Teddy Bears and 80's Wear

We had a fun Friday!

ML had her 'Teddy Bear Picnic' Day at school.  I'm ML's room mom this year (JR's too, but that's another story!) so I got to be there!  I brought some blankets and all the other moms sent in refreshments and the kids had such a good time with their bears!

We walked down to the schools picnic pavilion, of course!

ML's Build a Bear from {our trip to Navy Pier} was the 'chosen bear' for the picnic!

After the picnic clean up, we headed to Target.  I needed a few last 80's touches for my friend's 80's themed 40th Birthday bash!

I guess 80's is the 'tween thing' because I found so much good stuff in the tween section of the Halloween area.

I busted out my hot rollers and my teasing comb.  My kids were so perplexed:

Ta-da (ta-daish? :-)  ML took my photo as Big Daddy was running late.  His plane had been delayed in Charolotte and we weren't even sure he would make it to the party.

ML wanted her picture taken too.  Wonder where she gets that pose???

The party was a BLAST!  Big Daddy made it:

And we had a fantastic time.  Happy Birthday L!

What we've been up to...

We've had lots of cousin time this month.  First we went to the local Children's Museum together:

 Always a good time!

 The weather has been BEAUTIFUL!!!  So lots of playing outside:

This. is what comes out of my son's backpack on a regular basis.  Please note the COFFEE TABLE sized Sports Illustrated book that my son was lugging around everywhere.  Plus the rocks.  So, so many rocks!  :-)

ML keeps blowing us away with her art.  She came out of her playroom the other day with these crosses.  We're still trying to figure out how she got this talent since the rest of us (all 3 of us!) can't draw or make anything pretty to save our lives.

Flowers from my 3 favorites:

More cousin time at Disney on Ice!

 It was a great time.

Yesterday we went to the local outdoor mall after school and rode the carousel and had slices of pizza outside on the patio.  It was a great way to spend an afternoon!

Just a little of last week

So many things going on!  I feel like we live in the car. :-)  Big Daddy and I always laugh when we think about how we wanted either 4 or 6 kids when we first were married.  I can't imagine!  I look at our friends with more than 2 and wonder how in the world they do it!  They have my respect for sure.  Here are some pictures I took of our week:

Grandma and Papa's house is evidently pure magic.  Butterflies:

 And the enchanted playhouse in the enchanted forest:

 I was the 'emergency' babysitter for some of my favorite little people!  Our 'old' Bible study group that we have been a part of for the last 3 years had their sitter cancel on them at the last minute, so I filled in and loved every second of it:

 JR's football game was a washout:

 You know what I love?  That you can take a picture of yourself on your iphone.  Who knew???  Great way to see if you look okay - ha!

 We went to 'pack night' for our local backpack ministry.  It was LOUD in there with all the paper bags and canned goods flying - a joyful noise though!

 JR's solar system project:

 I finally made it to my 9th grade girl's pep rally.  This is my co leader and I with our dance team girls, but we have girls in the band as well - so proud of all of them!

War Eagle! We headed down to the loveliest village this weekend.  

Lucky to have sweet friends who let us stay at the lake with them the night before:

We missed Tiger Walk, and after the game ML was dying to have her picture taken with a cheerleader.  Big Daddy ran into some friends whose granddaughter IS an Auburn cheerleader, so they told us to come with them and wait for their granddaughter:

So cute!

Well, while we were waiting on their granddaughter, out strolls JR's favorite player (with the tiny exception of Cam Newton) Philip Lutzenkirchen.  JR was speachless!  Philip was so kind though, signed JR's jersey and took a photo with him.  Made JR's week.  He has worn that jersey non stop ever since.  

We drove by Toomers.  So sad.

Yesterday, we went to the most adorable sheep themed mother/ daughter baby shower.  My friend Carrie put this together for her sister and I can't wait for Carrie to blog about this shower!  It's sure to be all over pinterest!  

They had a painting table for all the little girls:

 I mean, how cute are these take home gifts???

We also had an awesome dinner with some of our sweetest friends, and then it was off for a few more Sunday activities.

This kid cracks me up:

A great week!

Thankful

On September 11, 2001 I watched with the rest of the world, broken hearted, as the Twin Towers fell, a plane crashed in a Pennsylvania field, and the Pentagon was attacked.  It felt like time was going to be forever frozen in that moment.   The days and weeks after the attacks felt so surreal.

Of course, time did go on.  I could never have known then, that I'd be taking the picture below just 6 short years later:

 {My family of 4 in front of the Manhattan skyline - view from Liberty Island - Thanksgiving 2007}
Recently, a friend at our church spoke about how you live your life.  In his talk, he used a clip from the end of the movie Saving Private Ryan - the one where Tom Hank's character tells Matt Damon's character to 'Earn this.' after Hank's character gives his life to save Damon's character.  Of course, my friend who spoke was using the movie clip to point to how do we live our lives for Jesus, (NOT that we can EVER earn grace or NEED to earn grace! - that wasn't his point :-) but I also think about it today, when I think of all those people who perished on September 11, just going about their normal lives.  Oprah (yes, I used to watch Oprah - I was *that* stay at home mom! :-) once had a 9/11 special where she talked about how she thought about the 9/11 victims every day - how they got up and went about their normal routines - getting dressed, drinking coffee - having no idea what the day would bring.

I think about those things, I think about my faith - about how I believe God can take all things - even those meant for evil, and turn them into good - and I take a moment to reflect on how I'm living my life in the day to day.

Am I 'earning this?'  Am I showing respect for the freedoms I have been blessed with as a citizen of this country?  I love because I was first loved - because when I think of the love that Christ has shown to me, I can't help but love others because my heart just overflows with love.  I hope that in a similar way, I am respectful of my freedoms (and the freedoms of others) that so many have given their lives for - whether through service in the military or just through being attacked for being an American, as so many were on 9/11.

Thankful.  I am thankful for my country.  And I will never forget.