What's In Your Pantry

I opened the pantry to find this staring at me ...

Then five minutes later I walked into the kitchen and caught the culprit in the act!

Isn't he cute?

On The Agenda

This is what a week out from vacation looks like at our house.

I love vacation.

I love the planning.

I love the packing.

I love my house being spotless when we leave.

I love the drive.

I love the actual vacation.

I love the memories.
I love getting good pictures.

I do not love the laundry when we return.

How do you plan for vacation?

Decorating ... Done!

I know, I know. Some people think we're skipping over Thankgsiving if we decorate before November 27th. Contrare to that belief, we incorporate Christmas into the same season as Thanksgiving. Isn't it all the "Holidays"?! (Although I'd probably decorate in July even earlier if I could get away with it!)

We are leaving next week for Gatlinburg. We'll be there through Thanksgiving. I am excited to walk the streets of Gatlinburgs Villages. We'll also go to the Dixie Stampede on Wednesday night. Can't wait for some amazing pictures of the kids panning for gold and sitting in piles of beautiful leaves!

With that being said, we have already decorated for Christmas. I love lighting the tree up every morning. It stays lit all day (only when we're home of course). It has even made this gloomy day outside ... a bright and cheery day inside!

Worst Days Of My Life

I was thinking back over the worst moments in my life.

I mean scary, terrifying, life altering, crazy moments.

I came up with four.

#1 My 20 month baby girl old ran into the middle of a major street (Cherry St.) into noon traffic.

A door had been left open at the church. I had a gut intuition and before I could speak, I heard people laying on their horns. I knew it was horrible. Somehow the cars had seen my toddler dart out the front door. She didn't have a scratch on her. God was ALL OVER that.

#2 I had an allergic reaction to a medicine that caused my heart to start skipping beats and my eyes to roll back in my head.

Never take medicine without doing research. I was young (21) and didn't do my research on a medication that other young mothers had had allergic reactions to as well. The eye condition could have been permanent, and my heart could have had serious problems. Thankfully after a night in the ER and three days recooperating I regained control of my eyes and my heart rate returned to normal.

#3 I was 3 months pregnant with our baby boy and passed out in our shower stall with a 4 second warning.

I was showering as normal and started feeling lightheaded. I got one sentence out of my mouth to Cory and then I remember losing every function of my body. Next thing I knew, Cory had me wrapped up in a blanket and patting my face. He was as white as I was at that point. Turns out a had low blood sugar and I wasn't allowed to shower the remaining of that pregnancy.

#4 I was T-Boned on the drivers side of my car ... 7 months pregnant ... and our 6 year old in the backseat. 

A teenage boy ran a stop sign and t-boned me in the drivers side, threw me into a ditch, and flipped the car completely on it's right side. Autumn came out with seat belt burn. I came out with glass in me, cuts, bruises, seat belt burn and a night in the hospital because I started having contractions. There is no logical reason we walked out of the wreck with as little as we did. God was ALL OVER that.
Funny side note: Easton was breeach at our appt the day before. They were looking at doing a c-section. After the wreck, he was not breech. The impact had flipped him completely in perfect position.

I can say that the Lord has shaped me and made me who I am because of the good ... and the bad ... moments in my life. If it weren't for the bad days, I'm sure I wouldn't appreciate the good days near as much. Although I don't understand WHY some things happen, I choose to trust.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path."

Proverbs 3:5,6

A Few Minutes

So, I was informed by my husband that he really wanted me to watch the FSU vs Clemson game with him tonight. 

I thought I could get out of watching the game by baking him goodies. By making him some game food. Cleaning the living room so he could enjoy the game in peace. Even talking Autumn & Easton into watching a movie in our room.

Negative.

So around 5:00 I started thinking of ways to get out of this game.

Here's some thoughts that popped in my head:

* Easton isn't feeling well so I need to go lay down with him for "a few minutes"

* My stomach hurts so I'm gonna be in the bathroom for "a few minutes"

* Aundrea has had a bad day and needs me to call her for "a few minutes"

* I forgot to pay the bills this week, so I need to go on the computer for "a few minutes"

* You have no clean underwear for church so I need to wash clothes for "a few minutes"

And the more I thought about it.... none of those would work. Cause none of them were true. I cleaned the house today. I finally found the bottom of my laundry basket. For all I know, Aundrea's had a great day. Easton is wide awake and feeling fine. And my stomach isn't rumbling or tumbling.

So, I am sitting here watching the game with my husband. I promised I'd get off this computer in a few minutes, so I better end this post for today. Plus, it's not as bad as I thought.

But I must say, if he ever wants our bedroom to look like this, I'm drawing the line.

It's In The Air

Today I got hit with the fever .... the holiday fever.
The fall season was in full bloom. Cory and I took Easton to a Homecoming Parade (BHS) and the weather could not have been more beautiful.

When we drove up in our yard this afternoon, this is what we saw.

I had to stop and stare at the leaves that had started falling. I took a deep breath of fresh air, the sun was shining, and I quietly thanked My Father for such a beautiful day.

I love the smell of cinnamon and spice candles that come along with this season.

I am very much looking forward to lighting a fire like we did during the cold snap a few weeks ago.

Tonight, I pulled out our winter clothes from the tubs in the garage.

In the next week or two I want to get our Christmas Tree up. I like to enjoy our tree longer than a few weeks.

I'm praying the cold weather decides to grace us soon.
I'm ready! Are you?

Home Coming

My husband had the privilege of being asked to speak at our home church (Milton First Assembly) for their annual Homecoming service. He did a superb job speaking about the prodigal son and how his "homecoming" with his earthly father was a beautiful portrayal of our "homecoming" with our heavenly father one day. We have to make the decision to run to Jesus now (like the prodigal did his father) so that our eternal homecoming will be a celebration and not a decimation. (Read about the prodigal son in Luke 15).

While we were in town for our short trip, I began to think of things that make Milton feel so much like "home". Here are a few things:

1) My mom and dads front porch. Sitting in the swing. Hearing the honk of someone who sees you & knows you. Peaceful. Relaxing. Entertaining.

2) Driving down Dogwood Drive. Driving down Stewart Street. Something about those two roads that bring me back "home" every time. It's like I go in auto-pilot when I'm on them.

3) The green house on Alabama Street that Cory & I claim will be ours one day.

4) Wal-Mart. You can guarantee you'll see no less than 10 people you know every time you go. It's like a small reunion.

5) Tastee Freez = Fried Pickles. Ranch. Chicken Fingers. Gravy. Toast. Chocolate Dipped Cone.

6) Milton First A/God. Pastor Rogers. Growing up in a church for 21 years tends to create some deep roots. It's always exciting to visit and catch up. Worshipping with them makes it ever better.

7) Family. Nothing makes a place feel like home more than seeing family at every turn.

What is "home" to you?