It's November 28, and I'm Thankful For...

...the time I am being able to spend in Ozark with my family.

I don't have a picture today because I am posting this early, and I haven't had a chance to take pictures with my family yet. Thing is, I already know that I am so thankful for this break and for the time I am able to spend with my family. I wish I could see them more, but I will settle for what I can get.

So you probably won't hear from me until Monday. Then I'll start my "Christmas Traditions". I'm really excited about this! Each day in December (give or take a day), I'm going to be posting one of our family's Christmas traditions. I hope it will get you thinking about your family traditions and possibly that it will encourage you to share some of yours. Your traditions could spark traditions in other families! What a blessing!!!

I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving!!!

It's November 26, and I'm Thankful For...

my life!
I'm just plain thankful that I am able to get up each day. What a gift!!! God has blessed me with an amazing life...the gift of salvation, a wonderful family, fantastic friends, my health, food, shelter...who could ask for more?

What about you? What are you thankful for today?

Tune in tomorrow for a very special "What I'm Thankful For". :)

It's November 25, and I'm Thankful For...

...sweet little cousins!Aren't they SO cute?! We love these kiddos!!! Tristan is always thrilled when he can spend time with his cousin, MRK. Likewise, Channing and I love spending time with her too. She is a beautiful little ball of fun. :) Aren't they cute in their matching Christmas jammies???

And here they are with FH. These pics were taken at Channing's parents'. We celebrated Thanksgiving with them this past Sunday. It was great having dinner and time with all the fam. We are SO blessed!!!Here are the kids having fun on the jumping bean (a King term).Another jammies shot. Gotta love Pottery Barn jammies!!!And then just one of my sweet Ash...just because.

It's November 24, and I'm Thankful For...

...low gas prices!

A year ago, I must have said a hundred times, "We'll never see gas under $2 again. We probably won't ever see it dip below $3." Boy am I glad I was wrong! This year, our trip to Ozark for Thanksgiving won't cost us all our Christmas savings. How great is that?!

So today, I am thankful for low gas prices. How about you? Thankful for anything special today???

It's November 23, and I'm Thankful For...

...my cameras.
One of my cameras is slowly dying (which breaks my heart because it's not very old, but I guess that's what happens when it gets dropped in the sand), but it's still kicking...just rather slowly.

Have you ever stopped to think how great it is to have cameras, both still and video? Where would we be without them? How in the world would we remember everything? I don't know about you, but I am SO thankful for cameras, photographers, memories...

So that's what I'm thankful for today. How about you?

It's November 22, and I'm Thankful For...

...my garage!

I know this may seem trivial, but to me, it's not. I am SO thankful for my garage. During cold weather, it's so nice to be able to go straight out to my car, have it only semi-cold and not have to scrape ice off the windshields. This is a blessing, indeed.

So today, I am thankful for my garage. How about you? Anything you're thankful for today?

Oh! Stay tuned for my December posts. Each day of December, I am going to share one of our family's Christmas traditions. I'm super excited about it!

It's November 21, and I'm Thankful For...

...my wonderful husband.
I really do have the best husband out there. Sorry, ladies, just how I feel. Channing has got to be the most patient, forgiving, honest, and kind person out there. I'm not kidding. I mean, the man has put up with me for 10 years. And if you know me well, you know that's not an easy feat.

Some things I love about Channing:

• He's super patient. I can always count on that. No matter what has happened over the years, he has always handled it with grace and patience...my former high spending (I had to have a cool wardrobe, right?), my tantrums, the kids' tantrums, prayers, finances, my slow (VERY slow) quest to become a Proverbs 31 woman...you name it. He has been so consistently patient. I know the Lord must be so pleased!
• He's funny. He keeps me cracking up. Early in our marriage, any time I would get upset with him, he would make jokes and get in my face until I laughed. He still does stuff like that. He just has a sense of humor that I get and appreciate. I love how he rolls with my jokes around my family, how he gets overly touchy with his brother (just to freak him out), how he can find humor in the little things. I just love it!
• He's a great dad. When it comes to being a father, he is AMAZING. He loves his boys, and it is so evident. He is patient with them, makes sure to go out of his way to spend quality time with them, and he listens to all their jokes and watches all their showing off. "Daddy, watch this!" He's a great leader and example for them. I am so proud to have him as the father of my children. My boys and I are so fortunate!
• He loves the Lord. He never misses an opportunity to spend time with God. He puts his trust in God, when I often choose to stress out first. He studies the Word and makes leaps and bounds in growing in spirit and in truth daily. He is a shining example of Christ's love, and I know a very special reward awaits him in heaven.
• He is a servant. Channing goes out of his way to help others. Whether it be the boys or me, his parents, family, patients, strangers, Channing is kind and compassionate and has a heart to help others. He doesn't choose what is easiest or most convenient for him, rather, he looks at the other person's needs. What a rare quality these days!
• He is a good friend. When it comes to my life, he's the best. I know I can always count on him, I can always trust him, and I can always count on sound advice from him. With some friends, you have to be a certain way, say a certain thing, weigh every word, but not with Channing. I can be open and honest with him. I know that I'm not being judged by the things I say to him.
• He's a hard worker. Over the past five years, I have seen him do what it takes to make his business work. He is such a diligent worker, and providing for his family is a priority for him. I am so thankful for that.
• He's caring.
• He's fun.
• He's challenging.
• He takes his time (don't we all need to slow down sometimes?).
• He loves.
• He doesn't complain.
• He looks for the positive in most situations.
• He's a great doctor.

These are just a few of the things I love about my husband. I am SO incredibly thankful for him. I don't always understand how God could put us together, I mean...what was he thinking? Is Channing being punished or something? But I am so thankful! Because of my relationship with him, my relationship with the Lord is stronger, I am the mother to two of the most incredible little boys on the planet, and I know that I have a solid thing going. I don't ever have to worry that he'll leave me, no matter how difficult I may be.

So today, I am thankful for my Channing. How about you? Who/What are you thankful for today?

It's November 20, and I'm Thankful For...

...my little Asher.What can I say about my little Asher? He is such a joy! It's amazing how two kids can have such different personalities. He and Tristan are night and day, and I am so fortunate to be able to enjoy both!

Asher is pretty independent (unless we want to leave him in the church nursery). He likes to play baseball (he figured out much faster than Tristan did~the perks of having a big brother, I guess). He loves his daddy, but he's coming around to the mommy side these days. So there's still hope. I may end up with two momma's boys! He's funny and knows it too. Asher is quick to tell a joke and to laugh...and to make sure that we laugh too. He loves to be silly, do animal sounds (so far he knows his cat, dog, dinosaur, lion, duck, frog, and elephant), and to jump (although his feet rarely leave the ground). He loves to dance in his noodle (aka no clothes) and to chase and be chased. His current passion is puppies. If you want to find a spot in his heart, just bring your dog along!

Having Asher has brought me so much joy. He is a blessing...one that I thank God for every day. I can't tell you the feeling I have when I see my two boys laugh and play together. It truly is indescribable. I am blessed!

So today, I am thankful for my little tiny Ash be-dash. How about you? What/who are you thankful for today?

It's November 19, and I'm Thankful For...

...my sweet Tristan!Ok, so I haven't been sticking to my thankful posts each day (or any posts for that matter) because our mouse on our home computer died. Needless to say, I haven't had a chance to replace it yet, so the internet has just been skipped (probably a good thing).

Today, though, I had to share how thankful I am for my oldest and most cuddly son, Tristan. He is such an incredible blessing! Five and a half years ago, our lives (mine and Channing's) were turned upside down when we found out that we were expecting a baby...two years earlier than planned...and right as we were preparing to open our own business. Can I tell you, it was a total SHOCK? I had no idea how we would manage. Looking back, though, I see how God's hand was on us. Had it not been for the birth of Tristan, I don't think I could have possibly grasped God's love for me. Having Tristan brought my relationship with the Lord so much closer. I finally understood how and why He could love me so much, despite my many mistakes. I finally understood that maternal love I had heard so much about.

Tristan is such a special boy. His name means "bold", and I pray often that God will fill him with boldness as he serves Christ and leads others to Him. I pray that God's favor will be upon him at all times and that he will continue to have the sweet caring heart that characterizes him.

Tristan is my cuddly child. Oh there is no other cuddler like him! He and I were made for each other. While I love Asher with all my heart, he just doesn't enjoy a good cuddle like Tristan and I do. Whenever Channing is out of town, I always take advantage of my opportunity to snuggle with Tristan all night.

Tristan is a momma's boy and always has been. When it comes down to football choices, even, he always goes with my pick. What a sweet boy!!! I LOVE A MOMMA'S BOY! I mean, I married one, didn't I?

Here are some pictures from Tristan's Thanksgiving Feast at school today:
My happy little pilgrim and his feast. Oh how I love this kid!!!
My two big boys. How blessed I am!!!
So today, I am thankful for my sweet sweet Tristan. How about you? What/who are you thankful for today?

It's November 15, and I'm Thankful For...

...my sister, Tori!
I'm so proud of her! She competed in her first beauty pageant this week (it was actually a little school pageant~ a fundraiser for her yearbook), and she did really well. We prayed, not that she would win, but that she would perform well (aka: not trip on her dress and slide across the stage). Turns out she, and three other girls in her grade, was awarded class beauty. WAY TO GO, TORI!!!

Before she was born, the idea of having a sister 18 years younger was...well...embarrassing. I mean, I was a senior in high school! Once she was born, though, I realized what a blessing she is. She is a fantastic little sister, and I am more and more proud of her every day. Channing, the boys, and I love her very much.

So today, I am thankful for my sister. What are you thankful for today?

It's November 14, and I'm Thankful For...

...Fridays with my family.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Fridays! Our office is closed on Fridays, and most weeks, we use the day as a family day. There is no other day of the week where we can all spend time together and focus on family activities the whole day. It's just the greatest! I am so thankful that we are able to set our own office hours and close down so that we can spend time together. I'm thankful for fun Fridays where the boys get to choose what we do, where we go, and for the most part what we eat. They LOVE Fridays too!

Today, we spent some time playing at home, then we headed out for lunch (we've been cooped up all week with yucky colds. We still have the colds but are doing better today. PRAISE the LORD!). Tristan picked his favorite spot...Subway. After Subway, we headed over to HairForce so that my two big boys could get MUCH NEEDED haircuts. I think they lost 20 pounds of hair between the two of them!
Once the boys were groomed, we headed over to the park, to Sonic for slushies, then to some stores (my pick).

Once we were done with all that fun, we headed home for dinner and Tristan's current favorite show, "The Backyardigans". We were supposed to have dinner with friends (I had SO been looking forward to it), but we didn't want to give them our colds. So we just hung out together.

So today, I am thankful for Fridays. How about you? What are you thankful for???

It's November 13, and I'm Thankful For...

the rain!!!

So, we don't actually have A LOT of rain going on here, but we do have some. I have missed it so much! Something about rain just makes me so happy. My ideal week (as long as I have no outdoor pictures planned) is seven days of rain. I LOVE it!

Today, I am thankful for the rain. What about you? What are you thankful for today?

It's November 12, and I'm Thankful For...

...our small group friends.
I LOVE these people! During the summer of 2006, our church did a summer outreach, and we all joined together in a small group. Our group was bigger, but for some reason, a small group of five families just stuck together. Since then, we have been doing life together.

It is amazing to see where God has taken each family in the time since our group began. For instance, Rachel and Nathan are now full-time missionaries in Jordan. We are currently enjoying every moment we have with them, as they are here visiting for a couple of months.
Also, when our group began, our families had a combined two kids. Now we have six and another on the way (YEA, Karen!).

Each person in this group is so special to Channing and me and to my boys. They are a source of friendship, encouragement, conviction, fun, family... I could go on and on. Each of us loves God and growing in our relationship with Him. We all love each other's children. This, btw, totally amazes me. I have never seen a group of men love on other people's kids like the guys in this group do. You have no idea how much Tristan loves them! I don't know...it's just a super great group of people.

I sure do love you guys!!! Oh, and if any of you has a picture of the guys, please share. I don't have one. :) THANKS!!

It's November 11, and I'm Thankful For...

our veterans! (my second thankful post today)
I am so thankful for all the men and who have served and are currently serving our country. These men and women have selflessly given their lives to make sure that we can continue to enjoy freedom in our country. This is one of those areas I think can often be taken for granted. Today, I hope that each of us will reflect on what these men and women have done and are currently doing for us. Think of how much they sacrifice so that we can feel safe.

If you have served, are serving, or have a family member in the military, I THANK YOU for all your sacrifices. I appreciate you so much and am SO thankful for all you have given to our country, to my life, to the life of my boys. Without you, we wouldn't be able to enjoy the freedoms that we have.

HAPPY VETERANS DAY!!!

What or who are you thankful for today?

It's November 11, and I'm Thankful For...

the cough trick!
Well, that's what we call it in our house. Asher has had a cough on and off for a couple of weeks, and we've been giving him a spoonful of honey, which usually helps. Well this week, he has decided he will no longer take the honey. Grrrrrrrrrreat. So the night before last, as I was up with him at 2 a.m., I remembered the home remedy my sorority sister, Kelli, shared with me. How could I have forgotten about it??? Yesterday, before I left work for home, I headed down to Winn Dixie to get some Vicks Vapor Rub.

So here's the trick Kelli shared. You may already know about it, but I didn't. Word has it that if you put Vicks Vapor Rub on your feet at bedtime, and then wear socks over it, you won't cough during the night. I decided to try it with both boys last night. The result...Asher was cough-free for half the night! I know that doesn't sound like much, but compared to the night before last, it was FANTASTIC. At that point, I probably should have reapplied some, but I didn't. I just soothed him back to sleep.

Tristan's results were even better. He was cough-free until 7:00 this morning. SCORE!!! This is great for him because he refuses the honey. He will let me do rice krispie ears, and that usually helps, but this is something great to go along with it.

So, today I am thankful for the home remedy that Kelli shared. It made a HUGE difference for a sleep-deprived momma!!! THANKS, KELLI!!!

It's November 10, and I'm Thankful For...

my mom!

Today is her birthday, and I hope it's super great!!! Wish I could be there to celebrate. :(
Yeah, just realized that rhymes.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!! Thank you for all the sacrifices you've made for me, and thank you for being the best Nana in the whole world. The boys and I love you very much!!! Looking forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks. :)

It's November 9, and I'm Thankful For...

Bama's win over the tigers last night!!!
WHAT A GAME!!! I was holding my breath until the very last second. It was definitely an exciting one. Bama went down to Death Valley and conquered the tigers. It wasn't the prettiest win, but it was a win nonetheless.

Is it just me, or does Saban look good in crimson??? :)

So today, I am thankful for our view from the top. ROLL TIDE!!!

I know I get a little excited about football, and that may be hard for you non-football lovers to understand (I'm still shocked that there are people out there that don't get excited about college football. What do you people do on Saturdays?) ;) I just love it. In a time of so much political drama, financial stress, and doomsdayers, college football is an great escape for me. I love watching an exciting game like yesterday's game against LSU. Bama didn't play very well, they were kind of flat, but it was exciting nonetheless. :):) And Georgia/Kentucky was a nail-biter too. WHAT A GREAT SATURDAY!!!

It's November 7, and I'm Thankful for...

...Asher feeling better (I wish I had a picture of my little man, but my computer is so prehistoric, I can't upload one from home) :(.

This has been a long couple of days. On Wednesday, Asher woke up from his nap with a fever. He spent the rest of the day in my lap. Thursday brought much of the same, with one bout of getting sick (I think you know what I mean). Today, he is much better but has developed a rash all over his torso. I'm thinking he's got roseola (it's very common, so common that 90% of kids get it by the age of five) but not sure. There's not much the doctor can do for roseola (or fifth disease, if that's what it is), so we're just going to monitor him. From what I've read, once the rash appears, he is no longer contagious (good thing he spent the past two days in my lap!).

Today, I am thankful that he is feeling better and more himself. It's so sad having a sick kiddo. Thankfully, this is only the second time, in his 18 months of life, that he's had anything other than a cold. Praise the Lord!

What are you thankful for today?

It's November 6, and I'm Thankful For...

...the beautiful fall trees!!!
If you live in Alabama and haven't taken notice of the breath-taking brilliance of the red, orange, and yellow leaves on the trees, you need to turn off the computer right now and head outside. It is GORGEOUS!!! A day hasn't gone by in the past two weeks, when Tristan and I haven't had conversations about how beautiful the trees are. He and I are both big fans of fall, and he knows how much I love the changing leaves. He likes them too.

Some of the trees absolutely look like they're on fire. I just can't get enough of them.
How amazing is our God that He loves us so much and He cares about giving us beautiful landscaping to see?! Is that cool or what?! He cares about even the smallest of details. How thankful I am for that!

What are you thankful for today?

It's November 5, and I'm Thankful For...

...my new deep freezer. Well, it's not actually new, just new to me (the picture above is not actually ours. It's a picture I got online. Ours looks a lot like it. I'm just too lazy to take a picture of it and upload it. Pathetic, I know).

God is just SO good. One morning a month or so ago, I was out walking, and I saw a neighbor with a deep freezer for sale. I thought to myself, "I sure wish I could buy that. I really need one, but now just isn't the best time." Sadly, I resigned myself to the fact that I was just going to have to wait...even if it was a good deal.
Later that afternoon, I saw my super sweet neighbor (different neighbor), and she asked me, "Annie, do you have any need for a deep freezer? We have one in our garage, but we need a new refrigerator, and we're going to move our old one to the garage, and we need to get rid of our deep freezer. Would you have any use for it?"
Oh my goodness! This sweet lady had NO idea that I was just wishing I'd had one. Is God great or what?!
I told her my story and that I would be thrilled to have it. She said, "Well praise the LORD! Someone needs it!"

So now, Channing and I are the proud owners of a stand up deep freezer, and it was totally and completely free. A gift from my super sweet neighbor and my God, who truly cares about every area of my life...even my food storage. What an incredible blessing!!!

During this uncertain time, it is so important to take notice our blessings. So what are you thankful for today?