And the 'Father of the Year' Award Goes To....

I know it is no where near Father's Day.

And for that matter, I know there is not an actual award for 'Father of the Year',

BUT IF THERE WERE...

I know exactly who I would nominate.

Brian sat down with Savanna this afternoon and gave her her very first guitar lesson. She has been on the pursuit of a new 'thang' for some time now. She hung up her dancing shoes a short while ago and decided that she wanted something new as a hobby, but she just didn't know exactly what that 'thang' was going to be.

She even went out to the ball field during draft week to try softball on for size.

Since her closest buddies weren't on board PLUS she realized she couldn't play ball in the new press on nails she just got ~ GASP ~ she decided to vote "NO" to softball also.

She was thrilled when she mastered the 'D major' chord!
Look at that sweet face ~ she was BEAMING!!!

Brian was incredibly patient and encouraging with her. It was such a precious interaction to witness.

As if that weren't enough, he also agreed to appease Micah's imagination and play along with his laundry hamper Olympic Bobsledding dreams. :)

Yesterday's game of choice was Cops and Robbers. I totally thought Micah was in BIG TROUBLE when I heard Brian talking in a very loud, authoratative voice. Then I realized they were chasing each other with toy guns!!! HA!

{wish I had thought to grab my camera then}

Here's a series of images to document what they spent the better part of today doing. It will also serve as good evidence to show the chiropractor when we try to explain why Brian is curled up in pain tomorrow.

Check out the expression on Micah's face!

I know this one is a bit blurry, but I included it just to show how dog-gone FAST these guys were going!

GOLD MEDAL for sure!

After several exhausting laps around the house, Brian finally called it quits.

But I truly do not know another Daddy that pours as much love, energy, and time into the hearts and lives of his children.

I tease him all the time and tell him I would have married him just for his bug killing abilities alone. {I CAN NOT STAND BUGS!!!}

But I honestly can say, I really would have married him just for his fathering skills. I am so thankful for what he does and who he is.

Cracker Barrel Breakfasts

I love Cracker Barrel for many reasons.

The atmosphere complete with rocking chairs, checkers games, and fireplace is one of a kind. Not to mention their pancakes and baked apples make for the best breakfast in town hands down!

But more than anything else, I LOVE, LOVE , LOVE their gift shop! Check out my new treasures I found. This adorable pancake pan that imprints your pancakes with animal faces {how cute is that?!}

And I just couldn't resist this funky clock made out of utensils for my kitchen.
This is one of those thing you either love or hate ~ and I LOVE!

These are the kind of treasures that if you pass them up, you will never be able to find them again!

At least that is my rationale for buying them anyway.

We joined Brian's parents for a long standing family tradition ~ Saturday morning breakfast at Cracker Barrel. We don't usually like to get up early on Saturdays, but we do love getting to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa!

Micah immediately challenged Grandpa to a round of checkers.

Daddy and Savanna warmed up by the stone fireplace.

And Grandma and I reserved our table while sipping our coffee and waiting for our pancakes.

I love it that Micah is sharing his expert checkers advice and strategy with Grandpa.

Don't worry, the kids didn't leave without a few treasures of their own, thanks to Grandma and Grandpa. Savanna found a 'too cute for words' Florida Gators shirt and Micah found himself a wooden snake.

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa, for a great morning that filled our bellies with delicious treats and our hearts with special memories.

Baseball's Back!!!

This Saturday is baseball draft day!

These are some shots from last season. Seems hard to believe Micah won't be in T-ball anymore....sniff, sniff! It feels like just yesterday he was only 3 years old drawing in the dirt during the games, but now he is hard core and focused.

He is so excited that he is finally old enough for Coach Pitch.

Every year so far, we have been so blessed with a wonderful team and coaching crew. Baseball season means so much more than just baseball around here. It becomes our way of life for the next few months. We form new relationships and opportunities to share the love of the Lord with people in our community. Would you believe I have actually gotten to pray with several children and lead them to ask Jesus into their hearts right there at the ballpark sitting in that orange clay? What an honor and privilege!

Who'd of ever 'thunk' the ballpark could be a mission field?

Can't wait to see what the Lord has planned for this season!

Trash to Treasure

Can you believe these super creative chicks made a wreath entirely out of trash?

Even better than that, they thought of it all by themselves!

They tore out the pages of an old magazine and wadded them up to create their very own, one of a kind wreath.

What a fun way to pass an afternoon!

The One that Swallowed Jonah

I am forever thankful that the Lord gave us both a girl and a boy. Yesterday, I took Savanna shopping while Brian took Micah fishing. My phone rang while we were in Old Navy and I was super excited that Micah was on the other line. Micah is not much of a phone person! If he talks to you on the phone, consider yourself privileged and know that something exciting has happened.

He started off the conversation by saying, "Mom, I caught the BIGGEST catfish! Dad says it's big enough to be the fish that swallowed Jonah!"

It certainly was a whopper of a fish and will make for some good eats tonight!

Why do I feel like a criminal?

We just made a quick run to Target and left feeling like CRIMINALS!

~

Savanna had a gift card that was burning a whole in her pocket and she just couldn't wait to get a new Wii game. We had several things on our list to buy, but we made a direct shot over to the gaming area to make sure they had the Mario Bros. game she was wanting. The only problem was, you can't leave the electronics department without paying for the game there. I guess there are too many games that mysteriously "disappear" if they leave the electronics area without actually being purchased.

Transaction #1

***

Then we made our way over to the pharmacy area to pick up some generic Nyquil to help me shake off whatever it is I seem to be fighting the past few days. Again, we have to pay for the item in the designated area. Only this time, we also have to provide a driver's license and sign off on something that I think was verifying that we would not be going home and making black market drugs with the Nyquil. Anyway, we finally made it out of the pharmacy with our much needed meds ~ but only after the pharmacist gave us what I consider to be a look of great suspicion.

Transaction #2

***

Finally, we found all the other much needed items on our shopping list such as pictures, bubble gum, shaving cream, etc... and checked out at the regular register in the front of the store.

Transaction #3

***

Now I ask you, what in heaven's name is our world coming to when it requires 3 different transactions to leave Target with less than 10 items? For someone like me who already has a ridiculously high guilt complex about things that I am actually innocent, it does something to your psyche to be treated like a thief or drug dealer before 10:00 am on a Saturday.

Maybe it's just me, but it makes me mad, sad, and a little frustrated to have to deal with such nonsense ~ not to mention, I'm beginning to develop a criminal complex for pity's sake!

Snow Day?

Can you believe that we actually got a SNOW DAY?

True!

School was cancelled last Friday for a SNOW DAY!

We were so excited we could hardly stand it!

We waited and watched, and waited and watched some more.

Mostly all we saw was rain, rain, and more rain.

Finally around 1:00 in the afternoon, we got a phone call from a friend that there were snow flurries falling.

We burst outside ready for our Winter Wonderland in Florida!!!

Well.....needless to say, we were a little disappointed in the AMOUNT of snow, but technically we did have snow!

Micah examined the ground because he really wasn't sure about this actually being snow.

The prospect of throwing snowballs or making a snowman was near impossible, so Savanna and Micah decided it would be fun just to catch as many snowflakes as possible on their tongues.

As far as I'm concerned, I would much rather be playing in the white sand at the beach instead of the white snow ANY day. This cold weather is ridiculous!

Instead of a snow day, we had a pajama wearin', fire buildin', popcorn poppin', movie watching kind of day. We had a very fun and cozy time watching the first 3 movies in the Love Comes Softly series ~ which I would HIGHLY recommend. I kept thinking that they reminded me of Little House on the Prairie, which is my all time fav, and then I finally realized that they were directed by Michael Landon Jr. I can't wait til we can get our hands on the next movies in the series.

So much for snow pics, but good family memories were made none the less.

My Valentines

Aren't these the sweetest Valentines you've ever seen?

I just love my children and love a day that you celebrate love!


Savanna found a cute speckled frog in her bag. She is really into frogs right now, mostly for the whole "Fully Rely On God" thing.

Micah got a few G.I. Joe figurines.

And they both found some new, cool clothes in their bags.

(I heart Target!)

You want to know what REALLY warmed my heart....

They made EACH OTHER Valentines cards!

How cool is that?

They weren't even told to do it!

Can you tell my heart just melted!?

We didn't get to have our school parties on Friday because of our SNOW DAY (crazy right? I'll post on that tomorrow) Anyway, Monday was our parties BUT I had already planned a "half-birthday" party for Micah's teacher, Mrs. D.

She has a summer birthday so we wouldn't be in school to celebrate with her. She is DEFINITELY someone worth celebrating, so we planned a little surprise b-day action to go along with the Valentines fun.

The class gave her this beautiful necklace for her "half-birthday" with all three of her babies on it. Her middle child went home to be with Jesus shortly after his first birthday and I have felt burdened to find her photo jewelry that would include a spot for all three of her beautiful children. Her oldest daughter was a doll and helped me smuggle a few pictures out of the house so it would be a surprise.

Mrs. D. and I burst into tears when she opened the gift ~ the children were so funny, they thought she didn't like the gift!

They understood a little better when she showed them Riley's picture. She is very open about Riley and talks to the children about him. It has also made her a big influence in our school's Relay For Life fundraising campaign as we try to find a cure for cancer.

Micah and Mrs. D. enjoying the ice cream float and cookie cake.

Check out the beautiful handmade Valentines that the children made at school.

Micah with his bag of goodies from all of his friends.

Savanna with her fifth grade buds making ice cream sundaes.

YUMMY!

Hope you all had a WONDERFULLY SWEET VALENTINES!

We are still trying to get our blood sugars leveled out over here before the Easter candy arrives!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Hulk Attack!

"Gold" Friends

While we were in Orlando, we were so blessed to have some Jacksonville friends visit us. It was definitely the highlight of our trip to visit with our dear friends. It made me think of an old song I learned in girl scouts close to 30 years ago...

"Make new friends, but keep the old,

one is silver, and the other gold."

I taught Katherine several years ago when she was in third grade. Her mom Crystal and I became fast friends! They both have such a special place in my heart. Crystal's dad was actually the interim pastor of our church in Jax after we moved. It was so special to know that he was looking after and shepherding our precious church family in our absence.

One of my favorite memories of Katherine was when she told her mom that having Mrs. Calhoun as a teacher is like having a mom at school ~ what a precious thought!

I think that is why I love teaching so much.....because I love being a mommy so much!
The Koenig Clan also joined the fun and met us at Downtown Disney.
We miss them SOOOO much! They were dear friends that we enjoyed hanging out with in Jax.
We goofed off (no pun intended) trying on crazy hats.
Who knows how many heads these hats have been on! Ugh!
I wonder if ANYBODY actually buys these silly things or if everyone just uses them for the photo op like we do.

Micah had some fun with the crazy mirror in the candy shop while we were custom ordering our desserts

This is THE BEST candy shop I have EVER been to! You get to pick out what sugary treat you want and then pick what you want it dipped in and then what candy you want it rolled in!

Have you EVER in ALL your life!?!

I picked a huge Mickey shaped rice crispy treat dipped in white chocolate rolled in Reese's pieces. Mmmmmm!

Makes me hungry just thinking about it now!

Downtown Disney is the next best thing to actually going to Disney World.

Tons of great shops, restaurants, photo ops, and of course Lego Land!

Kerri and I are secretly planning Micah and Madison's wedding in 20 years. We can add this photo to the wedding slide show.

After Downtown Disney and Rain Forest Cafe, we swam at the hotel and enjoyed visiting while floating along the lazy river. The boys bonded by wrestling (of course) and the girlies got into the nail polish.

Another day we were so excited to spend time with the Hasha family. They actually live in the Orlando area now. Gaye and I taught together for several years and our kiddies would play together every afternoon. Mike is in the ministry too and all us minister's families have a unique bond. Gaye is probably one of the wisest people I know. I could sit and listen to her for hours and hours. I dearly miss our daily heart to hearts, but it is so precious to know that distance and time does not change the special bond that we share.

Thank you Hasha's, Mixson's, and Koenig's for making our vacation so EXTRA special!

We love you all heaps and heaps!