Our big snow day

We've had some snow around here. The children, and the giant children, have been having a blast around here. I have become a bit of a Facebook momma since Christmas (I got a new IPhone and have been joyfully breaking it in) but I thought it only fair to share some pics of the beautiful white powder.

 Here in Georgia we don't know what to do with snow. We only get a really good snow about once a decade, so when we do get hit, everything just shuts down. With the schools, many roads, and most jobs shut down on Monday, we enjoyed a day of peace and quiet.
 Well, maybe...

Someone was very awestruck when he woke up and saw six inches of snow outside his window.

So, the idea of peace and quiet went out the window.

Off he goes, into the wide blue, or would that be white, yonder.

 Zion thought he was big stuff being pushed by daddy on the big sled.

Mary Faith got in on the action.

This sled has been around for 30 years now. I tried to find the picture of Dad pulling me on it as a baby, but it seems to be MIA. Oh well. Just know that it held up well to Indiana winters, Colorado sledding and now some good GA fun. Second generation!

 Mom tried out the knee board

...and dad gave the Norwegian sled a trial run.

 

 Mary manages to look like a model, prancing down the runway, even in the snow.

So of course, I had to mimic her!

 Even Andy gave me the "hot stuff" face. Perhaps because it was so cold?

He had every right to be cold -

 He decided he wanted to be buried. Crazy man.

He does look comfy though, doesn't he?

 I had some very happy boys. 

 They LOVED the snow.

Zion's new bike

 Poor Zion. His birthday got completely skipped here in blogland. It almost got skipped in real life, with the craziness of both a move and Christmas, but we managed to sneak in a quick party for him.
 Since I was a failure of a mom and didn't post anything about how much he grew, or what a great year he had, or even any pictures of his birthday party.... I will have to insert a few pictures now, a month later!

 He got a new bike for his birthday. It's an inconvenient time of year to have a birthday, but a bike was desired, and needed. Warmer weather will come eventually, and for now we sneak in quick rides when we can.

His face when he saw it was priceless! 

Proud new owner of a bike

...and some cars too!
Zion had a jungle themed birthday party.
Although, it turned into more of a Panda party.
 We made adorable furry pandas out of miles of yarn...
 

MILES of yard! 

She was just too cute not to add.

We had a panda cake.

made by my amazing mother in law. Thanks Ellen!

 I am still not quite use to boys...

He devoured the head! ewwww

We even sent the guests home with a panda cookie. 

 Panda's were definitely the theme of the night!

Since then Zion has had a few chances to enjoy his bike. 

His first "wipeout"

It may be cold, but that doesn't mean the fun has to stop!

Track 6

After a month off, I could come up with dozens of cute little stories, and hundreds of pictures to post. I have even had a little "free time" in the last few days- I was sick enough that people have left me alone! The downside was that I was sick enough that even blogging was beyond my energy level.
 Somehow, after a month off I don't know where to start with the stories about us. Where we have been, what we have seen or even where we are going next.
 So I think I will skip straight to what I like best. Simply writing.

 A few weeks before Christmas Andy bought a new CD. He put it in the Tahoe and listened to it as we drove back and forth on all our errands. Shopping, visiting family, running yet another box of junk over to the storage building. One day my mom was riding with us and Andy was flipping through the songs, showing her his favorites. Suddenly a voice piped up from the back - "Aw dad, not track six AGAIN".
 Canaan expressed his displeasure with the constant repetition of the same songs, and got a laugh from the adults in the car.
 But he also got me to thinking.

 How often do we hit repeat on our favorite tracks and forget to listen to anything new? Perhaps even refuse to listen to anything new? Maybe not music, or at least not always music, but with many things. Scripture is what immediately came to mind for me. I cannot deny that there have been moments in my life in which one or two bible verses were what held me together. I clung to them with both hands and my whole heart. However, two verses are only a portion of what He has. There is so much more waiting to fill us up, overflow and spill into the lives of those around us. Read. (Or listen, no one said that the Bible cannot be read to you. Ipod's hold more than music you know) Soak up. Then, overflow and spill into others.
 It is the last day of 2010. Tomorrow is a new year. Consider adding some new "tracks" to your devotion time this year. Read a different devotional author. Try a new genre of music for worship. Memorize a verse that strikes you and use it in a conversation with someone.
I am asking my best friend to meet me every morning with something new, and I know that He will always have something interesting to say about the events of the day. Both for my life, and the lives of those around me. What more could I ask for?
 Let me know where He takes you. I want to add some new "tracks" to my life. Share, please, so I can listen too. Blessings,

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas my friends! Many many blessings to you as you celebrate the birth of our savior. 

Moment by moment

 It's always strange to move "home" again. Every time Andy deploys I come back to mom and dad, and every time I am reminded of how quickly time passes.
 He isn't technically deployed this time, just preparing to leave for training - but here I am, back with the parents and looking back for a moment on memories.

 We pulled out old Christmas ornaments and decorations. Boxes and boxes of them were dragged from the depths of the attic. Then they were hastily opened, glanced at, and shoved back into the back. Only a few select things were kept out, and new things took their place.
 Change.
 My baby sister will turn 23 on Wednesday. The baby. When Andy and I started dating she was only 10. She has moved home again for a bit, but has been a grown woman living on her own for several years now. Somehow I missed that. She is still just a little girl, right? No...
 Change.
 I ran into someone at Target today wearing a new sweatshirt from my alma mater. When I attended it was a small, private, baptist college. Close knit and homey. It is now a multi-campus university with a football team!
 Change.
 My children are so much more independent. They made their Christmas wish lists. Canaan wrote  his own Christmas letters. They even picked out Christmas presents for each other and paid for them by themselves.
 Change.
 Even our Christmas cards this year are full of change - announcing Andy's switch from AF to Army, from enlisted to officer.
 Changes are swirling around me and I seem to be having a hard time settling into a routine.
 So, moment by moment, I am just breathing in... and breathing out.

 Just when I think I have gotten use to it, something else changes! Oh well - let's just see what tomorrow brings.  I know it will bring a reminder that I shouldn't write this late at night when I am emotional!

A teaser

Oh Blogger, dear Blogger
How I have missed you, dear Blogger.
Sigh... how I have missed you.

Thoughts and words spill over
They have no where to go
Sigh... I have missed you dear Blogger!

I am coming back eventually. A few boxes left to find a spot for. A new school routine to settle into. Christmas to celebrate. Lots going on.
 Trust me, my camera is having a hey-day already.
 And that is just on my end. I haven't been able to read up on my fellow bloggers either. Comments are coming, eventually.

 For now I am going to celebrate the fact that the computer is plugged in and I am not using my phone as the only internet connection and that I uploaded 500 pictures off my camera, meaning I can view, edit and sort - and make way for more!

 One day at a time, right? See you on the other side!

Grocery Store Wars

All we do is pack, eat, clean, and do laundry right now. I am exhausted. However, Andy took a break with the boys tonight to play on youtube (keep them out of my hair) and found this. He declared it to be "me", and I must agree. Please, pause the music at the bottom, press play and enjoy!

Packing away my babies

Five days left until we load the moving truck. The countdown is getting shorter and shorter. 

Since the boys and I will be staying with Mom and Dad while Andy is in training, all of my "pretties" are going to be in storage for quite some time. 

I am going to miss them!

Don't they look like they are going to miss me too?

Frogs are cute stuff but...

Did I mention I am a bit of a turtle fanatic?

Snapshot Saturday - sort of

Snapshot Saturday

Three silly boys

Loved

a day at the Air Show.. 

and were held in rapt attention

peanut butter face and all.