happy 9th birthday, Cecily... and snow day #3!

January 31, 2010, marks our sweet Cecily's 9th birthday. It is our family's tradition to bring the birthday person breakfast-in-bed - with their choice of breakfast. Cecily's choice? Donuts, of course! Today, we also held an Old Fashioned Garden Tea Party in celebration of her birthday. So despite the snow outside, we managed to transform the inside into a Spring-time garden. It was lovely, as were the girls.

We closed out the day with some more trips down "the slopes" outside. This time Jody and Kaycee Kim were here to join i the fun. We sledded well past dark... even more icey today... fun!

tea party fun...

snow day #3... jody...

snow day #3... colton...

snow day #2...

It continued to snow through the night so this morning we woke up to a beautiful blanket of snow everywhere. It's been several years since we've seen a snow like this! Needless to say, we spent many hours outside today sledding. The snow was actually covered with a layer of sleet, so the sledding was REALLY fast. Fun but dangerous... as seen by Brock's picture. He sledded head on into a tree... thankfully, he was okay. It was a great but exhausting day!

Sorry, I couldn't choose just one picture for today...

a blanket of snow...

crashing with mom...

snow board fun...

colton, the cheerleader...

the sledding accident...

done.

Today started out cold but clear. The flurries started around 9 a.m. and continued through early afternoon when the snowfall became heavier. The kids played outside for a couple hours this afternoon, and then Cecily and Brock headed back out for some more fun right at dusk. This time only lasted about 30 minutes, though, as the conditions had gotten so much worse. In this picture - they were DONE.

It was a fun day.

groceries...

Today I went to the grocery. I used to really enjoy this routine - back before I had kids. Now, the shopping trips happen way too often and trying to fit them into my already "too full" schedule, makes it a "not fun" activity. That being said, I make one major trip to the grocery once a week... ALL these groceries... and they will all be depleted in one week's time... maybe less. Approximately 4-5 dozen eggs a week, 4 gallons of milk and two loaves of bread. Cereal and fresh fruit? I can't keep count.

And there aren't even any teenagers in our house yet. Wow.

peaceful slumber...

Cayce insists that if I work out more consistently, I'll have more energy. He works out religiously 5 days a week - and he pushes himself really hard. I have no routine to my work-outs... haven't done it consistently in almost a year.

He falls asleep (usually) shortly after he gets home. I stay awake (usually) till everyone is in bed and asleep. Think I'll stick with the non-workout schedule for now!

Picture taken at 9 p.m.

love and joy always abound...

Each of the kids have a dry erase board on the door to their room. They have been used over the years in various ways... sometimes, I write reminders; a scripture; a fine for forgetting to do something; a quote. Other times, the kids will write so

mething.... for instance, it's common to find something about UT (Texas) on Colton's board. And what you will most usually find on Cecily's board is an encouraging scripture or quote that she has found and written up there herself, with no prodding from anyone. Today, I found this. Yesterday, it was a scripture. Over last weekend, she decided to "decorate" everyone's doors by writing a scripture on each person's board. While the thought was WONDERFUL, her brothers took it as an invasion of their stuff and promptly erased them. Nonetheless, she keeps writing and keeps that joyful, happy spirit that God breathed into her when He first created her.

sun plays peek-a-boo...

We haven't seen the sun much lately... just lots of clouds and even more rain. This morning, however, it (the sun) managed to peek out for a few minutes before another front came through. I was in the middle of doing some chores around the house when I glanced outside and saw these ominous-looking clouds along with the bright streams of sunlight shining through them. I was so impressed that I had to grab the camera!

Just moments after I took this picture, the sun was completely gone and it was snowing...

covenant group...

We are so very blessed to be a part of a wonderful church family at Otter Creek. One of the many ways God touches us through Otter Creek, is through our amazing Youth Group.

Colton's group of 7th grade boys (his Covenant Group), meets in different homes twice a month to "play", have dinner, play some more and then spend some time in devotional and prayer. His group is lead by two college students (who grew up at Otter Creek and went all the way through the youth group themselves) and one dad (whose sons aren't even in Y.G yet). Tonight they met at our house... activities of choice were "Rambo", air hockey and the always popular, basketball. 5 pounds of pulled pork barbeque were devoured, along with 25 buns, baked beans, 2 bags of chips, 2 large containers of strawberries, a few carrots, and 3/4 of a cake... and they're only 12 and 13 years old!

This group of boys is pretty amazing - with pretty amazing parents. What great friends for Colton to walk through life with... we truly are blessed.

Colton loves Youth Group. He loves Covenant Group. We are so thankful to be a part of a church family that has helped to develop in him a love for church and a passion for God. The seed is still small right now - as it is in all of our children - but it is a joy and an honor to be able to watch these seeds of faith as they are watered and nurtured in each of our children through this body of faith.

it started with 8 Toms...

Cayce woke up this morning to find 8 Tom's (male turkeys) outside our breakfast nook. As he watched, and snapped pictures, they started strutting - which he soon realized was because 8 Hens (female turkey) were walking up. And shortly after that, 7 more turkey joined in the party.

23 front yard turkeys...

What started with 8 Toms, ended with a flock of 23 turkey... absolutely amazing!

Disclaimer: These turkey pictures were actually taken by Cayce this morning but they were so cool, I had to include them in my blog. Good job, honey!!

we're home!!

They don't ride the bus often, but when they do, I like to wait outside and watch them get off and run up the driveway. Reece saw me with the camera today so we had to be "cool" and just walk.

This isn't the best picture I've ever taken but I love that they're all three in it and in a way, it even shows each of their personalities. (Colton isn't shown because he gets home an hour before the others do.)

winter flowers...

Pansies are a small sign of life during the dreary winter season. Have you ever noticed that even one or two flowers can brighten an otherwise dark day?

a time to bake...

I live in the South. And in the South, when someone is sick, or passes away, or is having a hard time - we cook. Why? To help... to make life easier... to show we care. Yesterday, I baked four pans of "Neiman Marcus Brownies"... one for my friend who had surgery... one for my friend who's father passed away... one for a teachers' luncheon at the elementary school... and the last because I figured if I was already doing three, I could easily add one more and take it to the middle school office.

Today, I delivered them. It wasn't much and it wasn't difficult to do, but it was a way to say "thank you", "I'm sorry you're sad" and "I care about you". Because I do.

reading to big brother...

Reece let Brock read a book to him tonight and I couldn't resist taking another "reading" picture. I love listening to Brock read with his sweet little voice... and I love watching him read as he uses his finger to help him keep place... and I love the books he reads like "The Berenstein Bears" and "Amelia Bedelia" and "Froggy"... I love that despite how big he wants me to believe he is, he's still so little.

miracle food...

Dominoes is wounded and we are having to nurse her back to health. One of her treatments involves a dropperful of medicine twice a day. The vet told me she didn't like it and she would resist - and she wasn't kidding!! The first two days, we were unsuccessful... Dominoes just wouldn't have anything to do with the meds... and believe me, it's hard to fight a cat! Thankfully, my friend Hillary suggested we try mixing the medicine with wet cat food - and ta-da! My days are so much easier now!

lanterns of light...

Lanterns give me a cozy, warm feeling. They remind me of a time long gone, when life was simple and slow. Our lives today are anything but simple and slow, yet the lanterns still burn strong, filling our rooms and lighting our way... just like they did so many years ago...

david and goliath...

One would think we made a mistake playing Brock "up" a league in basketball this year. Yes, in fact, we did. There's no "think" to it.

In fact, he is so discouraged by his inability to even compete against the "Goliaths" in his league, that I have resulted to bribery to get him to play in his games. It worked tonight - he got out there, hustled and worked hard - all for a Dippin Dots trip after the game. Whatever it takes...

A little "Dippin Dots" makes it all better. Brock enjoys his reward for playing in his basketball game and playing hard. As I said previously, whatever it takes...

the cross on my wall...

I love crosses. I collect them in all different sizes and styles. They can be seen in various places all though my house.

Each time I see a cross, it is a reminder of how small I am and how GREAT my Father is. He has done so much for me... how can I serve Him and honor Him today?

progress?? not so much...

I COULD pack them all away, or I COULD just move them to a table so Dixie can't chew them up... buys me several more days until they actually have to be packed away. Just need to make sure I don't invite "dining room guests" over for dinner anytime soon...

my "to do"...

...the ornaments I still have to pack away. Must be done soon - before Dixie chews them all to bits...

a rare sight...

Reece enjoys reading once he sits down and does it... getting him to do so, however, is not an easy task. This evening, for whatever reason, he plopped down on the sofa to spend some time with a book while Cecily sat and read nearby also. It was a quiet evening...

completely engrossed...

Cecily reading one of her beloved "Little House on the Prairie" books...

a sweet moment...

I finished the dinner dishes and discovered that Brock had joined Colton at the piano and Colton was teaching him to sing along to the songs he was playing. Colton plays "Top 20" songs that he teaches himself by just listening to them on his ipod. Brock knows the words to many of these songs and he loves spending time with Colton and/or Cecily at the piano.

goodbye Christmas...

The Christmas decorations are coming down today... at least today is the start of this dreaded ritual. The whole process will more than likely take several days but at least I can say, "We have begun..."

snow day evidence...

Not much left today to show what activities took place here the last few days.... all that's left are isolated patches of snow and ice here and there... and then there's all the shoes, gloves and snowboards left on our porch and all over our yard... the markings of a fun time had by all.

a flurry wonderland...

After more than 48 hours of constant flurries, the result is a light blanket of snow covering everything... certainly enough for the kids to play in all day! Temps haven't risen above freezing all week... yesterday the high was 18 and today it was 20... cold but a fun change for this Tennessee family!

and the snow finally came...

A collection of snowflakes forms a vibrant display on the leftover Christmas decorations.

locks of love from a lovely, little girl...

For almost a year, Cecily grew her hair out with the plans to one day cut it and donate it to "Locks of Love", an organization that uses the donated hair to make wigs for cancer patients. Today was the day for the big cut and she did great! So excited about helping others and also excited about her first short hairstyle ever! This child, whom God blessed Cayce and me with, is here to make a difference in this world by touching hearts and lives - one person at a time...

it doesn't take much...

It was just a dusting but that was all it took for the kids to be entertained on and off all day for 2 days... they totally made the most of it!

hook 'em horns!

The outcome wasn't what we had hoped for but we still rooted for our Texas team till the very end... final score: Alabama 34 / Texas 21.

National Championship 2010

let it snow...

These two went to bed last night fully expecting there to be a blanket of snow this morning. They had worn the pajamas inside out, put spoons under their pillows, flushed ice cubes down the toilet and last but certainly not least, they had performed the "SNOW DANCE" - not once but twice!

Not one flake when they got up this morning but about an hour later, the flakes started falling and as you can see... pure joy!!!

our personal ice skating rink...

Yes, this makes two pictures for December 6, but I can't resist. Reece demonstrates his fine skating techniques on our frozen "pond"... the result of 5 days in a row with temperatures that stayed below freezing.

a january sunrise...

No, I was not sitting on the porch, drinking a cup of hot tea... at 10 degrees, I was doing good just to take a step outdoors to capture this shot!

least you wonder...

Occasionally, someone will ask what I do with my days now that all the children are in school... seriously?!

back to school...

The holiday is officially over... back to school and back to homework! (and no - this picture was not posed!)

and he sleeps...

The boy goes and goes and goes... till he drops.

games, games and more games...

With the New Year's holiday comes football... lots and lots of football.

On a break from WATCHING football, Colton, Brock, Daddy and Uncle Ricky play some indoor football in our basement. Reece and Aunt Courtney engage in an air hockey game in the background.

happy 2010!

What's New Year's Day without black-eye peas?!

Today marks the beginning of my year-long journey...

...one photo at a time.