19/52: We Love Savannah!

I'm so glad Carin decided to continue the 52 week challenge! It has taken on a slightly new spin (check it out!), but since I am only on 19 of 52 of this one, I will press on here!

Our Thanksgiving trip to South Carolina and Georgia gave me opportunities to get in the picture and allowed us to spend a few days in one of our all-time FAVORITE cities!

Years ago we fell in love with the city of Savannah, it also holds a special place in my heart because my Mom was born in Savannah - and we have our own little Savannah....

Savannah Faith - 5 months old

Present-Day Savannah

"Savannah" on a Savannah fire engine - November 2009

I love to visit Forsyth Park.....

At the end of the park is the hospital where my Mom was born.....

Telfair Hospital - no longer a hospital,
but historically preserved and kept as a Senior residence now.
I told my Mom she could return there now if she liked,
but I don't know if she found that very funny :)
Just kidding - she can be a good sport!

Some of the beauty of Forsyth Park... Some of the fun.... A great spot to go on a leaf hunt....
And you HAVE to get a picture by the fountain.... And once again, a great time was had by all!....

*********************************************************************

52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. Moms are typically the ones behind the camera, this is OUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family.

So, get yourself in the picture every week for 52 Weeks. Be in a picture with one or more or your children and post your "family photo" on your blog every Thursday - don't forget to list your post on MckLinky on Carin's blog

That'll teach me...

I have been talking complaining about the weather for the past few weeks.
I was upset.
It seemed everyone was experiencing "Fall" but me.

Yesterday fall descended on our cheery city.
Finally.
I was LOVING IT all day.
I had every window open; I began my "fall cleaning" (a weak beginning, but I did start) and felt officially approved to finish putting up our fall decor.
I was loving life.
Until last night...

We went out to eat after church and when we left the restaurant,
I was FREEZING!
Swiping half of the kids ice cream after dinner didn't help...
But it was COLD!
I couldn't get in the car and turn on the heat and seat warmers fast enough.
All the while, my husband was laughing at me...

It was 60 degrees.

I didn't care.
It felt like winter to me.

And the kids wore feet pajamas to bed.

Be careful what you wish for.
All of a sudden, sweating by the pool was sounding good.
What's wrong with me?
____________________

On a more serious note (which doesn't show how completely ridiculous I can be), I wanted to share a highlight from church last night.
The service we attend has a great mix of contemporary worship but does not neglect the great traditional hymns which so beautifully communicate praise to our Lord. So many of them are full of such great wisdom and deep theological truths.

Sometimes I love just reading the lyrics....

Thought I'd share one of my favorites...

Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee;
Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.

Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee;
Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.

Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise;
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store;
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Frances R. Havergal, 1874

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship." Romans 12:1 (NIV)

I love this current arrangement (which is how we sing it at church):

(if you want to listen, be sure to pause the music player on the right...)

Favorite Things Friday - My Husband!

Wednesday was our 9th wedding anniversary. We are celebrating it today and I can honestly say that when it comes to favorite things, my husband tops the list! This is a picture of him proposing to me. I wish it were clearer, but I know I am blessed to even have a photo of the moment - especially since it was taken by strangers when they figured out what was going on! (I know this shot looks staged, but it's not - well, it was by him!) We were on a beach just outside Cancun - just after sunset - with a tropical storm rolling in. It couldn't have been more romantic and I couldn't have been more surprised! It is a rather long and wonderful story, but the point for now is that God blessed me with the perfect husband who is just as good to me today as he was 10 years ago and I love him with all my heart!

Goodbye Valentines Day

I like to change my blog template - there are so many great ones out there. My current favorites are here and here. I've been wanting to pay homage to our time in Florida and update with a more appropriate theme, but I really had a hard time disposing of the red daisies I chose for Valentine's Day. I also liked the "love themed" music. I found myself logging in to my own blog to hear some of my favorite songs. The great thing about playlist.com is that I can create lists that fit my every mood and listen whenever I want (as long as my computer is close by). Although my playlists remain on the site, I felt better about saying goodbye to my Daisies when it dawned on me that I could just take a picture and look at it whenever I want!

I've been asked for some "documentation" of our time in Florida, so while I have Valentines Day on my mind, I figured I would start there. My husband took the day off so we could spend it together. We wanted to take advantage of the warm Florida weather, so we started at the pool....





We were told that once you have kids, EVERYTHING changes....but, pre-children I would never have imagined that for our Valentines Day dinner, we would bypass romance and candlelight for the exciting ambiance of the T-Rex Cafe. I never pass up the opportunity to go to one of our favorite Orlando hangouts, Downtown Disney and this is where we ended up......


I have read very mixed reviews (don't you always) about the T-Rex Cafe, but my opinion is that the people from Rainforest Cafe did not let us down. We were surrounded by dinosaurs, every room/area was pre-historically themed, and every minute or so, the entire place came alive with sounds, lights and moving dinosaurs.....and the food was great!

Savannah even got to ride a baby Triceratops!


The Woolly Mammoth watched over us while we ate...
We don't usually order dessert, but we couldn't pass up the "Chocolate Extinction".....

A gigantic portion of chocolate fudge cake served with ice cream, fresh whipped cream drizzled with fudge and caramel sauces and sprinkled with Butterfinger crumbs.

Could you?

Who needs romance and candlelight? :)

These are a Few of My Favorite Things....

Julie Andrews did it best (reminiscing about her favorite things), but my kids and I began a weekly project a few months back that we call "Favorite Things Friday". Each week we think about and discuss some of our favorite things and on Friday the kids sit down, draw or paint a picture of that favorite thing and we talk about what they have chosen. It has been quite fun and prompts them to think regularly about the good things in their lives and I have found that I get to know my children better through the process. For example, my oldest (who is 6) surprises me every once in a while with a favorite thing she has never even done! Then there is my "note to self" to make sure we do it!
Although "Favorite Things Friday" is by no means an original idea (especially in "blogland"), I have decided to make it part of my weekly blogging. Thanksgiving-time got me thinking that we could all use encouragement to focus on the positives in our lives-especially in these times. One of the things I have always loved about the holiday season is that even the most cynical of people can be persuaded to take a moment to find something to be thankful for or happy about.
So, today is not Friday, but here is my first contribution to Favorite Things Friday:

I LOVE FALL

I know, it is hard for me to cope with the fact that it is almost winter, especially when just less than a couple of weeks ago, we had days like this one in our neck of the woods (okay, our neck of the desert): This was 11am IN THE SHADE!


Okay, so when my friends were decorating their homes for Fall as soon as the calendar said September 22nd, I just couldn't do it, especially with the temperature hitting 90 degrees on most days. So, I waited for some 'Autumn' weather and once again found myself putting up my Fall decorations just in time to take them down for Christmas decorations! I still love it.


Although we don't get to enjoy strolls down tree-lined roads with changing leaves and crisp, cool air.....you can't beat being able to run around the yard in shorts and flip flops, squeezing in the last bit of swimming before it's too cold. I love Autumn in this town.


NOT our City.......But not far from here!

We did make it to the apple orchard and pumpkin patch just across town. Call it what you like, it was still in the middle of the desert, so I don't know what I expected!

So, that was October/November....We now have 18 days until Christmas and although I can keep the windows open during the day and the kids still eat lunch in the front yard, it has been great having chilly nights where we can sit by the fireplace and enjoy the holiday smells and sounds. This time will be short-lived as our desert winter is rapidly approaching and each year it seems to get cold and windy before I am ready, but I still love this time of year!

Happy Fall!
What is one of your "Favorite Things" this time of year?

"Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

I am so excited that Thanksgiving is finally here!
I grew up in a family that rather than getting more family time during "family-oriented" holidays (Christmas, Easter, etc.), we got significantly less family time due to obligations outside the home. Yet, since I was a child, Thanksgiving Day was the one holiday I could count on for us all to be together, focused on each other, enjoying food, football and family fun! Each year I could not wait for Thanksgiving time and I still look forward to it with excitement!
My brothers and I are adults now and we all have children and families of our own. In this season of our lives, I am thoroughly enjoying creating our young family's memories and traditions. My prayer during this time of year is that our children will look forward to this holiday with anticipation because it is a time committed to family togetherness, but more importantly, a time to consider all of God's blessings in our lives and give thanks to Him.
I can't believe it has officially been a month since I have last posted! My intentions have been good, but my schedule has not cooperated! Many of you know I am big on "resolutions" throughout the year rather than just on January 1st.....so my first Thanksgiving Resolution is to get back to blogging!
God bless your families this Thanksgiving! Be sure to take time to reflect on the "good things" in your life and if those "things" happen to be people God has blessed you with, be sure to let them know you are thankful for them!!!