Life with my sister

Last Thursday while Samuel was home alone, an intruder came in our house. Samuel heard the door, and thought it was Stephen but realized it wasn't. He went & got a bb gun and while on his way back to the kitchen, where the guy was, Samuel made a noise and the intruder fled. Samuel watched him run out our backyard and across the ditch that runs along it. While he was in the backyard, I dropped Daniel off and left again to finish running errands. (Yes, I'll win the mother of the year award!) They both went to the ditch and looked for the guy and found a cup and saucer from my Christmas china lying carefully on the ground. Apparently, the guy decided he didn't need them after all . I came home with David & Anna, saw my china sitting on the counter and began yelling for Samuel. I couldn't believe he would eat & drink off my china and just leave it sitting around. Well, they never answered. While I was still yelling for them Samuel called from a neighbors house ...

My boys and I loaded up last Wednesday and headed west to the Lone Star state to have Thanksgiving at my grandparents. There were 25 of us. It was great fun. Marmie (my mama) loved having us there. We had not been in 5 years. Here she is stealing some love from H while he was still pacified by his DVD player. He is so rotten. How did we ever live without DVD players in the backseat?! He never cried on the 6 hour trip because of the Veggie Tales on DVD. It was fun for a while until Randall and I started talking in Veggie Tale accents to one another. I love my Betty Jo. We staged the picture with the ham and I threw my arm up on my hip for the shot. She is too cute and fun. I wish she lived next door to me. I really, really do! I am always amazed at how the meal is perfectly displayed, warm and delicious, and there is always enough for our large group. I hope I have her genes. I like to think I do. Thanksgiving with my favorite boys! Can I just say I wish I was half the mom that Randal...

Today we are eating it up and giving thanks for the blessings we so often take for granted . It makes me think of this sweet song that my girl Paige sang at our wedding in 2003. What a wonderful memory and beautiful lyrics. I hope your day is full of gratitude and blessings. There's nothing like the warmth of a summer afternoon Waking to the sunlight, and being cradled by the moon Catching fireflies at night Building castles in the sand Kissing Mama's face goodnight Holding Daddy's hand Thank you Lord, how could I ask for more Running barefoot through the grass A little hide and go seek Being so in love, that you can hardly eat Dancing in the dark, when there's no one else around Being bundled 'neath the covers, watching snow Fall to the ground Thank you Lord, how could I ask for more So many things I thought would bring me happiness Some dreams that are realities today Such an irony the things that mean the most to me Are the memories that I've made along the ...

It's Thanksgiving week! I won't be with my extended family this week, but will be with Stephen's parents instead. We are headed to Branson , with a quick stop in Fort Smith to have dinner with my friend Cindy. Thanksgiving dinner will be eaten at Shoney's , Cracker Barrel or Golden Corral. I don't know which one, but I'm sure we'll have plenty to eat. I'm making a couple of pies to take with us, so we'll have a little taste of Thanksgiving in our hotel room. Silver Dollar City is so pretty decorated for Christmas, we love going there this time of year. Well, you know better than that. We love going there anytime of year! What are your Thanksgiving plans? Yesterday we went 4 wheeler riding on a friends property. I so wished I had my camera or even my phone to take pictures. The kids had a blast! Everyone got to drive and I got my first good look at how my children are going to be behind the wheel. Samuel and David are good drivers. Daniel may not ever...

It is party time at our house. We have birthdays galore in the next few weeks and fun holiday celebrations. It is a busy, fun time and this little mama is excited! Today is my hunky husband's birthday. He is 35 and alive! Henry and I are so proud we get to celebrate him all day long! We are so blessed to have him for another year :) Our sweet little Piper Jo had her 2nd birthday this past weekend. She is Henry's best girl. I love these two precious pups. Henry loved being the only boy at her party! This week we had Henry's Thanksgiving feast at school. He ate 3 helpings of mashed "taters" and would have eaten more if he could have. He loves a tater. He also loves Piper. Oh my...those two! Their reactions are priceless. I have to remind him Piper's Daddy is "the law" and wears a gun. Oh, Henry! Here's to a week of eating and celebrating! Abby

My little turkey can say "gobble gobble" and "give thanks". It makes my Mama heart so proud. He is a sponge and I love it! This week I am making a thankful tree for us to have on the table at dinner time. It has made me think of all the little bitty things we have to be thankful for. Henry absorbing things and learning so much is something I am most thankful for this year. He has been saying his ABC's for about 2 months now and it is clear as a bell. You can even start at any given letter and he will pick it up and finish it. So smart! He is counting to 14. I have the cutest video of he and his daddy counting but downloading videos is my downfall. I don't take time to do it. Maybe I will this week if time allows. His little voice melts my insides. He also knows all his shapes. You can even throw out a diamond or an octagon and he will tell you exactly what it is. You should hear him say "octagon". Preciousness! It makes me laugh because it is sur...

This was taken right after we ate Thanksgiving dinner at my house Thursday. We were stuffed! We had so much food. I went a little overboard on veggies this year. It seemed a bit gluttonous, but we're eating it every meal until its gone! HA! When I was cooking Thursday morning. Really I was just managing the over, everything had been prepared on Wednesday. Anyway... I asked everyone if we were dressing for dinner. I laughed as I looked at my motley looking crew, no one had on matching clothes, a couple had shorts on. But a little while later here walks in Daniel with a polo and khaki pants on. I was so pleased. What a sweet boy. Then Anna came in dressed in a cute little outfit she put together herself. Then Samuel came in with khaki's, a dress shirt, tie and a sportcoat that was a few sizes too small. I went and put on my clothes and even some pearls. It was Thanksgiving after all. My other two boys didn't feel the need to get dressed for dinner, but we allowed them in th...

"How does my turkey look?" We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at my Aunt Babs house in Memphis. It was Henry's first Thanksgiving. Last year I sat in my chair in my den, wearing pajamas, and Randall brought me food on a TV tray that my dear mother-in-law had brought to us. I was on bed rest, days away from meeting my baby boy for the first time. So crazy to think that sweet baby is already a big ole turkey boy on our hip! Spending the holiday with my fraternal side of the family was so much fun. Our cousin Hollye is more like a sister to us than a cousin. We are a tight little group. She and I carved the fried turkey and insisted that a photo be taken with the best cut of meat being placed on the platter. I love being with people wired like me. It is so nice to not have to explain yourself, excuse yourself or hide yourself with the ole kin folk...I love that! I am so thankful for a healthy, happy, active and handsome little boy who lets me dress him up in crazy outfits fo...

I Love 80's music. I can't tell you the name of any songs, or who sings any songs. But I love 80's music! It doesn't make sense, but when do I ever make sense?!HA! The other night I was reading my Kindle (surprised?) and Stephen was flipping through the channels (surprised?). He stopped on the Sirrius station that plays 80's music. Ther were playing the top 40 countdown from that week in 1986. Oh, the memories. I listened and read, read and listened. And then I got to thinking about 1986. That week 24 years ago was not a happy one for me. I had been dating a boy that had made some wrong choices and I was so terribly sad and heartbroken that I couldn't imagine being happy again. CAN YOU IMAGINE?? I was 16, and thought that I wouldn't be happy again! I'm so glad I got over my melodramatic phase of life. HA! So, as I'm laying in bed thinking that this week in the year 2010 is SO much better than 1986 Stephen mentioned that we spent everyday together th...

34 years ago a cute little boy was born in a small Mississippi town in the Dirty Delta, and for that I am most thankful. He grew up to be such an upstanding, fine young man and for that I am even more thankful. I am so thankful he chose me to be his bride. We have had a fun almost 8 years of marriage. This was taken at Alcatraz. I am so blessed to have a husband who will go do crazy things with me....like watch me run 26.2 miles in San Francisco, and in return make me go to Alcatraz with him. (That is where this photo was taken...we were there at dark... eck !) I am also thankful that he was not too proud to wear that pullover because he looks at this picture and almost dies each time. He was cold and had to buy something to keep himself warm before we got on the boat, and this is all he could find. Nothing screams "tourist" louder than that pullover! He is also the sweet, giving husband who took me to see the Rockettes on his 28 th birthday, which was also the opening d...

This week I had the privilege to help with the annual food drive for our local food bank. I am a thankful supporter of the area food bank. I serve on the development committee, I delivered senior packs until it got too emotional for me, and I give of our family treasure when possible. I can honestly say that is a cause in which I give my time, talent and treasure! I love the idea of helping meet the most basic need. What a blessing to help feed the hungry. Can you imagine being hungry, not having food in your cabinets and having no money to buy any? I can't imagine and I hope to never experience it firsthand. My Meemaw always gave to the Union Rescue Mission at the holidays. I remember the joy it gave her and how she would talk about it with passion. The year she died I gave a donation to the Union Rescue Mission in memory of her and I gave every year after that until we moved out of the area. Now I give to our local food bank. I love how she taught me the joy of giving....and s...

I love this girl. This is Julie's youngest, Anna. She makes me smile. Today I was reminded what a blessing she is to our crew. Julie told her to tell me what she wanted for Christmas and she got out the toy catalog and went to town! That made me laugh because her brothers just spouted off a few things and went on their way. I love that she took her time and went to the wishing well, so to speak. Nothing like a toy catalog when you are a little girl! So, she picked out an expensive toy and showed it to Julie. Julie told her it was too expensive. She then responded, "It is ONLY $59.98!" Oh, to be wide-eyed, innocent and have no concept of money. I am thankful for this encounter today. What a wonderful reminder of how sweet innocence is! I am thankful for this mess upstairs in our craft room/office. It means we are 2 weeks away from having a 1st birthday celebration for our sweet Henry Patton. It means we survived a year of late night, early mornings and learning how to pa...

I'm preparing for our Thanksgiving meal. This year we will eat at our house, Stephen's parents will come and whoever else that I can convince to spend the day with our family. If there is one thing I'm thankful for its a good Thanksgiving dinner! We have our tradition of Thanksgiving foods, but every once in a while I like to throw something new into the mix. I found this apple pie on The Pioneer Woman's website and knew I had to have it. It is really, really good. Stephen liked it, which is saying a lot since he isn't a fan of my cooking in general. You must try it. It calls for cream. I, of course, had just been to the store where I purchased apples, and pie crust (you didn't think I made my own did you? Of course not, you know me better than that!) for this very pie, but failed to purchase cream. No big surprise really. It happens all the time. So, I found a substitution for cream and added butter to milk. It worked and the pie tasted dreamy! I didn't ad...

I feel so blessed to have such great friends who love Jesus. Here I will highlight a few of them. I could never highlight them all though...not enough room! God gave me this ole girl when I was 4 years old. I can't imagine one single day on this earth without her. We have literally been through it all. No exceptions, really. We are as close as we were growing up, even with all the miles between us. She gets me like no one else does, and for that I am supremely blessed....because frankly, I am one odd duck! She was my first friend in Jonesboro. We had an instant bond because she and I have several personality similarities. She is that friend I cannot talk to for three weeks, but the one I can drop in on with wet hair and pajama pants on late at night without a second thought. She is also the only one outside of family to ever keep Henry. She was also the only non-relative at the hospital when he was born. I love having a friend like that. This is my newest dear friend, and one...