Happy Wednesday! The sun is shining here, so it's a great day! The boys are playing or making a mess! I'll look at it as, playing. ;) Thank you all for the sweet Valentine cards and happy's last week. The boys had fun shopping Friday night. They bought Superman lunch boxes on clearance at Old Navy, cookies at the mall, and a few books at Barnes & Noble. They even shared a dollar with Mark and I!

If you would, please keep Mark in your prayers for the next 2 weeks. He has his last big test March 2. This one actually counts and can/will impact what fellowship he gets accepted into in a few years. He still loves what he does and the schedule has been so nice this month. However, next month will change and April will be even tougher. It's hard to believe we've almost been here a year and won't be packing in a few months! So nice to know and will be better on our pocketbook come June!

This year I am challenging myself to give more and forgive those that I need to forgive (for whatever reasons) basically just not hold a grudge. Money is tight when it comes to just handing out cash to others, so I've been trying to make things or cook or volunteer or just pray for others. I feel God has really been blessing me and showing me things to make me rely more on him. I've been going through a rough time personally with different issues. I recently started a new class at the gym and LOVE it! I'm not one to do classes especially by myself, but it's been good for me to make that change and do something for myself for an hour. I've found peace these weeks in knowing that God has our day planned for us and know exactly what we will experience. That alone just amazes me and stops me in my thoughts sometimes. It's comforting to know we are not alone. That being said, we must love ourself before we can move to pleasing and doing for others in hopes that they love us more or like us enough to do ______. We were created beautifully in God's eyes and should accept that!  

Thought I'd share a few new recipes too! Both can be made healthy. The first is creamy chicken for tacos or I even think it would be good on a taco salad. The second is Banana Bread.

Creamy Chicken:
Place chicken breasts in a crockpot. Add a packet of taco seasoning to the top. Mix a cup of salsa with 1 can cream of chicken. Pour this over the top. Once the chicken is done, take it out and shred. Put back in pot and add 1/2 cup sour cream. Mix together and serve in tortillas.

 Low Fat Banana Bread Recipe:

Ingredients: 
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (3-5 bananas)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions: 
In a medium bowl combine eggs, mashed banana, sugar, and applesauce.  Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Mix well.  Pour batter into greased pan and bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes for one 9x5x3 pan or bake 40-45 minutes for two 7 1/2x 3 1/2x 2 inch pans.

Hope you'll try and like as much as we have! Have a fabulous rest of the week! Love to all...

Hmmm...

I never have to wonder what my boys are thinking because most of the time they just share it with me. I've been remembering a few things they've said lately so I could share, but forgot to the other night when I posted.

Me: Anderson, go get me a diaper so I can change you.
Anderson: No thank you!
I guess good manners got him out of that one!

The boys stay in the childcare area while we workout at the gym.
Me: Did y'all have a good time? What did you do?
Bently: Yes, we worked out with the ipad!

Tonight when I parked (mind you it was raining so I wanted the closest spot) Bently asked if I could find them a spot closer.

Hmmm, I was hoping they would grow up with a semi-healthy lifestyle, but I'm not so sure if he works out with an i-pad and wants the first parking spot!!! ;)

They are really in to singing right now. Anderson will sing "Where is Bella? Where is Bella? Here I am"...but the poor girl in his class is "Ella!" I think he may be confused with his cousin! Speaking of cousins, we made them all Valentine treats. Bently said last week, "Since Tag and Bella aren't coming, can I have their chocolate?" Nope, son, I am mailing theirs!

Bently asked the other morning while I was driving to school, "Did you get everything we need?" Hmmm, I've been packing you 2 boys up for some time now and today you are worried if I got everything you need. "Yes, all is covered!"

They make me smile. They make me tired. They make me laugh. They make me scream. But most of all, they make me proud to be their Mom!

Have a "Lovely" Week

I didn't realize it had been so long since I had blogged until someone brought it to my attention (cough, cough Emma!) But it doesn't seem like much has been going on lately. Mark is in clinic this month so he comes home at normal hours which is nice, but then we're not sure what to do in the evenings...kind-of weird! I've subbed the past two Fridays along with my regular days so these weeks have gone by fast. This past Friday, it was in Anderson's class. He kept saying, "Stay with me, Mommy!" He knew I am usually in Bently's class.

We had company come Friday night and they left this morning. The boys were so excited. Thursday and Friday morning, they woke asking if Kylie was coming today. Then when they finally got here Friday night, Bently just smiled and starred as though he was shocked. It was priceless and precious. They had a great time just playing together! Saturday we took them to the circus and then to the riverwalk park for a picnic. Thankfully the weather was warmer and nice. It was hard to let them go this morning. I almost kept Nolan because he fit in so well with the boys. They were gentle for the most part, but wasn't quite sure why he wouldn't talk to them! :) He is one good baby!

Anderson painting while i was in his class Friday!

Just a little male bonding time!

But always plenty of time for sweet nothings!

My big boy saying his pledge at school!

Team work for Daddy's Valentine this year. He has already snooped and found it, but he'll still get it Thursday!

Today the boys helped me make cookies for their Valentine party here at the house Tuesday. However, once they realized that they could eat one, then the help was gone...this appears to be a busy week with something every day except tomorrow and Mark works next weekend, so the boys and I may head to Columbia for some time at Edventure. I hope you all have a "lovely" week!

What A Crazy Week!

Last weekend we went to Atlanta for Mark's conference. Sounds fun and we made the most of it, but I had a kidney stone start moving. I thought I was getting off easy because by Saturday afternoon I was better. Sunday was a whole new story...I ended up at the ER there to get some relief so that we could make it back that night. Again, I was reminded that God has our days planned out for us and I'm thankful the boys were able to stay with their Aunt and Uncle and play with cousins they never see. Initially, I wanted to stress and feel as though i imposed on them, but it all worked out. I haven't had a stone in several years, but this one lasted a little too long! Thursday was my first day back to normal. And today I was able to get back to the gym to work off my 2 bags of fluids!! ;)

Thursday night, Anderson started throwing up when we were headed in Walmart. I stopped in my tracks because I have never dealt with this with the boys. I turned around, stripped him down (& me as much as I could) and we came right back home. Thankfully it only lasted that night because we had one last resident dinner party last night. Unfortunately, Mark was at the store at midnight Thursday getting all we needed to host last night. CRAZY, but today is Saturday so that means we survived. We also had 2 prayers answered that we had been praying for, so that was the best part of the week. I say it often, but God is so Good!

Today has just been a fun, lazy day. The boys are great and growing! We are happy and blessed!

Love to all ~

Made it to the Coke Museum!

Tasting room fun!

All he wanted to taste was Coke - the real thing!

This post is dedicated to my husband! I feel as though I go on and on about how the boys are, what they do, how cute they are, and so on! But today I get to brag on Mark. 1) He is a great Dad (when home) and almost the best husband (if I can teach him how to wrap my Christmas presents instead of the plastic bag or better yet, just let the store do it! ;)) 2) He loves his job and that makes me so happy! 3) He has been getting wonderful reviews on how he is a hard worker, dependable, easy to get along with, knowledgable, and will one day make a great attending. 4) He is currently working on several research projects that will benefit him as he searches for a fellowship. To have anything published should make him proud. 5) This week, he's been getting up before work and going to the gym. The boys love to work-out with us upstairs. This makes ME proud because I feel that habits start young and if they see it's important to Mom & Dad, then hopefully they will continue. He's a great guy and if I had to choose all over again, I'd choose him!!

One little thing about Bently though! He is signed up for Prek 3 and will be playing soccer this Spring, Yay!!!!

Love to all

Attitudes?

So I just need somewhere to vent and this is where I chose to do it, so lucky you. If you read and have suggestions then please share. If not, then please pray for me!

I'm not sure if it's the age or what? But this week has brought all new attitudes to both boys. My days have been filled with talking back, fit throwing, and lots of tears. I feel like I am constantly counting to three, sending to time-out chair, or spanking. Don't get me wrong, there have been some sweet moments, but come night....I am TIRED! Mark has been late resident this week which means 11am to 11pm. In my words, it's a week of call because we are gone to school when he leaves and he comes home after the boys are asleep = no help. I have to wonder if God was really SURE that I was supposed to be a mom to boys?! I am no disciplinarian, but I am quickly learning. ;) I feel that if I invest this much time trying to correct the wrong behavior and model the correct then it will make the next years easier. Am I right???

I love my boys (and I hope all reading know the real me) and wouldn't change a thing about them because that is what makes them who they are, but I am just having one of those weeks when I am not sure I am being the mom I should. Kudos to my mother-in-law that raised 3 great boys!

It's the New Year!

It feels so good to be back home! Boys are out playing and finally getting to play on their swing set for the first time (thanks to all of the rain we have had!) Christmas is down and things are semi-organized. Dinner is in the crock-pot, so I am taking a few minutes to catch up on things. Good day? I'd say so! We all had a wonderful time in Louisiana last week. I can't say we did too much besides celebrate Christmas a few times, but it was great. The boys got to spend quality time with all of the grandparents and a few aunts. They played hard and I worked hard keeping the mess cleaned up after them! :) Guess that's the way it goes when you have lots of new toys to play with. I, personally, had a great Christmas. I didn't really ask for anything this year because I seem to have all I need right now, but got everything I would have asked for!! Worked out just perfectly. So with that, I say "thank-you!" Thank you to all that love us for who we are and give unconditionally. We love you and thank you so very much.

Now that it's all over, I can't help but think how fast March will be here. It seems that January and February is filled already with a conference in Atlanta, interview dinner, Success School, registering for Pre-K3 ;(, and so the list goes on. But March brings a vacation for Mark and a new nephew, so we are all pretty excited about that!

While our life seems to be going great except for the normal life that gets in the way, there are several others that could really use some extra prayer right now. I guess I would call them my friends even though we really aren't, but Rebekah and Garrett Thompson had to say good-bye to a sweet little 22 week old girl last week. All were praying for a miracle that she'd be born healthy, but God had other plans for her and them. This hit me so hard last week when I saw the news on facebook. I had no words and don't even know what I would do if I were in those shoes. So praying is what I am doing and I ask that you will too as they grief during this time. There are several other couples that have mis-carried recently (I'm choosing not to share their names) so remember these unspoken as well. I love the song that God will let us bend, but not break! Sometimes it's hard to see that, but oh so true.

Love to all and I hope that this new year brings you joy, peace, health, and so much more than you ever dreamed!