Why a 4 year old should never touch your iPhone!!!

Saturday night, I was sitting doing some banking online and noticed a $100 charge on our credit card.  I texted Michael, who was working, and he said it wasn't him so I kind of panicked thinking someone had stolen my ID.  I called the 24 hour number with our bank and the gentleman on the other end informed me there were 2 $50 charges on our card from Apple for iTunes apps. What?!  Are you kidding me?!!  I knew right then that my little M had done something.  He loves to play Angry Birds and I had just downloaded Duck Hunt on my phone.  He had been playing Duck Hunt and now I realize how easy it was for him just to hit an option (which he had no clue, he can't read yet) and we are charged for unlimited bullets for him to shoot ducks!! Ha!

So now I am battling to get the charge off.  My bank can't help me so the battle is with Apple.  I pray they take it off but needless to say, no kids are allowed to use the phone anymore.  You live and learn!!

My Thankful List (a few days late)

I am so blessed and have lots to be thankful for.  I haven't had time to post lately because I have been sick and have felt plain out lousy but I want to declare what I am thankful for.

1. I am thankful for my salvation.  I have to admit that lately I have been battling spiritual warfare and doubting my salvation.  I know that I was saved at the age of 8 on a swing at my parents house.  My associate pastor at the time came and led me to the Lord.  I remember to this day my heart beating out of my chest and asking Jesus into my heart.  There are times I question myself though because I hear other testimonies where people were rescued from so much sin in their life and situations but I grew up knowing the Lord.  I was rescued from bad stuff too, I just never had to experience it, Praise God!  I am thankful. I do have a testimony.

2.  I am thankful for my beautiful family.

I am so blessed with a wonderful, loving husband who is the absolute best daddy in the whole world and the best children you could ask for.

3.  I am thankful for my parents and my brothers and soon to be sis-in law.

4.  I am thankful for my in-laws.  I have the absolutely best mother-in-law.  She helps us out so much and she loves to spend as much time as she can with our kids.  I also love my 3 nieces and 1 nephew so much.  They are moving to Virginia so I am sad but desperate to spend as much time with them as I can.

5.  I am thankful for all of my extended family.  My aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, etc.  I am blessed with a wonderful family.

6.  I am thankful for my best friend Mandy.  We have been through so much together.  It is so nice to have someone you can depend on.  We have been friends since high school and I am so blessed to have her friendship.

7.  I am thankful for my church.  I love to go to my church!  It is about a 30 minute drive but it is so worth it.  God is at our church and I am so grateful that the Lord led us to WGBC.  I have made so many wonderful friends and I am thankful for everyone.

8.  I am thankful for our jobs.  Michael works alot of hours but he absolutely loves what he does.  His job is a calling from God.  When he went to school for this we figured he would have a job right after graduation.  No, it didn't work that way.  We prayed for 2 and 1/2 years for his job.  God placed him there in his timing and his timing has been perfect.  God has blessed him greatly!
I am thankful for my job also.  I have a job that I enjoy doing.  My boss has trusted me with lots of responsibility and she works with my schedule with the kids and Michael's schedule which is such a great benefit for me.  I am blessed to work with some great people also.

9.  I am thankful for my home and our farm.  We are so blessed.  If I could only tell you the story of how God has blessed us here, you would not believe all that He has done.  I love where we live.  This is not just a house but this is our home.

10.  I am thankful for my children's schools.  E goes to a wonderful elementary school and is blessed to have Michael's aunt as a teacher this year.  It is such a good thing because we do not see this side of the family often.  M is in CMO 1/2 day program this year and loves it.  I love being able to pick him up a couple days a week and spending time with him.  I know time is flying by and he will be in kindergarten next year.  Trying to hang on and enjoy every minute while I can.

I am blessed in so many more ways but this is just a few of the many things I am thankful for and I am thankful for you, who read this blog!

I am Blessed!

Tuesday, Michael and I celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary.  For our anniversary, a couple of weeks ago we went and got a couples massage.  Oh, it felt so great to just relax!  Since we did that we said that was our anniversary gift to each other.  Michael woke me up around midnight on the morning of our anniversary and gave me a gift that was so thoughtful.  He had bought a collage picture frame that said "Memories to Last a lifetime".  In this frame, he had pics from our trip out to Las Vegas!  Not only that but he had our boarding passes in the frame and our tickets to the Eiffel Tower!  I was so surprised!  He is such a sweetie!  I love him so much!  I am so blessed!  Happy Anniversary Sweetie!

Last Year of Single Digits!

Last week E celebrated her 9th birthday!  I cannot believe it!  Where does the time go?!  This year we let E have a friend over for the night and her cousins came over for cookie cake and ice cream.

We were glad they could come over to celebrate.  I am so sad but they are moving to Virginia.  Their dad has gotten a new job and they are moving after the holidays.  I know it is normal for lots of people to be away from family but I am having a hard time with my nieces and nephew being so far away. (Another post) But E had a great time!

Yes, that is a nutcracker!  She was so excited to get a $4 policeman nutcracker from the dollar store.  She begged for it.  Simple enough!  Of course, she got lots of other gifts and had so much fun all night long with her BFF.  Happy Birthday Sweetie!

Pirates and Cowgirls!

This year for halloween, we decided to be a little creative.  We would not buy costumes but would use things that we already had at our house.  So M was a pirate.....

And E was a cowgirl.

We usually just go trick or treat at grandparents but this year one of E's friends invited us over to trick or treat in her neighborhood and the kids had a blast!

Hart Square

A few weeks ago, we went back in time about 200 years.  We went to Hart Square.  It is an amazing place that is literally 5 miles from my house!  Dr. Hart, a local doctor in our area, has found old homes and cabins from over 200 years ago.  He locates them, disassembles them and moves them back to his property and puts them back together.  This place is only open to the public 1 day a year and there are very limited tickets to get in!  Here are a few pics to share!

You would not believe how massive this place is and you cannot see it from the road.  It is amazing!  There is over 90 different buildings representing the past.  

Panning for gold.

We absolutely loved it there!  We stayed all day!  It was so much fun and we have decided this is going to be a new family tradition that we will do every year but next year we are taking more people with us.  Absolutely amazing!

Not fitting in. . .

Do you ever feel like you just don't fit in???  I try my hardest not to let things bother me, but there are times I just feel like an outsider in my life.  I try to please people and make everyone happy.  I like to be included in things but sometimes I'm not.  I know I do not need to look for approval from others but I do.  I look for my parents approval but struggle at times to feel I fit in my own family.  I look for my friends approval, my co-workers, people I go to church with, and the list goes on and on.  I feel the enemy trying to defeat me all the time because I can never live up to my own expectations of who I should be.  I know I will not at times be asked to be a part of certain things even though sometimes it hurts.  I have got to realize that the only one I need to strive to please is God.  I know I may struggle with this but I am going to let Him feel me with peace and pray the enemy away so I do not doubt myself because I know I do fit in with God.  He loves me more than anyone else.

Girls Night at the Theatre!

A few weeks ago, E and I went to a local theatre with my sis-in-law and 2 of her daughters to see the Wizard of Oz.

We had a great time with just the girls and the play was GREAT!!  One of E's friends from school was a munchkin in the Lullaby Guild.

Few pics of E with characters from play.

We had a great time!

Hunting with Daddy!

For those of you with hunters in your house, you know that it is that time of the year again.  E and M are so into wanting to hunt with their daddy.  I don't think they are ready for deer hunting(plus I am a little scared of that), but last week started dove season.  I know, doesn't sound too exciting but to Michael, E and M it is a HUGE deal!  So, on Labor Day, Michael took the kids hunting for dove.

Here are my hunters!  Yes, E and M both have a dove in their hand after their daddy shot them.  They had so much fun and if you are wondering, they did have dove for supper.  Me, no!  I had a turkey sandwich! Ha!

I am so thankful to have a husband that loves to involve his children in things that he is interested in.  He is such a great daddy and I am so thankful for him!  I am blessed!

Catch Up Time!

OK, to say I have been too busy to post lately is an understatement but I want to post about all that has been going on since the last post.

First off, me and the kids went to our church's children's camp this year.  I went as a counselor and this was the first year M got to go.  He is actually still too young but the leaders were very understanding and let him come along because Michael was working and I didn't want to leave him with anyone else since we had just been in Vegas 2 weeks before.

He had so much fun!  I think he fit right in and didn't have a clue that he was younger than everyone else.

I was blessed to get to be in E's group this year.  She had so much fun but I had a great time being with her and seeing her learning about Love.  I came across some notes she took during one of our sessions the other day and it just made me so happy to see her heart taking in what was being said.

E and her cousin G canoeing at camp.

So, the next weekend, I guess we had not actually "camped" so some of our friends from church all got together and camped on the lake.  I have to say I have never tent camped before but it wasn't too bad.  We had alot of fun talking and hanging out with everyone and "jug fishing".

Our little home on "survivor island"

It was an island, in the middle of the lake.  I was very nervous about the whole "bathroom" issue cause I am not an outdoorsy girl.  I like outdoors but I also like my mattress, air conditioning and bathroom. Ha! Thanks to the guidance of our trusty friend Tina, and her leg to use as our handicap rail we survived, didn't we Mandy?!! 

Michael loving camping and eating a yummy breakfast!

All the kids having fun in the lake.

Ok, I told you we have been busy!  So the next weekend we went to the beach with my family to move my little brother to college.  We left a day before everyone else though and enjoyed a day on the beach.

I love the beach!  Fortunately, when we go to the beach we always stay at my great aunts beach house.  It is so nice to just go down and hang out. Love it!  But check out this pic!

Do you see it?  There was a storm out off of the beach and it was sunny on the beach but you could see this storm and all of a sudden a waterspout formed!  It was pretty cool to see and it actually got a little bigger before it went away.

While we were at the beach, we met some friends of our family that we used to go to church with until they moved to Wilmington.  It was so good to see them!

Then, Saturday came.  The day to move Tyler to college.  Broke my heart!  He was born the day after my 15th birthday so I have kind of mothered him his whole life.  He is such an awesome person and I know God has great plans for him.

Both the kids had their UNCW shirts on.  Saying goodbye was hard and I didn't let him see me cry.  I walked to the truck crying but he never saw me.  After we left the college, me, Michael and the kids went to the USS North Carolina Battleship.

We had alot of fun!  It was unbearably hot though but one cool thing we found was a list of people who served on the ship from our area.  We were real surprised to find Michael's great uncles name on the list.

Pretty cool!  

Well, that pretty much sums up the rest of our summer.  Told you we have been busy.  Will post about all our school activities soon.  We had an extremely busy summer but a good one with tons of memories.  I think next summer though, we are going to slow it down a notch.  Hope you all had a great summer!  I am so ready for Fall!  My favorite season!

Viva Las Vegas!!!

Two weeks ago, I went on a trip to Las Vegas for a business conference for my job.  I was so excited but also so nervous.  First off, I have NEVER flown before and this was no small trip!  Plus, leaving my babies behind and being almost 2,000 miles away made me very nervous.  I knew they would be in good hands with my parents but I have an issue with control.  Anybody else like that?

Fortunately, Michael was able to go with me.  It is a good thing cause I don't know who else's hand I would have squeezed so tight on the plane when we took off.  I actually left nail prints in his hand!  Well, we took off but I never realized a plane shook so much!  Scared me so much!  Thank you to everyone who I sent out my panicked text to requesting prayer when I was sitting in the airport.  Once we got up to about 30,000 feet I calmed down and was able to relax.  Michael kept trying to go to sleep cause he had worked the night before and he had only gotten 2 hours sleep before we had to get to the airport but he didn't get much.  I think he was too excited about our trip plus every time we hit turbulence I would grab his arm.

I finally started to enjoy flying and looking out the window.  Flying over the Mississippi River.

Flying over the beautiful Grand Canyon!

It was absolutely breath-taking!  How awesome is our God to give us such beauty to look at!  So amazing!

Once we landed, which the landing was rough.  I thought I was on a roller coaster and was going to throw up but we finally touched the ground and I was fine then.  Just so you know, I wasn't the only one.  It was pretty rough!

Anyways, when we landed is was ONLY 111 degrees outside!! We got to our hotel and were blown away by our room.

It was a very, very nice suite and we had an amazing view.

Our hotel was so huge we got lost.  Once we got there we had to go register for the trade show we were attending and then get ready for a reception we needed to go to.  It was very nice but once it was over we were exhausted and called it a day.

On Thursday and Friday, I had classes to go to and the trade show to go to also.  I learned alot.  We got to eat some great meals.  On Thursday night, our conference had a concert for all of us with Leeann Rimes.

She gave a great concert.  She is actually the first person that I have heard in concert that actually sounds like what we here on the radio.  She did a great job and was very personable.  She would stop and take pictures with people and seemed very down to earth.

Over those 2 days, we walked the strip to see the different hotels.

The Mirage

Inside Ceasar's Palace

Eifel Tower at Hotel Paris

We went up in the Eifel Tower, which was 1/2 the size of the actual one.  We went up 46 stories and we saw an amazing view.

You could see forever and the lights were beautiful!  We also got up at the top of the tower just in time to see the Fountains at the Bellagio.

We promised the kids that we would get them some M&M's at M&M World while we were there.  We decided to walk there.  We didn't realize it was that far and we were shocked at what we saw on the way.  When they say Sin City, they are not joking.  I was very uncomfortable and felt like just yuck trying to get to M&M World.  I have lived a very sheltered life and was blown away by the things I saw.  We made to M&M World and there is a whole other story once we got there but the kids got their M&M's.  We then went to Coke World and Michael tasted all the different flavors from around the world.  Pretty neat but I was ready to get back in the safety of our hotel so we grabbed a bus and got back to our "home" away from home.

Saturday morning, we got up and went on a Pink Jeep Tour to Hoover Dam.

I have to admit, this was my favorite thing of our whole trip.  I like historical landmark type stuff and this was right up mine and Michael's alley.  No big crowds and no other stuff, just lots of open space with beautiful Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam.

Beautiful!  It was hot so I am so glad we took the morning tour.

On our way back, we were looking through the desert and our driver took us by this park with lots of Big Horn Sheep.  Michael just loved it!

Of course, in his mind he was already dreaming of a hunting trip to come back out here to get one of these.  It was a great day!  We came back and collapsed from exhaustion.  We got ready and went to our final dinner before we took the red-eye home.

I have to say we had a wonderful time.  Even though I was in shock and uncomfortable at times, it was an experience I will never forget.  Thank you to Melinda for giving me this awesome opportunity and trusting me enough to do a good job for you!  We both appreciate it and thank you from the bottom of our heart!

We had alot smoother flight home and were exhausted but so happy to see the kids!  This trip taught me alot about me too.  I had to trust God to protect us and our children while we were gone.  Everytime I would get in a tizzy before our trip, I felt Him tell me that He is in control and He can take care of us better than we can.  I also learned that I need to be more confident in myself.  I met people from all over the country and I had to present myself professionally.  I am sometimes shy around certain people but this made me step out and become bold and just introduce myself and meet many interesting people.  I am thankful for that!

Thanks again for your prayers and again, Melinda, thank you for sending me!  Love ya!

Summer is Starting out with a Bang!!

Ok, I know it has been a couple of weeks but here is the latest since my last post. Well, first E had her dance recital.

She did a great job and I think we are both happy that dance is over for this year!  E also had awards day and got her perfect attendance award again for the 3rd year in a row.

E's class did a presentation on the next to last day along with an ice cream social.

They were so cute.  E has been in the best class this year and had the best teacher.  A teacher who really loves what she does and loves her kids.

E and her teacher, Mrs. Houser

On the last day of school when I picked up E, 3 of her friends came home with us for a pool party!!

They had a blast!  When E started school this year, my prayer was that she would do well in her studies but also that she would make some true friends and she has.  These girls are great together.  Actually, tonight we went to one of the girls houses because these girls are starting a book club this summer.  I am glad they are close and I hope they will be in class together next year.

Of course, M had to hang out with the girls too!  He loves to entertain them and even more, I think he loves to aggravate his sister.

That weekend, my little brother, Tyler, graduated from high school.  Of course, he did better than me in high school.

Look at all the cords and medal.  Very smart!  Actually, he left his cap and gown with all the cords at my house by accident and I keep telling him that I am going to take my picture in it so I will feel smart with all that garb on me. Ha!  Very proud of him!

After graduation, we had a pool party at our house with lots of friends and family.  I was so busy I didn't get any really good pics of the party.

If you haven't realized I have put more pics on this post than usual.  I am moving up in the technology world.  I got me an iPhone! Whoo-Hoo!!  Now I can get rid of my dinosaur dial up internet and tether my phone to my computer and have alot faster internet. Yay!!!!

We had Vacation Bible School last week.  Very busy week but had a wonderful group of girls.  They were just precious.

I also found out this past week that I am going to be going to a trade show for work later in the summer.  I am excited and nervous.  I have never flown before and I will be 2,000 miles from my kids.  Fortunately, Michael can go with me so I will not be alone on my first flight.  Please pray for things to go well.

Also, last week my cousins 16 year old daughter was in a very serious car accident.  She actually went down a 40 ft embankment into water up to her chest.  No one saw her and friends started looking for her.  They even had an Amber Alert out for her. Fortunately, a very observant person saw skid marks and pulled off and found her.  She is still in the hospital but seems to be improving. Praise the Lord she is OK!  I read about it in the paper online today and it is a true miracle that she is alive today.  Thank you to all who have lifted her up in prayer.  Praying for you Monica!

Well, I think that sums up the last couple of weeks.  I am not sure if anyone even looks at my blog but this is my way of keeping up with things for my kids.  Later on, we can look back and see what all we have done, been through and where God has provided in every way.  Thanks for reading if you do!!!