Memorial Day Weekend

I absolutely love the weekends, but what I love even more is long holiday weekends. I always enjoy getting to spend time with my friends and family on the weekends, but holiday weekends always seem extra special. We had a great time at the lake this weekend. Usually on holiday weekends our church will cancel our Sunday evening service and this weekend was no different. We didn't have church Sunday night, so we had a huge fish fry up at my parent's trailer at the lake. I can't even begin to tell you how good the food was. We had so much to eat, but man it sure was DELICIOUS!!! I'm usually not a fish fan, but I can say, my dad sure knows how to cook some fish. =) Several of our friends and my parent's friends came up and enjoyed the day. Later that evening Sean and Alyssa came back up and spent the night and we enjoyed a nice day on the lake.

Ben, Sean, Olivia, Owen & Addi playing in the water.

Don't you just love their little life-jackets? We went to as my dad says, "my mom's favorite store... Shop-A-Rama and picked these up. They're called "Puddle Jumpers."

Ben and my little water lover... Olivia. =)

Sean, Owen & Alyssa. Doesn't Alyssa look great? She's expecting Baby Asher!! (I can't wait!!!) =)

It's always fun to get together with friends and family, but let's not forget why we celebrate this weekend. I'd like to give a special thanks to our troops overseas who fight to protect our country to keep it free. Freedom is not free, it's paid with a HIGH price and I'd like to thank our troops and veterans for fighting for us!

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!

Storms, Storms & More Storms

Last night we were under a Tornado Warning. This isn't really that uncommon during this time of year, but since the tornado in Joplin, the weather authorities were really trying to be on top of things and get warnings out really early so people could be prepared and not caught off guard. If you know me, I absolutely HATE storms! I've never been a big fan of storms, but now that I have kids, they absolutely terrify me. I know that's awful because I'm the parent and I should stay calm so the kids don't freak out, but I don't like them at all! Thankfully Ben was home with us and we were pretty prepared prior to all the warnings. I'm so glad that I cleaned our pantry closet out due to my stock-pile from couponing, so we hunkered down in there until the storm passed by. I think the kids thought we were just having a big campout. LOL!

However, on a serious note, we don't tend to think about it, but in the case of an emergency, you need to have an emergency plan in place. I've never thought about it before, but when the weather authorities kept posting warnings, we decided we should get a plan in place. It was depressing and scary but we had to figure out what we'd do in case cell phone reception went out or if a tornado came through and demolished everything. Thankfully, we didn't have to use our "emergency plan," but at least now we know what we need to do in the case that something really bad does happen.

My New Found Hobby

I know this blog is mainly about my family, but I can't contain my excitement about... COUPONING!!! =) I just happened to turn on the tv and watch the new show on TLC , "Extreme Couponing." After one episode I was hooked. I started scrounging around and scouring the internet trying to figure out how to start couponing. I found this awesome website The Krazy Coupon Lady. It's been extremely helpful! I then started printing off coupons and buying copies of a couple Sunday papers and voila. I'm now a couponing mama! LOL!

The first page of my coupon binder =)

My coupon binder, finally organized. YAY!

My first "couponing trip". I spent $47.04... a 61% savings!!!

Flood 2011

If you've even turned on the news lately, then you've heard about the crazy storms and flooding that has been going on around here. I have never seen water out like it has been. Thankfully most of the rivers around here have crested and are starting to receed.

Here's a few pics of what we've seen lately...

(I'm not sure why these pictures are sideways)

This was one of the storms that came through. Dangerous cloud!

This was going to Ben's parents' house on Easter Sunday. Needless to say we had to take a different route. "Turn around, don't drown."

This is up at the lake where we camp. Where you csee the water, that's usually where campers are.

Ben took this picture the other day when he was driving to Hickman.

Here in Mayfield, we've been really lucky, but all the counties around us haven't been so lucky. Most of the surrounding counties are either experiencing high flood waters or they've had major storm damage. People have lost their homes, their belongings, etc. Please keep them in your prayers.

Mommy's Weekend Off

This past weekend the ladies from our church went on our yearly weekend retreat to Branson, MO to go to a Women's Conference at Bro. Jerry & Sis. Merlene's church (the one's who did Owen and Olivia's baby dedications). I look forward to going to this every year. However, this year I was a little apprehensive because I didn't take the kids with me. This was the first time that I'd been away from them. I went back and forth and back and forth about going. Between all the flooding that's been going on around here and just going away from them, I really debated it, thankfully I have a wonderful husband and he kept encouraging me to go and I'm so glad that he did. He took off work Friday and we left early Friday morning and came back Sunday afternoon.

We had such a good time. We usually stay at The Keeter Center. Usually we get the Presidential and Vice Presidential Suites. They're always so nice. Unfortunately, this year they were already booked, so I went on a wild internet goose chase trying to find us somewhere where we could all stay together. I went to HomeAway and searched for homes in Branson and I came across one that I just fell in love with. It was a new construction, it had 5 bedrooms, 3 baths. It could sleep 15 to 16 people. Does it sound nice yet? Well, it was!

This picture doesn't even do it justice, but it was so nice and relaxing. It's in a new subdivision which is close to Lake Taneycomo called Branson Canyon. I can't wait to stay here again. We've never all been able to stay together. We've usually had to split everyone up and stay like 6 to 8 people to a room, but this was so nice because everyone got to be together, but we still had our own privacy since there was so many bedrooms.

Another major reason why I didn't back out of the trip is because my friend Allie went with us. This was her first time to go to the Women's Conference with us and we both had a blast.

Sheila Isom was the one who ministered over the weekend and let me just tell you, if you've never heard her, you are missing out! She is truly an AWESOME woman of God. We've known her for several years and it was so good to get to spend some time with her and her prayer warrior Candace.

Church was just amazing. God really spoke to me and revealed bits and pieces of what lies ahead for our family. Some of it scares me to no end, but some of it makes me wish that it would just happen right now! We truly serve an awesome God.

Ever since we've got back home I've had this Clint Brown song going over and over in my mind. Here's the lyrics:

Waiting on You, Waiting on You, patiently waiting on You, I ain't worried about the time, cause Lord I seem to find strength while I'm waiting on You.

They that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength, they will mount up with wings like an eagle, they will run and never be weary, they will walk and never faint, that is why I choose to wait.

Waiting isn't always fun, but it is necessary when you are working for the Kingdom. Just like Jesus, He wasn't just thrown into this thing. The Lord first spoke to Mary and then Joseph... and well, you know how the rest of the story goes. My point is if we can just wait and hold on to the promises of God, He will not fail! It may not be in our time, it's usually not, but He is always RIGHT on time!  

The Perfect End to A Not so Good Week

It's been pretty crazy around here lately. A week ago today, I was off and it was a nice day so Olivia, Owen & I made a quick trip up to the lake. My parents were up there and I wanted to see how high the water had gotten since all the floods. Olivia acted sort of strange while we were there, but we just figured she was trying to figure out where she was at because we haven't been up to the lake since she was 9 or 10 months old. Either way, we stayed for a little while, then we headed back home. Olivia usually takes about a 2 to 3 hour nap during the day, but since we had been up at the lake around her nap time, she didn't get her nap out. So when we got home I laid her down for a nap. She slept for awhile, but then when she got up she was pretty clingy (which most of you know, she is usually go go go and doesn't stop for anything). She felt like an electric blanket. So I went and took her temp and it was 103.4!! I about freaked out!! She's never had a temperature and she's NEVER been sick! Yes, she's 18 months old and has been VERY healthy!! (Thank the good Lord)! So when her temp was so high, I immediately called the doctor. While I was calling the doctor she even threw up a little bit. =( Since it was after hours (it was like 6:00 pm), they told me that they could get her in but her doctor was already gone for the day and she would have to see one of the doctor's who was on-call. We said that was fine. My parents came over and kept Owen and we rushed her to the doctor. They got us back rather quickly and she ended up seeing her pediatrician's husband (he's a family practice doctor). Honestly, he wasn't that helpful. They gave her some Motrin and an antibiotic and then said that her ears were a little red, but if she was still running a fever tomorrow that we should bring her back to see her actual doctor (his wife).

The next day, I went to work and my mom came over to watch the kids. I came home on my lunch break to see how Olivia was doing and my mom said that she hadn't peed all day and that she felt a little warm. I checked her temp and her fever was 102.1. I called the doctor and they told me to bring her in. I was terrified. I immediately thought that they were going to put us in the hospital because I figured she was dehydrated. When we got back to see the doctor she looked at her ears and looked in her throat, you now, the usual work over. Then she said that they were going to do a test on her ears, they wanted to check to see if there was any fluid behind her ears. When then went back to the exam room and the nurse proceeded to draw her blood. =( I think I was just as traumatized as Olivia was. (Like I said, this was her first time to be really sick). Her lab results came back ok, but the doctor said that she had tonsillitis and that I needed to try to get an ounce of juice, water, anything down her per hour to keep her out of the hospital. They then gave her an antibiotic shot and sent us home. Hallelujah! At least we didn't have to go to the hospital! The next day I took off work to stay home with her, but thankfully she started feeling better and by the middle of the day her fever broke. We stayed in Saturday too, but Sunday was Mother's Day and since she wasn't running a fever and was feeling much better we decided to go to church. 

After church my mom had fixed lunch for my grandparents and us so we went over to their house to eat. 

This was what I found when I got home. =) I have the best little family ever! Ben had placed a rose in Olivia's room, Owen's room and in our room. There were rose pedals directing me to each room. Each rose had a note under it.

The note from Olivia:

"The Pink rose stands for you and me Mom. Girl POWER!! The things in common that we share. You are an amazing woman and when I grow up I want to be Just-Like-You. Not Dora or Olivia the Pig but I want to be like you. I love you Mom. Olivia.

The note from Owen:

The Yellow rose stands for Friendship, the friendship that I have with you. I'm only 4 months old I know, but somehow I know that when I am big, you and I will be the bestest friends. I love you Mom and can't wait! Owen.

The card from Ben:

The Red rose stands for Love pure, never ending love, the kind of love that endures all things. The kind of love that will never fail, fall or fade. This is the love that I have for you! You are a wonderful mother and the greatest wife I could ever have asked for. I love you! Ben.

Are those not the sweetest things???? Needless to say, my heart MELTED! I am truly blessed with a great husband and two wonderful children!

Afterward, we went up to the lake to spend the night and hang out with our friends Allie & Austin.

Olivia had a blast. As you can see, she is feeling MUCH better!! She LOVES the water! I didn't really know how she would react, but she wanted to just run right out into it. This is a good and bad thing. I'm thinking swimming lessons will be happening soon. LOL!

I think little man was just pooped. He loves riding around on the golf cart, but it usually puts him to sleep. =)

I hope everyone had a very Happy Mother's Day! I know that I did!