Favorite Things

Yes, I have a new background. I'm just kind of messing around with stuff. I hope it will change further, but I am so not computer savvy.

Have you tried these? You should. And you can go here to print out a $1 off coupon.



I get very hungry mid-morning and these are great for that. However, I am loving this bread and with 4 grams of fiber per slice, it really helps with the hunger as well.
It's even better with this apple butter that mom and I made on Thursday. Okay, well, really mom made it. I did peel several apples and contributed the recipe. Thanks to Darby. Surely you have seen her blog/website. If not, you're in for a treat.

Off of my favorite things and onto something a little more important. Do most of you get the Samaritan's Purse newsletter? I always look forward to getting it in the mail. It's usually very sobering. My mom has always had a burden for the persecuted church and gets the magazine-Voice of the Martyrs-or maybe it's a newsletter. Anyway, in the most recent Samaritan's Purse newsletter, there was quite a bit about persecuted Christians in several different countries. I really do feel a burden to pray for this. We are so blessed here in America (though I'm afraid it may not stay this way for long) to have the freedom to worship without fear. Here are a few requests that were in the most recent newsletter-if you would like to join in praying:

-For Iraq, Pakistan, India, and other countries where there is opposition to the Gospel, that God will open doors for people to hear and respond to the message of Jesus Christ.

-For the men, women, and children who are enduring persecution for their faith.

-For God's protection and guidance for Samaritan's Purse staff and ministry partners as they serve Christ in difficult and dangerous place.

Here is a convicting verse that was also included: "Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering." -Hebrews 13:3 Lord, help me to always remember my brothers and sisters who are suffering for your name!

I am certainly not suffering on this Saturday afternoon. That's for sure! My kids are asleep, it's raining outside, and I'm about to make some coffee and be thankful. Hope yours is just as relaxing!

We're Home

I am happy to report the trip home was much, much better than the trip there. Re-entry is never fun, though. It takes several days to get back in the swing of things. This morning was especially rough. I realized late last night we had no coffee. I kind of panicked. Steven left super early this morning to get ready for church, so he couldn't run get any. Andrew woke up at about 6:00 and it was raining outside. I had to take a deep breath and tell myself, "you can do this". Addicted? I think so. But there really is nothing like that first cup in the morning.

Anyway, back to the rest of our trip. We had several more beautiful days and thanks to Steven's parents (Nana and Poppy) several dates after the kids had gone to bed. Such a treat!

Not much else to say except I am going through beach withdrawals. If you look at these pictures, you can probably see why...




I am also having withdrawals from puzzle working. Does anyone else like to do that? The beach house we were staying at had a 1000 piece puzzle that I became addicted to while I was there. I finished it at 11:00 the night before we left. Ellie and Luke also have several 24 piece puzzles they are actually very good at. Luke will work his over and over. In this picture, Ellie has taken over working on it. She is also modeling several items that Nana purchased for her at the Silver Sands outlet mall. That place is dangerous. It will suck you in.


Remember Ellie's cute haircut? Well, now picture it with a chunk out of the right side. She finally did it. I saw a big piece of hair on the bathroom floor and my heart sunk. She's a scissoraholic. I have found slices out of clothing before, but never hair. I guess she just couldn't stand it any longer.
Andrew spent a lot of his time sitting in the pack-n-play chewing on the breast pump since I forgot most of his toys.

He doesn't seem to mind. He's a breast pump fan!

Hello from Florida!

We're here. Finally! Things got started off to a bit of a rough start on Saturday. My mom rode with the kids and me on Thursday down to my aunts house to break up the trip. Steven was on his way on Saturday to meet us in my mom's car. Around Birmingham he called and said he had blown a tire. So after getting all of that worked out, he arrived around 5:00. We get the van packed up and are headed out. Now I am usually very good at directions. But somehow I missed a turn. So about 45 min. down a county road and very low on gas, we realize this. Panic sets in as we haven't seen a gas station for at least 20 miles. Needless to say, things were a bit tense between Steven and me :) We both had to apologize later-as you can imagine. You know..."how could you have missed that turn? why didn't we have a full tank of gas?" And the kids at this point are starving (as am I). So we pulled over and turned off the car (which caused Andrew to wake up) and called Andalusia police (that was the nearest town). They informed us Brantley was just a few more miles down the road. We made it to Brantley and thankfully a gas station, but no fast food. There was a Dollar General and so I was able to get a loaf of bread and some deli meat. Nothing like a little picnic in the car in Brantley, AL! So the locals were more than happy-seemed to love it, actually-giving us directions. One man continued to say "wow, you really did get lost" Thanks for that. Anyway, we got turned around and about 2 hrs. later we pulled in to our beach house.

No time for a grocery run, so yesterday morning we drove about a mile in to Seaside and had one of the best breakfasts I have ever put in my mouth. Fried Green Tomato Eggs Benedict-with Gouda cheese grits-yummy! Yesterday was beautiful. Here are a few highlights.


Don't be too jealous. As I sit here it is POURING down rain outside. Well, you can still be a little jealous, because it is actually very cozy. I don't really mind at all. It's so funny how things change once you get older. I would've been so incredibly disappointed as a child if it was raining at the beach. Now it is such a vacation to be somewhere else and have Steven "home from work" for 7 days, with no housework to do except the basics (which is still quite a bit-but much less than normal).

Poor Luke got a little lost in the beach shuffle. However, we did manage to squeeze in a little birthday hoopla before we left. And here are a few pics from the big day in all its "Cars" glory. I have heard some say that the 3's are harder than 2's, so far that is turning out to be the case with Luke. Looots of whining these days. Still very sensitive and obedient, just lots more tears and very whiny. Hopefully just a phase.

Not mad. Just a very intense "I'm opening up my gifts" look.

And while we're on phases that I'm hoping will not last. Andrew is eating a lot during the night. Like every 4 hours a lot. Ridiculous, isn't it? See this is the longest I've ever been able to nurse. And he is so distracted during the day he will hardly nurse. So he does it at night, I guess. Or I just need to let him cry it out. And first baby Ann would be all about that, but third baby Ann is thinking, he will eventually sleep, but it's just easier to nurse him and put him back down. (Or just let him fall back asleep in bed with us, even) Hey-whatever works.

Hope to be back with more sunny beach pics.

Haircuts and The Beach

I had posted a blog last week with pictures and a "tour" of my house. My mom called me and said that may not be the smartest thing to give any crazies out there a look into our entire house. I am pretty paranoid about things like that, so it was promptly removed. That is what happened-if you were wondering.

I've slacked a bit on blogging lately. Mainly because...(drumroll, please)...we are going to the BEACH on THURSDAY!!!! Well, technically we aren't going to be at the beach until Saturday. But we are going to break-up the trip with a stop off in Evergreen, AL at my aunt's house. Thursday my little Lukie will be three, but we will be celebrating on Wednesday with cupcakes at school and I am bringing a cake to church that night. So...basically, I need to be finished packing tomorrow night. And this will be different from a trip to visit a friend or family. I need to think of EVERYTHING. I can't just borrow some toothpaste if I forget mine. And that is what's going on with us.

Something else that is going on with us is haircuts. Luke got his usual Wal-Mart chop and I decided it was time to do the same for Ellie. I had wanted to try this for awhile and thought it would look really cute on her. Pretty darn cute, don't ya think?


(Please excuse the t-shirt. Mom got it for her without realizing what it says-Center of Attention-we don't like to encourage this-it's bad enough as it is. We only let her wear it at home)

She loooved getting it done and loves it-I'm pretty sure she feels very grown-up. And looks pretty grown up as well :( She has asked me if it will grow out and I told her it will, but we can get it cut again. Everyday she asks if it has grown out yet.

Here are a few more dress-up/beach prep pictures. Ellie and Luke are getting anxious about the beach as well. Luke keeps saying "the beach is taking too wong". I think it makes him feel better to try on his swimsuit with the built-in flotation device. And try it on he does. He wears it often. I taught them how they could chest bump in these things and they think it is HU-larious!


Look for our next post to be pictures full of sandy white beaches, crystal clear water, and loads of sunshine (no hurricanes, please!)