We're OFF!!

Well, tomorrow morning we head out for FLORIDA!! Yipeeeee!!

Today I cleaned the house top to bottom, did all the laundry, packed everything, and now I am EXHAUSTED and ready for a VACATION!!!

Not sure how much I will be able to post next week, because we are not sure about internet, but I will post if I can!!

Have a great week everyone!!

Good Things: Girls Days and Pedicures

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! That's all I can say about this morning! :)

After the gym, Ella, Me, my Mom, my sister Leah and my friend JJ went to get PEDICURES!!!

Can I tell you how much I love getting them?! I mean, what could be better than someone else doing all the work? haha It was Ella's first experience at a nail salon and of course she loved it. She picked blue for her nail color of choice, and then they painted little flowers on her big toes. : ) I mean, who can pass up getting their little girls toes done for $4? ;) After pedicures we headed out for some lunch at Panara. So yes, girls days a good. :)

Gotta love me a little girl time!

(Are these cute toes or what?? :) )

Cute Statement of the Day

As Ella was looking through my jewelry box:

Ella: (holding up a big dangly beaded earring) "Mommy, may I wear these earrings when I grow up?"

Me: "You sure can. I will save them for you."

Ella: "Thank you, Mommy! Thank you for saving them for me!"

*Smile* :)

Agape

So for the past few weeks I have been doing a Beth Moore study entitled "Living Beyond Yourself." It is a study about the Fruit of the Spirit, and applying it to ones life. For those of you who have done a Beth Moore study, you know that it is definitely a daunting task! There is SOOOO much information, sometimes it is hard to take it all in. For those of you who haven't done one, I highly recommend it-for the same reason, there is SOOOO much information! I really feel like I am learning a lot.

This week was a look into the first fruit: LOVE. While the first couple of days focused on Eros Love (love in marriage) and Philos Love (Friend Love), the remaining days focused on Agape Love.

Most all of us are familiar with the following scripture from 1 Corinthians 13:

" Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love neveer fails."

If you are anything like me, the verse is so familiar you just skimmed over it. I challenge you to read back over the verse and really realise how complex and daunting the task is to think about loving each and every person this way. Not just those who we hold the closest-but what about those that WE feel are unlovable? However, God calls us to love as He loves! So, how in the world are we suppose to do that??

So, here is the encouraging part and what I have learned!!

"For God is greater than our hearts." 1 John 3:20

Only God is capable of Agape love. That perfect love that never waivers. But we can show God's love to everyone knowing that "God is greater than our hearts", when we are filled with his Holy Spirit.

So, I challenge you this week, just as I have been challenged to think of those people on your "unloveable" list. What is keeping us from loving those people? We can't focus on what is "wrong with them", but we have to change our thinking and ask ourselves, "How can I better love this person?" What do I need to change in my heart and thinking?

Who is God calling me to Agape? Who is God calling you to agape?

Wordless Wednesday: Summer Soccer Fun!

Ready for a Vacation!

Hey Everyone!

Sorry about missing a post yesterday-we had company yesterday afternoon/evening, so there just wasn't time! Reid sister and her husband stopped by on their way back from Orlando. We had a good time laughing over fajitas, cookies and then falling asleep (me) during a movie! :)

So, why is it that your normal schedule/everyday activies, which you like (Well, I guess some may not like) seem like the worst things ever when you know a vacation is coming up?!? haha! I mean, I love everything on my schedule during the week-anything from cleaning, playing with Ella, storytime at the library, grocery shopping, teaching my classes, etc..-you name it, I enjoy it! So why is it this week is draaaaaaaaaaging by???

Anyway...I am SO excited to just take a break from the norm and GET OUT OF THE CITY!! It will be nice to have some down time, and just plain ol' hanging out time! We are headed out Sunday morning, and it can't get here soon enough!

Look out FLORIDA! I'm coming, so you better be ready!!

The Impossible Quiz

I have a love/hate relationship with this thing. Mostly hate, but I can't stop doing it!

Try it and let me know how far you get! Then keep trying it and see if you can get farther!!

http://www.addictinggames.com/theimpossiblequiz.html

Good Things: Family Day

One of the best things in life is "Family Day" in my opinion. Just kickin' back, having fun and enjoying everyone's company!

Today we had one of those days. After Mommy taught class this morning at 8:30 we headed over to Papa and Yaya's house for a swim, a yummy grilled out lunch, nap and then more swimming! Concluding the day with some playtime at home while I cooked dinner, a dinner together and then bedtime!

Thank you, Lord for precious moments together like these!

Laugh out Loud/Awww Moment of the Day

Conversation overheard by me while Reid and Ella were playing in her room, while I was cleaning in our room:

Ella: Daddy, let's play dress-ups, and I can be a princess and YOU can be Cinderella! Ok?

Reid: Ok, sounds good.

hehehehehe....

Friday's Feast

Pull up a chair and dig in! Friday's Feast is a meme of five questions cooked up by the chef each and every week! Check out their website when you get a chance. If I were web savy, the little logo above would be a button that links to their page! So, can anyone inform me of how to do this?

Appetizer

Fill in the blank: The best thing about where I live is the fact that I am less than 5 minutes away from the North Georgia Outlets, and being so close to family!

Soup

Create a new name for a deodorant (like “Flower Fresh” or “Shower Scent”).

Armpit Extravaganza

Salad

What was the last piece of software you installed onto your computer?

I think it was the software for Shutterfly that allows you to upload a bunch of pictures at one time to their website.

Main Course

If you were to receive a superlative award today beginning with the words ”Most likely to…”, what would the rest of the phrase say?

Most likely to need a vacation in the very near future. :)

Dessert

What two colors do you like to wear together?

Brown and blue.

24 Weeks!

Today I am 24 weeks! I had my check-up today and it went great. Blood pressure is good, baby is measuring right on, heart beat sounded strong, and I have gained a total of 11 pounds. Not bad! The doctor I saw today, as she was measuring my belly, asked how big Ella was when she was born. She said that this baby looks as though he is following the same pattern to be in the high 6 lb, low 7 lb. range. So, it's nice to know I won't go from having a 6 lb. 15 oz. baby to a 9 pounder. ;)

Ella went with me today and she was a very good girl. She likes to hear the heart beat. I think her favorite thing about the appointment though is the fact that Mommy has to "tinkle in a cup." :) haha

Here is a picture of a 24 week old fetus! It actually looks like a baby now, and less like an alien. :)

Wordless Wednesday: Peachy Goodness Obsession!

Seriously though-if you haven't tried the peaches yet this season, go out of your way to find the smooshiest, juicest ones out there! They are AWESOME!! :)

Tuesday Twosome!

So, I have been seeing these things called Meme's on other people's Blogs, and decided to post one of my own. I found these things called "Tuesday Twosome's".

What is a Tuesday Twosome you ask? A weekly meme consisting of five “two-choice” questions.

What is a “meme”?

According to Merriam-Webster Online, it is: An idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture.

So, here it goes. If you want, go ahead and post your answers in the comments section!

Based on the current weather conditions, do you wish it were warmer or cooler? Why?

Well, I would have to go with cooler. Playing outside with Ella is definitely not as fun when the heat is blasting down on you. Although it does make for good swimming weather!

What two words best describe summer for you? Why?

Fun and busy. Fun because we have lots of fun activities to do in the Summer-like vacations, swimming, camps, storytime, classes, etc.. And busy because of what I listed before!

What are the two best reasons to enjoy summer? Why?

Fruit and flip-flops. Fruit-definitely one of the best things about Summer! Lately I have been having some serious fruit cravings! Luckly the juicy, yummy peaches smelling up the entire produce section are there to support my addiction. :)
Flip-Flops: Gotta love 'em! Ella just got a new pair of flip-flops last week. I think she is realising the awesomeness of flip-flops as she insist on wearing them everyday. :)

What are the two worst reasons to dislike summer? Why?

100% humidity and lack of rain. Need I say more?

Do you plan on going on a vacation this summer, and if so, where?

We are going on a few vacations this Summer-the funny part is they are all to basically the same place! We are going to Seacrest Beach with Reid's family the first week in July. We are going to Rosemary Beach with my family for Labor Day, and we are going to the same area for the music department retreat in September!

Tadpoles

So, we have a little science learning experience going on in our house this Summer. We got 5 tadpoles from my Mom and Dad's backyard last week, and we are watching them transform! We have them in a little glass vase in the center of the kitchen table. Ella is having so much fun watching them, feeding them and helping Mommy change the water! The day after we got them last week, Ella came down in the morning and plopped down right at the kitchen table to watch them. I asked her if she wanted breakfast and she said, "No, I am going to watch the tadpoles change into frogs!" haha! I guess we are going to have to wait a while before breakfast. :) We also picked up a couple of books about the life cycle of a frog from the library. Ella is loving these books! One of them has real pictures and the other is the cutest story about a caterpillar and a polywog. Very cute. :)

I do have to admit, I can't eat at the table with them there. It kind of makes me want to throw up in my mouth a little..hehe! I don't know if it is the pond like water, or what, but they definitely get moved when it is time to eat! Anyway, they are our pets for now, and we will love them as they are-gross or not. ;) I will keep you posted with pictures as they change!

A Blog!!

Hey Everyone!

Soooo....I jumped on the cool train and got a BLOG!! I'm going to try and be a good blogger and post often!

Jen