Happy Birthday Hayden!

Say it Ain't So.......13!

Today is the Birthday of one special young man! He is son #1's best friend. These two started pre-school together and now are in the 7th grade. It's hard to believe that H is now 13! He is just like one of mine! I love him to pieces! He is one awesome athlete and duck hunter! I've watched him grow up and he is one fine young man. I love to make him cat head biscuits and watch him eat'em with grape jelly! He loves music and I can see him on stage in a few years playing the guitar.

That is H pictured above by himself in front of the beautiful sail boat. And the other pic is of him, my two, and my niece and nephew. They all have such a good time when we vacation and just hanging out around the house.

Thanks for being such a good friend to son #1!

So here's to you H......we hope you had a great day and the boys are looking forward to the party this week! We love you and wish you a lifetime of happiness!

Love you, J, C, J & J

P.S. Due to technical difficulties.....the video I've been trying to upload, download, transfer, save, pull out of the nice little camera and put on this for you.....JUST WON'T WORK! Sorry.....if for some miraculous reason I figure out what I'm doing wrong....I'll update it for you at a later date!

Athena enjoying the cool damp dirt!



Curious as to where this heap of dirt came from?

Yep, you guessed it....our backyard?

Oh....my.......okay...I won't ask?

Swimming pool....nope......Honey I thought we were just going to concrete the driveway?

I'm glad Lisa@thepreachers-wife is hosting

seeing as I'm going to need all the tips I can get to salvage the backyard:)

Have a Blessed Weekend!

Carrie

1 Day, 1 Voice, 1 May, 2008

2008 Prayer for Our Nation

Dr. Ravi Zacharias

2008 Honorary Chairman, National Day of Prayer Task Force

Holy Father, in a world where so many are hungry,

You have given us food in abundance;

In a world where so many are hurting,

You offer to bind up our wounds;

In a world where so many are lonely,You offer friendship to every heart;

In a world longing for peace,You offer hope.

Yet, we are so stubborn and resistant.

Have mercy upon us, Lord.

Our nation is at a crossroads this year; we look to you to be our strength and shield.

Please give us the guidance to elect one who will honor you

and to respond to the wisdom from above so that our hope may be renewed

and our blessings be treasured.

In God's holy name.

Click on the below link and watch/listen to the National Day of Prayer Video.

http://www.ndptf.org/press_room/Index.cfm?Entity=4&Department=4&Dept_Order=1&This_TopicOrder=1&This_SubtopicOrder=7&flash=1

The National Day of Prayer team is asking that we set aside each Thursday from now until Nov. 4th, Election Day. Matthew 18:20 says, "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." Let us band together as families, churches and communities and lift up the upcoming presidential and general election to the Lord and ask him to lead this country in the way that He should have us go.

For several years now, our church has met around the flag pole. It is awesome to see men, women and children hold hands together and pray. I would like to invite you to come out and join us at 6:30.

Have a prayerful day!

Carrie

Making a lasting difference

"I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things." 2 Peter 1:15 NIV

I don't know about you, but sometimes I just wonder if I'm making a difference. A devotion I read this morning caught my attention and I would like to share parts of it with you.

Author and Pastor J.R. Miller wrote, " The only thing that walks back from the grave with the mourners and refuses to be buried, is the character of a man."

Raising children is a hard job. No one can argue that fact. And what is the most important things we want for our children?

1. Salvation

2. Character

Yes, these should go hand in hand, but the old sinful nature creeps upon us from time to time and the character part gets flawed. Character can be built, but only slowly. Wow....that makes me stop and look around at myself. Because without character, our every intention, whether great or small, will be worthless. Character provides the opportunity for longevity in any career, any relationship, and any worthwhile goal.

With that said, I pray daily that my children will be saved and have a good character. I also pray that I will make a difference in their lives and lives of others, to show that Christ lives in me and that He is the only way!

Applying this to our life now:

With the kids in ball and their seasons turning out to be not what they expected......with winning for one and wanting to play more for the other...are perfect examples of what kind of character we choose to wear. Are we going to keep on keeping on or are we going to give up? These are life lessons they will carry with them eventually to their workplace and home. When the going gets tough....

Blessings to all,

Carrie

To my Sisters!

http://llerrah.com/thethreesisters.htm

This story is us in a few years:) lol!!!!!!!!! No...it's us right now:) lol!!!!!!!!

Click on the above website!

Aren't you glad I chose this pic......could have been worse:) lol!!!!!

L-R (C, P, and me)

Love ya lots,

Sister Carrie

P.S. These dresses were made with love from Mom:) lol!!!! Aren't they just the cutest duckling dresses:) With matching necklaces:) Priceless!

Confederate Memorial Day

http://http//gasebrigade.tripod.com/confederate%20memorial%20day.htm

This is a State Holiday that my workplace observes. We are a non-profit organization who helps low-income families/individuals with their utility bills, along with many other services....need more info...just email me. Anyway....I've worked at my present job (7 years now?)....you think I would have researched the why/how it came to be? You think? I had never heard of Confederate Memorial Day. We also observe Robert E. Lee, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Jefferson Davis' Birthdays, which are among the 12 holidays/year we get. I knew I loved and appreciated our founding fathers, I just didn't know how much until I began working here:)

I've got to add...'cause I know TL will appreciate this.....he makes sure that what his FIL started, he will keep his word to him and continue poking fun at me......after working at my job for a few months, I show up at work as usual, on a Monday in January, and guess what? No one is there! One holiday I should have known about...Martin Luther King's Birthday! So I get a heads up from TL every year to remind me of said holiday:) lol!!! That's what I get for telling such things on myself!

When will I ever learn?

Now...back to Confederate Memorial Day.....

Thanks be to Google, I now have an answer. Click on the above website and just read about it. Very interesting in a history class sort of way. It has put meaning to the State observed holiday. Not all government entities get this day, but here at work we want to support the state in any way we can:) Too bad hubby and kids are not off today:) Shame on me:)

As for the day off, I guess I should visit the graves of these fallen men and decorate with flowers as did Ms. Willliams, but I don't know where to find them around here. I'll pay tribute to them by dedicating this blog post to honor all the soldiers who died fighting for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War.



**************************************************************************************



Now, what to do with a free day?


L8R,


Carrie

Rats!

And I mean rodents! Those pesky, nasty, aggravating things! Last week with the kids home and doing home improvements....I'm afraid the door was gaped open one too many times. Hubby had a bright idea to catch the rat that was hanging out in our duct work. He hangs a rat trap from the vent down into the duct work. Okay, I'll agree he is a genius:)........but this just didn't pan out like he had planned.

After lunch yesterday at work, I was fixing my mouth just right for my new favorite candy bar....DARK SNICKERS.........just as I was getting it out of my new favorite bag......I noticed half of it had been eaten! My first reaction was..."those boys...I'm going to get them"! But a closer look showed evidence of a RAT! I start scrambling in my new bag...and yes....it was definitely a RAT!! The give-a-way was the wire I found in my bag that used to be attached to the rat trap hanging from the vent:) lol!!!!!!!!! I know I said you can throw just about anything in the bag....but RAT was not an item I had visioned landing in there! So much for enjoying the snickers...instead I spent the rest of my lunch hour cleaning and sanitizing my bag with lysol!

Scary thought here.......what if that thing rode with me to work and jumped out while I'm traveling down the road.......Not a pretty picture there:) lol!!!!!!!!! All heck would have broke loose in that car:) lol!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't wait to see the contraption Hubby comes up with next to rid our house of Mickey Mouse....cause ya'll if this rat got out of the booby trap Hubby constructed....it ain't no ordinary rat!

I'll post a pic when we catch him:) 'Cause I know ya'll want believe me when I tell how big he was:)

UPDATE: So much for the picture......he nabbed him this morning and already disposed of him before I could get the sleepy out of my eyes:) lol!!!!!!!!!!!! At least now I know he ain't in the car, and I can drive with my feet on the floor!

L8R,

Carrie

Happy Birthday Shelby!

This is my "Thankful Thursday" post. Maybe it's not the regular type of thankful lists, but I thank God for my family, and what better way to express that, than through pictures! If only we could keep that honesty, simplicity and trusting ways of a little child.....just like Jesus asked us to come to him with childlike faith!

Seven Random Things

Lisa tagged anyone that wanted to participate in this thingy about ourselves. So, seeing that I don't have much on my mind today.....lack of sleep due to an unending ballgame last night......I'll give a stab at this. Like my life isn't an open book anyways:) lol!!!!!!!!!

1. I save twist ties. Yeah, I'm one of those weird ones who keep the twist ties on bread bags, etc. You just never know when one of these might come in handy:)

2. I love antiques. I wished everything in my house was antique...besides myself:)

3. I carry a first aid kit....ALWAYS! Not just for my kids, but myself included! Things just happen ya know:) Ummm lets see......vertigo, fish hooks, sunburns, gaulded, scrapes, splinters, burns other than the sun, rashes...the list goes on and on!

4. I LOVE PEANUT BUTTER. Another item that I keep by my side. It goes good with....well just everything!!

5. I cannot keep up with my keys, cell phone, etc. One example of this was when Hubby and I lived in a weaning house behind my grandmother's convenient store. One of those old stores where the local men stopped by every morning on their way to work. Hubby is in the bed asleep...3rd shift syndrome.....I'm in my little house coat with hair all wrapped up, no make-up.....and low and behold I step out of the house to feed the dog....guess what?.... locked myself out! I had to walk barefoot to the store in all my glory and ask for a key. Yep....right past all the men and to grandmother who was laughing so hard, she was crying....me too...crying that is:) lol!!!! Wonder why I just didn't bang on the door for him.......you just don't understand.....NOTHING....except the Lord's return, can wake this man up:)

6. I have an issue with motion. See # 3 above, this is why my car is packed with first aid items. And if you are ever with me and see me flat on the floor, eyes switching every which way, throwing up...just knock me out with some benadryl...it'll save Hubby a $600 ambulance ride. If you want to see a good episode of me and Hubby and Sister C in a bathroom in the middle of the night.....just go on the next vacation with us, when me and Hubby try to sleep on an air mattress:) lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've got to stop right there......I can't breathe! I'll save more for later on that one!

7. I heart bags and shoes!

Wal-Mart special.....I think it was around $12 bucks. Love it!! You can just throw everything in it....like all necessary first aid equipment. Plus, it comes in a cool yellow, green and black too. What was a thinking not getting the yeller....since I'm in a yeller mood with the paint and new blog face. The red just jumped out at me I guess....always go with your first instinct!

That's way enough on me....now it's your turn!!

L8R,

Carrie

Spank the flies!

These pesky insects are getting the best of me. I don't know about you, but at our house these things are driving me insane......buzzing my nose and ears while I'm trying to sleep. I've resorted to taking the fly swatter to bed with me......I've bought an assortment of colored swatters and placed one in every room....just in case. My nephew M stayed with us last weekend and he got in on the action, as he put it, "M did spank the flies." That's right M, spank them flies till you heart is content! They are everywhere, in the car, on the porch, I can't get away from them.

Here's a picture of the contraption that Hubby placed outside our front door. The boys begged him to take it down before the yellow limo came to get them this morning.....Not! This thing needs a patent. One could make millions off of it! It really works! Try it! Compliments of BT for the idea. These are his instructions: large ziplock bag, aluminum foil ball, water and string! Thanks BT you are good for something besides a pain in the rear:) lol!!!! Sister C can vouch for that...she had the remedy for you too:) lol!!!!!!!

That's about all the interesting news I know!

***********************************************************************************

This is for Lisa. She scolded me for not putting a pic of my attempt at home improvement last week. Sorry, it's just that I want to add some curtains and frill it up a bit, but I'll go ahead and show you the high yeller room.

I'll show pics of the bathroom when I get the mirrors hung:)

Have a nice day!

Carrie

P.S. I need to work on the lamps....they need to swap sides of the bed.....and lose the green lamp...I'm in search for another lamp anyways:) lol!!!!!!!!!!!!! I plan to paint the side table, need a rug and curtains! Do you have any more suggestions for me? I need all the help I can get?