Jammin' in January

I simply cannot believe it is already January 30th! Seriously?!

Well...I've gotta lot of catchin' up to do.

Here we go!

Me & my dear friend Susie Q eating dinner w/ amigo's at a fancy adult restaurant

(don't get out to those kinds very often)

Surprise B'day Party for one of Greg's Amazing Mentors...this guy has made a huge impact on my hubby's life! So thankful for him & all the Joshua Men's Groups that have been in together.
His daughter Suzanne and I are now getting to have our own special relationship, which I dearly cherish.

The Boyz - Steve, Greg, Andrew (Suzanne's hubby) & David (one of Steve's 3 sons) Abby & friend Azlee spent an entire Sunday afternoon writing songs & then performing them. I think they wrote 6-7 entire songs! Greg & I were blown away!!

Ella was the "comic act" during the performance

Owen at sweet Nora's 4th b'day party at My Little Dollhouse;

He loves him some Nora!

and he loves him a Mohawk!

Dress up costume & then off to the jumpy to do some wrestling

It got so serious at one point that we had to break the boys up! :-) (really!)

His favorite part of any party...THE DESSERT!

Bella Boo

The older three & I off to an '80's Roller Skating party...Greg went & found his Letterman's Jacket that I used to wear in H.S. - although it looked "50ish", I actually used to wear it in 1989!

Twisted Sister was there (see back row!)

align="center">Ella w/ her bestie Myah

Will w/ Carter...just playin' it cool

1st Snow Day of the year

Brings out the CRAZY in everyone!

Toasty feet

Cuddly Sistas

Frozen bro bro

Daredevil who stayed out for hours

created his own mogul to sled over

goal was to hit fence as hard as he could...niiice

Fry Man

Giggly Girl off to B'day Party

Another visit to My Little Dollhouse...this time, Ella's turn

This pic cracks me up...this is where I pretty much live when I'm at home. My office. My beloved Mom Cave. My sacred place. I love it in here. Love it.

Greg was out of town. Will grabbed my camera & went to town. Kinda glad he did as it will be a memento for me. I will look back with fondness at the place that helped me retain sanity.

Can't even tell you how much these two adore one another...

True Love...Truly.

Thought Will & Abby looked so cute in their color coordinated outfits...Owen wanted in on the pic.

Why is it that my girls want to pose like Supermodels in every picture??!

Ahhh, Momma loves these kinds.

Pigtail girl off to school!

Pajama Party at Pre-school! Woo hoo!!
Owen had been counting down the "sleeps" until this special day!

Once you have an 11 yr old, you cherish the fact that your son gets excited to take a blanky & pillow to school.

I know this isn't the best pic, but I'm including it because of its meaning. Greg & I looked over & couldn't believe that these two were actually playing together happily. I went to grab my camera to get it on film & of course they went into funny faces...

Funny faces escalated into funny maneuvers.

Abby Lou working on her *Little Black Dress* project for school - we cut & sewed a mini LBD for her to have as a visual aid

Will at his "Circle of the State with Song" Choir Performance

8 School Choirs who practiced all day long for the Concert

It was like hearing Angels singing in Heaven...truly glorious!

Proud Momma

73 degree January day makes for a mighty fine Roasting Marshmallows kind of evening!!

Tomorrow...Old Man Winter pays us another visit...not too happy about that.

I heard a prediction that school will be out Tues through Friday...pleeease tell me it ain't so.

Perfect Pairings ~ I Corinthians 11:33

So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together.

I Corinthians 11:33

When was the last time you went on a date?

How would you like to go out on a hot date this weekend...with your husband?

Most women's lives are a whirlwind of work, appointments, kids, and housework. They barely have enough time to devote to feeding themselves let alone carry on courting rituals with their spouses. According to a survey, 517 women ages 25-60, 81 percent of women said they let other activities take precedence over sexual intimacy in their lives.

"The bottom line is that people are just not prioritizing," says renowned relationship expert and marriage counselor Michele Weiner-Davis. Romance, she says, is something that needs to be cultivated and nurtured--it is not something that just happens on its own.
Weiner-Davis cites kids as being a major reason for the romantic disconnect that may exist between a couple, "As a culture, we have become very child-focused and parents feel like they need to spend all their free time with their kids," she explains, "but parents should spend time with one another for their kids. If they don't spend time with one another, they're not bonding or building friendship."

As a practicing marriage counselor since the 1980s, Weiner-Davis often comes into contact with couples that are struggling to figure out the reason their relationship is failing. She is often able to cut to the root of the problem by asking one simple question: "When was the last time you went on a date?"

10 Great Dates With Your Mate
Second Tuesday of each month, February - November
6:15 – 7:00 pm
Room 1502, No Cost
*Free childcare available
Gather to hear a variety of topics led by various speakers (30 minutes); then have dinner out. NEW TOPICS/SPEAKERS! Register at 392-1191.

My honey & I have been participating in Asbury's Date Program for 11 years now! It is an opportunity that no couple should pass up! I truly believe that all those years of investing in our dating life have reaped huge dividends in our marriage! Won't you join us??
http://www.asburytulsa.org/ministries/marriage/index.html

(Don't have to be an Asbury member to participate)

Perfect Pairings ~ Proverbs 3:21-24

Do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
preserve sound judgment and discretion;
they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble.
When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Proverbs 3:21-24

Flashback Friday ~ Jan 05

Wow! It is SO WILD to look back 6 years ago this January and see what was going on in my life...I had a 5 yr old, 3 yr old and 11 month old!

Ella was sooo tiny that we STILL bathed her in the sink!

(She weighed only 16 lbs at her 1 yr appt)

Ella was the World's BEST Baby! She was super sweet, always content, and truly an absolutely JOY! I do remember loving finally having a "big" family of five. I longed for each of my babies...but, I remember the jump from 4-5 being such a meaningful move for me.

And, I do recall having the Time of My Life dressing my two girls!! The excitement is still going today...just not near as cutesy...and hardly ever matching. :-)
Soooo much has happened since Jan '05...and, as much as I miss having babies, I wouldn't trade where I am now for anything! Seeing all of my kids' personalities & talents unfold is like having lifelong tickets to the best Broadway Show in town!!

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the BIG things.