Life with my sister

Is this not the cutest chef of all time? Henry loves to dress up and help in the kitchen. He has 2 aprons he wears and he loves wearing the Goofy chef hat I bought his daddy in Disney World many moons ago. This child is so much fun and exhausting! There is not one day that goes by that I do not laugh outloud at something he says. He is going to be a charmer! Can you tell he loves to dress up and role play?! He loves to pretend to be Woody in his bath towel and stick horse. This night he was running through the house laughing and being silly after his bath. I love these moments so much. Henry likes to make Randall pretend to be Henry and then Henry acts like he is daddy. Those times may be the funniest yet. It is quite entertaining to hear Henry act like he is daddy. We always end up crying from laughing at him. Oh, the blessings of this boy never end. Abby

For the last year I've been letting my hair grow out. I've gained weight and I decided that longer hair would help cover up the fact that my face is chub-by. Now my hair is very straight. You know how curly Abby's hair is? My hair is that straight. Super straight, no body whatsoever, and it's thin. I really just have bad hair. But I have a great friend that cuts my hair and makes it look awesome. I mean it. Awesome. But when it's long-ish it's hard to make it look awesome. My buddy, Christy, saw me after a few months of not seeing me at all and told me and the girl that cuts my hair that I needed a haircut. What a friend! I fought it for about 3 months but then realized I really needed to give in and get a cut, because I was looking beyond frumpy. And oh, what a difference it made. I feel like the old me again. A lot has happened in the last year, and for some reason I lost a bit of myself and didn't even realize it. But it seems that I may just be bac...

This past weekend is by far, my most favorite weekend to shop. For the last few years Abbynhas come to my house and we have hit the stores with great excitement and ambition. We buy Christmas ornaments for 90% off and clothes for next to nothing. This year she wasn't able to come on the weekend so I went shopping by myself and did pretty good. I didn't buy any ornaments but I did buy some great leopard flats and some cute tanks that can be worn under sweaters. So cute! Oh, and a purse. I bought a purse. I hardly ever buy a purse. I had so much fun shopping, not as much fun as when Abby is with me, but I was proud of my purchases. Monday afternoon Abby and Henry came for a visit. Abby hadn't been to this house so Henry showed her where she needed to go. He is so cute. You know, I don't think Abby took one single picture while she was here. Strange, We shopped at our favorite resale store, ate good Chinese food and spent time in the same house. It was good. Abby...

I think I've only written here once once Christmas. Sadly, it isn't because I've been so busy. I don't really have a reason. Oh we'll. Henry came home with us after Skutt Family Christmas. We had such a good time with him. He was perfect, didn't cry, slept all night, and  let me hug and kiss on him. What more could an aunt want?! We went to the Train Museum. I think it's actually called the Arkansas Railroad Museum. It's a huge building filled with train cars from years past. It isn't heated and it was a old day, so we didn't stay long. That and Henry wasn't real sure about getting on all the trains. Maybe next time. We've been busy with basketball games.. We're not winning very many but we're plying much better. School is going good. I arranged an algebra tutor or Samuel. I had one in 9th grade too. He saved me from going to Summer School. Hopefully Sam won't have to go to umber school either, that would put a big wrench ...

Thank you for praying for Mama Bert this past week or two. She was called home to heaven this week. I was able to go to her funeral in Memphis and it was a beautiful service. She left such a legacy of love. It did my heart good to be there and witness it all. I have to admit that I am the poor pitiful soul who forgets to turn her phone off at a funeral and even leaves the volume on high. I am also the one who cannot get her phone to stop ringing at the funeral so I just give up and answer it due to sheer panic. Yep..that is me. I did go to the little bathroom in the family area to answer it though. I mean after all, I do have some social skills. Seriously, I did think I would have a stroke at that moment. Mortification doesn't touch it. I was just glad all got a good laugh out of it afterwards and that my Aunt Babs didn't hang me from her tree! We ordered new furniture 2 months ago and have been waiting on the delivery. The call was the delivery man telling me he was o...

If you have been a faithful reader of our blog over the years you know Julie and I claim joy in all circumstances and have hopefully been a testimony to it in our posts. We have had some peaks and valleys over the years. It is a blessing to have Jesus to cling to in all of life's twists and turns. I can't imagine it any other way. Friday morning I went into work like any normal day. I was greeted with the news that my position was being eliminated. I just listened with as much grace as I could muster up at the time. I got in my car and drove away. I had a peace over me. No doom. No gloom. No sickness in the pit of my stomach. A peace. It was so Jesus and I so loved Him for it. I felt like I was wrapped in plastic bubble wrap. Jesus' blankets are the best, I tell ya! So, here I am embarking on a new journey into whatever God has for me and my little family. I am a working girl, so I am praying that my desires are His and hope to land the job that He wants for me in...

  This is random but I have had the craziest memories pop up and some new experiences this week and I have to share:  My child cries every morning at drop off and today it made me cry. It was his face, his inability to breathe and how he ran to the window to watch me walk off and the hoods to the 2 jackets he was wearing (because sometimes we pick our battles and making him only wear one jacket today was not my battle to fight. I had others to fight at the same time) were bobbing back in forth on top of his head while he was crying for me. I could hear him scream "Mama, come back!". It is mornings like this that the working mom guilt tops the scale. It happens every morning lately, except the morning earlier in the week when I bribed him with a taco. Bad mom, I know.  So, I pray this stage passes soon. A few in his class are all in this stage. I feel for his teacher. He loves school though and is always asking about his friends at night and on the weekends. I w...

It is estimated that on any given day more than 430,000 Arkansans do not have enough to eat. Each week over 5,100 people receive food assistance in northeast Arkansas. If you have read our blog for very long you know the work of the food bank is a passion for my little family. We have never been on the receiving end, thankfully, but if we ever have to be I am pleased to know we live in an area that takes hunger seriously and works hard to combat it each and every day.   Our food bank was in desperate need of a new facility. They received a Reynolds grant and today they opened the doors for all to see. I was lucky to get a sneak peak before Christmas and it totally blew me away. Words cannot express the blessing that building will provide for the hungry in our area.  In the path leading to the front door of the new facility, the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas has reserved a special place for engraved paving stones. The money for...

I am so excited about some new reading material for 2013. The best part is that it is all about Jesus! I thought I would share in case you might be looking for something to add to your library. Aunt Babs bought Henry this Bible for Christmas. I had only heard wonderful things about it and it is proving to be just as wonderful, if not more. Henry requests I sit in his "truck bed" (He has trucks on his sheets) and read his Bible to him before bed. The way the Bible is presented in this book is unreal and just perfect for not only a young reader, but a seasoned reader like myself. It is chronological so as I am attempting to read the Bible through this year, his stories line up with mine each night. It actually made me tear up the other night realizing how we are on the same page, so to speak. I think even if you don't have a child at home, you should get this  book and read it. The story about the tower of babel was precious and explained it perfectly, even for an...

Tonight my heart is heavy as I pray over these two precious souls who are in great need of a divine intervention. Both are very dear to Julie and me and because of that I want to share and ask you to pray. We sisters believe in the power of prayer in a big way! This is Mama Bert. She is our cousin Hollye's grandmother. Our Uncle Joe's mother. She is a southern jewel and loved by many. She is very ill and in great need of prayer that her pain and poor health will not linger. We love her like our own. I have such fond memories of Mama Bert and had the privilege of sitting at the same table with her this past Thanksgiving. It made my heart happy. Such a precious person with a wonderful  Christian legacy. Our Aunt Babs emailed us this photo of Claire and Mama Bert on Christmas Eve.  Those two are always a fun pair. I loved it too much not to share. Please pray for her if you will and pray for Uncle Joe, Aunt Babs and Hollye to find peace and rest during this difficult ...

Christmas is all down and at the storage unit. I've cleaned, dusted, vacuumed and thrown stuff away. It's a nice way to begin a new year. My friend, who does my hair, got married yesterday. That's a great way to start a new year! She met her new husband when he came in off the street to get a haircut. Isn't that awesome? They fell in love and she's been a happy camper ever since. Sadly, as I was texting with her yesterday as she was driving to her wedding, she told me of a mutual friend's marriage that was in trouble. It reminded me once again that we married people need to be praying earnestly for the sanctity of our marriages. I know I pray that Stephen will never feel comfortable being with another woman if I'm not with them. I need the same prayer prayed for me. Marriage is too important, family is too important to let temptation slip in. My heart is heavy thinking about this family and the pain they are feeling. It is also burdened after hearing o...

It is not Christmas without a little daddy sandwich! Jules and I gave him matching "Dad's Favorite" ornaments. Poor ole daddy can't catch a break! We gathered for Skutt family Christmas this past weekend at my house is Jonesboro. I loved having 15 of my favorite people in my house at one time. I really love having all these sweet kiddos together. I have changed all their diapers, feed all of them, bathed all of them, transported all of them, and everything else under the sun. They are all my babies. We ate pizza and had some pie, ice cream and cupcakes. We take the easy route on food for our Christmas gathering and it works perfectly. So simple and easy for our big group. Anna and her Grandaddy sat at the kitchen bar together. They are so cute. Henry led us all in praise and worship before we opened our gifts. I cried from laughing so hard. We were all in awe at his singing and playing. He is really a ham and has great rhythm. He stopped, bowed and s...