ICE STORM 2010!

Friday morning, as they had expected, we got the beginning of ICE STORM 2010. The boys were out of school and at around 9am the city began to slowly shut down! Daddy even came home from work at 10am and we played most of the day (well except that nap we took that afternoon while the snow...ahem, ICE continued to fall!)



When we woke up from our lovely nap, this is what it looked like and the worse it yet to come! I thought these icecicles were very tasty!

As night fell and the few inches of snow, that were covered by ice began to freeze, it was one big sheet of ICE. You could not walk on the driveway or yard, without feeling like you are ice skating. After the kids went to bed, the hubs and I just had to go out and try it, so we did and you would of thought we were 10 again, it was too much fun!!! Our power did go out last night, due to the ice on the trees and them falling on power lines, but we are so blessed to have warmth and food back into our home today! It was scary as a mother having to go through that with your own kids, but we made it and the power was not out for too long, PRAISE GOD!



Here's a picture of Daddy with his boys this morning on the 4wheeler, I'm not sure which boy is more excited... Daddy or Will & Luke :) (oh, the van behind them is not ours, they are our lovely new neighbors that park right in front of our driveway and in the snow and ICE makes it VERY difficult to get in and out of the driveway.... but we just deal with it :))

I pray everyone is safe and warm tonight! It is down in the single digits tonight here in the MidSouth, so for us that is a bit chilly!

Wishful Wednesday...3 min.

* I WISH * for 3 minutes I could be Reese Witherspoon! For no particular reason but that she's just too darn cute and I love her personality. I just think it would be pretty cool to be her and be in movies and have kiddos, she seems so down to earth (because I know her so well ya know).

Honestly I could not think of another person when thinking about this topic... so I chose one of my favorite celebs.

I think her teeth look a little weird in this pic... but she's just adorable and beautiful! :)

Head on over to Kelsey's blog to play along if you would like to play! Have a blessed Wednesday!

~Katie~

Monday Randomness

Well here at Clementsville, we had a marvelous weekend! Friday night we went to our BFF's house to enjoy some dinner and wonderful time together. We always enjoy spending time with them, we are like one big happy family when around them, there is no holding back and no hiding anything, they love us for being our goofy silly oh selves ( just like them :) ). Saturday I got some much needed cleaning done and then Sunday went to church. We had a great relaxing weekend, I have had a horrible headache the past day and I pray tomorrow I wake up feeling much better!


Here is a picture of Will from his 101 day of school last week. He has a doggy (dalmation) hat on that he made, I thought it was adorable so I had to take a pic.

Here's a pic of the boys after church on Sunday. They were matching :) Will has had this shirt, then a dear friend of mine, Liz, gave me a bag full of clothes that fit Luke. So I thought it would be precious to make them matching one Sunday! They are getting so big~

I hope you all had a blessed weekend! I don't have any crazy news from the weekend. The hubs and I enjoyed watching football yesterday. Of course we wanted the Colts to win, because we just love the Manning family, but I also wanted Brett Favre to win as well, just because he's had a great career and I think he needed a Super Bowl, but oh well, now I won't have to choose between who I want to win, GO COLTS!


Happy Monday and have a Terrific Tuesday!

IT'S AWARD TIME!

Today I was blessed to be given the Beautiful Blogger Award by my very sweet friend Leigh over at La Bella Vita. Go check her blog out, I know you will adore her as much as I do :)

So here is the rules:
Put the award on your blog
Thank the person who you received this from
Tell 7 interesting things about yourself
Nominate 7 bloggers

1. I can not go to bed at night with my kitchen dirty. It is just something for some reason that will keep me up at night. Dishes must be in the dishwasher, counter tops clean w/ Clorox, kitchen table in order and it looking descent. There's nothing more refreshing than waking up in the morning and walking into a clean, fresh kitchen :) NOW, I will admit over the years I have gotten better about this one, but I'm still way too OCD about my kitchen.

2. Laundry... oh the lovely dread of laundry. I do enjoy doing laundry, and USUALLY do one load every night so I don't feel so overwhelmed on the weekends. But lately, I feel the need to spend more time with my hubs or the boys, so I have neglected the laundry until the weekends. Well y'all, believe it or not, I have a husband that is willing to do the laundry for me, but if you only saw how he folded the clothes. He would not fold the undies or socks (and that is just crazy to me) so I do all of the folding, he does most of the doing :) The towels all have to be lined up a certain way and even put away a certain way, all shirts, pants, short, sock, undies whatever it might be, has a certain way to be folded and hung up, therefore I am left to do that :)

3. Toilet paper: Ladies there is a certain way to hang a roll of toilet paper. THIS IS ONE OF MY BIGGEST PET PEEVES, the toilet paper must be hung so that the beginning is coming from the front... there's just no sense in it being in the back.

4. When in the shower, I have a routine that if it is messed up, my whole day is ruined, meaning that the kids are not allowed in the bathroom while I'm in the shower, unless it is a emergency. :) After getting out of the shower, I apply 7 (up/downs) of deodorant on each arm pit... I've never figured out how I got to the number 7 or why I stopped there, but the hubs says I don't even need the seven, it's a waste:)

5. I'm more OCD about what the boys are wearing than what I'm wearing. As long as they are looking just precious, then I'm fine as well. I just don't like my kids looking like hoodlums ( I probably spelled that wrong) That might fall back on insecurities with me, I don't know, but I want them to always have the best and look the best that they can look. They are my prizes and they deserve nothing but the best!

6. Like I said before, I have something with numbers wrong with me. I was a thumb sucker until the age of 12 (I'm dead serious, it might of been longer if you want to know the truth) I didn't stop until I got my braces on and they forced me to stop. So, I would never really suck, I just sat my thumb in my mouth, when my Mom or Dad or whoever would say "Katie, get your thumb out of your mouth" I had to rub my fingers across my nose and count to 13. I am so embarrassed to say this and I know you all are thinking what the heck is wrong with her, but I'm just keeping it real!

7. And I'm gonna steal this one from my friend Candice, but I can not STAND to be touch, rubbed or massaged on only one side of my body, it MUST be both sides evenly. If the hubs rubs my back, it must be both sides and the exact same thing on both sides. It's the weirdest thing, but even if I've fallen asleep as he is doing it and he slows down and forgets to do one side... NO SIR, I will wake up and make sure he finishes the other side just as he did the other side.

I am nominating these wonderful ladies to join in this fun:

Melissa at Stafford Stories

Liz at Beyer, Party of 4

Taylor at Jimmy Choos & a Baby Too

Jennifer at Overflowing with Blessings

Natalie at It's a Wonderfully Crazy Life

Amanda at Popping out one letter at a Time

Laura at Cowboy Boots & Baby Booties

This was tons of fun, took me forever to think of these things but I hope everyone can join in!

Y'al have a blessed weekend!

Katie

Yippee, It's Friday!

This morning, as I was walking Luke into school, a special moment came across me. He is 3 years and 6 months... he acts like he is 6. He is SO independent, much more than Will has ever been. After I opened the car door to get him out, He unbuckled, He grabbed his lunch box and back pack, He got out of the car (all by himself), He shut the door, He hopped up on the step, He opened the door into school, He put away all of his things and the He gave his Mommy a kiss and walked into his classroom. He is my love, He has my heart and I just can't believe he is getting so big. He is such a care free child, he is SO happy, willing to help with anything and he just enjoys life! I am beyond thankful to the Lord for giving me this child to raise!



On another note... I have to confess something. Do y'all ever enjoy popping zits? For me, it is a stress reliever, but not necessarily on me. haha (even though I have plenty of them to pop) Last night I was scratching my hubs back, well while I was doing it I noticed a few spots that needed attention, so I popped them. (Thankfully he understands my need to pop zits from time to time and he doesn't mind. He has actually in the past seen a "good one" and allowed me to do the honors) So am I the only women that enjoys this? It gives me a sense of relief and maybe a sense of power.... I just love it and don't even begin to fib about this little white lie :)


Have a blessed weekend, I am looking forward to enjoying time with my 3 boys and some dear friends!

~Katie~

Thankful Thursday

I have never done a "Thankful Thursday" post but I am OH so thankful for so many wonderful things and today I think it is a perfect opportunity to share! I got this idea from a dear friend of mine Leigh, so when you get a chance head on over to her blog and check it out, I know you will fall in love with her like I have!

Lately, as most of you know, I have been pushed beyond the point of stressed. I have so many different things going on right now in my life that is it pulling me all different directions. It's stressful, but I am trying to find the Hope and Love in the middle of all of this chaos!

Today I want to share what I'm thankful for: First and most importantly for such a loving and forgiving Father, my Lord Jesus Christ! My wonderful family, husband and precious, healthy little boys. Our new church family and all of the wonderful people I have met there that truly bless my life on a daily basis. I'm thankful for all of my new and old friends, you all will never know how your love and support help me get through each and every day! I am also thankful for my job, I'm thankful to being able to work and provide good things for my boys. I'm just thankful to be so blessed, this week I have been down, down real bad knowing that in a couple of weeks I won't have my Mom right around the corner anymore or down about not knowing what our future hold financially... but I have not lost Hope! Hope in knowing that God promises us that He will never leave us "The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you" Protect us is exactly what He is doing right now and I am SO thankful for that!

So come on ladies.... what are you really thankful for?

Have a wonderful Thursday!

~Katie~

Wishful Wednesday...GOWN

I WISH I COULD WEAR THIS RED, BEAUTIFUL DRESS THAT EVA LONGORIA WORE AT THE GOLDEN GLOBES!!!

Not only would I love to have a body that looks that good in that dress, I just love red dresses. Red is a good color on me and if I had this body.... oh man it would be awesome we wear this dress! Isn't it just so pretties :)

Y'all have a blessed Wednesday! I'm so stinking excited it's already hump day! It's raining here in the South today (boo) but the sun is still shining in my life! :) It's been a great week and I'm just so blessed to be here!

Happy Wednesday and go over to Kelsey's blog to play along :)

~Katie~

2009 Survey

I enjoy doing survey's and I hope you all enjoy! I found this on a new blogger friend of mine's page, Jimmy Choos and a Baby Too, so thank you for this idea Taylor and it's a pleasure meeting you!

1.What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before? Found a amazing Church family to call home!

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Well, I said I was going to get in shape... I have been eating healthier and watching what I eat, so yeah I guess so!


3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Actually a good friend of ours had a baby last year, but in 2010 we have lots of babies coming!!


4. Did anyone close to you die? yes


5. What places did you visit? Georgia and Florida to visit family


6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? more Trust in the Lord


7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? hopefully not very many, 2009 wasn't the best of years for us!


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? becoming stronger in my faith


9. What was your biggest failure? can't think of anything particular, but I had many lessons learned


10. Did you suffer illness or injury? female problems getting worse :(


11. What was the best thing you bought? my work out videos


12. Whose behavior merited celebration? my boys.... they are the best!


13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? can't think of anyone??


14. Where did most of your money go? bills and the boys


15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? life, life excites me!


16. What song will always remind you of 2009? Party in the USA! (I would have to say the same)


17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier
b) thinner or fatter? fatter fo sho
c) richer or poorer? this is a tough one... richer than the previous year, but poorer than 3 years ago... we are improving and trying to build our lives back from a HUGE learning lesson!


18. What do you wish you’d done more of? not stressed so much on the small things!


19. What do you wish you’d done less of? stressed or worried


20. How did you spend Christmas in 2009? Home with family, everyone came to our house this year... so much fun!


21. Did you fall in love in 2009? I fell in love with the Lord again, but I fall in love everyday with my boys and hubs!


22. What was your favorite TV program? biggest loser, Monday night CBS: two & half men, how I met your mother & accidentally on purpose


23. What did you do for your birthday in 2009? dinner and bowling with my family & friends


24. What was the best book you read? The Bible & Dave Ramsey's money make over


25. What did you want and get? happier


26. What did you want and not get? everything happens for a reason :)


27. What was your favorite film of this year? Fireproof


28. Did you make some new friends this year? Yes many!! I'm so thankful for all of my new and old friends!


29.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? getting some debt paid off and working on the rest


30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? just whatever fits and looks descent


31. What kept you sane? my husband and God


32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? hmm I don't know, I love me some Carrie Underwood, but I don't really get into vary many celebs


33. What political issue stirred you the most? most of them are still stirring me... God knows!


34. Who did you miss? my Dad, Brother and family in Georgia, I wish we all lived closer!


35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009. That I can not control everything and especially my life so there's no need to sweat the small stuff!!!

101 post

I completely forgot to do something BIG for my 100th post! Now this is my 101th post and I still can't figure something cool out, but I will... it just might be my 102 or 103rd post... :)

I don't have much to blog about today. The weather here in Memphis is absolutely GORGEOUS!!!! It's 64 right now, I think this time last week I posted about having some snow and the temps being all time lows recorded ever.... but remember this is Memphis we are talking about and well that is just how we roll here in the MidSouth!!!

This is a 3 day weekend coming up, which y'all have no idea who much it excites me! The boys and I will be chillin all day Monday while Daddy has to work..boo :(! This week has been a emotional roller coaster just with work and life, so we need this weekend to recoop.

Tonight the hubs and I are going watch the Blind Side. I CAN NOT wait and can't believe we are just now seeing this movie, but I hear it is worth the wait!

I pray you all have a blessed weekend and enjoy this beautiful weather!!

~Katie~

Wishful Wednesday...

I WISH... I had the start up funds to start up my own business and it would be.... well there's several! ha

First, at this point in my life, I would love to own a boutique with adorable clothes, childrens clothes, home decor anything and everything... just a great gift boutique!

BUT, my heart is very tender when it comes to the elderly or children... I would love to be able to have two homes, one home for the elderly and help them, love them and pray with them until their final days are over. There should not be one person that doesn't have someone listen and love them until their days are final. It breaks my heart to see some elderly people without someone helping them do the daily things we take for granite! When I was about 10, we moved back to Georgia for a few years, at that time we lived right next to a nursing home. I would go in there after school and on the weekends and just sit with these people. Talk with them, pray with them and learn so much about them. They are just like us but with so much wisdom and you can really learn a lot from a elderly person. I will never forget those days... Mom would alway say "Who's house have you been at", well Mom I was actually down at the nursing home..ha! That was me, I just have a soft heart for them!

And then underprivledged children... after having children of my own, I could never ever imagine not wanting the very best for my kids. Some kids do not have the privledge to experience that. I wish I had a home for children that just need love and support. I believe that is what is wrong at times with this world, there's not enough love and Godly driven talks with our children.

I hope you enjoyed my Wishful Wednesday this week and go check our Kelsey's site and join in as well!

Happy Wednesday!!!

~Katie~

a great big thank you, tithing and more

Thank you all so much for your prayers! You will never know how reading your comments made me feel. It is nice to know that I'm not the only one having weird, sad feelings from time to time and right now I have many different areas in my life being tested. I feel much better, there are still areas in my life that I am working on, one of the biggest things is my Mom, she's my best friend and she is moving back to Georgia to be with our family. I completely understand her wanting to move, it is a great decision for her, but she is all I have here (besides my own family) and it breaks my heart she will no longer be 2.8 miles away! It is God's Will and I have to remember that... please keep her (and us) in your prayers as well, it is a difficult decision, but will be better for her in the long run!!!! (Guess I gotta be a big girl now :)



For us, January has been a month to get things back in order. Finances is what we are working on right now. (that's probably to blame for the depression... ha!) This morning in church we discussed tithing. Tithing is a touchy subject, it shouldn't be, but it is. Finances are private and I know from this day forward we will put God first in our finances. He is the reason we have jobs, money and our money is His money. Giving is such a great feeling. It's just like giving someone a birthday present or Christmas present. I really get excited about giving gifts, I love to give gifts. It was a perfect sermon for us and boy is God's timing simply amazing! Last night we sat down and redid our budget, we put tithing first, before anything (I'm embarrassed to say it wasn't before, but I'm being honest here) and then this morning God spoke to us and reaffirmed our decision to tithe before all else! 2010 is a year for us to get our debt paid off and work on more money in savings. I pray that with our new plan of action and living more for Him, we will benefit and start climbing that mountain and get out of this valley!



Oh~ one more thing... did y'all see on Kelly's Korner's site where she talked about monogram swapping... well that is the best idea I have heard in a long time!!!!! I have been trying to find more websites this weekend, if you know of anymore let me know! The one she gave was www.themonogramswap.com I want more, there wasn't much stuff on that one, I always check ebay, but I know there's got to be more! Why can't I be smart like that and think of such a GREAT idea!!!!


Have a blessed Monday!

~Katie~

blah..blah...blah

Lately, Luke has been calling me his "pretty things" like there's many of me :) I think it's hilarious and Mom told me to write that in his baby book because one day I will forget he said that. I mean, even when I ask a question, his reply is yes or no "pretty thing" It's sweet and puts a smile on my face, it actually makes us all crack up laughing. Another thing he is doing lately that is cute, when he says oatmeal it sounds just like he's saying elmo, I have NO idea where he gets that from oatmeal, but it's pretty darn cute too!!!



BUT, lately I have not been me. (I can say this because it is my blog and my journal, I don't need critics, just love) I have been depressed acting and it is just not me at all! I am a positive person, always keeping other people happy, but lately life is getting the best of me. Life at times is just hard, difficult and at times I find myself wondering when it is going to change. When is good going to come in my life?? BUT I have it right here in front of me, I'm just seeing with blinders, dwelling on the negative in my life. I can't do that anymore, I am the rock of this family and not for me, but for them, I must be on my "A" game at all times. Yes, there's many things in life I want, but is it necessarily what God wants? You know He always has the best for us and I believe He is kneading me to be the person He wants me to be. My wants might not necessarily be His Will. I just need prayer for understanding my life, understanding why He has me where I am right now. I know life is full of valleys and mountains, right now I might be in a valley, but I'm looking forward to standing on that mountain! I would go into more detail, but it's not necessary, God knows what I am dealing with, He knows my insecurities, wants and needs out of life and He will provide if it's His Will, I just have to be patient!


This weekend we have nothing planned, but cleaning around the house and headed to church tomorrow, it's just too cold to get the kids out right now! The one thing I know is right in my life, is that I would not want to be anywhere but with my 3 boys God sent to me and that is the one thing I am rejoicing right now!!!!


Y'all have a blessed weekend!

~Katie~

Blizzard 2010.... NOT!

So, we did get a little bit of snow, not nearly the 2-4 inches they originally said, but hey it was enough to keep schools closed today and that made us happy!

The boys enjoyed a few football games and chasing each other in this snow. They enjoyed it and I enjoyed being home with them today, not leaving the house at all and trying to stay warm.

Tonight we will eat a veggie pizza and watch the National Championship game... super excited and happy the weekend is almost here!


Y'all stay warm and I have a good post coming up... I promise :)


~Katie~

There are no words...

to describe this post ( I could not think of a good title)...


I don't have any words.


I feel this will be a very boring post as that is EXACTLY how it has been at Clementsville for the past 4 days. It's been a nice boring, lazy time. I went to the grocery store briefly on Thursday, then never left again til this morning when we went to church. I have been busy, busy organizing closets, making room to place things (toys) and just getting everything ready for this week.


I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with my angels, we have played, watched movies, napped and just laughed a lot! We needed this, we needed to all reconnect as a family and enjoy the simple things in life! I hate it is all coming to a end tomorrow, but i have HIGH hopes for 2010 and I am ready to tackle it head on!


I have prayed a lot this weekend for all of you! I pray you all have a wonderful week and we will talk soon :)


~Katie~