Happy Birthday from Chi Chi's..

My oldest nephew is turning 3 today..

Makes me a little emotional..

I remember when he was born..

and his first Christmas..

When he started talking..

When he took his first step..

And now he is a big 3 year old..

A master negotiator.

For instance, in order to get that picture with him I had to give him 2 cookies..

1 before

1 after

He might have a career in politics.

Love that kid

Happy Birthday Calvin!

Lucy, just let him kick the ball already...

Happy Thanksgiving!

The turkey is in the oven..

The sides made..

The Thanksgiving parade watched..

Desserts made..

Charlie Brown watched... (for the 50Th time)

Football on..

I would say it's been a pretty full Thanksgiving already..

And I am very blessed..

I am thankful that there are so many things to be thankful for..

Open your eyes Sean....

I am Thankful for these guys..

There have been some new additions to our family since this picture was taken..

Love my family..

I am the luckiest..

There are a hundred things to be thankful for when it comes to my husband.

I could not ask for a better friend...

A better father to my children..

A better provider..

A better guy to grow old with..

He is the absolute best..

But this weekend I was reminded of how much he has grown since we have been married.

He has become such a godly man.

This Sunday I was so proud of the man that he has become.

He spoke such a good message at church..

I can remember when he first started speaking at church how nervous he was..

and how nervous that made me..

But God has grown him up so much

and this week he spoke God's truth with such eloquence and maturity.

I love my husband.

I am thankful for him.

I am also thankful to have such an awesome church and pastor that gave a young college guy a chance.

(and I am thankful they didn't give up on him when he was intern and almost burnt the church down while teaching.. but that's for another post)

You can listen to his message here.

It's my party..

The Holloway family had a blast at my nephew Calvin's party last Saturday.
I was however a little annoyed at one thing.
Look at the cake on the bottom.
My sister and brother-in-law made that.

Seriously Andrea.. you are good at EVERYTHING.
I love you, but come on and you at least stink at something.

My sister has made awesome cakes in the past but this one might take the cake..
pun very much intended.

A Canadian hero..

"Marilla, isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

This is from one of my favorite movies, Anne of Green Gables.

As much as I love that movie that quote is not special to me because of that movie.

It's special to me because it reminds me of this.

Lamentations 3:22-23

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,

for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

That is what I am THANKFUL for today.

I am thankful for a God whose mercy and faithfulness is FAR beyond what I deserve.

I am thankful for fresh tomorrows.

I should name movies

My hubby and I just watched P.S I love you.

It should be called P.S. You are going to cry like a little girl.

It did however make me want to go to Ireland very badly.

Stunning.

Before Edward there was..

I was never particularly cool.

I was very quiet in high school.

Loved old movies and books way too much.

In high school when everyone was talking about Dawson's Creek I was watching Diagnosis Murder.

But now I am afraid that my nerdiness has reached an all-time,

record breaking,

high.

Now when anything happens.

Good or bad.

I think " I am so going to blog this!"

I know.

Big nerd.

I had a great night last night with some good friends going to see Twilight: New Moon

At midnight.

It was blog worthy.

Yet I don't feel nerdy at all about it.

Even though we were the oldest ones there.

(Except for the moms chaperoning their 12 year olds).

Even though it is a movie with vampires and werewolves.

Even though we went at midnight on a work night.

Even though the theater was full of little girls giggling.

(and one obnoxious man yelling TEAM EDWARD.. creepy)

I don't feel nerdy.

Because it was a good time with great friends.

And I don't think there is anything wrong with a little silliness.

Sometimes it is just fun to enjoy something, because ,well, you just enjoy it.

However I am still a nerd,

I mean with all the Twilight pictures online I pick a picture of Dick Van Dyke.

I know.

Big Nerd.

Thanks Ash, Tara, Carrie for being nerds with me.

And thanks Stephanie for going with a bunch of old ladies.

Thats my thankful post for today.

What we were trying to do..

We were trying....

To get a nice picture of the three of us

Epic

Failure..

But you gotta love the pictures we did get...

Coloring books ...

I am thankful

for a husband who really enjoys spending time with his kids..

Wouldn't that be lovely

Gibson: I can't go to school today

Me: Why?

Gibson: I too cranky.

That seems like perfectly good reasoning to me.

I am thankful for...

Bedtime stories..

I have an apology to make..

{here}

Oh Thankful game,

Sometimes I really enjoy you.. I am able to think of things I am thankful for and...voila you are done.

Then there are other days, days when you and I are NOT on speaking terms.

I am not too nice to you on those days.

I realized something.

Those days are not your fault.. it is mine.

It is my bad mood, ungrateful spirit that causes the rift between us.

That is definitely the case today...

Then I read this blog.

It is very hard to be ungrateful when you are hit in the face with God's love.

So today I am reminded of how thankful I am of God's love.

And of people who are so willing to to live out His love.

Matthew 25:40

I am thankful for my church

Here is one big reason why.

Food Drive 09 from Granite United on Vimeo.

Super Friday

Hope you party like a Superhero this weekend.

Minus the crime fighting.

Happy Weekend!

Nuff said

Have I mentioned I am thankful for these two?

Did you know...

I am thankful for messes..

And for the babies that make them..

What exactly is going on?

I am very thankful for coffee..

And the mystery streak of light that is covering up my face..

And thankful for for the laugh I just had from looking at my crazy eye in the picture.

Thank you coffee..

Thank you mystery light beam.

Thank you crazy eye.

It seems sensible to say...

You can buy this lovely little print here

I love the idea of faith.

In knowing that there is a God who is Powerful enough to have faith in.

I do have a little problem with leaps of faith.

I am the girl who hesitates before stepping on the escalator.

I would much rather walk on a sidewalk than venture a hike through the woods.

I like the idea of looking before you leap.

And relooking.

And looking again.

And of course taking a final look just to make sure nothing has changed.

Faith appeals to my spirit,

Leaps of faith contradict my nature.

I use to think that one could have Faith and still choose not to leap.

But the more thinking I do, I wonder.

Is faith, faith if I am too afraid to leap?

If God is powerful then why am I afraid to step out in faith?

Afraid to do something so big that if He is not in it the result would be utter failure.

If I have faith it will cause me to leap.

Because the awe of the One who I have faith in does not permit me to stand still.

It can't remain motionless.

Faith leaps.

Hebrews 11:1,8

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

Leaves and red jackets

I am Thankful for these babies

For the beautiful fall we have in New England..

And Ashley and her iPhone for taking these pictures.

The Thankful game

(via)

Every year before we can eat Thanksgiving dinner we have to go around the table and say something we are thankful for.

I am going to be brutally honest.

This was torture growing up.

I enjoyed the concept.

After all the holiday is called Thanksgiving.

But seriously, all the food is sitting on the table.

Begging, pleading to be eaten.

Taunting me with its delicious aroma.

I usually would keep my answer to two words: "My Family"

Because it was short, sweet and to the point.

Every second I wasted on words was a second further away from eating my mom's delicious cornbread stuffing.

But being a mom really changed my view on Thanksgiving.

It is one thing to know that you should be thankful,

But completely different when you are the one responsible for a family, and you realize how much your day to day life is utterly dependent on God.

You realize that you can provide three meals a day for your kids.

Some parents can't.

Your kids have a safe, warm place to sleep.

Some families don't.

That changed the Thankful game quite a bit.

You better believe my answer at the Thanksgiving table will be a lot longer and more thought out.

(OK I can't really guarantee that, once I smell the wonderful food all bets are off)

Also everyday until Thanksgiving I will post something I am Thankful for.

So here it goes:

I am thankful for cornbread stuffing.

It really is that good.

Weekend

I hope you have "Lets build a fort in the living room, Crazy hair, no make up, but still feel beautiful because my son and husband say I am pretty, silly faces" kind of weekend.

Happy Weekend!

(oh and if you are a guy half that stuff doesn't apply but I hope your weekend is...uhhh... nice)

Poor choices and leprechauns

Let me tell you a little story.

A story of a teacher of 3 year olds who made a poor choice.

She had the best intentions, she was going to make the week of St.Patty's day a magical week in her classroom.

She hatched a plan. She would pretend leprechauns were visiting the classroom.

They would be notes from them, they would leave little treats, little clues they were there..

It would be such a fun make believe game..

It started out wonderfully, the kids laughed and had a blast searching the room for the little leprechauns.

And then nap time came.

"Um, Miss Kara Miss Teacher who shall remain unnamed" one little girl tugged at the teachers shirt.

"Yes, dear." said the teacher

"Can you sit by the door to make sure the leprechauns don't come in and get us?"

Oh, boy

Never fear, Teacher was quick thinking and replied...

"Oh no honey, we were just playing make believe. They are just pretend, you know like Santa.. I mean... OK, I will sit by the door."

True Story.

A theory....

Conspiracy Theory alert:

I can't believe I didn't see it all along.

I can't believe I fell for.

It's so simple:

You drink caffiene..

It keeps you up at night..

Then you need more caffiene..

To keep you up during the day

Because you missed so much sleep..

And then the vicious cycle starts all over again..

Alas, they have quite a racket going.

Will I stop drinking Dr.Pepper?

Nah, in fact I am drinking it right now.

{shrug}

You know what they say, acceptance is half the battle.

(does anyone actually say that? I feel like I am butchered that poor quote.)

{shrug again}

Have you ever..

Ever feel like you bit off more than you can chew?

Me too.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

~Psalms 46:1

Let's go Expos, lets go!

There may be times when I have seemed a bit fickle about my baseball teams.

In college I cheered for the Yankees.. (I know, I know)

And now if asked I would say that I am a Red Sox fan.

Because I believe if you live in New England you gotta cheer for the sox.

But I have a confession to make.

The reason I seem so fickle.

The reason I have a Mets cap, Yankees cap and Red Sox cap hanging together in my closet,

it's because I really don't have any allegiance to those teams.

Not that I don't want to..

Or haven't tried.

I just can't...

Because my heart was broken in '94.

That was our year, that was our year.