Just Jones

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-21T20:39:00.002-05:00

Our Last-Minute Trip

2011-09-12T17:56:00.001-05:00

Kindergarten

2011-08-27T22:21:00.004-05:00

This past Monday was Matthew's

first full week of Kindergarten. It
was a complete success!

This was Matthew's actual
first day of school.

Giving my big boy some love :)

First full day of school with
Ms. A's survival kit

Matthew and Ms. A...we LOVE her!

Full-Time Kindergartener :)

2011-08-21T20:02:00.002-05:00

This precious little boy
will be a full-time
kindergartener starting
tomorrow morning!

Where has the time gone?

If You Get A Minute

2011-08-09T20:46:00.002-05:00

Say a prayer. Matthew is starting
Kindergarten tomorrow, and I have
so many emotions running through
me right now. I am so proud of the
little boy that he has become. He is
so sweet and loving. He is hilarious
and quick-witted. He has a huge
vocabulary and is very creative. My
heart's desire is that he will love
school and love learning. I pray
that he will overcome challenges and
choose good friends. I pray that I
will be able to let go enough to let
him keep growing. If you get a minute,
lift Matthew (and me) up in prayer today!

5:00 am Post

2011-08-03T05:28:00.002-05:00

I have not been up at 5:00 a.m. since Logann
was a baby. Why am I wide awake? Why
have I been wide awake since 3:30? Some
things never change I guess. As a child,
teenager, and college student, the beginning
of school was always an exciting time. Though
the reasons for excitement have changed
through the years, I am still excited today.
Now that I am a teacher though,
the excitement is mixed with tons of stress.
In spite of all the new laws, evaluations, and
demands I am faced with, I love my job so
much! I hold myself to a high standard, and
sometimes I think it might be impossible to
reach. I am so afraid of letting my principal,
but most importantly, my students, down.
I know that tomorrow will be the only time
this year that I will see some of my students'
parents. My mind races to figure out if there
is anything at all that I could possibly say, or
do, to make some these parents care about
their child's education and to get them involved.
I desperately want my students and their parents
to be excited about education. All I know to do
is to pray for these sweet children and their parents,
and to pray for myself. As I begin my 10th year
of teaching, I pray that I will continue to love these
children like they are my own, set high expectations
for them, and show them Jesus through my actions.
I pray that the Lord calms my stress and gives me
joy and a positive attitude. I guess I'll go to school now!

Chris Has Hurt His Back

2011-07-31T22:44:00.003-05:00

Well, as if caring for Chris after his
appendix was removed did not steal
enough of my summer ;) he had to
go and hurt his back, too. How did he
hurt his back you might ask???

He loaded and unloaded these law books

all by himself. There were over 1,500
books total. We got them for a really
good deal, but they are slowly getting
more expensive...as we keep having to
go to the chiropractor!!!

What I've Been Doing This Summer

2011-07-18T17:41:00.006-05:00

My last post was twenty days ago. In that

twenty days, I have gone to five days of inservice,

celebrated the Fourth of July two times,

spent the night in the emergency room and

hospital with Chris while he had his appendix

taken out, worked on my classroom, bought

Matthew's kindergarten school supplies, spent

some time couponing, swimming, laying out, and

cooking, spent a day shopping with my mom,

potty-training sweet little Lolo, and sleeping in

way too late! I am enjoying my summer and

am very sad that it seems to be coming to an

end. August 3rd will be here much too quickly!

Here are some pictures from the past 20 days.

FOURTH of JULY

Holding Sweet Baby Leah

Water Fight!

Cheese!

Eating with Friends

The Pull-Up Queen

Proud Lolo after going to the potty!

My Version of Extreme Couponing...

Over $30 worth of merchandise for $7.54 :)

Our Hospital Stay

Poor Buddy :(

Feeling Better

Trying to capture the memory!
Not looking too hot!!!

Spending Time with my Best Friend
Me and Rachel on our day out!

Our Mountain Trip

2011-06-28T22:52:00.004-05:00

A couple weeks ago, Chris, Matthew, and I went
on a weekend trip to the Smoky Mountains with
my sister and her husband. We left Logann at home
with my mom to give Matthew some one-on-one
time before he starts Kindergarten. He was so very
excited to visit the "mountains". I have been there
many times. It is one of my favorite places on Earth,
and I have been trying to get Chris to go for a while
now. We enjoyed nature, rode go-carts, relaxed at
the cabin, played golf, went fishing, sadly missed
tubing due to the rain :( but we had a wonderful time.
We will be missing the mountains...

Until the trees turn as orange as my Volunteer blood...

Wordless Wednesday...Where I Live

2011-06-22T18:28:00.002-05:00

Our Fruits of the Spirit Are Growing!

2011-06-11T11:56:00.003-05:00

VBS Pictures

Ready to go!

Look at this LOVE, JOY, KINDNESS,
and GENTLENESS!

My Little Farmers :)

They loved the animals!

Logann and her best buddy Tyler

My Best Buddy Rachel
and Baby Leah

Snack Time!

Matthew and Logann had
a blast at VBS!!!

VBS Pictures to Come....

2011-06-07T14:30:00.002-05:00

Here's one for now!!!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-01T12:25:00.002-05:00

ANOTHER Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-18T19:55:00.002-05:00

Wordless Wednesday...Smoky Mountain Style :)

2011-05-11T18:32:00.000-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-03T19:30:00.004-05:00

Happy Belated Easter!!!

2011-04-29T20:36:00.005-05:00

Making Easter Eggs at Mom's on Good Friday

Matthew's and Logann's Easter Treats

Nana and Her Babies

Happy Easter!!!

Because Someone Asked...

2011-04-13T21:15:00.002-05:00

A friend of mine recently
asked about my surgery
I had this past September
to remove a vericose vein
in my leg. I told her I'd post
some pictures. I am so glad
I went through with it, and
I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

Here's before...

after ( 5 weeks)...

and 6 months later...

What Happened to March???

2011-04-06T18:40:00.003-05:00

I can't believe that we have finished our
first week of April, and I'm still trying to
figure out what happened to March! Things
have been so busy, crazy, and stressful that
I have not felt much like updating the blog,
but today was a good day...so I blog.

I thought I'd share some pictures from my
dad's and brother's birthday dinner. It was
a fun night spending time with my family.
I love them so much!

(Sorry I wasn't wearing makeup!)

We've had some nice weather here so far
this spring, as well as some crazy storms,
so we've had lots of outside time. Here are
a few pictures from the park.

(Not sure what the blurry spot is...)

Though my life has not been going the
way I would like it to, and things have
happened that will forever change me,
I have been reminded how blessed I am
and how thankful I am for my life, my
family, and my Savior. I've been humbled
in ways that man could never understand,
yet feel safer and more loved than ever.

"While I'm Waiting"

2011-03-20T15:28:00.003-05:00

I heard this song on the radio
the other day, and could not
get over how much it summed
up my life right now. I thought
I'd share the lyrics with you.

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

lyrics by John Waller

Soccer :)

2011-03-12T17:48:00.004-06:00

Today was Matthew's first
soccer practice. He did such
a great job! I am so proud
of my big boy!

Matthew's Face Met the Mud!!!

Logann wanted to be out there
so badly!

Next year, baby LoLo...

next year!

Waiting...

2011-03-08T19:38:00.000-06:00

I'll be back soon...I'm just waiting right now...

How Do You Explain?

2011-02-15T17:36:00.004-06:00

Valentine's Day is not a big

deal at our house. I get

the kiddos a little treat (like

they really need it after they

get their loot from school), but

Chris and I don't really do

anything big or fancy. We spent

the evening at home with the

kids and watched the Bachelor

together :) Valentine's Day does

remind me about God's love though.

God's love is not celebrated one day

a year. It does not take a dozen roses

to make me feel special...the crown

of thorns Jesus wore is more precious.

It is so hard to fathom the love of the

Lord. As I sat and looked at my children

Valentine's night, I thought to myself,

"How could God love us more than I love

my children?" I don't know how, but I

know He does!

I saw these song lyrics on

another blog the other day, and

decided to borrow them for this

Valentine's post. This is one

of my favorites!

How do you explain, how do you describe
A love that goes from east to west
And runs as deep as it is wide
You know all our hopes
You know all our fears
And words cannot express the love we feel
But we long for You to hear

So listen to our hearts
Hear our spirits sing
A song of praise that flows
From those You have redeemed
We will use the words we know
To tell You what an awesome God You are
But words are not enough to tell You of our love
So listen to our hearts

If words could fall like rain
From these lips of mine
And if I had a thousand years
I would still run of time
If you listen to my heart
Every beat will say
"Thank You for the life
Thank You for the truth
Thank You for the way"

[Listen to our hearts - Steven Curtis Chapman & Geoff Moore]

More Snow!!!

2011-02-07T16:30:00.004-06:00

Today we got out of school
an hour early. By the time
I got off the interstate to my
exit, the roads were super-
slick! I put myself in the grass
to avoid hitting the car in front
of me. Then, as I turned into
the kids' school, I slid again.
Trying to get out of the school
parking lot (which slants up
at the exit) was crazy! My tires
were just spinning. Finally,
after a couple of tries, I made
it. We got home safely and
then enjoyed the beautiful

white stuff.

What Do We Do On Snow Days?

2011-01-27T18:48:00.003-06:00

We are very well acquainted with
snow days...as today was our 1oth
so far this year. The kids and I are
perfecting our lazy days at home to
get every ounce of fun out of them
that we can. Here are some things
you might find us doing on snow days:

staying in our p.j.s all day
playing in the snow
watching Cinderella or Toy Story
making cinnamon rolls
building pillow forts
taking naps
cuddling with sick ones
helping daddy study
reading books
coloring
playing on the computer- LoLo ♥ Starfall!
staying up late
organizing toys and books
looking outside to see if the snow's still there
loving every minute of life

Living By Faith

2011-01-25T19:12:00.002-06:00

I care not today what the morrow may bring,
If shadow or sunshine or rain.
The Lord, I know, ruleth o'er everything.
And all of my worry is vain.

Living by faith
In Jesus above
Trusting, confiding
In His great love
From all harm safe
In His sheltering arm
I'm living by faith
And feel no alarm.

Tho' tempests may blow and the storm clouds arise;
Obscuring the brightness of life.
I'm never alarmed at the overcast skies,
The Master looks on at the strife.

Living by faith
In Jesus above
Trusting, confiding
In His great love
From all harm safe
In His sheltering arm
I'm living by faith
And feel no alarm.

I know that He safely will carry me thro'
No matter what evils betied;
Why should I then care, tho' the tempest may blow,
If Jesus walks close to my side.

Lyrics: James Wells, 1918. Composer: J. L. Heath, 1918

The View From Here

2011-01-20T16:26:00.002-06:00

Waiting On God

2011-01-14T09:57:00.003-06:00

I am usually a pretty patient person.

When I am at the grocery store, I just
pick a line. I don't change lines if my
line seems to be moving slowly. I just wait.

I am a second grade teacher. I teach 20
seven and eight year-olds a variety
of skills. I teach them to tell time, count
money, and how to read. I can wait on a
stuttering child to complete a sentence
without finishing it for them. I just wait.

I didn't date much in high school, as I was
more interested in hanging out with my
friends. College was a fun time, and dating
was a little more frequent. I waited on God
to bring me my husband. He knew the
desires of my heart, and the longing I had to
be a wife and mother. He brought him to me.
Literally, right to my (work) front door. I waited.

I look back at my prayer journal often to see all
the wonderful ways in which God has answered
my prayers. There was a time of waiting too
as I wanted children. I wanted them before my
husband, but I did not nag him about it, I just
prayed...and waited. When my husband was
ready, God blessed me very quickly with each
of my children. They were worth the wait.

Now, I find myself waiting again. This time of
waiting, I am praying that the Lord will reveal
himself more clearly to someone I love dearly.
This person loves the Lord, YES! Do I believe
that this person truly knows how powerful and
wonderful the Lord is, not sure. I know this
person is scared and worried. I want them to
know that God is in control. I also want to see
His hand in all of this. I have to admit, I am scared.
This time of waiting is difficult for me as well. I am
trying to be patient and trying to trust that all
things will work out better than I can imagine.
There have been so many times in my life that
I know God has supplied all of my needs and given
more than I could have every dreamed of. I am
praying for patience and for His handiwork to be
revealed in my life. Pray for me as I wait again.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-12T09:55:00.002-06:00

Matt-mew

2011-01-11T12:28:00.002-06:00

Here are a few pictures
of what our little Matt-mew
(as Logann now calls him)
has been up to over the past
few weeks. Enjoy!

Here he is being the most
handsome boy EVER!

He's always so happy to
be with his Nana.

Ready to have a nerf
battle with Nana and Pop

He got the one toy he
put on his list to Santa.
(I find it interesting that
he has played with the $1
toy soldiers he got in his
stocking more than this??)

Another Cavity-Free dentist
trip! He LOVES going to
the dentist, and he LOVES
Dr. Edge!

I have enjoyed my Winter Break
and getting to spend it with my
sweet kiddos.

Christmas Cookies

2011-01-05T19:02:00.003-06:00

My mom and I started a new
tradition about four years ago.
Every Thursday before Christmas,
we get together at her house and
make Christmas cookies with the
kids. This is such a special time
together, and I am so thankful for
my mom. She is a wonderful
mother and grandmother!

Logann's This and That

2011-01-01T21:31:00.003-06:00

I know I still need to post some
Christmas pictures, but I thought
these little happenings were just
too cute not to share. This post is
for little LoLo and for some of the
fun and silly times she's had over
the past few weeks.

First, these are some pictures from
her birthday party at school. She
loves her school, her teachers, and
all her friends. She loved her
cupcakes, too!

This picture was the day after her
birthday. Her JuJu gave her a
dress up set that she absolutely
loves. It was so cute to watch
her walk around in those little
plastic, pink high heels. I know
she's a mess, but oh, so cute!

And finally, little Miss Determined
cracked me up with this one. I could
not quit laughing. She found this 3-6
month outfit in her closet, and was
determined that she was going to wear
it. I didn't think it would fit, but she
proved me wrong. I hope this is not a
sign of things to come!

I love my little LoLo so much!

It Was a White Christmas!

2010-12-26T11:55:00.000-06:00

THE Birthday Party!

2010-12-24T10:15:00.005-06:00

Last weekend, we had a BIG birthday
party! We celebrated Matthew and Logann's
birthday! (mine too, but who asked:) I
figured this would probably be the last
year I could get away with that!

Here are a few pictures from the day.

5 and 2!

2010-12-22T15:20:00.002-06:00

As of Christmas Eve, my babies will be
5 and 2!
Where did the time go???

This Year...and Last

2010-12-19T19:39:00.003-06:00

This year...

and Last...

(Yes, we are both wearing the same outfits!)

Cookies With Santa

2010-12-17T19:13:00.005-06:00

Two weeks ago (I know it's this is a little late),
my mother and I took the kiddos to Cookies
with Santa at our church. It was lots of fun,
and is becoming a tradition! We had a great
time with Rachel and Tyler, and our other
church family.

Christmas Cards...Takes One, Two, Three, Four...

2010-12-05T13:54:00.002-06:00

Matthew is 5!

2010-12-03T18:58:00.006-06:00

Yesterday was Matthew's 5th

birthday. It was an exciting day
for him, but an extremely hard
day for me. It literally seems like just
yesterday that he was born.

I couldn't help but cry on and off
throughout the day, just thinking
about how fast the past five years
have gone. I know there is nothing
I can do to stop time, but I sure
wish it would slow down a bit.

He is such an amazing little boy. He
absolutely melts my heart when he
recites John 3:16. He makes me
laugh with his funny stories and
comments. He has a gigantic
vocabulary and is very quick-witted.
I can't imagine my life without him.
I am so thankful for every day that
God lets me spend with him. Here
are some pictures from his big day.

Happy Birthday Sweet Matthew!
I love you!

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-28T20:22:00.002-06:00

This year, we cooked Thanksgiving Dinner
for Chris's family. We were really excited,
but I was quite nervous. I don't cook a whole
lot, so I was worried everyone would end
up not liking the food, or sick! As it turned
out, the food was actually delicious, my
turkey and ham were yummy, and I had a
wonderful time with my in-laws. I love them
so much, and am so blessed that God put them
in my life. I didn't take very many pictures, but
here are a few.

My Best Friend

2010-11-14T18:50:00.004-06:00

I love her!!! She is more precious to
me than gold. The Lord blessed me beyond
words when He made her my best friend!

ROCKY :)

2010-11-13T09:50:00.002-06:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-10T19:18:00.001-06:00

Halloween

2010-11-05T19:19:00.005-05:00

The Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-25T18:57:00.006-05:00

Last Saturday, my sister-in-law
and I took Matthew and Logann
to the pumpkin patch. We had a
wonderful time!

Before...During...

2010-09-29T19:52:00.003-05:00

Remember BEFORE???

Well...here's
DURING (Recovery)
(This was taken about
a week and a half ago. I
will post an AFTER soon.)

Peek-A-Boo

2010-09-19T16:31:00.003-05:00

This morning, on the way to church,
Matthew dumped apple juice all over
his lap. We live about 20 minutes from
church, so we had to turn around and
go home, missing church. I was NOT
happy! I thought this was going to be
the beginning of a horrible day....

I WAS WRONG!!!

After we went home and cleaned up,
Matthew rested and I had my own
"church" at home. Then, I decided
that since Chris was at the Titans game,
I should take the kids out for some fun.
We went to Peek-A-Boo Playtown. The
kids had a blast, and I had a great time
watching them have so much fun!

A Big Girl Bed

2010-09-18T15:22:00.005-05:00

Last weekend, we decided to go
ahead and make the switch from
the crib to a twin bed. When
Matthew was about Logann's age,
we walked in his room to find him
with one leg over the crib rail.
We switched him immediately.
Logann had not tried to escape
yet, but she is such a daredevil...
I knew it was coming.

Here is a picture of Logann and
Matthew trying out the bed after
it was all set up.

This was Logann when she woke up

from her first night of sleep in her
big bed!

(This was my bed when I was little!)

She really is doing a great job in
her big bed. The first night, I had
to put her back in the bed five times.
Then, she went to sleep. Every
night since then, I just read
her a book, lay with her for
about 3 minutes, give her a kiss,
and leave. She goes to sleep
quietly, and stays in the bed until
I come to get her the next morning.
She's so big! :)

Logann's Before :) and After :(

2010-09-06T14:18:00.003-05:00

YesterDAY was one of the best days
I've had in a while! It was stress-free
fun at the zoo with Chris, Matthew, and
Logann. The weather was beautiful
and we had such an amazing time. I was
looking forward to having a fun evening
as well. We were going to my sister's for
the evening. Plans of grilling out, eating
birthday cake and ice cream, and sitting
out by a nice fire were in our future...

BEFORE:
Last night, we went to my sister's house
to celebrate my mom's birthday. They
have a nice screened in porch. While
Uncle Mark was grilling we were all just
relaxing and enjoying each others'
company. See:

Then it happened... Logann fell over her

own two feet and landed face-first into
the hinge of the porch door! Lots of
screaming, blood, crying, some Tylenol, and
a Tinkerbell sticker later, Logann received
her first stitches (and hopefully her last!)
5 little stitches along her eyebrow...AFTER:

ZOO pictures to come later...

Before...

2010-09-03T18:40:00.003-05:00

This was my lovely leg BEFORE the doctor lasered
my vein and yanked it out! I'd had this bad boy for
about 15 years, but it got worse and started hurting
after I had Logann (thanks LoLo!) The procedure
itself was not too painful. They used local anesthesia.
I did not feel the laser part at all, but it was a really
strange feeling when they tugged on my veins to get
them out! I'm weird because I like gross stuff like
that...I even got them to show me the veins they removed!
Recovery has not been too bad so far. My thigh is
sore from the laser, but overall, I'm good. I'm
not supposed to lift anything over 20lbs for a while.
My leg is still all wrapped up and a little swollen. I can't
wait to see the final results! I'll post the AFTER when
the swelling and bruising go down.

Trying to Breathe

2010-08-25T22:16:00.003-05:00

Do you ever feel like you are
drowning? Do you ever feel like
you have so much on your plate
that you just might lose it???
Welcome to my world!

In the past
six months, I have gone from
having a principal that could NOT
have cared less about our school and
our students, to having a principal
who loves and adores our students
and wants only the best for them.

Then, we meet Race to the Top, a
lovely piece of legislation that has
earned our state lots of money to
help improve our education system.
Problem is, NONE of that money is
going to ever be seen by me, the one
who must meet the high expectations
of individuals who have NEVER stepped
foot inside a classroom, and who do
not have a clue what these children go
through in their personal lives.

The combination of loving principal and lovely
legislation is that I now spend approximately
5 hours per week simple DOCUMENTING
how I teach. Very little about my style of
teaching has been affected, I've tweaked just
a few activities, but I now have 5 less hours
of my life to enjoy each week. You know, I
always thought I had too much free time on
my hands!

On top of all of this, due to my
lovely schedule at school, I have very little
time to grade papers, which means I take it
all home. Again, more personal time is being
pulled away from me. Open House was Tuesday
night. I did enjoy it, but Chris had class, the kids
were 45 minutes away at my mother-in-laws, and
I did not get home last night until 9:30.

All of this said, I'm choking. I think I really am
drowning. I am looking for the nearest ladder
to climb out of this pool...

LoLo's Lovin' School!!!

2010-08-17T20:50:00.002-05:00

Logann has always
loved school...that is, until she
stayed home with me ALL summer.
When she started back a couple
weeks ago, she was so pitiful when
I left her. It broke my heart! The
past few days, I have noticed that
she is not crying anymore when I
drop her off in the morning. I have
also noticed that when I come to
school to pick her up, she is having
a blast dancing, playing with the
bubble machine, and coloring!
LoLo's lovin' school again!
See for yourself!

Logann's Artwork

2010-08-14T10:45:00.003-05:00

A Big Day!

2010-08-11T21:20:00.002-05:00

Friday was Matthew's
first day of 4-year old
Kindergarten at our
church. I went to this
same program when I
was his age! Here is a
quick picture we took
before we left for school!

A New Tradition!

2010-07-29T15:34:00.007-05:00

Every summer, I will

make sure that Matthew
and Logann have their
picture made together!
Here are some pictures
from last summer...

Here are a few from today.
Neither of my sweet, little
angels felt the need to
cooperate, but we still
managed to get a few
good shots. Enjoy!

(They had had enough by this point!)

What a difference a year makes!

It's About That Time

2010-07-27T15:44:00.005-05:00

It's the last week of summer...sigh.

It's that time. It's time to get
backpacks ready, and lunchboxes,
too (if your son can make up his
mind which one he wants!)
Here are the backpacks, ready
to go!

This year, Matthew is going to
a 4-Year Old Kindergarten
program. They use thick mats,
instead of cots. I made this cover
and pillow for his mat. If you
know Matthew, you know he
LOVES fish and sharks!

Last week was my sister's birthday.
She is about 18 months OLDER :)
than me! The other night, we went
to my mom and dad's for her birthday
dinner. Here are a few pictures from
Aunt Shea-Shea's birthday.

Aunt Shea & Uncle Mark

Dr. LoLo Jones

Time for Cake!

Deshea and Dad

I won't include the one where our very
own mother misspelled her daughter's
name on her cake. I can only share
this hilarious story with you, as I know
none of you will say anything to my
mom. I think she was quite embarrassed!
It was a great laugh though!
Happy Birthday, Deshea! I love you!

Newness

2010-07-25T16:32:00.004-05:00

On my fabulous getaway with my sister last
weekend, we found ourselves at

It was a great little cabin at the top of a
big mountain.

We had a fabulous time. I don't
think I've EVER had such a good time! I had
a lot of time for reflection and thinking about
the future.

(I know you've seen this tshirt many times in this
summer's posts...it just happens to be a favorite!!!)

Sometimes, life just feels old, tired, worn-out.
Sometimes, I just need a change... a new
beginning. I never really put much thought
into it, but there are some times in my life
that I just love because I get to experience
this newness.

New babies. Their noises, their smells, their
facial expressions, the way you can stare at
one all day, and never miss the day you wasted...
there is no better example of something new.
I think we're stopping at two.

Buying a new (semi-new, as we purchased 2
years ago) car, and getting that added bonus
of the new car smell, is so exciting. With a new
set of wheels, going to the store not just a
mundane errand.

A new haircut can bring many emotions. I
can feel light and airy as I step out of the
salon, carrying 6 less inches than when I
entered. Sometimes I love the haircut, and
sometimes I have to go to two salons to
get it fixed...but I learned to love it!

A new school year can excite me, and frighten
me, all at the same time! The precious children
that grace my classroom, with boxes of new
crayons and newly sharpened pencils, are such
a mixed bag of blessings. Some have funny jokes
that make me smile every day, and some have
stories that make me want to take them in my
arms and show them the love of our God. Not
knowing what I am going to get is enough to keep
me on the edge of my seat with great anticipation
for what is ahead!

A new (one and only) tattoo...

A fresh start in my marriage is something so
priceless and cherished. I did not have a bad
marriage to begin with, just one that needed
a little adjustment. Wow! Don't I have a new
outlook on life now!

Finally, and most importantly, the newness
that comes with God's forgiveness. I would
not trade ANYTHING for the great assurance
and love I feel when I ask my God to wash away
my sins. Thank you God for this newness in life!

If You Need Me...

2010-07-16T09:22:00.003-05:00

This is where I'll be!

My ABCs

2010-07-12T18:56:00.004-05:00

Sweet Brittney had some fun on her
blog, so I thought I'd do the same!

A - Age: 31

B - Bed size: Queen

C - Chore you hate: Cat litter

D - Dad's name: Daddy, Pop, and Bob

E - Essential start your day item: at least 8 hours of sleep!

F - Favorite TV show: House Hunters/Grey's Anatomy

G - Gold or Silver? Silver

H - Height: 5'9"

I - Instruments you play(ed): None

J - Job title: teacher

K - Kid(s): Matthew 4 1/2 and Logann 18months

L - Living arrangement: I live with Chris and my children

M - Mom's name: Mom, NaNa, and Pam

N - Nicknames: Mommy, Jen

O - Operations: None

P - Pet peeve: people who NEVER question anything and
negative people

Q - Quotes you like: "I don't want to look back on my life,
and not like the person I was." Brock

R - Right or left handed: Right

S - Siblings: an older sister and a younger brother

T - Time you wake up: School year=6:30 a.m./Summer =8ish

U - Ultimate dessert: Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake...
Cheesecake Factory :)

V - Vegetable you dislike: brussell sprouts

W - Ways you run late: KIDS!!!

X - X-rays: my right foot earlier this year...TaeBo with
no shoes. Luckily, nothing broken!

Y - Yummy food you make: Chocolate Chip Cookies & potato soup

Z - Zoo animal: Elephants...always the elephants!

A Big Catch!

2010-07-08T10:23:00.003-05:00

Chris took Matthew fishing on Monday.
Matthew caught a blue gill (not sure
why I didn't get a picture of this), and
Chris caught this catfish!

Logann and I did not go fishing.
We did what any two girls would
do when given the opportunity...
We went SHOPPING!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!

2010-07-05T09:33:00.004-05:00

I have to say that I had the
absolute best 4th of July this
year. I can't remember when
I enjoyed myself so much.
We went to my in-laws house
for dinner, fireworks, and
smores. Chris and I stopped
and bought a bag full of
fireworks on our way out to
their house. Matthew and
Logann were so good all
night long. I have the best
in-laws in the entire world
and I love spending time
with them. I am truly blessed!

Chris, Judi, and Shane getting ready to light some fireworks.

Matthew and his JuJu

Mommy and LoLo

LoLo Waiting on Fireworks

JuJu and Her Babies Watching Fireworks

The Fireworks Were AMAZING!

Logann Swinging While We Started the Fire

Making Smores...Yummy!!!

Grandpa and LoLo

JuJu Helping Matthew

Ready to Roast!

Going For a Ride

The Firemen...Putting Out the Fire

Please Pray

2010-07-04T12:16:00.002-05:00

I have been reading Adrienne's blog for
almost two years. Her story is amazing.
I have shared her story with you before.
I am asking you to take a minute, and
pray for her now. Her only child she
has been able to carry, past the first
trimester, was born last night by
c-section, at 26 weeks and 5 days.
He is so tiny, and is not doing
well right now. Please pray!

Chattanooga Trip

2010-07-01T11:23:00.007-05:00

Chris, Matthew, Logann,
and I went to Chattanooga
this week. We had a great time
together! We all agree
the best part of the trip
was the Tennessee Aquarium.
Here are some pictures
from our trip.

You Gotta LOVE This!!!

2010-06-18T10:35:00.007-05:00

So, as some of you know, I'm kind of
getting into this whole couponing
thing. I am always very cautious to
make sure that I actually need the item
that the coupon is for, otherwise I 'm
spending money I wouldn't normally
spend...which is the opposite of saving
money! Yesterday, I made a list of all the
things I needed from Target. Then, I went
and searched my wonderful sites:

hip2save.com
Totally Target
Stretching a Buck

I have used a few coupons here
and there, but yesterday, was my
all-time best attempt at saving money.

How much did I save, you ask? Well,
I saved....

OVER $32!!!!

Here's part of what I got.

2 boxes of Frosted Mini Wheats, a bottle of Welch's Grape Juice,
a bottle of Shout, a bottle of Glade, 3 boxes fo Vanish
Drop-Ins, a box of Eggo Waffles, a Lip Smacker chap stick,
2 packages of Orbit gum, and a pair of shoes on clearance
for Logann. How much did these items cost me?

$7.12

I used $22.00 worth of coupons, as Target will
accept store coupons (which you can get from
the Target site) and manufacturer coupons.
I also used $10 worth of rebates.

Besides my huge day yesterday at Target,
I have found several other good deals
throughout the past week. I got 50
free prints and a free 8X10 at
Snapfish.com. I have also received
a free picture book (oh, so cute) from
Hotprints.com. I have found coupons
for free lotion at Bath and Body Works,
free bronzer from CoverGirl, and some
other great grocery coupons at:

SmartSource.com
Coupons.com
RedPlum.com

That's all for now! I'll let you know
about any other great finds along
the way. I'm off to try to snag a
free box of Clairol haircolor now!
Update: My coupon for a free
box of hair color should be in
my mailbox in about 4 weeks! :)

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2010-06-16T10:05:00.002-05:00

Honest Scrap

2010-06-14T18:59:00.006-05:00

My precious friend, Jenna, picked me to carry on this
Honest Scrap blogger award which means I have to
post 10 things about myself and pass it on to other
bloggers. So here goes:

1. My husband and I met at work, a vet clinic where
his mother had worked twenty years before us. One
Saturday, after getting off work, we talked in the parking
lot for six hours! We were inseparable after that!

2. I used to be very full of myself, and think that I had
God all figured out. I used the Bible to push my chosen
agenda, ignoring the verses that told me not to judge
others, and to love my neighbor as myself. I still do
not claim to have it all figured out, but I am trying to
be very focused on treating others like I would treat
the Lord.

3. I have a huge vein, the size of Montana, on the
back of my right leg. I've had it for about 15 years.
It has gotten worse since having Matthew and Logann,
so I am very excited to possibly be having it removed
this summer!

4. I got rid of my dog. I found her a new home with
my sister and her husband. I felt so guilty, but my
brother-in-law is so excited to have her! They live
close so we can still go visit anytime we want.

5. We will be adopting a new cat very soon...it was
the only way I could convince Matthew to let #4
happen!

6. I miss my girl friends. I have absolutely
amazing friends, but life just gets so busy,
and time passes so quickly sometimes. Ironically
enough though, I absolutely LOVE alone time
these days. I think it's because it is so hard to come
by! I love my babies and my husband, but I
also like to breathe! :)

7. I am a people-watcher! I could sit for hours and
just watch people. I admire, and question, outfit
choices, try to figure out what they are thinking, and
sometimes even listen to conversations! What can I
say, I'm a little nosy!

8. I enjoy doing laundry. It makes me feel like I have
accomplished something when I have no dirty laundry
in the whole house. (This usually does not last very long!)
The only problem with "my" laundry habits is that I
rarely put all the clothes away. About half of them will
end up in a basket until they are worn or used!

9. My favorite place on earth is the mountains in East
Tennessee. I love the mountain streams, the wildlife,
the views, the sounds, and feeling I get when I am there.
I try to visit the mountains at least once a year.

10. I have fallen off the weight-loss wagon for the time
being, and I desperately want to climb back on. I was
doing so good until I hurt my knee. Then I just quit! I
also recently became acquainted with the peanut butter-
fudge milkshake at Sonic...enough said!

I am nominating:

Rachel at Countdown to Tyler
Valerie at I'm a Mommy
Renee at and then she said...are you kidding me??
Bethany at Bee Musings

Swimming

2010-06-11T22:23:00.005-05:00

Today, I took both kiddos
swimming all by
myself! I was either
brave, or dumb....

(Sorry for poor picture quality...I was a little
busy and unable to take fabulous photos with the real camera.)

I'll go with
BRAVE!!!

The Dentist :)

2010-06-08T15:47:00.004-05:00

As some of you are aware, I
am absolutely terrified of the
dentist! BAD memories, stemming
from childhood experiences, still
haunt me today. I have always been
extremely concerned that my kids
would also hate the dentist, and I
did not want this to happen! Matthew
went to the dentist today for the first
time.

As you can see, he did great!

No cavities, no tears, no trauma that
will haunt him...not today anyways!
It went better than I could have EVER
imagined! So much so, that I, like the
huge dork that I am, went out to my
car and got my camera to capture
this experience! What can I say? I
was just THAT excited!!! He got to
choose a Power Ranger toothbrush,
and got lots of other little goodies.
He told me as we left that he LOVES
the dentist, and that he wants to go
back again tomorrow!

Go Figure...

2010-06-02T18:10:00.001-05:00

Today was my last "official" day
of school. I am sick. I think it's
strep :( Logann is sick. Go figure!
Please pray for a quick recovery
so my summer fun can begin!

Another Trip to the Zoo and Drive-In!

2010-05-25T21:30:00.005-05:00

Headed to the Zoo!
Matthew had his glasses on too, but wouldn't
let me take his picture...it was so cute!

Playing at the Zoo Playground

Eating Lunch

Loving the Amphibians and Reptiles!

The Drive-In

One of Matthew's and my favorite summer past-times
is going to the drive-in. We get Subway, M&M's, and
LifeSaver Gummies...what more could you want???
It's just the two of us, and it is such a special time and
is so much fun!

Not So Wordless Wednesday...

2010-05-19T20:22:00.002-05:00

Working mothers are magical. I don't just say that
because I happen to be one...we just are. We "bring
home the bacon" and take care of our families. We
are often like the Energizer Bunny, not so much
because we want to be, but because we feel like we
have to be. We don't stop until everything's done.
For me, the jury is still out on what God thinks about
working mothers in general. I firmly believe that He
is proud of me, and all (most) that I do each day.
Here is how I feel about being a working mother.

First, I love being a mother. I love my children
more than anyone will EVER know. The fact that
I have to work does not change that. I give the
very best of myself to my children. Work, family,
and friends get the leftovers.

Second, I know I need to slow down some. I
completely understand that God wants me to
enjoy my life. I need to learn to let some things go.

Third, I am blessed. I work so hard because I feel
so blessed. I do not ever want to look back at my
life and feel like I didn't do a good enough job in any
area. You only get one life.

And finally, I KNOW that God meant for me to be
a teacher. The Bible tells us to use whatever gifts
we have to serve others. A lot of my children at
school have fairly happy homes, but quite a few
definitely do not. My goal everyday is to show
those children how much I love them. I want them
to remember me when they get older, and to wonder
"Why did Mrs. Jones love me so much?" I want them
to know that as much as I loved them, God loves them
MORE!!!

***In case you are interested (or just bored and want
something to do), I thought I'd share with you about
my day today. I am sometimes amazed by all that I'm
able to accomplish in a day. I am just now sitting down
to have a moment to myself, just 15 short hours
since waking. In that 15 hours, you must know that
I have done the following:

*woke up at 5:00 to take the puppy out and then
fed her
*woke back up at 6:00 to take her outside
*took a shower
*packed bags for my kids and myself
*ironed clothes
*fed kids breakfast
*got myself ready
*got kids ready
*medicated and walked puppy
*took kids to school
*drove to work (while making a mental list of
all that needed to be accomplished for the day)
*said lots of prayers for family and friends
*got to work and pretended to be chipper upon
arrival...mood improved somewhat after getting
the day started
*taught, encouraged, reprimanded, laughed,
joked, taught, smiled, directed, learned, listened,
and loved my 17 students
*made it through the school day
*made a quick trip to Target
*picked up the kids
*made a quick trip to Kroger
*unloaded the car at home (groceries, school bags,
and children)
*started dinner
*took puppy out
*fed puppy
*started laundry
*ate dinner with kids and talked about their day
*cleaned up dinner
*played with kids
*got kids ready for bed
*rocked Logann and put her to bed
*played with puppy
*laid out clothes for tomorrow
*watched a show with Matthew
*said prayers with Matthew and put him to bed
*changed the cat litter and fed the cats
*cleaned out the puppy's crate
*more laundry
*more playing with puppy
*picked up the house
***Published a Post on my blog
*getting ready to: play with the puppy, do some
more laundry, and get ready for bed...might get
to sleep a little, too!

Good night! Have a great day tomorrow! :)

OneHeart Friends

2010-05-13T19:29:00.003-05:00

Look at these sweet friends!

(from left to right: Georgia Grace, Matthew, Logann, Naomi Kate, and Tyler)

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2010-05-05T21:12:00.001-05:00

It Will Make You Think...and Pray!

2010-05-04T10:41:00.004-05:00

If you have looked at the past two posts
that I have made, you know where my
mind is. It is full of questions. I ask
myself, "How could this happen?" and
"Why was I so lucky?" and "What will
all of these people do?" My heart aches
for all the people I have seen on t.v., and
for all the people I have not seen, but
just know are out there trying to figure
out what they are going to do with their
lives now.

Times like these make me stop and think
about my attitude towards life. I cut the
grass yesterday. For the first time in a
while, I was NOT thinking "Chris should be
doing this." Instead, my mind continually
kept repeating, "You are so lucky to have
grass to cut." I cleaned the house yesterday
too, all the while realizing how truly blessed
I am to have a beautiful house to clean. I
can't help but feel a little bit guilty that it
takes something like this week's occurrences
to make me feel this way. I know I should
count my blessings daily, and from this point
on, I will try to remember this.

I posted a few days ago about Adrienne. I
ask you to pray for her even more now. She
has found out that the sweet baby boy she is
carrying may have difficulty in the future. I
take my children for granted far too often.
She has been a reminder to me that life is far
to short and precious, and I need to take every
day to appreciate and love my children as much
as possible.

This week, I let my anger get the best of me.
After YEARS of turning the other cheek, I did
not yield to the unkind words used by this
person. I did not maintain control as I ALWAYS
do. I had had enough. Whether deserved, or
not, it was not right of me to do. I feel guilty,
and wish I could take it back. This is yet another
reminder that I should focus on God every second
I possibly can.

The normal chaos of life, combined with the
extra stress and emotion of the week, has led
my mind to a scripture that sums up the things
I have felt and learned.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on
earth, where moth and rust destroy, and
where thieves break in and steal. But store
up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where
moth and rust do not destroy, and where
thieves do not break in and steal. For where
your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Matthew 6:19-21

Please join me in prayer for the following
people this week:

*The Johnson family awaiting the arrival
of baby brother

*The Davis family who lost just about
everything in the flood

*Adrienne and her sweet, growing family
and the health of her unborn son

*Kim and the Rollins family who may have lost
employment for a while due to the state of
Opryland hotel

*All of the thousand of people who do not have
a home now

* All of those who may come to know Christ through
this terrible tragedy

Thank you for reading, and thank you for praying!

Keith Olbermann Shares Tennessee's Tragedy

2010-05-03T22:19:00.001-05:00

Here is a short clip from Countdown
With Keith Olbermann about what
is going on here in Tennessee.

www.msnbc.msn.com

Rain, Rain...GO AWAY!!!!

2010-05-02T16:22:00.003-05:00

While watching the news, you may have
seen that the southeast has been hit with
lots of rain. Our neighborhood is elevated,
so we do not have much damage.While
our area was not hit the hardest, things
are still pretty bad here. A little closer
to Nashville is much worse. Here is some
video of my route to work.

Here is another video closer to downtown
that we watched live, yesterday.

We are very thankful that our home has
been spared, and we are waiting to see
how many of our friends and family will
be affected by this rain. We know several
people have lost their lives, and I know
that you will join me in prayer for these
people and their families.

A Story of Answered Prayers

2010-04-28T19:42:00.005-05:00

Over the past year, or so,
I have been following the blog of
a sweet woman named Adrienne.
She has endured more heartache
than one woman, longing to be a
mother, should have to endure.
I wanted to share her story with
you. She has amazing faith in the
Lord, and has been truly blessed
this year. Please go read her
wonderful story!

Here is the link:

Our Journey of Love

Have a blessed day!

Random Rambling

2010-04-23T19:40:00.002-05:00

We got a new puppy named Cupid. She's very cute. She wakes me up at 5:00 every morning to take her outside and to feed her. She has puppy breath. We are not sure what kind of dog she is, but the vet thinks she is going to stay rather small (less than 30lbs.) She eats eats Purina Puppy Chow. The cats already get the expensive stuff, so too bad for Cupid. Cupid sleeps in a big, ugly crate in my room. Maybe in a few years, I will get to get rid of it? Everyone else in my house loves the dog...for about 15 minutes a day. She really is my new buddy...

Anyone find it interesting that you seem to pray a lot more when you are down, or you need something? I find it very interesting. I wonder if it makes God mad. Wish I was more focused on God all the time.

I had a root canal on Tuesday. I was all drugged up for the experience, so it wasn't too bad. Holy pajamas!!! A root canal and a crown can kill a summer vacation real quick! Oh, well...who wants to go to the beach anyways?

I have an observation by our new principal on Monday. I am interested to see what she thinks of my teaching...I guess. I get to spend the rest of the weekend getting things ready for it. Gotta love paperwork!

Matthew's been good at school. Five stars all week! Woohoo! His daycare is horribly expensive...maybe that's where all our money goes??? I want to take him somewhere else to save money, but I don't think I would like anything as well.

Logann got her MMR shot last week, and has had a fever for the past two days. Doctor said it was coming, but that doesn't make me like it any more. Poor baby :(

Chris is in law school...still, and will be for the next 4 years.

I just got done cutting the grass and I took a shower. I'm feeling blue. I'm trying to be positive, but failing miserably. I fell off the weight-loss wagon. You may have noticed that my ticker is not moving. It's not broken, but I am. Maybe I will hop back on the wagon soon. I had bloodwork done a couple weeks ago, just for a physical and I am waiting to see what it says. I might have a lot of work to do to fix it. Who knows though?

I bought a new comforter, because Cupid peed on my other one. I had my old one for 7 years. Maybe it was time? I feel terribly guilty for buying a new one though. Hmmmm....oh, well. I don't splurge much.

I need to clean my house. I wish all my laundry was done and put away. I would like to paint my nails. I would LOVE a pedicure.

I love my family. I am missing some friends. I am sad for a long-time family friend who is near death. Today is my brother-in-law's birthday. I made an odd connection today. I don't want my children to grow up too fast. I am tired.

Cupid

2010-04-20T20:42:00.001-05:00

Meet the newest member
of our family...

Cupid!

(What was I thinking?)

Young Love

2010-04-15T21:18:00.003-05:00

Today, my mom wanted some "NaNa and
Matthew" time. Since Logann's birth,
Matthew has had very little time
alone with his NaNa. They had a
great day playing and having
a picnic at the park!

While he spent the afternoon with mom,
Logann and I went to eat, shop, and
play with our best friends...Rachel and
Tyler (aka TyTy!) While at their house,
Rachel pulled the babies around in a little
red wagon. They loved riding in the wagon
(as much as they love each other!)
See for yourself!

So cute!

Look at the expression on her face!
She's smitten!

Thanks TyTy for letting
LoLo ride in your wagon!
She had so much fun!

Look at those pigtails! I know she
is my daughter, but I just wanted

to eat her up every time I looked at
her today!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2010-04-14T19:10:00.002-05:00

100th Post...Our Trip to the Mountains

2010-04-11T16:15:00.007-05:00

As mentioned in previous posts, I have
been (and continue to be on :) SPRING
BREAK! Last week, my mother, Matthew,
Logann, and I went to the mountains.
The Smoky Mountains are my absolute
favorite place on earth. There are so many
wonderful things to do there. While I
usually prefer the "nature" aspect of the
mountains, children are not too easily
entertained by this. Thus, we found
ourselves doing some not-so-nature
oriented activities. In spite of this, it
was still a really good time. I am so
thankful that I was able to go and make
these memories with my mother and
my children. Here are some pictures
from our trip.

Our Picnic...

Playing in the stream...

The Apple Barn :)

The Track...We rode go-carts, played
putt-putt, and the kids rode lots of rides...

The Aquarium...

Easter 2010

2010-04-04T21:05:00.006-05:00

Here are a few pictures

from our long,
tiring, lovely
Easter Day...

THE END!

Toes, a Test, and Time Off

2010-04-01T20:21:00.005-05:00

I just want everyone to be aware of 3 things:

#1 Those were Logann's pretty toes
you saw in the Wordless Wednesday
post...weren't they cute?

#2 I have married one of the smartest
men in the entire world! Chris had his
first test in law school a couple of weeks
ago. He got his score yesterday...he got
a 100!!! I am so proud!

#3 (most importantly if I do say so myself)
I am officially on Spring Break!
I have 17 lovely days all to myself...
well, not completely, but I will
take it!

HAPPY SPRING BREAK
TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2010-03-31T20:28:00.002-05:00

Not Me! Monday

2010-03-29T19:16:00.003-05:00

Since it's been a while since I have joined in
MckMama's "Not Me! Monday" I thought
I would give it a go again. You should give
it a try, too!

Let's see...
My yard is the best looking yard in our
neighborhood. My neighbor does NOT use
a professional company that comes and
treats their lawn to make it plush and
green. This does NOT make me crazy!
Last Tuesday, I most definitely did
not stop at our local hardware store
and purchase a Garden Weasel and
a bag of Tall Fescue. I then did not
proceed to put the children to bed
early, so that I could turn up the soil
in our front yard and put down the
whole bag of seed. Who does this after
working all day, driving an hour to pick
up your children and an hour home, and
in the DARK???? NOT me!!!

I also did NOT have a crazy week at
work, finding out that two dear sweet
people will not be returning next year. I
am NOT completely freaked out and
worried about things to come...I am
NOT completely trusting God here though!

I am NOT counting down until our
Spring Break, which does NOT officially
begin in 3 days!!! What teacher
really looks forward to NOT being at
school working away??? NOT me!

I feel better now!

Zoo Fun

2010-03-20T21:33:00.007-05:00

The weather was absolutely
beautiful today! I decided to
take Matthew and Logann to
the zoo so Daddy could have
some "study time". Here are
a few pictures from the day.
We had such an amazing time!

A "must-have" zoo pic

"Mom, can I get out of this stroller, please?"

Looking for a goat to pet...

My Map Reader

Cheese!

We found a goat...

and a rabbit!

I found a monkey!

Look at my big girl playing and having fun!

Taking a Break

Swinging

What a big hippo!

BEAUTIFUL!!! (even with drool!)

My Bouncy Boy

There she goes!

She found her belly button!?!?!

Riding the Carousel

Taking a Nap

Matthew was pretty pooped!

Logann looked a little tired, too!

Matthew and I love the zoo!
It was a truly wonderful day!
I can't wait to go back!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2010-03-10T19:02:00.002-06:00

I've Dropped a Little Logann!!!

2010-03-08T20:11:00.002-06:00

I've done it. I've dropped a Logann. Quite
literally. I am now carrying around 21 lbs
less than I was on January 2nd. It is amazing
the difference it has made already. A few
things I have noticed:

a. getting up off the floor is much easier :p
b. I don't need as much sleep
c. I've got more pep in my step
d. I can wear all of my pre-pregnancy
pants that I could not even begin to
wear in January.
e. I feel motivated in lots of areas in my
life right now.

Now, to continue on for the other 50 lbs that
my poor heart would LOVE to be rid of. I just
think of my poor heart, pumping blood through
all that extra fat...yuck! I think my heart is
much happier now and will be even happier
soon.

I am going to try to run a half marathon
next May. I thought this May might be a
little ambitious, since I can only run for
about 30 minutes in one stretch right now.
I will get there though. Music City Marathon
next year...I'll be there!

I will leave you with a crazy point to ponder...

If (I mean WHEN) I lose all my weight, I will have
lost not only a Logann, but also a Matthew, and
a bag of cat food! HOLY COW!!!!!

Wish me luck...I'm gonna need it!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2010-03-03T18:21:00.003-06:00

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2010-02-24T19:26:00.002-06:00

God's Gift #1,478,903 : Handling Puke...

2010-02-23T12:09:00.005-06:00

How is it that being a mother gives
you magical powers, like being able
to keep your cookies when your
oldest child pukes all over you???
I thought about tossing said cookies
a time or two last night when I was
the target of Matthew's strep-induced
vomiting. Let me paint a picture for
you...

While waiting in the underwater world,
that is our fabulous doctor's office, it
happened. I was minding my own business,
standing ever-so-patiently for my two
children to be seen. I was holding a
feverish, sleeping Matthew and trying
to wrangle an extremely mobile, 14
month old. I had told my sweet hubby
that I could handle it...I knew he really
needed to study. Everything was going
rather well, I thought, for a while. Then,
suddenly, it happened...

I will not give any details, other than to
say I almost had a meltdown. I felt my
face flush, and my stomach turn. I kept
telling myself, "It will be okay. Just take
a deep.... NOOOOO, don't
take a deep breath!!!"
Oddly enough, it took me trying
to take a deep breath multiple times before
I realized that this was not a good idea. I
called my husband, who was 20 minutes
away, and told him he had to bring
Matthew and me some new clothes
immediately. That was the longest 20
minutes of my life...(well, not really...I
would say the longest twenty minutes
of my life was the trip from home to the
hospital, when I thought Logann was
going to be born on the side of the road!)

When it was all said and done, and I had
on fresh, clean clothes, Matthew had strep
and received a shot of penicillin, and Logann
had a double ear infection, and was sent
home with ten days worth of antibiotics.
We were the last people to leave the office
last night, and left with a lovely parting gift,
our bag of gross clothes.

I am home with the children today, glad
that they are on their roads to recovery. I
think I might be scarred by this for a while,
but it has me thinking.

How is it possible that God gives me the
ability to handle situations like this?
Though I was freaking out on the inside,
I was keeping cool on the outside, as my
son said repeatedly, "I'm sorry, Mommy.
I'm sorry."

I wanted to cry, scream, and
just flip out. I didn't though. Why??? I
think it is because God covers mothers
with an amazing strength and peace in
tough situations. Though I could have
done without EVER experiencing this,
I am reminded how wonderful my God
is. He fully prepares me with His strength
and love every day. I am blessed to be
the mother to Matthew and Logann,
puke...or no puke.

Priceless Pictures from the Park

2010-02-21T17:49:00.007-06:00

Today, in my small, sweet town, it

was 66 degrees! A rare treat this time
of year...one that I will gladly accept.
I took the children to the park, which
is only about a mile from our house.
The kiddos let me push them on the
swings, went down the slides, and
ran around like the little yahoos they
truly are.

We dined on ice cream cones at
Sonic before our afternoon was over.

This weather and these sweet faces
made me long for the spring and
summer to come. I can't wait to
enjoy many more afternoons
like this one!

I'm Beautiful!!!

2010-02-17T18:43:00.006-06:00

Much to my surprise, I found out
today that I was given a "Beautiful
Blogger" award by Jennifer at
"The Toy Box Years"! This was so
sweet of her, and made me smile.
:)

Per the rules of winning the award, I'd like to
pass this award on! The rules are simple:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for
this award and insert a link to their blog.

2. Copy and paste the award into your blog

3. Share 7 things about yourself.

4. Pass on the award to about 10 other
bloggers who you recently discovered and
think are great! (in no particular order)
*********************************************

So, here are my 7 things.......

1. I teach at the elementary school I attended as
a child, and I absolutely love being there.
2. I rarely pay full price for ANYTHING.
I love a good deal!
3. I have a severe sweet tooth that I am
trying to tame...in the past I have been
known to eat cookies for dinner!
4. I was told by a wise person that I should
"be friends with" a certain person, and now,
about 10 years later, we have been best
friends ever since!
5. I am addicted to HGTV!
6. To go to sleep, all doors (closet, bathroom,
and bedroom) must be closed, also, no
lights and no TV
7. I am happiest when I am in the mountains.

******************************************

And here are my nominees:

BeeMusings

Our Journey of Love

To Heaven and Back

and then she said...are you kidding me?

My Journey

From Here to Colby: Bringing Our Baby Home

I'm A Mommy

Sweet Caroline

Countdown to Tyler

Yellow House

Gifts of God

Low Fat Blueberry Muffins

2010-02-16T12:13:00.004-06:00

As many of you know, I am working
on losing baby weight (plus some)!!!
I have been very creative in my
attempt to do this. Below is a low
fat version of Betty Crocker's muffins.

Follow sweet Betty Crocker's recipe on

the box, but substitute 1/4 cup egg beaters
for the egg and 1/4 applesauce for oil.
Be sure to use skim milk also. They have
@ 125 calories & 1.5 grams of fat! They
are so yummy!

Every little bit helps!

Not Me! Monday

2010-02-15T11:50:00.005-06:00

Is it Monday, again??? Time to confess.
Here goes...this weekend, I did NOT
think many times that A) I desperately
need a real babysitter and B) that I might
like to not have children (only briefly) so
that I could go out to dinner with my
Valentine. I then, did NOT have to
remind myself that "I'm gonna miss this."
I mean...who doesn't get to go out with
their Valentine???

This week, I also did NOT go to
change Logann's diaper and see this...

I mean whose husband really
writes on their child's belly to
surprise the mommy? NOT mine!
And then, really, who goes and get
their camera to take a picture???
NOT me!

This week, I did NOT have to go to
my son's school to "correct his behavior"
because my child would NEVER
embarrass his mother that way. He
acts completely appropriate at ALL
times! (wink, wink)

I did NOT desperately want a
cinnapie from PapaJohns Saturday.
I did NOT go get one (for dinner)
and plan to eat the whole thing.
I was NOT lucky that this particular
cinnapie was not great, thus NOT forcing
me to trash the uneaten portion! I
was NOT so glad I did not eat the
whole thing! I would NOT have felt
sick and miserable afterwords. Who
eats cinnapie for dinner? NOT me!

I think I'm done. If you want to
hop over to MckMama's blog
to see what others have NOT
been doing, I highly recommend it!

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-14T20:41:00.002-06:00

Today was a good day! Nothing too
exciting, just family time and time
with church family. What more
could you ask for???

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2010-02-10T20:45:00.001-06:00

Love, Lollipops, Logann's Bows, Law School, and Locomotion

2010-02-09T19:25:00.004-06:00

Today I got to stay home with my kiddos
due to snow! I thought I would take a
few moments and update. Here goes...

Subject #1 - Love

Matthew is getting in the spirit of
Valentine's Day by getting his goody
bags ready for his party on Friday.

Speaking of love...did you know that
I LOVE these kids soooo much???
Completely makes me understand
God's love for me much more!

Subject #2 - Lollipops

I surprised myself by giving Logann
her first ever lollipop. She liked it
for a few moments, but couldn't
figure out that she was not supposed
to hold it by the top!

Subject #3 - Logann's Hair Bows

I have waited many years to be able
to buy hair bows, and then make my
daughter wear them. I enjoy nothing
more than finding a bow to match a
new outfit. I kept losing them, so I
made this little ditty to keep them in
one place!

Subject #4 - Law School

Today is my husband's first day of
law school. I am so proud of him. I
can not think of an area that he is
better suited for...not sure why he
got a degree in accounting. I hope he
had a great first day! I love you, Chris!

(Sorry, no pictures here.)

Subject #5 - Locomotion

Look at Logann...walking! It seems
so strange to see, but she is loving
the freedom. My baby is growing up!

Sorry for the long post and all the "L"
words...just wanted to get it all in and
was trying to be a little creative!
Maybe I was not successful, oh well!

Not Me! Monday

2010-02-08T18:15:00.004-06:00

I have taken a break from the "NOT ME!" but this week,
I am returning! You can read many more confessions
written by other moms at MckMama's blog.

This week, I most certainly did NOT hear my
oldest child call his sister (a one year old)
a "loser". My child never calls names. NOT
even at his preschool, where he called a friend
a "poopy-face". I do not know how my child ever
could think of such things.

I am NOT putting my children to bed tonight
at 6:30 because they are NOT terribly cranky
and whiny. I would never make them go to bed
so early!

I did NOT have to rewash a load of clothes three
times because I kept forgetting to put them in
the dryer. I am also NOT coveting my mother-
in-law's new washer and dryer because
it actually drys a load of clothes in one cycle...
unlike mine!

I also do NOT hope that it snows like
crazy tonight so that I do not have to go to
school tomorrow! Our school system did
NOT have 13 snow days built in, and we
have NOT only used 7, giving us a remaining
6 days that must be used! I did NOT just
look out the window to see that it is NOT
snowing steadily at this moment!

And finally....
I have NOT lost 17 pounds of my baby weight!
I am NOT the least bit excited, and NOT a little
bit frustrated because I still do not need to lose
about 50 more! I did NOT have a "cheat" night
for the Super Bowl and eat pizza! Not ME!!!