Halloween 2010

Kitty, Julio, and Minnie think you might have an easier time keeping up with us if you follow us on Twitter (or are my friend on FB). The Blog is On Hiatus....obviously!

Blink....7.22.10

Home, Sweet Home....

This is only a test!

I've had this blogger app on my iPhone for a few months now, so I thought I should test it out!

And post a picture to see how that turns out, too. I call this one....

"goodbye baby, hello big kid (sniff, sniff)"


That's all :)

The Jesus Storybook Bible

Reeves is a very active kid. He isn't a big fan of slowing down to read or write or do much of anything "school related" during the summer! Nope, according to Reeves, summertime is all about the fun!

Don't get me wrong, I love some fun, too. We have very few rules during these lazy summer days. I take each day as it comes and let them get away with a whole lot more than I should! I hope they'll look back on their summers with the same kind of fondness that I do. My mom made summer fun....big time! I want the same thing for my kids. We have sleepovers and playdates and pajama days and picnics and snow cones whenever we feel like it! We eat all sorts of junk and fresh produce (I am blessed with fabulous eaters.....summer fruit is at the top of their list), stay up as late as we want, sleep in as late as we can, and wear whatever we feel like wearing. Our hair stays wet, our feet stay bare, our beds stay unmade, and our plans are always ready and waiting for a new adventure!

But alas, school will be in session in a few short weeks, and I figure I better try to get in at least a few moments of structure before the first bell rings! Reeves and I have been searching and searching for a good book for him to read, and this morning we found just the thing!

Our pastor at a2 Church recommended The Jesus Storybook Bible to me a few months ago, and I made sure to pick it up when I saw it at Barnes and Noble. Every once in a while I have flipped through the colorful pages and read a few stories, but have been too busy to really dig in. I wish I hadn't taken so long to crack the spine! Let me just tell you....it is one of the greatest books I have ever read!

This morning my kids blessed me by sleeping in. I woke up at 8:45 and Reeves was soon to follow. We had about 30 minutes all to ourselves and I decided to take advantage of our quiet time. I was flipping through the book when he asked what I was reading.....I couldn't wait to share it with him. I got my pot of coffee going and cuddled up with him on the couch. We took turns reading pages, and by the time we got through a few stories, tears were streaming down my face.....it is such an amazing interpretation of the stories in the Bible! I loved when Reeves would retell what he had heard about a story or character in his lessons at church....I soaked in every detail of his recollections from his lessons. There is such truth and beauty and detail in every word of the book we were reading.....it is beautifully and intricately written. It's like no other children's story Bible out there, I can promise you that!

Just read this....

No, the Bible isn't a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It's a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne - everything - to rescue the one he loves. It's like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life!

You see, the best thing about this Story is - it's TRUE.

There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.

It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle - the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture.

And this is no ordinary baby. This is the Child upon whom everything would depend. This is the Child who would one day - but wait! Our Story starts where all good stories start. Right at the very beginning.....

~Sally Lloyd-Jones

Wow!

Simply said, it just might take your breath away. Could she have said it any more perfectly?

So for these last lazy days of summer, Reeves and I are going to dive into The Jesus Storybook Bible. We are going to learn more about the love of our great God and precious Jesus while we get a little reading in.

Nothing beats cuddling up with my favorite little man and a good book.

No more promises....

....that was what I should have said! Yep, yet again I have gone weeks and weeks without blogging. It is what it is, but I have been busy with a few little kiddos! We are livin' and lovin' on each other this summer! Having a blast with friends, running around in the Alabama sun, supporting our beautiful gulf coast by visiting often and encouraging friends (near and far) to do the same. I will post more about my feelings on that topic later.....my heart just breaks for our beautiful gulf coast friends and beaches!

But here are some pictures to give you a little glimpse into what we've been up to...

Lucy and her silly friend LauraBeth

Reeves and his beloved skim board....

...and Greer's infectious smile!

Cause I promised I would....

Here are my favorite pictures from Memorial Day on the River! Our precious Harriet invited us to spend the day at her house (near my parent's home in Gadrock)....and it was an awesome day. I love the south in the summertime (well, anytime actually). It is simply amazing! Harriet has built her beautiful home on the river and she was kind enough to extend that joy to our little family.....

Mom made frozen strawberry, ginger ale slushies!

Chris took all the kids out for a spin on the waverunner...

and so did I!

I don't think Lucy expected me to be that much "fun"....

but I proved her wrong!

Mom bought a new paddleboat for everyone and Greer LOVED it!

Can you see that she is sippin' on her coke and lovin' it!?

Greer and Betty connected....

.....so did Lucy and Betty!

This one makes me laugh!

....and we'll call these "yoga at sundown"!

I really want to post more details...but I am hurting! Today I broke my tailbone (well, after much research and self evaluation, that is what I have concluded)! It is terrible, horrible, no good and very bad!!! I am h.u.r.t.i.n.g. It stinks.

Momma can't be broken. She just can't! Please pray for my "booty" to feel better soon. I have so much to do and no time to rest. Working tomorrow is going to be a challenge that I am scared to face, but I have to do it.

School's Out for Summer!

This picture of Lucy and our sweet friend Laura is just one of my favorites from our trip home to Gadsden for Memorial Day. I think I'll post the rest of my favorites tomorrow! Just saying it here makes me accountable to finally get off my DUFF to start blogging again. Oh how I've missed it my friends! Is there anyone still out there who cares? I guess we'll see.

I have a lot of really amazing, really exciting things going on my life right now. Things that I really want to write about here....if only to be able to go back and read about them one day. The trouble with blogging is, it tends to make me feel a bit self indulgent. Like I am expecting someone else besides me to really care about what I am going through in this little life. I've really been praying about when and how to make a comeback to this place. If I'm going to do it, I want it to be right.

I have to tell you, I've quit reading blogs pretty much altogether. Not because I think that bloggers are bad people or full of themselves or whatever....I just have found other stuff to fill my time. And I don't expect that people have continued to check on my blog in my absence of posts. I just haven't really given it any thought....

...but I want to keep posting here for me. For the transparency that it gives in this life here on earth. For the chance to spill my beans in an effort to remember the minutea. The snapshots and the memories. The conversations that shaped these years that sometimes feel like they are passing by in a blur. For moments like these....