Lately

I just need to go ahead and warn you now that this post is filled with the most randomness ever! Maybe even out of order! Just bits and pieces from our fall that are worth documenting!

A few weeks ago, Crystal won tickets to see Chris Young at the fair. I had so much fun with the girls, but felt so bad for Chris Young because the crowd was DEAD!! Only people on the floor were standing and I felt like we were the only ones dancing or putting our hands in the air. I was for sure that they pulled these people off of the streets and told them they were going to see Chris Young, to which I could hear them reply, "who's that?".  Oh well..good friends, free music, and being close to a country star made it a good night!

Caden was invited to a neighborhood friend's bday party, which included a bouncy house and pony rides. Fun right?!

This was on a Saturday, we went looking at new cars and these guys sported their Bama wear.

Dont get excited, Caden wore Auburn to school the day before! ;)

We walked in on Caden sleeping like this one night last week!

What is the weirdest way youve found your child sleeping?

this Mama got a new Sonata! I have been doing such a good job keeping her clean too! My other car had been through a lot during its life! I basically lived out of it while I was a single mama. Not really, but going from here to there and always being in such a rush! I will put a lot more effort into keeping this car clean. Also, dont judge how I look in this pic! Shane called me to bring the other car from home to trade it in and I wasnt looking too hot! ha!

This was at a fall festival at a local church.... It was also a game day, as you can tell!

This pic of Caden sliding down is so funny to me!

I was cleaning out a lot of stuff from my childhood days and came across this New Kids on the Block pillow! I remember them being my first concert! I screamed as loud as I could, "I love you Jordan!!"

What do you do with all of your childhood keepsakes? My mom has given them all to me, and I seriously have no idea what to do with all of it!

I voted!

I voted at a church and they had different praying stations and I went around to each of them, I didnt care if I was the only one or if anyone else was watching, our nation needs prayer.

Caden and I both had dentist appts. When he was finished with his cleaning, he grabbed his floss and gloves and began his pretending on me. This was my view from my chair! I would love for you to be a dentist someday, Caden!

I was very excited to see new cake pops at Starbucks a few weeks ago, but the excitement didnt last too long when I tasted the salted caramel flavor. I wanted to spit it out!! I didnt, but they were nasty!!!

On Veterans Day, Shane came home from work and began baking! He wouldnt even tell me what it was! Finally, when I saw the red food coloring I knew that it was going to be red velvet cake, with no nuts! And anytime he gets in the kitchen, I know he is usually going to be whipping up one of his granny's recipes. That should excite anyone!

He didnt think it looked good, but I did, and I couldnt wait to eat it!!

I had my Mary Kay Open House this past weekend! We had a great turnout and I had so much fun! We were split up into partners and given a table to decorate. My frind Tabitha and I had the Fragrance table...

Didn't it turn out so cute?

Well everyone loved it, because we won the prize for the best table!

Sweet Tabitha and myself!

We prepared our shoe box for Operation Christmas Child this week!

Caden bought most of this with his own money!

I love this ministry and get so excited thinking about them delivering the 100 millionth shoe box this year!!

Caden heard the doorbell ring the other night, and answered it like this. He told his friends that he would be out later to play, that he was busy shaving!!! ha!

 Caden and I were able to go and spend some time with my friends while Shane worked last weekend. We missed him there, but I enjoyed catching up on my girl time!!

Caden was handcuffed a couple of times!

My sweet, but WILD boy!!

Well this post was very random, but sometimes that is the only way I will stay up to date! I cant do a post for every little thing we do, but like looking back on our ordinary best days.



Halloween 2012

This post is def a little behind but, oh well! The day before Halloween, our town had a "candy walk" downtown. All of the businesses set up tables outside and we just walked through and visited each booth. They also asked that each person bring a canned food item for a food drive. (I would be the Mama that left the food on the counter on my way out of the house. Thank goodness for plenty more opportunities coming up to donate food! I sent a bag full to school with Caden the next week, along with a coat for a coat drive. A coat that is still in his book bag this week, because he didnt know what to do with it! Ha! ) The candy walk put me in the mood for more festivities, but we had a lot of things to go home and prepare for the next day!

With my ninja

A couple of the cute tables that were giving out candy



 

Halloween day, Caden's class had a party and had a lot of fun eating snacks, playing games, and sharing goodie bags! I hope he gets at least one more year of this fun!! I dont want him to ever get too big for the class parties! Ha!

super cute cookies made by another mom

Skeleton treats that I made!

Cupcakes that I made

Some of his class friends

Caden asked me to dress up and this is always my easy "go to"
 costume!

 

ninja in the Dr office

 

After school, Caden had his first appt at his new dr. office. It was time for his 2nd hep a shot. I felt so bad for him! The dr. told him to think about something that made him happy while he was getting his shot, so he looked at a pic of Palyn the whole time. It was so sweet, until it was over and the stinging set in. Bless him, my tough boy was in pain. But those sonic .50 helped a little bit once we got home!

 

Shane had to work that evening so Caden and I were on our own. We parked at our friends' house that we have Connect Group at, and I walked him around the neighborhood. This neighborhood that we were in was apparently "the neighborhood to go trick or treating". The ones that get so involved and crowded! It was fun though! I was thankful for this time with Caden, because other years, we have only gone to church festivals and such. Never have we been out house to house! We stopped by a church after trick or treating, for a few games and a hay ride. I loved the different themes that some of the trunks had!

Moses and Noah

Check out the cornhole boards!

I wish someone could make these for us!!

 

After the festival, we walked our way back to our friends' house, where we were going to join our Connect Group in passing out candy along with Centerpoint cards. We had about 5 of us passing out and we were so overwhelmed at times! Those kids came up in herds! After we ran out, we all ended the night with my taco soup inside. We had a great Halloween in our new town, and made many new memories!

 



Here is the story behind Caden's costume confusion: (I know a lot of people will think I am crazy and a prude for thinking this way, insert your eye roll here, its ok!) Caden plays a game on my phone called, Plants vs. Zombies. It is a farming game. It is not gory or violent, just planting crops. Well Shane bought him a Zombie costume and Caden loved it. I did not. In fact, if Shane had not been a part of this, I would have turned it down completely. I do not think there is anything wrong with celebrating Halloween, but we dont celebrate it in a dark manner. We take part in positive activities and stay away from the darkness of it. We would all love to think people wouldnt do the things in real life that they pretend to do on Halloween, but we are hearing stories everyday about new ways of killing. I am not judging anyone elses family for the activities they take part in, just speaking for myself.  So Caden wore the ninja costume that he was given as a bday present. He didnt even complain about it. He was able to add his sword and nunchucks and didnt have screaming 3 year olds running from him all night.

Parrott Thankful Day 5

I am challenging our family to document something they are thankful for every day in November.

Day 3-

Mama & Daddy-

 

Today Shane and I are both thankful for our familes! It is a wonderful feeling to have so many people to love and support us!

 

 

 

 Caden-

 

Caden said Jesus was what he was thankful for today!

I am glad he is really beginning to think about his answers!

 

 

What are you and your family thankful for today?

Parrott Thankful Days 3 & 4

I am challenging our family to document something they are thankful for every day in November.

Day 3-

Mama-

 

I am thankful for Caden and everything that we have been through together! This boy is and always has been my strength. I get too sad when I think about him growing up!! We have so much fun together!

 

Daddy-

Shane is thankful for his job.

 

Caden-

Caden is thankful for his Pokemon cards that he got Saturday morning with some of his bday money.

 

Day 4- 

 Mama-

 

 

I am so thankful for my little Princess Palyn and soon to be her new little sister, Collins. Palyn has always been just like me and we have the best time together! I love spoiling her and cant wait to meet her baby sister soon!

Daddy-

 

Oh this man loooves his Crimson Tide. He is especially thankful today after last nights close call with LSU!

 

Caden-

 

Finally, he is thankful for his mama! I was wondering how long he was gonna wait to be thankful for me! But without any prompting, it only took him 4 days! At least I know only halloween candy, a batman costume, and pokemon cards take priority before me!! Ha! Just kidding! (Those were his previous thankfuls!) These arent in any particular order!  

 

What are you and your family thankful for today?

Parrott Thankful Day 2

I am challenging our family to document something they are thankful for every day in November.

Day 2-

Mama-

 

I am thankful that God sent this wonderful man to Caden and me. I feel so underserving of him. Shane is everything I have ever dreamed of and so much more. I never thought a man like him was even possible! His fun side is an added bonus!

 

Daddy-

Titleist golf balls

 

I would like to think that he was kidding, but hey it is the little things right?

 

 Caden-



Caden has been dressing in costumes year round since he was like 3. He loves using his imagination and changing into charcters from Darth Vader to Spiderman. A ton of his costumes had holes in them from him wearing them out!  He has a new found love for Batman recently, and asked for the costume. (He had this one when he was younger!) I suggested my sister catch it on "after Halloween sale" for a Cmas present when she was pondering his gift for the year. She had no idea that she was on the car speaker today when she excitedly told me that she got it for him. He heard and was so excited! So when asked for his thankful today, it was the Batman costume that he hasnt even gotten yet!:)

 

What are you and your family thankful for today?

Turning my Work into Worship

When I began my Mary Kay business in December 2010, there were many things that showed it was a great opportunity. Mostly, I only cared about making more money. The more I got involved in growing my business and attending various meeting with different units, the more I learned about the true mission of the Mary Kay business. "To Enrich Women's Lives". With the founding principles being, "God, Family, Career" I felt that this business was truly meant for me and my family. Soon, my goal went from making money to making this a God honoring career. After moving to a new town, it has been a little slow of a start meeting new ladies to teach skin care. This is my fault, I have let other things distract me from focusing on my career.  I need self dicipline. I have been praying for a while for God to show me a way to bring Him glory through my Mary Kay. Of course, I have always given Him the glory when something good happens or prayed for strength during the harder/ slower times, but I have desired more of an opportunity to do work for Him. I have heard a few stories of Sales Directors that have spent time as missionaries in other countries, and while I would loooove to do that someday, it's not in my cards right now. So just last week, it all made sense on what I am supposed to do right now, and it is actually nothing different that what I have been doing. Just kind of another focus. What I do in Mary Kay, in case you are curious, is teach ladies how to properly take off their make-up and put it back on. Simple as that. We are more teachers than sales-ladies. It is fun, it is faith based, it is very rewarding (money and prizes), it has no limit on moving up the career path, and it is easy!

So with all of that being said, I felt a little more clarity from God last week. My business is looked at as a way to build relationships with these ladies that I meet and help. Well I have been doing that, but my goal now is to minister to these ladies through Mary Kay. Am I making sense? As a Christian I am always thinking about sharing the love of God to people I know as well as strangers. But often times, we wonder how to have people put into our paths to share it with. My MK will not only allow me to help a lady I just met find her favorite lipstick, but build a relationship with her and show her God's love. Basically, Ill treat my job as a ministry now more than a job.  I felt this and then read the email devotion that I get and was in awe of how God spoke to me. I posted it below. Thank you Lord for the clarity!

Turn Your Work into Worship

by Rick Warren

“Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and the Master you are serving is Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24 NLT)

 

Your boss is not really your boss; your boss is Jesus.

 

There are two things I want you to see in our verses today.

First, it says, “Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people” (Colossians 3:23 NLT). It’s easier to be enthusiastic about your job when you turn the focus of your work from “I’m doing this for my boss” or “I’m doing this for a paycheck” to “I’m doing this for the Lord.” With that in mind, you can do anything — scrape paint, wash dishes, repair a car — and turn it into worship.

Second, when you turn your work into worship, you start storing up credits in Heaven. Colossians 3:24 says, “Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and the Master you are serving is Christ.” As you work for God, you are making eternal deposits in Heaven.

“So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV). It doesn’t matter if you’re rearranging papers or signing bills; any job can become an act of worship if you do it enthusiastically for God.

 

Talk About It

 

As you think of your "credits in Heaven," how does an eternal perspective help you keep your focus in your work?

How can an "attitude of worship" be applied in other areas of your life as well?

Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and most influential churches. Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller "The Purpose Driven Life." His book, "The Purpose Driven Church," was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. He is also the founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for pastors.

This devotional ©2012 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Parrott Thankful Day 1

I am challenging our family to document something they are thankful for every day in November.

Day 1-

Mama-

I am so thankful for my salvation. I do not deserve the unfailing love that my Father showers me with. I love Him with all of my heart and look forward to the day I can stand before Him and praise Him for eternity.

Daddy-

 

Shane's response when I asked him what he was thankful for--

"Well you know I am gonna say you and Caden"

 Such a sweet heart he is! I know he really means it!:)

Caden-

 

His halloween candy from last night. How much fun is it that we both have dentist appts. next week! ekkkk!!

 

What are you and your family thankful for today?!