Happy Halloween!

I hope you all have a great day! We will be going on a trick - or - treat hayride. The kids are excited. Bryce & Tristan are just dressing up in camo so they can be hunters. My beautiful girl is going to be Cinderella. I will post the pictures on Monday. Everyone have a great weekend!

Pumpkin Patch Fun!!

Saturday was a beautiful day to go to the Pumpkin Patch! My pictures aren't the best because of the sunlight but I did my best at the time. My sister-in-law, nephew, and niece's all went along for the fun.

I didn't realize how hard it is to get 6 kids smiling & looking at the camera at the same time! This is the best two pictures of them all.

Here's a picture of my babies with me!

Tristan with his little pumpkin & this is his 1st time to a Pumpkin Patch!

Gracie with her pumpkin. A girl after my own heart... she picked a big one!

Bryce & his pumpkin. He's a pro at this, he said he knew he would have to carry it so he didn't want it to be heavy.

These last pictures are just some I liked of the kiddos.

We had a really great time playing, hayriding, and picking pumpkins!

Miracles happen everyday!!

Our dog Drake is back!

On Friday night Bryce & I thought we heard a door shut outside. I waited a few minutes then looked out and didn't see anything. So we finished watching our movie and then went to bed. Bryce & Tristan were going to sleep in my bed since Jody was out of town. They were fast asleep when I was laying in there saying my prayers. I prayed that the missing dogs would return, and as I was praying I heard a dog bark outside. It sounded like Drake. I jumped up and looked outside, no more barking and I didn't see anything. I thought I was losing my mind. The next morning my mom stopped by and as she was leaving, Drake walked around the corner. The kids were so excited! They played with him a few hours before we left for the Pumpkin Patch.

Missing...

My kiddos are very upset, and I am too! About 3 weeks ago, our little beagle named Rascal went missing. He had came home full of ticks one day after chasing deer in the woods. So after I got off work the next day, I went to purchase a bunch of tick/flea bath stuff for him. Bryce waited outside until dark and he never returned. So if anyone has seen this little beagle with a red collar he belongs to us.

Then on Sunday morning at 7am, our Black Lab (Drake) was at home. By the time we were leaving for church, he was gone. I questioned neighbors to see if anyone had seen him, I drove for miles in every direction from our home... and no Drake!

I know my dogs are beautiful and full blooded, so I feel as if someone has taken these dogs.
What's worse is this is the 2nd time for Drake to be gone. Some people had taken him & called us to return him when he got bad off that they couldn't take care of him anymore. So I just thanked them for returning him, took him to the vet, got all his shots & test done. I fattened him up, and he looks so great! So my kids are tortured for the 2nd time about the loss of dogs!

If anyone reads this blog, please say a prayer that someone will return these dogs or they will return on their own. I have 3 very upset children. You know how it is when your child is upset it rips your heart out too!

Gale's Birthday!

Saturday, Oct 11th we celebrated my mother-in-law's birthday at a place called Whole Hog Cafe. This was a surprise party, her 3 sons with their families, step-son and his family, friends, in-laws, and co-workers were all there for the occassion.


"SUPRISE!" "Gale & her babies!" "Blow out the candles!" "Kids everywhere!"
"Time to PLAY!" (Jake & Sam) (Gracie & Meagan) "Say Cheese!"Oh, I have more pictures but I will get those out and try to put that in a video. If anyone reads this blog and knows how to do a movie/video will you send me a comment and tell me how.

Bow Season...

First day of Deer Hunting w/ a Bow...
Jody killed this 8 pt in the first 20 minutes of sitting.

My Hunting Men!

A few weeks ago, Jody took Bryce & Tristan out in the woods to shoot squirrels. As you can see here, Tristan is all decked out with his toy gun. I don't think they saw any squirrels but Tristan thought it was great!

The fun begins...

My mom was great, she had most of supper ready last night. She sent home some meat w/ gravy in a dish to put in the oven. Then I made some mashed potatoes and peas to go with it. I feed all of them, cleaned the kitchen, threw in a load of clothes in the washer, straightened my room, gave kids baths, put Tristan & Gracie to bed, then snuck off to next door with Christian, Bryce, and Corie. Of course, Jody stayed with Tristan and Gracie if anyone was curious.

Anyway, nothing real fun and exciting happened last night. I think everyone slept pretty good. Corie has a cold, but she is taking some meds for it. This morning was real fun though, I got half way ready at their house and was going to my house to get the rest of me ready. Bryce and I head out the front door and I got stuck in the mud. Yes, I was stuck! I had flip flops on that were sucked in by the mud. I tried pulling out my foot, then my flip flop stayed. I was so mad my favorite and only black flip flops are ruined. So needless to say, Carrol & Mica, I am sorry but you have bare feet prints in your new muddy driveway. I walked barefoot home, which hurt, my feet are tender. Anyway, I am cleaned up & good to go. Kids are in school, Tristan is at sitters, and I am at work. So all is well!

Time for Change!

Yesterday was a "time for change". I bought a van! Yes, now I am a soccer mom without the kid that plays soccer. Gracie wants to play though. She can start soccer in the spring and I can officially be the "Soccer Mom"! Anyway, I traded in the 2004 Chrysler Pacifica for a 2008 Honda Odyssey. I love it so far, I have run the miles up to 90 already, YIKES! I better park it for a while. :)

Anyway, things have been very busy lately. I have a bunch of pictures to share if I ever get them off of my camera. I hope to do that today, if possible.

Today starts the day where my brother and his wife are going to Mexico to meet with some missionaries and check out the area. There are two kid homes there that need directors and they may just be perfect for the job. So while they are there expoloring the area I will have their 13 yr old, 11 yr old for the next 3 days, then I will have their 2 yr old starting Sat. I wasn't sure if I could handle another 2 yr old as I am getting ready for work in the mornings. So a grandmother is stepping in and watching the 2 yr old while I work. Anyway, it will be fun. I will have to post some pictures of our fun.

Race for the Cure!

Ok, Here's the 1st picture of the morning of the three amigos! Remember we got up early, so please be easy on us!

"GET READY... GET SET.... GO!!!!!"This is just a picture of all the thousand of folks in front of us in the race, we were heading to the second bridge.We are on the second bridge looking back at all the people on the 1st bridge. I thought the picture was pretty cool b/c you can see all the people that are watching from the boats below.
And here's the Governor of our Beautiful state shaking hands as runners go by... I was on a roll so I took this picture while still walking. (Yes, I am talented like that!)Tammy with two DJ's from the local radio station. This is how long it took us to walk 3.2 miles (5K). But really it's not accurate b/c we took a stop or two for pictures along the way.
Finally... "FINISH LINE"!!!! And saving the best for last...
Firemen on top of the fire truck dancing and getting ready to drop their overalls! (They have regular pants underneath though!)

My will power is being tested!

On Monday, my friend and I started the weight-watchers program. I have tried programs, and even weight watchers after I had my T-Gage but I was unsuccessful. I don't think I had the right mind-set at the time. This time I am jumping in with both feet. If you don't know me, I have always ate what I wanted, and when I wanted it. I didn't have a problem with this theory until I peeked over the mid 20's. So now in my early 30's and I still just can't get it right! I am still learning the healthy, portion-sized meal stuff.

Anyway, I have been working on eating better for 3 days now! WOW, I'm so proud. I am needing to lose around 30 lbs. So I will start my countdown online! So say a prayer for me that I will be successful at this, because my will has been tested last night and I past that test but it's only 3 days of this.

Last night, I took Gracie to her gym class. I walk in the door and to the right was a "Big" table of desserts. I thought "Great, I am being tested!" I walk pass and Gracie stops me " Mom, I want a cookie", "ok" I said. She eats her cookie and off she goes to class. I, of course, went to my car & sat. Then time for class to be over I went back in. Luckily, by this time, the nice man with all of his goodies was packing up. As I stand there waiting on Gracie to get finished, I start talking to the man about our church doing that kind of fund-raiser. He gives me his information and business card. Here comes Gracie out, so I am watching her and not the nice man. I turn around and the nice man hands me a box of chocolate chip cookie dough. Yes, I said it a FREE BOX OF COOKIE DOUGH! That's just what I need, when I am on a weight watchers diet. He said for me to cook it up and see how we like it and let him know about the fund raiser. Once again I didn't eat the cookie dough, Gracie took one though as a snack on the way home. Man, that was easy... it's a good thing I prayed for God to help me with urges or I wouldn't have made it! Thank you God!!!

Are you Jesus!

I was sent this email and it may be true or it may be fiction but either way the message is true and powerful. So please read the story below...

This is really powerful and makes one think!!!!

A few years ago, a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding. ALL BUT ONE !!! He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did.The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight. The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket. When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, 'Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?'She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, 'I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly.'As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, 'Mister....' He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, 'Are you Jesus?'He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: 'Are you Jesus?'

Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace. If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day.

You are the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit.

Another prayer request...

A friend of mine, Tracy, is going in for surgery on Tuesday. Please pray for her that all the procedures go well and that she heals up quickly. Also pray for her husband & two sons that they can handle the daily duties while she is out.