Conversation over Cream of Wheat

(and yes, Cof Wheat is a fave in my house as we're trying to up the boy's iron intake)
LM: I don't want to talk to my sister
Mommy: Does that make you feel good in your heart to treat her that way?
LM: (shakes his head yes)
M: Surely not b/c that would mean you didn't have Jesus in your heart and I KNOW you have Jesus and God in your heart. 
....silence, contemplation.......
LM: But I don't b/c God lives in the sky, in heaven
M: Well, you're right but he also lives in your heart......
....silence, contemplation......
LM: You're right Mommy b/c when HE lives in your heart it warms your heart and warms your tummy like when you drink hot chocolate and apple cider.

I almost melted--how sweet and wonderfully said by a three year old.

A great big Shark.....

Wonderful birthday full of surprises!  Got to go to the spa w/ Jennifer and had facials and pedicures and even though our pedicure gals talked a little too much and a little too graphically about their lives (thankfully we cracked up and tried to be nice as they had our feet in their hands w/ little sharp sticks and such )  we had a great time and relaxed and laughed.  
Then had dinner w/ Jen and Clif --ate too much and came home for cake which Daddy made and presents. 
Daddy and Jackson had picked out a beautiful white gold cross and chain for me, complete surprise.  And I got a steam Shark mop.  Now those of you who know me know how I love to clean, my house isn't immaculate by any means but I love cleaners, cleaning products, breathing fresh air , etc.  So I have been pretty excited and dying to use it and finally did.  LOVE IT!!!!

I also got a few other fun things that I am loking forward to using as well.  Pictures included and were taken courtesy of my camera by photographer C. Coleman ;)

Finally finished staining and decorating the table in the playroom

Cream of wheat ALL in her hair

27.......plus a few

As we got up to have breakfast this morning (muffins that J. made) Jackson asked how old I was.  To which his daddy replied "27 plus a few buddy".  Thanks honey for not reminding me.  Actually I must say it's not the aging that bothers me...age is just a number , right?  Not sure why , but there has been much anticipation for my birthday this year.  Maybe b/c it's the first one J. has been around for in 4 years, maybe b/c I have two toddlers and three geriatric dogs that need me every second and i wonder if I am living up to it.  I have been through so much in the last couple of years really that sometimes it feels like a blur.  This lifestyle doesn't allow you to relax for a second b/c you never know what's coming. I just hope I am getting it right, that I am setting a good example for my kids...that I continue to be a better wife andamso grateful that along the way God has held my hand.  When I thought it couldnt' get any harder, I can remember falling to my knees in prayer and saying I can't do this.  Each time he picked me up and gave me the strength to sometimes just make it through the day.  There have been so many times I felt so alone and He comforted me in that loneliness and I take a look  around now and just hope that I am doing something right...getting better as each year comes, more patient, more understanding, more compassionate.  So in my 34 years I hope that I have progressed and continue to do so ...much more to learn.....but for today I am so thankful for such wonderful blessings in my life, health, family, friends.......and now , let's party.  Celebrating with a day to the spa with Jennifer.  And then to dinner for something J. has planned.  I know it's going to be great if Jackson can just keep a secret....the boy is like me, can't keep birthday secrets. 

Soccer practice...

or should I say soccer chaos.  That's pretty much what it is with 3 yr olds.  LM's first practice was in 40 degree weather w/ a wind chill of 14, that's right I said 14 and snow flurries.  He just stood there frozen for a while and then finally participated a little and got the hang of it.  And then as if on cue while he's doing not much of anything except turning into a popsicle G runs out on the "practice field" to try and kick the ball.  Guessing we wont' have any trouble getting her to go out and join the crowd.  We'll see how practice and game go this week.  Pictures will come when I can whip my camera out and the hurricane force winds won't rip it from my freezing hands.....

Becky Home-ecky....

Ha, not really.  I have stolen a few ideas from a few people lately and modified to my own.  One of them being this great idea from Darby on her blog http://www.flythroughourwindow.com/ .  Thanks Jennie for sending me her blog a long time ago...
So anyway, I made these white chocolate cupcakes..or cupcake shaped molds modified from one of Darby's posts.  I attmepted the candy cane hearts but burned them and that didn't do so well. 
Then I decided to make my own iron on shirt for LM instead of buying them and spent a whopping $7 instead of $27 w/ shipping and all from one of the websites who does them.  ANd best part , it took me all of 10-15 seconds which is how long you hold the iron on the image to make it stick.  AWESOME!!!!

    

     

I think he liked it

The chocolate and peanut butter lollipops I made for LM's Valentine's party

I know this picture is terrible and I did take it using a flash as well but I didn't like the shadows it cast and well, I just loved the way my BT looked in this one, yellow and all

This is what my computer area in mykitchen looks like, just imagine that I have a desk upstairs too that looks even worse--ha ha

Our trip

Now, first of all let me say we were supposed to go to DC for our Valentine's / it's been four years / we need a break before J. runs off and leaves again to some far off place vacation.  Gigi and Avo came and conquered--thank you all very much!  But it was not to be for the little trip to DC because Snowmageddon fell on it a week before and then again the day before we left. 
So with no agenda, no plan, no place to stay we jumped in the car and ran for our lives before I changed my mind :)  We ended up going to Colonial Williamsburg....very quaint but not so pretty in the summer but I did manage to find an adorable outfit for G at a boutique there which is always a plus.  Then on to Charlottesville where everyone keeps saying "why there???"  and the answer is b/c without going to DC there really isn't a whole heck of a lot to do around here and we wanted to go to Monticello.....so we did.  And then spent the evening in an Inn/ Spa which just so happens to be a golf / tennis resort too ( I know) and just so happened to be hosting a Men's College Tennis Tournament.  Lots of SEC teams were there one of them being AL so we (along with only two other people there) cheered on the Tide as they proceeded to get spanked by UVA the home team.  AU wasn't there so not sure what that was about b/c nearly every other SEC team was...but anyway..the only other people from AL were our friends for just a little while and come to find out the wife of the couple we were talking to was Coach Oppert's daughter (y'all from Dothan will get that)  and it was crazy how small a world it is.....and then even crazier we had a guy come up to J. w/ his AU hat on and he said War Eagle but was wearing UVA stuff....perplexing but he looked familiar.  So after much contemplation I approached him too...why not , right?  Turns out he also is from Dothan and we went to middle and high school together....again y'all from Dothan will get this: Nick Leverett--who went to AU and then UVA law school , ended up in Charlottesville, VA.  CRAZY!!!
Okay enough of my tennis tourney freakiness.  We moved on from CHarlottesville and started out Civil War battlefields journey....Wilderness Battleground(one of the bloodiest) , CHancellorsville (where Stonewall Jackson was accidentally shot by his own men) , Fredericksburg ( huge Union graveyard and where Lee  took on Longstreet I think--I'll double check myself) Lastly on the way home we stopped by Stonewall's place of death.  It was amazing to see that.  Crazy to think that in those times they carried him by "Ambulance" all the way there and brought in doctors from all over to tend to him where he later died.  Kind of weird but his arm is buried in a different place, he was shot in one place, died in one and buried in Lexington, KY. I will say perheps the most interesting this about the whole experience was to learn just how very spiritual the Civil War Leaders were.....I think Stonewall's last words say it all : "Let us pass over the river and rest under the shade of the trees."
  Not the romantic weekend we had hoped for but fun nonetheless.  Next time I'll listen to J. and go to the bahamas....ha

haircut

this evening LM decided to give himself a haircut......daddy went to pick him up and chunks of hair were all over his shirt...luckily it's not too bad and he just did it on top of his head instead of in front. but worst of all he lied to us and said he didn't do it...well WHO DID then???  Oh, the lying kills me ..it's such a battle and we talk about it a lot.  Anyway, needless to say we don't need to buzz cut it to correct it and he'll be okay.  We'll wait fo rthe next time he or G does it because I am sure there will be one....I love that little Alfalfa ;)