this is amazing.

this is such an interesting way to present the Christmas story.  i might have teared up watching it this morning.

 

this wedding...

...is a big distraction!  a fun one but definitely a big one.  i am really enjoying looking at all the thing we need to decide on but when they all hit at once, it's overwhelming.  

throughout our short time of engagement, God has come through in mighty ways.  i'm continually amazed at the way He is using my talented friends to help me with this wedding.  i've got one friend doing pictures.  another friend making/decorating the cake.  another friend traveling here to do all the flowers.  yet another one coming to do my hair & makeup.  another helping me with the cost of my dress.  God has provided each one and i am soooo thankful. 

saw this on facebook

Please put this as your status if someone you knew was killed by Lord Voldemort or any of his followers. As everybody knows, being killed by a killing curse, having your soul sucked out by a dementor, or getting petrified by a basilisk is a truly tragic fate for anyone; muggle or ...wizard. 93% of people won't reblog this... for they are... already dead. Together, we can stop Voldemort.

this is one of the funnier things i've seen - at least in my opinion!!  really ready for nov. 19th!!! harry potter 7 - here we come!!

so to bring you up to speed

it's been a whirlwind month.  crazy busy and crazy wonderful!  on october 15th, kevin and i got into his truck and started driving to michigan (!) to see his family.  we eventually made it on 21.5 hours of driving later.  his family is great.
sunday, october 17th rolls around and we get ready to go see some sights and do a little hiking and look at what is left of the fall leaves.  we start off at a trail to memorial falls in munising, michigan.  there is one other small group of folks there.  when they leave, kevin looks at me and says, "i have a surprise for you."  then he gets down on one knee and asks me to MARRY HIM!  i immediately start crying and say YES!  then we had to take lots of pictures. none of which will upload but i'll try that later.

i felt this question was coming but i wasn't really expecting it on this day.  i am so excited and amazed at what God is doing with the two of us and what is going to continue doing.  i am blessed with the most precious man who is exactly the right person for me.  as i tell him all the time, i am a lucky girl!

so as far as planning goes, i will become a mrs. on march 5, 2011.  i found a dress for a steal and we have picked some colors.  we are ready to taste some cake and pick out invitations.  we are super excited to have all our friends and family around us to celebrate this next chapter in our lives!

yahoo!

summer in review...

i stink.  no posts for over three months.  i must have been busy!   so here is an entire summer recap!

listening to: music for hero headquarters vbs, the sound of children's laughter and a bit of whining in the back of the church bus, anything to get my ipod into more use!

watching: lots and lots of movies...saw inception at the theater.  totally stressed me out. overwhelming movie.

reading: a series by Lori Wick of which i cannot remember the name.  other than that just magazines - Lucky, Real Simple, People Style Watch, and Southern Living.

eating:  a lot of sack lunches and kid snacks. i went on a lot of day trips this summer!

drinking: same old, same old.

wearing:  cool and breezy things. and flip flops

lusting after:  longer hair that will be prettier when pulled into my standard ponytail.

peeved by:  parents who are late dropping off their kids and also picking them up.

brainstorming on: back to school/weekly programs planning. here it comes!

excited about:  meeting kevin.  now known as the most wonderful guy in the world.  i'm the luckiest!  God has blessed me beyond measure with this man.  cannot wait to see what's in store for the two of us.

thankful for:  a good church that allows me to do lots of fun things with the kids over the summer and for the parents that show up on time.  thank goodness!

may in review

listening to...some old music that i found (and had been searching for) - caedmon's call, bebo norman, my find rest cd!, and jennifer knapp - all the first cd's these artists put out.  i found them in a box in my garage where i had cleaned out my trailblazer when i sold it 2.5 years ago.  i'm ridiculous.

watching...not much to be honest with you - just some random movies from netflix

reading...the mark of the lion series by francine rivers - soooooo good.  and i read water for elephants for book club - another good read.

eating...not much of anything that i have cooked - seriously, my friends are awesome cooks and incredibly generous for always feeding me!

drinking...the standards - diet coke, sweet tea, milk, water

wearing...anything that will keep me cool

lusting after...a new vacuum cleaner

peeved by...yellow flies - evil in bug form

brainstorming on...what to get dad for father's day

excited about...baby girl patrick making her appearance in the world.  also "sparky" thompson's debut & VBS is just around the corner - 5 days!!

thankful for...the life of scarlett the wonder cat - she died on june 5th.  my heart broke a little that day but i am incredibly thankful for the love and sweetness of that cat.  i miss her bunches.

the distraction of turning 30

well, i have been 30 now for three days.  i'm still getting adjusted to this fact!  i had a fabulous birthday.  in fact, it might have been one of the best ever.  i felt very loved by family and friends.  it was just a happy day.

i thought a lot about all that happened over the last ten years.  i don't remember all of it but many things did stand out.  i thought i would list the most important ones...

-i worked at summer camp
-i transferred to a smaller college
-i graduated from college!
-i worked at a radio station (& had lots of fun doing it!)
-i got my first children's ministry internship
-i discovered my love for children's ministry
-i moved to texas
-scarlett the wonder cat came into my life
-i discovered that i didn't like to be that far away from everyone i knew
-i became independent
-i moved back to georgia
-i got my first real children's ministry job.
-my papa died.
-i lost my first real children's ministry job.
-i moved to florida
-my grandma died
-lucy came to live with me
-i met, dated, and broke up with my first boyfriend
-i bought a house
-i became a certified christian educator in the United Methodist Church
-met some amazing people
-loved my God
-participated in some awesome Bible studies
-dated some other boys
-fell in love with my tiny neighbors
-sold & bought a car all by myself!
-got my puppy

it has been a busy and adventure filled ten years.  i can't wait to see what God has in store for the next ten! 

april in review

listening to...hillsong united specifically desert song

watching...more gossip girl (this is getting bad)

reading...a little ashamed to say that i jumped on the twilight bandwagon.  i've read the four books but i have to say i'm not consumed by them.  they were weird.

eating...stuff not made at my house - it's been a while since i actually cooked

drinking...sweet tea, diet coke & water

wearing...my new favorite pair of jeans/capris.  1921s - they are great!

lusting after...a beautiful yard that just appears by snapping at it.

brainstorming on...end of the year parties for my weekly programs and VBS

excited about...lots of folks coming to visit over the next couple of months!

thankful for...puppy training at petsmart.  they are helping make darcy a better dog!

end of the year party

each year, i throw an end of the school year party for the ending of our afterschool programs at my church.  this year, i asked for suggestions from the kids.  i would now like to share them with you.  there are definitely come creative minds in this bunch.  (obviously no idea of what "budget" means either!)  i am including their spellings.  my comments will be in red, just so you know.  each bullet point is a separate kid's ideas.  i love this!

so for your enjoyment...

-go skiing or shipwreck island water park in panama city

-field trip (sea world), inflatables (bouncey houses, slides, etc.), gross party, art party, sweets party, sports party, animal party, costume party, silly party, haunted party

-3 bounce houses, water slide, pump it up, day of video games, candy pool, slip-n-slide, candy for snack, capture the flag (boys vs. girls), sumo wrestling, obstacal corurse, zippline

-water balloons and water slides, water day, throw pies at miss deborah (lovely), throw paint balls at miss deborah (also lovely)

-water gun, paint balloons, skick are head in pie, a bowl of jello and try to get marbiles with our toes out of the jello, ships & sailors with wanter on the ground, big marshmallows in our mouth & try to get it as far as u can who ever wins gets to throw a pant pie mixed with pie at miss debra, if it's a tie, miss derbra throws at us.

-a water aventer! watersile, water bouncey house, mini pool (or big), pizza & lemonade, bloons, MUD! (with dirt counting water), walk over to beach, walk over glass plats, thow pies at peaple (counting teackers), fight game (mud, stuffed animals, water bloon), piggy races (race on pigs) (this is the funniest one to me), pillow fight, break a water bed (what?).  MUD FIGHT

-the jumping balloon and jumping balloon slides, pump it up in panama city, night hide and go seek tag, velcro suit (an inflatable game!), capture the flag "boys vs girls", sumo wrestling, base ball "boys vs. girls", obie course, zip line, dodge ball, water balloon fight.

-bay, church wide hide & seek, giant slide w/ water, pump it up, candy pool, syrp slip n slide, football, velcro jumpy thingy, person claw game (no clue), capture the flag! "boys vs. girls", air sumo wrestling, arnold baseball (again no clue), maze, obby course, karoke, sky diving, zip line!!!!!!, fort battles "boys vs. girls", dodge ball, water balloon fight boys vs. girls, tie girls down on highway (nice, huh?), swiss alps, tug-a-war in mud, mud football

-pump it up house, 3 bouncy, slip in slide, candy pool, soda house, velcro suit, capture the flag(b vs g), air sof war, sumo wrestling, obi course, pump it up, day of video games, zip lining, paint ball war, dodge ball, water balloon fight, tug of war with mud.

-backwards day - for example: drawing contest with your left hand, other games: take two paper plates and try to made it from stat to finish only stepping on your plates.  the people that fall off become a shark and walk aournd the plates. (this is actually a really good idea that i'm gonna use for another time!)

-mud sliping slide, jello marbles, make a skit, water ballon fight, pain ourselves (i think this is supposed to be paint, at least i hope), squirt wipt cream on are faces, pick out seeds in a watermelon with our feet.

-messy games, water games, bouncey houses, water bouncey houses, pool party, pizza party, balloon party, fight party (pie fight, mud fight, balloon fight, pillow fight)

-messy games!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- on the last day of truthwalkers, i would like to do messy games, dive in jello, pie in the face, mud slide, soap slide. (there are pictures on this one!)

-go on roof, kick dodge ball, bouncey slide & slide in pool, soda pool, slip-n-slide, rubber band fight, velcrow suit, capure the flap, freeze tag boys aginst girls, sumo wrestling, opticle cource, bouncey football, glider, zip line, paitball fight (saftey gear), dodge ball, water balloon fight, ski down montana mtns, make mud house.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
last year, we did lots of fun, messy games.  so some of these ideas are continuation of that.  clearly mud is a big deal this year.  i'll let you know what we end up doing.

march in review

listening to...andrew peterson resurrection letters vol 2  & love & thunder.  on repeat.

watching...gossip girl (totally sucked in & can't wait for the next two dvd's to come from netflix), the big bang theory, and star wars.

reading...books by mary kay andrews & so long insecurity by beth moore

eating...annie's bean salsa medley

drinking...lots of sweet tea & today!!  a coke!! yahoo!

wearing...shorts and flip flops - finally!!!

lusting after...a good bathing suit body

brainstorming on...vacation bible school & end of the school year plans & summer planning

excited about...nick & amy's baby coming into this world - yay for tybee ann!

thankful for...my new workout partner - she's awesome!

course 2 and update

i finished my 2nd wilton cake decorating course last night.  in this class, we covered lots of flowers and last night we learned how to do basketweave for the sides of your cake.  now comes the decision of taking course 3 or not.  that one involves fondant and more flowers.  i didn't know if i could justify the cost but dad has graciously offered to help cover those costs.  decisions, decisions...

on another note - darcy is getting so big.  we are headed to the vet this morning for another round of puppy shots.  last visit she was over 13 pounds.  i'm guessing she's between 15 and 18 now.  i'm enjoying her so much and she is a big blessing to me!  i don't have a picture of her in her new snazzy collar yet but don't worry - there will be one soon!

here are a few new pics.

this is darcy and her boyfriend amos (he's a weiner dog).  she clearly is much bigger than him. :-)

laying in the sunshine after a hard day of playing in the back yard.

an oldie but one of my favorites.

february in review...

listening to...the new tobymac album - tonight - it's incredible!

watching...the no. 1 ladies detective agency!!  totally my new favorite show.

reading...primal by mark batterson - princess unaware by brenda garrison - and the director's guide to Hero Headquarters vacation bible school program.

eating...buttercream icing for my cake decorating class

drinking...lots of sweet tea because i have given up soda for lent.

wearing...way too many long sleeve shirts - i'm ready for SPRING!

lusting after...the ability of some of my classmates to make perfect icing roses

brainstorming on...ways to make healthy food taste better

excited about...a new friend in my life!

10 favorite places i've been

dallas, tx - shopping, eating, smu
nashville, tn - gaylord opryland resort
st. simons island, ga - epworth by the sea
apalachicola, fl - all of it
baldwin, la - UMCOR sager brown
destin, fl - silver sands factory outlets (they are awesome!)
atlanta, ga - the varsity, the fox, lenox sqare
nassau, bahamas - some botanical garden with flamingos - i don't remember the name
waleska, ga - reinhardt college - GO EAGLES!  (i should actually say reinhardt university but that's just strange!)
charleston, sc - hymans seafood - sooooo good

not a complete list but one i've been thinking on just the same.

it's now time to snuggle with a puppy.  later tater.

cake decorating

tonight, i had my second of four wilton cake decorating classes.  i freaked out the moment the teacher said, "frost your cake!"  this is the part that scares me.  she claims by the end of this class we will be able to ice a cake with NO CRUMBS.  needless to say, there were crumbs in my icing.

in tonight's class we learned how to use our star tip to make stars (obviously), curvy lines, zigzags, and star fill-in technique.  i'm good at stars.  there was a small happy dance done after this part!

we also learned how to write with icing.  a lot harder than it looks by the way.

at least i have lots of left over icing to practice with this week.

next week - icing roses!  oh, i'm excited.  

Grosgrain: Only the Best of Etsy Sample Packages GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Grosgrain: Only the Best of Etsy Sample Packages GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

this is an awesome giveaway from Etsy. you will get a box of surprises if you win!

have a great wednesday!

puppy distractions

a list of things i have said over the past few days...
- puppies don't lick computers.
- no. we don't tee-tee in the house.
- you are such a good girl.
- please. stop. the. whining.

i'm sure there will be many more over the next few months.  i am enjoying her so much. 

we slept with NO WHINING last night - thanks to melody's suggestion of putting a heating pad wrapped in a blanket in the crate.  Thank God!

january in review

listening to...the rain - it seems to always rain on the weekends.

watching...harry potter marathon - also, i watched the first two season of the tudors.  henry tudor smiles with his eyes - tyra banks would be proud.

reading...in the middle of mansfield park by jane austen, finished the lost symbol by dan brown and just starting sense and sensibility by jane austen for my book club.

eating...at audra's house - it seems she is feeding me a lot these days.

drinking...trying to drink more water and as always - diet coke

wearing...my snuggie - don't knock it.

lusting after...a new vacuum cleaner and a nintendo wii (still)

brainstorming on...names for the new puppy.  see post below!

excited about...PUPPY! and the cake decorating class i am FINALLY getting to take.  mondays at hobby lobby!

getting ready for...vacation bible school!!!  hero headquarters - here we come!!!!

current distraction - my new puppy!!

i went to the humane society on friday - just to look.  i've been contemplating getting a dog for a long time.  needless to say, i fell in love with a litter of puppies.  i picked the most beautiful one (of course!) and she is now snuggling next to me on the couch. 

she is absolutely precious and has been good so far. 

as far as names go - darcy is at the top of the list.  under that is jenny, katie, maggie or rosie.  any opinions would be welcome. 

5 things I've learned/realized/know

1. 5th grade girls are hilarious and most of the time they don't realize it.  also, kindergarten girls.
2. no matter how hard i try to remove it, there will always be cat hair somewhere on my person.
3. i don't feel like a grownup even though i only have 4 more months in my 20s.
4. i really do not understand the hype around twilight.  i haven't read the books only because i refuse to buy them.  although, if someone lets me borrow theirs, i wouldn't be opposed to it.  BUT, i don't get the whole vampire love thing.  it's weird.
5. i have way too much music on my computer/ipod.  it's a little ridiculous. and i keep adding more!

today's distraction

I had such a good day today until I got home from work.  I was focused and had a plan for my day.  Part of that plan was to come home, change clothes and go run/walk ala the couch to 5K plan.  Well, it was a little wet on the track and I decided to run on the small dry part.  Well, needless to say I stepped off the edge and fell right in the puddle.  I now have a sprained ankle, two scraped knees that are very sore, and a minor scrape/bruise on the palm of my right hand.  Apparently, I'm not cut out for running.  I sprained this same ankle four years ago during a race. 

On top of all of this, my cell phone fell out of my pocket into the puddle.  At least I have cell phone insurance so i filed my claim online and should be getting my new phone tomorrow. 

I'm just mad at myself.  This is not the best time to be injured. 

I'm done whining now.

december in review

december was a whirl wind.  i traveled for 1/2 of it and was at home and BUSY for the other half. 

listening to...Angels & Demons on CD (so good!)  and lots of christmas music!

watching...the Santa Clause, the Santa Clause 2, the Santa Clause 3 (that last one stunk by the way)

eating...all the yummy holiday food that was either given or offered to me.

lusting after...a Nintendo Wii

enjoying...my new kitchen stuff- pots and pans, food processor, and dishes!

excited about...2010 - it's got to be better than 2009.