So Blessed!

They may be firefighting, fish catching, turtle chasing, water squirting, mud-slinging, 4-wheel riding, crazy boys-

but they're mine

&

I LOVE 'EM!

A Boy and a Barn

Still playing with posting directly from Picassa-can't seem to do more than 4 pics per post if I do it that way!

Thought I would try a collage-if you click it, it enlarges!

Shot these about 2 weeks ago on one of the boys fishing adventures.

Faces

One day this sweet little face will be all grown up-until then, I'm ploying all my mommy tactics to make sure I have plenty of fun photos to go with our memories :O

Jones Gap State Park

We had a fun family adventure several weeks ago! We visited Jones Gap State Park-which is only about a 25 minute drive from our house-for the very first time! Not only was it @ least 15 degrees cooler there, it was gorgeous! Nestled right in the mountains, with the river flowing through it was an awesome choice for a quick family getaway. This was our first shot at hike in camping-and we didn't do too shabby-considering we had a 5 year old in tow and Russell was the only one with a "real" pack. I have to say that I enjoyed it even better than our other camping trips, because we were out far enough to be away from lots of other people and the normal hustle and bustle that goes along with a campground. I can't wait to try it again-soon!!

Our Little Soccer Player

We were VERY excited that Isaac had the opportunity to try soccer in the spring! We are just a little bias, as hubby and I both were soccer players, and both our families are really partial to the sport! Isaac played basketball this year for the first time to, we are eager to let him find what he likes best--but he really enjoyed soccer even though it was a super short season-sooo we are ALL looking forward to the real thing beginning in August or September :0

Wordless Wednesday

Looking Back

Sometimes, its easier to just live life and not look back. Not think about yesterday or the woulda, coulda, shoulda's! As I grow though, I find that it's where I've been and what God has gotten me through that make me who I am. So yes, maybe life would have been easier without some of the yesterdays, but then I wouldn't be who I am today-and while I know God's not finished with me yet, He has brought me so far in the last few years and for that I am so grateful!

I found these pictures I never posted from my sweet baby brother's wedding and it just made me think of how far we've come! We were so happy on this day, oblivious to the twists and turns ahead. We never know what is going to come our way in life, only God knows, because it's His perfect plan-designed just for us!

And so after this happy day God carried us through and delivered us from what could have been even more life changing than it was! When the doctor's confirmed that there was a mass on my liver to say I was afraid would not be accurate, I was terrified. BUT--I was immediately filled with peace-knowing that the fact that the mass had been found was a gift from God during an ultrasound to check my gall-bladder. After zillions of tests, several doctors, and two surgeries-I have 1/2 a liver, no gallbladder-but here I am! God allowed me to go through this storm, He carried me through it, with my family, my friends, and my church family.

I am healthier now than I have been in years, and so thankful for what feels like a 2nd chance at life. God has blessed me in so many ways and I'm so thankful that He has more for me to do and He isn't finished with me yet!

Happy Birthday to Me!

I turned 30 back in May-and survived-lol!!

If you've been reading-(when I've posted, which I know has not been often lately) you know that I've been on a weight-loss journey. My mantra has been Thin and Thirty. I haven't made my goal weight yet-but I've lost about 45 lbs, so birthday time seemed like the perfect time for a reward!

So---- I drug Lana along kicking and screaming (sense the sarcasm) to a day at the spa in our of our weight loss and my birthday!

Lana was the perfect accomplice making sure I had the appropriate new clothes to wear--she insisted that I needed not just 1 new outfit for the "big reveal" but also something to wear to church Sunday and then of course School on Monday!
We had a great time shopping and it was amazing what I was able to find now that I have lost some weight!

If you know me "In Real Life" then you know that ALL my life I've had long hair to some degree. I liked it, but was tired of the lack of style-it just laid there. So when we decided on a spa day, I decided on a drastict new-do! I researched choices, printed pictures, even played with styles online that you could crop onto a picture of yourself.

Even with all the anticipation-I was a wreck when the stylist pulled my hair back and CHOPPED my ponytail off-it was sooo short. The hair was enough to be donated, which was awesome, and after some work my hair turned out amazing!

Before leaving for our spa adventure

Pretty nails

Saying goodbye to blah!

Drumroll Please....

TA-DA

After :)


My hubby and our friends from church surpised me-I was convinced we were going out to eat-but this was so much better! The funniest part was my mom trying to mentally prepare herself for what my hair was going to look like. It seems the conversation centered around how they would all react if it was awful-knowing that I know them all well it was going to be a struggle. So it was funny to look and see the "relief" on their faces that there didn't seem to be anything too crazy going on on top of my head!