Concert in the Park

Trey was in his very first concert today!!!

His music school, Musicology, put on a free concert in the park

to showcase what the students have been learning.

All of the music students were encouraged to participate, regardless of their ability.

Trey jumped at the chance to take the stage and show off what he has learned
over the past 3 months.

He played the melody to "Love Me Tender" and his teacher, Mrs. Jody, accompanied him.

He tried very hard, and while he didn't hit all of his notes, he did a great job!

I was so proud of him for wanting to get up there and play in front of a crowd.

(Not to mention, we didn't realize we had to sign up again once we got to the park, so we signed up late even though we got there early.  Trey ended up being the last one to play!)

Here are a few pictures from the day...

The Royal Wedding

I can remember watching Prince Charles and Lady Diana's wedding

with my dad on TV when I was a little girl! 

We had to get up really early to watch it.  It was still dark outside!

Well, today I set our TV to record Prince William and Catherine Middleton's wedding.

After school, Ambry and Trey and I watched it together.

It was magical! 

Ambry kept saying, "Mommy she is a REAL princess!"

It was so sweet to get to watch this with them.

Trey loved the British accents.

All three of us giggled at the balcony kisses

and were in awe of the maple trees inside Westminster Abbey!

We hope the newest royal couple have a long and loving marriage!

Storms

We are feeling numb today.

Still in shock over the devastation in Alabama.

So thankful that our loved ones in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham are safe.

We are calling on God for comfort and strength, for all those who were affected.

We will face many storms in this life, weather and otherwise...

I am filled with peace knowing we don't have to face any of them alone.

Thank you Father for your faithfulness.

We love you Matt, B, Parker and Alli; Bo, Anna, and J.R.

(These photos were taken by Luke's brother, Matt.)

Dad

(Grumps and Grammy, July 2010)

My dad (Grumps!) had knee surgery yesterday.

He has been living with serious knee pain for a very long time.

We are so thankful that all went well!

My brother Greg and my mom had been calling and giving me updates,

and then last night my dad called us himself to say he was fine!

He sounded great.  Mom said it was probably the pain meds!!!

He is doing physical therapy three times each day,

and will be able to go home when he can bend his knee 90 degrees.

He plans to have surgery on his other knee after this one heals.

I think it will change his life when he can walk without constant pain.

I wish we didn't live so far away and could be there for him and my mom.

It's times like this, when I am reminded of how amazing my parents are and

how very lucky I am to have a mom and dad who love us unconditionally!

Now that my dad is retired, he calls or texts me

at random times during the day, just to check in on us

or tell me about something that is going on at home in FL.

I love those little moments, they show that he is always thinking of us!

We love you Grumps and Grammy!

 We are praying for your recovery every day, dad!

Sending big hugs from Georgia to Florida!

Be on the lookout for special get-well wishes

from Weedle and Breets in the mail!

He is Risen!

It's been a day of celebrating!

Celebrating our Risen Savior, our family, and our many blessings!

An amazing message at Southcrest church, cozy naps,

a big Easter lunch together and baskets full of goodies.

GOD IS SO GOOD!

All dressed up before church!

Trey took this one of us.  I really like it!  :)

Our Easter lunch.  Everyone napped while mommy cooked.

Ham, mashed potatoes, baked macaroni and cheese, roasted carrots, green beans, rolls, tea,

and bunny cake for dessert! 

YUM!

The Easter bunny came!

So thankful for our loot.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

I Peter 1:3

Easter Eve!

Happy Easter Eve!

We had a laid back day and a fun filled night.

We served at the Saturday service at church and then came home

 to a little Easter Egg party. 

Lukey built a big fire in the firepit and the Lanhams, Greshams and Adams families joined us for s'mores and egg hunting in the DARK!

Everyone brought their baskets and their flashlights.

The mommies stuffed the eggs and the daddies hid them.

We had 217 eggs in all for the 8 kiddos to find.

It was the BEST egg hunt! 

Everyone had a ball trying to find the eggs in the woods.

We ended up finding almost all of them. 

We think the rest will turn up tomorrow when it's light out.

Luke and I were sitting talking tonight after everyone left,

and we are just so thankful for our sweet friends. 

They are so much fun and "GOOD PEOPLE"!

I made our annual bunny cake tonight and Easter jello jigglers.

Now, off to give the Easter bunny a hand!!!

But first, here are some pictures...

Someone enjoyed the rice krispy treat nests I made!!!

The trampoline is always a hit!

She cracks us all up! 

Here she is sporting a new hat that her cousin Harry sent from California.

We sure did miss the Gunter family tonight.

Declan and Trey ALWAYS end up wrestling!!!

Our 217 eggs pre-hunt!

S'More time!!!

Declan, Trey, Ambry, Ian, Will, Mia, Abigail, and Claire.

Waylon was asleep!

This years' bunny cake.

Trey and Ambry said NO COCONUT!

I think they take after their Papaw.

We have had a bunny cake on Easter every year since Trey's first Easter in 2001!

Easter jello jigglers.  Trey and Ambry are FASCINATED by these!!!

Happy Easter Eve!!!

Random

It's been a good and busy week! 

Too busy for any posts!

It was CRCT week at school, so Trey and Ambry had lots of tests to take.

"Grandmommy" and "Grandaddy" (Becky's parents),

took Trey, Ambry, Abigail and Will to Dairy Queen today after school.

Chocolate dipped cones and mini blizzards signaled the end of a long week!

I stayed home to wait for our new sectional to be delivered.

We decided we needed a change in the family room.

Here are some of the pictures that were on my little camera.

Very random, but these are some of the highlights this week.

We participated in the DO GOOD day with our church!

We got to do crafts and have snacks

with some sweet people at two of the nursing homes in town.

We helped the residents paint Easter Egg hangings for their doors

and we ate lots of cookies and visited with them!

The kids didn't have any homework this week, due to testing!

I came outside on Tuesday and found this in the driveway...

I wasn't sure what was going on until I looked out in the road!

The kiddos had decorated their wagon and picked LOTS of our knockout roses. 

They were walking/riding up and down the street dropping a trail of rose petals!
Please notice Abigail's dog Sassy in the wagon with the girls.  She is a trooper!   

There has been MUCH outside play this week.

We love it when there isn't any homework to be done!!!

We received Easter surprises from the GRANDS this week!

Grammy drew little Easter baskets on the packing boxes. 

We got a kick out of her "attention to detail"!

Trey and Ambry enjoyed opening their goodies, trying on new clothes and jammies and munching on candy.  We had our first taste of edible Easter grass from Nana and Papaw.

We are looking forward to the Easter services at our church Saturday and Sunday!

Michelle (our dear friend and children's director)

has an awesome activity planned for Saturday night to teach about the empty tomb!

It involves crescent rolls, butter, cinnamon and marshmallows.

More to come as we spend the weekend celebrating our risen Savior!

Sunday

Today was just an ordinary Sunday.

We went to church... we serve first service and attend second.

Pastor Jeff spoke today, about how we're wired by God. 

It was a great message!

I stayed afterwards to help with face painting during third service.

Then lunch from Moe's and a trip to Andy's nursery for new perinnials!

Luke is just the best "landscaper"!  He makes our yard look gorgeous.

Trey and Ambry each picked out a new plant
and they planted them all by themselves near the front porch. 
They are learning from their daddy!

Trey and I took a jeep ride with the top down over to his friend Declan's.

The weather was so sunny and cool. 

The skies were completely clear and blue!
We rocked out to Def Leppard, mother and son, wanna be headbangers!

When I got home, I cleaned out my car and then helped Luke plant.

Then we rode up to Trey and Ambry's elementary school

and re-planted all the planters for spring! 

Pretty red geraniums will greet the students tomorrow morning.

Luke, Ambry, and I treated ourselves to a slushee and a piece of laffy taffy

at the local convenience store.
A little sugar rush after all that planting!
I got to talk on the phone with mom, Mama Lu and Uncle Matt.
A few minutes hearing from some of the people I love dearly.

Later on, Ambry, Abigail and Will

all begged me to jump on the trampoline with them, and so I did! 

Of course I wet my pants!

Then Luke jumped, then Brandon got on and later Becky too!

Pam brought Trey home and he joined the jumping mix.

It was a trampoline party!
Crack the egg and double-jumping and toe touches.

We jumped until we were out of breath!

The kids and I came in and ate leftovers, got showers and read another

chapter in our current chapter book... The Tail of Emily Windsnap.
Such a fun story about a girl who is secretly a mermaid.

Luke sat by the firepit with a couple of our neighbors for a little while.

After the kids were all tucked in, we caught the end of Celebrity Apprentice.

Goodbye Gary B!  We'll miss your crazy antics.

And finally, I caught up on facebook and our blog.

I'm heading off to bed, feeling satisfied, and thankful.

God blessed us with an ordinary day,

full of little memories that I appreciate and cherish.

Southcrest Church Sportsmen Dinner

Our church, Southcrest Church, has been putting on

an amazing Sportsmen Dinner for the past four years.

It is an awesome outreach for our community.

Each year it gets bigger and better.

This year, there were over 1000 people (mostly men) in attendance.

76 people came to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior!

WOW!!!

Jeff Foxworthy spoke, as well as David Blanton (Realtree), and

Jeff Hammond (former crew chief for Nascar's Dale Earnhardt).

It was a night of fellowship, fun, laughter, food and best of all...

a night dedicated to Jesus!

Luke helped out with equipment for the event and selling raffle tickets.

Trey got to go with his daddy this year!

Those two had the BEST time.

Luke was totally energized when he came home that night and we stayed up well past 1:00 am!  He wanted to tell me about everything!

He said it was one of the best events he had ever been to in his life.

Here are the few pictures Luke took.

We are so thankful for a church family that constantly shares the Good News!

Luke and Trey with all the raffle prizes!

Trey ready for the speakers to begin.

Luke said he laughed the entire time!

The warehouse next door to our church was transformed

to hold over 1000 people!

Jeff Hammond, our pastor Jeff Chandler, and David Blanton.

Jeff Foxworthy!

Trey got Jeff Foxworthy and Jeff Hammond

to sign his Sportsman Hat!!!

All the glory of this awesome night goes to Our good and gracious GOD!

On TV!

This is the link to episode of The Tonight Show that we were on! 

Watch for 11:29 into the video...

when Jay Leno says, "Where's Adam the Paige?"  We are next to Adam!

http://www.hulu.com/watch/230957/the-tonight-show-with-jay-leno-thu-apr-7-2011?from=fb_share

More California Pictures!

Here are the rest of my pictures!

Last day!

The PCH was a beautiful drive!

On Zuma Beach! 

Giant seaweed!

The Pacific!

Girls' lunch at Paradise Cove.

We all had pina coladas (even Ella!).

Then enjoyed the best guacamole, fish tacos, shrimp tacos and calamari tacos.

Key lime pie for dessert and time on the beach beds!

Stunning!

A very special girls' day!

The Santa Monica Pier!

Ella and I rode the carosel.

View of the pier from Muscle Beach!

Our sweet Welcome Home signs made by Brandon and Abigail and Will.

Thank you to the Gunters!  Y'all spoiled us!

It couldn't have been a more blessed vacation,

but I was so glad to get home to my Lukey and Trey and Ambry.

Those "three amigos" had a blast as well!

I am so thankful for this amazing experience!

I can't wait for summer 2012 when Lukey and the kids
can come see California too!