Wardrobe Malfunction

I know it's not Tuesday, which is normally when I post my funny videos, but I could NOT wait for this one. Diet Coke may have exited my nose when I saw this.


Anyone with kids can imagine that poor mother's humiliation.

Eye opener..

I was recently introduced to the blog of a precious family faced with a situation that many of us will never have to face.....thankfully. However, for some reason God has chosen them for a reason to walk this path. As I looked at photos this morning of sweet baby Kayleigh, I was suddenly reminded just how blessed we are. Three healthy children in our family. Three healthy children that drive us nuts at times. Three healthy children that run us ragged on a daily basis. Three. Healthy. Children.


Please pray for this precious family during this time. My prayer is that they are granted the miracle they so desperately want and need from God, patience, peace and the presence of God's Holy Spirit in a way they've never felt it.


Lord, never let us forget to be thankful for the health of these children. Let us never take for granted the future we look forward to sharing with them or the growth we are blessed to witness and experience.

To remind you how blessed you are.....

Use this link to follow the Compassion bloggers' trip to India.

Tickle-Me-Tuesday Edition 8

Take your shoes off......

***Please pardon the bad photos. I had to take them with my phone because I left my camera at work.***


Don't you just love getting a new pair of shoes? I DO! What girl doesn't? They look better than the others in your closet, but do you find yourself going back to the "old faithfuls?" They don't look as good as the new pair, but they're broken in and comfortable.




My heart has been very heavy lately about how the church makes people feel. So many people feel like they have to appear beautiful and perfect.......like the new pair of shoes. Wouldn't it be wonderful to just be ourselves? To just let it all hang out. To be the comfortable, old pair of shoes.

The truth is, we all hold a greater resemblance to the old, worn out shoes. We've traveled many miles, been many places, experienced many heartaches and many joys. Wouldn't it be great to let everyone see the soles, or souls, and the inside of the shoe? To truly be ourselves.

Do you ever find yourself wearing an old pair of flip flops that really don't look THAT bad, but if you took them off......people would totally wonder what kind of feet issues you have judging the bottoms of them? No? Just me? Hmmmm......

I have a couple of pair that cause many jokes in my family because they're worn. One pair has a bamboo type bottom and there is literally a hole worn through the bamboo. I don't care. They're my favorite and I still wear them. Of course, no one sees the hole. My family does though because I'm comfortable enough to remove them around them.



As a the family of God, shouldn't we be comfortable enough with each other that we can remove our "shoes" and let everyone see the holes. I have found there is SO much freedom in doing that. I have found that in revealing some of my greatest struggles, others find that they are able to reveal their struggles as well. And you want to know what? You're not alone. You'll find there are others who struggle with the same things.

I recall a time that I was absolutely beside myself trying to deal with an issue from my past. I was so humiliated and didn't know where to turn or what to do. Somehow a conversation started with someone from my church. I couldn't believe it. She had also experienced a similar situation. I found a great friend in that person and right this very moment, she knows more about me than anyone. Why? Because I can say anything and never feel judged. And she has the same freedom with me.

I often wonder how the church would feel knowing as much about their music director as she does. Would they understand? Would they judge? Would they say they've been there too? I don't know. But I hope that soon, the church (and not just the church I attend or you attend.....I mean the whole body of believers) can find freedom enough with each other to take their shoes off.

But they always have plenty to choose from in my size....

My last trip to the Gap made me remember exactly why I don't shop at our nearest Gap. I will order online. I will go to our nearest outlet. I will go to any other Gap, but I am telling you now I AM NOT going back to the Pensacola Gap.

I have never been in those dressing rooms that I have not heard a conversation exactly like the following one. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

Sales Person: Ma'am can I help you with anything? Is everything going okay in there?

Customer (in dressing room next to me): Well, I'm having a problem with these pants. I think I need another size. Opens Door

Sales Person: Yes, I think those are a little big. What size are they?

Customer: FOUR

Sales Person: Yes, those FOURS are definitely too large.

Customer: Yeah, I think the FOUR is too big. I guess I need a TWO.

Me rolling eyes.

Sales Person: And you know what? I think you need a long length also.

Great....she's skinny AND tall.

Sales Person: Here is a TWO long.

If they say TWO or FOUR one more time I'll scream. And why do they say TWO and FOUR louder than any other word?

Sales Person: Yes, that TWO definitely fits much better and you still have a little room. They look great!

This is the part where I let out a VERY LOUD SIGH and say "Oh good Lord."

Sales Person: Ma'am, do you need anything in there? How's it coming along?

Me: I'm just fine. All of my big old tarps are fitting just fine in here.

I gather my final selections and head for the checkout.....where my neighbor joins a few minutes later behind me. The final straw was that she had a BABY. A small infant. And if you didn't catch it before.....she wears a size TWO LONG.

Don't you just hate baby weight? I mean, I'm sure she wore a size ZERO before she became a fat cow after her baby was born and had to start wearing TWOs.

And while I'm on the subject. I must say who in the world wears a zero? I mean seriously? If I wore a zero, I would just walk around naked. I'd get in touch with my inner Eve from the Garden and just be naked and not be ashamed.

I was able to walk away with a couple of cute selections like this and this.

The rest of the shopping trip wasn't a complete bust because I was able to find a couple of other cute tops for some very reasonable prices like this and this. I am a HUGE fan of the t-shirt, but sometimes you need to step it up a notch for work. I like finding tops that are t-shirt comfy, but still look like a little something more. These two tops definitely fall into that category. I'm sure you would also appreciate a nice t-shirt if you lived in Alabama like me where it's already 643 degrees.

You also might like to know that starting today, Old Navy has all of their capris on sale for $15. That's super cheap so you better stock up now!

Happy shopping y'all!

Church Wars

Tickle-Me-Tuesday Edition 7

"Why Women Stay Single"

Thanks Jeannie!

Sometimes you feel like an Indian.....sometimes you don't.

I decided last week that I needed an extra day in my weekend. All the talk on Facebook about everyone being on Spring Break just made me jealous.

Since Madyson is having Spring pictures made at school this week, I decided to make a trip to Gymboree. Mom said she was feeling up to a shopping trip and decided to go as well. Usually we have a child or three with us when we go somewhere but we were alone. We had adult conversations with no interruptions and no fight from the back seat from Madyson tell Luke that Thomas the Train is NOT real....because you know, Barbie, she's totally real.

It was heaven. Well, ok, maybe not heaven, but it was totally wonderful.

The best part of the trip was the food. Yes, the food. We finally tried Red Robin out. You may have already experienced it, but it was a first for us. After years of enduring commercials on tv and having no Red Robin in driving distance, we finally have one. I had the best hamburger that has ever come in contact with my taste buds. But honestly, the drink I had was so good I would drive to Pensacola for one right now. It was called a freckled lemonade. I highly recommend it. Your taste buds will thank me later.

When we returned home, we took the little people to the park. To say they enjoyed it was a gross understatement. There were about 11 other children there....all in the same family. No kidding. I overheard this conversation between Madyson and one of the little girls. (Oh and to just set the scene, it is important to know the other children were Hispanic.)

Madyson: Isn't your name Aygina?

Little Girl: No, it's Jessica.

I have no idea why that was so funny to me, but it was.

Benjamin refused to have his picture taken until he got here and then started screaming "CHEESE!"


Alas, all good things must come to an end and this was Luke's response to leaving the park. We really should get him out of the house more often.

The icing on the cake from my weekend was the conversation between the two big kids during lunch on Sunday.

Madyson: I'm a Poarch Creek Indian. Are you?

Luke: No, I'm from Alabama.

To clarify, neither of them have enough Indian in them to be on the roll like their mother. I am also fairly certain they have the same mother and father so there is no way one could be and one not.

Miss USA Pageant moment.....

***UPDATED***
In her own words, Miss California now says:
“I feel like I won. I feel like I’m the winner. I really do,” noting that on Monday, she had 1,000 messages on Facebook and 2,000 friend requests. She adds that her answer "did cost me my crown. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I said what I feel. I stated an opinion that was true to myself and that’s all I can do. It is a very touchy subject and he [Perez] is a homosexual and I see where he was coming from and I see the audience would’ve wanted me to be more politically correct. But I was raised in a way that you can never compromise your beliefs and your opinions for anything."




Kudos to Miss California for standing up for her beliefs.....and to Perez Hilton of all people. For those of you who have been residing under a rock, Perez Hilton is the most powerful celebrity blogger. He has the ability to make or break someone and makes his living tearing down others....especially those who do not share his beliefs. (Can we say small minded?)

I love being an American....but I am truly becoming tired of the fact that anyone and everyone can stand up for what they believe in....except conservatives. I applaud Miss California.

Easter 2009

First, let me say what a wonderful job the choir did and how great the kids were singing yesterday morning. I mean really! We also had an awesome Sunrise Service and regular morning service. I love sunrise service. Yes, I may or may not have walked in with a tall glass of caffeine, but I did wake up at 4:15. It's always worth it though. I was SO glad I was there because God really had a word for me. I think I cried the whole time but I was absolutely overwhelmed by God in that moment. Yesterday was a great day!

Of course, we had some family time that included hunting Easter eggs. Yes, I noticed the boys aren't wearing any shoes in these pics. I have no idea why and I'm not even going to try to go there.


These are some of my favorite photos from the day.

I think the kids hunted eggs at four different places. By the time we reached house #4, Ben stopped hunting eggs and I caught him opening Madyson's eggs and just taking her candy out. He caught on to the game.

Oh, yeah....and you must read this post by Angie.

Tickle-Me-Tuesday - Edition 6

So this video may not be the funniest one I've ever posted, but it has become something pretty funny at our house this year. I remember seeing this same advertisement for years at Easter but it is just fascinating to Benjamin. The first time he saw it he just froze and had a look on his face like "That's not the sound the pig makes." It is hilarious! He always stops and stares!

Because I couldn't resist....

Putting things into perspective.....

So....I thought I was having a bad day at work until I saw this.






Nothing could be worse than a truckload of logs busting into your workplace.

He IS still good....

You should check this post out on MckMama's blog. What an awesome reminder that God is still good....even in the darkest moments of our lives.