Running of the Bulls...Redneck Style...

Saturday night was the 2nd annual College/Career Bonfire at our house. All day it looked ominous...rain was nearby... but thankfully, it stayed away so we could have our get together. It ended up being gray and cool...perfect for a bonfire!!

After everyone had gotten there and we were done stuffing our faces with all the goodies, one of the girls said something about being terrified of cows... INTERVENTION!!!! Since I do live on a farm, some of us decided that it would be a great idea to take M out in the cowfield... at night... in the pitch black moonless night... to overcome her fear.

Brilliant, yes, I know...

So, we loaded up on the golf cart (a very farm-ish vehicle...) and headed to the field. There was absolutely no moon out and the lights on the golf cart were not working. No one thought to bring a flashlight, though someone did have their cell phone and we tried using it as a spotlight from time to time...

Once we found the cows, several of the nuts on the cart got off the cart and started chasing the poor beasts. Loping over the cow patties in the dark, singing while determined to catch a cow and touch it, and trying to pick off the "weak" one to corner.... I have never laughed so hard in my life!!

Just a bunch of rednecks I tell ya....

ryan, steph, me & frank (bff's fo-eva)

some of the "cow chaser extraordinaries"

steph frolicking through the cow patties


j doing his cattle call

"deer in the headlights" look...don't ask!!

What A Day!!

WOW!!! What a day!! I am almost, almost too overwhelmed to say anything about today... It has been full of God's goodness and greatness for sure!

Today started out with a very special speaker that came to Sherwood. Gov. Mike Huckabee came and spoke. And not a political message either. I mean, he came and preached. He was funny and gracious. And he even got up on stage and played his bass guitar with us on a song! Too much fun!

Believe me, his coming to our church has brought up many, many a discussion and debate among several of my friends. I have been shocked at the people that have had so many negative things to say about him speaking in a church. Some have said he has an agenda. That he is just trying to be manipulative and deceptive. Trying to make people feel all warm and fuzzy so that when he runs again for office they will remember him in that way and vote for him. Some have said he was just using it as a promotion for his new book. It also launched discussions about separation of church and state that I was not prepared for... not so much that I wasn't prepared for the discussion itself, but from the people it came from...

Here's the thing... Mike Huckabee is a good man. He loves the Lord and his country. He can't separate his love for either of them. And he shouldn't. He didn't use the pulpit this morning to promote his book... he used the pulpit this morning to promote Christ.... He brought a wonderful message of hope in a time that for many feels hopeless. And as for separation of church and state, well, you will have to excuse my political "incorrectness"... I want my leaders to love the Lord. I want the leaders of our nation to turn to the Lord for wisdom in their decisions. I want politicians in the pulpit that have a geniune love for Christ and pastors behind the desks in Washington. Because look at how things have gone without Him...

Later today, we were priveledged to find out the theme and title of the next movie that our church would be making.

It's called COURAGEOUS. The subject matter is about fathers/fatherlessness, calling men to step up and be the husbands and fathers that they need to be. I can't wait!!!

A Belated Vetran's Day Thank You...

It's a little late, I realize...

But, I did want to say a heart felt thank you to the soldiers past, present and future who sacrifice so much...

They give of themselves to protect us... so that we can go about our daily lives the way that we want to...
Some leaving never to return home... never to see their families again...

It reminds me of the ultimate "veteran"... Who sacrificed more than any other... And He did it not out of love for country, but out of love for you and for me...

And even though He paid the ultimate price for our freedom... He will be coming back again...

Operation Christmas Child

Tis the season... already... I can't believe it's almost Christmas! And though I am not as good as some of my friends who have already purchased their children's gifts, I do know what mine will be getting... it's just a matter of writing it down and actually going to get it!

Baby steps, people, baby. steps!

However, the time has come again for us to do our shoeboxes. It's a simple thing really. Fill a shoebox with goodies for a child, box goes all over the world to reach a little one who otherwise wouldn't get anything for Christmas, and somehow... hopefully, they feel the love of Christ through that simple box.

I never do well when I have to go get the stuff for the boxes... I usually have a few things in mind I want to put in the boxes. But then while I'm shopping I just want to keep on putting things in my basket! Now, I know that if I don't stop half of what I've gotten is NOT going to fit, but for some reason I just get so stinkin' emotional while I am buying for those shoeboxes!! Thinking of those kids... and the JOY in their eyes... makes my heart feel like it will burst!! The overflow from that usually ends up in my eyes!!

Anyway, Frank and I decided that this year we would make it a family project instead of me just filling them up. So, one night last week after supper, we sent all the kids into the dining room. I had everything set up for them. A box in front of each of their chairs with the items to go in the box beside it. Frank talked with them about what the boxes were for and who would be getting them and why it was important for us to send them. He did a really good job of explaining in a way they could grasp.

Then it was time to fill them. Now, I really expected some tears. Honestly... that's why I had my camera. (good parenting award here I come!) Especially where my Wyatt was concerned... I had picked things that he would want to go in his box for his child. So I fully expected him to pitch a fit to keep those things for himself. But you know what?? Nobody said one word... not a tear... not a sad face... nothing. They all just got to work filling their little boxes. Even Mallory. She didn't ask to keep anything either. Well, she did start to brush her teeth with the toothbrush that was supposed to go in her box! Thankfully I had a spare!!

Then after the boxes had been filled, we asked each of them to pray over their box and for the little boy/girl that would be getting their box. Without hesitation Wyatt started. He folded his hands and said a super sweet prayer that included "please let him brush his teeth good so they can be clean and not have any yellow left on his tooth"... I had to bite my lip... hard... Jack and Mallory prayed for their boxes and children too. I left that room in shock. Really in shock. And grateful for the opportunity the Lord had given us to share that with our kids.

Sometimes, lots of times, a teachable moment goes terribly wrong in our house... and sometimes... it just goes right...

Movie Night

Busy start to a busy weekend! Tonight was Wyatt's best little buddy's birthday party... it was a "lizard" party... sounds funny, I know, but it was really cute. They had a lizard hunt in the backyard which was right up Wyatt's alley... Little plastic lizards and turtles and bugs were scattered all over the yard and the kids were given little nets and a bug canister and off they went in search of the goods! It was really cute! After that they had a lizard show... I didn't stay for that part, but big iguanas and that sort of thing was what all the kids got to see.... also right up Wyatt's alley! And just like any faithful best buddy would do, Wyatt spent the night after the party....

So, Frank and I thought it would be a great idea to take the other 2 kiddos to the movie. And since it was opening night of A CHRISTMAS CAROL that was the movie of choice... besides, Frank and I wanted to see it anyway, so what better thing to do than to use your children as the excuse to go and see it??

Let me just say that the movie was GREAT! It was in 3D which I love, and really put me in the Christmas spirit! When it was over I was ready to run home, throw up the tree, and bake a pie...all while listening to Christmas music, of course!! When I told that to Frank he said that the thought of going home to put up the tree made him want to throw up! Hmmm, obviously he left his Christmas spirit in the theater with Mr. Scrooge!! Oh Well....

While the effects of the movie were great and the characters were spot on and of course the story itself is fabulous.... let me just give you a warning.... If you think this is going to be a warm and fuzzy family Christmas movie YOU ARE WRONG!!! I'm pretty sure that Mallory is gonna have nightmares from now UNTIL Christmas! It was scary!! NOT suitable for small children!! The trailers do NOT depict the scariness of it well at all! There were times I was jumping in MY chair!! So BEWARE!! Think long and hard about what your kids can really be okay with before you take them!!!

Hmmmmm.....now where is that Christmas tree??? Guess I will go ask Frank! :)

Catch Up & Halloween Fun

Okay, so I have taken a little break....okay a big break!!! But, I have been feeling very "bloggish" lately and think I am ready to start back!! So, I hope to be able to catch up on some of your blogs over the next several days!

Quick rundown of whats been going on: same old same old basically...very busy summer with taking kids here, there, and everywhere! Won't bore you with all the details...much time spent at the pool cause it was too stinkin' hot to do anything else! Then school started. This year Wyatt started "big boy" school. No more mothers morning out! All day school complete with bus riding. I must say I was nervous about him riding at first even though Jackson started riding at his age and would be on the bus with him. But it has worked out and he even gets disappointed on the days that I do take them or pick them up.

Schedule stays busy, as I'm sure most of yours do too... Mallory started taking dance this year. She looks so cute in her tutus!! And she loves every minute of dance class...and showing off what she learns! Jackson started taking guitar lessons... I thought after a few weeks of it he would quit... but he didn't. Never complains about practicing. And his teacher says he is a quick learner and picked a really difficult song for his first one (Chris Daughtry-Call Your Name) and has done a great job on it. He loves to pick up his guitar when the music is on and see if he can pick up the song... sometimes he even does!

Halloween: Mallory wanted to be Little Orphan Annie. It is her favorite movie...she watches it at least 5 times a week! And she can sing Tomorrow like nobody's business! Wyatt was a paleontologist (thats a big dinosaur geek for those that don't know) He wants to be one when he grows up... I'm not kidding.. He knows every fact there is just about on every dinosaur there is!! It is unbelievable! He can even say the names of some of them that I couldn't say if I wanted to! Jackson was a rocker...kinda... He said at first that he wasn't going to dress up, that he was too old for that... so I told him that like Christmas if you don't believe you don't receive (I know you have all heard that before!) that if he did not dress up as something, he would have to go trick or treating with us, but would have to stay on the trailer and not get any candy. I know... I'm horrible... but I wasn't ready for him not to dress up yet!

So, enjoy a few pictures from halloween night below... OH, just as a side story for you...
About 5 houses into trick or treating Wyatt puked in someones yard...all down the sleeve of his cute outfit... Apparently, he bit into his glow necklace that his buddy had given him and drank some of the liquid which almost instantly made him sick!

AAAAHHHH....the good times people...they just keep a comin' over here....

And no...it didn't glow!!

ANNIE

DR. GRIFFIN-PALEONTOLOGIST

THE GANG