An Eventful Thanksgiving!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year and have so many things to be thankful for. I love Thanksgiving. This year we spent Thanksgiving at my parents house with a lot of my extended family. There was lots of food... of course. We played games... Loaded Questions and Apples to Apples with my Nanny. I think she really enjoyed the games, as did I. Very much! I am so blessed to still have my sweet Nanny and that she can still play games with us and have fun!
Here's a picture of dad putting the corn pudding on the table with all the other food on my parents sunporch. This is a glass table and has been used to hold food for many family celebrations. Not long after dad sat the corn pudding down, there was a big crash and a corner of the glass table broke off. We all joked, "Aren't we lucky the whole table didn't break?!?!" We all ate a very filling lunch of fabulous food. :) Then after we played some games, watched some football and hung out for a while, mom sat the food back out for dinner....
All the food was on the table and even a few people had gotten their plates filled. My cousin Evan asked mom for the gravy. Mom got the gravy and sat it on the table and.... The table broke into a million pieces and our Thanksgiving dinner was on the floor filled with glass... sigh...
Everyone was laughing and started cleaning it up. Dad got out the snow shovel and started shoveling up the food. It was quite a mess. Most of the dishes broke as well. Luckily, several people had already gotten their plates. After all the mess was cleaned up, we played a fun game of Cranium and some Charades!! It was a great time despite our dinner disaster!!

I have to admit I've been bummed these past few days that I haven't had leftovers, but I am sure my waistline is thankful I do not!!

It was a fun Thanksgiving to remember!

100 Things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving

The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. Psalm 28:7

This is more of challenge to see if I can think of 100 things to be thankful for... though I know there really are more than that....

1. My health
2. Andy's health
3. That I have two healthy beautiful kiddos
4. My sweet little Luke
5. My sassy Emma
6. My house- although I complain about it being too small
7. The wonderful neighbors we have all around us... we are blessed and I sometimes wonder if we will ever want to move.
8. My mom- She's amazing... I hope I can be just like her some day! :)
9. My dad- He has such a great example of a wonderful man. I never want to stop making him proud of me.
10. My grandpa- He loves people with the very "christ-like" love.
11. My grandma- She is a wonderful example of a loving mother to her family. She is always such an honest person as well.
12. My Nannie- She's gorgeous and such a fighter... she's fought breast cancer and colon cancer... both after the age of 80... when most people might have given up. I am so thankful we still have her as the center of our big family.
13. My sister- I love that our kiddos are growing up playing together. It is so much fun.
14. My cousin Hillary- we lived far a part growing up, but we always managed to stay close friends. I am so glad she lives nearby now!!
15. My huge family... it would take up the rest of this blog if I named you all. :) I loved growing up with so many first cousins and aunts and uncles on both sides of my family.
16. My minivan- I never thought I would be driving one, but I love it! I wonder how we ever drove around and traveled without it!
17. Thursday night dinners at Andy's Aunt Terry's house. I don't have to cook on these nights and we get a wonderful dinner and dessert with wonderful company. Both Emma and Luke look forward to Thursday nights every week.
18. Sunday night dinners at Andy's parents house- I wish I could cook like Andy's mom... the food is just amazing and it's good to be able to catch up with Andy's family on this night!
19. KLove and Air1- Such great and inspiring music... it is hard NOT to have a good day when you listen to these stations.
20. My camera- so I can capture all the little moments in life.
21. Spray N Wash- It really does get all the stains out! :)
22. Online shopping- what would busy moms do without it?
23. My Wii Fit- It really holds me accountable and I work out each day, so I won't make it mad. :)
24. Andy's job
25. That I am able to be a stay at home mom... there is nothing else I can imagine doing.... even on the days I think I may go crazy.
26. Zaxby's... I love the zalads and the Kids Eat Free Tuesdays
27. Etsy- such great handmade stuff... really makes me wish I was a crafty person.
28. My Bible/Book Study with Nannie, mom, Hannah, Carol, Sarah, Jasmine, Amy, and Brittany- 4 generations of women studying the Bible together.
29. My Bible study with my neighbors
30. The DTS kiddos- such a fun group of teenagers
31. My d-group when I was a teenager... the Following Footsteps. We had so much fun learning about God and growing up together.
32. The Evely's- Molls, Chad and Allison- such wonderful friends
33. Dawn- I wish I could be as honest about things as she is... you never have to guess what she is thinking about. She's a great friend. Now I just have to convince her not to move to Pikeville!!
34. Liz- such a dear friend to me since I was 14.
35. Julie- also a dear friend since I was like 14.
36. Caroline- a great friend since the 5th grade. She has such a kind heart.
37. My cat Boot
38. Mexican Food
39. Reese's Peanut Butter cups
40. My friend Sarah- such a fun gal. :)
41. All my other sweet friends I haven't mentioned!! :) Love you all and am very thankful for you all!
42. UK Basketball
43. My sweet husband Andy.
44. Andy's family
45. Chocolate covered pretzels
46. Pretzel M&Ms
47. Facebook- pathetic I know... but really it's a great to keep in touch with my family that lives far away.
48. Dr. Jeffries, my chiropractor
49. Luke's kind heart
50. Emma's fun-loving personality
51. The changing seasons
52. sleeping in on Saturday mornings
53. Sydney
54. Bruce
55. Reagan
56. Rainy days
57. Summer days at the pool
58. Lone Oak pool
59. All my sweet friends at Lone Oak
60. God's grace- is it bad that this #60? Maybe I should move it up to #1.
61. Warm fuzzy socks
62. My comfortable mattress and my sweet husband sleeping next to me.
63. Spending every holiday with my amazingly large family- especially every Christmas at Nannie's house... wasn't that just crazy fun?!?!
64. Chick Fil-A
65. Quiznos
66. Nick Jr.
67. PBS Kids
68. The gardens in our backyard that Luke and Andy have worked on.
69. Luke's love of flowers and trees
70. Chicken Noodle soup
71. Sweet Tea
72. McDonald's grilled chicken wraps
73. Mascara
74. Providence Christian Church... the church I grew up in and that my parents still attend.
75. Southland Christian Church... where I went to Youth group and as a teen/college aged
76. St Luke Catholic Church... where we now go as a family
77. my computer
78. Cheese
79. Cheetos
80. God's providence
81. flip-flops
82. All the cute flats that are at Old Navy
83. cardigans
84. eating lunch with my mom a few days a week
85. Mynor- our sponsored child in Guatamala... I am thankful he is in good health and is a thriving 13 year old now.
86. Our veterans and all our active duty military... so many in my family... Ken, Craig, my dad, 4 great uncles in WWII, and Uncle Jeff
87. Firefighters
88. Police Officers
89. Our kind mailman
90. Saturday morning pancakes with the family
91. For the beautiful relationship Andy and I have... all the ups and downs... everything we've been through together for the past 12 years. I couldn't imagine spending life with anyone else!
92. For Andy's ability to handle money... :)
93. Rainbows at the end of a rainy day
94. For my kiddos who remind me every day how amazing God truly is!
95. For the challenges I experience which remind me that life isn't always easy, but it is definitely a journey worth taking. :)
96. My childhood and my upbringing- thanks mom and dad! :)
97. Christmas and everything about it and everything that leads up to it!
98. Security
99. Thanksgiving- a day to be with family and friends and not worry about presents.
100. you for reading all this! :)

Wow. This was harder than I thought and took longer than I thought. Hope you made it through them all... aren't they random?!? Really though... Let's remember to be thankful everyday for all the blessings God has given us and for every day He gives us! Isn't He amazing! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Jason Castro - You Are

Another song that I love and wanted to share. I never really liked this guy when he was on American Idol, but I love this song. I think his voice is really different now too and I can't wait to hear more music from his album! I think it's a beautiful song... I hope you enjoy it too. :)

November 13, 1998

Last Saturday was Andy and mine 12th anniversary of our first date. As one of my friends said, "Your relationship is almost a teenager." To be honest at times that first date seems like it was forever ago, but I can still remember it like it was yesterday. I can remember what both of us were wearing... which I guess isn't that big of a deal since I tend to remember what I wear to most events... even ones that happened when I was a small child. That's just my crazy memory... I tend to remember the unimportant things like that. Anyways... I thought I would blog about our first date and how we got to that first date. This may be long and boring, but I wanted to blog it out to have it written down (or actually typed out I guess... haha!!). So here goes...

We were juniors in high school and we both knew of each other and had had a couple of classes together. After first block we would always pass in the back stairwell at school and for some reason Andy would always smile and say hi to me and I would smile and say hi back. This was a big deal to me. I thought he had such a sweet smile and gorgeous eyes. But Andy was unlike any other guy I had liked or "dated" in high school, so I never really admitted I "liked" him to anyone. Then on my birthday, as we passed in the stairwell, Andy smiled at me and said, "Happy Birthday!" And from that point on I was hooked. :) Now I just had to figure out if he liked me back... you know those games we all played in high school. :)

My friend Amanda was in his English class, so I had her find out if he liked anyone. Also, my friend James played soccer with him, so I told James to talk to him about me. :) Then our Beta Club had the "Beta Bachelor Bid-Off" and Andy was one of the bachelors, so I decided if no one else bid on him that I would. :) I did and I won a date with him for a dollar. At this point I am sure he knew I liked him with the way Amanda had been talking to him. I walked up to him in hall after school one day and told him that I won him in the Beta bid-off. He just kind of laughed and said he was sure I paid a hefty price... haha! :) I was still scared to ask him out... even though I was supposed to since I won him in the bid-off. My friends were really talking to him about me and his friends at soccer were too. There was definitely lots of talking and conspiring among our friends.

One day in English class he told Amanda that he liked someone in "AP History who was strong." I had a reputation at school as "the strong swimmer girl who could bench press 160." I could never bench press that much, but I did beat several of the football players at arm wrestling. This was a great reputation to have as a teenage girl... let me tell you!?!?! haha!! So when he said this, I knew he liked me too.

That afternoon, my friend Jessie and I went out to Andy's truck and left a note on it... it said, "I'm strong... is it me..." I am pretty sure the note still exists... somewhere in a box of old cards and letters we wrote to each other. Not long after I got home from school that day I got a call from Andy. He asked me to go to a movie with him that Friday night, November 13, 1998. :) We were going to go after I got done with swim practice... a 9:40 showing of "The Siege." Right after we got off the phone I called all my friends and told them. Paradise and Amanda came right over and we talked all about it!

So that Friday came and I remember very vividly standing in the back hallway outside Mr. Peterson's class giving Andy directions to my house. Let's just say I'm not the best at giving directions. Finally my neighbor, Alex, walked by and said, "you know where I live? She lives across the street and down a few houses." That was all it took.

That night I remember standing at my front door waiting for him to get there... I was so worried that he wouldn't be able to find it. He drove past my house once, so I ran out the door to let him know he was at the right house. Crazy... right? He then pulled up and got out of the car and opened my door for me. He was such a gentleman. :) We talked the whole way to the movie theater about friends, classes we'd had together, etc. There was an immediate comfortableness... nothing felt awkward or like a "first date." It kind of felt like we were old friends. We got to the movie super early... thankfully we had the movie trivia stuff on the screen to entertain us.

During the movie I kept wanting him to hold my hand or something, but he never did. I don't remember a whole lot about the movie. I don't think I liked it very much, but that didn't matter because I enjoyed my company. After the movie, it was really late, so Andy just drove me straight home. The car ride home was really quiet. We didn't talk hardly at all, but it wasn't like an awkward silence... it was a comfortable silence. Something just felt "right" about the whole night... like there was a reason we were brought together.

I remember wondering the whole way home if he was going to kiss me or not. Part of me wanted him too and part of me didn't. I think he was wondering the same thing... maybe that is why our ride home from the movie was so quiet. He pulled in my driveway, opened my door for me, and then walked me to the door. We got to the door we talked for a long time... mostly about how I had to go to my "graduated licensing" class the next morning. Then he gave me a hug and left. It was a sweet hug... a hug that meant something.

I came in and couldn't sleep. I was so giddy about the date and about Andy. I really liked him a lot. I can't say I knew after that date that I wanted to marry him, but it was just about 8 months after this that I knew that. :)

It was a great first date. I'm really glad he didn't kiss me that night... it would be six months later, and me playing a little "hard to get" before that would happen... and it was a perfect first kiss well worth the wait. Maybe I'll blog about it some day. :)I really wish a picture existed of our first date. I was a picture and camera freak back then too, but I guess I was afraid I might scare him off if I took a picture of us on our first date!! :) haha. Here's a picture of us a few months after we'd been dating. :)

So I know this is long... but I really wanted to get it written out. I think Andy tells it better than I do, maybe he will write out his perspective someday. :) So that's how we got started with "just a little note." (and some help from our friends)

My "Tiny Dancer"

Emma started dance classes this Fall. I wasn't really planning on putting her in dance class yet, but then my neighbor said her little girl was going to take classes and that Emma should take them with her. So I decided we would give it a try. I am so glad I did, because she seems to love it. It's just one day a week for 45 minutes. She always talks about dance class and sometimes when we get home she plays "dance class" and acts like she is Miss Mindy (her teacher). It's quite cute. We've only had one week where she didn't want to go into her class and that was a day when we were a little later than usual and I just had to kind of push her in the door. I ended up having to stay in class and dance with her for half the class that week. But since then she's been fine.
Last week, the parents got to come in and watch the little ballerinas perform the dance they will be doing at the Holiday Review Recital in December. It was quite precious, though I am not sure many of them even did the dance! I can't wait for the recital!

I think Emma has really enjoyed dance this semester and I am really glad we did it. She has met lots of little friends including a little girl named Reagan and the teacher helper, Miss Caitlin who she talks about all the time! I asked her if she wanted to do it again in the spring and she said, "Yes. and I want to play 'little soccer' with Luke." :)

My little "Community Helper"

The Friday before Halloween Luke's school had a "Community Helper Parade." All the kids were supposed to dress up as a person who helped in the community. We were told that Cinderella and Spiderman were not "community helpers." They clearly did not want this to be a Halloweeen parade. :) Luke decided he wanted to dress up as a doctor. I think he makes a quite handsome doctor! Yaya, Emma and I went to his school to watch the parade and to help out at Luke's class party. I loved getting to see Luke in the school setting.
The above picture is him in the gym waiting for the parade. He sat so still the entire time. Many other kiddos were crawling around and yelling, but Luke just sat there quietly. He likes to follow all the rules... wonder where he gets that?!!! haha! :)

Here he is marching in the parade around the gym. He was so cute and did such a great job as a little doctor. What I couldn't get over was just how much taller Luke was than most of the other kids in the school.
After the parade, we went back to Luke's class for the Fall Party. It was so neat watching Luke interact in his class. The above picture is Luke with his best friend at school, Hayden. I loved getting to see all his little friends he talks about all the time. I think Emma enjoyed the party too! :) She got to sit at Luke's table and have snacks as well! Luke just loves kindergarten and is learning so much. He is starting to read, doing addition, and learning about syllables.... just to name a few things. I love to hear all about his day every day. Luke going to kindergarten was very hard for me, but I am so happy to know that he is enjoying being there everyday! He is growing up to fast!!

What Love Really Means

I love this song. I really do. I think it is beautifully written and that JJ Heller has an amazing talent. Every time I hear this song I can't help but tear up a little, which I guess isn't saying much since I seem to tear up at anything. But, this song is really beautiful with a very powerful message.

I feel fortunate to have several people in my life who have always "loved me for me." My parents, my grandparents, friends, of course my dear husband, Andy and now I really feel it from my kiddos. Also, I feel like I have always known that God loved me as well. Not to say that I haven't had moments where it seemed like no one loved me, but they are few and far between and they seemed to never last very long. Whenever I felt a moment like this, it wouldn't be long before I would feel my parents loving me, Andy loving me or God loving me. I've been very blessed with loving people in my life that have expressed a very Christ-like love to me.

I am trying to love like this as well knowing my love will never be as perfect as Christ's love for us. I make a real effort to try to love everyone despite what they've done.... it's hard... it's a process, but I am trying. But always know that no matter where you are in life or no matter how unloved or unloveable you feel there is one person that will always love you no matter what... and that is God. Thank God for that!

Trick or Treat 2010

This year was a busy and very fun Halloween as it fell on a weekend again... we had two nights full of fun. Luke decided he wanted to dress up as Max from the storybook Where the Wild Things Are. I had kind of a hard time finding a costume, but I was able to find it at a shop on etsy and I got it the day of trick or treating! Luke loved his costume. Emma dressed up as Abby Cadabby. Emma likes watching Sesame Street and in particular likes Miss Abby Cadabby! :) They looked so cute. Friday night we trick or treated over in Lone Oak with Jen, Syd, Shelby, Dawn and Clay. It was a lot of fun! Here's picture of the kiddos all dressed up with Yaya (dressed as a Geisha girl). My mom always loves to dress up and give out candy every year!

Emma loved trick or treating this year. She was a bit timid at first, but Luke helped to show her what to do. She even ended up helping Shelby trick or treat because Shelby didn't really like it at first. I think they really helped each other and they both had a lot of fun!
Syd and Luke of course loved the trick or treating and ended up with lots of candy which is now sitting at our house. I think I've ended up eating more than they have!
Above is a picture of the kiddos dressed up for round 2 of trick or treating in downtown Wilmore. I think all of Jessamine County was in Wilmore for trick or treat! Here's a picture of Luke getting some candy from the mail carrier in Wilmore.

Andy and I usually dress up for Halloween, this year we came up with last minute costumes. I used my sister's spider headband to be a spider and Andy was a soccer player.

After trick or treat in Wilmore we headed over to Granny and Papa Johns house to hang out. Aunt Audra, Aunt Mary, Uncle Matt, Uncle Josh, Aunt Terry, Granny and Papa were all there! It was fun. Emma decided she liked Aunt Audra's cat ears better than her Abby hair, so they switched! :)
Logan, Brendan, Sara, Steve, Michelle and Shelby (some cousins) all showed up and the kiddos "trick or treated" at Granny and Papa's house and then they played together. They all had a wonderful time together. Aunt Audra always provides wonderful entertainment for the kiddos! :)
Luke and Emma with Aunt Mary and Aunt Audra.
We are so blessed to have all this wonderful family... really we are! It was a wonderful and fun Halloween!