Renee's Birthday Party

We had a great time at Renee's birthday party. It is always nice to have our friends and family together. Now that we have the space we can do it more often. The boys got to run and play. While the girls got it sit back and chat. The parent's were able to get a break. :)

Mickey Mouse Cookies

Brooke with baby Logan.
Thank you Brooke for taking pictures for me all day. :)

Baby Turner

Baby Aiden
We have had 3 best friends have babies in the last 4 months.
Makes for fun times and always someone to hold. 

Girl time.
Gray, Audrey, Renee

Getting favor bags for the piñata.

Destiny is ready to catch the candy.

I'm not sure who was more happy about the presents, every gift was "OHHH Renee,
WOW, what is it?!?" so cute.

Thank you Audrey for my Mickey and Minney shirt.

My favorite gifts are the ones that come in the small boxes. :)

Today was Mike's birthday. So I saved the last gift for him to open.
Renee almost cried cuz she thought that is was for her and he was
opening it. So she opened it for him. :) It is a thermostat. LOL

Ever since we have been house shopping he has been wanting this thing. It
is more of a tech thing I guess. He is trying to explain why it is so awesome.
Trying to sell everyone on it. It is called a "Nest".

Boys playing in our new yard. So glad we have plenty of room to run.

The family. Wesley was being so funny. He was squealing too.

Enjoy your Monday!

Baptism

Jon and Wesley were laying in bed one night after being tucked in and prayed for. Then I hear Wesley calling "mommy" (not very uncommon for him) so I go in to see what it was this time. And he says "do we come back to life when we die?" So I wasn't sure if this was going to be the start of something that I didn't want Mike to miss out on. I called him in to join me.

Wesley had lots of questions about the future, what would happen to us and what it will be like. He was processing every answer and had questions to build on that. He is very methodical. Jon was laying in the top bunk listening to the conversation and asking questions as well. After about a thirty minute conversation about how you go to heaven and how we cannot make the decision for them we told them to get some sleep and if they were ever ready to ask Jesus into their heart and wanted help to let us know and we would stop everything we were doing. Kissing Jon goodnight for the second time he said "Daddy, I'm going to ask Jesus into my heart tonight" Mike said "You are? Well, why do you think you need Jesus" and he says "Well Dad, there were these two people named Adam and Eve, and they ate off of the tree that God told them not to eat off. And when they did they sinned and now we all sin" (Just remember they have never heard about Jesus or God six months before, and now to be able to recite the story and remember every detail was amazing.)

He continued on to say that in order to go to heaven he has to ask Jesus to forgive him and to be in control of his life and that he was ready to do that. So Mike asked him to come and sit in his lap on the floor. That night Jon started his walk with Christ. We tucked him in bed and Wesley said "daddy I want to pray the prayer too". If you know Wesley then you know that he is not the type to be pressured. He will only do things in his time (which is sometimes frustrating for me :) So Mike got him in his lap and talked to him some more. Then Wesley prayed and asked Jesus to be in control of his life. What an amazing night. Then to top it all off Jon says "do you think my old mommy and daddy (thats what they call their biological parents) will be going to heaven." Mike said he wasn't sure and that if they did not ask Jesus into their hearts that they would not but that we could pray for them to make that decision. Jon said I am going to right now. He then started praying out loud "dear Jesus, I pray that my old mommy and daddy will ask you into their heart and will be able to go to heaven with me and Wesley and mommy and daddy. Amen." If Jon and Wesley asking Jesus into their hearts wasn't enough...for Jon to do that was just incredible. 

We left the boys room to go pray with Renee. Walking into her room she says "mommy, daddy, I do not want to talk to Jesus" lol. The mind of a four year old. So precious. Mike said she was probably thinking...I have some guy living under my bed, one in my closet, and pretty sure one outside my window, I don't need one in my heart trying to scare me from the inside. :)

So in just three days they will go in front of the church to be baptized. They are so excited to share this with everyone. They even practiced last week in the pool at nanny's house. :)

Thank you Lord for blessing me with amazing children, and for the gift of salvation. I am not worthy. But very thankful.

Birthday Girl Renee

Sunday, May 13 on Mother's day I was able to tell my baby girl happy birthday for the first time. My kids for the first time were able to tell me Happy Mother's day. What an incredible day. My heart is very happy.



We spent Saturday night enjoying the evening. Mike made italian, my favorite. They surprised me with a cake and a pot of lilies to plant. For anyone that knows me well knows that I love lilies. Mike took care of the kids bedtime routine. Bath, Teeth, Pj's, and all that goes along with it. A night where I could relax was just what I was looking forward to.

Then Sunday came and I woke up to the birthday girl climbing in the bed. After telling her happy birthday she proceeded to say "where is my daddy". I get that question a lot on Sundays since he leaves the house before anyone is awake. Can we sat "daddy's girl" So then I had to get her back to the important matter on hand...her birthday.

We took some pictures for her invitations. I have them for you to see since I was unable to post them yesterday on Media Monday. Forgive me...life has been busy.

We started revival this Sunday at church so we have been there a lot. Which is definitely needed. I am getting a lot out of it. But then we also have a party for Renee this coming Sunday at the new house. Which is just crazy. We are scrambling to finish unpacking, painting just enough to get by, and doing some (very little) decorating so that we can have the house ready for company. Then on top of all of that I am running around to get supplies, presents, and party decorations. We just came off of visiting family for the week since Mike was gone on a business trip. So there is the unpacking of that and now laundry to do. Oh yea, then throw home school into the mix. So, I hope you understand me being a day late.

I give a BIG Thank you to Tina Bishop, she made Renee's shirt and did an amazing job. If you want/need (I always say it is a NEED) something made she is the girl to do it. Here is her Facebook info. http://www.facebook.com/Designsbytina

Please enjoy the birthday girl...

Yes... I made the tutu. I was very pleased with myself   :)

Splash Park

Last week we met up with some friends and went to the Splash Park. It is about 30 minutes from our house. It is a very small water area to play in. Only about 30 feet long and about 12 feet wide. But you would have thought we went to the largest water park possible. We played for a long time then we had a nice picnic lunch in the shade. After lunch it was back to playing. :)

I took some bubbles not knowing how much fun it would be since we had never been before. Plus I am one of those that bubbles and water go hand in hand since they are so messy. (Let's just say we don't play with bubbles often :) They had a great time playing with them. We also attracted some followers. So if you see some random people in the pictures that would be why. We can't help it, we're just that awesome!! :)

It was a nice day to play in the hot sun. Fortunately, Lauren is a more experience mom than I am since I forgot to bring the sunscreen. I laid it out to bring and walked right off and left it. Thanks, Lauren. Ethan, Jon and Wesley had a great time playing with buckets and cups. They would fill them up and throw the water on each other. Sometimes even spectators. So don't get to close to the "splash zone". Then they got ahold of the water guns. I think the camera even got shot a few times.

Audrey and Renee play so well together. They are both girly, but will definitely boss someone around. :) They played hard, well until after lunch when Audrey took a fall and received a boo boo. But that didn't slow Renee down. She was still in the middle of it. At that point she found the nearest bucket and started splashing the boys.

Landon is so cute. He has the most capturing eyes. He was a little timid at first then he went all in. Once getting wet he kept saying..."no, no" or "no, don't" and occasionally "ut oh". Renee was so sweet with him. She just loves babies, especially "baby Landon". All of the babies she plays with at home are named "baby Landon" girls included.

It is always nice for me to get out of the house with some friends and catch up. Lauren is so easy to talk to and we always have a great time together. And today was no different.

We had so much fun we are definitely going to put this on the list of things to do again. Well, until school lets out and it gets to crowded. :)

Enjoy the pictures...

Ethan picked a flower for Lauren and me.He said "Happy Mother's Day". So Sweet.

National Day of Prayer Service

Every year we have a local National Day of Prayer service. All of the local churches come together in prayer. We have worship and a time for guided prayer. I am apart of the media team at Westside Baptist Church and I signed up to be the photographer for this event. So here are some of the pictures that were captured tonight. Let me know what you think!

Prayer for Chief of Police, Tony Jones

National Day of Prayer

Prayer...What is it and what does it mean to you?

Prayer is the most powerful thing we can do as Christians. I love that there is a day dedicated to just that. Although, shouldn't everyday be?

Matthew 26:41 says, "Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak!"

We are all going through something that is a burden. If you aren't you will be soon. That is the way we work. But don't you like being at the place where you are not in control and you can only call on Him? That is the place I long to be. Where I know no matter what I do, it won't be enough. It makes me dependent on Him and not myself. It is very easy for me to fall into being independent and thinking I can take over the world. But I do not need to be proud and instead remember who is in charge. He is in control of every action, even if I think it was of my own doings.

So remember today, on this day of prayer who is really in charge of your life. And call on Him. Thank him for your many blessings. And if they are hard to see right now, maybe you are in a great place...vulnerable.



Dear Lord. Thank You for my beautiful blessings that You have trusted me with. Thank You for coming to this Earth and living a sinless life and dying on the cross. Thank You for allowing a sinner like me to one day go to heaven. I don't deserve it. But thank You! Help me to be vulnerable and trust in You. Help me to be Your light to the World! Amen.

Moving Day...Week...well lets be honest...Month

We bought a house...YAY!!! Finally. Mike and I were in the process of buying the house that we currently lived in. Well that was before we were classified as a large family. So we cancelled the deal and started looking for a bigger house. The 3 bedroom 1500 sq home quickly became toooo small. So we started the search again. Then we found it...the perfect house. It is a 4 bedroom, with a study, and a bonus room that will be our homeschool/playroom. It sits on over an acre of land. Which is great for the boys...and Renee. :) It is only a couple of miles from Mike's work (seriously only 2 miles) which is only 1 mile from our old house.

Moving on the other hand has not been so fun. We have moved several times with Mike being in college then getting a job. Then we moved closer to his work. So we are experienced movers to say the least. But things change when you have kids. I never knew 3 little people would have so much stuff. You don't really see how much you have until you have to pack it up. But it is a great time to purge. So if you want some great things be sure to check gainesville craigslist (well in a couple of months :)

We started our move on Friday 4/16 and were able to get all of the kids room furniture and toys then we started in our room. We were able to sleep at the new house the first night. Which is always our goal. It is so exciting to stay at the new house the first night. Then the next few weeks we packed all the little things and the kitchen. How many things do you have to own to cook a meal?!? We own all of them. :) So finally today was the final day of the old house. We spent this last week painting Renee's pink bedroom back to a neutral. Cleaning. Getting carpets shampooed. And finally done...

Now on to unpacking. And decorating the new house of course. Which is my favorite. Mike and I have a lot of plans...maybe you will see some pictures as we do them. Let me go I just heard someone call my name...or is it the boxes?

Have a great Tuesday!