My Favorite Costume of 2009

Is this costume super creative or what?! My sweet friend, Carrie Anne, came up with this all on her own. She's one of those...one of those creative types. I can only imagine. :)LOVE this costume! Her costume is so amazing, you almost miss how great her husband's is. Gotta love overweight Elvis! AND...have you ever seen a cuter little fish??? I think not.

Thanks for letting me share, CA!

Pumpkin Patch

I love this time of year! College football, changing leaves, cool air, pumpkin patches...it's all fabulous! Tristan and Asher are on fall break from school, so today, I decided to take them to a pumpkin patch. Tristan and I went to a pumpkin patch last week with his school, and it was fun, but this one was so much better! It was more open, clean, and had lots more to do, not to mention better pumpkins. :)

We met up with two of my favorite people, Jennifer and her beautiful little girl, Audrey. Jennifer is one of my very best friends and one of the most beautiful people (inside and out) that you'll ever meet. We met in college and have been best friends ever since. Though we live a couple of hours apart and don't get to see each other much, when we are able to get together, we always pick up right where we left off. I thank God for such a wonderful friend!

Anyway, on to my pumpkin patch pictures. Today is just a sneak peek. These are the pictures taken with my phone. I have some even cuter ones on my camera. Too bad my home computer is from the ice age and won't let me upload them. Hopefully I can get them up soon. I know you're DYING to see them! :)

This first picture is beautiful Audrey and the pumpkin she picked. I could just eat her up! She is so adorable and cute to watch. She instantly clicked with Tristan and followed him everywhere. She told Jennifer that Tristan is her best friend. I LOVE it! Maybe I can get them to save her for Tristan for marriage one day. That's not too much to ask, right??? :)
Here is Asher and his pumpkin. He was so proud! He wanted to carry it everywhere and did. Sadly, I didn't get a picture of Tristan with his pumpkin. :( He picked a really big one and had a hard time picking it up. Plus, I was trying to manage Rhiannon in her sling (while other women offered their "advice" and opinions about me carrying "him" in a sling) and keep Asher from wandering off (which he often did).

Stay tuned for more exciting updates about our Thursday at the pumpkin patch!

My Friends Never Cease to Amaze Me

Walt Whitman once said, "I no doubt deserved my enemies, but I don't believe I deserved my friends."

If there's one thing I know, it's that I don't deserve my friends. For some reason, though, God has chosen to bless me with the greatest friends this planet has to offer. I have great friends from high school, amazing friends from college, and fantastic friends I have met since becoming a wife and mom. I often look at my life and wonder what I did that so pleased God that He would bring these amazing women into my life. I am still clueless but oh so very thankful. Words can't express how I feel about my friends, and for me, not being one who is very good at expressing my feelings verbally, it is even more difficult. Just know that my friends are so important to me, each and every one. I don't call them enough, I don't see them enough, I definitely don't tell them enough, but I love them so much!

This past week, some of my super sweet friends planned a surprise baby shower for me. It was set up like a Mom's Night Out. We had not had one in a while, and my friend, Rachael, sent an email out to everyone (really just me) trying to get one set. She set it for a Mexican restaurant in town that we all like. Another friend, Ashley, told me she wouldn't go if I didn't go (to make sure I went) and offered to drive me. Channing, who knew the whole time, acted like he could care less if I went or not (every time I mentioned I might not go, "Ok. That's fine.").

So Ashley picked me up, and we chatted the whole way there. Once we got there and walked around to the back of the restaurant, I saw a group of some of the dearest people in the world...my friends! They were all smiling and proud that they had surprised me (and surprised I was!). I couldn't believe that so many of them took time out of their busy schedules to come shower me. I was so humbled, surprised, somewhat embarrassed, and excited. I think the most exciting part was getting to hang out with these awesome women that I don't get to see nearly enough. There were friends there that I haven't seen in person in FOREVER! It was such an awesome night. I had the greatest time!

Not only did I have a fabulous time with these awesome ladies...
but they also spoiled Rhiannon (and myself) rotten! They way outdid themselves on gifts for baby girl. I was taken aback by all that they did. Here is a shot of the goodies:
She got all kinds of cute stuff. I can't wait to use it all!!! Oh, and I got some things too. One of my sweet friends gave me some chocolate (yummo!) and another gave me an hour massage...awesome!!!

Ladies, thank you all so much. I am truly blessed to know each and every one of you...and your precious kiddos. I love you all!!! Thank you for a great night, a spectacular surprise, and for showering me with love

Talk About a Gift...

...my boys LOVE the gift that Holly's friend, Mary, sent them.

This past weekend, I had the joy of celebrating Holly's 30th birthday with her and lots of her good friends. It was a surprise party in Tennessee and was a complete blast! From the ride up with my sweet friend, Ellen, to staying with and getting to know Lindsey's precious family, to the party and ride home, the whole event was so much fun.

One thing that really stood out and was so special was that Holly's friend, Mary, brought my boys (who she has never met, btw) a very special gift. Prior to the party, she emailed me telling me that she knew we just went to Disney. She asked me if we got any of the BIG foam dinosaurs while we were there (because she also knew that Tristan is a big fan of dinos). I told her we saw them but didn't end up buying any. Then she offered to give me the ones her kids had. She said they were too old for them now.

Isn't that awesome?! Mary had never met me or my kids yet so generously offered to search for and bring me a fabulous gift. I knew it from her emails, and it was confirmed in person, but Mary is such a kind-hearted and giving person. She was so great to Ellen and me and treated us like she's known us forever. I feel so blessed to have met her and so pleased to know that Holly has such awesome friends in Tennessee.

Thank you, again, Mary (if you're reading this). My boys LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these dinosaurs! Seriously, people, Tristan wanted to take them in the restaurant at lunch yesterday (I talked him out of it). They haven't left his side much in the day and a half that he's had them.

Check 'em out!Both boys LOVE the dinosaurs!
As you can see, Tristan even slept with the dinosaurs! He likes them that much. Now I don't know about you, but that red dinosaur is not something I would not like to have staring me in the face when I wake up in the morning!Dinosaurs...one more great addition to a fantastic weekend!

It's Official...I'm No Longer in My 20's

That's right, folks. I am officially 30 years old. I still can't believe it. I'm in a bit of denial. I don't feel any different, but I know that I am. I am now in another decade. I am now a certified "ma'am". *sigh* Oh well. Being 30 probably won't be as bad as I feared. I mean, so far it's been great.

First off, my super sweet husband planned a fabulous surprise birthday party for me. It was the weekend before my birthday and was SO much fun! I kind of suspected something was going on but had no idea that my surprise party would be at the park (so clever and creative and PERFECT for all the kiddos) and that so many of my best friends would be there. I am not one that likes parties for myself (I panic at the thought), but I am so thankful that Channing did this for me. I felt so blessed and special to be surrounded by family and great friends.

Let me just say that Channing worked so hard to keep this a secret. It would have worked, too, had I not used his email to send out some stuff for work. When I was in his email, I saw some responses to a message he had sent out about my birthday. I DID NOT open any of the messages but did see the subject line about my birthday. Poor Channing! He tried so hard! Until I saw the messages, I thought he wasn't planning anything at all for my birthday and was kind of sad. I mean, I was, in no way, expecting a party, but I thought he would at least talk about me turning 30. Nope...nothing.

Back to the fabulous party he planned...since I didn't know I was heading to my own birthday party, I didn't have my camera. Channing didn't think to bring it, so I wasn't able to take my own pictures. However, my super sweet friend, Leisha, shared some she took. Thanks, Leisha!!!

Here is a shot of some of the greatest friends in the whole world. Some of these girls I met in college, some I met here in Birmingham. Each one of them holds such a special place in my heart. Each is special and unique and brings me so much joy. I could go on and on about each of the ladies in this picture. You have NO idea. I love you, ladies! Thank you for making my birthday one to remember!!! I am SO incredibly blessed to call you friends.Here is a shot of a little man that stole my heart three years ago...Eli Hairston. Isn't he a doll?!? This sweet little guy wanted a picture with me, and I was more than happy to oblige. Isn't he gorgeous?! He is so precious. He belongs to my sweet friend, Leisha. Oh, and a little lipstick would have been nice. I had no idea I would be seeing so many people. Who gets dressed up to go play at the park with their kids???And here is a shot of Leisha and me. Love you, Leisha!!! Thanks, again, for sharing your pictures.I wish I had a shot of everyone who made it to the party. My mom took one, but she doesn't have a digital camera. :( If I get a copy, I'll have to share it.
Thank you to everyone who went out of their way to make my birthday special, even those who couldn't be there in person. I am so incredibly blessed to have such a great circle of family and friends. Love you all!

Next post...my surprise trip to Disney World. Yes, I spent my 30th birthday in celebration with Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and the rest of the gang. It was so much fun!!!

A Fun Night

My three boys and I had so much fun last night. We met up with some of our closest friends for some trick-or-treating. This is the first time Tristan has been trick-or-treating since he was seven months old (when we basically just carted him around to show how cute he was in his costume). Every year, we've stuck with fall festivals, but this year, we decided to do something different. We decided to see what it was like to trick-or-treat, so we went walking around the neighborhood behind us, where many of our friends live...the neighborhood is HUGE and is Halloween central. Seriously, some houses we had to avoid! I mean, chainsaws? SO uneccessary. Tristan knows we don't participate with the evil stuff. Ok, back to the subject...

Here are some shots from last night. Thanks, Rachel, for sharing the pictures you took!!!

Asher's new costume was too small, so we had to go with last year's chicken costume. It was a little small but did the job. And yes, I know chickens are girls. Let's pretend he was a rooster.
Tristan was Iron Man. He wore the mask for about 30 minutes, then it was gone. It's just too hard to see (and breathe) through it.
And then there's sweet baby Noah. He is the adorable little monkey. What a doll!I love these girls! Rachel is here visiting from Aman, Jordan, where she and her husband are missionaries. I am enjoying all the time I am able to spend with her, her sweet baby, Noah, and her husband, Nathan.
And of course, my sweet friend, Karen. She didn't get to navigate the neighborhood with us because she had a sore throat and is pregnant. She didn't want to make it worse, so she stayed home until we were done. Isn't she adorable?! If only we could all be blessed with such a tiny belly when expecting. Yeah, she's halfway through her pregnancy and looks the way I look at nine weeks!This is Karen's husband, Jon. He's wearing his "costume", some random glasses he found in his pocket. He was quite proud of them. :) Jon, you're not the best at costumes, but we love you anyway!
Jon was so helpful last night, and despite not having a child yet, he trick-or-treated like a pro!Another shot of Channing, Jon, and the boys, minus Jon's fabulous costume. :)Our family shot of the night. I am SO incredibly blessed!At the end of the night, we returned to Jon and Karen's house to meet up with some more friends and to head out for some yummy Mexican food. Before we left, Rachel got this super sweet shot of Asher with Noah. Asher was so enamored with the "babia". He's a little "babia" crazy right now.We missed Ashley, David, and the boys but were all impressed that Timothy only wanted to spend time with family. How sweet is that?!

Thanks, guys, for a super fun night! I love ya'll!!!

When Will I Learn?

Yesterday was a super packed day for us. The morning started with church, followed by lunch with MiMi and PaPa (at Joels...YUM!), then on to a fall festival, Tristan's soccer party, and then a birthday dinner with friends (Happy Birthday, Brandi!). We had so much going on, we barely had time to think. It was TONS of fun, though.

Sadly, through all this, we were dragging our sweet little Asher along, and he had a cold...which got worse as the day went on. Because of his runny nose, we opted to keep him out of the nursery at church (you're welcome) ;). He went in to worship with us, then Channing kept him in the lobby for the service (which worked out well because it was a PG-13 service about sex and romance). ;)

By the time we made it to Brandi's birthday dinner (where Santa also happened to be dining~but that's another story), poor Asher was coughing all over the place (sorry, guys!). So as soon as we finished eating and hanging out, we ran Ash home, gave him a quick bath, a spoonful of honey and put him to bed. He did well for the first couple of hours, but then he woke up coughing. I felt so bad for my little guy, so I filled up the humidifier and ran upstairs to rock him. I did this for a while, but then he wanted his daddy (MAJOR daddy's boy). I sent Channing in, and I went downstairs to finish my pumpkin cheesecake for small group.

Channing got Asher back to sleep, but it only lasted for about an hour. Then he was crying again. Me, being the cuddly mom that I am, thought that I could solve his sleeping problem by bringing him to bed with me. So I loaded him up and carried him down the stairs. I put him in bed beside me, prayed over him, and spoke lots of encouraging words to him. At this point, if Asher were Tristan, he would be passed out. Not Asher. This child has been trained since the beginning to only sleep alone. He wasn't having it. It didn't matter how much snuggling I did, how many back rubs, he just wasn't comfortable. Finally, after about 30-40 minutes of this, I gave him another spoonful of honey, some water, and carried him back to his bed.

Guess what? He eagerly leaned over the side. He wanted his bed, not mine. SAD! After that, he slept the rest of the night. No more interruptions. Sad for me, but great for him. Now if I could just remember this the next time, I would save myself a lot of the heartache and time. As much as I want to snuggle my sick little baby, he would prefer to be alone (or with his daddy). When will I ever learn?

Finally...Beach Pictures

Ok, so I only got two. I was bad about taking pictures until Saturday night, and then the batteries on my camera died. MAJOR bummer! Another bummer is that I don't have a picture with Michelle in it (because she was shopping when we had someone take the group shot), and Beth isn't in it because she couldn't make it Saturday night. Very sad! They are two beautiful ladies (you wouldn't even believe) who made the beach weekend special. I wish I had a shot of them.

Anyway, we had a blast at the beach a couple of weeks ago. A weekend at the beach, with the girls, was just what I needed. Illy (and her sweet hubby, Josh) so graciously offered their condo (BEAUTIFUL) to us for the weekend. It was the perfect place to stay with an amazing view of the ocean. I SO wish I had a shot of the view!

It was so much fun catching up with all the girls, reminiscing about the old days back at Troy State. There are many things we remember that we all probably wish we could forget, but there are so many more wonderful memories of fun times together. These girls mean the world to me. It doesn't matter how much time passes between phone calls, visits, or trips, our relationships never skip a beat. It truly is a blessing.
Here's a shot of Jenn. Can you even tell she's pregnant in this picture? Totally unfair! She's due for induction in like two or three weeks. Seriously...not fair! :)Becky, I am so glad we were able to room together at the beach. Catching up with you was something I really looked forward to. In my life, you will always count as one of my very best friends. I know that I can always be totally real with you, without judgment. We've been through a lot together, and I am so thankful for you and your friendship. You are a blessing!!!

Ellen, what a joy to be able to ride down with you. I think it's the longest we've ever been able to talk one-on-one (minus the kids). You are such a sweet, kind, and giving person. I know that God has so much planned for you and Daniel, and I can't wait to see it unfold! I am thankful for our time together and to future lunches in the Ham!

Illy, my sweet sweet Illy. What can I say about you? I just love you so! You are such a humble, funny, and caring girl. Hearing your laugh always makes me smile. Seeing you with Reagan (sp? SO sorry if I got it wrong) and hearing your stories about her brings joy to my heart. You are a fantastic mother, and I am so proud of/for you!!! Thank you for being so generous and for offering your condo to us.

Jenn, you have and will always be so dear to me. On the way down, I was thinking of all the fun we used to have in Troy and with your parents in Montgomery. I thought back to your dad's "paychecks for being your friend". I thought about your mom and how selfless she was...how she would drive all the way to the beach just to check us into our hotels during spring break.
I miss all our times together. I wish we lived closer.
I loved hearing your stories about Ryleigh and about baby Addison.
You have overcome so much. I admire your drive with your job, your passion for your children, and your ability to overcome. You are an amazing girl. I hope we'll be able to see and talk to each other more than we have lately.

Michelle, wow! You look AMAZING! I need to get on your fitness and beauty regime. You truly look like a baseball player's wife. :) It was great catching up with you and seeing how God has transformed your heart and your life. What a testament to His power! I admire you and am so proud of you!!! I hope it won't be another 7 or so years before I see you again!

Beth, what an adorable pregnant momma you are! I've missed you so! I am so glad that you have found such an amazing husband and all that God is doing in your life. I can't wait to meet that sweet baby!!!

Holly and Stace, we sure missed ya'll!!! Next trip, you'll definitely have to be there!!!

I love you all, ladies. I know some of you don't read my blog (I just can't imagine why not), but I'll give you shout-outs anyway. I feel so blessed that God led you into my life. I am SO blessed...blessed beyond measure. You're in my thoughts and in my prayers. May God bless you all!!!

Oh, and you're welcome! I didn't post a swimsuit picture of myself just to spare you. Again, you're welcome!

Marvelous Monday

Today was a great day, a really great day. First off, the weather was glorious! Nice, cool fall weather...next to rainy days, my absolute favorite weather. Channing and I started our small group, The Bait of Satan, tonight with some really neat people. It's an awesome curriculum, and we're looking forward to a fun semester with new friends. AND today I was able to confirm that I'm going to the beach for a girls' weekend. Woo hoo! I am looking SO forward to it!!! I'm going to be hanging out at the beach with some of my dearest and most beloved friends. These ladies not only are my sorority sisters, but they are best friends that, no matter how much time goes by between phone calls and visits, we always manage to pick up right where we left off. A weekend with them is just what I need!!!
So anyway, today has been a wonderful wonderful day. I hope your Monday was just as great. If not, I hope and pray that tomorrow is better!
Blessings!

Lake + Friends = Fun!

Last weekend, my three boys and I headed down to the lake for a much-needed getaway. We haven't been able to go much this year because we've had such a busy summer. The fact that we haven't been down in more than a month and that we had good friends who were able to join us made this weekend even sweeter.
For Tristan, there is no greater place to go than the lake. He counted down all week last week. Friday couldn't get here soon enough.

Here are my two of my three boys and me right after we got there:

Jon and Karen, two of our family's favorite people, joined us Friday night. They don't have any kids yet, but they sure do love on ours. Our boys adore them! We are so blessed to have such awesome friends!!! Here they are on Saturday morning, right before we went down for some relaxing on the lake:
My sweet Tristan floating in the lake. Sheer joy!Karen and Tristan on one of our boat rides:Asher is a GREAT driver!
Daddy's first mate!
Tristan and Jon on the sea doo. Jon was amazed at how fast Tristan likes to drive. He said Tristan always has the throttle completely down. That's my boy!
Here are a couple of random pics of my sweet boys. The first one is a great "noodle" shot (that's what I call it when my boys don't have any clothes on). I just love noodle babies!And finally, my sweet grinning Tristan!We had a great weekend. We didn't get much rest because Asher didn't sleep well...at all. Aside from that, it was the perfect getaway. We enjoyed it so much, we think we'll go back this weekend and spend some time with Mimi and PaPa.

She's Just Too Smart

This past Friday, I had the pleasure of attending my dear sweet friend, Leisha's, baby shower. Her mom and sister worked hard and quietly for weeks planning a surprise shower for her at Kobe Steakhouse. The rest of us were thrilled to be in on the surprise. However, Leisha, being the super smart lady that she is, figured things out ahead of time, and spoiled the surprise. She really is just too smart! Oh well! It was still fun for ALL!!!

Here is Leisha walking in on the big surprise. Isn't she precious?!Here are all the kids in the hot spot...right beside the gift opener. Is there any greater place to be???After the shower, I got someone to take a picture of Rachael, Leisha, and me. I have none! These ladies are two of my best friends, yet I've never had a picture of us together. Now I do! Yippee! :)
Baby Luke will be here very soon, and I, for one, can't wait to meet him! If he's anything like the rest of his family, he will be hard not to love.
Hairston Family, we sure do love you!!! Leisha, you're almost there. Soon, you'll be tickling little Luke's toes. I can't wait!!!

Best Friends

See that blue blanket? That, my friends, is a priceless masterpiece. That is, of course, if you're asking Asher. This blankie is his lovey, and his lovey is extremely important to him. I don't know what we would do if anything ever happened to Lovey. Asher refuses to sleep without him, and lately, he takes him everywhere.

Tristan, knowing how important Lovey is to Asher, likes to snatch him and run away. This always elicits loud screams from Asher. It's gotten to the point that when I'm out of the room and I hear him scream, I immediately say, "Tristan, give Ash his lovey back." Then I hear Tristan laugh and run away. It happens at least once every other day.

Look at this love! Whenever I showed Asher this picture, he said, "Oh wee..." because that's what we say when he snuggles Lovey. Now it's an automatic response out of him.

This picture is a rare one. He was actually going to share Lovey with me. I couldn't believe it!

"Ok, Mom, if you're not going to take him, I'll just chew him!"
Great thing about Lovey is that he's very forgiving. He has been thrown, gnawed on, thrown up on; he's been dragged and snatched. He's been with Asher through loud nights of screaming in the nursery at church and in his bed. He's been on every trip Asher's been on. Lovey is a loyal friend. I dare say that Lovey is Asher's best friend. Again I say, what would we do without Lovey. I hope we never have to find out.

Ash Getting Some Love

My friend, Ashley, sent this picture to me this morning. It's a shot of her precious little man giving Ash some love at our church's big 4th of July Event last night. Ashley and I both have boys the same age. She has a four year old and a one year old just like I do. Her little man, pictured above, is only five weeks older than Asher, but he has been walking (and running, for that matter) since he was like 10 months old. He's also a good bit taller than Asher. It's always so much fun watching them together. Asher usually just gets as still as a statue when Baby N comes around. I LOVE it!!!

I Asked, and He Delivered

This morning as I prayed, I asked the Lord to show me areas of sin in my life, areas that I may not be aware of. I didn't hear or feel an immediate poke in the ribs, but shortly thereafter, I checked my email. I received an email from a great friend who shared some of the struggles she has had to overcome and thought that maybe I dealt with some of the same things. My first response was that no, those weren't struggles of mine. I emailed her back, thanked her for sharing her wisdom, and kind of left it at that. However, the Holy Spirit didn't quite leave it at that. I just kept thinking about the email. It has been on my mind all morning.

I came upstairs this afternoon to pray, and I felt a nudge to check my email, so I did. There, in my inbox, was another email from my sweet friend who shared more specifically of the struggles she has overcome and an apology for assuming that I dealt with the same struggles. Immediately, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit and had another "AHA!" moment. I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me and say, "Ah hem...(how do you spell the clearing of a throat?). You asked me to show you areas of sin in your life. Ah hem...".

Oh!!! I got it, Lord!!! You see, with the first email, I was blinded by my own sin, my own pride. It took that second nudge to show me. The blinders came off, and I indeed realized that my friend was right. She showed me an area of sin that I was blinded to.

Thank you, sweet sweet friend (you know who you are). Thank you, LORD, that you haven't given up on me. I asked, and YOU delivered. Praise God!

"I am confident that the good work God has begun in me will be perfected." Philippians 1:6

What a Fun Party!

On Saturday, we had the pleasure of attending a very special party. We celebrated JB's third birthday at the park and with a super fun game of football. JB's mom had the great idea of having an SEC football party, and we all wore our favorite teams' attire. Since Tristan's Bama jersey is peeling off (and I wanted some cute pictures), we decided to be Georgia fans/football players.
Before the game got started, the kids enjoyed some yummy cupcakes and JB opened presents.
Ash wasn't quite big enough to play this time, so he hung back with the good lookin' ladies. Here he is with Mrs. Leisha.Leisha's handsome men were rockin' the Bama gear. ROLL TIDE!!!GAME TIME!!! The teams were getting ready in the huddle. We have Georgia, Alabama, LSU, and Auburn represented.What is a game without cheerleaders? Aren't they precious?! I think they are, even though they're both wearing horrible colors! ;D
LSU was off to a good lead...
but Georgia caught up and got hands on his back (the boys played touch football, rather than tackle. We did have a couple of tackles, though. Boys will be boys).Back to the huddle.
It's Georgia's turn with the ball. GO DAWGS!!! That's one good looking quarterback!I copied this picture off of morningsong's blog. This is Tristan hangin' out after the game. The party was so much fun, and we couldn't have had better weather. It was perfect!!!
After the party, we met Channing for lunch at Willy T's (one of Channing's weaknesses. He loves the place but tries not to eat it much). Here is Asher giving his daddy a recap of the game. That's right, Georgia's #1!

And finally, here are my three favorite men in the whole wide world. I love these guys so so much!All in all, Saturday was a great day filled with fun. Thanks, morningsong, for a great party, and thanks, JB, for having a birthday and giving us a reason to celebrate!