December has almost come and gone....REALLY?!?!

I haven't posted since the first of December so this will definitely be a catch up post!! We have been so busy as usual but having lots of fun!!

We have been playing lots of basketball with an undefeated season so far...only one game left and then it will be tournament time!! My little man is 33 there dribbling the ball... he has improved so much since his first season of basketball last year and has loved it!!

got a new Christmas tree this year and I love it!! I wanted a 9 ft slim instead of my 7.5 ft big tree...i love.love.love it!!
Sam started his lego advent calendar to count down the days till Christmas and our elf dasher made his grand appearance again for the 3rd year (sorry no pics of dasher :)
we took a weekend getaway to nashville and spent the night at the opryland hotel!! this was at the rockettes at the grand ole opry...it was a wonderful show, you weren't supposed to take pics but I had to sneak one of this beautiful nativity....it was just beautiful...the best part of the show for sure!!


saw the "real" santa while we were there!! sam has seen this santa every year for the past 3 years!!
played at ICE!! and can i just say we FROZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZE! "Santa Claus is Comin to Town"

our pic at the beautiful poinsettia tree... this was day 2 and we were headed to play in the SNOW!

Sams favorite thing was the snowball throwing range!! imagine that?!!
This was the best trip!! We had a blast!! Thanks to my aunt Judy...it was our Christmas present from her and we loved it!!
The SNOWBALL KING!!

on to Christmas fun at school!! this was polar express day...which meant wear your p.j.s to school, bring a pillow, blanket & stuffed animal!! they read & watched polar express, had hot chocolate. train cookies, popcorn and played games... fun times for sure!

my try at making some polar express train cookies :/

Class Christmas party on the last day of school and 2 whole weeks off for Christmas break!!

Sam was proud to pass out our Santa and reindeer cookies =)

a big hug from Mrs. Hogan and we will see you in the New Year =)

and I think this brings me up to date!! whew!! what a relief!! I have been putting that post off for a while just because I had let myself get SO behind!!

Now to enjoy Christmas break with My2BoYs!! Im so excited....

I sure do miss these days...

I will admit every stage and every phase with Sam is so much fun! So many great memories and fun times we have shared!! But.... I sure do miss these days....

{Happy Thanksgiving}

So many blessings...so much to be thankful for... {Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name}Psalm~100:4...all the thanks goes to Him!! Hope all of you have a very BleSSed Thanksgiving with your families. I cant wait to spend the day with mine and all the yummy food!! Love to you all~

{When God takes something from your grasp... He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better. The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.}

Busy Making Bama MeMoRiEs!!

Well I guess this post comes better late than never!!! A few weeks ago we surprised Sam with his second trip to T-town but first BAMA FOOTBALL GAME!!! We told him we were taking him on an adventure and he had no idea where we were headed!! It wasn't until we were almost to Birmingham before we gave him his first clue... I played a country song "Just Roll With It"... well he didn't get it. So we stopped to eat lunch right before taking the Tuscaloosa exit and after we ate I put a Bama tattoo on his cheek and his response was " ARE WE GOING TO A BAMA GAME?!?!" YEA!!! He was so excited.... It was Bama's Homecoming... couldn't wait to get there and let him see what it was really like!!!
Checking out all the festivities on the "Quad" & Denny Chimes, the homecoming floats, and the Walk of Champions!! We had such a GREAT time!! He was just amazed to see the stadium, the football players, and all the people!! Although it was such a late game!! Can you say game time of 8 p.m.??? needless to say we got a hotel in Hoover that night and that made my little man even happier!! Not sure what it is with him and hotels but he LOVES it!! Hope we can make this a yearly tradition!!!

just a glimpse...

just a glimpse into our weekend that was jammed packed with lots of laughs & fun times!! whew! I am tired today!! Hope all of your little spooks had a
spook-tac-u-lar weekend!!

{have-a-spook-tacular-weekend}

Hope everyone has a great weekend!! We are gearing up today for lots of fun!! Trunk or treatin with great friends tonight...then tomorrow church and the afternoon at Tate Farms, Flint River invites everyone to go straight to Tate Farms from church for an afternoon of fun at the farm ...then for some more trick or treatin with friends tomorrow night!! Whoo-hoo!! Cant wait to see pics of all of your little goblins and ghouls, be safe =)

While Im Waiting...

Well most of you who read this already know we had another failed IUI this month. Im just ready to blog about it now....Last Tuesday was one of the longest days ever. I had my pregnancy test early that morning but didnt get the results till around 3 that day....it was negative...again! I cried and I cried yet I still felt God's peace. I wont say I didnt question why because thats almost impossible to do. At that moment I just felt like I was done. I couldnt keep going through these emotions month after month. Thanks to some of the best friends ever for such uplifting and encouragement!! God knew exactly that I would need you!! Then after some time passed I knew we had to keep "trudging" on. Chad says he's up for it as long as I am, that he just hates to see me so upset. The next day it was bible study day, perfect day for it!! God still was giving me encouragement to not give up on him to still "be still" and wait. A verse that was shared that day in study again pertained to waiting on the Lord..."Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him.{Isa.~30:18)
Beth Moore said do not fret, just wait and long.... and thats what Im trying to do.
Friday came and was another let down... I went back to the Dr. for baseline ultrasound and blood work ready to jump right back in for another month of shots and an IUI to find out that I had 4 large cysts that were basically left over from the previous cycle of Follistim and being overstimulated....what a let down! I was ready to keep going but again for whatever reason God's plan is for me to continue waiting. I cant do shots this month due to those cysts, I will be taking birth control pills in hopes they will all go away this month!! I was very frustrated after I left that appointment but again I just have to step back and look at how faithful my God is and always been to me. I am so blessed. I have to be thankful for that and just continue to praise, worship, serve, and love him.... while I'm waiting.
Thought it was funny yesterday that I heard this song... Ive heard it before but its been a long time...it was actually in the movie fireproof. So when I heard it yesterday, it immediately touched me. Its exactly how I feel.....




I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Takeing every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

a "celebration"

Sam got his first 1st grade report card last week. We have been so proud of him thus far, especially with his progress in reading!! Blows my mind how fast their little minds can catch on!! Anyways, he made all A's!! Whoo-hoo for Sam =) He was beyond proud of himself with every right to be, but when he got in the car that day he said, "mom, we get to have a celebration" and I said, "really, what's the occassion"? Sam replied, " I made all A's and we get to have a celebration" Ha!
So sure enough, we headed out for dinner at Mellow Mushroom (sams favorite pizza place) and then to top that off Krispy Kreme (all of our favorite =). He couldnt wait to show Krispy Kreme his report card and get free doughnuts for his A's!
We are so proud of you Sam, keep up your hard work!!

Fall Break~Overnight Get Away

Since we had to make a trip to Birmingham the week of fall break...we decided to make it a little fun for Sam!! Just a night spent in a hotel completely satisfies him!! Never have I seen a child who loves to stay in a hotel so much!! So, thats what we did, headed down...checked into our hotel, ate at the CHEESECAKE FACTORY, did a little shopping at the Summit and then the next day after my Drs. appointment we headed for a day at the zoo! It was an AwEsOmE day!! We did have to miss out on my favorite... the elephants because they are doing a huge remodel in the Birmingham Zoo and its supposed to be done by the spring. Just another reason for us to go back soon and check it all out =)