Thankful Thursday

I am going to start participating in "Thankful Thursday" over at  Blissfully Burton. This is her first week, so the linky tool isnt quite ready yet. I have just recently ran across this blog and become a follower.

I wont always be so serious but since it is the first week, it wouldnt feel right not starting of with the things I am most thankful for!

My Salvation- I am so undeserving of God's love for me, I am thankful that He sent His son to die for me and my sins. I am very thankful that my relationship with Him has grown tremendously in the past year. And so thankful that Caden is following in the same path. I am also thankful for my church.

My Caden- He keeps me at my best. Everything I do is for him. I want to give him the best and most memorable childhood possible. I am thankful for his silly personality that keeps me laughing. We have grown so much together and I hope it continues. I have so much more to say, but every other blog post is about that so we will move along!



Family- I am thankful for my wonderful family all 837483748 of them! I could pick up the phone at any moment and they would each be there for me!

Mama!

Shane- I am oh so so so thankful for this wonderful man! How many ways I can not tell you my life has changed because of him. I am thankful for his sweet and kind heart. I am thankful for our humor that we have together. There could not a better man! However, I am mostly thankful for his relationship with Caden.



Sweet cousins- I am so thankful for Palyn, I could scream because I miss her so bad! I am thankful that she and Caden are so close even though they dont see each other often. And I am very thankful that we will be seeing her next weekend!

I am thankful for the opportunity to go on this trip very soon!

I am very thankful for all of my blessings in my life, I could write all night long! I didnt forget all of my wonderful friends that I am thankful for, as well as my awesome job! In this moment, I am very thankful for this weekend at the lake with friends! Next week, Ill have a lighter list for you! Have a great weekend!

How's it Gonna Be

The past two weekends, Shane and I thought we wouldn't be able to see each other, due to prior plans that I had. Who were we kidding? A week is about as long as we can make it! The first chance I saw to make our way to Prattville, that's where we were! And I am so so glad we did! Until then, our only time spent in Prattville was when we met him there to go to the beach. Both weekends Shane had to work, so after a little rambling around town trying to find important places, Caden and I hung around the house. When Shane got home on the first Saturday, we went to the movies to see Cars 2 in 3d.

We were excited to find out that if you go to the movies between 4-5:30 it is only $5! Big difference compared to the $13 we normally pay. Also, we bought a huge bucket of popcorn for $15 and everytime we return, we can refill it for $2.50! Caden enjoyed the movie, but it bored me to death, and I am usually a fan of kid movies! Cant wait for the new Toy Story! For dinnner, we went to Logan's Roadhouse. I didnt ask them to pose with a peanut, I think they assumed I wanted them to! ha!

Cuties!



Sunday, we went to the park and walked with Betsy and let Caden play and ride his bike. I loved that park, it was layed out very nice and wasn't crowded at all. Then he showed me the school that Caden would go to if we lived there. I can say I was pleased with the appearence, and I have heard a lot of good things about it. After the park, we went by Publix and then cooked out at his house.

This past weekend, we went to Olive Garden. It is so weird being so close to these places. Where I live, we have always had to drive 30 minutes to the restuarants, shopping, and entertainment. We are so used to it that we dont even think about it.

My heart was happy :)

Shane has a bowling ball with a snake in it! haha!

Not sure why I was standing like this!

We played a few games after bowling, and with his tickets, Caden got a blue and pink ring and told us he was giving the pink one to Amanda. Oh no, not yet!!

On Sunday, Caden and I waited on Shane by hanging around the house and walking Betsy around the neighborhood. They have a pond that we like to walk to. Betsy girl liked going down to the water. When he got home, we went back to the park. I have got to get back to my running, so I ran a couple of laps. Literally only a couple!





I have loved these past two weekends just chilling out and seeing how life would be there on a normal weekend. I do miss my friends and my church when I am away, but I know it is something I will have to get used to. We have a church there that we are planning to visit soon. I know God will lead us to the one He wants us at. Everyone has been asking me, so I guess I will share this much... we will not be moving anywhere until Caden finishes out second grade here. We arent in a rush, just enjoying the times that we do have together! My friend, Julie, tagged us in this photo on fb that she took on her way to the beach! hahha!



Christmas in July

My friend Amy invited Caden and I to join a group of friends and their kids to a children's painting class. Knowing that Caden lost interest halfway through this painting class, we went anyways. I am always up for a good night with friends! They picked out a stocking to paint because they wanted something easy and gender neutral for the boys and girls. Caden, as before, would do a little then I would go around the edges for him. He really enjoyed it for a while but then decided he was done. I asked him if he wanted to paint anything on his stocking, such as dots or a "C" and he didnt. I was telling everyone when they were complimenting his painting that he is a "coloring book realist". Everything must be the same colors and look exactly like it does it real life or he doesnt do it. If a tree is supposed to be brown, but there is no brown, he will leave it blank before coloring it blue. Cant blame him!

Ready to paint a bit!

Made me a little ready for Christmas!!

I am now wanting our church kids to go and paint a really cool cross! Im loving those paintings!

Break Please

I need a break. Caden is pushing every button that I have. It doesnt matter how many times I tell him firmly, spank him or take things away, he continues to try me. Why? Why do they do that? You would think that he would get the fact that he is not going to win. All it does is put me in a worse mood which then makes me more snappy. (Its ok if you stop reading my venting, this blog is real...positive and negative. I dont try to make everyone think its always smiles and laughter 24/7. I dont share everything personal, however I refuse to be fake.) I am noticing that on the days that he does not go to the boy's club, my patience runs shorter. I have stopped giving him a choice on going. I need that break. How do stay at home mothers do it all day everyday? How do moms with more than one do it everyday? A lot of times I wonder if things would be easier if I wasnt the only one at home and the only one constently on him. It probably helps to split the discipline between two. It is very rare that I actually get down on myself about this, usually I just do it without thinking and move along. It doesnt help to dwell on it, because it is just something that must be done. I wouldnt have changed our past 7 1/2 years for anything. Every experience we have been through has made us both stronger and brought us as close as we are. But mercy, I am ready for a break. Thank God for an adult lake trip this weekend. And thank Dad, Connie, and Aunt Lisa for keeping my wild one!

I feel bad for ranting about this now after I re read it. I am aware that there are many women trying so hard to have children. My heart is heavy for them. I do know how blessed I am and thank God for everything...before begging Him for parenting wisdom!!

He does look sweet doesnt he?!

He has been in the bed after getting in trouble, Im gonna go kiss him goodnight now and remind him it's all because I love him! ;) 



RA Camp

True definition of "roughing it"!! I do want to warn you that you are probably all thinking I am stupid for considering this rough, because this was a CAMP!

Caden and I arrived on Thursday evening about 5:30. It was only him and I going from our church. My understanding was that the "Lads and Dads" was the previous weekend, the big boys went with just chaperones during the week, and "Lads and Moms" camp was this weekend. So you heard me right, it was Caden and I and we knew no one else. We get registered and follow the counselors to our cabins, where he pointed to one and said, "thats your cabin". He pointed to one next to it and said, "that's his." Yes, I am serious, they wanted the boys to stay seperate from their moms to get a "camp" feel. I thought Caden's eyes were going to pop out of his head! We were both shocked! I would have been fine with it, except that if he was to get scared in the middle of the night he would have to actually go outside to come get me. Also, we were the only ones from our church to attend this weekend. We made arrangements for him to stay with me. (another boy stayed with his mom too). As we made our way down to dinner, I saw a dining room full of men. I was confused, and as I entered and looked around I saw one other mom. There ended up being six of us. And he was the youngest boy.  After dinner, we walked down to the chapel, and during worship, a skit, and a message, all Caden kept asking was when we were going swimming. Example number 1 of maybe not being mature enough for this camp. We then all loaded up in a church van and went night swimming. That was a great time for us all to get to know each other a little better. Caden really surprised me by being silly in front of everyone! He has always been silly, but since he has been in school he has become a little more shy. He was making everyone laugh by mocking characters on tv shows and singing, "We got the beat, we got the beat, yeeeah, we got the beat!" I died. After swimming the boys went to make their buddy burners for breakfast the next morning. and this Mama was not thrilled to be told I couldnt have anything to drink before bed. I was wondering how sleeping would go sharing our twin bunk. Not so bad, other than freeeezing! The next morning we all headed down our big hill to make breafast on our buddy burners. I was already planning to starve instead of eating an outdoor breakfast made on tin cans. But MUCH to my surprise, the breakfast was yummmmy!

Cooking bacon on buddy burner

Yes my plate caught on fire! I was like, "Hey....hey....heyyyyy!"

Fried honey bun?! Delishhhh!

So wish they didnt show me how great these were!!

Flag raising after breakfast

Devotion time

After our morning devotions, were knew we were going to the pool and lake for our recreation time. However, I didnt know we would be hiking the pool trail there and back. I was dreading the mile hike in a wet bathing suit. (Im going to stop and apologize for seeming so negative already!)

Taking a break from the pool

This was everything we were able to do in the lake.

Climbing wall, aqua jump, and huge slide....most fun part of the weekend!!

After being deprived of all snacks and drinks other than meal times, I was sooo excited to find machines where we stocked up!!

My sweet boy was doing at lunch exactly what we were all wishing to do about then!

After lunch we learned all about a few snakes and then headed on a nature trail.

We were taught that you can eat a certain type of leaf, with Mom's permission of course!

looking for crawdads and salamanders

This is where the other fun parts came in...

hatchet throwing, blow darts, and water balloons!

He loved throwing hatchets

I was so nervous because it looked like he was going to hit the back of his head.

We really enjoyed the blow darts too!

Not too bad!

Mr. Weaver told the sweetest story about how to be saved, and then provided ice cream.

The morning we were leaving, we had a good breakfast, and then another good message, skit, and worhip song at the chapel. All of the counselors were sad that this would be the last service at Shocco. Then we participated in a CrossWalk. Each group carried the cross a little ways up the hill while remembering that Jesus died on the cross for us and our sins even though we didn't deserve it. Then the boys would let the next group carry it and we would all follow. It was a great concept.

At the last flag raising, they raised 3 RA flags.

Morning devotion

The boys with their counselors

The moms, who I am so glad that Ill be able to keep in touch with through fb

Moms and Lads

I am always amazed at how God works. One of the ladies I met this weekend lives in Prattville. That's where Shane lives and we will eventually end up. Her son attends the same school that Caden will, they will be attending the same church that we have been planning to visit, and her son plays baseball on the same road that Shane lives on. Crazy to think that he just plants people in our paths without us even knowing it! I also want to thank my church, FBC Oak Grove, who through fundraisers, provided the way for Caden and I to attend this camp. It was honestly unforgettable!!