feathers from my nest: January 2011

Blizzard of January 2011...we never ever get this much snow!! The weather men had been predicting this storm for over a week and this time they finally were right on it!! We got 8.5 inches at our house but other areas around us got as much as 12 inches. Today we are on our 3rd day out of school but feel like today will be the last snow day for Sam. Chad went back to work today and what is normally a 25 minute drive was an hour and half this morning, CrAzY. We have thouroughly enjoyed our time at home and in the snow!! I feel like a bear thats about to hibernate though....gotta stop eating and get back on our normal schedule!! We have been sledding.sledding.and more sledding. Made some snow cream that was yUm-O. Snowball fights. Lots of fun times for sure. But....the snow can go now, I am so ready for SpRinG!!

this was shortly after the snow began on Sunday night, it came down so fast and was beautiful

it didnt take long for the snow to accumulate

our house... Monday morning we woke up to 8.5 inches

we headed up to the M-ville ball park where there was a great hill for sledding with friends

me and my boys about to head down the hill!! so much fun!!

the big kids had as much fun as the little kids :)

Love the excitement on their faces

my CrAzY hubby!

going down on the boogie board

Love it!!

gotta have one more bite!

these kids had a blast!! memories to last forever cause this sure doesnt happen often around here!

what a cute bunch!!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Yea for All A's and KK's

Already time for report cards again?!? and all A's =) Im telling ya, I think time just passes a little faster each and every day. Seems like Sam just started 1st grade and now we are to the halfway point already!! So very proud of Sam and his grades. His reading has progressed tremendously, has become quite the little speller, loves to do math problems, and amazes me reciting his bible passages (not just verses & he is alot better at it than me for sure). Keep up the good work buddy! You make us extremely proud!! Of course the most important part to Sam was getting some free KK for his A's and I have to admit it makes me excited too! Yea for KK!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Jesus Calling

My friend Kera shared in this post that she had recently gotten a new devotional and loved it so much that she bought several more to give as gifts. Well I was already planning to go to Lifeway this week because I had plans to get Sam a new devotional (we have this same adventure bible for him and love it), so while I was there I went ahead and picked up the one Kera had recommended for myself. Its called Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. It was $11.99 at Lifeway, so not as cheap as you can get on Amazon but I wanted to go ahead and get it. When I checked out the lady immediately said you will love this! She also said she buys them and gives as gifts because its the best devotional ever. This made me so excited to get started on it that as soon as I got in the car I had to read todays devotion and knew I would read the others I had missed later. Can I just say WOW!!!
I will just share with you todays devotion:

January 6

I AM ABLE to do far beyond all that you ask or imagine. Come to Me with positive expectations, knowing that there is no limit to what I can accomplish. Ask My Spirit to control your mind, so that you can think great thoughts of Me. Do not be discouraged by the fact that many of your prayers are yet unanswered. Time is a trainer, teaching you to wait upon Me, to trust Me in the dark. The more extreme your circumstances, the more likely you are to see My Power and Glory at work in the situation. Instead of letting difficulties draw you into worrying, try to view them as setting the scene for My glorious intervention. Keep your eyes and your mind wide open to all that I am doing in your life.

Ephesian 3:20; Romans 8:6: Isaiah 40:30; Revelation 5:13

If you read this, it may or may not speak exactly to you in regards to something in your life and I hope that it will give you as much encouragement and hope as it did me. I was amazed and of course felt like it was speaking right to me!!! I also thought, how AwEsOmE is that... that was my first devotion of the year.... If you are looking for a new devotional to start this new year, I think this is gonna be a great one! I am so excited to see what God has in store for me this year, I just cant wait... and I hope and pray that he has great things in store for all of you!
Thanks Kera for sharing!!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

A Commitment I Must Fulfill

I have followed the LPM blog pretty much since I started blogging.... I love Beth Moore!! Just finished up her Esther study with some great friends before the holidays and let me just say it was a MAJOR BLESSING to me. She is such an inspiration!! Thanks to some motivation from a couple blogging friends I am gonna jump on with the Beth Moore Siesta Scripture Memory Team!! Feel free to join in if this motivates you too, its not too late!! I will faithfully be memorizing 2 bible verses of my choice each month. You share the verses that you pick with all of the other siestas on Living Proof Ministries Blog (Beth Moore). You pick a verse at the beginning and middle of every month and she will let you know when its time share them on her blog. To get the complete details please refer to this post. I will admit I started this last year...I had all of my index cards organized, got off to a great start, but I didnt stick to it....this year its a commitment I'm making to God and myself and its one I must fulfill!! I cant wait to see what God will show me through his word.
I couldnt resist ordering this perfect little binder of index cards that Beth has specifically for this...you can find it on her website...only $3...so Im waiting on it to arrive :)
Thanks Sarah and Beth for the extra motivation on this!! Joy and Kera...Im gonna miss you on this next Beth Moore study you girls are about to begin :( :( :( You all are such blessings to me!!!

Memory Verse 1
Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the Lord and enjoy safe pasture.
Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. Psalm 37:3~4,7a NIV

Would love to know if anyone else who might be reading decides to join in!! It will surely be a blessing!!

Monday, January 3, 2011

A Very Merry Christmas!

Well Christmas break is over....:( Sam went back to school today. I spent the day getting my house back to normal. Sad to see the holidays go!! We have had the best time together!! and there is nothing better than just spending time together as a family. Chad was off work this whole past week....we spent the days staying up late and sleeping in, playing with all of Sam's new games & toys, being lazy, staying in our p.j.'s all day and dont let me forget...dancing!! I bought Just Dance 2 with a gift card for (myself) and it is a blast!! Hilarious but a blast!! Hope I dont bore ya too much with Christmas pics but I took a bunch, as usual ;)

We started Christmas get togethers on Wed. before Christmas...this was before we headed to Chad's mom & step dads house

Christmas with Chad's mom & step dad...

Christmas Eve we got together with my mom, step dad, and my step sister's family...Wow! Popa & Granny Sue got Sam a T.V. for his playroom! Now he really hopes that Santa will bring that PS3 he wants so badly!

Sam & Caleb~sweet cousins =)

Popa, Granny Sue, & Sam

then it was time to head home and get ready for Santa! Sam was the most excited about Christmas that he has ever been!!

Getting cookies, milk, & carrots ready for Santa & Rudolph

Sam's letter to Santa ;)

Finally got Sam to bed & LOOK! Santa came!!

Love.Love.Love. my baby's excitement!! He wanted a pillow pet so so bad and daddy told him he didnt need it but look what Santa brought!! So excited!!

a PS3 game???? that must mean there is a PS3 here somewhere?!?!

Bop it!! I am addicted to this game...fun!!

Yea...General Grevious Star Wars lego set!!

and finally the last present he opened!! he got his PS3...although not sure who was more excited about this, Sam or Chad?!?!

he even got a phone call from Santa (a tradition that my PawPaw started and after he passed away my nephew has continued the tradation... my PawPaw loved to do this, I can just hear him now....Ho, Ho, Ho!!)

waking up to a white Christmas....it cant get much better!! I dont ever remember this happening and it was just beautiful!!

My sweet family!

and we have done this every year on Christmas morning since Sam was old enough... I think it will be funny and great memories to look back at all these silly pictures one day!

finally we had to make time to go play in the snow before getting ready for Christmas lunch with family.....

my snow angel!!!

and our Bama snowman

the snow was just beautiful!!

can you tell his cheek and ear had been pelted with a snowball

firing one back at dad ;)

back in the house... one last pic with all that Santa had left!! must have been a very good boy!!

Christmas lunch with my family at my moms...

my little brother Wes (really my nephew but may as well call him my little bro! we are so close in age its always seemed that way) and Sam is his shadow!! Isnt Wes' dog Mily too cute!! She is 4 months old and rotten!!

We had a wonderful holiday season and hope that all of you did too!! Cant believe its already the New Year! Hope all of you have a blessed 2011. Enjoy every minute with your family, it just seems to keep going by faster & faster!

Monday, January 24, 2011

IT's the 100th day of ScHooL....Already?!?!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Meridianville MaGiC = CoUnTy ChAmPs!!!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

On this pillow you will find...

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Siesta Scripture Memory Verse Team ~ Verse #2

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

bliZZard 2011 = bEsT of TiMeS with fRiEnDs!!