~Church Youth Christmas Party~

Although there were bruises, scrapes, a broke toe and a few

that claim they passed out...I think the youth had a great

time at their Christmas party.

The boys (and some of the girls) wrestled the whole time...

some (like me) decided it would be much safer to just watch.

Here's the jousting ring...there really wasn't much jousting

going on...mostly wrestling ;o}

Ethan and Tyler ~ both trying not to be the first to tap out...

Check out Ethan's socks! Isn't that hilarious!

Dalton & Jeremy on the Bungee Run...

I know this picture quality is not very good...(I had it on the wrong

setting) but I still think it's a good shot. Notice the look on

Bro. John's face ;o}

Bro. Brian holding Tyler down...

Brandon & MacKenzie just couldn't resist tag teaming Rusty!

Courtney & Megan on the Bungee Run...

We are gonna have to invest in a few of these jousting rings when

(IF lol) we get into our new building!

I don't know who had more fun...the youth or the big kids (the men).

~Church Christmas Party~

Saturday night was our church Christmas Party...

Since we are still not in our 'new' church building we

had our dinner at a local restaurant.

Here are a few snap shots from the night!

Kayla with Elijah.

Ethan with his friend Brandon.

Liana sharing her chapstick with her little brother Jaycob.

Bro. John & Mrs. Mindy (our associate pastor)

After the dinner we went to a local church and enjoyed an evening

 in 'Old Jerusalem'. They had booths set up where the kids could

make & bake their own bread, make perfume, grind meal, make

shoes and tons of other activities.

Here are a few pictures~sorry about the pic over load

(new camera to blame) ;o}

Ok~any of you ladies with handy husbands...I want one

of these......the sooner the better ;o}

It's for hubby for Christmas! hehehe

I think bro. John is enjoying this a little too much!

I bet Rusty is thinking that he would like to have a few of these

for Wednesday Night Youth Class.

Here the kids are using rocks to grind to meal for bread...They

spent more time here than anywhere else.

Making baby Jesus sculptures out of home-made play dough.

Hubby learning how to make rope...

Kayla & Kailey weaving baskets.

Me and my Hunny.

We had a great time...and believe me there were TONS more pictures

from that night..137 to be exact ;o}

You can view the ones from the Christmas dinner HERE.

~My Anniversary~

I have sat down at least a dozen times to post this
particular post...and each time I have been interrupted..
until now ;o)

Dalton is outside with his friend Brandon...and Kayla and Ethan
are in the living room playing monopoly with Courtney.

So, time for a little catch up...

Last Saturday (Dec. 5th) was our 17th wedding anniversary...

...SEVENTEEN years...
Since the boys were hunting with their Uncle Joe and
Kayla begged to stay with Courtney (thanks a million Courtney)

We actually had lunch by ourselves....this happens...maybe
twice a year....maybe.This is what hubby surprised me with!

He knew I had been wanting one...and I had no
idea he was getting it for me~he surprised me!

He really surprised me...usually I at least have some idea of
what he's getting me...but not this time.

I love being surprised...I hate to know what a gift is
before I get it...it takes all of the fun out of it.

So...Hunny...thank you for my camera!
I really, really love it!

~Hawaiin Fruit Cake~

I know that you're probably thinking the same thing I

think when I see the words 'fruit cake'...

A five letter word that starts with an 'N' and ends in a 'Y'...

I better clarify that....for some of you whose minds may be

wondering down the gutter right about now...shame on you..the

word I'm thinking is 'nasty'...if that wasn't the word you had in

mind...then I'm sure the one you are thinking will do just fine. ;o}

This is my Nanny's recipe...I asked her for it the other day and

she wrote me a letter describing how to make it...and I am

sharing it with my blog friends...

2 boxes honey graham crackers (crushed)

1 cup English Walnuts (chopped)

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 to 1 cup raisins

1 cup pineapple (drained, reserve juice)

1/2 stick butter

2/3 bag mini marshmallows

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large bowl, combine cracker crumbs, nuts, coconut, raisins,

cinnamon & pineapple; set aside. In a saucepan melt butter, add

vanilla...add marshmallows until melted. Mix with dry ingredients.

Stir well...if it seems dry add pineapple juice a little at a time. You

don't want it wet, but moist enough to where it will hold shape when

pressed into a ball.

Line your pan ( I use a bundt pan or a jello mold~something with

a pretty shape) with plastic wrap. Press mixture firmly into your

pan and refrigerate for a couple days before serving to blend the

flavors. Be sure to press it firmly into your pan or it will not hold

its shape when you take it out. You can use the candied fruit if

you like...but I don't like it...so, I don't.

Hope you try this recipe...you will love it!

I will be so glad....

...when deer season is over!(but don't tell the boys ;o})

They count down the days until it comes around each year.

Here they are building a shooting house...there was
wood all over the yard~and still in the garage in a
not so neat little pile~that will be cleaned up tomorrow~
FIRST THING! hint hint hint

I think Ethan is suppose to be holding the wood

still for Brandon...

This is my adopted daughter Courtney (;o)~not really)

...but I claim her as my own...she was pitching in a helping hand.

I wonder who came up with the design?

It looks like that shooting hole is a little high ;o}

My boys love to hunt...Especially Dalton, he eats, sleeps and

breathes hunting! I can't wait for deer season to be over ;o} no

more muddy boots in the garage, no more deer hanging from the

trees in my back yard~(yeah~that really happened) no more using

my patio table for a chopping block (no seriously! that will NEVER

happen again~or there will be teenage boys hanging from the trees in

the backyard ;o}) no more losing sleep because I'm afraid someone's

gonna get hurt & no more camo in the laundry! WHOO ~ HOO!

Only 3 more months to go ;o{ Is it really that much longer :o{

I do not eat deer~I don't even cook it! If I can't buy it at

Wal-Mart or Kroger then I am not gonna eat it ~ unless

I'm starving of'course ;o}

And I would definitely have to be starving!

~HAPPY THANKSGIVING~

T~is for thanks we give to God above, for 

    blessings of health and gifts of His love.

H~is for happiness God gives His children here;

    and also for honor we give His Son so dear.

A~is for answers that come to our prayers,

    God always hears, and He always cares.

N~is for now - the time to accept Christ,

    He died for you and paid the full price.

K~is for kindness God wants us to show.

    one for another while we live here below.

S~is for salvation, free for one and all;

    all you must do is answer His call.

G~is for glory we'll have with God on high,

    if we have trusted Jesus when it comes

    our turn to die.

I~is for infinite-love woithout measure, His

   gifts to us are our greatest treasure.

V~is for victory we can have in God's Son.

    He's always with us when there's a battle

    to be won.

I~is for invitation I give to you, to accept

   Jesus, and come to Heaven too.

N~is for never will you ever be lost again, once

    you have accepted Christ's payment for sin. 

G~is for gratitude for God's great love, giving

    to us, His gifts from above.

Can You Find The Hidden Books...

...Of The Bible?

I ONCE MADE A REMARK ABOUT THE HIDDEN BOOKS OF THE BIBLE.

IT WAS A LULU, KEPT PEOPLE LOOKING SO HARD FOR FACTS AND

FOR OTHERS IT WAS A REVELATION. SOME WERE IN A JAM,
ESPECIALLY SINCE THE NAME OF THE BOOKS ARE NOT CAPITALIZED,
BUT THE TRUTH FINALLY STRUCK HOME TO READERS. TO OTHERS

IT WAS A REAL JOB. WE WANT IT TO BE A MOST FASCINATING FEW

MOMENTS FOR YOU. YES, THERE WILL BE SOME REALLY EASY ONES

TO SPOT. OTHERS MAY REQUIRE JUDGES TO HELP THEM. I WILL

QUICKLY ADMIT IT USUALLY TAKES A MINISTER TO FIND ONE OF

THEM, AND THERE WILL BE LOUD LAMENTATIONS WHEN IT IS
FOUND.A LITTLE LADY SAYS SHE BREWS A CUP OF TEA, SO SHE
CAN CONCENTRATE BETTER. SEE HOW WELL YOU CAN COMPETE.
RELAX NOW FOR THEREREALLY ARE SIXTEEN NAMES OF BOOKS
IN THE BIBLE IN THIS STORY.

Good luck~

Seriously?

Something you never want to hear right before

you leave to go to church...

Kayla: Are you wearing your hair like that?

Me: Yes...

Kayla: Seriously?

Me: Yeah...what's wrong with it?

Kayla: Oh, nothing...it looks good.

HA~

I guess next time I will ask Kayla before

I put my hair in a pony tail ;o}

Please pray for dad...

It's been a while since I have updated on dad.

The main reason is because I don't really know anything.

It's almost as if mom is trying to spare me any heartache

by keeping it from me...

Mom text me last night to let me know that they are headed
back to Texas...dad has a dr's appointment Wed. They
were not scheduled to go back for a couple more weeks.
(Up until about a 3 weeks ago they had been in Texas
since about April or May.) I have probably only seen them
about 2 hours combined time since then...if that much.

When I asked mom why they were going back, she told me
that dad said that if the dr's do not do something different
he will not last much longer.

I don't really know what to say...I have written, deleted and
rewritten this post at least a dozen times. Each time it gets
smaller and smaller and details get left out. Especially the
parts that make me seem like less than a super hero.

The last I heard...dad has 3 types of cancer. They are rapidly
aggressing and are incureable. I could go on about what little
I do know that dad is going through, but I had rather not.
If you have ever lost enyone from cancer then you know...
If you haven't, then I will pray that you never have to know.

Please pray for dad....and mom.

I know that God can heal him...I believe that with all of

my heart....but I also believe that it may not be God's
will for him to be healed. Mom is holding fast to
believing that God is going to heal him...

And He may...He just may...
...but knowing that He may not...makes me
feel like I have little faith...

I know that he will be healed either way...
and so much better off to go on home to Glory...

I am glad I can say that...there are many who
cannot say that about their dad...I'm thankful I can. I know
he is saved and the moment he takes his last breath
here on Earth he will take his next breath in Heaven.

We will give God the glory either way...

Thank you for praying~

Playing catch-up

Wow~things around here have been unusually busy

and I am so far behind in everything!

AND YET...

...here I sit at the computer blogging away ;o}

Okay...maybe blogging was placed a little higher on the

totem pole than it should've been...but I am tired and I

don't want to do just can't bring myself to do much else....

and to top it off~I have a headache...and have had one

for 3 days now~AND I didn't even go to sleep last night. I just

tossed and turned and was up and down all night!

Hey!

It's my blog and I will whine, cry, complain and put off

doing the last two loads of laundry as long as I want! ;o}

Where did I leave off?

Oh~

We went to a campmeeting in Erin, TN. Someone really needs

to build a nice hotel there. We stayed at the Deerfield Inn...

Sounds all rustic and cabin-like right? WRONG! The pillows

were like a towel folded in half and there was a hair on my

bed when I pulled the covers back! It was the only hotel

there or we would have moved ;o}

We had the King James Fellowship on the 30th...it was

nice, but I will be glad when we are able to have it in

our own church building again...there's no

place like home.

On Halloween we had Hallelujah Night at church. It was

COLD...not as cold as last year, but cold. We rented jumpers

and I am proud to say, there aren't any goofy pictures

of me in them ;o} Although I have seen some hilarious ones

of certain people in the slide ;o} I WILL  be sure to post

them if I can get my hands on any.

It was a of lot fun~I especially loved the bonfire! I think I

have eaten more roasted marshmallows this year than ever

before ;o{I'm afraid it's beginning to show too~

I haven't had much time to sew...but

I have been trying to come up with a few new

pillowcase dresses...here is my latest:

The snowman face is embroidered...isn't it too cute!

We just got in today from Murfreesboro where we attended a

campmeeting at Bro. Tony Hutson's church. He crack's me up!

He will jump up when another preacher is preaching and give

his two cents worth too...gotta love it! I love how he just calls

people out of the congregation to sing~and the best part is

they actually do it without looking like they are walking

the green mile ;o)

It was a pretty good meeting...

Those people aren't afraid to let go ;o}~if you know what I mean.

In the next few weeks we will be going to Mountain View, Ar

and North Carolina. I can't wait to go to North carolina...

I have never been....but the 10 hour drive doesn't sound

like much fun.

Well....Atleast I can mark one thing off of my to do list ;o}

lol

Oh well....some progress is better than none at all right? ?

Have a great night everyone!

~Million Dollar Snapshots~

Well...it seems the kiddos have been snapping 

pictures with my camera again.

I really don't mind...It's fun to see what they think is

'foto worthy'. I never know who snaps the pictures...but

sometimes I can tell by their foto subjects ;o} exactly

who took the picture.

Here are a few of their million dollar snapshots!

Enjoy!

One of the new kittens~sooo cute!

(I was wondering what killed that plant!)

This is Kenjo~he's the 'Dennis the Mennace' of cats ;o} no joke!

If you know me very well at all...

you know I didn't get close enough to snap this beauty!

Is this your card?

Molly curled up with a stuffed frog...

Kenjo again~he's always getting into something!

That's why he is suppose to stay outside!

This one had to be Ethan's idea...

This is the deer in Dalton's room...he's wearing the latest shades! ;o}

Just thought I'd share a glimpse of what I see when I upload

my pictures...too funny!

~Just for laughs~

My aunt sent these to me today and I

thought they were too cute not to share.

(I may try this next one~lol...but instead of Lasagna I think

I would want them to accidentally bring me some honey 

barbeque ribs and a twice baked potato with extra

bacon~YUMMY)

(I could soooo see my hubby doing this next one!) ;o}

I hope they made you smile!

Have a great night!

Are you easy to make queasy?

I have always had a strong stomach...I suppose my 2

brothers deserve most of the credit for that ;o}

...and then having small children around has always helped...

Especially when you have babies...you have to be able

to handle the unexpected...

You know~((stuff)) being spewed at you at a moments

notice...from either end ;o}

...but since my kiddos are getting older...and the messes

they make aren't quite as disgusting...I have noticed my

stomach isn't quite as strong as it used to be ;o{

Just today...I decided I would save a few $$ by taking

Suzy's staples out myself...it was nasteeee!

I hope I never have to do that again~EVER~YUCK~

They made a little popping sound when I popped them

out~Gross!! ((insert vomit sound))

lol~I don't know how you would spell that ;o}

I didn't really get sick, but I realized that my stomach's

not as strong as it once was.

Once upon a time...when one of the kids would throw-up it
wouldn't make me sick....but now just the thought of

cleaning it up does...

But that's not all...

Being in a dirty public restroom~

Seeing clipped toenail pieces~

Hearing someone snort & cough up stuff~

Seeing chewed up food~

Just to name a few~I could go on~

...but if I do, I will have to take a short break ;o{

So, tell me!

What makes you sick?

I can't be the only mother that gets grossed out!

Can I?

I hate mean dogs!

Our Suzy Q is such a sweet girl...she is the best dog ever.

She is very gentle with kids, other animals....everybody.

She even lets other dogs come into the garage and eat her food

without tearing into them like most dogs would.

A neighborhood dog came up to the house Tuesday night and

attacked her. She had her by the neck and Ethan was able to

get her loose by kicking that big mean German Shepherd in the ribs....

I hope he broke a few ;o}...(I know that's inhumane...just don't

mess with my dog and I won't mess with yours) ;o}

I took Suzy to the vet and she had to be stapled up. ;o{

She seems to feel better and has gotten use to the staples...

at first she was trying to shake them out.

I just hate mean dogs...when I was in fourth grade I was bit in the

face by a dog...he had never bitten anyone before...just me!

But luckily I walked away only needing a few stitches...

the scars are barely noticeable today.

I hope that dog stays away from here...and away from Suzy!

We do have alot of firearms in the house ;o}

...AND...although I couldn't shoot it, I can't say the same
for hubby or the boys if it were to attack her again....

~A Fall Giveaway~

I love fall!

Everything about it~the cooler weather, the changing colors,

the smells, the activities...and especially the fall decorations!

Seriously, who doesn't love fall?!

Becka over at Because of Him is having her first ever giveaway!

Pop over and enter for your chance to win a

couple fall decorations!

I can't believe it's been 16 years!

Happy 16th Birthday Dalton!

I know I've said it a million times...but I'm gonna say

it again...'I can't believe how fast they are growing up!'

Dalton was such a happy baby! His nickname was

(and still is) Pie...He was born 7 1/2 weeks early but still

weighed 5 lbs 13 oz. I remember during the night I would check to

make sure he was still breathing....he seemed so fragile...it became

such a habit that I would catch myself putting my hand on

Jeremy's chest to feel it rise.

When he learned to crawl, he would crawl on his fists...he
never opened his hands to put his palms on the floor. I am not
sure why...maybe he didn't like the way the carpet felt on
his hands.

He always wanted to be just like daddy. When we would

go to singings he would sing in to the microphones just like

his dad....

He loves sports...he's always been a little on the

aggressive side when it comes to competition :o}

(Not really sure who he gets that from~'his dad')

He absolutely hates his picture being taken!

(Now that one he gets from me!) When he sees me

pull my camera out he usually runs the other direction...

There are so many things I can say to describe Dalton...he

has a big heart, a good sense of humor (although I admit it is

slightly warped~that he gets from his dad ;o}) He can be very

emotional (that's another one of mine)...but tries not to let

it show.  He is the most serious one of the kids and he has a very,
very stubborn side...he hates being told what to do.  He's a natural 
leader... He can't stand bullies! He likes ties, but hates wearing
them and if he could...he would wear camo every day!

I still can't believe he's 16!

Happy Birthday Dalt! We love you!

Hide~and~Seek

I know it's barely fall...

but my mind has been on Christmas lately.

I usually buy a gift here or there during the year...(gotta

get the goodies while the goodies are on sale!)

With kiddos you have to be careful not to leave them where

they will find them...or you find yourself telling little white

lies like, "that's not yours, that's for your cousin Kayce"

or something along those lines.

So I have always hid the gifts from the kids and over the years

I have found some unusual (but very good) places to hide them

until Christmas...a few of my favorites are between the mattresses,

in the attic, in the air return and the best place to hide

clothes is the closet, on the hanger mixed in with your

own clothes~sneaky huh?

(The kids never look there~so don't tell my little secret ;o})

Last year Ethan found some half of his gifts...he will

leave no stone un-turned looking for them. I have tried wrapping

them...but come Christmas time...my wrapping looks kind-of

funny...like it's been un-wrapped and wrapped back up

by a guy~does he really think I won't notice?

I'm running out of ideas and since I have 2 teenagers and a

pre-teen I am gonna have to get waaaay more creative.

It's turned into a game now...

The only rule is it has to be hid in the house.

So...care to share your favorite hiding places?

I ran across this picture of Kayla from Christmas 2007.

I love the lhe look on her face~it's priceless!