I'm Back

I have been away with our church youth group for a leadership conference. My husband, Neal is the youth minister. I believe that I got in more trouble than the kids. Some of the freshman girls rode with me down to Orlando. My three children rotated riding in the church van. I had all the fun, silly, boy crazy girls. We almost caused an accident on the interstate. They were flirting with whoever they could. Of course I wasn't helping things. It is so much fun to be around children this age. They are always looking for something spontaneous and fun. They keep me young.

While in Orlando we went to Islands of Adventures. I was forced to ride upside roller coasters with my kids. I put on my big girl panties and dealt with it. My feet didn't like being unsupported. I sat on my flip flops. This left my feet in more distress. I rode the entire ride with my toes curled under for some sort of protection. I began the ride holding on to my daughters shoulder harness with her, once i realized we were upside down I let go and to hold my own harness. Like a good Mother, I told her she was on her own. I survived and surprisingly rode it again ( What was I thinking ?) I am glad I pushed my self past my comfort zone.

Gifts from the Heart

I must brag on my sweet children.  My boys are at my parents this week.  My daughter stayed behind.  Today my mom called and told me that my youngest son wanted to buy hair accessories for his sister.  My eldest son, Madison took his some and bought me a gift card to a very young trendy store, and his dad a Gator hat.  I about cried.  They were given money by my patents to spend on whatever they wanted and they chose to do for others.  It is such an awesome feeling when your children give to others.  I am a gifts person so it thrills me.  I am truly blessed.

SINCERELY FRO ME TO YOU

Alright, Quit laughing !! I really thought I looked cool. I thought this lifegaurd ( I believe his name was KY ), was so hot !! He thought so too. He was there every summer. I am still wondering how people kept from laughing at me.

For more hilarious photos go on over to We are THAT Family.

My First MeMe

I am so green at all this stuff. Bear with me folks. I have been tagged (thanks Kristin) to do this Meme thing. I thought Meme was a person, not a survey. I have been asked to list 10 things that have changed about me in the last 15 years. I have Mommy brain and don't hardly remember life before kids but I will try.

1) I married a man of the cloth. As much as I terrorized all my youth ministers , it is only fitting that I married one.

2) I am a fitness/health nut. I used to live off of cookie dough and Icees. Now I just fantasize about them. Of course I do fall off the food wagon now and again.

3) I teach indoor cycling. Although I never learned how to ride a bike , I teach spin. How sad is that ? My kids love to brag about doing something that their Mom can't.

4) I am still close friends with my old girlfriends. Although we don't get to see each other much we stay in touch with technology.

5) I am a home body. We are so busy with 3 kids that I relish slow lazy days at home. I used to be so mad if I had nothing to do on a weekend, now I am so excited if that happens.

6) I am a stay at home who never stays home. I teach fitness classes and do personal training. I am so busy between that and the kids schedule that I am rarely at home. I think we should all start decorating our cars instead of our homes, that is where we spend the most time.

7) I love to cook. Although my family prefers fast food to real food and they have no culinary knowledge, I still persevere. It is so boring to cook the same thing every week.

8) I hate showers. I love baths. I think it is just laziness. But I love to lay in a warm bath. I know , I know, I am sitting in my own filth. I like my filth , it's mine !!

9) I do nothing with my hair, rarely wear make-up, and despise clothes with zippers. I am so used to a ponytail, lip gloss, and workout wear, that I am very plain. If I have real people clothes on and make-up my kids want to know where we are going.

10) I am a control freak. I need the remote. It makes me feel happy. So I go in my room and hold the remote. I do not like when people flip channels, I can flip , that doesn't bother me, but you can't flip.

Well that is it. Pretty boring huh ?

5)

Wordless Wednesday

Pops and Jew Jew

Two of my children have gone to my parents for the week. This is something that has never happened before. My oldest and youngest are there together and my middle one is not quite ready to be three hours from home. They will be spoiled immensely. My parents love do for them. My mother does like to plan everything ( to a fault ). With my husband being in the ministry we live a very spontaneous life. Our pace of like is way TOO FAST for my folks. They get tired just hearing what a typical day is like.

I instructed Madison , my oldest son , to take care of Jackson, my youngest. It should be very interesting to see how everything plays out. Y'all should all pray for my parents !!

Down by the Creekbank

In an earlier post I talked about some of my summer goals. I am so excited !! Every summer I make some sort of goals for each member of the family, only to wake up one morning and it be the first day of school. This is proof that we were having some simple, free, fun. I was so not ready for this kind of fun. It was spontaneous, next time I will take a chair ( for me), bug spray, and a bug box. We saw lots for tadpoles, hermit crabs, and a snake.

This fabulous photo was taken the day of my brother's high school graduation. He is three years older than me. I was blessed to have lots of handsome adolescent boys around while growing up. I think my attempt at sophisticated 80's fashion does in fact make me look older than 15 !! I am proud of how modest I was dressed that day. I do recall though that pencil skirt had a slit up to who knows where, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to walk. I had not yet introduced lycra into my wardrobe .What was I thinking ? The funniest thing is we would work so hard to look so much older than what we were. What I would do now to look younger ? I

Wordless Wednesday !!

A few weeks ago we were honored to be a part of a wonderful young lady's wedding, Caroline. She was our babysitter and friend when we lived in Florida. All of my kids love her. Madison is too old to be in the wedding ( as a ring bearer ). This photo was taken before the wedding. MaryEsther's flowers weren't in her hair and Jackson was still smiling. You see during the course of the wedding weekend, he threatened the groom that he may attack him during the KISS . Dan, the groom, was taking my baby's woman away. Both kids were on point dring the wedding, I was really worried as that moment approached, from where I stood I could se the expressions on Jackson's face. When the moment came for the KISS, he closed his eyes and turned his head away. He tried to be very strong. He and MaryEsther exited the sanctuary before me, and when I made it outside he was balling his eyes out. He was so heartbroken. As irrational as it was it almost made me cry. It took him a long time to get it together. Caroline took some time to tell him he was still her little man. Jackson told her that maybe she could divorce Dan and marry him. It was classic. He soothed his heartache by dancing the night away with all the other bridesmaids all of whom are young with the exception of me. He will make a great boyfriend one day.