Sometimes it helps to just write a letter...

Friday Letters

Dear Friday,

 Thank you for coming.  

This has not been the best of weeks so thanks for letting me know it is almost over. 

Dear God, 

Thank you above all else for never leaving my side.  For ALWAYS being there for me and loving me unconditionally.  Without you I am nothing and would have nothing.

Please forgive me for worrying so much.  You know I am working on this.  

Dear Hubby,

You are such a luck man to have me as your wife!

Also I just want to say I am so proud of you.  I seriously don't think any other man is as hard of a worker as you.  You are a perfectionist at everything you do..and usually the best at anything you do.  I have to admit this makes me a lil jealous sometimes.  But then I quickly get over it 

Thank you for always making me laugh and cheering me up when I am down and/or stressed. 

Now go win another tournament this weekend!! But when you do remember I washed the boat yesterday, HA

Oh and I enjoyed having you home with me last week and so glad you came on Karsyns field trip.  {even if you did about run me off a mountain hahahaha}

 I think we all had fun and I know it made her day you being there.  

Dear Kiddos,

SLOW DOWN seriously y'all are growing up way too fast.  Karsyn you graduate next week from Kindergarten and Caleb it seems like just yesterday I was at your K graduation.  

I am really looking forward to having us all home together this summer.  I never have liked sending y'all to school and not having you with me anyways...but I have to :(

 So again YAY for summer vacations.  

p.s. Y'all are my world and I am SO proud of you!!

Dear College,

You have been most of my stress lately.  

You tell me one thing then do another.  

I have had one stressful or bad experience after another it seems. From my student account to issues with professors to transcripts. Not to mention all the work that comes with being a college student in the first place...

I could go on but lucky for you I made honors and the deans list and I just got my letter in the mail yesterday...So I am trying to stay positive.

 Dear self,

Please quit being so hard on yourself.  

~ Be Blessed Y'all ~

ABC's of Thankfulness

Good Morning Y'all

I am pretty excited about todays post.

Yesterday Marquis shared that she would have a one time link up for us to share our 

ABC's of Thankfulness!  

I love thinking of all the MANY things I am thankful of and couldn't wait to share.

{Thanks Marquis for such a great idea and for the link-up}

So here goes my ABC's of My Thankfulness. I am sure I will think of so many more things after I am done and please note this it no where near everything I am thankful for...that list would be endless.

Oh I am so thankful to have so many things to be thankful for.

A- Air Conditioner- for those HOT summer days when I can come into a home and cool off

B- BIBLE- This is a BIG one. Words can't even describe

C - my  son CALEB- (who is a complete replica of his Daddy I may add;) ) 

who will always have my heart

D - My Dad- without him I would obviously not be here today 

and for the little daddys girl that will always be in me

E - Eternal Life- How awesome is this!!  

F - Family and Friends

G - GOD- and what a AWESOME GOD 

H- MY High School Sweet Heart who is now my HUSBAND and the Hardest working man I know

I- Ice-cream- yeah probably one of my biggest weaknesses..Yummm

J- JESUS- I cannot express how thankful I am....No words could ever express such perfection and perfect love. WOW

K- my daughter KARSYN and the sweetest girl you will ever know

L-  Laughter- I love to laugh

M- My Mom- Again without her I wouldn't be here today or be the person I am today. 

N- No car payment...(those stink...need i say anymore, ha)

O- Ocean (even though the Mountains are my favorite I'm still thankful for the Ocean and love the sound of the waves and late night walks on the beach, etc)

P- Prayers- the Power of Prayer- answered and unanswered Prayers

 oh and Pinterest ;)

Q- Quiet time- which is something I don't get much of so when I do I am equally thankful for it as I am the not so quiet times.  

R - the Right to bear arms

S- Sweet tea and being Southern :)

T- Tractors- yes I said tractors..I have a thing for tractors (I've said it before but especially with my hubby hard at work on it{sorry if that is TMI}  go ahead and laugh)

And our black lab TANK

U- Umbrellas- for keeping me mostly dry in the rain (that is as long as I do not fall, which happens more than it should, and if I actually remember to grab the thing in the first place....still something to be thankful for)

V- Vacation- again not something I get much of, but when I do I am so thankful

W- Water- and thankful I have access to clean drinking and bathing water...something I think is so easy to forget how lucky we are to have and be thankful for.  

X-eXclamation mark- I just like it more than the period or question mark, ha!!!

Y- You Y'all- seriously I am very thankful for each of you

Zzzzzz- "when all else fails take a nap"


{And don't forget to enter this giveaway for a free blog design from Taylor. You have one day left}

WIN a NEW BUZZING Blog Design!!!!

Hello, friends!

My name’s Taylor and I blog at Confessions of a Busy Busy Bee. Cat and I became quick friends when I was new to blogging and I am so thankful for our friendship. And… I am so glad that Cat came up with the idea for this giveaway!

I’ve done my fair share of research on html and web design (Google is a powerful, powerful tool) and I have been doing my own blog designs ever since. I opened up my shop, Busy Busy Bee Designs, to create for other bloggers a few weeks ago! Here's just a few samples:

I love the way that I can visualize something in my head and then I'm able to create it and turn it into a web design. It’s truly becoming a passion of mine!

I would love the opportunity to create something for you! 

Whether it’s a full scale blog design or a miscellaneous item like a blog button or social media buttons, I would love to help you turn your thoughts into a design. 

If you want to get started on a new design right away, I am giving $5 off a full blog design when you used the code TLLOM5. Go to my design shop and send me your information to get started or ask me any questions.

The awesome thing: I am also giving away a free blog design to one of Cat’s lucky readers! Just enter the rafflecopter form below for your chance to win!! Contest ends on Thursday, May 30^th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Am I the only one??

Hey Y'all

It's me..can you believe it...I am still here

I know I have been MIA ALOT lately but life has just been busy, good, bad, stressful, fun, etc.

Whatever it has been I have just not had time to write a post.  I have been writing SO many papers for school and by the time I am done with them I honestly do not feel like writing anymore regardless of the fact many times I have wanted to share something.
Sometimes I wish I could "talk" all my thoughts....then you would probably never get a break from me HAHA
There have been times I wondered how I would ever have time and how we all have time period to blog.  I hardly have time in the day to get half of what I need to get done....much less anything extra that I want to. 

Am I the only one????

Then I just didn't want to write about myself etc...

I want meaningful post and I feel like I really fail at this.

Maybe I am just looking to much into everything.  

I seem to be going thru a love-hate relationship with it all right now.

Again am I the only one ??

On a more positive note I REALLLLLY do miss y'all.  

I am blessed to stay in contact with you via text, email, instagram, or another form of social media.  

I just want to say thank you for not forgetting about me and for your friendships.  

I never in a million years would of imagined I would of formed such amazing and strong bonds with friends through blogging or any social media really.  

I am hoping to get back in the swing of things and regularly posting.  

Hope y'all will stay have me :)

Have a blessed weekend!!!

Truck Yeah

Happy Monday Friends!!

It's been a while I know...Sorry.  Life has just been extra hectic and crazy these past several weeks. 

But on this past Friday night I got to enjoy a much needed concert with one of my best friends.

We went to see Brantley Gilbert and Tim McGraw :)  Which was an AWESOME concert I may add.

It was great to have some BFF time as well.  We both stay constantly busy and have two small children so neither of us get out much...much less together.  We had a blast, and proud to say we may be the only people from the concert who don't drink will actually remember how great of a time we had. 

AND again what a great time we had!!

Now for some of our photo ops while waiting for the concert to start.  I am not one who normally like photos that include myself...hence why I am always making a face....BUt since I haven't really ever shared any recent pics of myself here you go...this is ME.  

LOL seriously we laughed so hard till we were crying

I guess I can take a "normal" pic

Here we are attempting our best effort at the horrible duck face...I guess we look about as crazy as the rest of the "ducks" - Mission accomplished

Brantley Gilbert

Do I even need to tell y'all who this is.....

And if you think this life I love is a lil too country...

TRUCK YEAH

Linking up today with Sami's Shenanigans: Weekend Shenanigans

Laugh WITH me

SO where do I begin...

These past few weeks have had several ups and downs.

But this week just about did it for me..

Do you ever have those moments where you are afraid to ask what is next?  

I had a good friend remind me that God must be preparing me for something BIG..I have to admit after all the other stuff I am a little afraid to know what the BIG thing is.  But then I remind myself I cannot have fear and faith at the same time. It is like light and darkness...the two cannot be present at the same time...one cancels out the other.  

So before I get to yesterday and without dragging you through everything leading to yesterday I just want to ask that you continue to PRAY for my sister.  She is having a difficult time after her brain surgery and since her most recent MRI showed she has an internal leakage she will need surgery again.  

Also keep my sweet 'lil girl in your prayers.  She had her blood work done and the results were not as hoped and should of been, and her levels were low.  Her Dr. has upped her meds and she will have another sleep deprived EEG as soon as school is out. (to avoid missing anymore school)

I do want to thank my friends for being there for me...you let me vent, you calmed me down and most importantly you laughed with at me.  I love all of my friends and they are each a blessing.

Thank you Hubby for all that you do... For putting up with me and providing for our family.  

So i could go one forever about everything else BUT what I really want to share is my day yesterday.

My friend agreed with me when I said this was one of those stories most would never believe...But I do have witnesses HA

And my husband cant stop laughing at me ( and he wasn't even a witness...he just knows how I am) He said I wouldn't tell anyone HAHA..Sorry Hubby my other friends are begging me to share.

So yesterday started out pretty normal.
I went to my kids awards shows and did some other random things

So LONG story short later in the day when it was time to get in the line at the school to pick my kids up. 

Note: School traffic is TERRIBLE and you have to wait FOREVER in line.

Oh and I forgot to mention it is POURING the rain!!!

So here I am waiting in line and I have obviously drank too much water prior because I now feel like I am floating ...seriously I had to pee SOOOOO bad my bladder hurt.  {I am pretty sure the rain didn't help}  I knew I would NOT make it another 20 minutes waiting on my kids, not to mention then drive safety home...I had to go.  Yes I was singing the gotta go, gotta go, gotta go RIGHT NOW song!!

So i get out of the car rider line and park.  I have on my running shorts but NOT my running shoes...nope try FLIP FLOPS!  Remember it is pouring rain and the school is packed with parents picking their kids up and the hallways were full from other kids, parents, and teachers as the older kids awards show was just finishing up.  Well I am looking for a bathroom I can use when BAM I slipped and fell and landed basically laying flat out...I AM EMBARRASSED yes but I quickly get back up  BUT only to take 2-3 more step and BAM I FELL AGAIN!!!!!!!  Seriously who does this???  How in the world I made it to the bathroom is beyond me.  

So after the walk of "shame" I got my son and we and I were walking to get my daughter and you guessed it, YES I slipped again, this time outside. By this time I am soaking wet and a total embarrassment to myself not to mention my poor kids.  They basically "held" me all the way back to our car.   I just got into my car..SOAKING wet and just had to laugh to avoid crying.

PLEASE it only gets better...

No longer than five minutes after I get home and talking on the phone with the hubby telling him what has happened to me I hear a huge crashing noise followed by my kids screaming the trampoline is gone.  SO I go back into the rain...still soaking wet from the previous episode to find my trampoline on top of my house..YES you read it correctly...well it didnt last long as the wind blew it back and it falls off {busting the siding on the house on its way down} I try to catch it but it pulls me...back on the ground I go!  Thank you Ann for coming and not only helping me but witnessing this, LOL

SO Ann and I tried to figuure out what to do (still pouring rain and wind like crazy, obviously) So here we are holding on for dear life to this flying trampoline until some of the guys could come help.  Ann cracked me up when she made the comment "well I haven't flown in a while...that was a good flight"  Literally every time the wind blew you would either get dragged..picked up or knocked down.

{If you follow me on Instagram you got this tease yesterday}

You can only imagine the look on the guys {our hubbies buddies} faces when they got out of their truck.  I am pretty sure it was one of those priceless moments to witness.

Yeah yesterday was the "icing on the cake" for me.  

You either cry or you laugh...Yesterday I chose LAUGH.

Cocka Doodle DOO The Right Thing {Giveaway}

My friend Megan who offers many great giveaways on her blog asked me if I would be interested in sharing a giveaway with her...once she explained the details of what she was giving away I knew many of you would enjoy it.   I think this is just precious and such a great idea.  As a mom who find it very important to make sure our kids are raised with good values and morals.  

Plus I love Amy Grant and Vince Gill :)

So good luck to you all and have a blessed weekend!!!  

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

Do you have a hard time teaching your kids about respect? My daughter is 4 and we are really trying to teach her the importance of respect. Respect of people and their things, and respecting yourself- although she might not get that last one on until she's a little older.

We received Cocka Doodle DOO The Right Thing DVD to review and I have to say what a great message it has for kids. Take a look below about what the movie is about, and then read my thoughts on it!

Description:

Treat everyone with R-E-S-P-E-C-T!  All the animals at the farm are brimming with hilarious anticipation when they hear that Farmer Bob has invited a special guest for dinner. But not everything goes as planned when Hercules doesn’t want to help and Sam treats the special guest like a nobody!
At the end of the day, both Sam and Hercules learn a valuable lesson about treating others—and their belongings—with respect.

Bonus educational features include a music video and cartoon based on the letter C, a read-along digital storybook that lets kids decide when to “turn the page,” and an option to view the entire Cocka Doodle Doo the Right Thing DVD with pop-up Cs every time a word that begins with C is used! A literacy message to parents is also included.

More bonus features include bloopers, character commentary, and a behind-the-scenes look at how Farmer Bob’s farm was created! Children will love the tractor-loads of fun and humor that go along with this biblically-based and educational story.

I think this is a great kids cartoon movie. For one, I like that's it cartoon and not animated. It kinda reminded of me when I was kid, how movies and kids tv shows were mostly cartoon, but with better quality. I heard my daughter laughing throughout the movie, so she obviously found it funny! I thought it was very cool that Amy Grant and Vince Gill had their voices in this movie, even though my daughter has no clue who they are.

I asked my daughter what she learned from the movie after she was done watching it, and after talking about all the farm animals, she said to tell the truth, to help people, and to respect people and their things. She's my smart little girl! 

Buy It: You can go to Thomas Nelson Online Store and get Cocka Doodle DOO The Right Thing for $7.99 OR you can use that same link to find a local retailer near you.

Win It: One lucky reader is going to win this DVD by entering through the Rafflecopter below. Open to US residents ages 18+  Giveaway ends on 5/3 at Midnight. 

Do you love this blog? Please click on the Top Mommy Blogs Banner to cast a vote for me! It's a simple as a click :) You can vote daily! Thanks so much!

   

*Megan is the author and owner of Housewife on a Mission, you can read more about her and her blog at http://housewifeonamission.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Oh, How Pintersting... Hubby is a Pin

Is it just me or has anyone else been looking forward to this day

 so they can link up their favorite pins of the week?

So here goes... just a few of my favorite from the past few days.  

If you want to see more..and trust me, there are MORE 

Be sure and follow me on Pinterest by clicking here or on any of the following Pin images to take you to my original pin.

HINT:
I am saving the best for the end...LAST BUT NOT LEAST

Warning:

 these are totally random.  I had this great idea that I would start posting my pins for this post with certain themes or take turns with certain boards..something BUT yeah well not happening this week and I am saying I will next week.  Absolutely NO guarantee, HA

So if you had a chance to read my weekend update, then you know I had a great weekend. 

Well Monday rolls around and quickly reminds me how the devil will try his best to dull my *shine. 

I mean really, just who does he think he is...and he is messing with the wrong Kitty here.

While I may STRESS out and it may cause some major anxiety..I will continue to praise HIM (God) even in the storms...ok so this is all a whole other post...coming soon ;) 

here are a few pins I pinned Monday to help remind me.

I tell you what I couldn't make it without my Faith and relationship with God

{Now how about some for LAUGHS}

Poor guy I am a professional motivational speaker...if you ask him

This one is for my BYW group/girls.  ;)  

We all ate out this week and played a game with chewing gum

I pinned this before the meeting and game but when looking back it made me laugh even more.

I am pretty sure I am just forgetting EVERYTHING

{Last but NOT Least}

And here it is...MY MOST FAVORITE PIN EVER!!!!!!

I have been so excited (like a lil kid) to share this one.  

Sunday Night I was on Pinterest....Imagine that! Well, I was searching for and looking at  hunting and fishing pins when All the sudden..

"Hey that looks like my hubby...oh it is, did i pin that?  I don't remember pinning it...etc etc." 

MY HUSBAND IS A PIN, ha

Honestly I had to refrain from commenting on this pin that others had pinned saying, "Hey that is my hubby" HA

But I didn't do it. And just so you know when I told him I am pretty sure he thought I was crazy!!

And this last one just summarizes it all up for me!

Awesome Weekend

OKAY 

yeah it's 10 pm and I have so much homework due before midnight 

BUT

I just can't stop smiling and I just had to share some GREAT news with you.

I had planned to write AFTER my papers for school, but I am having such a hard time focusing on school right now..opps.  So shhhh don't tell on me (and I will just hope there isn't that rare chance my professor reads my blog and sees I am doing what I do best...PROCRASTINATE 

Anyways so what has got me so happy...

First my youngest child (my daughter) accepted Jesus Christ into her heart tonight!

She is just so excited...and so are we ( me and my hubby..aka her daddy)

She has been begging us for some time now saying she was read to get saved and she wanted to make sure if she died right now she would have eternal life in heaven.  I have told her on numerous occasions  she def. has Jesus in her heart and was saved etc.  

{Seriously y'all ...she has the BIGGEST heart of anyone you could ever know}

But she wanted to share her faith with everyone else so tonight after church she ran up to our pastor and said " I want to be saved" grinning ear to ear. 

So she and the pastor had a talk and they prayed together and she has publicly professed her faith!!

Seriously this has to be the best moment as a parent...knowing you will spend eternal life with ALL your babies in heaven.  I cant wait to have all four of my children in my arms and now I know with out a doubt that this is what eternity is going to hold for me!!!!  I could  just do a lil dance!!!  

She is blessed to be born into Royalty...She is the daughter of THE KING

And I want to also brag on my hubby real fast too...

He hates when I brag on him but I just cant help myself...I am just really proud of him too

He is always telling me not to post about his accomplishments etc 

SO I wont go into full detail of Everything LOL

But He is going after his dreams of being a Pro-Angler...and is doing a pretty good job if I don't say so myself.  YES I am pretty sure I get more excited than he has ..or shows it.  

BUT he has accomplished a lot 

And MOST importantly He gives all credit and glory to GOD

I am fully behind him one hundred precent in following his dreams...I mean he is the husband that let me quit my job to be able to spend more time with out kids as well as go to college.  He takes good care of me....our kids...US

Lastly I am excited I am finally feeling back to myself!  I sure hope I do not jinx myself but I am over being sick and laying in the bed etc. It was bringing me down faster than I was prepared for!  

what else can I say

I AM SO BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE

GOD IS SOOOO GOOD

Seriously though everything I have shared in this post could NOT of happened with out God and HIs amazing Love.  When you truly can turn from your ways and give your lives to God..I promise He will provide and He will take care of you.  NO it will not always be easy. TRUST ME it is NOT!!  I still struggle with worrying and more BUT I am not alone and He has transformed not only my life, but my husbands, my marriage, my children...I am so amazed when I sit here and look back and can see how our loves have drastically changed since we have turned our lives around and gave them to God.  

{lastly sorry for re-sharing any pics I already have...I think it is official we need new family pics}

 and for what it matters I now have an hour left to devote to school work...oppps