Pictures

We took these pictures about 2 months ago and I am just getting around to getting some of them edited with photoshop. The girls are getting so big, and beautiful... I love them so. One more picture I took that I loved....but yet it looks strange...

A Much Need Break......

Towards the end of March Tre and I were able to take a small little weekend trip. We will be married 9 years next week on May 15th. I cannot really believe it but its true. Its been a crazy ride. In almost 9 years of marriage we have never taken a trip together. We did not even take a honeymoon. So to say this was needed is a big understatement. We were not really sure what all we were doing but we knew we were spending Saturday night in ATL. We left for Atlanta Saturday morning and stayed the night. Our goal: DO NOT EAT AT ANY CHAIN RESTAURANTS. We were looking at places that you have seen on all those crazy TV shows. We downloaded an intesting app to help us choose where we would eat. It came in very handy. We wanted to eat at the hole in the wall places. Nothing fancy, just good food. So we went to The Diesel Station in Atlanta for a late lunch . Yummo burgers and hot dogs wrapped in bacon. Tre was in heaven. Then on to the Masquerade for a concert that Tre was covering. Yes we had press passes, which was cool, but I could have done w/o this part of the trip. I did it solely for him. On Sunday morning we headed out early and took off to Savannah, GA. I was pleasantly surprised. It only took about 3 1/2 hours from ATL. But you have a really long stretch of NOTHING. We were able to talk without the interuption of kids (unheard of) and just relax and listen to music. It was really fun and the more I talk about it, the more I want to do it again. I really enjoyed being with him and just laughing at him again. That really has been missing from our relationship lately. So Savannah,GA, what can I say except I absolutely LOVED THIS PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Such Southern Colonial Charm and lots of history. Due to the short trip we did not get to do a lot of the stuff we wanted to do but we do intend to go back with the girls and take some tours. Then possibly head up to Charleston. I do not have all the pictures that I took but we were able to get a hotel right on the River Walk for $89 through Priceline. I was very hesitant about doing priceline but it paid off this time. It was a very nice hotel! We immediately went to this hole in the wall pizza place called Vinnie Van Go's. The pizza was huge,we were starving,& it was only $10 for a large pizza. And let me tell you, it was so good. We walked around town and went sight seeing. The place was just so much fun and the park was gorgeous! I loved the River Walk. Tons of artist, musicians, restaurants, cool shops, and beautiful scenerey. We enjoyed dinner at a local seafood restaurant. Their fried green tomatoes were so yummy! Next was the candy shop. They had the old fashion taffy puller and fresh caramel popcorn. Yummo! Tre has been to Savannah before but this was my first time. He always talked about this Irish Pub and could not wait to go back. So we went there later on that night for some entertaining irish jigs/poems and maybe a toast or two. :) Monday morning we checked out early and drove to Tybee Island for breakfast at a local joint. It was pretty cold due to the wind blowing so the beach was not the best place to be. We walked out on it and immediately ran back. The wind was insane. So we drove around to find the lighthouse. I loved Tybee.......so laid back. You really could not get out of your car due to the sharp, cold, brisk wind. And no I was not climbing up those steps. They say its pretty intense. That was it....short and sweet. Oh, we stopped in to Mary Mac's Tea room in Atlanta for lunch. Let me just say, it was delicious. A great little southern place to eat. We received Complimentary Pot Licker since it was our first time( I was surprised how good it was), took down meat and 3 for lunch and followed it up with delicious peanut butter pie for desert. Let's just say we were a little sleepy driving home. It was a great trip and I cannot wait do it again. Hopefully, it will not be another 9 years. I really dont think that will be the case. We have vowed to start enjoying each other a little more. The girls are getting a little bit older and spending the night with grandparents and soon it will be friends. Our marriage comes first. Well God comes first, then our marriage. I think so many people have that our of balance and they would be amazed where they would be if they fixed that. We still have a goal of a big honeymoon. Maybe for our 10th or 15th Anniversary. That is not far away and the girls will be 13 and 11. That is CRAZY thinking!!! I think we are bothing thinking about Ireland.................how fun.

Picnics and Parties

Being that this was a mild winter, my girls have grown very fond of playing outside. They have spent hours on end playing outside with several other kids in the neighborhood. And this mom could not be happier about this. I snapped a picture of the first semi warm/pretty day back in February. The girls wanted to have a picnic outside. So they made their own food and picked it up and took it outside. The neighbor decided to join in as well. This year the girls wanted to learn how to ice skate. Every year we go to my sister's in Arkansas and we get to ice skate on the outdoor skating rink. It is almost like something you see in the movies. Christmas music is playing, hot chocolate is being passed around, a Christmas movie is being played to the side.....It really is fun. So instead of playing a spring sport, they are taking ice skating lessons at the Pelham Civic Complex. They are doing so good. They started at Basic 1 and are now both in Basic 3. Mallory is about to move up to Basic 4. They are having a lot of fun and might be able to compete in small competitions if they stick with it. We also celebrated Morgan's 6th Birthday party at the skating rink. I cannot believe she turned 6 back in February. This year we did a party with friends since it was her first year in K-5 and she had met all new people and friends. So much fun! /> This was completely her choice.

Ask and You Shall Receive My last post (which was in January of 2013) covered events up to November of 2012. I had full intentions to recap Christmas but frankly, time has slipped away from me. I have been dealing with multiple issues over the last few months I have come to realize how much I have grown in my walk with Christ. If you cannot see changes being made in yourself through God's mighty works, then what exactly are you doing? Sorry but we all have flaws....I will gladly tell you all of mine but I dont think I could list them all in one post, or even multiple. I can be very prideful & condesending, or lets just say "critical spirit." I have prayed for God to show me myself. I started this last year. Well, he did! And It was not pretty!!! I also asked for God to increase my Fruits of the Spirit. This would really help with some of the stuff that I saw in myself. Patience, love, joy, peace....Those are some pretty big ones for me. Love and Patience being almost obselete in my life. God's word says he hears our prayers. Boy did he here this one and began answering instantaneously. I felt things in my heart starting to turn. Love for people started growing, I began to try and understand people more and see them through God's eyes. Compassion grew for people. Then he started working on my patience. I did not notice at first but b/c I loved more, I was more patient. But I know I had so much more to learn. The test have become harder and harder. I have spent time trying to understand exactly what he is doing here and how much he thinks I can actually take. But I am finding that I am handling each thing with perspectives I have never known, new thought life (God's),and with Grace and with Love. I am still making mistakes on a daily basis. I have still let the enemy use my tongue and my words. I have let him put thoughts in my head and they have grown into something more. Controling the toungue is huge. What a powerful tool. I admit my toungue has been used as a mighty mighty weapon and not a good weapon. But in my marriage, with my kids, I can almost see his hand over my mouth. And though all of these things, joy and peace comes. I have had several God moments through these trying times and realized he is still Sovereign. He is the author and finisher of my faith. He is growing my faith and growing my roots to be strong and secure and withstand the trials of life. In the midst of all of this, I have found myself happier than I have ever been. I have truly been relying on him and him alone, and it feels pretty good. He is FAITHFUL but just know that if you pray for God to show you yourself and change what you see, BE PREPARED! It is the most testing yet rewarding experience you will ever have.

Still Catching up

Sorry, I am still catching up the past few months and uploading pictures. I completely forgot about these..... Morgan had her first field trip to the pumpkin patch at Old Baker's Farm. It is hard to believe that I did this with Mallory 3 years ago and with the same teacher. I do really enjoy our school. She enjoyed it, of course. We played in the maze, learned a few things about cotton, and of course petting the animals. Morgan also had to pick out a pumkin for her project at school. We had to turn it into a character from a book. I love this blue eyed girl.

Being silly and entertaining

We helped Mr. Baker by picking some of his cotton.

Being silly carving our pumpkins

Morgan working on her character pumpkin. Can you tell what it is?

It's the Tin Man!!! She was proud and did such a good job. And not to mention, she won 1st place, Best in Show!

Now if I could ever get to working on Christmas.....