Happy Halloween

Thank Goodness for Friday! This week has went by really quickly. Today is Halloween. We won't be giving out candy this year. We have 4 free movie tickets, and my wonderful hubby decided that we would all go watch a movie as a family. I am not sure what we'll watch. I hate scary movies, and refuse to watch them. The kids think it is silly to go out on Halloween and not watch a scary movie. I think they just really wanted to go out with their friends tonight, but they won't say that. It is so rare for us to spend a night out with just the 4 of us that they are happy no matter what we do! As it stands, it should be only the 4 of us! Plans have been known to change though. One time we had plans to go out to eat at my favorite restaurant for dinner, Olive Garden, just the 4 of us. During the course of the day, my wonderful hubby had talked to several of the youth, and told them of our plans. When we arrived at Olive Garden our party numbered 22, not 4. So, you can see how plans change!

This past Wednesday night we had Trunk or Treat following our service. It was so much fun. We had over 90 people during our worship service. 30 of them were children under the age of 14, and then after service more people came. We probably had between 125 & 150. I'll have pictures later. I am on my husband's computer and he doesn't like it when I upload pics to his computer. Brendia has mine till tomorrow. She doesn't have a home computer, and since she is out of work for a few weeks on maternity leave, she borrowed mine to work on the church Christmas play.

Sherri at A Quilting Life told me about this wonderful website called The Fat Quarter Shop. I love it! They have charm packs, and jolly packs that you can't find anywhere; for example Amy Butler Jolly Packs! I have been looking at a Moda Jelly Roll called Butterfly Fling. At my local quilt shop it is $37 + tax, which in TN is 9.5%. On this website it is only $30 + shipping, and no sales tax. The shipping via USPS Priority Mail is only $4.95. Right now they are running a special for free shipping on orders over $50! Thanks Sherri for this website! They will have my business!

I hope everyone has a fabulous day! I must work on my house today. Tomorrow we have a busy day, and I like to spend Saturdays with my wonderful husband. Saturdays are really his only day off. So, tomorrow we are going to be running around all day. We already have a full day scheduled. I am excited! I love to spend time with him, and the kids.

Terrific Tuesday

Wow, I have had an exciting week! Yes, since last Tuesday a lot has happened! I have a new nephew...that is the most exciting! I have talked to several potential employers about me, myself, and I. Friday, We took the youth to a presentation of Judgement House. I worked a fundraiser for the church on Saturday. On Sunday we had 2 wonderful church services, and our 4th Sunday dinner. Monday, I spent the day with my sister and the new baby. I helped her run a few errands. Then Terrific Tuesday, I received a call from a potential employer (I've already had a phone interview with them) to schedule a face to face interview with their Director of Operations! I am really excited about this opportunity. It appears that it would be an excellent paying job, and it won't consume my life. I have really prayed that the Lord would send me a job that would allow me to still be a wonderful Wife, Mom, and Church Worker! I know that sometimes as women we spread ourselves very thin, but when I think of that I am reminded of the Proverbs 31 woman. She did it all, and if she can then with the Lord's help, I can too!

The interview is next Wednesday at 10am. I would like for all my friends and family to be praying with me. Since the initial phone interview my Mother has said that this is the job that she wants me to have, of course if it is the Lord's will. So, you know Moms are always right. I've applied for a multitude of jobs, and talked to a few already, but I want to be willing for whatever the Lord wants. If this is it, then pray that it goes well!

James Isaac

James Isaac

Born 10-22-2008 at 2:03pm

7lbs 8oz

20in long

Isaac is Coming Tomorrow

The wait is finally over! Baby Isaac's due date is October 23rd, however Brendia has been dilated several centimeters and thinned out for about 3-4 weeks now. She'll have really hard labor pains for a couple of hours and then they just go away. This has been going on since she was 36 weeks. Brendia wants to deliver naturally, so she has been waiting on things to progress well...naturally. She had a doctor's appt this past Monday, and the doctor said enough is enough. We are all surprised that the baby hasn't just fallen out. I say he takes after his family and he is just stubborn. The doctor scheduled for her to come in tomorrow morning and they are going to start her on a PIT drip. I think that is what it is called. The doctor thinks that once that kicks in it'll only be a couple of hours since she is already over 5cm dilated. So, by tomorrow night I should have pics of Baby Isaac! Can you tell I'm excited? I've already decided I am going to be his favorite aunt! That is if Heather will just stay out of the picture. She is so much younger and cooler than me :) Heather if you are reading this I still love you!

These are few pictures of my sister, Brendia and her fabulous husband, Brandon. They are so cute together. I'm sure that their baby will be an absolute doll!

In case you can't tell Brendia is younger than I am. I was 8 years old when my Mom & Dad brought her home. I thought they had brought me my very own baby doll! Brendia's hair has always been blond, but when she was little she didn't have a lot of it. I can remember thinking she would be bald forever. Finally she grew hair. I would make her sit for hours while I played dress up with her. I would change her clothes, put little braids all over her hair, and those little hair barrettes where the hair wouldn't stay braided. Like I said she was my very own baby doll. I didn't have to have a Baby Alive doll, because I really did have an alive baby! I learned how to change her diaper, and feed her when she was first born. I honestly can't believe so many years have passed and she is having a baby of her own. On October 12, she turned 27, but it still feels like she is my baby sister. I couldn't ask for a better sister. She is wise beyond her years. She has become my best friend. While she used to sit for hours and let me play dress up with her, now she has been known to sit for hours just listening to me talk. Believe me this is true. We worked side by side in a small office for 2 years, and when I get nervous I talk...and she listened! Believe it or not, we've never had an argument. We don't always agree on everything, but we don't argue. I've always been able to depend on Brendia. Anytime I have some crazy idea that I want to do, she'll be the first one to say she'll help me, and believe me I have had a few hairbrained schemes. She's never acted like my ideas were stupid, even when some of them were beyond stupid! It may sound sappy...but she is the best sister that I could ever have. A sister can be seen as someone who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves - a special kind of double. ~Toni Morrison We are very much alike but yet very different too!

I am asking each of you to pray a special prayer tomorrow for my baby sister, and her new baby, Isaac.

Quilt Giveaway

Lizzy over at Pigtails & Snails is giving away this gorgeous quilt. It is an original design, and absolutely beautiful. I love the fall colors, don't you? Head on over to her blog to register to win!

Alabaster Box

My friend, Valerie, has this song on her blog's playlist. I listened to it today as I was reading her blog. I thought I'd share the lyrics. The words are just so beautiful.

The room grew still
As she made her way to Jesus
She stumbled through the tears that made her blind
She felt such pain
Some spoke in anger
Heard folks whisper
There's no place here for her kind
Still on she came
Through the shame that flushed her face
Until at last, she knelt before his feet
And though she spoke no words
Everything she said was heard
As she poured her love for the Master
From her box of Alabaster

Chorus:
And I've come to pour
My praise on Him-like oil
From Mary's alabaster box
Don't be angry if I wash His feet with my tears
And dry them with my hair
You weren't there-the night He found me
You did not feel what I felt
When He wrapped His loving arms around me
And you don't know the cost
Of the oil in my alabaster box

I can't forget
The way life used to be
I was a prisoner
To the sins that had me bound
I spent my days
Poured my life-without measure
Into a little treasure box
I thought I had found
Until the day-when Jesus came to me
And healed my soul
With the wonders of-His love
So now I'm giving back to Him
All the praise He's worthy of
I've been forgiven
And that's why
I love Him so much

My Favorite Cookies - Samoas

Believe it or not I am not a big sweet eater, but Samoas from the Girl Scouts are my biggest weakness! I found a blogger who has the recipe for these amazing cookies on her website! I can't wait till I have money in the grocery budget because this will be the first dessert that I make!

Go to KC's Cafe for the recipe or Once Upon a Plate!

Looking for Active Full Time Employment

Well, I am officially actively seeking full time employment! With the economy as it is we've decided that it would be better for me to work full time so we can pay off some of our debts. Then we can reconsider me staying at home at a later date. So, I am asking for your prayers. I want something that will help not hinder our family. Money isn't everything. I don't want to get sucked into a career that takes away from my family, and believe me based on my work history that is exactly what happens. I am an overachiever by nature, and very ambitious when it comes to my job so I need tempered. I am asking God to give me the job that he wants me to have so I can still be here for my family and my church as much as possible.

A Wonderful Weekend

This past weekend was very eventful!

Friday night I took Beth Ice Skating. She started ice skating lessons a couple of weeks ago, and she is able to attend one free public skating session per week. Believe it or not, she is a natural. Beth takes after me in the fact that she is very clumsy, but when she gets on the ice she is very graceful!

On Saturday, I worked the UT game with our church then on Sunday morning me & the kids rode down to Dalton GA with some friends of ours for our national church convention. Charlie drove down on Friday because the convention actually started on Friday night so we met up with him there. I had the opportunity to see my brother, his wife, and children. Their new baby is absolutely a doll. This picture is of him, in my lap, isn't he just cutest baby you've ever seen? No, I didn't pose this picture...He was sleeping that way!

While in Dalton, I had the opportunity to see Val my real life and blog friend! We've known her family for many years now, but we don't have the opportunity to see each other very much. I wish I'd thought to take a picture of us together, but I didn't! Maybe next time!

We went out to eat on Sunday night with my niece and her husband to our favorite Mexican restaurant, Garcia's! As we were sitting at the table my children decided that I looked pretty good that night. It is really funny how it happened. We were talking about my blog, and the kids said I needed a new picture. The one I have posted is several years old, so they decided to take my picture.

To me I just look tired! I felt like my four hours of sleep on Saturday night was exhausted!

We stayed in Dalton until Monday because Charlie's dad was having surgery on Monday morning. He was having surgery to remove 7 skin cancers from his face and neck. The surgery was scheduled to be out-patient, but we didn't know for sure how it was going to turn out. The doctor was concerned over one of the cancers. It appeared that it had grown in to the bone instead of out like the others. Well, everything went perfectly! The doctor was able to get everything. We all left the doctor's office about 9:30am and went to Shoneys! Yes, you know it... we all love to eat. **Update-Charlie talked to his Dad last night and he hasn't even had to take any of the pain medicine!

This is a picture of the kid's with the grandparents!

After we got home on Monday we didn't do anything. I mean nothing. We all slept most of the remainder of the day. But the real world came knocking on our door on Tuesday morning! Charlie was off to work and the kids were off to school. I was off to my sewing machine. I finished this blanket yesterday. I'm not sure who I am going to give it to, but it will be a present for somebody. We have several ladies that are pregnant in our church, and so far 3 of them are having boys!

WOW...As I am sitting here writing this post...I hear snip, crackle, crash, BAM!!! then the dogs start barking like crazy. I rush upstairs to see what has happened! I look out the window and this is what I see...

We have 4 trees in our back yard. The one that you see is dead! I called Charlie to let him know and his first question was "Did the tree fall on the house?" Isn't it funny that he knew why I was calling? I told him NO, it didn't fall on the house, but we have procrastinated long enough. It is time for that tree to come down on our terms! We will be having a chainsaw party at our house this weekend if anyone is interested!

Kroger Meat & Produce

It is Saturday morning. Do you get up early on Saturday morning? The only people I know that do are the ones that go to yard sales and those that may have to go to work. Well, Have I ever told you that I am a sleepy head? I have always been called that. Yes, since I was a small child. I was never told as a child that it was time to go to bed because more often than not I was already in bed by that time. I was (am) very often the last person to get out of bed in the mornings though. To get to the point... this morning I had to take Trevlyn to work at 8am. I woke up about 7:15 which is just too early on Saturday morning for me! On my way back from taking him to work I thought "Hey, I'll stop by Kroger and see what I can buy!"

I walked in and started laughing! They were already taking the shelves apart in the meat department. The Meat Manager told me that people were there as early as 5am, pushing and shoving to get the best deals! He said that the boneless chicken breasts were the first to go. Now boneless chicken breast wasn't on sale this week at Kroger. The regular price is $4.79lb. 50% off that would be $2.39lb. If you are strategic grocery shopper than you know that boneless chicken breast goes on sale often for $1.99lb. My question is "What were they thinking?" The only items left in produce were things that are hard or impossible to freeze like cucumbers and lettuce.

I was amazed! Who gets up that early? Not me!

I love saving Money!

Charlie gets paid on Thursdays so that is the day I set aside to do my grocery shopping. In the past 2 years I've really tried to save us money on groceries. I cut coupons, I search through the sale ads, and make our menus based on what is on sale or what I have a coupon for. So, today I went into my neighborhood Kroger, and WOW! Kroger is moving over, right next door, to a brand new Kroger Marketplace. I am very excited about the new Kroger, but that is not what I am talking about today. Over the last few weeks, since they are moving, everything in the store has been marked down. Last week I bought my sister a ton of baby stuff for 50% off, and I've bought baking sheets, etc. Today everything in the frozen food section, prepacked deli meat, bacon, sausage, etc, and all dairy items excluding milk and eggs was 50% off. I spent over $200 but I saved over $200 too because YES I used my coupons! Some items I even got for free! I think, with the exception of milk, bread & eggs, that I've bought enough to last us the month! This Saturday their fresh meat & produce will be 50% off too. I'm not sure what else I'll buy but I would like to go in to check it out. I can always fill my freezer full of meat & vegetables.

So, if you've got any good recipes for freezing produce, please let me know. AND BTW, I do feel better today! This is the first day in over a week that I can breath freely!

Stay at Home Week

Are any of you following the National Stay at Home week shows? I am! I've even set my DVR to record when two of my favorite shows are coming on at the same time. My shows are Grey's Anatomy, Brothers & Sisters, Desperate Housewives, CSI, CSI NY, CSI Miami, NCIS, Dirty Sexy Money, Private Practice, and Lipstick Jungle. My husband's shows are Heroes, The Unit, The Shield, Sons of Anarchy, and he watches some of my shows too!

So far the only show I've been shocked by is Desperate Housewives. It is hard for my mind to jump 5 years ahead, and I believed until the very end of the show that Mike was probably dead. I just can't believe we have to go through another season of Mike & Susan not together. Gaby, WOW, 2 kids, and how did they make her look chubby? We all know Eva Longoria Parker is not in the least bit chubby! I'm glad that Bree & Lynette lives relatively stayed the same. Of course it was just the first show so we may find that they've changed too!

Grey's Anatomy, sshhh, I hate to say it... but it is kind of getting boring. It is just the same ole same ole every year. I guess they have to keep up the Meredith/Derek drama, but really do they think we wouldn't watch the show if they actually got married and stayed happy? How many different ways can they be apart/together? It appears that this season they will be together again. Maybe it will end in marriage.

CSI...I can't wait till the season premiere comes on. It is scheduled for October 9th. I can't believe Warrick dies.

Brothers & Sisters...The dynamics of this show reminds me of my family. No, I don't have a homosexual brother or a political sister, or a large company, my dad didn't have an affair, okay maybe nothing is like my family. Except for one thing... the way they come together and argue, then go apart and stick up for each other, reminds me of my siblings. I just like it, and of course I like Rob Lowe! He was always my favorite from the brat pack!

Let me know what shows you like to watch and why...