Fellowship Dinner with The Simple Man

After attending a recent CEF Conference, I started thinking more and more about the impact of relationships. Each week, I have an opportunity to teach many students during Sunday School at our church. This experience has been very rewarding for me but I wanted to take it a step further. After talking to Papa H and PQ about my idea, we decided as a family to host fellowship dinners at our house for my students on an ongoing basis.

It is our hope (as a family) that we will strengthen the relationships that have already been formed with the students. By getting to know each child on a more personal basis, we hope to reinforce our commitment to their walk as a young Christian.

Last night, we hosted the first Fellowship Dinner with "The Simple Man".

(He likes to keep things very simple in his life and I had no idea!!!)

Mooch heard 'dinner with a friend' and he thought it was all about HIM.

The Simple Man really seemed to enjoy his time at our house.

PQ loved getting to run around the house with The Simple Man.

Who am I kidding?

Boys WILL BE Boys!

A girl doesn't stand a chance at conversation when videogames are around.

The entire night was a blast. From playing outside on scooters...to playing football....to eating seafood (one of The Simple Man's favorites)...to playing videogames...to answering questions about large families and small families....to eating ice cream....it was a pleasure hanging out with this young man. Getting to know The Simple Man was a lot of fun. We learned a lot about him and we are thrilled that he enjoyed his time with us. He's a great kid, that's for sure.

Free Antibiotics, Anyone?

If you have a HANNAFORD near you (and you don't already know about this), please check this out:

http://www.hannaford.com/Contents/Our_Stores/In_Store/pharmacy/healthySaver.shtml

I just had an antibiotic filled this evening and it was FREE! Do you hear me? FREE!! We didn't pay anything for the 10 day supply of antibiotics! I'M PSYCHED!!!

For a minimal upfront yearly fee of $7.00 (that covers everyone in your family), you can be part of their Healthy Saver program. By enrolling, all generic antiobiotics are FREE! In addition, the 30 day and 90 day supplies are discounted drastically!

*If you have children, it is a MUST HAVE! All antibiotics (no limit) are FREE!

The 'Crazy Kids'...and Opening Day!

Friday's are always fun...but they're even more fun when the 'crazy kids' get together! D-Dawg, Beaner, and PQ...each one of them is so unique in their own special way. Together they're just plain HILARIOUS! I love having all three of them at the house!!

The day started off with a little bit of dirt...or a LOT of dirt!

Next, they wanted to climb trees...

(Isn't that what normal kids like to do, Glory???)

Uncle lets the kids rule the roost! There is so much to see and do!

Inside, Auntie was snuggled up dreaming of a fire.

She was COLD (even though it was almost 70 degrees outside!)

When the kids come over, Mooch always gets SPOILED.

(Even more than usual.)

Did I mention that it was almost 70 degrees?

These white boys thought that it was mid-July.




Have you heard about the Webkinz craze?

The day with D-Dawg, Beaner, & PQ was a BLAST! Thanks again, kiddos!

Today was OPENING DAY for T-Ball.
Considering the fact that we are coaching, this was the only picture that we got!
GREAT JOB TODAY, PQ!!!

Day Two on Wheels...

PQ did a great job riding his bike today. He had a few collisions (as you will see from the video), but overall he did a great job! This has been a HUGE boost of self confidence for him!

Keep up the great work, PQ!

Milestones...

(CLICK on the arrow to view the video below.)

We are SOOO PROUD of you, PQ!!!!

And the fun doesn't stop there...After coming inside, PQ lost ANOTHER tooth!

Talk about a day for milestones!

XOXOXO

**PS...you have NO IDEA how excited I am about this video...this is my first video upload!!!**

Friends are a pretty powerful tool.

Do you remember one of your first childhood friends? I do! Her name was Lori and we adored one another. We struggled at times, like all friends do...but after all these years, I can honestly say that we were like two peas in a pod. We leaned on each other through good times and through rough times.

Friends are a pretty powerful tool. They help us learn what we like...and what we don't like. They help us to speak up for ourselves...or tell us when we should bite our tongue and look the other way. They lift us up when we're feeling blue...or smile when things are going our way. They are a treasure that we will always remember.

This evening, we had the Glory family over for dinner. Looking over the pictures from this evening, I decided to pick out a few that summarize the FRIENDSHIP theme. It's obvious that these two sets of friends care about one another...(even if they don't always like to admit it).

The boys were 'hiding out'...

...and 'hanging out' too.

(They were trying to be tough in this picture.)

The girls were 'posing for the camera'...

...and were often up to 'no good'.

(The eyes tell it all, don't they??!!??)

To all of you...I love each and every one of you. You each hold a very special place in my heart. We've traveled down all sorts of roads over the course of our lifetime and I'm grateful that you're in my life. Happy Monday, Everyone!

Bowl For the Light Fellowship

This evening we hosted a Fellowship dinner at our house with some families from church. Unfortunately, Mr. & Mrs. Brown couldn't make it due to a work conflict. The house was PACKED (14 people) and we LOVED IT! Papa H has been working really hard on our construction projects so it was nice to have a relaxing night at home (and afar) with some friends. After eating meatball subs and salad, we all ventured to the local bowling alley to Bowl For The Light. For $5 per person, you get to glow bowl for 2 hours while listening to Christian Rock. It was a GOOD TIME!

C & J had never gone bowling before so they were cheering each other on...

they did a great job!

The Hurley-burts hadn't bowled in YEARS.

Mrs. Hurley-burt is a WILD woman...she's a very funny lady!!!

Glory was hanging out with Princess E and Tony.

Hey~ Check out the FREE helicopter that Tony scored at our neighbor's house.

Did I mention FREE...Tony was PSYCHED about it!

Big-Ry liked the music...

Christian music is not always high pitched Hymns, you know...

*WINK*

Princess E found something that she really enjoyed!

Dance Dance Revolution!

According to Webster's Dictionary, the word 'fellowship' is defined as the state of being with someone who shares common beliefs or activities. Indeed, we are all Christians but I also realized how much more we have in common. We all come from different backgrounds and different walks of life which means that we each have a story to tell.

When was the last time you connected with someone who shared a common belief as you?

Did you learn anything new about them? Or even about yourself?

Calgon take me away...

It's been one of those weeks...you know what I mean, right? I haven't had any down time and my body feels like it's on it's last leg. I'm tired...there, I said it. I'm tired.

There is a light at the end of this crazy tunnel...I'm hoping to be back to 'normal' within a few more weeks. Until then, please bare with me. *WINK*

*School is finished...YAY...I ended up getting a 98.25 for my final grade!

*Tomorrow I need to deliver 175 fitness balls to various schools within the district after they arrived at school today. I ordered them for a pilot project that I'm starting in our school district. We are replacing classroom chairs with fitness balls to promote wellness (better posture, less fidgitiness, increased concentration, and a core workout during the school day for students).

*Tonight I need to sort and assign the different sized balls for each classroom.

*Laundry...Laundry...Laundry!

*Balance the Checkbook...I usually balance it every night but it's been a few weeks since I've done it so it's a little hairy.

*Fellowship Dinner at our house on Saturday night...can't wait...but I will be cleaning the house like a mad woman tomorrow afternoon. Wish me luck.

*Have I mentioned that Papa H and I are coaching PQ's t-ball team? Oh yes...it's true!

*My Parent Teacher Group is hosting a Touch-A-Truck event in a few weeks. I'm organizing the event for the school so that's another source of stress. Did I mention that our town has never hosted one of these before?? And yours truly is taking on the challenge.

*I could keep going on and on...but I won't bore you any longer. Hahaha!

Sometimes I think I bite off more than I can chew. I'll admit it...I'm a people pleaser. I want to help everyone. I think it's time that I help myself and go to bed early tonight. I'm exhausted!

"Ladybug"..."Manbug"...it's all relevant!

PQ and I had a pretty deep conversation outside this evening. After finding a ladybug on his car, we started talking about these delicate little bugs. After counting the spots, we pondered the idea of whether all ladybugs were female...hence, their name.

Without a hesitation, PQ told me that BOYS ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT. I smiled at his remarks because it was obvious that he knew his worth as a little boy.

Who knew that a little ladybug could make a Mama feel so good??!!!??

There is a reason...

Today I was reminded that sometimes we go through rough times in our own life so that we can help someone else go through the same type of situation in theirs. A few years ago, I was presented with a new friend who shared something similar with me. Something that I didn't like to talk about with anyone other than my spouse but somehow I felt at ease knowing that my new friend had experienced the same thing. It was a God thing, that's for sure. There is no doubt in my mind that He brought us together so I could lean on her for support.

Today I was able to help a long time friend go through the same situation because of my own experiences. We all have struggles in life and sometimes we are so caught up in the WHY of it all that we don't stop and give praises. As much as I don't like what I went through in my past, I find myself praising God for allowing me to endure it all. If I hadn't gone through what I did, I wouldn't have been able to support my friend the way she needed today.

Just a little reminder that no matter what the storm, there is always a plan for you. Trust me...I know!

Easter Egg From School

As Easter approaches, so do the school projects! PQ was VERY proud of his Easter Egg today. He was thrilled to show me the beautiful egg that he had made at school today. Isn't it pretty???

I LOVE IT!

Aren't they supposed to be for decoration??

You guessed it!!

PQ couldn't wait to crack into his Easter Egg and have it for his afternoon snack!

HILARIOUS...absolutely hilarious!

Priceless...

Chicken Choices

I baked a whole chicken this evening for dinner. Each time I roast a chicken, my son insists on eating a chicken leg...or two (depending upon his mood). Can someone please tell me WHY chicken legs are so appealing to little boys?

I asked PQ why he liked them so much and he had a 2 part answer:

1.) It tastes good.

2.) I can pick it up by the bone and eat it.

(I think he enjoys getting dirty too...is that the real reasoning behind this!!!???)

With all the chicken choices available to you, what part of the chicken do YOU enjoy??

1st Official Red Sox Game Day!

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON...

I love you, guys!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAPA H!!!!

Where were YOU exactly 36 years ago??

HAPPY 36TH BIRTHDAY, PAPA H!!!!

PQ and I surprised Papa H with a birthday party this evening.

It was just the 3 of us tonight...

PQ was SOOOO excited for his Dad's big day!

He even opened up a new motorsports video game for his Dad!!!

As you can see, Papa H is THRILLED about his stick pony from PQ...

...and his Chocolate Easter Bunnies!

If you haven't guessed already, PQ went shopping at the Dollar Tree today. He wanted to pick up a few gifts for his Dad so he opted to go to the Dollar Tree after school today.

He bought a pony stick, chocolate easter bunnies, a birthday song CD, 3 expandable washcloths (just drop them in water and watch them grow), a Nascar candle, and a pair of socks.

Papa H is a lucky man, isn't he???!!!

PQ got a new set of Play-Do from Grammy this afternoon.

Is it PQ's birthday too!!!?? Nope...that's just what Grammy does!

She LOVES to spoil people!

PQ made a Play-Do cake for his Dad...Happy Birthday To Daddy!!





For dinner we had all of Dad's favorites!
~Mini Cheeseburgers (with BBQ sauce and fried onion sticks)
~Baked BBQ Layes Chips
~Coleslaw
~A&W Root Beer...PQ got to have some for the special occassion.

*Yes, we opened presents BEFORE dinner and cake.*






Oh wait...we had CAKE too!
Whoopsie...the cake is not whole, you say???
Well, I have a confession...Grammy made this WACKY cake yesterday for Papa H's birthday. As soon as it came out of the oven, I begged Papa H to cut into it. It's my FAVORITE CAKE in the whole.wide.world!!! He agreed. He's such a sweetheart!
So this is what is left over from yesterday's splurge...






Did I mention that Grammy and Grampa showed up after dinner?
They brought Papa H an 'infamous birthday bag'.
In case you don't already know, my parents areFAMOUS for their neverending present bags! You might get a giftbag from my parents but you can guarantee that you'll have more than a dozen items in that one single bag! I don't know how they do it!!





Happy Birthday!!!
We love you...and for the record, we know that Titi is older than you.
*WINK*

Was It A Weekend To Remember?????

Was it a Weekend To Remember, you ask? YES INDEED!

Our first WTR conference was 2 years ago. Even though much of the content is the same, couples are at a different season of their lives each time they attend. For us, the weekend was a nice reminder that God has a plan for each of us. He loves us and He wants us to be happy. He chose the perfect mate for us and we must honor that through our day to day interactions.

When our journey to Boston began, we were eager and full of smiles.

A little over an hour into the trip, my gas light came on. WHOOPSIE!

If you know me, you know that I'm famous for driving as close to E as possible.

Papa H took one for the team (per the usual) and pumped the gas in the rain.

Thanks again, Papa H!

After attending the evening session on Friday night, I wanted a late night sweet treat. Dove chocolate covered ice cream to the rescue!!!

Eeeeeewww! I got it on my sweater!! What a waste of chocolate!

On Saturday, there were several things that really weighed heavy on my heart. I know that some of my blogger friends are going to the So Po conference this month so I will keep it short and sweet...I don't want to spoil anything for them. But trust me, everyone takes something different away from the conference.

*70% of marriages fail after the death of a child. This really hit home for me because after my miscarriage, Papa H and I became closer because we relied on God and we trust that He has a plan for our family.

*Chinese Proverb: "In the broken nest, there are no whole eggs"-in other words, divorce BREAKS children! If you or anyone you know is on this path, I hope that you will turn to God and ask him for guidance.

*There is a difference between knowing about God and knowing God. (Can I get an Amen, please??)

*God can use a crooked stick to draw a straight line. (Another reminder of where I've come from in my life...I've made mistakes and I continue to make mistakes...but God can still use me in this life. Since accepting Christ as my Savior a little over 2 years ago, my life has not been perfect...but it has been easier knowing that I can lean on God whenever I need to. He gives us strength if we allow Him to do so.)

On Date night we did what we do best...we went SHOPPING!





And we ate some VERY yummy food!
(Fried Calamari with hot peppers for an appetizer...YUM!)




We missed PQ and Mooch so we thought we would borrow these guys.
(This one is for you and Beaner, Country Mouse!)

When we got home from Boston, PQ had a play-date with Ali from next door.

When it was time to go back home, PQ drove her home.

That's what it's all about...leaving a legacy and knowing that the little eyes that watch us each and every day are learning from us. By showing love for one another, Papa H and I can teach PQ what it means to be faithful...what it means to love your spouse...and what it means to put other people's needs before our own.

I love you, Papa H.

I had a great time with you this weekend!