Photo 59

Is your life a bit 'blurry' or stressed all the time? Why not give Jesus a try? He came to bring you LIFE. So - apparently, before He comes into your life fully and completely, you're just a dead, dry bone waiting to have the almighty breath life into you!

(blurry 'life' shot taken earlier, but quite appropriately goes with today's sermon titled "He came to bring the dead to LIFE")

Photo 58

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ready for Spring....! Nothing more to say about that! Sick of cold, sick of gray skies, sick of dead grass, sick of being stuck inside all the stinking time...READY FOR SOME OUTSIDE TIME!

Photo 57

another set of cards today (picture minus one that was already in envelope). Created for a baby shower tonight.

Photo 56

Got creative for a bit today...always seem to making cards on my creative days, lol! Now to actually MAIL them!

Photo 55

Brandon's birthday is today. I try to take pictures of the kids individually on their birthdays, but Brandon is just not very fond of pictures in the first place, much less when his little sister jumps into the frame! :)

Photo 54

Cooper and Olivia are pests during the days sometimes. Today has been no exception. Olivia was under me feet on the pillow under my desk, while Cooper just scratched on my arm until he got behind me in my chair. AND YES, he curls up like this and pushes out with his body until he gets me on the edge of the seat. Do I give in? Yes - I'm a sucker, what can I say?

Photo 53

Thomas purchased flowers for Kaitlyn before their date Saturday night and surprised me with a set as well. Couldn't grab a shot of them yesterday, so while passing them and catching a whiff, I grabbed a shot to save their beauty for Kaitlyn.

Photo 52

Love capturing little moments like this, common - everyday moments. Makes taking pictures so very rewarding to me. This moment? It's a relaxing Sunday morning reading/snuggle time that Kaitlyn & Thomas have been doing most Sunday's before church. Him reading his leadership books and Kaitlyn just snuggling with her daddy, which is her FAVORITE thing to do!

Photo 51

Took this one of Kaitlyn before the Father/daughter dance tonight. She's just a TRULY BEAUTIFUL little girl. I don't even think I'm saying that because she's mine, either...I truly think she's beautiful!

Photo 50

I'm sure I've taken a picture of Cooper like this, but really, this is a MULTIPLE times a day thing that he does and since it's so frequent, it deserves another picture, right?!?!?! CRAZY DOG! He'll do this minutes after coming back in...he really does like it outside!

Photo 49

Read on Facebook the other day about someone making the switch to all napkins. Seemed like a good idea, but almost unfeasible for us, seeing as I'd need to buy MULTIPLE collections of napkins to make through a few days. HOWEVER, after finding sets of 4 on clearance for $1.74, I think I might be closer to doing it! Gotta get them out of the package first!

Photo 48

I LOVE my new screensaver - very 'LOST' feeling, lol! LOVE IT - as in smile when I walk in my room.

Photo 47

Got the Girl Scout cookies that I picked up Thursday afternoon FINALLY sorted and ready to be delivered to their recipients this afternoon. Get them OUT of the house already, lol! (we had thin mint milkshakes for dessert tonight, fyi!)

Photo 46

Kaitlyn brought home a single pink carnation for me on Friday. I love getting little things like this from her...although she DOES tend to think of me more often than Thomas. It just shows her 'feminine' side that he loves so much!

Photo 45

Roses from Thomas for Valentine's Day - they were SUPPOSED to be delivered Friday morning before we left for the retreat, but of course, Murphey's law ensued and they arrived approximately 30 minutes after we LEFT for the retreat. Oh, well - I enjoyed seeing them when I got home. All 2 dozen of them!

Photo 44

We spent last night and today at a Marriage Retreat and learned a TON - already implementing it humorously! :)

Photo 43

I spent most Thursday and today preparing a few things for the marriage retreat this weekend. I REALLY enjoyed making these flower tissue pom-poms ala Martha Stewart. They are REALLY easy to make and in fact, I'm thinking of making several in different colors for Kaitlyn's room. Would be lovely in the corner!

Photo 42

One would think by looking at this picture that Cooper was in trouble. But, he was not. I came around the corner to find him sitting quietly on the stairs. I went and got my camera and proceeded to take SEVERAL shots of him while he still quietly and calmly sat. VERY unusual for him, but apparently all of us in the household need a quiet moment to ourselves every now and again!

Photo 41

Lovely friends finding LOVELY Spring goodies for me makes for LOVELY wishing for warmer weather days!

Photo 40

It has snowed so much this year - not as much as the northern states, but still, for Nashville, we've received quite a bit of snow. Multiple snow days, multiple inches (accumulated) and lots of snow play time...so much so that this snow didn't even entice the kids out in it. It WAS pretty coming down, though!

Photo 39

Most Monday morning's I can be found doing this: Created my weekly menu, clipping coupons, and printing off shopping lists.

Photo 38

Had lots of time on my hands yesterday since it was just me & the boys (Thomas had an all-day meeting). Created something to fill the empty 5x7 frame just in time for Valentine's Day this week. Better late than never, huh?

Photo 37

Zachary can NOT sleep in - seems virtually impossible on a Saturday/Sunday opportunity to sleep in. (However, this summer he proved he could sleep in by staying in bad several days until 10 and sometimes 12!) ANYHOO - this morning (after going to bed at around 12:30 last night!) he was up at 8:00. STRAIGHT UP 8:00! He attempted quietness (his version of quiet) and finally I got up around 8:40 to make breakfast and let the dogs up. He heard me and came downstairs to inform me (first words out of his mouth) that he'd played his DS until it was dead (see - as he did the buttons back and forth as my brain slowly comprehended what he was doing BC...before coffee)

After getting my coffee brewed, I came to my office where I heard him frantically rummaging through his room (directly above my bed). FINALLY he came downstairs after finding his charger and directly went to the dog's bed in the corner where he can lay down with his DS plugged into the wall. I just felt like today's picture needed to show what a typical Saturday is around here. Zachary, the only child up, surrounded by dogs fighting for his attention while he aptly ignores them!

Photo 36

BORING day - It seems I've been stuck in the house forever & a day...(minus obligatory trips to grocery - and not even TARGET!)

ANYHOO - created a bit in my clean office. Made this desktop easel to hold my printed photo calendar. I was inspired by this, which was the CHA-W 2010 MakeNTake for 7Gyspies. Loved it, but you know me - simple is best, huh? Might add a bit of dangles to the side at some point, but I really didn't want to compete with the simplicity of the photos.

Photo 35

Much bad grades means much study time at the dining room table for Brandon...much study time. Every day. Much to his dismay...

Photo 34

Can I just say that I'm GLAD school was back in session today? AND point out the contrast of the short sleeved girl walking to me and the snow piles in the background. What a difference 2 days make!

Photo 33

Happy Groundhog's Day - and YES, Kaitlyn says PLEASE SEND MORE SNOW! She's loving the days off school!

Photo 32

We went out to Mom & Dad's house today since the kids were still out of school. Although the snow was fluffy and didn't accomodate much sledding, we were still able to build 2 snowmen, a turtle, a church, AND a HUGE HUGE snowball that is now stuck right to the side of the driveway since we could no longer roll it any further!!