5Q Friday 9/09

1. What ringtone do you have on your cell phone? Kid Rock - "All Summer Long"
2. What is your favorite memory from this summer? This has been quite the eventful summer at our house.....a few highlights: nephew Derek's graduation, Nathan turned 16/got permit/did student driving/ Logan moved into his own place. Not a favorite memory, but something else that is very memorable about this summer-Dad's major surgery/recovery. The summer of 2011 will definitely be one to remember!
3. Paper books or ebooks? I really, really like a real book. I'm sure someday I'll catch up with technology, but for now, I'll keep on reading paper books! :O)
4. If you could have one home upgrade what would it be and why? I would {love} granite countertops please! We've been in our house for 20 years now, and I'd love to replace those beige countertops.
5. When was your first serious boyfriend/girlfriend? I was 14.....that was soooooo long ago! Dated the same guy for 4 years then we got married a week after my high school graduation. 28 years later & we are still living happily ever after!!!

Thoughtful Thursday ~ Sept 8

Finally...a color scheme is chosen

So, I've been telling you all about Nathan moving into Logan's room{I'll share pictures of this later}, and how that frees up a wonderful space to finally have my much wanted {needed} office/craft/tv/reading room!!! Well, we finally cleared the last of the "stuff" out of there and it is now ready to get a re-do. But then, of course, my indecision set in {as it always does}, and I couldn't for the life of me decide on which colors to use. Everything I looked at...in magazines, decorating books, Pinterest {have I told you how much I {love} Pinterest????? ...nothing seemed to grab me. I have to feel it...ya know what I mean?....you know when you find the right thing..it feels right {well for me it does anyway.. that's how I make all of my decisions...LOL}. So, I was sitting in the doctor's office yesterday waiting for my MIL, and I started thumbing through a few magazines. As I was looking through an old issue of Better Homes & Gardens, I saw it!!!!! My inspiration room!!!!!! I quickly ripped the page out {yes, I do that...sorry....} and tucked it in my pocket. Color scheme dilemma solved! So, here is a preview of the colors I've chosen.....I found some pins on Pinterest so you can get an idea. When looking at the colors think...soft instead of bold.....

AQUA ~ CHARTREUSE ~ WHITE ~

I threw in this picture too....aqua & chartreuse are very popular wedding colors too....beautiful!!
Coming up......{before} pictures & paint choices!!

Happy Birthday Logan!!!!

photo taken last year After being married for 5 years, Peter & I decided it was time to add a baby to our family. We told everyone at Chrismastime that we were pregnant. We were so happy!! The months passed by quickly {well, until my best friend Wanda decided to go into labor 6 weeks early and had Whitney on July 2 instead of late August!!!} Finally, the day came when I was taken to the hospital.......on SEPT 3, 1988....you arrived!! My water broke around 9 pm, and by 1:09 am we were holding you in our arms. Until you hold your own first born child, you won't really understand how simply amazing that feeling is. We fell in love with you the second we saw you, but had no idea the joy you would bring to our lives over the next 23 years!! You were a big baby....10 lbs. 1/2 oz. -23 inches long. You were the biggest baby in the nursery-you really stood out, not just because of your size, but you were such a beautiful baby {you know how you hear about all newborn babies being not so cute...nope, not you...LOL}. You were a good baby, very healthy, always at the top of the charts on growth & development, you loved being read to and learning new things from watching Sesame Street. From day one, you always wanted to be exploring new things, learning about everything, being in the middle of any and all activites that were going on. You have had this most wonderful personality since you were a baby. There wasn't a person you didn't want to meet and become friends with, or an activity you weren't involved in. Among your many friends was Whitney. You were buddies from birth {although you were known to pull her hair or pinch her cheeks...you loved her that much!!} I truly took on the role of new Mom with you.....you must hate me for all the cute outfits {OshKosh bibs were my absolute favorite!!!}, the Halloween costumes, all the cute songs and rhymes I taught you, all the birthday parties.....oh how I miss those days! You had your own personality though, and you LOVED to dress up, you really got into character {I do have pictures to prove this!!}. From a young age, you talked about what you wanted to be when you grew up. I never doubted you would be a success someday. You always had drive and ambition, starting with working on your Dad's boat at 6.....painting boats at the railway.....delivering boxes.....always at the fire dept. with the older guys, and managing to get a spot on the firetruck in the Christmas parade when you were 5 maybe? As you got older, you worked with other captains on their boats and always had money to buy the things you wanted. Your sense of humor has always kept us amused. You always manage to have us laughing after only a few minutes of being around you. Your animated stories are THE BEST!!! You are such a loving, thoughtful, giving person to all you come in contact with. Your love for family means more to us than you'll ever know. We are so proud of what you have done with your life. You joined the workforce just 1 week after graduating from high school. At 17 years old, you had a job as deckhand, and before you turned 20, you had gotten your captain's license, and started training to be mate. At almost 21, you were the youngest mate ever at your company. Whatever you set your mind to-you do it. You are hardworking and determined, you give 110% in everything you do. We were very fortunate that you chose to live at home until this year. We enjoyed every minute having you around, but we are so happy that you have a place that's your own now. I hope that someday you will find someone that will fall in love with the Logan we have love so much.....you are truly an amazing young man!! We are so proud of you!! We love you so much!! Happy Birthday Logan!!!

Destination Disney - The Letter "J" & Fun Friday

The ABC's of Disney- this week's letter is J.

Jamaica~We stayed in this section of Caribbean Beach Resort during our family vacation -2010. What a beautiful resort!Japan - World Showcase @ Epcot.Jungle Cruise in Magic Kingdom....corny but cute!Jiminy Cricket - Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade-2010Jessie - Stars & Motor Cars Parade at DHS- 2008

5Q Friday 9/02

5Q Friday
I can't believe that it is Friday already!!!! Here are this week's questions for 5Q Friday....hop on over to My Little Life at http://fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com/ and join in!!
1.Shoes in the house - yay or nay? I don't like to wear shoes in the house. I take them off as soon as I enter. In the wintertime, I do like slippers {the Isotoner ballerina style}.
2. What do you call them- flip flops, slippers, thongs, etc? Flip-Flops!! I {heart} them!!!
3. What song are you almost embarrassed to admit you know all the lyrics to? Too many to name......but I'm embarrassed to say that the first song that popped in my head was "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers.LOL

4. What is the best quality to have in a friend? Always there to listen!

5. Do you know what you want for Christmas? I really, really, really want a nice camera....please Santa, I've been a good girl this year........

Thoughtful Thursday-The Help {movie}

you is kind. you is smart. you is important.
This past weekend {while we had evacuated for Hurricane Irene}, I had the opportunity to finally go see the movie "The Help" with my Mom and a few other friends. I had read the book and was very anxious to see the movie. We all loved it!!! The script was so well written, the cast was amazing, and I really felt all of the range of emotions that I had felt when I read the book-you will laugh...you will cry..... (By the way if you haven't read the book, you should.)
Since seeing the movie, I've been thinking about one part of the movie in particular. It was very touching, and truly is something we should remind our children {and ourselves} every day.

It was something Abilene {one of the main characters in the story} says throughout the movie to the children she cares for. She is a maid for one of the Jackson, Mississippi families. Part of her duties beyond the cleaning and taking care of her employer's home, is the raising and caretaking of a little girl named Mae Mobley. Abilene has worked as a maid for several families through the years and has raised many children that she loved and cared for as if they were her own.

The one thing that she has taught each and every one of these children she has raised is that despite what may happen to them in life, they should always remember that they are kind, they are smart, and that they are important. Life is not always easy. It is often filled with much adversity and people will not always be kind. Life is filled with so many challenges and when you face these challenges, you will not always meet it with success. Sometimes there will be failure. Sometimes in life, you can be faced with much criticism, not everyone will like you, you may be judged, or people may even try to tear you down for their own benefit.

However, despite all this, even if we have done wrong or been done wrong, made a mistake or failed, or even felt badly about ourselves, it does not change how much we are worth. We are each worth much in the sight of God.

Sometimes we to need practice what we preach though-just as I tell my children to shrug off unkind words, learn from their mistakes, grow and strive to be a better person , forgive and forget, move on, surround yourself with good friends, and above all believe in yourself, I must do the same. This movie reminded me of just this!
What wonderful words to live by.......I am kind. I am smart. I am important.