Happy 3rd Birthday Colton!

My baby is 3 years old.  He looks so grown up!

Happy 3rd Birthday Colt!

I took these photos at Sportsman's Lake Park.  The Boy Scouts have a beautiful walking trail located inside the park.  They started out planting a few different bushes, flowers, and adding some benches and rocks.  Now, they really have a nice walking trail that's great for a beginner photographer like me.  :)

 

Tuesday was Colton's birthday, so we stopped by the store and let the kids pick out their very own cupcake.  Millard and Peggy came over and we ordered pizza.  Doug and I (of course) got the veggie pizza on thin crust.  As you can see, Colton loved his icing.  We let him and Katie open up one gift.  We picked up a medium size Incredible Hulk.  He loves it!  I can't wait to see his face when he opens up the talking Hulk tomorrow.  

Today, Millard and Peggy kept Colton for me while I decorated and got ready for the party.  Our house looks like Superheroes thrown up on all four walls. LOL!  Colton came in at one point, after they picked up sister from school.  He had a fit - LOVING the Superhero stuff.  He had to name every hero on the wall, plates, napkins and other decorations.  He is so funny.  

Millard and Peggy were so sweet to take the kids home with them for the night.  Doug and I hit the yard and mowed/cleaned up.  For supper, we headed to Ruby Tuesday.  We haven't been there in YEARS.  I ordered the grilled salmon with grilled zucchini and salad.  It was DELISH!  

I hope you enjoy the photos and stay tuned to the birthday celebration photos.  Have a great weekend!

   

I wanted to share this photo from Leslie's Shower.  The colorful quilt on the table to the far left is the one that my sister, Sandy, made for her.  It is so beautiful!  She does such a great job.  I meant to add this photo with the rest of Leslie's Bridal Shower photos, but some how I overlooked it.  Sorry Sandy!

 

Leslie's Bridal Shower - March 2012

I would like to thank Laura's mama for giving me this wonderful idea for the fruit


Katie and Angie's daughter

Picture I made Leslie and Chase

 
Hostesses and Helpers



My little Princess

We had a wonderful time at the shower.  Chase and Leslie received so many nice gifts.  I want thank Robin, Angie and Alisha for filling in for me during the time I had to leave for a brief moment.  I appreciate all your help.  

Our Quest to Sci-Quest

Just when I think Katie has visited all the fun museums, we learn of another one in our local area.  Sci-Quest is a hands on science learning center for children of all ages.  It's located just behind Calhoun Community College in Huntsville, AL.  For more information, please CLICK HERE!

It reminds me of a miniature McWane Science Center.  I volunteered as a chaperone for Katie and her friend, ME.  At first, I was nervous trying to keep them together and not separate.  I was running myself ragged, so I let them go.  They knew where to stay and the place isn't that big.  I found a bench, me and a few other moms parked.  We got a lot of catching up done, getting to know each other a little more.

The kids thought this was so cool.  It's a virtual volleyball game, but they also got to play: table pool, soccer, make snow angels, designs in sand, mud and paint.  It's hard to explain, but it reminds me of a very large Xbox Kinect for several kids to get involved.

The place had a huge tree house installed with a full kitchen, music room and twisty slide to get down (Katie's favorite).  The kids had an opportunity to learn about sights, sounds, skin, chemicals (gas), weather, reflection, frequencies, etc.  It was a lot of fun!  Katie absolutely wants to come back this Summer.

In the picture above, the kids were getting a hands on feel regarding earthquakes "what would it feel like."   The kids are sitting on a park bench with a street light above.  Once someone pressed the button, the simulator platform below would begin shaking.  It was a hit!  As you can see, the kids LOVED IT!

We had a very busy week with the field trip, getting ready for Leslie's Bridal Shower, Colton's Birthday Party and unfortunately we had a family member to pass away.  This mama is about ready for a long BREAK.  Stay tuned for pictures of Leslie's Bridal Shower.

It's hard to imagine that three years ago, my baby boy came into the world today.  You need to embrace every moment because it never last for very long.  Our little Colty is such a blessing.  He absolutely keeps me going at all times and the things that comes out of that boy's mouth is hilarious.  Don't let him fool you because he can be a prankster as well.  When I'm all focused on something like posting pictures and blogging, he'll come up to me out of the blue and give me a wet willy.  Then, he'll start squealing with laughter.  Little snot.  If I'm not giving him enough attention, which is all the time, he'll begin climbing all over me and sometimes I get kisses.  When you're not looking he'll put his finger in your nose or eyeball.  Let's not forget when I'm walking down the hallway, he'll come from no where and slap me on the butt.  Then, he start laughing.

Have you seen the Geico commercials were the pig squeals all the way home?  Well, Colton loves that commercial.   When we are in the car, he likes to say "weeeeeee" all the way down hills.  LOL!  It's too funny.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLTON!  

WE LOVE YOU BABY BOY! 

Special Prayer Request
I just received a call from my mother-in-law.  Our cousin, Anthony's mother passed away this morning.  Anthony's mother-in-law (Joyce) passed this past Friday morning.  This poor couple has been pounded with grief lately.  Please remember them in your thoughts and prayers.

God Bless!

Special Prayer Request

We lost a special family member yesterday, Aunt Joyce. Aunt Joyce was my husband's aunt on his mother's side of the family. I had the divine opportunity to know Mrs. Joyce pretty much all my life. She was a unique and extraordinary lady.  She always looked her best, no matter what the situation.  She was not only pretty on the outside, but the inside as well.  Growing up, she was always so kind and sweet to me.  Her daughter, Shawn, was a good friend and like a big sister to me.  Shawn was the one that introduced me to her cousin Doug.  From that day, everything else is history . . . some 18 + years ago.

Aunt Joyce has been battling a very aggressive disease for several years.  This past year, she and her body got very tired.  I regret not seeing her enough during her sickness.  I hope she forgives me. We were just talking a couple weeks ago about how we need to see her and let her see the children one more time before she went on to be with the Lord.  Of course, we didn't make the time and now regret.  The lesson here is don't wait for that free weekend to go visit your sick relatives and friends.  As soon as the thought enters your mind, take it as God's request to get up and go.  No regrets and no heartache.

Please keep Joyce's family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.  I don't think you could ever be prepared to let someone go, even if you know their after life destination.  I was thinking about Joyce's daughter, Shawn.  What she must be going through?  When my mom was deathly sick just a few years ago, I'm just so thankful to God for allowing me a little more time with her.  My initial thought is that you are never too old to not need your parents.  Shawn is an only child and she still has her dad to hold on to.   They have lots of loving family members and friends to hold their hands through this tough time in their life.  

Praise Report

I have an update on my special prayer request patients. They are not out of the woods, but praise God they are making some improvement.

Clint is in a room and improving. A surgeon came in today and reported that his hernia is not healing like he wants it to and it will be addressed further down the road because he is not out of the woods yet. He doesn't feel that he will have problems with his stomach. If everything goes well, he will be transferred to rehab at the end of the week.

Andrew was sent to a brain trauma clinic in Atlanta. Today, he started PT, OT and speech therapy. He opened his eyes more and making grunt noises, which is good. Tonight, his heart rate spiked to 180. It came down to 140s.

Thank you for the prayers. I know their families appreciate it.

God Bless!

Pretend Hospital at WSCC

Here are some photos of Katie's class having a good time at the Nursing Department on the WSCC campus. They participated in the "Pretend Hospital." Each student took their turn to play pretend sick and were treated by a student nurse. They got to learn how to take care of their bodies and prevent from getting sick. Katie showed me the mask she got to wear, while pretending to be in the hospital.

Rock The South Concert

Dierks Bentley, Kellie Pickler and more 

coming to Cullman 

on the one year anniversary from the devastating tornadoes for the biggest concert.  

Below is a news report from Fox 6 regarding the concert. 

Click on the link below to view the news report. 

FOX 6 News report about "Rock The South" concert

Get your tickets!

ROCK THE SOUTH

APRIL 27TH

HERITAGE PARK AND RECREATION

CULLMAN, AL

tickets: $10 per person in advance; $15 per person at the gate. Tickets go on sale beginning March 23rd. Sold online Rock The South Website, Cullman Civic Center, Borden's Pharmacy, or Cabin Fever.

Presenting . . . My New Creation

I had this idea and with hard work and perseverance, here it is.

May I present my Time Treasured Tree. I made this for Leslie's Bridal Shower. It turned out so nice and pretty. The gravel is to keep the vase stable, which if you look closely is actually aquarium gravel for fish tanks. HAHA! Leslie and Chase's wedding colors are Pool, which is very similar to Aquamarine. I had to find something to weigh down the vase and this is what our group came up with. The rhinestone buckle that hugs the pool ribbon, I picked up at Hobby Lobby for $4.99. So pretty! It adds class and separates the gravel from the sparkling tulle nicely. The branches, I purchased from Hobby Lobby on sale for $4.

I cut it all up and spray painted them silver. The photos, I made myself during a photo shoot with Leslie and Chase. They did so good. I cut them in 3" circles. I glued two pictures back to back, punched hole at the top and added a ribbon to hang on the branches. I made enough photos for two trees (9 photos each tree).

The pearl garland was a nice touch, I thought. The garland has pearls cascading down the tree. Leslie had a chance to see the trees last weekend and really liked them. She wants to be able to use them not only at the shower, but also at the wedding reception. Yay!

I've been getting ready for the Bridal Shower. We have one more week and then it's show time! I will be sure to take lots of pictures. You know me. It's been a big month because of the planning for not only a bridal shower, but also my baby boy will turn 3 years old in a couple of weeks. Let's not forget the numerous birthdays this month.

Katie had another field trip yesterday. They had an opportunity to visit the Nursing Department at a college. They created a "Pretend Hospital". I believe it's an introduction to good health and the medical field for the students. Katie said she had a good time. The medical field is absolutely in our family. I mean, I have three nieces and nephew that are RNs. The nephew is back in school studying aesthetics. A niece worked in Medical Records before starting her family. I have a niece that's in school studying to go into Physical Therapy. A nephew was just accepted into medical school in Tennessee. My great, great, great grandmother was a midwife and her father was a physician from Georgia. So yeah, it's in our blood I guess, but our Katiebug assured me that she still wants to go into teaching.

Katie's still surviving school, but she's ready for a break. Thank goodness for Spring Break. Right? I haven't decided what we are going to do for Spring Break. Any suggestions? We are ready for Easter though. Weeks ago, Katie and I bought our Easter dresses and even a cute outfit for Colton. So cute and it matches Katie's dress perfectly. Now, I've got to find new shoes for the kids. Katie is in a difficult size right now. She wears a 12 1/2, but it's so hard to find half sizes in most shoes. I've had to let her walk around in a 13 and Doug reminds me often how they are too big. Whell! I do what I can.

Colton is really changing this time of year. He is getting taller and developing into such a character. Normally, we can only survive going to one place a day. The one place is usually Walmart and then Colton is ready to go home. Tuesday, I thought I would test the waters. I needed to go vote, but wasn't ready to go home and neither was Colton. There were a couple new stores that I wanted to go check out and I'm glad I did. You need to check out my new finds.

Department Store Direct is a neat little store just over the railroad tracks in town. They furnish everything from furniture to men's tools at very low prices. Doug and I were talking about maybe getting a bunk/twin beds in Colton's room for guests. DSD had a nice wooden bunk bed available for $129. What is neat about DSD? They supply items that are online returns that are not damaged. They receive a new truck every week.

Jack and Jill is a quaint little shop filled with antique furniture, glassware, candles and other knick knacks. They had a beautiful Lillian Russell set (queen size bed, dress & chest) for $3400. The craftsmanship in the cherry wood was so pretty. It's too bad that it was a queen size bed and not king. You've got to go check it out. The sales clerk said they get new pieces every week. They also have a warehouse because they can't fit all the furniture and stuff in this little store. I think they are looking for a new location, so they can fit more items in it, which would be great because what I saw, I liked. Jack and Jill is located in the plaza across the street from the Serra Nissan on Hwy 31.

I've had the opportunity to babysit my great nephew, Zayden.  He is such a good baby.  I haven't had the first problem with him.  He is a little chunk.

Colton has shown signs of jealousy, but he is coming around.  He can't understand why Zayden won't sit down and play superheroes with him.  LOL!  He loves it when Zayden laughs and smiles at him when he is making faces and being silly.

Food For Thought: Forgiveness

With Spring in the air, flowers blooming and the earth becomes alive once again. To me, Spring is God's way of starting fresh. All the bad things and sins have died in the Winter months. The snow is a representation of God's grace and forgiveness that covers all the sins in my life. When the snow melts, it's God washing it away and ready to start new at the first signs of Spring. I might be reaching, but it makes sense to me. What a better time than now to look deep inside yourself and make sure you are walking the path God intended for your life. I am not perfect by no means, so I have to keep myself in check all the time. HAHA!

This past weekend, I did some Spring cleaning for soul and I mean DEEP cleaning. You know that grime and spiderwebs in the very back corner of your closet that no one ever sees, so you just close the door and go about your business. Well, I've been there. Except this time, I decided to stop. open that door one more time and ask God to help me wash it clean. My spiderwebs and grime is called Ultimate FORGIVENESS. I may have just invented a new word. What is Ultimate Forgiveness? Forgiveness is forgiveness, Right? That's what I thought until I had a reality check. After listening to our wonderful and very wise Pastor Steve, I thought I was doing good with forgiveness. I forgave my family, friends, and acquaintances for the big and small things. I've grown up thinking that you are to love everyone, but not necessarily like them.

For the past several Sundays, we've been dissecting The Lord's Prayer. It reads as follows:
"Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation." Luke 11:2-4

How many times have we prayed this prayer? I learned and memorized this prayer when I was a little girl. I always thought I completely understood what it meant that is until last weekend. Bro. Steve opened my eyes. He said you know that you still have unforgiveness in your heart if you can't look at a specific person in the eyes without thinking about the bad things that person did or said to you years ago. My excuse about God says I have to love them, but I don't have to like them is no where in the Bible. To like someone is to love them first of all. So how can you love someone without liking them? You can't! Like my daughter would say, "that's no fair." It's true, we are to forgive EVERYONE. I did this very thing. I dug back years and years ago. I found, this group of people that hurt me. I thought I forgave them, but I kept it in the back of my mind. Even though the hurt happened years and years ago, I thought time would heal old wounds. This group of people are friends of my family and my hurt happened years before they became friends of my family members.  The only one that's still hurt and feels awkward is me.  Like Bro. Steve said I'm nice to them, but I can't look at them in the eyes without the old feelings coming back up. These people moved on and I haven't. What's wrong with this picture? It's God working in me and telling me to ultimately forgive them and LET IT GO. Today, I'm happy to say that I am free.

Dig deep and in the past to see if there is anyone that has wronged you and really let it go, so God can continue His relationship with you in your life.  It will be one of the best things that's happened to you.

Ultimately Forgive today!  

Special Prayer Updates

I have a couple of updates and praise reports on my special prayer requests.

Clint: Had a blood transfusion today. His blood pressure and heart rate is good.   A Pulmonary doctor is coming in sometime today, to do an overall consultation and make sure everything is okay.  He is still heavily sedated because he get agitated with all the tubes.  He does have a fever and a doctor has not come by yet to give any updates.

Andrew:  I have a praise report on Andrew.  His surgery went well.  He is doing good.  Last heard, they are weaning him off of the ventilator.  He had a fever, but sounds like that might be under control now.  His color is back.  Now, they are waiting for him to make movements on purpose.

Thank you for your prayers.

God Bless You!

Special Prayer Request

Whatever you are doing right now, please stop and read this prayer request. My friend needs your prayers.

A friend and former boyfriend, Clint, is currently in critical condition and on a ventilator. I'm just going to let you read what his wife wrote about what happened to him.

Clint's stomach went up and completely through a hiatal hernia under his breastbone and attached itself to his chest.  He had an ulcer in his stomach that perforated and left a nickel size hole fluid leaked into his abdomen and chest, so now he has an infection in his chest and abdomen.  They had to surgically remove his stomach and attach it to the side of his abdomen.   He was almost in kidney failure.  He can breath on his own, but is on a ventilator.   He does wake up, but they keep him sedated so he doesn't pull at his tubes.  He is in critical condition, but is headed in the right direction.   He needs a lot of prayers doesn't know when he will be coming off the vent.   He is getting an IV shunt in the shoulder to get him nutrients.  Thank you for your prayers for him.  Clint is very lucky to have so much love and people that care about him I appreciate it too.



It was hard to hear this news today.  Please remember him in your thoughts and prayers.  Thank you!

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Kelley crucial in UAH’s first-ever berth in NCAA Tourney

In addition to this morning's video interview, below is a link to the community newspaper about Natalie's basketball success this season. YAY NATALIE!!!!

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Kelley crucial in UAH’s first-ever berth in NCAA Tourney

GO LADY CHARGERS!

I'm so excited for my niece, Natalie. She plays college basketball. Her team barely survived the Gulf Conference Tourneys this past weekend. We had a big group here to watch her play on ESPN 3. Unfortunately, the game ended up being blocked for the whole Southeast. It was a bummer. We did get to listen to it on the radio. The Lady Chargers started out great, but in the end lost 86-72. Natalie was on fire in this game with rebounds, tips, and free shots. She did make all tournament for this game.

Doug forwarded this interview video from WAAY 31. The reporter asked Natalie how she felt learning that they will be playing Delta next Friday. Playing Delta once or twice before, Lady Chargers feel good revisiting this team in Florida.  I can't help it, but when I see Natalie's excitement makes me get all choked up. I'm so proud of her and her accomplishments. She is being flying the first time to her first NCAA Tournament.  Please keep her in your prayers and I just wish her the best next Friday.

GO LADY CHARGERS!!!!