Life with my sister

I have been so busy lately. I can't seem to slow down. Last week I made two trips to Little Rock and the others days I was running errands, doing favors. You know, I was busy. I just knew this week was going to be slower and I would be able to get things done, or just spend good quality time with the kids. But no. That isn't what happened. This week has been just as busy, just with no trips out of town. This week has been spent watching a friends baby, getting haircuts for all the kids (I did that over two days, much easier that way) sitting with a friend while her father was dying and then grieving with the same friend when her father died, homeschool group and school. I'm hoping for a slow weekend and a slower week next week, because do you know what the next week is? Yes, it's birthday week! I will need my rest for that!! So, how about you? Have you been busy? Julie

My sweet Henry is 16 months. But he is still Mama's baby. He loves his blankies! He has 3 blankies and 2 lovies he is partial too. It is nice that he is not attached to just one, for washing purposes. I love my sleeping boy. He just looks rotten, doesn't he?! He loves to push this plastic tractor around the driveway. His Daddy showed him how to do it and he does it just like he showed him. So cute! He loves to ride his tractor, but he is too little to pedal. We end up pushing him around the yard until we wear out. This was Nana and Papa's tractor that all the little ones played on in their yard (even Julie's Fab Four pedaled this tractor when they were small), but it now belongs to Henry. Have I mentioned he is rotten?! Abby

A few random things.. ****The coolest thing happened yesterday. I was sweeping the floors and the name of a friend came to mind. I thought that I needed to email her and check on her. Really check on her, find out how she is really doing. A few minutes later the phone rang and it was a woman that I didn't know asking if I knew the friend I had just been thinking of! It turns out, my friend is going to be speaking close to where I live and she had told this lady to contact me & see if my church may want to attend. I told the woman that I had been thinking of my friend and we should pray for her today since she was on both of our minds and hearts. So, I email my friend. And as I was emailing her, she was emailing me the answers to all of my questions and checking on me. It was the strangest thing. Isn't God a hoot??!! I laughed and I know my friend did too. I think God laughed right with us! I love Christian friends, they are the best! ****Yesterday was a stormy Monday and I ...

The other day Henry and I were driving home from Bill's Fresh Market on a road near our home that goes through a cemetery, when this song came on in our car right at the chorus "come awake, come awake...." It gave me chills, a huge smile, and I do admit one hand came off the wheel because the spirit was moving in the Maxima! The sunroof was open with the sun beaming in and the breeze was perfect. I love little moments like that more than big moments sometimes, don't you?! I take great delight in being able to worship the one true God while driving home from the grocery store! Abby

Abby Ann in her prime, sunning at the lake Abby Ann and Abby Jo sunning at the lake I was told that Randall had a dog named Abby, and for that I was none to happy about our blind date, over 9 years ago. I soon learned that the dog had become pretty partial to his mother and she had "custody" of her, so I accepted it and fell in love with him anyway. There were many confusing visits to his mother's home. When she would yell "Abby" real loud, I always jumped, regardless of how many times I heard it, I jumped. It was truly odd. Abby was old and had lost an eye, been run over by a pick-up truck, and a plethora of other things had happened to her, so yesterday she ended her good fight with life and went on to doggie heaven. I am not one who gets attached to animals, nor one who owns any pets of my own, but it sort of made me sad to see that old, big red headed tennis ball loving dog die. Rest in peace Abby Ann! Abby

Do you know Wholly? I have just recently become acquainted and I love Wholly! The guacamole and salsa are superb and all natural. You can find them in your produce or dairy section. I highly suggest you try them both. I have yet to try the queso , but I am sure it is wonderful too. Banana bread made with a pound cake mix....who knew. Thanks to the recipe on the back of the pound cake box, I am here to share it with you! I also got a brown bag full of ripened bananas for a quarter that day, so this helped me use some of them. A winner, for sure! 1 pound cake mix 1.5 cups mashed bananas 2 T oil 2 Eggs Bake at 325 for 1.5 hours. It is truly the most moist banana bread I have ever had, yet it holds together very well like a pound cake. If that makes sense... And here is the little curly headed foodie at Chick- fil -a. He loves the chicken and wants in the play area REAL bad, but I am not ready to turn him loose in there just yet. It is always a mad house with older kiddos. Soon enough h...

I'm sure I've mentioned before that I love to lie in bed in the mornings. Most mornings Stephen wakes up before me and then tries to wake me up by talking to me, tickling me, or just irritating me until I open my eyes and look at him. It is our routine. This morning he woke me up by telling me he bought me something. My interest was peaked, so I opened my eyes to see what my gift was. These days in the Beavers household gifts aren't always something that can be held in your hand. Most of the time the gifts are downloads. This was the case today. A download of this Jamie Grace song . He thought he was downloading a song by another artist that I like but instead it was Jamie Grace. I don't know Jamie Grace but this song was the free itunes download yesterday. And it is really good. Its a love song to Jesus, what more could you ask for?! My favorite part is when, I think its Toby Mac, says the word Lub for love. I. Lub . It. Have a good day ya'll and download the so...