise is easier when it's fun.

Jadin is almost 5. He has abs of steel and not an ounce of body fat. Although he eats very well, he burns off any caloric intake with his active lifestyle. He never does jumping jacks or sit-ups but he enjoys life to the fullest and plays from the moment his feet hit the floor until it is dark outside. He exercises 10 times as much as any adult and yet has no idea he's doing it.

As adults, we can't run on the playground all day long, or play hide-and-go-seek until it's dark. We have busy lives. And as a result, our workouts get reduced to a dvd or some time at the gym that is really not all that fun. As of right now, there may not be much you can do to change this fact. But, I challenge you not forget the things you love that involve physical exertion.

For me, it's dance. I was a cheerleader from an early age through college. I taught lessons at a local ballroom dance studio. I danced. I ate as much as I do now, but never struggled with weight gain. Now... to lose a pound is hard work. Some of that could be due to getting older, but most of it has to do with not having the time to exercise. So, today... I am letting myself remember how much l loved to dance. In fact, I have a fantasy that Dancing with the Stars would do a spin-off called Dancing with the Middle-Class and I would get to be a contestant. ;)

What do you love to do that inadvertently involves exercise? Do you find time to do it? If not, I pray that God will open up windows for you to get some oblivious exercise.

Gauging Your Spiritual Tank

Fuel: It's something we know we need in order to get from here to there. Without it, we would all be more or less at a stand-still. And if you've ever run out of it, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

At 17, I had places to go and people to see. Stopping for gas was a nuisance and it always seemed to get in the way of my overloaded schedule. I pushed it until the last second. And one day, I was a second too late. In the turn lane of a busy intersection, my car just shut down. It was embarrassing, dangerous and just plain dumb on my part. Luckily, the music pastor from my church pulled up behind me right after it happened and pushed my car out of harm's way and my brother showed up shortly after with some gasoline.

It only takes once. Lesson Learned. Or so I thought...

Lately, I have been burning my spiritual fuel and neglecting to go in for a fill up. I spent most of the summer squeezing out every work hour possible that was not already reserved for taking care of three boys, a husband, cooking and cleaning. I have only taken 2 days off in the last 40 days. And the gauge on my spiritual life has been moving closer and closer to Empty.

I noticed that my blog had gone un-touched for over a month and since I just finished up my work project, I thought I would update it. However, the ideas were circulating in my head and nothing seemed to come to fruition. And then it hit me. My spiritual vehicle was starting to spit and sputter. I had nothing to pour out because I was just about to shut down. It's embarrassing, dangerous and just plain dumb on my part.

We all know better. And yet, many of us find ourselves running on empty or even worse- completely broken down. God is ready and waiting to renew and refill all of our spiritual needs.

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

#3 at 3

The 3rd child....my baby.... clicked over the clock to 3 months old yesterday. The up-all-nights are over. Good sleep has taken its place. And although we are more rested, I feel a little blue on just how quickly time has passed.

I think we have done well being in the moment with Dallas for all of his milestones. That is really all you can do as a parent. Catch all the smiles. Hold on tight for every hug. And treat time as a precious gift.

We thank God for such a tremendous blessing to our lives. Even though this is our third, we have never been more amazed by just how good God is.

Jeremy Turns the BIG 3-0!!!

One night you're 29 and then bamm.... the next morning you're a man in your 30's! Well, at least that's how it happened for Jeremy. :)

So, to ease the pain of this new decade, I gave him a special package last night that had 3 tickets for Six Flags over Georgia, 3 tickets to Atlanta Braves, a hotel stay and all the cash he may need. He was a bit perplexed as to who would be accompanying him on this little excursion. So, I let him know that two of his close friends, Wes and Brandon, would be driving in from NC to meet him in Atlanta this morning. BOYS NIGHT!!!

A huge thanks to Brandon and Wes who drove a long way to make Jeremy's 30th Birthday so special!

I love you baby!!! HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY!!!

McSteamy and MsDreamy

It was hot outside today, but that was not the only thing that was steamy... It seems like love is in the air today. Last night, my brother, Brad got engaged to his beautiful girlfriend, Cristina, who Brody affectionately calls Aunt Teenie. This morning, I got to be a fly on the wall taking pictures of Ashley and Austin, who will be tying the knot in the months to come. And today, I got the pleasure of watching two great people say I do. Congrats Daniel and Holly!!! To top it off... I am headed out for a date with a good lookin' man who can still turn a girls head! I love you Jeremy!!!

Here are a few from the engagement session today...