bradford pears...

Our driveway is in bloom also...

blooms...

One of the many blooming plants in our yard...

all that's left...

Reece made an INCREDIBLE gingerbread house at school in December. He had to plan it out in advance, draw the design, figure out how much he could afford to "buy" of each supply (peppermints, skittles, candy canes, licorice, etc) in order to complete his design. Then he and his class spent a day building them at school. The result was amazing and the best result of the project was the pride and success that we could see in Reece when he came home with it.

It has sat on our kitchen counter since mid-December. I forgot to take a picture of it when it looked "beautiful"... but here it is, right before we threw it away. There's not much left... little fingers have picked and picked at it... still looks pretty cool, though, even after all this time!

a teenager...

Thirteen years ago today, I became a mother. Colton Cayce Powell was born bright-eyed, rosy cheeked and absolutely perfect in every way. Today, this sweet child of mine turns 13... we enter a new chapter in his life and ours. He is a teenager now and Cayce and I are the parents of a teenager. How did this happen? Where have the years gone? I don't like the way time flies by without our realizing it... but nonetheless it does... and it just seems to do so faster and faster the older we get. Colton is growing into a fine, Christian young man and leader and I am so very proud of him. I wish he was still my little baby, tagging along behind me, talking and singing me ear off with that sweet little voice of his... but I know he's growing up and I am so thankful he is allowing the Lord to guide his steps... I'm thankful he's still talking our ears off (although it's usually all sports related now) and I still love that sweet voice.

crashed...

This little boy goes so hard every day it's amazing he is able to make it till bedtime every night. Today, he played in his flag football game at 9 a.m. and then played outside with friends through Colton and Cecily's games. This afternoon, he talked Cayce into playing tennis with him, then baseball, then kickball, then they went on a 45-minute bike ride, then played soccer, then basketball and finally ended with an exercise workout involving hand weights, push ups, and pull ups. I'm tired just writing about it.

a birthday surprise...

Colton had his 13th Birthday Party tonight... It started at our house where he and his friends messed around in the driveway shooting baskets until they looked toward the street and saw this limo pulling into our driveway. Truly, they just stared - not knowing what to think - daring, I believe, to even hope that it might be for them. When they finally realized it WAS for them, out came the cell phones - they were taking pictures and texting friends and family as fast as their fingers would go - huge smiles on their face all the while - of course, still trying to act cool and collected at the same time.

The limo took them to our church, where they had a 2 on 2 basketball tourney, played dodgeball, watched some "March Madness" games and ate ALOT of food. Later, they drove around in the limo to see some friends before being delivered back to the house. More basketball, a game of "Rambo", cake and presents... and finally they were ready to settle down into the basement for late night movies.

It was a great group of boys - fun loving, good sportsmanship, funny and so well behaved. A wonderful evening and hopefully one Colton will always remember.

ballerina girls...

All dressed and somewhere to go... Cecily and I had our "Mother/Daughter" dance pictures made for the recital book tonight... it was my first time to have tights, tutu and ballet shoes on... felt kind of silly till I got to the studio and saw all the other moms dressed JUST LIKE ME. There is definitely comfort in numbers.

7 days together...

A picture of Chad Boyd praying with Colton and a fellow teen during our youth group's "7 Days Together". To quote one of our youth ministers...

"7 Days Together was born of an idea and a dream to experience something similar to what we read and believe to have been experienced by the first century church in the book of Acts. It is a sweet time that is dedicated to loving, learning, and sharing in the community God has given us. Simply put, it's about togetherness! Each meeting we will “dedicate ourselves to the Apostle’s teaching, the Fellowship, the breaking of bread & prayer…we will eat together with glad & sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of everyone present!!"

a healthier alternative...

My children have always purchased lunch at school. Always. No question. I don't like packing lunches - it's just one more thing to stress about. However, I have become increasingly concerned with the lack of healthy foods being served in the school cafeteria. So, I am now trying to pack their lunches more often... I am the first to admit that it won't get done everyday but I figure some is better than none!

The Lord's Prayer

It's amazing how quickly prayer can calm you down.

Not always but still quite often, school mornings are stressful and loud in our house. They start so calm and peaceful when I wake the kids and during breakfast but it's after that, that it all goes downhill. Maybe the kids start fighting or being ugly to each other. Maybe they're playing when they should be getting ready. Maybe they're watching tv when they clearly know that we don't watch tv before school. Maybe they're outside playing when I realize they still haven't brushed their hair or gotten a jacket. The list is endless but the result is always the same - I get "steamed", we get in the car and then starts my lecture. When I'm finished, I take a deep breath and calmly remind the kids that it's time for prayers...

Each morning, on our way to school, the children take turns reciting "The Lord's Prayer" and then afterwards, one of them leads all of us in a prayer. We've been doing this for years. And despite how worked up I am or the kids are, it's during this time of prayer that you can almost see the tension released and feel the peace restored. I love this time of prayer - to focus our minds on what is important before we begin our day: God. Loving Him and honoring Him in all we do. Reece often asks God to help him resist temptation. Cecily is good to always remember if someone is sick, or if one of the kids is going on a field trip, she will ask for protection for them. Brock usually asks that God will protect them from evil. Sometimes the prayers are short, sometimes they're long - but one thing is always the same: Reece, Cecily and Brock give their hearts over to God each and every time they offer up their sweet words.

ladybugs everywhere!

I used to like them but not so much anymore. Ladybugs are everywhere - all over the inside of our house. They certainly cause no harm - it's more a nuisance than anything else. Maybe with Springtime, they will be drawn outside again... one can at least hope.

a time to grill...

This is my second post for today but I couldn't let the day pass without recognizing that today marks the first official day of Spring... And with such an amazingly beautiful afternoon and evening, it was also the Powell family's first official day of grilling season! Grilled chicken, black beans and rice, and steamed broccoli... all enjoyed from our back patio table... it doesn't get much better than that.

The evening is so beautiful that even though it is now dark, I am still listening to the screams and laughter of my four boys (Cayce included) playing "21" outside on the "ball court" (our driveway). What a lovely day.

the return of soccer...

Cecily played soccer for two seasons when she was four. She had a blast - flitting and twirling all over the field in her big yellow bow and "power bead" necklace; hugging teammates and giggling all the way. Trouble was, she wasn't really interested in "soccer". At the end of that 2nd season, she announced she was retiring.

Now at 9, she has decided she is ready to try it again and today marked her official comeback. As with any comeback, the challenges are many - and for a non-competitive, little girl who doesn't particularly enjoy running (to say the least), the challenges will be great. But that being said, she ran hard today and stayed with it as best as she could. I'm not sure what the future holds in the world of soccer for our little Mia Hamm, but today I was honored to watch with pride her "comeback"...

full bloom...

The daffodils are in full bloom. Everywhere you look, all over the countryside, you see dots of yellow standing tall and bright against the bleak wintry ground. What an encouraging sight - that Springtime is upon us!

mr. sun...

What's this I see? Could it be? Oh yes, it is... The sun is shining all around me!

We haven't seen it in a while, but it was out today in all it's glory - shining bright in the brilliant, blue skies. It reminds me of Cecily when she was young... Every time we would drive by the "Price Cutter Warehouse", where there was a sun logo wearing sunglasses, sweet toddler Cecily would start singing, "Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, please shine down on me..." It was a song from the show "Barney", which Cecily loved to watch and I found it so cute that the sunglass-wearing sun logo would make her burst out in song. She's always been my "sunshiney girl"! Of course, then there was Reece - annoyed that she had to sing it every time we drove by. Some things never change...

brock's stash...

From toy cars to favorite reading books to drawings to his nightly journal... this cedar chest, which sits next to Brock's bed, is consistently "littered" with his favorite things. He keeps them at a close hand's reach to look at, play with and use before he falls asleep at night. Occasionally, we clean it off, putting everything away, and then slowly, one night at a time, the collection builds up once again...

almost there...

Today marked Colton's first attempt at field events in a track meet. He participated in the long jump and high jump. He actually did pretty well in the long jump but was no match for the powerhouse school of Brentwood Middle. The high jump was... well, let's say, a learning effort. He's getting there, thanks to some extra coaching by a good friend, and is loving it every step of the way. In his defense, though, only 3 boys made it to the 2nd round of the high jump - almost every single one of them "scratched" all 3 of their first attempts. So I guess you could say it's a learning attempt for all of them at this age.

what is this??

Can you tell what this is? It's a hole in the floor of our master shower, where the drain used to be. Looking through the hole, you can see right down to our garage...

Two weeks ago, I discovered a leak in our garage. Last week, we found out the leak was coming from our shower pipes and the day after tomorrow, the work begins. Thanks to the "expert craftsmanship" of the contractor we hired to gut and re-do our bathroom 3 years ago, our shower will undergo a major overhaul starting tomorrow. This time, it will be done right.

a game of toss...

Brock ALWAYS wants Cayce to throw the football with him. Reece and Cecily? Not so much. This evening was different, though. At dinner, Brock asked if he and Daddy could throw the ball when we were finished eating. Reece said, "Me too!" Cecily said, "Me too!" Cayce and I both almost fell over in shock... of course, we completely hid that shock from the kids but we could read each other's eyes well.

So after dinner, out they went (Colton was at Covenant Group tonight.)... throwing the ball till well after dark. No complaints. No fights. Just throwing. Wow... This is a moment to remember.

county finalists...

Colton's basketball team made it to the "County Championship Game". They played today and lost in OVERTIME by ONE point. Hard loss.

Losses like this can sometimes seem much harder than losing by even 20 points. There are so many "what if's" in games like this. But it was a fight well fought. Colton was "on his game," easily scoring 14+ points for his team (I couldn't keep up). He played great both defensively and offensively and was a true leader today. He put his all into the game even though at times he got very frustrated with what seemed like some "one sided" officiating. But - he stayed focused on the goal trying with all his might to bring home the win. The entire team played well and played hard. Good athletes. Good sportsmanship. Good coach. Good parents. GREAT season!

(This picture was taken by another parent... I unfortunately wasn't there for this picture moment.)

a "God thing"...

It was a magnificent sight this evening... Cecily's soccer practice started under sunny skies which quickly changed to dark, heavy clouds... the brisk winds set in and then came the rain. Practice didn't stop - and neither did the
skies... The sun broke through again and revealed not one - but two vibrant rainbows. I know that rainbows can be scientifically explained but really, isn't it just an amazingly perfect sight? Truly, it's a "God thing"... there's just no other way to explain it.

"Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." Genesis 9:16

brushing teeth is so worth it...

Brock learned an important lesson today... there IS a reason we tell him to brush his teeth everyday... and unfortunately, there ARE "not fun" consequences when we ignore our parents and don't brush our teeth.

The result of not brushing consistently? Two hours in a dentist's chair to have a pulpotomy done and chrome crown put in. And yes, we're headed back in 2 weeks to have 2 more fillings done... because it was just too much to try and do it all in one day.

Was the lesson learned, you ask? It may be short-lived, but I am happy to say that he is brushing AND flossing twice a day now.

spring is in the air...

Daffodils, Azaleas, Day Lilies, Iris' and even the trees... after several days of warm sunshine, springtime is popping up all over the yard!

making music together...

I found Cayce and Colton playing together on Colton's new keyboard tonight...

a sweet pitstop...

It was a teacher inservice day today which meant "no school"... and what a gorgeous day to be out... 73 degrees and sunny! Cayce came home early from work and we spent the afternoon doing various outside activities... geocaching (a whole other post for another day), biking, roller blading, ball throwing and rip-sticking. Possibly a favorite for the kids, though, was this "refueling pitstop" at "Sweet CeCe's" in downtown Franklin. I think everyone else in town must have had the same idea we did but it didn't stop us from enjoying our yummy frozen yogurt from "street-side seats"... A lovely day.

game time...

We played Monopoly today... and yesterday... and probably tomorrow. The game is the same as it was when I was a kid and my kids enjoy it as much as I did. Oddly, I STILL enjoy it! Reece, however, is the master at it - not surprising. The boy knows what properties to buy, which ones to pass on and how to "rack up" the money.

I still remember the first time I ever played "Junior Monopoly" with Colton and Reece... they were really young... we were sitting on the floor of our formal living room at our old house and I ended up winning. I made an "L" with my fingers, put it up to my forehead and said "LO-SERS" to them... they laughed till I thought they were going to wet their pants. They had never ever seen me do anything like that and truly, I have no idea what possessed me... but I will always remember how hard we laughed that night.

Games are a wonderful way to bring a family together.

center first...

This is what happens in the Powell house... always the center, rarely a side, NEVER a corner. Typically, when there's a fresh pan of brownies, pan cookies or rolls, the center piece is the first to go. Apparently, this is a "Powell characteristic"... and certainly Cayce is a shining example of "center first"... he has taught his children well. Thankfully, at least, I will eat the corners - or else we would have a very fat (and sick) dog.

a sign of spring...

It's definitely still winter out there but signs of Spring are "popping up" everywhere... a welcome sight indeed! This is the time of year when we have days like today - a blue sky, abundant sunshine and a cool breeze. Days that energize you and make you want to clean out the clutter, commit to an exercise routine, plant a garden... conquer the world. I love days like today.

music maker...

While all of our children are gifted musically, Colton is the one right now who really seems passionate about playing an instrument. He plays the piano for HOURS - or even just for a few moments if that's all the free time he has. He is constantly trying to teach himself songs from the radio or compose new ones himself. Today, Cayce and I gave him a keyboard to keep in his room... it's an early birthday present and it's not fancy but good for a beginner. To say he loved it would be an understatement. The only problem? How will we get him out of his room now?!

under 100!

Colton has been home all week with an apparent fever virus. The highest it got today, though? 99.9 - and that was tonight before bed. According to county policy, temperature must be below 100 degrees for at least 24 hours before a student can return to school. And that would mean that Colton returns tomorrow!

gettin' there...

My work has almost come to an end... Fall/Winter clothes are packed away for the August sale, bags are packed with lots of goodies for Goodwill, and lastly, all Spring/Summer clothes and toys are organized and tagged. I'll finish loading the car tonight and then I'm ready for drop-off in the morning. Yeah!

cleaning out...

Every Spring and Fall, I clean out the closets and garage to find stuff that needs to be consigned or given away. This is what I am in the middle of right now... I have to drop consignment stuff at the church sale on Wednesday morning so it is consuming me right now. Think I'm almost there, though!

It's a lot of work, and a couple of years ago I decided it just wasn't worth the work anymore. But I've changed my mind. I don't mind the hassle and I enjoy making a little money every once in a while - it's fun to come up with something fun and different to spend the money on...