The Wilburn Family

Kill Them With Kindness

2009-12-11T12:55:00.002-06:00

Is this hard for anyone else? There are times when people push you to the limit of breaking and the "earthly" person in me wants to just snap on them but then there is a voice in the back of my head that tells me to love my enemies and do to unto others as I would have them do unto me just as I tell my kids. That is a hard one for me. It is hard to be nice when you just do not feel like it. It is hard to be nice when you know the other person is trying as hard as possible not to. It tests my faiths every now and again and I have to pray for strength in this area! Today I had to refer back to a bible study that I did by Jean Stockdale on the book of James. I love my MOMS bible study by Jean and I often refer back to her notes for guidance! James was a very convicting book for me because it deals with controlling the tongue! The following are some of the notes that I had written down in my bible:

The tongue must be controlled because of its power to control us.

When the tongue is bridled and the rudder of the ship is set by the Holy Spirit, your life will reflect the image of Jesus.

If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.

Proverbs 16:24 says, Pleasant words are honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Proverbs 16:21, says, Sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. Do others see and hear Jesus in you?

As I was reviewing this bible study, I found myself very convicted today! I want my tongue to be used as a tool to witness not to hurt! As hard as it is I am going to continue to work on this every day! I hope that if you have trouble with your tongue that these verses will help! They have helped me today!

Slacker

2009-12-06T14:28:00.002-06:00

I have been a slacker when it comes to blogging. I am hoping now that I have DSL...yes I know most of you have had high speed internet forever but those of us who live 800 feet from the road have to wait years for Comcast to come and install out cable...anyways.. I am hoping that I will be able to blog more often as well as catch up on everyone's else blogs!

We Are Back!

2009-10-10T18:12:00.003-05:00

Happy Fall Everyone! Since we are finally back in our normal groove of things and Miss.Harper is now six months old I am back to blogging! Harper has just fit right into our family. She is a GREAT baby! She is so good all of the time! Madison and Avery love their little sister and she ADORES both of them! Hunting season has started and Dustin is busy in the woods. Avery has really enjoyed going with him this year so they have a blast spending time together looking for deer! I am still staying busy with my Homemade Gourmet. Madison is doing her dance in Somerville and loving it. She is in the 3rd grade and she is growing up so fast. She is such a good big sister. Harper could just sit and watch Madison dance around the living room for hours! Avery is going to a new preschool two days a week this year and she is really enjoying it. I am volunteering with her parent association. She is also doing MINI COMPANY COMPETITION at her dance studio. I know, I have lost my mind but she is really enjoying it. She now does dance two days a week. Between preschool, dance, and church we are always on the go but we would not have it any other way! Life is good and we cannot complain! The Lord has truly blessed us! I look forward to keeping everyone updated on the blog again and I have loved catching up on everyone's blogs!

Small Harper update

2009-03-27T11:16:00.003-05:00

I just called Kristen's phone and Tyler (her brother) answered. Kristen and Dustin are gone to see their precious baby girl. I'm so happy to know that they are able to touch and see their wonderful little gift. Baby Harper is so loved and I know God has his arms wrapped around all them as they spend time together.

I would like to have meals delivered to The Wilburns when they return home. Please contact me if you would like to help. I will give you a "meal day" and I will be more than happy to do the picking up and delivering. You can contact me by phone 901-219-0171 or email stephanie@memphislightingsales.com.

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST

2009-03-27T10:12:00.002-05:00

This is a friend of The Wilburn's updating Kristen's blog....

Baby Harper Wilburn was born early this morning at 2:45 am and weighs 5lbs. 13oz. She is a tiny little thing!! Kristen had a quick delivery and Baby Harper swallowed a bunch of fluid. They rushed her back to chest xray so she has not seen her she was taken straight to the nursery. She is on a breathing machine and will be for a while from what the doctors are telling the family. Her lungs are a little premature and on top of that she had fluid in them. PLEASE.....hit your knees and pray for Harper, Kristen, Dustin, Avery, and their families. As you all know Kristen is an on the go, get it done type of person and this is all out of Kristen and Dustin's hands. I ask that you all pray with me that Kristen and Dustin have peace and comfort during this very difficult time. Kristen is an amazing Christian and she will feel those prayers! Most importantly, she knows God is in control and he is GREAT...We just have to cry out our prayers!

I will keep everyone posted as Kristen can not blog from her phone BUT if she could ya'll know she would :)

PRAYER WARRIORS, you are being called!!!

Puppies

2009-02-25T15:44:00.002-06:00

Just an update on the puppies in the pictures below...There are still a few that are not spoken for so if you know of anyone who is interested have them contact me. They are absolutely adorable! They are German Short Hair Pointers and have great bloodlines on both sides. They will be ready to go in 3 weeks and will have been worms, 1st shots, dew claws and tails bobbed! Let me know if you know anyone that is interested. These dogs are kid-friendly and very smart dogs. Thanks!

Baby Update

2009-02-25T15:07:00.002-06:00

I went to the doctor yesterday and can you believe that I only have six weeks left! I have one more 2 week visit and then I will be going every week. Even though I was sick for the first 6 months this pregnancy has flown by! Everything looks great. I am just getting bigger and bigger and this little baby is squirming around ALL of the time! I think that she is ready to come out and play. We are excited and overwhelmed with all that there is to be done before she gets here! I am praying that the weather will warm up so that when she gets here we will not be cooped up! My doctor said that he will do another ultrasound in a couple weeks to check her weight before I deliver so I will keep you updated. Thanks for reading!

Refreshing Weekend

2009-02-25T14:54:00.002-06:00

This weekend we had our church women's retreat at Pickwick. We stayed at the Pickwick Lodge and had a WONDERFUL weekend. It was such a refreshing time to fellowship and spend time with friends. During the weekend, we talked about rejoicing in the rain. We learned how to focus on God at all times, good and bad. It was a great weekend. God does not always promise us what makes us happy. It is through trials and struggles that I have learned some of the best lessons in life. One of the speakers started by telling us if everyone brought their problems and sat them on the stage but had to leave with someone else's problem that most people would choose their own. How true is that? God equips us to deal with our own situations. We may not always know why something is happening but he will carry us through. If we lay our burdens at the cross God will give us peace without having to understand why. That is not always easy though! I am learning to take it to the cross. It is amazing what can happen in situations when you just give your problems to God. I just wanted to share about my weekend. I hope that you had a great one!

I can do all things with Christ who strengthens me. Phillipians 4:13

Avery

2009-02-17T16:50:00.002-06:00

These are a few fun pictures of Avery playing at Chelsea's house!

Name Choices

2009-02-17T15:58:00.002-06:00

I am having so much trouble deciding on a name. Just when we decide that we know the name for sure then I change my mind. Here are the choices.....Tell me what you think! These are in no specific order.

Harper Kate
Tyler Ann
Tyler Kathryn (Tyler Kate)
Sara Kathryn
Emma Kathryn (Emma Kate)

Some Pics That I Never Put On Here

2009-02-17T15:24:00.003-06:00

These are just some pictures of the girls...I will put some more on in the next couple days from this month!

The Puppies Are Here

2009-02-06T15:13:00.007-06:00

Last Saturday, our dog Bailey had her puppies! She is a German Short Hair Pointer and we bred her at the end of November. Bailey had 8 puppies and she did a great job! Dustin and I helped her through labor. I have never seen a dog actually give birth so it was really neat. The funny part is Dustin was so excited to breed her beacuse he wanted a male GSP to take quail hunting. We assumed since Bailey is not a really big dog that she would have maybe 5 or 6 puppies. After puppy #6 came out Dustin started flipping them over and they were all FEMALES! It was really funny because we have been teasing Dustin about having all little girl children and being outnumbered. He was in shock that his dog had 6 females as well! We waited another 2 hours and then out popped #7 and #8. They were both male so Dustin got his hunting dog! He was excited. He said that it was God's way of telling him to stop at 3 girls because it would take a few more before he got a boy! It was too funny! Bailey and all of the other puppies are doing great. We took them to the vet on Wednesday to get their tails and dew claws done! They will still have to go back in 2 weeks for their wormer and shots. The girls were home when the puppies were born and they loved looking at the tiny little balls of fur! They were both a little intimidated by the puppies at first but now Avery will not stay away from them! She will sit out there all day and watch them! They should open their eyes in the next couple days!

On The Run

2009-02-06T15:08:00.002-06:00

Lately, I feel like there has been something going on all the time! I am sure I will be a better blogger after the baby is born. Hopefully, everything around here will be complete (nursery and other projects around the house). I went to the doctor today and the baby is measuring perfectly. My kidney stones are gone! Thank goodness! I will be going to the doctor every two weeks now! The baby will be here before you know it. Notice, I still refer to her as "the baby" because we have not nailed down a name for sure. I am still working on the nursery as well. We have been busy around here trying to get everything done. I am ready to monogram though so we will try to pick up the pace!

Baby Update

2009-01-28T13:58:00.002-06:00

I went to the doctor on Tuesday because I was having really severe back pains. It was mostly at night and then I always ended up getting sick after a couple of hours. I was worried I was having labor pains so I went ahead and went in. I have a kidney infection/ kidney stones! I started an antibiotics yesterday afternoon and I am already feeling better. When I left Dustin called and told me he was a little worried that they were going to put me on bed rest for pre-term labor because I was in so much pain the night before! I was worried as well! The thought of me in the bed for 10 weeks would not be pretty for any of us! So kidney stones are actually a blessing. Although very painful, antibiotics should do the trick! Other than that I have had no more nausea or sickness and it makes pregnancy so much better! The baby is measuring perfectly and is moving around great. Avery has been helping with the nursery decorations so she asks us daily when the baby is coming. She says, "Is it April today?" Madison said she hopes that the baby is not as wild as Avery! Too funny! We both agreed that it is Dustin's fault that Avery is a wild child! He encourages it and thinks that she is hilarious!

Birthday Parties and More

2009-01-28T13:54:00.002-06:00

We had a great weekend this weekend. We ran all over creation but had a great time. I got the girls bathroom redone so I was excited to have one more thing to check off the to-do list. There is so much to be done before the baby gets here. It is getting close! We also had 4 birthday parties this weekend. Avery loves birthday parties so she did not complain one time! She has a blast everytime. We spent some time together as a family and enjoyed every second of it!

Nursery Fun

2009-01-28T13:52:00.000-06:00

I started working on the nursery this week. My bedding came in and Dustin is going to finish touching up the walls soon. I am getting so excited! Now I just need to start getting everything monogrammed and ready for our sweet little baby girl! I will post pictures soon. I know that yall know how terrible that I am at doing that!

THE BLOGGER AWARD

2009-01-20T17:54:00.002-06:00

Thank you Jennifer and Rachel for the Blogger award!

The rules of the award:

1) Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design.

2) Show the 7 winners names and links on your blog, and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with "Honest Scrap." Well, there's no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon.

3) List at least 10 honest things about yourself.

1) I love being a stay at home mom! I am honestly grateful for it every day. It is not always easy but it is always a blessing. Everytime I drop Avery off at pre-school I am sad! She loves it so much but I miss her by 10:00!

2) I love our church! I love being involved and all of our Sunday school friends. I do not know what I would do without my MOMS bible study class. We have so much fun getting to grow and fellowship with our friends at church. I leave there every Sunday feeling blessed!

3) I talk to my mom about ten times a day! It is sad but true. We always know what is going on with each other. I usually see her at least once a week as well. I talk to my grandmother once a day as well!

4) I am so incredibly OCD about my house it is ridiculous. My two year old even loves to clean because she is so used to seeing me run around cleaning. Everything has to be in the proper place or I am not happy! I re-organize all of the time! Dustin has a tendency to get mad about this because he can never find ANYTHING! But he cannot complain because it is always neat and orderly!

5)I love the beach, the lake, and the pool! Summer is my favorite time of the year. I love to be outside even if it is miserably hot!

6) I love coffee dates with the girls after pre-school dropoff! It is so much fun to catch up. My favorite days are the days when coffee turns into lunch even though there is not anything accomplished at home!

7) I love my house and I am having so much fun slowly but surely decorating it! Projects around here are so much fun. I love new curtains or decorations. This spring, we are going to do a lot outside so that will be fun.

8) I go to Collierville everyday, most days more than once. I live 10 miles from there but I run to Collierville like I live on the town square. Even though I love to go to Collierville for everything I do not think that I could move back there. It has been a long time since we had a neighbor and I think I would miss living out! I know most of you would not believe it but I love living out more and more everyday! I cannot wait until we finish our fence and the horses come to live at our house. The kids and the dogs have plenty of room to play. What's not to love? The convience of the city and the peace of the country!

9) I love being a mommy! Madison and Avery are so much fun. They keep us entertained. I really cannot remember what life was like without them!

10) I love Dustin more every single day. I can honestly say that even when we have a lot going on I can always depend on him. He is my rock. I do not think that you know how much that you love someone until you see them with your children. He is an awesome husband, father, and provider and I do not know what I would do without him.

I am passing this award to.......

1) Rachael
2) Terri
3) Amanda
4) Leigh
5) Heather
6) Katherine
7) Cassie

Another Whirlwind of a Week

2009-01-10T21:19:00.002-06:00

I have been behind on my blogging so I decided to get caught up today! We had a busy week with school and activities getting back on schedule. Three of Avery's friends from school/other joined her dance class so she really enjoyed dance this week. It is amazing at how much the little ones have matured in the past 5 months. They are actually paying attention to Miss. Maggie! I am so excited about their recital. How fun! She jumped right back into pre-school and was so excited to see her teachers.

There is some big news in the Wilburn household! Dustin's hunting dog, a German short haired pointer, Bailey is expecting. Dustin is very excited. He breed her with a friends dog, the same breed, so they cannot wait! I, on the other hand, have mixed emotions! I am excited to see the sweet little puppies but I am not excited about taking care of these little ones and their messes while I am 8-9 months pregnant! I know that I will fall in love with all of them but I will be glad to also let them go to their new homes at 6 weeks, right before the baby comes. Hopefully, this baby will not come early because puppies and a brand new baby does not sound like a whole lot of fun to me! The girls are very excited though and they will enjoy playing with the little fur balls! Our horse is also expecting next month so we will be busy with all of these animals!

Dustin has been off all weekend and we have really enjoyed it. We had date night last night and then went out to eat with some good friends tonight. Tomorrow is our Celebration Sunday at church. We are celebrating the opening of the new sanctuary with a special worship service. Dustin and I will get to be there for 1/2 of the service because tomorrow is our day to volunteer in the nursery! Deer season is over though so we will not have to rush home after Sunday lunch! Yeah!
Have a great Sunday!

Baby Update

2009-01-10T21:14:00.003-06:00

I went to the doctor on Friday and I cannot believe how fast this pregnancy is flying by! I have one more regular appointment and then I will go every two weeks. The baby is moving around everywhere! I have also had a week without getting sick, which has been great! This is both exciting and overwhelming because I have still got to finish the nursery and get everything together.I have to go through everything and see what I still need. We have narrowed it down to three names (we think). We have played around with names that we like and family names and these are the three that have not been eliminated yet.

Harper Kate
Hamilton Kate
Ella Katherine

We are definetly open to suggestions though! I would like to have the name picked in the next few weeks so that I can get to monogramming!

Another Day and Another Laugh

2009-01-10T21:02:00.004-06:00

Avery is at such a fun age! Although it can definetly be hard at times with the drama and emotions that she is not afraid to let you see, it is a blast. Everyday she says or does something new that usually results in Dustin and I laughing until we cry. She does not meet a stranger so she is not shy about making a complete stranger laugh as well. Everyone says that two is a hard age but I love the way that she can fully communicate with everyone. It makes parenting easier when your child can tell you what they need or want. She is the queen of pretending right now. We are all different people everyday. She is usually the teacher and we are her kids. As I write, I have to laugh because she just told Dustin he is the woman at Target and she is a mom who is shopping. Some days I have to hold her imaginary frog or turtle while she eats. What an imagination! I am anxious to see how she acts when the baby gets here. Who knows what kind of pretend games she can come up with a baby! She talks about it all the time and keeps telling everyone that she is getting a baby in April. I hope she is that excited when her sister gets here! I am sure that it will be an experience! I am sure that will be another story!

A Wonderful Christmas

2008-12-30T08:54:00.002-06:00

We had a great Christmas this year! As I am sitting here taking a break from putting away all of our gifts, I am thinking about how blessed that we are! It was definitely busy but we enjoyed every minute of it. The girls got all kinds of great things. They have not even opened all of them yet. Last week we did family Christmas parties and then Santa came to our house on Christmas Eve morning. Dustin worked on Christmas day so we wrote Santa a letter and he came a little early for us! This was the first year that Avery has really gotten into Santa so it was so much fun! After presents, we went to church for Christmas Eve services and then to another family Christmas party! This year we had 7 family Christmas get togethers on top of church activities and friends Christmas get togethers. That was exhausting but it was so much fun getting to see all of our family during this special time of the year. On Christmas day, we headed to Jackson for my grandmothers Christmas. We had a great visit. My grandmother and I took the girls to the movies on Friday and we did a little after Christmas shopping. On Saturday, the whole family came over and we ate until I did not think that I could eat anymore. It was yummy food and we were all stuffed. This week we are trying to recover and find a place for all of our new goodies! I am going to start working on the nursery next week so I want everything put away so that I can focus on that project. I hope everyone has a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Twas The Weekend Before Christmas

2008-12-19T11:16:00.002-06:00

This week has been crazy. On Tuesday, I got very sick and by 8 p.m. I ended up in Labor and Delivery at Baptist! I could not hold anything down so they gave me fluids and some medication through an IV and checked the baby. She was perfectly fine and moving around everywhere. She would not even stay on the monitor because she was so busy, sounds like her sister! By Wednesday, I was MUCH better! Dustin and Avery hung out while I recovered most of the day. Thursday was Avery's last day of pre-school until January. We went to her Christmas party and brought cookies for all of her friends. Today, was Madison's last day of school so Avery and I went and watched her music program and then went to her Christmas party. This weekend we have 4 Christmas parties and 1 birthday party so I am off to cook and wrap gifts! Avery is definetly feeling the excitement of Christmas. We keep having to remind her that "Razzle", the elf on the shelf, is watching her to report back to Santa. For those of you who have not done the "Elf On The Shelf" I recommend trying it. The girls have had a blast with it. It is a little elf that comes with a storybook. The girls had to give him a name and write it in the front of the book. Our elves name is "Razzle the Elf". Every day he "mysteriously" moves to a new location around the house to watch the girls. While they are asleep he reports to Santa. It is a cute idea and they have loved finding him every day! Thanks Mimi for our elf on the shelf!

Wrapping Up The Weekend

2008-12-13T18:47:00.004-06:00

On Friday night, Dustin and I had "date night". We went and ate and then went to see FOUR CHRISTMASES. It was hilarious. Madison and Avery baked cookies, drew Christmas pictures and looked at Christmas lights with Mimi. They all had so much fun! On Saturday, we went and ate lunch and then took the girls to the movies to see BOLT. It was Avery's first movies (that she has not just slept through). She did really well! She loved the movies and her and Madison loved the popcorn and candy that they devoured through the show. Saturday night, I cooked supper and we had family game night. We put together puzzles and watched a movie. On Sunday, we went to Sunday school and then Dustin and I kept nursery. We have the one year olds so that is always eventful. It wore us out!! There were 11 one year olds running in every direction. After church we ate Mexican..Yummy...with some friends from Sunday School. I picked up the house and we watched a movie with the kids and then listened to them sing Karaoke! We had a fun weekend. All of our Christmas parties start next weekend so I am glad that we had this weekend to enjoy doing some fun activities with each other.

Daddy's Baby

2008-12-08T22:44:00.002-06:00

Yesterday while Dustin was at work Avery was a wild child! She got in trouble and I had to get on to her and spank her little bottom. Well when Dustin got home and asked her how her day was Avery got a pitiful little look on her face and said," Daddy...Mama spanked YOUR baby!". She has clearly got his number and knows how to work him. Y'all know who to blame when Avery is a spoiled rotten little Daddy's girl!

Wrapping Up The Weekend

2008-12-08T22:36:00.003-06:00

This weekend was the Christmas parade and Avery's dance studio participated. I bundled Avery up and pulled her and her little friend through the parade. They had so much fun! After the parade we ate Chilis! I am stuck on the cheese fries! On Saturday, we went and watched the Alabama game with some friends of ours. We had so me yummy snacks and enjoyed spending time with friends. On Sunday, I had to prepare for meal making so a friend of mine came out and helped me. We cooked until LATE at night so today I am trying to re cooperate! We went to have cake and ice cream tonight for Tyler's birthday. Avery loves some birthday parties so of course we had to drag her out! This week is busy but I am going to work on getting a new cord for my camera to connect to my laptop. I have been a slacker about blogging and posting pictures but lately we have been busy busy! I feel like instead of knocking stuff off of the to do list, I am constantly adding on! Tis the Season for a busy schedule and never ending chore lists!

Poor Reindeer

2008-12-04T21:48:00.002-06:00

Well it is official, Avery is brainwashed! Last night Santa came to see us at Mimi and Roddey's house. Avery was very intrigued. She did want to sit on his lap but she said "He is not scary, I just do not want to sip in his "yap" because he has hair on his face!" She was funny! Santa gave her two candy canes and she LOVES candy canes! I think she ate them both in under two minutes! When he asked her what she wanted for Christmas she said that she wanted a Christmas tree but she already had one so he did not need to bring her one. That is easy enough! At the end of our visit, Dustin told Avery that Santa had to leave to get back to his reindeer and go home. Avery's eyes opened wide and she said "I want to shoot his reindeer with my pow-pow!" It was a proud moment for Dustin. Everyone that mentioned Santa today got the same reply. Avery wants to shoot Santa's buck deer with her pow-pow! What am I going to do? :)

Names..Names..Names

2008-12-03T13:39:00.004-06:00

Now that we know that we are having a little girl we have to decide on a name! Dustin and I had trouble agreeing on a name for Avery. Avery was the ONLY name that we both agreed on. I like names that are different. I do not want a ton of kids that they go to school with or play with to have the same name! A few of the names that we have talked about so far are Taylor (which is Dustin's moms maiden name) and Harper. I love the name Harper and I am kind of stuck on it. We are open to any suggestions...

Avery and Preslie at Dance

2008-12-03T13:35:00.001-06:00

Avery loves dance. Here is a picture of Avery and Preslie in front of the studio Christmas tree. Avery refused to LOOK at the camera!

It's A.....

2008-12-02T13:07:00.002-06:00

GIRL! I know..I know..we were not supposed to find out! We went in for an ultrasound today and everything looked perfectly healthy. Then the ultrasound tech asked me if I wanted to find out what the sex was this time. I said no and Dustin said well....So the tech took a picture and wrote the sex of the baby on the picture and then stuck it in an envelope. I mean come on like I was not going to open that envelope! As soon as we left the doctor and got to lunch I opened it! Dustin said he just knew it was a girl even when we were just looking at the screen without looking at her bottom but I really did not know! We are excited! Madison and Avery will be thrilled because they both wanted a sister. At first, I was a little shocked because I was thinking that we were going to have a boy but now all I can think about is cute coordinating outfits and sweet sister relationships. The baby and Avery will be so close in age they will be close friends(probably with a lot of fighting as well.. haha.) I do not have a sister so I am very excited. Dustin said Avery will have to stay a tomboy like she is and continue to love everything Dustin loves! So far, she loves hunting, fishing, and anything that Dustin does. So the surprise is out but I am ready to shop and decorate!!

Turkey Day

2008-11-29T21:03:00.002-06:00

We had a great Thanksgiving! We ate so much not just on Thursday but Friday and Saturday as well. I am stuffed! On Thursday, we ate and had Thanksgiving dinner. All of my family was in town so it was great to spend time with those that you do not see very often. On Friday, my mom hosted a "New Orleans" themed get together so we went over there for for some Cajun food and ended up playing card games until 12:30. We had so much fun. I have to watch myself, because when it comes to games I am so COMPETITIVE! It drives Dustin crazy! Today, we decorated for Christmas and wrapped presents then Dustin went and helped my dad work on his barn while the girls and I did some shopping for new ornaments. Between the two of them they have broken about half of our ornaments in the last couple years! We got the tree decorated so pretty! Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I am just about finished with all of my shopping and there are just a few more presents to wrap.

I am off to cook some food! Tomorrow is our last Sunday school class in the old building. Our church is opening the new expansion next weekend and we cannot wait to get settled into our new Sunday school room. To celebrate, tomorrow we are all bringing food and having a great time of food and fellowship before next week. I am excited about eating again! It is funny because up until this point in my pregnancy everyone has been commenting about how I was not even showing. I do not know if it was all the turkey and dressing or what but I am definitely popping out now. I had to bust out the maternity jeans today. The baby is also more and more active all of the time! I feel it kicking and moving all day. Dustin and I were watching the baby move the other night and it is so neat because you can tell exactly where it is. One side of my stomach will be flat and the other a huge lump! I cannot get enough of the sweet kicks and movement as our sweet baby grows! I will get more pictures up. I still have not fixed my problem with the computer and my camera. I will work on that!

Give Thanks

2008-11-26T16:33:00.004-06:00

There is so much that I have to be thankful for I do not even know where to begin. I am thankful for God and my personal walk with him. I have been blessed with a wonderful husband and children whom I love with my whole heart. I have a church and church family that I can feel at home with. I have great friends who are always there for me. There are so many more blessings I can not even begin to name them all! Every one of us has more things to be thankful for than we could even begin to recount in a single day. I think that sometimes that we all take that for granted. Rather than whining because we do not have certain things in our lives or because we think something is wrong, we should take positive action and count our blessings. I want to come to God with a heart full of peace and thanksgiving everyday rather than asking him for something with an empty hand. Not just today but everyday I need to remember to give thanks for all of my blessings. How great is his love!

Whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the father. Colossians 3:17

Pickles, Ice Cream, Ramen Noodles, Fruit.....

2008-11-25T12:48:00.002-06:00

I am having strange cravings with this pregnancy! You never know what it will be. My appetite varies every day. It all started with dill pickles, then Corky's Nachos, and now it is Ramon Noodles, Hot & Spicy Cheez-Its, and pink lemonade! Random, I know!. The only thing that I have craved the WHOLE time so far is strawberries, which is good since it is the only really healthy food so far!I have to really want the food that I am eating which is strange because usually I will eat whatever. I am getting excited about dressing on Thursday though. I am in charge of appetizers so I will also have a fruit tray!

What's Been Going On?

2008-11-24T19:43:00.003-06:00

Today, Dustin brought the girls and I breakfast from McDonalds on his way home from work. It was a sweet surprise not to have to get up and cook, especially in the morning since I do not always feel good. I got some stuff done around the house and then the girls and I headed out to run some errands. I am having the girls from our Sunday School class over for our first Sunday School Girls Night Out so I had to get ready for that. We are doing a "Sugar and Spice" theme night! I also had to get groceries for Turkey Day! I felt bad that they had to run errands, since Maddie is out on Thanksgiving break, so after we finished I took them to their favorite place to eay...CiCi's Pizza. What kid does not love all you can eat pizza, dessert pizza, and video games? Avery had dance afterwards so Madison got to come with us. She was a big help with the little ones and it was a treat for her to come since usually she is in school. Since most of the class was not there due to the holidays it was very laid back. Avery really loves dance and she loves Mrs. Maggie! She gets excited to see her friends since most of them are in her school and her sunday school class. When we got done, we ran our last few errands and then came home. Dustin played with the girls while I cooked supper and then we all headed out to get ice cream at the new Baskin Robbins. Yummy! On Wednesday, we have family coming in for the holiday and we are so excited. I cannot wait to spend time together and enjoy all of the food on Thursday. That is definetly an advantage to being pregnant at this time of the year, I will not hesitate to go back for seconds! Happy Thanksgiving!

Avery's Open House

2008-11-21T20:32:00.002-06:00

Last night was Avery's pre-school Open House! We got to look at all of her precious art work and visit with her teachers. She had a picture on the wall and the teachers had asked them each what they were thankful for. Avery said she was thankful for sheep and her Mommy and Daddy. I do not know where the sheep came from? She is funny! She had a blast showing Dustin and I around her classroom and the Spanish room. She really loves school and all of her little friends!

A Fun Weekend

2008-11-17T08:45:00.003-06:00

Each time I write a new post after the weekend I think how fast that the weekends are coming and going! I am so excited about the holidays but am ready to slow down our busy schedule a little bit! On Friday, Avery and I had a busy day so that night after we picked up Maddie we headed home to eat supper and let the girls play! Then a friend came over to visit and we enjoyed catching up. The next morning we all went to Wolf River Cafe and ate. I love eating lunch there and Dustin and I try to go once during the week or weekend! The girls had a birthday party at the bowling alley in Southaven that afternoon. They both really enjoy bowling so they loved this. Madison is really good too! She gets a lot of practice because she goes and then she helps Avery with her turn. After the birthday, we headed to moms house to visit Memaw who had just got into town and then headed home for supper. On Sunday, Dustin had to be at church at 8 a.m. to help with the First Impressions team at church. I attempted to get the girls ready so that I could take their Christmas card picture. After what seemed like 50 attempts it did not work! So, we headed to church and then Sunday school. We love our Sunday School class and all of the couples in there. I am looking forward to all of the activities that we have planned with them over the holidays. After church, Dustin came with us and with his help I successfully captured a couple good pictures on the square. We then headed to Maw-Maw's house for a birthday celebration. We stuffed ourselves with some yummy food! Sunday night we met everyone at Memphis Pizza Cafe for Dad's birthday dinner. He let Avery pick because they both LOVE Memphis Pizza Cafe. So after running around all weekend we got home at 8 p.m. last night, still in our church clothes and EXHAUSTED! Today, we are trying to get everything back in place for another week!

Winter Womens Dinner

2008-11-14T14:09:00.002-06:00

Last night, we had the winter women's dinner at church. There were 33 tables and each were decorated by a different host. It is so much fun to get great ideas for table decorations over the holidays! I cannot wait to decorate now! We had dinner and listened to a speaker on how to keep your focus on God over the holiday season. It was such a fun night with good food and great fellowship! Avery hung out with Dustin at the house so she of course had a blast too, making a huge mess for Mommy to come home to!

Baby Update

2008-11-11T13:57:00.002-06:00

We went to the doctor today. My blood pressure was great and I had gained one pound (finally after being so sick). We heard the heartbeat and then.....we made a big decision to TRY to not find out what the baby is. Dustin and I were talking about it after the baby did not cooperate last time. He brought up the idea that it would be exciting to not find out what it was so we scheduled our ultrasound but are not going to find out what we are having! It is exciting and is going to require some patience but we will see. I am about half-way there though so the good news is it will not be TOO much longer before we find out and the baby is here!

First Kicks

2008-11-08T12:29:00.003-06:00

For the past 2 weeks I have felt the little butterfly flutters when the baby moves. I felt them more frequently during the evenings when I was going to sleep. Yesterday, we were going to eat and I actually felt the first "real kick". They continued throughout the evening and this morning. They are strong enough to tell that it is definitely baby moving around! I remember with Avery this was my FAVORITE part of being pregnant. Feeling her move was the one thing that I missed about being pregnant after Avery was born. It is such a reassuring feeling that reminds you that the baby is in there and doing fine! It is an amazing feeling. I wanted to share this because it is definitely one of my happier moments in the midst of all of the sickness. Yuck! Avery felt last night and she loves to talk to the baby and about the baby. She thinks that my belly button is the microphone to the baby! She talks straight into the belly button when she says "Hi baby, how are you?" So sweet!

Don't you see that children are God's best gift? The fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Like a warrior's fistful of arrow are the children of vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents!
Psalm 127:3-4

Little Stinker!

2008-11-07T08:36:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, I had the neat opportunity to have a free ultrasound! In Memphis, they were looking for pregnant women to practice on for nurse training. It was fun to get to see the baby move around and suck the little thumb! Unfortunately, my child was being hard to work with though. Every time that the nurse went to look between the legs the baby either flipped over or sat with the legs crossed! We tried for over 30 minutes! I have my big ultrasound at the end of next week so I guess we will try one more time to find out! Can you believe that? I have heard of baby's not cooperating but it is frustrating when you want to know. I really do not have a preference. Everyone keeps saying that they think it is a boy. I am good with either one. Dustin and I both just pray for a happy and healthy baby. He said that if it is a girl it will be great because Avery does everything that a little boy would do and if it is a boy it is in for a fight over Dustin with Avery. Haha! Avery is definitely a DADDY'S GIRL. There is no denying that. If the baby does not show us next week we will just be surprised in April! I am still feeling yucky some days but I also have good days.

Halloween

2008-11-02T19:27:00.003-06:00

We had a fun Halloween weekend! On Friday afternoon, we went to Madison's school for her Halloween party. They did crossword puzzles races and had treats. Madison shared her crayons with Avery and they colored pumpkin pictures. After the party we headed home and got ready. Madison was "Hannah Montana" and Avery was a monkey again. Dustin and I had to work the booth at the church fall festival so we headed up there early for hot dogs and chili. The girls played all of the games and had a blast! They got a ton of candy as well. We went to Papa's house to trick-or-treat when the festival ended. Madison had two friends go with her and then spend the night. All four girls were wired from all of the candy so it was an eventful night! I think we ended up going to sleep around 1 something! Way to late for us! On Saturday, we recovered from the slumber party and got the house back together. Grannie came over and played with the girls while I ran to our Sunday School Party. That was so much fun. After church today we went and ate and then came home and let the girls ride four-wheelers and play outside. It was a gorgeous day and we enjoyed spending time together. It was another busy weekend but everyone had a great time. I am having trouble with my camera so I have some pictures but will be posting more soon.

"Orange" Day

2008-10-30T15:11:00.002-05:00

Avery had to wear something orange to pre-school today. Each month they study a different color and October was orange month! So cute! They decorated small pumpkins and counted pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin Time

2008-10-29T15:59:00.000-05:00

After bible study this morning we headed to the pumpkin patch! We had some pumpkins that I had got to decorate but none of them were still in good condition to carve. After Avery picked out her pumpkins we headed home to carve them. Dustin and Avery did most of the work while I watched! They had so much fun though. Avery loved playing in the pumpkin goo and seeds. Yuck! They did a really good job though and Avery loved the finished product with the candle glowing!

Weekend Update

2008-10-27T10:59:00.000-05:00

Friday night, we actually stayed at HOME! I cannot even remember the last time that we stayed at home on the weekend and ate and just hung out. It was great. Of course, after that much time at the house Avery was ready to go on Saturday!We are on the go so much that Avery is always ready to jump in the car and head to our next destination. On Saturday evening we went to a cookout at some friends house. After we ate hot dogs and chili, all of the kids jumped on a hayride to trick or treat in the neighborhood. It was so much fun. The neighbors all sat at the end of their driveways and handed out candy. Avery LOVED it! Her costume was a monkey, which worked out great because it was so cold! She could barely get out the words "Trick or Treat" because her mouth was so full of candy. Avery told Dustin "I love hawwoween so much, they give me candy". She will be ready for the actual Halloween next weekend now.

I scheduled my doctor's appointment for 2 weeks from today. Hopefully they will do an ultrasound! We are excited and ready to prepare. The thought crossed our mind that it would be fun to be surprised and not find out the sex, but I think that Dustin and I both have to know! We have to get the room ready and I would like everything to be decorated when the baby gets here. This pregnancy seems to be going to by so fast. Even though I have been sick, we have been so busy that it is flying by!

Fireproof

2008-10-23T18:58:00.000-05:00

All of our friends have been telling us about the movie "Fireproof" and we have been trying to go see it since it came out. So last night, Dustin and I had a date night. We went to eat and see the movie "Fireproof". It was a great movie! Dustin and I both thought that it was probably one of the best movies that we have ever seen. I recommend all couples to go see this movie. It tells a great story! We had a great time on our "date" while Avery played with Granny at the park and then they went to eat. It was a fun night for everyone.

Holiday Shopping

2008-10-22T15:02:00.000-05:00

For the past two years, in October, I have done a Holiday Open House. It is a great way to help out my friends who have a home business and allow my other friends to get a head start on their shopping! The vendors set up all over my house. This year, I had children's clothing, bows,a photography studio, Pampered Chef, Southern Living, Premier Jewelry, a boutique from Germantown and a girl who does bible verse plaques. I had a great turnout this year! Everyone had a blast. It is fun to see people you do not get to see a lot and enjoy yummy food while you shop. Since Dustin and I have been married I have always tried to be done Christmas shopping as early as possible. We both have a lot of family members and friends to buy for so it is very time consuming. Last year I was done at Halloween and this year it looks like I will be as well! I highly recommend shopping this early because it cuts back on stress. It allows me to be more organized during the holidays. I hate doing last minute things and not being prepared. There are already so many other events and parties to worry about during the holiday season, so I do not want shopping to be one of them. Now, I just have to start wrapping!

A Busy Weekend

2008-10-19T13:06:00.000-05:00

This weekend was pretty busy! We never stopped going! On Friday, we went out to eat with the Thompsons for Dustin's birthday. Dustin chose to eat at Longhorn Steakhouse. It was a long wait but Madison and Avery both love to play with Tyler and Anna Cate so they did not mind! The kids had a blast playing outside while we waited and then we enjoyed a great dinner. On Saturday, we got up and went shopping and then headed to Bounce for Hayden's birthday party. We have been to Jumping Jax before but the girls had never tried Bounce. It was a great place for a birthday party! They both had a great time on all of the bouncing balloons. Avery loved going down the slide head first and Madison enjoyed climbing the bouncy maze. Madison was so sweet to Avery and taught her how to go up and down the rock wall. After the birthday party we rushed back to Collierville for Avery's pre-school hayride. It was at Maple Grove Farm and we all had a blast. They had a petting zoo, bouncy balloon, hayride, and tons of swing sets and playgrounds. Madison did the zip line and she loved it! She was not scared at all. We finished up the day at Maple Grove with a bonfire. Dustin helped the girls roast hot dogs and make smores! On the way home, Madison and Avery were WORN OUT! They had a great day but no rest in between events! They both passed out shortly after we got back. Granny came over when they went to sleep and Dustin and I ran over to a birthday party at some friends of ours for a few minutes. We were worn out too though! On Sunday, we went to church and then headed to Mulberry Festival on the square. We got to spend some great family time together this weekend and we all really enjoyed it! Now, I am off to get everything together for a busy week!

A Great Day!

2008-10-16T20:39:00.000-05:00

Today was a great day for me. It was the first day in months that I have felt much better. Could I be over the hump? I hope so! I am ready to feel good and enjoy my pregnancy! Let's just pray that tomorrow is just as good. I went to the doctor at the beginning of the week and had actually lost weight from being so sick. That never happened with Avery! However, my doctor did an ultrasound and the baby was actually measuring a week bigger so the baby is definitely getting enough! He said that one day I would wake up and feel so much better. We have a busy weekend so I hope that I continue to feel great!

A Relaxing Weekend

2008-10-12T16:10:00.000-05:00

We had a great weekend! On Friday, we went to Tyler's Homecoming game at Marshall. Avery loves going to the games. She rode around the track with Roddey most of the game and had a blast waving to everyone. Dustin and I had fun seeing people that we do not usually get to see! Marshall won 33-20 against West Memphis. Tyler scored 3 touchdowns and he was "Player of The Week" last week. The rest of the weekend we got some stuff done around the house and relaxed! On Sunday, we went to church and then went to Logan's to eat and then meal party shopping. Avery is on Fall Break this week and we have a very busy week. I am still feeling really bad and I am just hoping that it will get better soon since I am in my 2nd trimester now!

"Judy"

2008-10-09T11:28:00.000-05:00

Avery told us the other night that she wanted us to call her "Judy". She is a goofball so this did not really surprise us. We laughed and I thought that she would forget about it! But oh no, it has been several days and she is still introducing herself as "Judy". She has told her pre-school teachers, bible study teachers, and anyone else that she has ran into that her name is not Avery anymore so call her Judy please. We know no one named Judy! Where did this come from? It has been hilarious to hear her tell people this! She loves to make people laugh. This morning before school she was very upset. Yesterday, when we pulled in from bible study Dustin and a friend of his were hoovered over our kitten in the garage. She was not acting right and falling all over the place. I am normally not a cat person but this kitten is so sweet and so good with the kids. We have really enjoyed having her around the house. I was concerned that she might not make it! We jumped in the car and ran her down to our vet. He said he would run some tests and let me know. Avery did not want to leave her kitten there but we explained that Dr. Mike would take good care of Smokey. Dr. Mike let us know last night that he thinks that she is going to be fine she just ate a poisonous lizard of some type! We always have random things happen to our pets. I figured at 2, Avery would not have been very concerned but that was the first thing that she said when she woke up this morning. She was worried about her kitten and wanted her to come home. She cried while she was getting ready! It was very sad. Hopefully, we will go pick up the kitten in the next few days though! That is Avery's favorite furry friend!

Our New Blog

2008-10-08T17:29:00.000-05:00

With so much going on in our busy lives I have decided to blog to keep everyone up to date! First off, we have some very exciting news to share with everyone. We are expecting in April! I am 13 weeks and we are so excited! Boy or girl this will complete our family! This pregnancy has been so different than with Avery. I have been sick since day one. Please pray that I will be over the hump soon and feel better! Avery has started pre-school two days a week and she absolutely loves it. She is doing so well! She is filled with personality and growing so fast. Her teachers tell us what a social butterfly she is in class. They say that she makes time to talk to all of her friends, which does not surprise us since she loves to chit-chat! Avery also does dance class once a week and we attend MOMS bible study on Wednesdays. I am doing the study of Elijah in bible study this semester and it is so good. Avery and I have been going to this bible study since she was 6 weeks old. It is such a blessing to get to share tips and worship with a group of women who have children all around the same age. They are an awesome group of ladies and it is amazing to see how the Lord works in all of our lifes! Madison is growing up so fast! She is in the second grade. Last week we went to her honors program at school where she received an award for her grades! Dustin and I could barely hold Avery down. She wanted to run across the gym and hug her SISSY! It is hunting season so Dustin is busy working and chasing deer again. Avery loves to tag along in the evenings or help him shoot his bow in the backyard. I am keeping busy with my Homemade Gourmet business. I love it! I am so blessed to get to stay at home with my babies and I would not trade it for anything in the world.