Blessings!!

Today I must not forget all my many blessings!!!

I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.  Psalm 146:2

Man I don't know about you but sometimes my "worldly" attitude clouds all what I am grateful for...

The opportunity to own a home.
The opportunity to wash my own clothes.
The opportunity to walk, talk, laugh, and love.
The opportunity to have a husband that loves me.
The opportunity to have a little girl to call me "Mommy."
The opportunity to have life.

And last but not least the opportunity to know Christ as my Savior who gives eternal life!  The best gift of all!

Thank you Jesus for all my blessings!!!

Blogger break...OVER!

I must admit, I have missed blogging (a little) and I am ready to be back on target!  There was no rhyme or reason why I took a break but I just did.  As so much has changed and still changing around our house, I guess I have been pre-occupied with all the details. I know you have missed this face!!!

 To list a few changes, I started selling Thirty-One Gifts.  I LOVE it!!! Seriously, bags are my thing, so this is right up my ally!  If you are ever interested in booking a party or just wanting to order some adorably cute bags give me a call!!!  

I have also taken up the hobby of photography!  Again, seriously I could take pictures ALL day long!  I am FREE so give me a shout if you want some not so professional but in my opinion cute photos taken, I will be happy to shoot a few for you!  

The list goes on and on of all the things we have done since my last blog post, but I don't want to leave out a very important moment in my life, Ryan and I celebrated out 4th year of marriage!  

Marriage hasn't been the easiest but I wouldn't trade it for the world.  In 4 short years, we moved twice, bought a house, had a baby, bought a car, learned how to cook, sew, be a mommy and a wife!  I gave up a lot of my comfortable life for this sweet man who moved me to a small town away from fast food, a large grocery store, and a mall!  I gave up my "dream" job to only find out God was preparing me for my ultimate "dream" job, motherhood!  I have had to learn to budget, rely on one income and spending someone else money (VERY HARD FOR ME TO DO!)

We also celebrated our 6th, 4th of July and we are planning our daughters 3rd birthday!  Not sure if I can grasp my head around all that but it is all so real!

On top of being married for 4 years this summer has been so much fun! To start it off,  Lola went to her FIRST VBS!  She had a blast!  She had a little tummy issue the first day so I kept her home but she loved the rest of the week and the closing ceremony!  This was my 3rd year to teach crafts and it wore me out!  Cutting out crafts for 40+ kids can be exhausting for your wrist, fingers and mind!! I had a lot of fun and look forward to next year!

We have also been enjoying the sun and water!  We have some sweet friends who join us and we love every minute of our time together!

Along with enjoying the water, we have also enjoyed the zoo!  It's so nice to get out and let the kiddos run!! I love being a mommy and doing things with my girl!

With all our fun I must not forget the "here and there" photos and events like my first EVER fish fry!  Yep I actually have gone to two this summer!  You know the fresh fish they cut up, dip and fry! So fun!! Lola and I went to a gorgeous wedding, then to Fayetteville for my nieces birthday, Perryville to visit our besties and much more!!!  I can honestly say I am enjoying the summer and don't want it to end!!!

 And this sweet face makes life so much more enjoyable!  I can't thank God enough for this blessing!!! 

I hope you all have a blessed Wednesday!

Graduation and Mothers Day

This past Saturday we headed to Russellville to watch my little sister graduate!  I can't believe she is a college graduate!  It was just yesterday she graduated high school!  I am so blessed with her as a sister and I look forward to helping her plan her next big step in life...Getting Married!

Lola sat so sweet (well I won't mention the up/down, up/down motions she played for pretty much the last 30 mins of the ceremony) in a seat by her self.

 There she is!!!

 Sweet sisters

 4 generations and everyone was pictured out by this point.

 Suzanne with her nieces!

 My dad and his girls.

On Mother's day we went to church with my mom and then went to her favorite Mexican restaurant for lunch!  We had a great time!

 4 generations!  My mom's mother came down from Colorado and we had a great time visiting with her!  Oh how I miss her!!!

 And my Mother's Day couldn't have been any better!  She wasn't in the picture taking mood so I had to snap what I could get!!!

 Lola's choir program was on Mother's Day too!  I couldn't believe she got up on stage and sang her songs. She didn't really sign them on stage but she knows them and it is so sweet to hear her sing them!  So blessed with that precious little girl in my life!!! 

 After church we had my in-laws over for dinner.  It was yummy and our visit was great!

Happy Mother's Day to all my lovely mother friend!!! I thank God for blessing me with this wonder gift of Motherhood!

I forgot to post...

Once again we have been super busy here lately!  We have had so much going on and I don't see it slowing down anytime soon as we have summer passes to Wild River Country, The Museum of Discovery and the Zoo!!! We are going to be busy busy and I can't wait to spend some time with my girl soaking up some rays and playing at the museum!  

April has been a fun month!  We booked our trip to the beach, celebrated my mom's birthday and much more!

Happy Birthday Gigi!

Sweet Little Lola girl!

 I finished my spring/summer flower planting!  Lola helped plant them too(pulled them out after I planted them!)

 This past weekend we headed out to support Beyond Boundaries and our cousin Christine.  Christine has Cerebral Palsy but that doesn't stop this girl!  She is spunky and her joy for life is contagious!  She rides horses and if you know my girl...she loves horses (hint:her 3rd birthday might include a horse or two!)

Then we headed over to my Besties house to take a few pictures of her new baby girl, Tenley!  Isn't she precious?!

We also had a baby shower for my friend Stephanie.  She just had her 4th child and more power to her!!

Lola is such a ham these days!  I just love her!!!

One of these days...and a reminder to be Thankful!

One of these days I will get caught up on all of my blog post!  I still have Disney day 2-5 then other stuff here and there!! Excuse all my random post as they are going up here and there!

Last week I had to make some deliveries.  We went to a friends house where she invited us to stay and play. She made gumbo(I actually liked it) and we played outside!

We had fun looking at her animals!

 I have been trying so hard to have a little play time with Lola as a family!  One night we played tractors, blocks and big trucks... No babies... 

 This past Sunday we went to Ryan's grandmas 80th birthday celebration.  It was a nice event although Lola showed her "other" side.  But we knew how important it was for us to be there so we had a few "come to Jesus" meetings with the two year old and got through it.  It ended up being a great day!

 This week I started off the week with a few projects in mind.  On top of my crafts (that I am WAY behind on) my life as a mother and wife still continue.  Somethings can no longer be put aside.  The refrigerator was calling my name.  It was nasty!!!

                        BEFORE                                                                  AFTER

                                

I found these pictures on my camera.  

I have been struggling with being thankful.  It is so hard to see your blessing when you are surrounded by people who value things more than the blessing of life.  It is so easy to fall into the life that lacks thanksgiving.  Lately materialism seems to surround me.   It has and  is a struggle of mine.  I like things and enjoy having the best.  However, God has reminded me lately that the "things" in life that some people think they need only last for so long and to be thankful for what I have.  Those people who have to have the best and the newest cannot serve God as they are serving man.  Wow, that is hard to swallow.  As much as I have battled with some people around me that seem to have everything and more, has led me to the feet of Jesus begging for him to take control of my thoughts and fill them with thanks.  He has done just that.  I mean everyday something has come to my attention to what I have to be thankful for. 

 Lola is one of my blessings that I am very undeserving of and find myself taking advantage of being her mother.  I have thought all week about how thankful I am for the second chance of life God gave her!  I pray that she will grow up and glorify God and his kingdom and I will live each day in thanksgiving for the life God gave to me and the privilege of being her MOM!

 And I can't leave this jewel out... Check out her style...socks with sandals!

Happy Friday and I am very thankful for my mothers birthday tomorrow!!! Yea for cake and another year of life!!