Monday, May 30, 2011

Strawberry Picking


I was kind of gloomy tonight. I had put the kids to bed after a rough excursion and the Man was off to hang with his mentee. After putting them down, I sat in a chair in the living room and felt myself melt right there. It was dusk when I sat down and I could still see all around me. I just sat there until it was completely dark. There is something so nice about silence after having an emotional episode with your kids. As I sat there I decided to look at pictures to see joyful and bright spots from our last few weeks.

These strawberry picking pictures did just the thing. Got me out of my bad mood and made me thankful!










Sunshine, Happy kids, and tasty strawberries....
yummy!

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Gathering Time

The fondest memories are made when gathered around the table with family and friends. Author Unknown
I don't know about ya'll, but I'm looking forward to some gathering time this weekend!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

My BIG 3-0!!!

This is a photo recap of my fabulous 30th birthday party! I had typed a lot regarding all the pictures and blogger didn't save any of it! GRRRR..... Anyways. We had soo much fun and it was a great party!
decor and pics of my growing up
my cake made by the fabulous sister, Nina
the party was a gardening theme
in hopes that I might earn a green thumb, what i want so badly
even the cupcakes were adorable and super yummy
Moma really decorated her porch and it was gorgeous!
This is the one of many precious vintage linens she owns
that I might have to steal : )
flowers and cute flower pot from Johnah's fam
all matching cuteness available at lowe's : )
again, porch...soo cute!
Moma made those pillows, talented lady
if only she could pass on some genes:
gardening, sewing, cooking and just well everything that makes her who she is
new found friends
it's amazing to think 25 years ago her mom and emerson's aunts (johnah and me) were running around holding hands, doing flips and playing dolls. Time flies!
another yummy detail.
a mini trifle bar full of pudding, fruit, toppings and whipped cream!!!
i had so many sweet friends come and some of their babies came too which I loved
thanks for coming!
my two favorite men
sorry scott a. it's not you, it's the other scott and my Daddy.
little cutie licking off the icing
a big green yard full of joyful, playing children
the only "real" picture of me I got at the party
cute little fynn with me
the AMAZING bakeress (half baker/half goddess)
seriously, extremely talented
one last detailed pic of my cake to prove my point

It was such a great party and I'm so thankful for everyone who made my BIG 3-0 so special!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Around these parts....

We've been playing outdoors a lot and soaking up the sunshine!
Unfortunately, for my hips, I've been making fettuccine alfredo! : )
Watching as flower after flower starts blooming!
Enjoying the new place mats I got the kids from work! They are sooo cute.

Enjoying seeing how amazing my mother and daddy are at gardening. Sadly, I did not get that gene!


Saturday, May 21, 2011

Easter, AKA the longest post ever....with the most pictures!

I love holidays. I love the decorating, the preparations, cooking, spending time celebrating with family. Mostly, I love the build up to holidays and all the significance behind the spiritual purpose of the day. The last month of winter is always so horrible for me. Knowing spring and sunshine is soo close, but not yet here is just too much for me during the dreary snow turn rain. As the sun shifts into warm the mornings and the days grow longer, I start to feel the excitement of spring. As I watch God literally redeem the earth yet once again, I get giddy thinking of how redemption started. How the resurrection of beauty, newness, growth and life sprung forth the very first time.

The human race was dead in it's soul because of sin just as winter's curse on nature. Then Christ lived a perfect life and died a death to change the course of history. And just as the first bloom raises from the newly green grass so did our Lord Jesus on that morning. He conquered death and sin. His love brought us the hope of life, real life!

Knowing this makes the weeks before Easter so special as we see the world starting to rebirth it's self. I pray that everyone who ever reads this blog knows that only the grace that comes through believing in this good news is why I live the way I do. It's every part of who I am! It's why I wake every morning with new mercies, how I'm able to love on these children who were not supposed to be mine, why I sing when no one is around, it is what keeps me moving when I feel like I can go no longer. This grace through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has made my life full of HOPE, LOVE and LIVING. Not death and destruction, but living. My only hope for this blog is that those who read it will know that REAL living is possible. There is hope.

And let me tell you we celebrated it BIG time!!!
Here are a few pictures of our weekend celebrations.
We dyed eggs and it was much less messy than I intended with two under four. : )
I love all the colors.
Baby girl has a BIG smile under this stupid heart. She kept wanting to pick up the eggs.
This little man had dye everywhere and was very excited about the dunking part of the experience.
Next we celebrated at the Caraway house. Here are all the grandchildren with their Nana and Papaw!
We got all gussied up again Sunday morning for church. Here is Mommy's first Easter with her two blessings.
That Daddy sure is pretty handsome.
my 30th birthday happened to fall on Easter this year too. My sweet s-i-l, Mai Beth made the cutest cake for me!
Isn't it adorable. I know it took her for ever and it was super cute!!!
We also started the tradition of doing "empty tomb" rolls as we retold the kids about Christ resurection.
There are a hundred recipes online, but pretty much you dip a marshmellow in butter, cinnamon and sugar. Then wrap it in a cresent roll. You explain after Jesus' death, they used spices/perfumes for his body and then placed Him in the grave.
When you take them out of the oven, brake open a roll to show that the marshmellow is gone. Just like Jesus was not in the tomb...He has risen!
I initially learned of this tradition from the amazing family that I babysat for in college!

I had a horrible time finding Easter baskets that I liked and were sturdy. Then I realized that I had Scott's and mine from our childhoods. It was so neat reusing them and making new memories with our kids.
There was plenty of hunting over at Granny's and Grandaddy Herman's despite the weather!
I'm so thankful
and overwhelmed to have
celebrated our first Easter with the kids.

Our little man made me choke up a little as I asked him about the story we had told him over and over. It was a week or so after Easter and I wanted to see what he remembered. We talked about Jesus being put in the grave and how the angel came. I asked him what happened then and he said, "He wasn't there....He was ALIVE"

It's so exciting to hear little ones learning the truth that he was alive and is still alive today!

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