A thanksgiving trip like no other.

To say I was nervous about this trip was an understatement.   Traveling for 2 days each way with 3 kids didn't sound like a blast at all.

Add in to the mix that 2 days before we left Asher woke up with a stomach bug.  The next day.... Kyley.... and less than 12 hours before we left both Derek and I were down for the count.

I'm so thankful Elijah never got it.

We had a lot of fun though. The kids got to visit with a lot of family they've never met. Heck even I met some I'd never met.

We spent most of our days exploring the little town we were staying in. Going to the park and enjoying the scenery. The evenings were spent hanging out with family and enjoying those times.

Two more stomach casualties later (Ryan and Grandma) and finally everyone was healthy and able to enjoy themselves by the trip home LOL

Here are a few pictures from the trip. There are a LOT more but I just want to share these for now.

Elijah thought he was tough



Great Grandpa



Family Portrait in the hotel Elevator



Ryan and the boys



Great gramma and grampa



Thanksgiving dinner



Elijah and grandpa



We got to spend time with Aunt Betty, Uncle Donny and Tasha



And Aunt Ann



And Uncle Sean

 

It was a great time. I hate that sickness took over for a few days, but so glad the kids got the opportunity to go. They were great travelers, but boy are we glad to be home!!!!

Love Came Down

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11.

Love came down and rescued me

Love came down and set me free

I am Yours

Lord I'm forever Yours

Mountains high or valley low

I sing out and remind my soul

I am Yours

I am forever Yours

The story of Christmas always humbles me.   I think about my own 3 children and how much I cherish them. And I think of how hard it must have been to allow His only Son to walk this earth and die for US.

There's no story greater. No purer love.

 

I absolutely LOVE these pieces from Dayspring and I've already put them all to such good use in sharing the wonders of HIS love this holiday season.

We can't wait to start the tabletop advent devotional this weekend. It's something we've never done before but Kyley especially is counting down the days until we start.

*In full disclosure I was provided with the products in this post to use and help me write about the story of how Love came down. They can be purchased at Dayspring. All opinions here are my own and in no way influenced by their contribution.

Dress Shopping!

Last night, the hubs went with some other men from the church to serve dinner in Enterprise... And I took these 3 cuties to meet GiGi so the older two could go home with her for the evening.


I enjoyed getting to go shopping with the bestie, and I can't WAIT to be able to witness the joining of her and her groom to be on their wedding day!

A new do. And a few other things.

My tiny got a new hair do. 

 He looks so grown now!!! 

 

And here's my few other things. 

 If I were to be honest, I wasn't ready to cut his hair. 

 However, I realized this week after the bazillionth person told me I should cut it that he looked like a girl, that I wanted to punch that person. It wasn't their fault, not totally anyhow. I shouldn't let people get to me like that. Anyhow, I realized that if that was how I felt about it, I'd rather go ahead and cut it because I've been contemplating it for a while anyway, than feel contempt for someone who told me how they felt about it. 

 I do have this to say though. Please be careful in what you say to others. At what point is it ok to interject our opinions on other's lives? How many of you can say you have NEVER been hurt by someone else's opinion? I guarantee you not many. 

 I see this a LOT. Especially amongst mothers. There's this need to give your opinion and push how you feel on someone else. We need to realize how what we say affects other people. You never know when a casual mention of "Oh you should really cut his hair, he's starting to look like a girl." will make someone want to punch you in the face. Yall I'm just being real here.

 Proverbs 12:18 ESV 

There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. 

Are we rash with the things we say? Or are we wise?

 I encourage you today, be careful what you say. Be mindful of other's feelings, and set boundaries for yourself. Would you like it if someone imposed how they felt on you? I know we all say we would be graceful about it, but chances are, we won't. 

 Encourage one another and lift each other up. It's the best healing.

A silly bunch.

I love these people. I'm so glad God blessed me with them!

Freedom

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17

Teaching my oldest a valuable lesson today. Elijah's at school, so I took the opportunity while I was already out to go ahead and go vote with Kyley and Asher. 

 

Kyley was very interested in the process so I tried to explain things step by step, and tell her WHY it was important to vote. 

 

Surprisingly the lines weren't bad, but I chose a great time to go, everyone had already filtered through for the morning rush and lunch rush hadn't occurred yet obviously. 

 

We talked about the office of the president and how long they can serve, and things like that. She's not ready for deep politics, but she's definitely interested in the surface stuff. Why we have a president, why it's important in who we choose. She asked me on the way there about who I was going to vote for, and why people didn't want Obama to still be president. So I explained to her that not everything a president does is good for our country. So she said "Even George Washington was a bad president?" Well, no Kyley, I wouldn't say they are bad presidents, just that every president does good things and also bad things, no one is perfect. 

It's opened up a great opportunity to talk about sin. Teaching her that living in righteousness isn't easy and we don't always get it right, but we keep trying. 

Don't forget to go vote today!!!

Thanks.

Colossians 3

¹⁵ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

I could list so many other times the Bible talks about being thankful, but this is one of my favorites. 

I don't know about anyone else, but I often get caught up in listing all the many things bringing me down.    

Ever been there?  Things seem to be stacking up against you and you don't know how you're going to make it? 

Start listing your blessings and being thankful. 

I love November, because people all over the world start to really think about what they're thankful for and list them out. It is so heart warming to watch people look into their lives and see the blessings God has given them. 

It's about time we took our focus off of those things that bring us down. Life isn't about money or things, or what we have to get done, it's about our relationship with Christ.  If you focus on Him and the things He's blessed you with, your entire outlook will change!

What are you thankful for today?

Be Still

 Have you ever just looked around you and wondered what was God really doing in your life?

Let me encourage you today to just sit back and listen.

He is here for the broken and life to the one who is undone He is peace to the wounded and hope for the helpless one He is here, He is here
Be still my soul, be still Be still my soul, be still Wait patiently upon the Lord Be still my soul, be still
When the waves rise against me and the wind tries to draw me away I will stand on the mountain, safe in Your arms I will sing I will sing
Be still my soul, be still Be still my soul, be still Wait patiently upon the Lord Be still my soul, be still
Be still I know He is God He is here, He is here Be still I know He is God He is here, He is here
So be still my soul, be still Be still my soul, be still Wait patiently upon the Lord Be still my soul, be still Wait patiently upon the Lord Be still my soul, be still

Life through their eyes.

This little spunky gal, recently got her very own 'art studio'. Her daddy set her up an area in the shed out back with an easel and all of her painting supplies. She would spend hours a day out there if I let her.   I love that she's creative and spunky but still so caring and sweet as well.

Recently, she's began to pray for God to fill her with the Holy Spirit. Will you join with me in lifting her up, that she would fully understand what it is she is asking for and also for God to grant her that desire.

Reading has FINALLY taken off. We are on the downhill side of a LOOOOOOONG battle to teach her to read. I'm loving how excited she gets now about reading words and signs and books, everything she can, she tries to read to me.

She's loving ballet again this year (our 5th year) and I can't wait until her December mini recital so that I can see all the new stuff she's been showing me put into action.



This little cutie is LOVING going to school. He's doing so well. He's recognizing letters and sounds, and writing his name better and better each day.



Last week he wrote it on the board at church.

 

He's such a gentle giant. He is so rough and tough boy, but when the going gets tough he's the sweetest snuggle bug I've ever met.

He loves to play with Asher and will jump off of anything. He's just all boy.

He took his very first trip with grandma and grandpa alone a few weeks back



He had a blast at the fall festival with his grandparents and Kyley and Bella. (Bella is our niece)

And this kid...





He's so silly.   He loves Doe Doe.

Here he is making Derek watch videos of Doe Doe after work one day. LOL

 

 He says so many new words daily. Right now his sister is teaching him to say bun, meat, cheese, and pickle. (they are eating a crabby patty from the halloween candy)

He loves to be outside. I constantly hear him banging on the door yelling DOOOR... SIDEEEE. (translation: open the door, I want outside)

He is rough and fearless.

Twice recently he's ended up with goose eggs.





The kid got right back up and tried to jump off of something else. Seriously. He's fearless.



He's just so sweet and fun. I love the faces he makes. I'll try to get a video of his sillyness soon.

He still goes nuts over bananas. But he has a new found love... bapples.   His version of apple.

I love these little munchkins and I don't want to forget what they're like at these ages.

Super siblings.