Pics from yesterday.

Grace on her favorite ride!! Good thing her Daddy doesn't mind going around and around and around.

Elijah and Hunter on the new River Battle. I did not particularly enjoy this ride. Thanks Lloyd.

Hunter and Elijah, what a duo.

Dollywood

We went to Dollywood this weekend and had a great time. Thanks to the Monday's we have Season passes this year. What a blessing!! Everyone had a great time. There does seem to be a running theme with Pigeon Forge, the Durham's and Monday's and rain. Oh well, nothing like a good shower with friends, lol.

Party/cookout/pool party/sports banquet

Call it what you will. But whatever you want to call it was fun. Elijah's baseball team got together today for the last hurrah. The party was at Major's house. And let me tell you, it was MAJOR. It was by far the nicest home I have ever been inside. Not including Biltmore and things of that nature. It was a 5000 square foot home. All cherry wood in the kitchen and mahogany throughout the rest of the house. I was amazed. Each of the 5 bedrooms had its own really large bathroom. The master bedroom's bath was larger than my living room. And the Jacuzzi tub would seat my whole family at once (there are 7 of us). Their yard was just as impressive as the house. There was a salt water swimming pool that was filled by three separate waterfalls. It was nothing short of beautiful. Well I could go on and on. But I guess you would get bored and I would be soaked from drooling. So I will end by saying WOW!

Oh yeah, as we were leaving Major told me he is building a new house and would love to sell me his. It does have five bedrooms after all. He obviously has no clue what tax bracket I am living in.

Hotter Blazes!

I had a revelation today!! Don't you love it when God shows up and does that for you? I was thinking about "words." I know how strange that sounds. But words are so unbelievable important. I try really hard to say what I mean. And to mean what I say. As much as I talk, that is no easy task. But I do try.

Anyway, I was thinking about how as Christians we are often taught to speak in faith. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." I have heard that scripture all my life. And yes I have took it to the extreme during particularly "religious" times in my life. There have also been times when I didn't appreciate it for its true meaning as well. So what does it mean to speak in faith? When we are faced with reality how do we hope for the things we don't see?

Many of you know I have driven the entire month of June without air conditioner on my van. And let me tell you it has been as hotter than blazes! I was complaining about the fact that it should have been taken care of last year. I am not real happy about the situation as you can image. Well, I was talking about the lack of cool air with my father-in-law. He made this statement "nothing like getting in a hot car and adjusting the thermostat and knowing it is going to get cool." God said,"That's Faith." I said, "HUH?"God spoke to my heart and made me realize the difference in reality and faith is the difference in the temperature and the thermostat. We know what the temp is but we set our thermostat at the temp we want it to be. It may be 85 degrees in the house and yet we set our thermostat on 70 degrees believing it will eventually get to that temp. I know what reality is but I will set my faith on the promise I have in Jesus. Thank you Lord for revealing yourself to me today. I feel blessed that God takes the time to show me his love and to teach me.

Our Family Purchase

What fun we have had this weekend.

Isaac is really enjoying himself.

Even Aaron enjoyed our new toy.

Lisa, believe it or not I was the first one to ride the go-cart!!!!!!

Busy as a little bee!

We have been really busy this week. We managed to squeeze in yet another week of Bible School. I know it seems like over kill. But, the kids absolutely love going. Who am I to quench their thirst for the scripture and being in God's House. And yes I know I am delusional. I know its the games, crafts, and snacks that they are after. But can't a mother dream?

Somehow in the midst of all the VBS we did manage to get to the pool a couple of times. We also did alot of our summer reading. Grace went to a piano workshop for three days. I did some of our cruise shopping and we made a new Family Purchase. I can't wait to share the story and pictures on that. But that will come another day. So I am off to play with our new "purchase." Are you excited yet?

Making a Splash!

We have been swimming the past two days. We have really enjoyed being in the water. It really is amazingly refreshing. We had a great time. Even Aaron who hate water! He doesn't even like taking a bath. But, he did enjoy sitting on the side and throwing the dive sticks into the pool for Isaac and Zion to get. This is the first year that Grace and Elijah can both swim in the big pool without my constant supervision. That made for a much nicer day by the pool. I was able to watch the little guys without worrying about the big guys. And they were happy Mom wasn't too close and cramping their style. Because we ALL know how important Elijah's "style" is to him. lol

OH BABY!!

My friend had a new baby!! I wont post names. I don't want to invade their privacy. But isn't he a cutie! I just love babies. This makes two of my friends who have had new baby boys in the past month. I am soooooo jealous. But I am so happy for them. They are so blessed to have brought wonderful new life into this world.

CHUCK-E-CHEESE

Going to Chuck E. Cheese for a good meal is like going to a wrestling match for the fine acting. So don't fool yourself into thinking you are providing nourishment for your children. Who in their right mind associates good food with a giant rat anyway?

Let's face it, we go there thinking we are somehow going to beat the odds. This time we are going to get enough tickets to win a BIG prize. And make back ALL THE MONEY we previously wasted at Chucksters. The angels are going to smile on us today. And every game we play is going to give us extra tickets. Yea we dream big!!

Okay, back to reality. We spent $30 and left with $2 worth of prizes. Ones that I normally would not even allow my children to bring into our home. Extravagant items such as temporary tattoos and tootsie rolls that are hard enough to break a tooth on. These are the kind of prizes that make Happy Meal Toys look good.

Oh well. Everyone had a good time. That's all that matters, right?

ARGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

I DETEST DOING LAUNDRY. I was really far behind in the laundry department. Two weeks of VBS had taken its toil on the dirty clothes. So..... I buckled down and dug in, literally. It took a shovel to get anywhere near the bottom. A backhoe would probably been in order.

The past two days have been spent primarily in the "dungeon" AKA the laundry room. I have done 26 loads of laundry!! And I am still not done. The is borders on the line of insanity. Between the sorting, washing, drying, folding and putting up I am going to hurt someone. It drives me crazy. My main problem is once the clothes are all clean there is no where to put them. The drawers are full to capacity. And there is simply not enough room to add another dresser or any type of storage unit.

Yes, any normal/sane individual would say to them selves that maybe, just maybe we have too many clothes. But I have said it before and I will say it again...."I never said I was sane." So I am back to where I started. Hating laundry!!

Total Turn Off.

I thought this was too funny not to share with everyone I know. ......

"Never let a man see you put on pantyhose."

I realize at first this sounds like one of those stupid sayings your aunt would have needlepointed on a throw pillow, next to others about golf and chocolate, but this is probably the most airtight advice I've ever been given. When you say it to men, they invariably say, "What? No way, that's hot," and then you remind them, no, it's hot when it's coming off, and even then, you're picturing it in the slow-motion burlesque tease that rarely accompanies actual sex. When you say this bit of advice to women, they go, "Ooh, yeah." No matter how skinny you are, no man need ever witness all the weird shimmies and jumps and kicks that go with getting nylons where you want them. It's like sausage being made.

And that my friends is why I dont wear pantyhose. EVER.

The Favor of God

I went to the mailbox today, as usual. But something very unusual happened. There was a magazine from Grace Baptist Church. I know you are thinking whats so unusual about that. Well.....there on the front page was a picture of Elijah and some other boys at last years Freedom Fest. Its not that big a deal. But how often do you receive something in the mail with your kids pic on the front? Not often at my house! Needless to say we were very excited for him.

It seems that good things just happen to this kid. I remember when he was born he was so small. He wasn't strong enough to breath on his own. So they put him in the NICU at Children's Hospital. I originally named him Isaiah. As I began to pray I knew in my heart that God had not given me an Isaiah but an Elijah. I knew then and am convinced more and more everyday that my Elijah is also caught up in a whirlwind. There I prayed for hours for his healing. For Elijah to find favor with God. For God's countenance to shine on his face. I wanted him to be a living testament of the mercy and grace of God. Thank you Lord for answering my prayers.

No strings please.

It was really hot outside. So, after Vacation Bible School we headed to the pool. We spent three hours in the water. It was wonderful. Then for the special treat of the day...We had peanut butter ice cream!!!! My favorite. It is by far the best homemade ice cream there is. I had a couple of people ask me for the recipe today. So here it is:

Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Prepare recipe as you would your regular homemade ice cream.

Trust me, it is sooooo good. Oh yea, here is my pet peeve. PLEASE take the white stringing thing out of your egg yolk before adding it to the recipe. NOBODY wants to find it their bowl. And believe me it will end up in someones bowl. And they won't want to eat it either. Nothing says YUCK like stringing things in your ice cream. Now enjoy.

Go ahead and JUMP!!

Tonight was family fun night at VBS. Elijah had a blast as only Elijah can.......

He JUMPS off the water slide in true Elijah style.

"Loving Every Minute of It"

Grace takes a more traditional approach.

We had a great time. I think summer is finally "officially" here. And we absolutely love it.

Vacation Bible School

We have spent every morning this week at VBS. The kids are having a great time. And so am I for that matter!!! Three hours of kid free living. I have almost ran out of things to do. Oh, well I can always shop.

Gerard Butler

Many of my friends have been all Gerard Bulter?!? And I am all oh yea!!!! Now you can see why.

Movies!!!

I just came from yet another movie. Cherdo came by and picked me up for girls afternoon out. I totally enjoyed myself. It was a great movie. Heck, any movie without five kids has got to be somewhat enjoyable. Even if the movie stinks (which it didn't) I can always take a nap. And the good Lord knows with five kids around that never happens. lol I had a wonderful time. Thanks Cherdo!!!

And for all my prudish friends that are now aghast at the fact that I went to see this movie.....

I admit that watching this show and now movie, is my guilty pleasure in life. I don't smoke. I don't do drugs. I don't drink. So if watching this is wrong then heaven help me. And friends pray for me.