Morals

 After we got the tree down and the decorations put up, Josh decided to chop it up and burn it in my fire pit.  I was skeptical that it would burn.  Boy was I wrong.  That thing flamed up so high and burned up!  Thats a little scary.

 Moral of the story is... Things are not always as they seem.

One day during the holiday Avery was out back and Mark would throw the ball on the roof and Avery would try to catch it.  One time though, She was waiting for the ball to come back...

 and waiting, and waiting...

And waiting--- It never came back...

It just stopped rolling and found a resting place.  But not to worry,  Uncle Mark to the rescue!

 Only, he missed

 And Josh missed too.

 And they missed again and again.

Finally they got it and the ball finally came down.

The moral of the story is...  Good things come to those who wait, with a little hard work and determination.

Christmas 2013

This year our Artificial tree that I have had for more years that I probably realize lost some sections of lights.  So because of that plus the fact that I waited much later than I normally do to put a tree up, I decided to use the artificial one for Cornerstone Kids to decorate and get us a real tree this year.  So we headed out to Maries Trees and chose one I liked and brought it home.  

 I decorated it up and was pretty pleased.

While the boys were both in one weekend we took advantage of it and had them help us get outside lights up.  They were so great to help.   (OH how my house needs painting)

Christmas Eve we did a little Cajun Christmas thing.  It was just little presents.  I bought them all and the whole thing was a surprise to all involved.  It was a hit though and we plan on doing this again next year too.  We had gifts like a razor.  Todd stole that from Mickey and he hasn’t let anyone forget it.  There was a box of chocolates.  Charlie ended up with that.  There was a bag of Rolos and a few other things like that.  There was a canister of mixed nuts which Avery ended up with.  That happened to be the “surprise” Grand Prize because there was a $5 bill hidden underneath the lid!  Turns out though that the prize Josh ended with was more of the Grand Prize.  It was UNO cards!  We played UNO I don’t know how many times after Christmas until he went back to school yesterday.  I was joking the other day that with the cool weather we have turned our outdoor activities from croquet to indoor UNO!  We even got Todd to play a good bit.  He hates games! :(       But he has fun once he lets himself play.  :)

We still have Christmas all together on Christmas morning.  Yes, Casey hauls all of their stuff from Monroe to our house. The boys bunk in together and we have a blow up mattress too.   My little living room needs to be stretched for sure.  But it is fun.  This year Mawmaw was with us.  You know, the more the merrier! 

 
 I was pretty excited about this gift I got for Mawmaw.  I asked her to give me a couple of Pawpaws shirts.  She never asked why.  I was glad she didnt.  She gave me two T-shirts.  I had them made into these memory bears.  The lady who did them did an AWESOME job.  They had a "B" for Bill on the chest and a sweet little poem attached that made us cry.  The red one was for her and in this picture she is looking at the one we had done for Avery.  These bears are so great.  If you need one, contact Southern Designs.

Todd is opening his Tool Chest here.  Mawmaw is in the background still holding on to that bear.      :)

 Mark liked his watch.  He asked for a watch.  However it was on a LONG list of tons of other things he asked for.  Funny thing about this is that one evening Paige sent me a text telling me that she had gotten Mark a watch and hoped I hadnt, or something like that.  I texted her back "Too Late!"  Yes I already had gotten him a watch.  Funny thing is...  She sent me a picture of the watch she had gotten him.  ---  The EXACT SAME WATCH.  Not kidding.  Out of all the things he asked for, Not only did we get him the same thing, it was the exact same watch!  Craaazy!  She ended up returning hers and getting him something else which I was thankful for.  He loved his watch, AND what she got him too! :)

Todd got me this beautiful and sooooooooooooo comfortable chair.  Mawmaw is enjoying its comfort here. Todd did GOOD!  AND he completely surprised me.  He picked it out himself.  That was pretty brave!  It is perfect! I had no idea!  So neat to be totally surprised. 

This is Averys bear made of Pawpaws LSU T-shirt.

 Here Avery is trying out her new skates!

 Todd got right to work on getting his tool box all put together and in place!

Oh I love his smile!

He was smiling, and so were the rest of us.  It was a great Christmas. 

So Thankful

These are some more pictures from Thanksgiving.  Mark and Josh had a little kick ball match.  (Their version)

Casey and Avery did a little spinning.

Paige and Mark played a little piggy back.

Thanksgiving was full and fun. 

What a great time to be Thankful.

We are thankful.

Mostly though for God who loves us so.  With all our faults and failures, all our trials and weaknesses, he will always be there to hold us up.  He is a good God.  We are thankful.

Finally A Thanksgiving Post

Oh my computer!  Its been giving me troubles.  Takes FOR.EVER to get things loaded.  Can you say frustrating????
Anyway, I got it going finally.  :)

These pictures were taken at Thanksgiving.  We enjoyed each other and yummy food, then after lunch we went out back and enjoyed each other out there.

 Avery did a little yard work.  Of course she had ulterior motives.  She had a plan.

 She got Mark involved too. 

They raked lots of leaves into a big pile.  Then she said "Nonna, watch dis!"
She backed way up, took off running and then jumped

 right into the pile!

She had a good time playing in the leaves.

She even got the baby doll involved. :)   I did by the way take the baby in shortly after this.  I have had that doll that my Aunt Eva Marie made for me since  I was 10 years old.  You know, that's been a few years.

Mawmaw and her grandsons.  Well the Vidalia ones anyway.

 It was certainly a different Thanksgiving without Papaw but we were thankful to be able to be together.

Well maybe, if my computer cooperates I may have a Christmas post soon...

Hope you all had a great holiday.  We did.

Collage of Life

Our lives are a huge collage of things.
 

First steps, first scrapes, learning to ride a bike...First day of school, graduations, college, engagements, weddings,pregnancies, newborns...

,

And it starts all over again with newborns, first steps, first scrapes…

First time to sit in Pa's lap.

first day of school,

 First Snow

Learning to ride a bike...

First haircuts,

First day of high school,  First dates, first dance,


First Deer

More engagements, weddings, and newborns

Along the way there are triumphs, fears, victories, and battles.  There are things that bring great joy and equally great sorrow.

We walk tall, trip and fall, dust ourselves off and get moving again.

We lead or we follow as we try to do our best in everything we do.

Sometimes it seems we move along at some great rate -meeting goals, accomplishing things, and making strides and life is great.  Then out of nowhere we meet a wall.  Or HIT a wall, or something sad happens and there is grief.

And so sometimes we grieve.

The bible says as Christians we don’t have to grieve as those who have no hope.  Yet still we grieve  when there is a death of a loved one, with the end of something, or some loss of another kind.   When you lose something you have always known or known for a long time.  A way of life, how things should be, whatever it is…  along the way sometimes we grieve.

But we cant stay there.

Psalm 121: 1&2    I lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence does my help come?  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth

I have a little hanging plaque with this scripture on it.  I see it daily in my bathroom.  It is a good reminder.  We need to be reminded to LOOK UP.  We need to be reminded where our help comes from.  He is our help.  There is no better helper.  No better help.

No matter what disappoints, hurts, scares, infuriates us, or even changes our lives, our God is still on the throne.  My mother in law just told me yesterday, "Yes Bill left, but Jesus hasnt gone from me."  God never changes, disappoints or leaves us.  We can still trust Him, rely on Him, and lean on Him.   1 Peter 5:7  Cast all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.

As a matter of fact, He is the only one who does not disappoint.  We must put our hope and trust in Him and Him alone.

Psalm 46:1  God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalm 146: 5-6

Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord their God.

He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them—
    he remains faithful forever.

What an awesome promise! What an awesome God.

When things fail around us, it is great to know that no matter what, we still and always will be able to rely on our Father in Heaven.  Even as we begin the process of doing that, we will feel the weight, of whatever may be lurking near, lighten up.  That’s why Jesus says to take up his yoke.  For his yoke is easy, and his burden is light.  So take that thing that seems strapped around your neck and remove it.  Place it on Jesus.  He can handle it way better than we can and we will be able to breathe easier along the way, in this collage of things that make life.