The Journal

I bought a Journal....A Beautiful leather bound book just for my thoughts. I have been reading a wonderful book again called "Who Got Peanut Butter on my Daily Planner?" It is a great book for stay at home mom's and it encouraged me to start writing..I bought the book Fearless, by Max Lucado and hope to start reading it as well this week....Anyway, I must say after typing so much on the computer, i got a cramp in my hand from writing, but it was liberating to jot down my thoughts or funny happenings from my day....I am looking forward to my journal experiences and I might even decide to share one or two every now and again...

This week has been odd...Gracie had what I think to be food poisoning that was accompanied with throw up and the runs which the throw up at one point made it down our hall and steps...THANK GOD FOR WOOD FLOORS :)....Hayden has been sick somewhat too with allergies...I think we might have to put little man on a prescription for his allergies because he is sick year round with them and the Zyrtec isn't working as well anymore....

We switch Hannah and Hayden's rooms and I am so happy as are they...I will post pics later....Thanks to Sandra who painted them for us....She is awesome....We finally got them straight and Hayden LOVES his room and Hannah thinks she is a teenager :) LOL!

I have been enjoying the first few nice fall days...I hope and pray it stays this way, but i have a feeling that Indian summer will show up before we really get to enjoy this fall weather....

I am so grateful today for:


the fall weather
reddish/orange mums
jack o lanterns
candy corn and pumpkins YUMMY
yankee candles that smell like fall
my home
our backyard and playground for playtime
sunshine on a crisp fall day
my friend candice :) she is a joy to be around! Love you girl
October :)
cookies
the gym after i eat the cookies LOL
yummy soup from Mcalisters :)
The older couple in line at Kohl"s who were so nice to my screaming toddler :)
my new workout pants LOL i know i know so lame
My new book fearless by max lucado :) can't wait to start it :)

My Birthday

I had a wonderful birthday....It started off with my yoga class....You know that feeling you get when you wake up in the morning and stretch and it feels wonderful? Well, that is how my whole hour was...SO refreshing.....Afterward I did some cardio and then got dressed and went with Shane and Hayden to Spartanburg to meet up with my friend Nicole to see our friend Lori who is an amazing lady and was in the hospital recovering for surgery...She had endured months of chemo and surgery to remove all cancer....She is a very strong woman who encourages me....I was so happy to see her on my Birthday! Thank you Nicole for my sweet card...You are so precious to me along with all my other buddies from over that way :) Caley, Candice, Kristy.....I love you girls :)

For lunch I picked Red Lobster..YUMMY It was nice to eat with my 2 men :)! Then I came home to a beautiful arrangement of fruit, balloons and teddy bear from my sweet Shane :)! He is so precious! :) I LOVE HIM!!!!!! :) He made my day so special....Edible Arrangements are AWESOME :)!



For dinner we met our friends for mexican and I was surprised by sweet presents and a yummy cake that my friend Christy made for me and my Gracie! Thank you Steven, Christy, Tiffany, Brad J.J., Mailia & Wayne and Deborah for all your wishes, love and presents! I love you guys...you mean the world to me!


I was amazed by the outpouring of love from all my friends at facebook as well.....from inbox messages to wall post i got over 60 Happy Birthday's all from people I know and I love dearly! :) Thanks all of you! I love you very much :)! I got tons of phone calls with lots of singing voice mails left :) and many text messages....I have never felt so loved :) WOW :)

I thank the Lord for another year and for my health, for my family and the many many more blessing He has poured out on me....I don't deserve all of the goodness and blessings, but I am so grateful for them just the same....Words can't express the gratitude I have in my heart for all the goodness in my life! God is so good and His grace still amazes me and His love for me is out of this world :)!

Hell is real! Do we really care and does it bother us that most people are going there if they don't know Jesus or Do we cast Judgements upon those who aren't Christ followers? The church has forgotten the great commission and even more so we have forgotten LOVE! God Forgive us

Hell is real! Do we really care that most people are going there if they don't know Jesus or Do we cast Judgements upon those who aren't Christ followers? The church has forgotten the great commission and even more so we have forgotten LOVE! God Forgive us

Gracie's Birthday Party

Today was a whirlwind: It started off with changing up the plans of a backyard garden tea party for Gracie; to bringing it inside, so Shane and I did our best to set everthing up in our dining room.....Glad we had the space to do it....Then, I cleaned up the house, got us all ready and we went to Newspring Church...It was nice being back this Sunday since we missed last Sunday for the football game...Hayden had a meltdown in his class at the church so we left early and got lunch, balloons and Gracie's cake....Gracie's party was so fun...She wanted a garden tea party so her cake was a tinkerbell fairy cake w/ tink coming out of a flower :)...Gracie wanted us to paint flowers on everyone's cheek and bumble bee's on each nose...:) so cute...I let Hannah and her friends do this :)...Our craft was a flower and flower pot :)..Got this idea from someone a few years ago at church, but I made it even easier....This craft was so easy especially with the 5 and 6 year olds....We had tea and a light snack for food and all the girls played in gracies very unique play nook..It is a 6 year old girls dream :)!!! LOL....All in all it was a fun time and the party went great. Even though we didn't get to play outside and eat under our gazebo/canopy, Gracie had a blast and so did her friends; so that is all that matters...
The girls working on the flower pots...After the big girls painted their faces :)

It was so nice to have so much help from all the tweens :)

My Hannah is so pretty and was such a help too..All the older girls helped pass out the food :) it was great :)

Gracie about to blow out her candles ;)

One second after Gracie blew out her candles :)
alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383773457492537426" />
Gracie opening some american girl clothes for her bitty baby and bitty twins....She had no idea that she was going to get the Real doll :)....

Hayden is being a "typical" boy LOL

Gracie was so excited about this gift...She had no clue it was an American Girl doll.

Gracie was so excited about her first American Girl Doll...She has the bitty baby from AG and the Bitty(blonde girl and boy) Twins, but has always wanted one of the big dolls like Hannah's 2 dolls....She got the "just like me" American Girl...She named her Maddie :) since that is Gracie's name :) LOL and her doll has light brown hair with freckles, blue eyes and it's ear's pierced :)....So sweet...

Happy 6th Birthday To My Madeline Grace

Meme and Popee's Presents to Maddie Grace

Gracie has asked for a bar car for her barbie house and dolls for her birthday, so Popee and Meme hooked her up tonight with some new Barbie toys and of course two cars for her dolls :)! Gotta love Meme and Popee :)!





This is Gracie and Hannah Skippity Hopping for Meme and Popee...Basically that is them saying bye :)!!! A family tradition!

What a Great Friday

Today started off pretty good just like most mornings...I make the kids breakfast and fix their lunches and make sure they are neat and clean and have everything they need for school that day...:) After the Girls left for school I did my morning clean up in our home and shane and I headed to the school to celebrate gracie's birthday with her class....


We decided to Surpise Hannah during her lunch and had a blast hanging out with her and all of her friends...It was so funny because the kids were saying "you are the coolest parents" :) HAHAHAHA
After we left the school shane and I grabbed a quick lunch and java bistro which is yummy on the tummy :) and I love the quaint "Im not in Greenville feel that i get for the half hour we are there :).....As soon as we got finished I headed back to Hannah's class to help out with the ice cream party....SO FUN :).....I regret i didn't take pics of hannah's class today...I just had so much fun hanging out with all of the kids I didn't even think about it :) LOL....Ran some errands and Headed to the gym with my shane...we trained together without clancy today...it was funny :)....
Tonight we met Meme and Popee for dinner and a trip to the mall/build a bear for gracie's birthday....They are the best grandparents ever and take the kids in build a bear every birthday :) so sweet :)!
Gracie was so excited to have the team at red robin sing Happy Birthday to her :) so cute :) she ate every bite of her yummy sundae :)...All in all it was a fun, busy day! :) Looking forward to gracie's birthday party sunday and I guess my birthday Wed :) ....
The girls decided to spend the night with meme and popee, so shane and I came home and played with hayden :) so cute :)

Hayden Resting on the Stairs

My Cute little man and his favorite P.J's :) LOL he loves these pajama's

Just random Thoughts of THanks!

*for whitney houston's new cd...she has always been my favorite lady singer :) I LOVE HER and I am glad she is doing better :) also michael buble's new cd :) and my cousin's band mr. citzen
*itunes and apple :) computers, laptops, iphones, ipods...I LOVE MAC!
*for joe wilson screaming out at the president...i don't agree with the way he did it, but i agree with his statement!
*patience this afternoon as i spent 2 hours driving back and forth dropping off and picking up my girls from all of their activities
*buckle :) i think we own a share of that place :) we should start our own store!
*my sweet dance yesterday afternoon in my kitchen with my shane to the fray :) i wanna dance with him everyday for the rest of my life!
*hayden being as big as the 2 and 3 year old kids...PRICELESS...trying to explain to mom's why he is bigger than their kids, but acts like a one year old is so fun :) LOL
*my friends from atlanta who i miss...
*my friends from spartanburg who i love
*Andrea :) glad she is not moving :O uh oh...selfish of me but all the same I so glad!
*Hannah tumbling :) LOL like looking in a mirror :) a beautiful mirror...she is a sweet doll baby who is growing way to fast!
*gracie dancing..She is a natural my sweet baby girl...she is turning 6 :( i remember her being in her little dance class at 2 with big yummy curls in her hair and her little mermaid dance costume! SO SWEET :)
*Dvr :)
*that i am finally finished with that God awful saga called twilight! OH yeah I loved it :) and I am team Edward :)
*Sports club
*Yoga class...My teacher ms jini :) i love her she is so cute :)

Song of the Week

Down Jay Sean Down feat. Lil Wayne

Iphone Pic of the Day :)

NFL SEASON HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN

Today was the Panther's First Game of the NFL Season...AND.......WE STUNK IT UP! it was horrid! LOL We are true fans because no matter how bad or good they are we still love them and love going to the games!

They won't be at home for the next 3 weeks so hopeful HAHAHAHHAHAHA they will recover from this game and bring their heart next home game! Can't wait :)

It was a packed house at the bank of america stadium until Jake started throwing interceptions :) LOL We like to hand over the ball to the opposing teams instead of making them work for it...It's called southern hospitality :) LOL By the end of the game as the players were running into the locker rooms, Shane was yelling at the them HAHAHAHAH :) it was so funny :)

Labor Day Weekend

Friday we hit the Taylor Swift Concert (see pics below) it was fun and even more fun to see my Hannah having a blast afterward we visited Mitch at Forgot how yummy that place was! :)...Saturday we all slept in and ate Lunch at
with Popee :) I love Popee and Meme....After Lunch The girls and I went to
..We had so much fun shopping :)!
Sunday we woke up and headed to We have signed up for a small group looking forward to that :).....

Finally after being sick all weekend from Thrusday Night and Having no voice and a horrid sore throat I decide to head to the and sure enough I had Strep Throat...

So I got to miss the Neighborhood Luau and Going to the Labor Day Festival in Simpsonville :)

Shane was awesome and took the kids to Simpsonville with his buddy J.J. and his girls...Shane took only a few pics because our girls were too busy having fun with their friends, but he did get some of Hayden riding some rides :)

Taylor Swift Concert

Shane sold our psl seats for the panthers game last thursday and bought us some seats for the taylor swift concert on ebay...My girls and I love taylor swift...She is our favorite singer...We have played her cd to death in our car then Hayden got a little older and well he didn't like her, but loved watching Elmo on t.v. in the car :) HAHHAHAHA so we have been deprived a few months...

The concert was sooo amazing and we had a blast.....I didn't think Shane would like it...He isn't a country fan...I mean we are talking about a man who listens to 80's rock all of the time "ROLLING MY EYE"S" and who loves bands like Coldplay, U2, Fallout boy, Theory of the Dead and Kings of Leon, Linkin Park just to name a few.....And 80's stuff OH LORD.....Poison, White Snake, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Guns n roses and going back a bit further KISS...Yes i just said KISS...>UGH...LOL so country well really isn't shane especially when he was flashing the rockin roll sign and sticking his tongue out during the first act like he was Gene Simmons LOL, The First act was, well very country LOL hehehehe....However, Taylor Swift had a rocker lead electric guitar guy and he rocked out almost everyone of her songs which was really awesome and Shane LOVED it......The show was very theatrical and interesting....She almost made me cry at one point when she took out her ear plugs to stand and listen to the crowd cheer...She started crying as she heard them yelling and cheering for her...It was surreal to see someone so young taking it all in with appreciation in her face and heart....SHe is not only very good at keeping the audience entertained and knowing the audience, but she is a talented muscian, playing the piano and guitar and writing almost all of her songs....Pretty Awesome...I felt like I was watching a movie with every song...It was really cool! The sets were made up of a HUGE see through screen that changed scenes without actual props it was wild :)...Lights and scene changes were unbelievable!

We all had fun...Here is some pics from our night!