The start of a new decade...seriously???

Ok so I completely just was not thinking when I realized this is the end of a WHOLE decade and beginning of another one... SERIOUSLY people??? That just blows my mind... 10 years ago, WOW I was a spoiled brat and had NO idea what the future held.



2000... Sophomore in high school, driving, babysitting after school everyday and working at West St. Diner in Germantown as a hostess and Ultra Tan briefly. My Mom had 2 ruptured brain aneurysms this year and that completely rocked our world! I was so close to losing my Mom and the doctors even made us say our goodbyes, we thought she was gone, but God had better plans! I had been dating my high school sweetheart for 2 years now and was just enjoying life!


2001... Junior in high school, still working at West St. Diner, driving, still babysitting, enjoying life with my high school sweetheart, hanging out with friends and enjoying life. I can't remember anything major happening this year!


2002... THIS is a big year :) Senior in high school, still working at West St. Diner, went to Spring Break in Destin with friends, broke up with my high school sweetheart, graduated from high school, started college, lost my Grandfather, meet my soon to be hubby, moved out thinking I was "something else" but quickly moved back home, enjoyed life knowing that one day I would marry this man God brought into my life.


2003... this gets a little hairy :) still in college, still working at West St. Diner, moved out with my boyfriend (against my parents approval might I add), got engaged, became pregnant with Will and this completely rocked my world again. Started hair school to then drop out b/c I was so young and really didn't know what I wanted in life, had Will in November of 2003 and the rest is history. I realized then that I was put on this earth to be a mother and wife and really didn't care about what else happened in life! Found out my Grandmother had brain cancer...


2004... enjoying Will's 1st year of life, still in college, still working at West St. Diner, started working at Office Depot, then started working a real job in the mortgage business. Stopped college, thinking I would be better off working at the mortgage company and being a mommy and wife instead of going to school too (oh how ignorant I was, but nobody could tell me differently b/c I'm too freaking hard headed) got married (not the way I dreamed, but still the best day of my life), bought a house and lost my Grandmother which rocked my Dad's families world... still something we struggle with because she was the rock of our family.


2005... having too much fun with Will, still working at the mortgage company, my step Dad decides to leave my Mom for another woman who is ahem... just one year older than me, come on let's all say it together.. EEEWWWW! He was like my other father so it did rock my world, but I'm a tough cookie, so it's all good now. Just so you know... he ended up getting her pregnant, they got married and she later left him. I truly believe in KARMA and it's not pretty. My Mom is a better woman without him and I have never been more proud of her as I am right now! She's a strong woman too :) Will turned 2 and I got pregnant with Luke.


2006... still working at the mortgage company but decided to switch to another company, we had Luke in July, we decided my hubby needs to leave the company he has been with for 8 years and start our own small business. It is in the mortgage business and this is when times start getting challenging!


2007... enjoying both of our blessings that God has blessed us with, still working at the new mortgage company, hubby is there too and we have great visions of us making our family dreams come true. Things get bad and towards the end of that year, we start living off of savings and praying things will turn around!


2008... both boys are growing like weeds, hubby starts a new job at the same company he is still with today, I start a new job at a local radio station in sales and now I work with all of these people my Mom worked with back in the day, we now have debt that we never had before, it gets overwhelming and this is probably the worst year as a couple we have endeared!


2009... things start looking up, we both are blessed to have great jobs, we are controlling everything and trying to pay debt off as fast and easily as we can. We start going to a church that makes us feel blessed to call our church home! We have met many new wonderful people this year, our life has been looking so far up it makes me want to jump up and down and start screaming (of excitement of course)


So my favorite peeps, this is why I am SO looking forward to 2010! What other wonderful things could come in 2010?? I'm excited, I'm ready and more than anything I'm looking forward to a new decade with my friends and family (and yes that includes my cyber friends too)

I pray for you all to have a blessed and happy New Year!


God Bless my friends!

Welcome 2010!!!

I am SO looking forward to ringing in the New Year!! 2009 has been a pretty descent year for us, but I have no doubt that 2010 is going to be a GREAT year!!!


There's several things that are in the works, things I can't quite share at this time, but I pray for our family and yours, that this year will be another great year!! There is something about the New Year that I love, I told John last night that it makes me feel like it's a new beginning. It's a new beginning for my family, my marriage, my kids, my job and more importantly my walk with my Lord and Savior!


I have many New Year's resolutions that I will post on New Year's day, but get yours together, everyone should have goals, resolutions, something to give you hope and to look forward too!

Here are things that I'm looking forward too in 2010:

* My bday in February :)
*my 6th wedding anniversary with my best friend
* John bday, Luke's 4th bday in July
*Will starting 1st grade
*Luke starting pre~k
*Will's 7th bday
*my house to be fixed the way I want it
*me to have more patience...ha (can you tell after 6 days off it's getting to me :)
*me to have the best year I've ever had in my career
*make more time for the one's I love!
*my walk with Christ to be stronger than it ever has been!!!

* and maybe, just maybe get preggers with another Clements before the end of 2010! :0



So, come on, tell me what you are looking forward to in 2010, I seriously want to here!!!

It's the BEST time of the year!!!

Here's the boys Christmas night... I thought this was the cutest pic of how wonderful their day has been!

Christmas morning, after opening their gifts :)

My table display (it's nothing major, but I forgot to post pics before Christmas of my decoration, and I still need to take pics of my house outside)

Our mantle

Our tree, I don't even think the lights are on here.... ha... their white :)



We had a WONDERFUL, magical day! We enjoyed each other, we celebrated JESUS' birthday and most importantly spent the day with the ones we love!!! WE all got what we wanted and everyone was BEYOND good to us! Today we even got new cellphones... I'm super excited about that!!! I'm off Monday and Tuesday, so we plan to get the house back in order and spend more quality time together as a fam... this is by far, the best time of the year! I am even looking forward to 2010 coming up... it's a fresh start and I know many blessings are to come!


Y'all have a wonderful Monday, I will post more pictures soon!

Love,

~Katie~

Only 2 more days...

Please forgive the camera that is a dinosaur, these pictures turned out horrible and so blurry, but in this picture above, you can see Will on the top row, he did the handbells for the Christmas Family night at church.... he did a great job and he took it very serious :) That's my Will!!!


These are from Luke's school program.. they got to wear their pj's for the program, I personally thought it was silly, but oh well, the kids did great and Luke looked adorable doing all of his songs :) He's on the front row on the left :)

Tonight I am finishing my wrapping, I'm almost done, just have to do "Santa" wrapping now. I do this really fancy santa wrapping for them, so they will think it really came from Santa (write their name is cursive and all) :) The other day, Will said this to me as we were headed to our "DeeDee's" (my Mom's). "Mom, there are kids in my class that do not believe in Santa, Can you believe that Mom?" he was DEAD serious too, I said " Well what do you tell them?" I wanted to know what he really thought and believed, because I would be DEVESTATED if he didn't believe anymore, he's just WAY TOO young for all of that, so he said "I told them that it is sad they don't believe because then Santa would not bring any gifts"... That's right Will, you must believe!! I even have to still believe and I'm 26, my Mom doesn't give gifts unless we believe.

Tomorrow I am working half a day and then I'm off until next Wednesday. I'm so excited to be spending time with my 3 boys. John and I both are off next week together, so we get to spend so much more time together and we both are looking forward to it! We have a small list of things we plan to get done in the house and I pray we all can stay well! Luke has a cough right now, I'm terrified he is getting sick, but I've been praying for a healing hand to watch over him!

Christmas this year for BOTH families and friends is at our house. I will be a busy bee tomorrow and Friday so if I do not get a chance to tell you all... Merry Christmas!!! I pray you all have a magical and blessed Christmas with your loved ones and I know I am looking forward to saying goodbye to 2009 and HELLO 2010! I know there are many blessings in store for our family for 2010. I say BRING IT ON!!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FRIENDS!!!

Traditions

Ok ladies, so what is YOUR family traditions at Christmas time??? I'm curious, we have set our own traditions in our family, we have combined several things from both my childhood and John's childhood, but I heard of a new tradition this year that we are going to try and give me some more ideas, what are y'alls traditions?????? :)



As a adult with children of my own, I now realized just how important "traditions" really are to them. As a child, I could care less what we did, but it's so important now! On Christmas Eve, we always go to Christmas Eve Service and then ride around looking at Chirstmas lights, then we get home, open up 1 present (it's only the Christmas pajamas) and then we sit around (in our new pj's) and watch "It's a Wonderful Life". The Christmas service, looking at lights and opening 1 present was always something I did as a child. Watching "Its A Wonderful Life" is something that John always did as a child. So we just compromised and we enjoy doing them both!


The "new" tradition that I want to do every year is making baby Jesus a birthday cake. I let the boys at the store this past weekend pick out which kind of cake they wanted and so we will make it Christmas Eve and eat it with the family on Christmas Day!!! It's such a great way to incorporate what the TRUE meaning of Christmas really is all about and I hope they understand :)



So, let me know what your traditions you do with your family... I LOVE new ideas! So come on.... let me know!


~Katie~

It's Christmas Week

Yes, I can't believe it, Christmas is just a few days away!! I all of the sudden have a little panic feeling just hoping I have enough presents and I think I'm all done shopping. BUT I keep telling myself, well maybe I should go back and get this and that.... I just need to be done! :)



The boys and John are done, I'm just hoping I have enough stuff for my Mom and for his parents... then I need to go to the store to get some food. This year Christmas is at OUR house all day. We have John's family coming at noon for lunch, then my Mom will come that night for dinner and I think she's coming that morning to watch the kids open gifts. I am excited that we don't have to rush around and go places on Christmas, but it still stresses me out because I want to have enough food for everyone.



I've got to head out and finish everything, y'all have a blessed Monday!


I have a post coming up about traditions.. what are some of y'alls traditions????

I just love this time of the year...

We have not decided on the trampoline yet, I will let y'all know what we end up doing on that.... I have some takers that might get that for the boys for Christmas, so my little brats will still get everything they want PLUS the trampoline :) Were blessed with a great family!!!!

Last night I went to Mom's Nite out with some ladies from church, I'm not sure if I have shared this or not, but I LOVE our church. We have only been going there for about 6 months now, but it is everything we have ever wanted in a church and more!!! I have also been blessed with wonderful ladies that are there for me whenever I need them and they are such a inspiration to my personal walk with Christ and such encouragements!!! Anywho, we all got together last night and worshiped, laughed, ATE and played the "dirty santa" game to the Christmas Story book. It was hilarious and so much fun! I ended up with a cinnamon popourri set. I look forward to our Mom's Nites out each month!!!!

Today, I should not be blogging because I have so much stuff to finish up with the boys schools. Today is Luke's Christmas program (during the day, weird to me!) and then his Christmas party, I have to go finish up the goody bags I promised I would make for his party, along with the goody bags for Will's party on Friday. Then tonight my little angels are singing int he Christmas service tonight at Church. I'm so proud of my little monkey's, they probably don't know what in the world to sing, but that's ok... they will look so adorable and Will is doing the hand bells. Which he says they are "very heavy Mom and it makes my hands hurt really bad" so he's going to tuff it out and be the best hand beller out there :)

Enjoy this picture from Christmas 3 years ago, there were so many emotions when I saw this last night. Will looks like a little angel with that grin on his face, so sweet and innocent (what happened?) and then Luke is the chubbiest little thing, I think I forgot how much of a butterball he was, I could of just eaten him up! I did cry my eyes out after seeing these and then I ran across a video we took of Luke talking to his Daddy, it had to of been around this same time, y'all I just lost it! They grow up WAY too fast and I miss my babies!!! Now they are talking back and just little people, we all carry on conversations and there's no more baby talk in our house...

Y'all have a blessed Wednesday!!

~Katie~

Weekend recap and suggestions...

Hey Ladies... We had a nice, relaxing weekend. John was not feeling well all weekend and actually is still sick :( Friday night we just went to dinner with friends, then Saturday Momma and I finished up some shopping. Yesterday I tried to organize my house and I still have tons of work to do!!!

BUT, Will has decided that the ONLY thing he wants for Christmas is a trampoline. Well, what I don't think he realizes is that Santa's shopping is DONE! It's been DONE!!! So, the $$ is spent, there is no more money just laying around for me to go get a trampoline for him, even though I think it's a GREAT idea and would be SO much fun for him and his brother! I don't know what to do??!!?? My only option is to take back gifts that I have already got him and keep a few, but also get him a trampoline... what would y'all do???

I hope you all are having a blessed Monday. Please just say a little prayer for John, I hope he feels better soon, poor thing :( He has a really bad chest cold!

Thanks girls!

Katie

What do you wanna know about me???

I got this super cute questionare on Go East Memphis Mama's site

Here's a little bit more information about our Holiday traditions!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? - wrap as much as I can... I am major OCD about the way my gifts look under the tree

2. Real tree or artificial? - Artificial.. I grew up with a real tree, but since I have been married, we use to get real trees, now with kids, it is much easier to have artificial, plus I can put it up early with no problems of it dying off...

3. When do you put up the tree? - Day after Thanksgiving

4. Do you like eggnog? -not really

5. Favorite gift received as a child? - my baby dolls or anything to do with baby dolls, I was obsessed!!

6. Do you have a nativity scene? - Actually no, this year that was on my list of things to get after Christmas sales

7. Hardest person to buy for? - my Dad or my hubby's parents

8. Easiest person to buy for? - myself, my Mom and the boys... super easy!!!

9. Mail or email Christmas cards? - MAIL. Don't email me your Christmas card please. I like to display them all.

10. Favorite Christmas movie? - It's a Wonderful Life

11. When do you start shopping for Christmas? - I usually start in November

12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? - Ugh everything...but mainly dressing and cranberry sauce

13. Clear lights or colored lights on the tree? - I am a HUGE fan of only white lights, my hubby grew up with colored lights and this year Will cried so hard b/c I would not get colored lights to put on the tree... I let him put them on his tree in his room though :) Some years I do red and green and white lights... this year we just did white lights!

14. Favorite Christmas song?- well I can't remember the name of it but it is about this old couple who meet in the grocery store, then they sit in her car for awhile and drink a 6 pack to catch up... it's the best song in the world!!!!!!!!!! I wish I knew the name of it! :)

15. Travel or stay home at Christmas? - We stay home each year for Christmas so Santa will know where to bring the presents :)

16. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? - Yes but I'm not typing them all here

17. Angel on tree top or star? - Usually an angel but this year I did a pretty bow

18. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Morning? - One present at night and all the rest in the morning

19. The most annoying thing about this time of year? - traffic and coordinating dates and times of when each family is going to get together

20. What I love most about Christmas? - Giving gifts, Christmas lights, spending time with my family, Christmas songs and movies, FOOD, and making more traditions for my boys to grow to enjoy each year!!!

i am THAT mom...

* who forgets to make the boys brush their teeth everynight...

*who refuses to let my boys get cable TV in their room. The only purpose of their TV is to watch DVD's, they should be happy to have that!

*who feeds my boys MUCH healthier food than myself and hubby!

*who reads one Bible story each night to my boys and I'm not afraid to say that I learn a lot each night by doing so...

*who is driving while putting on makeup in the morning, talking on the phone, sipping my water and singing to my favorite tunes... the morning drive to work is my most favorite time of the day!

*who trys to have control over way too many situations... I need to make my boys help out more, life would be easier for us all!

*who lays out my kids clothes everynight, even though they really want too... I just can not let them look like orphans!

*who is completely, 100% in love with my life! And looking forward to our future!!!

Got my inspiration from Brittany

Too much fun!!

~Katie~

Intervention and venting!

Have y'all ever seen that show called Intervention???


Well first let me start out by telling y'all a funny, sweet story and then you might understand why the Intervention show tore me up last night and I uncontrollably cried for 10 minutes to my hubby last night before going to bed.


My oldest son Will, he is such a special kid. Both my boys are so special to me in different ways, but Will, is so caring and concerned for everyone's well being. If Momma and Daddy are happy, then his little world is perfect! He has these pj's (that I have tried to throw away but he refuses) that are footed, they are the biggest, kid size footed fleece pj's I could find :) He LOVES them, they are so tight on him though and I swear they can't be comfortable, but he promises me they are his most comfortable pj's he owns. Well last night, I was just so busy doing everything that we do at night time and I told the boys to go get their pj's on... Will comes out with those on, I can't help but BUST out laughing b/c they do just look hilarious on his skinny little body. I said "Will are you sure you want to wear those to bed, they look mighty tight" (you never know with Will that if laughing at him could cause him to get upset b/c your laughing or make him laugh too) He said "Oh no Mom, I love these pj's" I said why did you pick those out, he said "because I knew it would put a smile on your face"


I mean seriously people.... I broke down last night and could not believe my child was trying to do something to put a smile on my face, then I realized, I guess I haven't been smiling tonight, I was so busy do this and that, and I didn't take time for them and laugh or smile with the boys. Sometimes it is so important to just loosen up and have fun with them and enjoy these small moments!!!


So back to Intervention, it was so sad. This mother of two was addicted to percocet... she could not do any daily functions with her children, nor take care of any household needs, childrens needs or her husband's needs.... it was just devestating. Then they tried to intervene and she accepted, she went to a 90 day treatment facility, did great and came home on the 90th day!!


(this is what chocked me up) On her first day back, she went to pick her kids up after school, her son came running up to her (he reminded me of Will) and said "Mommy, I haven't seen you smile this big in so long, I hope it never goes away, ever, ever!" I broke down at that moment, I was praying at that moment that the Lord was protecting them, they probably had been neglected in away that we would never want our children to feel. Then at the end of the show, just when I thought this woman finally woke up and realized what she needed to be doing. They said that she had left her husband and children 5 weeks after being home and the kids are in theropy.


Good Grief people, what in the world is wrong with this picture??? I was devestated, devestated that ANY child has to go through such a thing! Thank goodness their father was wonderful to them and wanted nothing but good for them and I'm sure their mother does as well, but she needs some serious help and this is a serious illness! I could not stop crying, I cried to John and said that it makes me want to open a adoption house and just love all of these kids that don't feel loved. It is a vicious cycle that needs to stop. No child, I don't care who you are, deserves to be treated in this way!!! I still can't stop thinking about them today and I have never prayed so hard for a family that I have never come in contact with before in my life! Please just say a special prayer for them and every child out there that is neglected and does not feel the love of both parents!


One more prayer request, my Aunt Shelley has been in the foster parent/ adoption process of "their" little girl Mia. The state of Georgia is giving them problem after problem to fix before they are approved to adopt her, just pray for understanding! This is a amazing family that loves this little 16 month old little girl (who they have had since she was 3 days old) as much as their biological child, Peyton (which he is one of Will's best buds). MyAunt and Uncle are doing everything they are asking, we just hope the adoption process is approved before the end of the year, so every aspect of their life will stop being magnified!!! They just want to legally keep their child, please pray!


Thank you ladies!


Please send me any prayer request you might have... I love that we all are here to pray for one another and get great advice and feed back from each other.


Have a blessed day!

~Katie~

Ok so once again I am not loading my pictures right, so I can not right above this picture.... I'm doing something wrong :)


Anywoo, these are the cards, I hope y'all can see them, it is really light for some reason. And my top one, the picture is blurry... but these are our cards for this year... TA DA :) A few of you will be getting them in the mail, if you didn't please don't get your feelings hurt, I wish I had the money to send them to everyone I have ever met... I just love Christmas cards :) They are starting to roll in everyday, I get so excited opening them, now that I have kids (and a silly husband) I have to share :)

So, these are the cards. I had to pick two of them because there were only 50 of one and I needed much more than that, so I got two of them... they are lime green and red, for some reason this year those colors are really hot (or I have noticed is a lot) so that's why I picked these.


I hope you all are having a blessed Monday. I have a very busy week ahead and pictures for you all. We are all well now or seem to be, so PRAISE God for that!!! I will post the pics hopefully tomorrow.

~Katie~

holidays, holidays, holidays

This is by far the absolute best time of the year!!!


I'm home today with Will, he's not feeling well at all! Poor guy! He's running a really high fever and looks absolutely pitiful!! Hopefully he will get to feeling better soon!


I've got to run, but I am headed to go pick up my Christmas Cards :):):) They are cute and I know you all will like it!


I also will be posting pics coming up tonight of our decor for Christmas... I hope you all are having a wonderful Friday!


~Katie~

which picture do you like???

Ok, I can't figure out how in the world to write this above the pictures, for some reason it is not letting me, but I wanted to post these pictures... which do y'all like the best for our Christmas card??? Do you like the black in white best or the colored best? I haven't made up my mind, I like both the pictures...


I thought I would wait til I pick out my final choice on my card to decide if I want it in black in white or not? I'm going to a boutique tomorrow to look at some of their cards, I know the owner and I talked with her today, she said to come by and look at hers before I make my final choice. So, I might just go with the one on the internet I found, it's reasonable in price and it looks ok, but we will see tomorrow how it goes, they will be ordered by tomorrow night for sure!! :)

So, let me know what you think :)

Blessings!

Thanksgiving update!

Ladies, so sorry to just now be blogging. It has been quite a busy weekend!

We spent Thanksgiving here with the hubs family! We had such a wonderful time and finally got our Christmas picture done for our cards.. it was very challenging, and this is our first year to do the pictures together. Normally I just do the boys, but this year we decided to do all 4 of us!! To find a good picture of all of us was so challenging and I think by the time the final picture was taken that I was happy with, it was a yell and screaming match, then take the picture... so the boys faces are not the best, but oh well! It's the best we can do :)

Friday morning I got up for the first time ever and got together with all of the crazies to FINISH my Christmas shopping. The boys are completely done and I'm stunned that I got it done so fast! I just need to finish John and my Mom, then I should be done!!!

I also got all of my decorations out, the tree up and all of the lights up outside! (this year y'all I'm on top of it for some reason)

Friday night, my best friend, Ashley and I with her Mom went to see the Rockettes. It was such an amazing show, we had a blast and then we stayed downtown for awhile. We went to have dinner and drinks at the Peabody, it was one of the best girlie night's I've had in some time!!

The rest of the weekend I spend trying to fight a virus I think... Ole Miss lost Saturday which was a complete shock! Thank goodness no one at my house was too upset, just use to it! Leave it to OleMiss to beat the #8 team the week before, but then when rival week comes we can't even beat State... it's just typical Ole Miss to me :) But we still had a great season this year!!!

I will post pictures when I can, I'm at work now and I think our home computer has a virus, so if I can load pictures I will, if not we will have to wait until it's fixed, which hopefully will be this week!

Y'all have a blessed Tuesday!

~Katie~