Stewart and James

I have to admit that I'm a sucker for antiques and rustic (old) wood.  And one of my favorites of all time are Stewart and James frames.  Not only are the two owners two of the sweetest girls I know....all of their work is amazing.  If I could fill every room with their frames, I would.  So, if you haven't ever seen what they do, check them out....Stewart and James

Wyatt

We lost a good friend this week.  He fought long and hard.  He will be missed.  We are praying for the peace that passes all understanding for his sweet wife, Abby and his precious family.

"Well done, good and faithful servant..."

Things I wonder about...

We spend a lot of time watching Nick Jr. and the Disney Channel around here, and I have a few questions.  Help me out if you have any answers...
1) Where are Max and Ruby's parents?
2) Why does Mickey Mouse wear pants and no shirt and Donald Duck wears a shirt and no pants?
3) If Pluto and Goofy are both dogs, why does Goofy walk on two feet and talk but Pluto is just a dog?
4) Why do Little Bear's parents wear clothes but he doesn't?
5) Why doesn't Curious George ever get in trouble..ever??
6) Why is Dora's head so huge? but Diego's head looks normal?
7) I have way too many questions about Yo Gabba Gabba.

October...

October has caught me off guard.  I can hardly believe it is already the 14th.  I've barely put up half of my decorations, and the month is almost over.  How does that happen?

We did, however, make it to the pumpkin patch this week.  Twice, actually.  Once as a family and once for a field trip for Liam's class.  Liam was most excited about the " scarecrow going potty".  Now how it that the one thing he remembers about the pumpkin patch?  (if you don't know what that it, the pumpkin patch has a fake scarecrow sitting on a toilet on a fake bathroom. when you open the door, he says something like "hey- this is occupied).  I actually feel a lot like that scarecrow.  I don't think I've gone to the bathroom without a child walking in in about 5 years!

Thankfully, Liam let me ride on the hayride with him and his class.  At first he didn't want me to ride with him.  He said he wanted me to run behind the trailer and chase him.  I assured him that wasn't going to happen.  So, he let me go with them.  We had a lot of fun.

Here's to celebrating even more Fall fun....

My date with Magnum PI

Hope Brad doesn't find out about this by my posting this picture...but I went on a date with Magnum PI recently...

The last few months

I'm really far behind on this blog.  Really trying to decide if I'm going to keep doing it.  But until then..here are some pictures of recent months (cause who doesn't love pictures of super cute kids)...

                                                             Emma started Kindergarten!

Liam's first day of school.

We had a great week at the beach!!

We enjoyed time at the lake!

What a great summer! 

I love being a Mom!

Don't you just love when you come around the corner and see this...little trucks lined up in a row.  Or get into bed and look over to see Princess Fiona hiding behind a picture frame.  I do!!!

They are such great little reminders I am a Mom, and I have been blessed with two amazing little kids.  

Summer is here!

Summer has begun!  We've loved spending every day at the pool.  I think Emma and Liam would both stay in the water all day.  We even enjoyed playing in the puddles while it rained Sunday..since it seems to do that every afternoon.  

We've also enjoyed a little roadtrip to Columbus to shop and just to get out of town.  The kids loved going to a Chick-fil-a with an indoor playground.  I long for one here.

And this last Saturday we headed to the Strange's lake for a great night of fishing, playing, meeting new friends, eating BBQ and some amazing worship.

This summer is off to a great start!!!

Liam's superhero party!

Liam turned 3 last month.  (I'm a little behind).  We had a great superhero party.  

I can hardly believe he is 3 already.  This little boy holds my heart!

A day to celebrate...twice!

9 years ago Brad and I stood in front of our family and friends and committed to love, honor and cherish each other...and to commit our marriage to the Lord.  We also celebrated Brad's 22nd birthday...It wasn't our plan to get married on Brad's birthday.  We tried every date around it, but we just couldn't get everything coordinated.  So, we figured at least this way, Brad would never forget our anniversary.

Of course it has made today a confusing day.  Which one do you celebrate more?  The birth of an amazing guy or the anniversary of your marriage to that amazing guy.  Not sure I do a very good job at either.  But I do hope he knows how thankful I am that he was not only born on this day, but that he also said "yes" to me on this day.

So, Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary! I love you, Brad!

Another year better!

I turned 33 last week.  I remember when that sounded so "old".  But I don't feel old.  Ok, I take that back.  Somedays I feel old.  I definitely have aches and pains that I didn't have 10 years ago.  Brad told me the other night about how his shoulder hurts a lot now...and I said, "Well, we're old!".  

But despite little aches here and there, I don't feel old.  Maybe a little wiser, though.  I still have a long way to go.  The Lord continues to mold me into who He wants me to be.  And I'm thankful for his patience and never-ending love every single day.  I can't wait to see where He takes me by the time I'm 43!

So, another year down.  Another year of an amazing husband, precious children, a self-less father, great friends...I am blessed!

I've got nothing

I just realized that it's been a while since my last post.  I often feel that I'm not witty enough or funny enough to really write anything very interesting.  And there hasn't been anything very exciting going on in our house lately.  And that can sometimes feel like a bad thing...but I know it's not.  I am thankful that my family is happy and healthy.  My kids love to have fun and are loving getting outside, now that it's warmer.  We're looking forward to Liam's 3rd birthday and celebrating the death and resurrection of our Savior in a few weeks.  Life is good.  And I couldn't feel more blessed.

Side note...my husband, who did not grow up in South Georgia, is quail hunting for the first time as I type.  He often says that he has no hobbies and struggles with the fact that everyone down here seems to hunt, and he doesn't.  So, he's on his first quail hunt today.  Hoping he's having fun and no one gets shot (there are a couple of other newbies with him, as well).  Maybe I'll post a funny story from that soon.

Snow in South Georgia!

Things change..

So, we just celebrated our 9th Valentine's Day together (11th, if you count the dating years).  And things have definitely changed in those 11 years.  I remember cooking Brad a surprise dinner for one of our Valentine's and sitting together and talking for hours.  And I remember that for our first Valentine's Day as a married couple Brad surprised me with dinner on the beach (granted it was way too windy to even sit on the beach, so we ended up eating out of the back of the car...but it's the thought that counts).

So, what did we do this year for Valentine's day?  We ate dinner at Moe's with Emma, Liam and my Dad.  It didn't look quite the same as years past, but I was just as happy.  I can't imagine a better way to spend the day than with the people I love the most in the world.  

And just for you reading who are thinking "But, Angie, you need to at least do something with your husband every now and then", we are planning a date night soon.  Which, hopefully, means it'll happen before my birthday in March:)

Wishes

So, today we're at the mall and Emma and Liam are throwing pennies into the fountain.

I tried my best to explain to Emma what a "wish" is, and that you make a wish before you throw in the penny.

Emma's 1st wish: "I wish that I had a Barbie doll".

(Pretty sure this wish has already come true.  She has at least 5)

Emma's 2nd wish: "I wish I had a really really sweet little brother"

(I thought this wish had already come true, as well.  She assured me that is had not.)

Oldies, but goodies

Don't you just love old pictures?  I have always loved pictures.  I love taking them, and I love looking at them.  In high school I was the annoying friend that was always taking pictures...and that hasn't changed.  They bring back so many memories...and remind me of how blessed my life has been.  I recently pulled out some old pictures.  These are some of my favorites...

At Brad's UGA Graduation in 2001.

My college roomies...girls I will always love and I miss.

Our wedding..April 28, 2001

Costa Rica 2000

I don't have a lot of words right now.  We just found out that one of our sweet friends, who has been fighting cancer for over a year, did not respond well to his last treatment.  He has already gone through all the "regular" treatments, and this was an experimental treatment.  He and his wife are now at home...spending sweet time together, with friends and with the Lord.

This is so hard to wrap my head around.  These are amazing people who love the Lord and have devoted themselves to serving Him.  They have been such an inspiration over the last year and a half.  I cannot even begin to imagine all of the emotions they are feeling.

Please pray for them...Mike and Cabell Sweeney.  And visit their caringbridge site, if you feel led.  They are an amazing couple, and I know the Lord will continue to use them, even through the unimaginable.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mikesweeney/journal

Where do they get it?

So, most of the time I don't realize that I say certain things a lot until I realize that my kids are saying them, too.  For example, Liam's favorite thing to say is, "that's annoying".  He came inside the house from playing the other day to tell us that the train he just heard was "annoying".  If a dog barks, a horn honks, the radio is playing, justabout anything...well,that is annoying...to Liam.

He also says, "Oh Man!" a lot, and I do not say that.  We're blaming that one on swiper the fox.

Proud of myself!

So, I have no sewing skills.  I wish that I did, and I feel as though I should have them.  I grew up sewing.  My grandmother and I spent hours sewing clothes for me and my cabbage patch kids when I was younger (this is what happens when you have no siblings...you wear matching outfits with your cabbage patch kids).  But, none of it stuck, and I have no sewing skills today.  It might be that I don't have much confidence when it comes to a lot of that stuff and that my sewing machine (circa 1970) started smoking the last time I used it.

But I did make this shirt for emma's birthday.  Well, not the shirt, but I did put the "5" on it.  Yes, it was very easy...but I'm still pretty proud of myself.  

There are two things I would do if I had more time...sewing classes and photography classes.  Two things I wish I knew more about.  Maybe one day.  Until then...I guess I'll just be handstitching numbers on shirts!

We also had a great time celebrating Emma's birthday with a gymnastics party.  Great friends, great cake, great day!

Emma is 5!!

Emma is 5 today!  I can hardly believe it.  She is turning into such an amazing little girl.  She is so helpful, loves her brother and family and loves to be silly.  And she has taught me so much about how to be a Mom (makes me appreciate my Mom even more).

So, here's to you, Emma.  Happy Birthday!

Five things I love about Emma on her 5th birthday:

1. She is pure silliness, all of the time (as you can see)

2. She loves hugs.  

3. She is full of compassion

4. She lights up when her Daddy walks into the room.

5. She loves to help with just about anything.