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!