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Wife to Adam, mommy to Alexa & Adlee Grace, Christ follower, owner at NewSpring Church, lover of Clemson football, and all things monogrammed. Looking for ways to simplify, serve, and teach my girls what life is all about.

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Saturday, June 27, 2009

Playdate!!

Oh my goodness, we had the best time this morning with Kristin & Ansley! It has been almost a year since we saw them last and I had no idea how Lexa & Ans would react to each other, but they did great. This morning we met them at Alexa's fave 'chick-o-lay' and after breakfast they proceeded to have a blast on the playground. Kristin and I had a great time catching up and comparing the attitudes of our 2 year olds. LOL! When playtime was over we continued the fun with a trip to Wal-Mart. They were too cute sitting in the buggy together.

I am so glad that we will get to see them more often now that we live in GVL! Here are a few pics of our morning out. Can't wait to do it again soon :)





Friday, June 26, 2009

Another Weekend...

Wow, where did this week go? I have to admit time flies whether you are having fun or not, maybe more so if you are having fun...but even when I'm not the weekend is here before I know it. It's only Friday night and I already feel like our weekend is gone. As usual we are super busy...tomorrow morning we have a play date with Kristin and Ansley. Ansley is about 6 months younger than Alexa, and now that we live in Greenville we are closer so we can hang out some. I am really looking forward to seeing Kristin, and I can't wait to see how Alexa and Ansley interact since it has been almost a year since the last time they were together. We are meeting at Alexa's personal fave "chic-o-lay" LOL!

After lunch we are headed to Spartanburg for a birthday party at Pump It Up with one of Alexa's friends from school. Mia's mom and I work in the same office, and although Alexa and Mia aren't in the same classroom, they get to see each other on the playground and they took dance together this past year. It is sure to be lots of fun for the girls and the moms!

Then to round out our day we are going to Mimi and Pop's house to pay a visit to their pool. Nothing like an afternoon with the fam! NewSpring on Sunday wraps up our full weekend and we are headed back to Monday. Oh, did I mention I'm helping out with VBS at Mimi's church next week? So, not only is our weekend busy, but our week is even busier! Time flies :) and we are loving every minute of it!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Who doesn't love CAKE??!!

Oh my goodness, if life gets any busier I don't know what I will do!

Ok, enough of that. We had a great weekend...and of course it was busy. Friday I had a hair appointment so Alexa spent the night with Mimi and Pop. Even though she is old enough to do things like that with me, it is so much more enjoyable if I can just relax. Not to mention that she loves going to Mimi and Pop's now that we have our own place. I got up bright and early...ok not so early, but when do I really get the chance to sleep late? We had a wedding at 2, and I had some errands to run beforehand so I did that and picked up chick-o-lay on my way to Landrum. When I got there Alexa was sitting on the steps leading up to the pond and it was clear she was having a blast!

After lunch we got ready for the wedding, and off we went. Keisha was beautiful, and the wedding was so sweet. She used some of my favorite songs, and I really enjoyed seeing the love between them. Her brother-in-law is a pastor, so he performed the ceremony and that made it even more special. In true Keisha fashion she made Josh promise not to mush the cake in her face, but she did it to him...I told him he should've known better!

When we got back to Mimi and Pop's we changed clothes and headed to the grocery store. With so many families to accomodate for Father's Day we decided to have our celebration Saturday night, and it worked out really well. We started cooking about 5, and by the time Jodi and Brad arrived with the meat/bread we were ready to go. No matter what, if my family is involved you know food isn't far behind. We joke on family vacations that we spend each meal discussing what we will eat for the next one. Oh wait, that's mostly true! Anyway, we had a great night...and that left Sunday open to relax at home. Alexa and I enjoyed some time alone together and we both took a nap.

Sunday evening we headed to Newberry to meet Linds and pick up the surprise cake for Brenda's birthday. For those of you who are unaware, this is Lindsey's newest hobby, and she is extremely talented! I carefully brought the massive 4 layer cake back to my house and rearranged my fridge (removing a shelf) so it would fit. I'm sure you are sitting there wondering how many people this cake was supposed to feed. I mean why would Lindsey make a cake that was too big right?? Well these are the facts:
  1. we needed a cake big enough for 12 people
  2. I was not specific in what I wanted other than white cake ( - any almond extract b/c the bday girl is allergic)
  3. Lindsey wanted to try a "real" stacked cake
  4. Lindsey also knows that as her best friend I am required to let her experiment with my cakes
  5. I don't think either of us realized just how MASSIVE it would be
The cake was beautiful...and I say was b/c we ate the top layer tonight, so that kinda ruins the whole thing. Oh well! Brenda's birthday was yesterday, and unfortunately she had an abscessed tooth that finally got the best of her. We rescheduled our dinner for tonight, and even though she still didn't feel well she made it through like a champ and even smiled for a picture with her cake. She and Josh took the rest of the top layer home so they could eat it later. The cake was a big hit, and several patrons and waitresses were glad Lindsey made it so big. Oh...did I mention that according to her it should feed between 30 and 40 people...yeah, she was only off by about 18 or so. I told her that next time I was only paying for the number of people I needed it for and if she wanted to make it bigger the rest was on her. LOL! Just kidding Linds, the girls in my office will be ever grateful tomorrow.

Thanks again Linds for making the cake on such short notice...I can't wait for another excuse...err...reason to order another one! Here is the birthday girl with her amazing cake! Ok, I'm off to bed...but I will post again soon with a few other things going on in our lives right now!

Friday, June 19, 2009

Aloha Friday


Welcome to this week's addition of Aloha Friday...head over to Kailani's blog to check out what everyone else wants to know today. My question for the day is...

What makes you feel pretty?
This might seem like a strange question, but today I am wearing one of my all time favorite pairs of shoes. They are the cutest BCBG strappy sandals with metalic straps, and wooden soles. I LOVE these shoes, and they make me feel really pretty! They are the kind of shoes that make you walk just a little bit different, and in my case I probably smile just a little bit brighter when I'm wearing them. Wearing them reminds me that I don't wear them enough. So...from that angle, what makes you feel pretty?

Sunday, June 14, 2009

All about the weekend

Our weeks are super busy, and Alexa is away from home at least 2 nights during the week, so the weekend is our time to hang out and enjoy each other. One way I try to help keep our weekends open for fun time is by straightening/cleaning on a daily basis. This means a quick run through of the house every night before bed, and simple other chores rotated during the week. That way I don't have to spend all day Saturday working instead of playing. This week we had plans every night, and as a result I didn't have a chance to do anything during the week.

Friday night Alexa had date night with Uncle Jerry and I stayed home and took advantage of having the house to myself. They had a great time, and I got a lot done. Saturday morning we got up and headed to Mimi's house for some fun in the sun. Alexa had the best time because 2 of her 3 meals came from her favorite restaurant chick-o-lay! We got there before Mimi and Pop got back so Alexa got to take her tricycle outside and ride in the driveway and grass. After lunch and a few errands we got out to the pool just in time for the clouds to appear. Why can it be sunny all day and as soon as we hit the deck the sun decided it was nap time! The whole gang was there so the pool was full, and Jerry and daddy played baby patrol with Baby C and Bailey Bailey inside.

Alexa is doing such a great job in the pool, and she is starting to love the water. She has swimmies and yesterday she seemed more comfortable with them than ever before. She swam from the steps to about the middle of the deep end. I can't wait to see Alexa and Walker at the beach this summer!

When the rain started falling we made our way inside to get ready for my cousin's graduation celebration. As always we had a great time visiting with our family, enjoying the beautiful weather at their house, and eating delicious food! Nothing like spending a day admiring God's wonderful creations and watching my sweet daughter play with her cousins. We finally ended our day at home, and got some rest before NewSpring GVL's first service at the CFC.

This morning we got to experience something truly amazing. The GVL campus has made a big move, and I am truly in awe of just how big our God is. One of the songs we sang this morning said "you are bigger than we let you be" and I think that is such a true statement. How many times to we tell God how big our problem is instead of telling our problem how big our God is? I know too many times I am so guilty of this. I am so thankful for a church that doesn't run away when things get hard, and instead we have faced this challenge head on and viewed it as a blessing instead of a curse. God doesn't have a plan B.

The new facility is a complete upgrade from our previous location and it doesn't have the feel of "mobile". I can't even begin to imagine what the load in load out team had to do to get ready for the services today, but believe me, they did an incredible job! You should definitely come check us out one week, God is definitely moving!

After church Alexa and I came home, ate lunch, and then Alexa took a nap. That gave me a chance to do the dishes and put a few other things away, and then I relaxed on the couch and started this blog post that is now dragging on forever! When she woke up she had a snack and then we went for a walk...and now we are sitting on our porch waiting on the bottom to drop out. The perfect end to a great weekend.

This post has turned out to be much longer than originally anticipated...and I'm sure most people quit reading a long time ago, but I'm going to post a few pictures from our weekend anyway.
Safety is very important

Headed down the driveway

lookin back at mommy :)



down the hill was easy

uphill was easier to push

or maybe picking it up is best

headed back up the driveway

Relaxin' by the pool
Mimi with baby C

Jodi, Marian w/ baby Bailey, and Josh



Aren't they sweet :)

Obedience

One of the lessons God has been teaching me lately is that being a parent is one of the greatest blessings in life, and He has shown me so many things through Alexa. One of the biggest struggles for me is trying to be both love and discipline for her. As a single mom, it makes it that much harder. I want Alexa to always know that I love her, but at the same time that I am serious when I tell her to do something.

The same thing is true with God, He loves us so much, but He also expects us to obey. When I tell Alexa to do something I expect her to do it immediately, not whenever she feels like it. The point is, delayed obedience is disobedience. Most of us don't want to admit this is true of our own lives, but we can plainly see it in our children. If I want Alexa to obey me immediately, I have to model that for her. Am I listening when God speaks?

Sometimes I ask Alexa if she is listening to mommy, and I have to wonder how often God asks me that. I am so glad He isn't finished with me yet!

Friday, June 12, 2009

Aloha Friday


Welcome to this week's addition of Aloha Friday...head over to Kailani's blog to check out what everyone else wants to know today. My question for the day is...

What would you put on a chalkboard vinyl for your refrigerator?

I'm sure this sounds like a completely random question, so let me explain. My sister Jodi has entered into the wonderful world of wall vinyls. As a result Alexa has one on her wall, pictured below, and we absolutely LOVE it! They are also doing chalkboard vinyls, and I'm getting one to put on my fridge, but I have NO IDEA what I want it to say. I don't really want my last name on it, and I just can't seem to come up with anything else I like. I would love to hear your thoughts...and if you want to check out some of their fantastic creations head on over here! Happy Friday everyone!!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

A Tribute

As I look back over the years there are many things I would change, rethink, or do differently. I'm pretty sure that most of us feel that way about one thing or another in our lives. I have made some bad choices and some even harder decisions, but in the end I am fairly happy with the person I am now. I would like to take a moment to thank one of the most influential people in my life. My mom!

Yesterday was her birthday, and I'm sorry I didn't write this then, but I wanted to say that she is the most amazing woman I know! I admire her greatly, and I wouldn't be half the woman or mother I am today without her. So, here's to you mom, thank you for everything you have done for me, given me, and taught me over the past 25 years. You are the best mom a girl could ask for, and I am so thankful that God chose me to be your daughter! I hope you had a wonderful day yesterday, and I can't wait to celebrate your life tonight at the Peddler! I love you!!

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Wall Vinyls

I don't know how many of you are familiar with the newest trend in home decorating, but wall vinyls are all the rage! LOL who says that anymore :) Anyway...we came across this fabulous idea a few months ago when Josh and Brenda were decorating Bailey's nursery. They are relatively cheap, easy to apply, and best of all they can be changed with relative ease. Before the reveal of our new place I picked one out from the same place Josh and Brenda got theirs, but decided to hold off on buying it. Little did I know Jodi had a different plan in mind.

As you can see in this picture, there are 4 wall vinyls in Alexa's room. They are compliments of my sweet sister, and I love them! They are giving the wall vinyl business a try and you can check out some of their other designs here. One of my other favorites is the chalkboard vinyl, I am getting one of those for my refrigerator and I can't wait! I also think the chalkboard would be great to have in Alexa's room for her to color on. I can only imagine what fun she would have with that! The only potential problem there would be keeping her artwork on the vinyl and off the wall!

If you haven't had a chance to check these out, I suggest you do it. They are extremely versatile and can be customized to just about any design you want. What a great alternative to painting!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

WW


Girls just wanna have fun!
Check out the other WW participants here

Monday, June 1, 2009

Catching up...

Since I barely blogged at all in May I figured I would try to post more today than I did that whole month. Just kidding...not that it would be hard :)

A little over a month ago the Chick-o-lay (as Alexa calls it) close to us had Cinderella and Belle one evening taking pictures and signing autographs...things of that nature. I knew Alexa would love it, so I decided to take her as a treat. She really enjoyed it, and she still talks about getting to see them. The only thing she didn't like was that after we spent about 30 minutes in line waiting to see Belle she didn't get to go inside and play on the playground. It was great to see all of the little girls excited to see them, and I can't wait to take her to Disney so she can meet all the characters!

Well...

It has been forever since I last blogged...I really don't know hy. I seem to go through phases where I blog a bunch, and then others where I don't blog at all. Sometimes I think because I upload pics to Facebook that it makes up for the fact that I'm not blogging. I wish blogger would get a better photo uploader...it would make it so much easier! Anyway, I'm back so let me update you...

If you watched the video below you already know that Alexa and I have a new home. Tomorrow will be 4 weeks that we have been there and we absolutely LOVE it! For those of you who live close and would like to see it in person, feel free to come by anytime! We love visitors :)

This past weekend Mimi and I got to go to Meredith's baby shower. We had a great time catching up with everyone there and seeing the great gifts she got for sweet baby Henry! Here are a few pictures from the event.


Lindsey did a phenomenal job with the cake topper and cupcakes...and believe me they tasted just as good as they look...maybe even better!


Here is the beautiful mommy-to-be, doesn't she look fantastic?!


Here we are after the shower...if you didn't know Meredith was pregnant you certainly can't tell from this picture!
Lindsey still thinks she is a princess! LOL!!

I'm not sure which one is sillier, but they seem to get along great :) Well, at least when Alexa will agree to play with Lindsey!