Life with my sister

Grocery shopping sometimes becomes a necessary evil for me on the weekends. Lately it has become an outing for us because of Henry's love for the red car. Our Kroger has red, blue and green car carts. He only likes red. My fear of arriving to only blue car carts haunts me, so sometimes I leave him with his Daddy during nap time and champion the shopping trip alone. Kroger is our place. He begs for Kroger. I took him to Harp's one week recently and they only had green car carts and he refused to get in one and instead laid down in the regular cart on top of the groceries out of protest. We quickly returned to Kroger. It is frustrating and cute. Last week I ran into a sweet friend and she shared a little cookie and balloon secret. Thanks to her, this past weekend's Kroger trip was an event. We scored a red car cart, so it started out super. It got even better when we got to the bakery and got Henry's complimentary iced sugar cookie. He was sweet and told the lady "

I was asked to participate in Wanna Dance this year. It is a fundraising event for the Woman's Discovery Center here in Jonesboro. I was asked when I moved to town in 2008 but the job I was in dictated my every move and they would not allow me to represent them in this event, so I had to bow out. I love that I now have my life back and can represent my company in such a fun event for a great cause. They team up 16 women and 16 men in the community who can potentially raise a good amount of money. The winner is not who dances the best, but who raises the most. As the website and Facebook page gets up and running, I will share the links so you can see what it is all about and donate! My partner is Barry. He works at our local Chamber. He is a hoot and a half. We are gonna have some serious fun I am afraid! This is Barry and me together at our planning lunch. We met with our dance instructor Libii. We are going to mimic our dance after the video below. We will of course modify it quit

This photo is not the best quality. I took it with my phone. I had to capture the moment and it is what I had at arms reach. My boys love to race dump trucks every night before Henry goes to bed. Henry takes the little one and Daddy takes the big one. They race all through the house, scream and say "Boo Yaw" real loud over and over again. It is fun times. This particular night they found sombreros in the guest room that I have been meaning to return to a friend. They wore them while racing. Henry's kept falling onto his face but he didn't seem to mind. It was so funny to watch. I try my best to stay out of the way because they will run over mama without flinching. I have sore toes to prove it! It is simple times like these that I try my best to cherish and hide in my mama heart. I know the day will come when he does not want to play with his dump trucks or his daddy. For now he loves begging his daddy to race with him and says "DO GIN, DADDY!", while Randall

I have three prayers I have prayed daily for the last three months. Two of them will be answered continually but one of them could only be answered once and was beyond my control. Stephen and I have prayed that our children would find salvation in Jesus Christ at early ages. With our boys that prayer was answered. They were all saved before the age Anna is now. In the last three months I've seen a marked difference in Anna and prayed fervently that God would draw Himself to her and she would accept His forgiveness and salvation. She has been the most affected spiritually through all of this and I couldn't bear to see her turn from Him, although it is what she seemed to be doing. Saturday night after I had tucked the kids in for the night (they all were sleeping in the same room for some reason), Anna came into the kitchen where I was. She began talking to me and I realized where the conversation was heading. Stephen had talked to the boys about salvation, this was the first tim

Henry was tickled to get behind the wheel of his new Power Wheels truck. We purchased it at a seasonal resale a few weeks ago in Memphis. Randall did an overhaul on it (tricked it out...for those of you who know the lingo!) and finally let him drive it. It was more of an attempt to drive it. Henry only pushes the pedal when he feels like it. He sure looks cute in it, moving or not. It has a radio in it so he likes to sit and listen more than anything. Watch out neighbors, Henry Patton is going to be on the go this spring! The dreaded haircut with Henry. We have been cutting his hair since he was 10 months old. He has some thick and curly hair, just like his mama and daddy. Up to this point I have had to hold him and hold him down, kicking, crying and swatting while the hairdresser cuts his hair. This past weekend he proved what a big boy he is becoming. She set the seat up for him without knowing I hold him. I played dumb and went along with it to see if he would sit down. He did. He t

The other day we had used up all of our plastic cups and our regular glasses. I don't know what it is about our family of six, but we can go thru glasses and cups like crazy. I'm pretty picky about my cups. My favorite cup is a red plastic cup. It reminds me of my local Pizza Inn when I was growing up. I have a history with these cups. When we were first married I accidentally took one from a restaurant in our small town. I was mortified and returned it quickly and quietly to the owner. He, however, didn't let it remain quiet, and reminded me frequently of my accident. He knew I wanted that cup. We had these same cups at our last church, I took one home and intended to take it back. But since I didn't know my last time there was my last time there I still have it. And I love it! But, back to the story. I was thirsty, I had no can coke and no plastic cup. (HORRORS!) I was becoming stressed about the situation. My thirst won out over my need to drink from my favorite cu

My Henry knows most all the words to this song. He belts it out in this funny, graspy voice and throws a fit when it is over and begs for me to play it again. Randall played it in the den the other night because he had not witnessed Henry's performance and had to hear it for himself. He was shocked, stunned and tried not to laugh. I did laugh. I wish I had videoed Henry's performance. He was twirling around the room and belting it out. I think our jaws were on the floor watching him. Santa put the CD in my stocking so I blame it on him. Up to this point we have played Praise Baby and Sunday School Song CDS in my car. Santa made me go secular! Henry knows words to so many hymns and Bible songs it is amazing, but now he knows Adele and that is just plain wrong! I know she won 6 Grammy's but I am not thrilled that my little sponge gets in the car and yells "I want fire rain!" and kicks until I turn it to track 5. Oh me...back to Praise Baby ASAP. Shame on this litt

Do you remember my post from last week about the people at McDonald's? I wrote about the hostess and a man that flirted with her. Well, there is the rest of the story. ( I said that with Paul Harvey's voice in my head.) The kids and I went to a local church Sunday night (without Stephen, he had meetings to attend and we chose not to go with him) and I saw a lady that looked familiar. The kids didn't know her and I stood during a couple of songs trying to figure out who she was. Don't you hate it when you do that? I finally figured it out! She was the hostess at McDonald's. And the man sitting next to her? He was the man from McDonald's! They are married! I laughed out loud. I thought it was the funniest thing. I told David and he didn't seem to care, I told Samuel and he got it and laughed with me. We were the only people laughing while the congregation was singing Crown Him with Many Crowns. Irreverant? Maybe. Funny? Definintely. I'm sitting here at McD

"I mustache you a question?" "Will you be my Happy Birfday Time?" (How Henry says "Happy Valentine's Day...so cute!) His daddy said "yes" and got some love with his coffee. Cupid showed love to Henry with a Veggie Tales card, a big balloon, a red truck, Cars candy and a Mater teeth sucker. He was most smitten with the red truck. Red is Henry's best color. He loves it. His teacher said this was Henry's day because it would be ALL red, ALL day. So funny, but true. We gathered up our love soap for his teachers. Next, we gathered up our bucket of mustaches for his little friends. He had lots of mustache questions to ask and certainly scored many "birfday times" with his cute card and tasty, cute mustache cookies. (you must watch the video I posted last night in the previous post!) I got to his school for the party and the mustache was no longer on his shirt. He had peeled it off. Oh, Henry! He was still a cutie without his 'stac

Henry wishes you a "Happy Birfday Times!" (His way of saying Happy Valentine's Day)

Henry is having a big time today passing these cute cards out with little polka dot mustache cookies by The Cookie Lady, Amy C from the "Wild west town of Fort Smith, Arkansas" (Did anyone else see the Olympics ticket article circulating online...the description of my hometown made me laugh out loud). Henry better not get rejected today! I think with a mustache as cute as his and with these yummy cookies, he is sure to have a pocket full of Valentines before the day is over! Abby

I left this by Randall's coffee pot this morning. He cracked up at the serving size - "U Decide 'Cause U Da Man!" I covered a $1 box of SweetTarts with it instead of chocolate because he is my sweet and my tart! I found this wrapper online and printed it off. A $1 love gift. Can't beat it! Now, I have to come up with something for tomorrow.... hmmm ?! Abby

Henry had his first official babysitter over the weekend while Randall and I drove to Memphis to eat oysters, mussels and other seafood goodness. You just can't eat like that in J'Town so driving a little ways is worth it sometimes. Our cute little babysitter is one of Henry's afternoon teachers. He loves her and she asked me if she could babysit for us. I think I hugged her! She is the cutest thing. Shelby attends ASU and is good friends with the daughter of one of Julie's good friends. Henry loved playing with Shelby and we loved the little date night we had. She said he showed her everything in the house. I believe it. That is so my Henry! This morning we were matchy-matchy in celebration of love week so we attempted a family photo before church. Henry was most excited about being permitted to stand on the couch that he skipped out on the "cheese". So, we tried again. Taking a decent photo with a toddler is near impossible. I love how he is looking at me. T

Today we are linking up to Kelly's Korner again for a working mom post. Let me start by saying that ALL moms are working moms, whether they stay at home or work outside of the home, that is FO SHO! Today she is highlighting working moms and since I am a working mom I wanted to link up and share what little wisdom I have on the subject. I am a mama to Henry. He is my only child. He was born while I worked a very high stress job in health care marketing. I learned the first day back from maternity leave that it wasn't going to work. I continued to get up and go through my day like a guilty zombie until he was 6 months old. One day I walked out and never looked back. I had no idea what or where I would go for work, but I knew God had a better plan for me, my boy and my husband. Lesson #1 - no job other than being wife and mother should take priority. My family It took me a year to find the right job for my family. That year long journey taught me a lot. I am a different"work

Wilma and her girls - our last picture with her. About 6 weeks before she died. 10 years ago this morning my Meemaw (Julie's "Grandmother") met Jesus face to face. What a rejoicing that must have been for she, my Peepaw (Julie's "Granddaddy") and our Healer. We called them different names, but they were the same people to us...loving, Godly grandparents who helped mold us into the women we are today. There are so many things I wish she was here to see. She never met Anna or Henry. She would adore Anna's love for all things girly and Henry's curly hair and knee socks. She loved Samuel, Claire, David and Daniel and bragged on them every week at the beauty shop and at church. Meemaw loved family and because of that we are still the same, strong family she left 10 years ago. As I get older I find myself appreciating my maternal and paternal families so much more. Julie and I were SO fournate to end up in this life together with all these people. This is

9 years ago today I said "I do" to my Randall. I always loved this picture. It is in a little frame on my bedside table. It was taken in the brides room after the ceremony. I remember Mama and Mawmaw being afraid we might run off into a broom closet before the reception! We were so excited to finally be married, if you know what I mean! ha. I really like the Aqua Net can in the background the best. All good southern girls use Aqua Net for their 'dos. This is possibly the most priceless photo I have in my album. Because I share this blog with my favorite sister, I thought it was finally time to show this little snapshot of us. I was taking my photos before the ceremony and feared I forgot my deodorant so like any good sister, Jules applied for me. There are too many reasons why I love this girl, just sayin! Wasn't she beautiful in that dress. I loved my wedding. It was perfect. This was our first Christmas card photo. If you are familiar with our annual card, you kno