Tree Lighting on Main Street

Playing hopscotch on the big checkerboard

Candy canes from Santa

Random

I'm not having the greatest day today and heard this on my Toby Mac CD that I was listening to in the car today and it made me smile.

"Shake it, don't break it, It took your momma 9 months to make it" :-)

Just had to share.....

I got this quote from a friend and thought I would share.

"Honk if you love Jesus.......Text while driving if you want to meet Him!" ~Anonymous


HaaaHaaaaHaaa.....I think that's funny.

Operation Thanksgiving Turkey

Last year a couple at our church started Operation Thanksgiving Turkey. He is a competition BBQ'r and cooked 40 turkeys to deliver to needy families (along with a bag full of groceries for the rest of the meal). Last year it was just him and his smoker cooking all the turkeys. This year we had tons of people "sponsor" the turkeys and our church is delivering 286 turkeys today to families in need around our area. Along with the turkey they get a pumpkin pie and a bag of groceries (green beans, stuffing, etc) and a Bible. Thanks to Bi-Lo and Walmart for helping out and working with the group to get groceries at a really good deal.

I decided this would be a good opportunity for our girls to see what people in true need really look like and to do some community service so we helped deliver 6 turkeys today and was invited into several families homes and were able to talk with them and pray with them. It was great! The girls enjoyed it too. Not sure Elisabeth fully understood everything but Ansley definitely did. We may think we have it bad sometimes but some of the families I visited today have it REALLY bad. One family in particular just really touched my heart and I wish I could do more to help them.

I hope each of you has a wonderful Thanksgiving. We are blessed........we are truly truly blessed.

Baking Cookies

Yay! We get to use our hands to mix the batter.

Getting ready to go into the oven

The big mess in my kitchen

Anxiously waiting on them to come out of the oven so we can eat them!

The girls and I decided to bake chocolate chip cookies from scratch the other day. They were so excited. This recipe calls for using your hands to mix up the batter and that made it even more exciting! They were a big mess and so was my kitchen! But the cookies tasted great (they didn't last long).........we'll have to do it again soon!

National Adoption Month

November is National Adoption Month and Sunday, November 8th is National Orphan Sunday. Won't you consider adopting or in some way supporting orphans around the world?

(the following is taken from the Cry of the Orphan website. The link to it is on my blog)

The numbers are staggering...More than 140 million orphans worldwide…15 million children orphaned due to AIDS…500,000 children in America’s foster care system…127,000 children in the US waiting for adoptive homes.

It’s time for the body of Christ to step up. The urgent needs of orphans around the world are calling the Christian community today to a radical faith. One church, one family, one person can make a difference.


We can make a difference! I am challenging myself to find new ways to help also. I have some ideas rolling around in my head and once I figure them out and how best I can help I will be sharing it on my blog.

Steven Curtis Chapman will be doing a live broadcast on Sunday, November 8th at 4 pm. You can find out how to tune in via your computer by going to www.orphansunday.org/concert. I plan on watching. If it has anything to do with Steven Curtis Chapman then it should be good!

Trick-or-Treat

Hanging out with friends before trick-or-treating
Decorating Cookies at a friend's house

I'm ready to go! Is this bag going to be big enough?

Elisabeth and her friend, Bryce

Ansley and her friend, Meg

Elisabeth isn't so sure about this house......

Elisabeth didn't like the fog so much...

Elisabeth's loot

Ansley sorting her candy

I made all the kids give up their Milk Duds......this is Mommy's stash. I have a Milk Dud addiction.

Lots of new posts

I've finally caught up (I think) on all the pictures that we've taken recently. I posted alot of stuff in the last few days so make sure you scroll down and see it all.........

Boo at the Zoo

Stopping at one of the many stations around the zoo that was giving out candy and treats

Roasting marshmallows

Elisabeth posing with her vampire teeth

Last Friday night we went to the Columbia, SC Zoo for their annual Boo at the Zoo event. They stay open after hours and the kids come dressed up in their costumes and go trick-or-treating around the zoo. They have lots of other stuff set up for them to do also. It was our first time going and we had alot of fun! The weather couldn't have been better! It was in the 70's so it wasn't hot but still warm enough to wear short-sleeves and flip flops. Now that's what I'm talking about!!

Creative Pumpkin Ideas

These pumpkins were entered into a contest at Ansley's school during their Fall Festival. The 2 above were entered in the school spirit category.

SpongeBob

I love this one. Very creative!

End of the Soccer Season

Enjoying hotdogs and chips after a hard soccer game in the rain and mud. It was nasty out there!
Mr. Chris telling the children again what all the colors on the Victory Sports soccer ball mean (black = sin, yellow/gold = God's glory, etc)

Waiting patiently as each of their names is called to come up and get their trophy and bible

Yay! It's finally my turn!

Woo Hoo! Look at me and my trophy!

Last Saturday Elisabeth had her soccer party after their game. The kids and parents ate a meal together and then handed out trophies and bibles to each of the kids. (Any kid who participates in Victory Sports for the first time gets a Bible at the end of the season) Elisabeth was so excited to get her trophy and her bible! I'm not sure soccer will be her passion but she enjoyed it and improved during the last 7 weeks so that in itself is an accomplishment. She also enjoyed it which is what it is all about!

Mix Match Day

It is spirit week at Ansley's school and yesterday was mix match day. The picture speaks for itself. Crazy girl!

The beautiful Riviera Maya

View from the lobby all the way to the ocean.......this picture doesn't do it justice. It was beautiful!
Yay! We are finally here!
Our room. Coolest room we've ever stayed in.

The infinity pool. This is where John and I stayed most of the week.

After we got to the room and unpacked a little we headed straight for the pool.

Our own plunge pool right outside our room. The girls played in it alot in the mornings and John and I sat in it and read during the afternoons.

The lobby

View from the lawn chair where I parked myself everyday

Shallow pool that had ping pong tables in it

Me on a float at the edge of the infinity pool. I could have stayed here all day long.....

Ansley doing the reverse bungee

Lobby at night

Ansley's new friend, Sheridan. She is from Raleigh, NC

We took a day trip to Xel-Ha to go snorkeling. This is the lagoon at Xel-Ha. It's beautiful!

John holding an iguana. Ansley is holding the tail but you can't see her in the picture. They take professional pictures there so they don't want you taking them with your own camera. They crowd around you so you can't get a good shot. But I was extra sneaky and was able to get this shot and the shot above where they are holding the birds. It pays to have a good zoom lens :-)

It's a rough life

The lagoon at Xel-Ha feeds right into the ocean. The background of this picture is the lagoon meeting right up to the ocean.

John snorkeling. I've tried snorkeling 3 times and it's just not my thing.

Another picture of the lagoon

This is the life...... do we have to go home?

Trying on hats in a store at Xel-Ha

Beach scene from the town of Puerto Morelos

Shopping in Puerto Morelos

Kids playing games in the shallow pool

Ansley and Elisabeth with Rosie. She worked in the kids area and was super nice. Elisabeth loved her and didn't want to leave!

Elisabeth drinking a Shirley Temple. She became addicted to them.

Chillin' on a bed near the beach and enjoying the beach breeze.

Picture of the lobby from the outside. The architecure of the place was gorgeous.

Waiting in the lobby for our van to come and take us to the airport. Boo hoo hoo......we have to go home :-(

We had the wonderful opportunity to vacation for a few days on the coast of Mexico.....not far from Cancun and Playa del Carmen. It's a beautiful place and I'm glad we were there when the weather was beautiful too! It was rainy and cold in Charlotte when we left and rainy and very cold when we returned. But boy was it hot hot hot in Mexico. It was great! We stayed at Dreams Riviera Cancun. It's an all-inclusive resort that just opened the week before we got there. That place was fabulous! It is so beautiful......my pictures don't do it justice. We fell in love with the all-inclusive concept. That was the way to go. I never had to carry a purse or cash and could order all the desserts I wanted! :-)

The kids area was great too and we didn't think we would put the kids in there to stay and play but they begged to go. They loved the staff there and didn't want to leave! Since the resort had only been open for a week there weren't many kids there so when our kids were there they were babied and had lots of one on one attention. They made friends there (english speaking and spanish speaking) and just had a blast.

The kids did great on the plane ride even though there were quite a few "bumps". Thank goodness I had to help Ansley with her homework which helped keep my mind off of it. It's a short flight though so it wasn't too bad.

We can't wait to go back someday! I think I could make vacationing my profession. :-)