What a wonderful weekend!

June 15, 2009 By

We had the best weekend! It was somewhat busy, but was SOOOO much fun!!

Saturday evening, of course, was the Father/Daughter dance at our church. This year the dance was called Hop With Your Pop and it was so much fun!! I got to go to take candid shots, so I got to be a small part of the fun.  Here are some pictures:

Macey prior to the dance:

001

Mariana:

002

Sweet sisters in their 50′s attire:

003

The expression on Macey’s face says it all – they LOVED it!

004

Twistin’ the night away:

005

And, here are the loves of my life at the end of a most WONDERFUL evening:
006

Needless to say, the Father/Daughter dance was a smash hit for our family! It was so awesome to me to look around and see all the daddies there with their daughters. There were so many dads that would be out on the dance floor to twist, hand jive, hula-hoop, hokey pokey, etc. all in the name of love and fun. It was just terrific. I am so grateful to those at our wonderful church that made it all happen!

Sunday was another great day for us. We went to church and attended the Contemporary worship service in its new location (Fellowship Hall). It was a truly great service. Afterwards, we went out to lunch with some of our good friends and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We all took naps yesterday afternoon which was niiiiiiiiiiice. We hit the pool for a bit on Sunday afternoon. Some friends had very kindly and generously offered us a twin bed, so we went to their house last night to get it for Mariana. (She loves it, by the way!) We went to dinner with them and, once again, had a blast!

So, it was an all around great weekend and was just full of happiness and blessings for our family. Hope everyone else had a great one too!!

Blessings,
Kelly

PS: Some of  you might have taken notice that this is the first time I have posted pictures of the girls’ faces. For a long time, I didn’t post because I just felt like my blog was “too public.” But, I have come to realize that it doesn’t even matter if this blog is public. Many of you also post pictures of your children too.  So, I’m posting photos now and trusting that it’s all good.

Filed Under: Church, Kids, Photos

An Amazing Evening…

April 24, 2009 By

Mickey and I attended the 2009 Dove Awards last evening. Let me just say – it was amazing!! We had an incredible time!!

Our tickets listed the event as “black tie optional” and since we have very few opportunities to really dress to the nines, we went all out and dressed pretty formal. I had actually borrowed a few dresses from a friend, but wound up wearing one of my own. It was my bridesmaid dress from my brother Charlie and sister-in-law Liz’s wedding. As a sidenote: Macey had to be hospitalized on the day of Charlie  & L iz’s wedding, so I only wore the dress a short time then. I got to the church in time to take a few pictures and be in the ceremony, then I returned to the hospital where Mickey was with Macey. So, this was a chance to wear the dress again and it was perfect! Let me just say, I haven’t felt this much like a princess since our wedding day. From the planning of this surprise by Mickey to everything coming together, I absolutely felt like a princess and I am so grateful that my incredible husband put this all together. Anyway, we got all spiffed up at the hotel and headed out to the Doves.

Here I am in the hotel lobby prior to leaving:

001dove

We took a cab and went out to the Grand Ole Opry House where the Awards were taking place. We got there with some time to take photos before the ceremony started.  Here we are before going into the Awards:

002dove

Another of the two of us:

pre_doves2

After snapping some photos, we checked in and got our programs before going to find our seats. We were seated in the first balcony and were “stage right” which gave us a great vantage point for the events. There was also a HUGE screen to our left that gave us even more visibility. We had some great people sitting around us too – very nice and friendly. Just a fun set up for the whole evening, really.

With about two minutes to go until show time, the producer came over the loud speaker and told us that he’d be letting us know when we were coming back from commercial, etc. I can’t remember which person said this, actually, but one of the pre-service speakers said that if we were on Facebook, Twitter, etc. to update our statuses about the Doves, etc. So, I did…throughout the show. That was fun!!

The whole show was just incredible. Truly INCREDIBLE! To be in that place, seeing so many of our favorite artists and all being there in celebration of faith was just awesome. There were so many great performances, of course. There were also moments of comedy, nostalgia, prayer and even emotion. The most emotional moments of the evening where when Steven Curtis Chapman sang “Cinderella” and when he accepted the award for Artist of the Year. That was so powerful!

I can’t do justice to the evening in words. I may try to update with more detail at some point later. For now, I am just still blessed to pieces about having been there to experience it all with my wonderful husband, Mickey. I am so grateful for this surprise and opportunity.

And, now I’m outta here. We have a full day in Nashville to enjoy…together! :D

Kelly

Filed Under: Kelly, Music, Photos, travel

Bring On Spring

March 5, 2009 By

I have an extra pep in my step this morning. Maybe it’s because I worked out last night and then actually got to bed on time. But, maybe it’s because we’re getting ready to get some springlike weather in the next few days. Today, it’s supposed to get up to 65 here. By Sunday it’s supposed to get up to 75. Glorious! I love spring. I love the warmer days, the blooming trees, the flowers – all of it. It’s such a great time of year. (We won’t mention the one down side – pollen.) I am already looking forward to getting outside this weekend. We can work in our yards, get some fresh air and just enjoy it. I cannot wait!!

As I mentioned yesterday, our cat Dasher got “fixed.” I am happy to report that he is doing great. He was pretty groggy when he came home, but he is rebounding nicely. He’s still not his usual dashing self, but he is moving about and he’s also holding down food and water. Yay!! I bet by tomorrow he’ll be at full tilt again. We’ll see. Here’s another picture of the handsome little fella:

dasher2

Mariana and I are working a bit on potty-training today. Nothing too strenous, but just working with her interest level. Right now I have a timer set to go off every 15 minutes so that I can ask her if she needs to go and/or take her to the potty for her to try. At this rate, I may have her training to go whenever an alarm goes off. Pavlov anyone?! ;)  

Guess what I did yesterday?! I dressed up like Clifford the Big Red Dog at preschool. Yes, I really did. I donned a big heavy costume and waved to the children coming in from the car pool line. I also visited some of the classes. I did this to promote the book fair.  It was actually quite fun. I will say, however, that I have  a new found respect for mascots. Not only are those outfits heavy and hot, but it’s also quite difficult to see when wearing one. Still, I enjoyed it because of the happiness that most of the kids got from seeing Clifford. It was really cool to visit Mariana’s class and watch her reaction without her knowing it was me.

Mickey and I have a date night planned for tomorrow night. I am so excited! We’re thinking a classic date of dinner and a movie would be nice. Any movie suggestions?

Well, the timer is about to go off again. That’s my cue to close it up for now. Besides, I really REALLY need to whip this house into shape. I should get back on the Motivated Moms system again…STAT!

Happy Thursday,
Kelly 

Filed Under: Daily Life, Family, Kelly, Kids, pets, Photos, school

Thank You, Spay Georgia

March 4, 2009 By

Macey got a kitten for Christmas. She named him Dasher. When Dasher came to live with us, he had feline pneumonia and didn’t feel well for about the first week we had him.  With medication and lots of TLC, Dasher has bounced back and really lives up to his name. He’s a feisty little fella these days. He has been a fun addition to our family.

Today, Dasher is getting “fixed.” Thanks to Spay Georgia we were able to get a reduced rate on this procedure. Spay Georgia is a non-profit organization dedicated to the humane treatment of animals. They also have a goal of preventing more unwanted pets by providing low cost spays and neuters. It’s a wonderful organization! Highly recommended! If you would like to learn more or perhaps donate, check out the Spay Georgia website for more information.

Here is our Dasher:
dasher_feb09

Hopefully everything will go super smoothly today and we’ll have him back this evening. He’ll probably need a day or so of quiet recovery, but I’m sure he’ll be back to dashing in no time at all.

~Kelly

Filed Under: Home, pets, Photos

Thankful List for November 12, 2008

November 12, 2008 By

I have decided to work on my “thankful list” since we have just over two weeks before Thanksgiving. My family and I are so blessed and have much to be thankful for and I want to use my blog as a declaration of our thankfulness.

Today, I am thankful for friends…

Mickey and I are blessed to have some incredible friends. Since we don’t live within close proximity to any members of our family, we are even more thankful to have friends close by that we love and who love us in return. We know that we have this extended family in God and it blesses our hearts tremendously.  I am grateful that I have had the same best friend for such a long time and even distance can’t separate the bond God gave us as sisters of the heart.  Mickey and I are both thankful to have reconnected with old friends and also made new friends via the internet.  To see our girls forming friendships and sharing in giggles, play and fun is just beautiful. We just have so much to be thankful for in the way of friendships that I cannot do justice with words. Friends are a true gift of God and for each of our friends and their places in our hearts and lives, we are truly grateful.

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:3-6 (NIV)

Filed Under: Bible, Daily Life, Kelly, Photos

Brrrr…it’s officially Autumn

October 28, 2008 By

Around here, we are spoiled to summers that extend right into October. The nights start getting cooler mid-September, typically, but the days stay nice and warm for quite awhile. It’s nothing unusual to go to the pumpkin patch in short-sleeve shirts or even shorts. This year we had a week in October with temperatures in the mid-80s during the week. No complaints here as I am a summer loving girl! Well, those teaser days of summer are behind us now. It’s officially Autumn. The air has a nice crisp to it in the mornings and evening. The leaves are really putting on a brillant display. Occasionally you can spot curls of smoke arising from homes that have wood-burning fireplaces. Kids are going to school in their jackets. Warm blankets are brought to Friday night football games. Autumn has arrived!

As much as I admit to loving summer, I enjoy this time of year too. While I am certainly not a fan of being cold, I do enjoy those cool crisp evenings and mornings. My favorite way to sleep is when the room is somewhat cold and I can curl up under a big pile of blankets. Ahhh!! I love seeing the leaves as they change from green to these fiery hues of orange, yellow, gold and brown.  I love smelling backyard fires, especially when we have one in our backyard fire ring. I enjoy getting to wear clothees that are not the same old things we’ve worn all summer. I like getting out my boots and wearing them with jeans and skirts. Sipping hot chocolate and apple cider are a nice change even though I do enjoy my coffee. Perhaps my favorite thing about autumn is our annual family trip to the apple orchard and pumpkin farm which we start looking forward to in the summertime. There is much to love about this time of year.

There is just something about autumn gives me a renewal of spirit. It’s a time to shake off those lingering “lazy days of summer” and to get out and enjoy little pieces of God’s beautiful creations.  This is a time of year when things are busy and fun. You can always find something fun to do such as visiting apple orchards and pumpkin patches. It’s a great time to go to zoos and parks. What better time to hit hiking trails? And, let’s not forget fall festivals which are always fun.

I’m glad to get to savor this time of year. We don’t always get a true fall around here, but this year we really seem to have one and our family is really enjoying it all!

Filed Under: Daily Life, Family, Photos

The First Day of Kindergarten…

August 11, 2008 By

Today is Macey’s first day of kindergarten. To say that she has been excited about this day is an understatement. To say that she was happy this morning doesn’t even come close to the mega-watt smile that stayed plastered across her beautiful face. She was absolutely, positively, no-doubt-about-it READY for school.

Here we are together before leaving for school:

And, here are Mariana, Mickey and Macey walking towards the school from the parking area:

We walked in with her today since it’s the first day, of course. Macey found a hook for her backpack, got her snack out and went to her classroom. She got to put her snack in her cubby and then had to get her “rest towel” out of her bag and bring that in. Then she was set. She sat down at her place at the table to color. She was so happy to be there. She wasn’t nervous or anything, just ready. And, I must say that it really was touching to my heart to see her that way. I know that school will bring her lots of great things. Besides learning (which is obviously key), she’ll make new friends and just have so many great experiences. Her journey is just starting and we are so excited to watch her as she goes through it all.

Several friends and family members have been so sweet to send emails or texts today and some have called as well. I have told everyone that I am really not emotional at all. Not in a sad way. Mickey and I are both nostalgic because it seems like only yesterday when our Macey was a baby girl, but this is a happy day. To be around Macey and to see her excitement, it would be impossible to be sad. So, we’re happy right alongside her.

The bus comes in just under an hour to bring Macey home. So, I’m off to make cookies for her. Nothing like good old fashioned milk and cookies for a snack, right? And, I just can’t wait to hear all about her special day…

Filed Under: Daily Life, Kids, Photos, school

Nature Center Photos…

August 8, 2008 By

Mickey and I took the girls to the Chattahoochee Nature Center this afternoon. It was our first visit to CNC and I have to say that we were very impressed. We did a short walk along a paved path and went through the butterfly garden which lead down to the beaver pond and then over to the raptor aviary. Then we got to see a Florida pine snake which was shown by a CNC employee. Mariana and I got to touch the snake as well! There were more hiking trails, but we didn’t get to explore them today. We’ll certainly go back though. Can’t wait!

Here are some photos I took there today. (You can click on the photos to view them larger. They’ll pop out and then you can X out individually without losing your place on the blog. )

Filed Under: Daily Life, Entertainment, Family, Photos

Ocean…

August 5, 2008 By

I just love this photo that I took on our beach trip and I wanted to share it.

When I look at this photo, the chorus to Ten Shekel Shirt’s song “Ocean” come to mind.

Something about the ocean
Makes me rise up and praise
Something about the heavens
Makes me stand in awe again
Something about the sunrise
Reminds me of Your faithfulness
Something about the ocean
And I’m lost in love again

Isn’t that chorus just so true? To me, there is something about the ocean that makes my soul just feel the presence of God. I’m at a loss to describe exactly how I feel that connectivity, but I always do. Maybe it’s that the ocean is so vast and wondrous. Or, perhaps it’s the tranquility of the tide with the depth of the unknown just beneath the surface. Or maybe it’s just knowing that God created something so incredibly diverse, amazing and mysterious. Like I said, I can’t put words to it, but every time I am near the ocean, my soul feels a unique connection to God. And, it’s beautiful to me.

Filed Under: Kelly, Kids, Music, Photos

Soft & Sweet – Baby Hands & Feet

April 14, 2008 By

Is there anything sweeter than a baby’s tiny little hands and feet? Oh, I just love to look at them.

I took these shots of our nephew Jackson over the weekend and I couldn’t resist sharing.

Look at his precious little feet!

And, his sweet baby hands…

SWOON!

Really, y’all…how precious are those little tiny toes and fingers? All so perfectly formed by God. It makes my heart smile just to see these sweet pictures and I had to share them here.

Filed Under: Family, Kids, Photos
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