Homework at the Tender Age of Four!

Caroline and a 15 year old friend of the family were discussing homework last night, and I got such a kick out of Caroline's response.

Caroline: "I have homework too!"

Jes: "Oh yeah? What do you have to do?"

Caroline: "Feed the cats and help Mommy fix peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!"

Treasure!

Today was our community yard sale day! The highlights of my findings are: a like-new Coach purse for $1.00!! and a Sm'ores Maker. We tried the latter out tonight and it's kind of like roasting a marshmallow over a candle, but it has porcelain bowls if you're into accessorizing your puffed sugar. I really bought the kit for Caroline because I know from a certain amount of experience just this past week that you can make a fine sm'ore in the microwave, but this little find made for another action packed Saturday night at the Fields'. Must peel the kiddos off the ceiling now...

A Perefect Ten

Ten (at least) "sh'mores" (as Caroline calls them) per family member over two years old.

Nine o'clock p.m. and our sleeping bags felt heavenly!

Eight times during the night I hovered over my kids to make sure they were warm enough in the 40 degree temps.

Seven hundred times I must have thought, "Sherando Lake is so gorgeous!"

Six (at least) mammoth sized crickets were determined to serenade us into the wee hours of the morning. (We must have camped on their space. Personal vendetta, I'm sure.)

Five visits with our very gregarious forest ranger.

Four perfect hot dog/marshmallow skewers carved by my manly man.

Three hour early morning, FABULOUS field trip to Starbucks and Super WalMart.

(This should be a new Girl Scout badge!)

Two nights in the wilderness,

One very HAPPY family,

And ZERO curling irons, y'all!

Who would've thought a flashlight and a dark tent could be so much fun!

Camper Caroline and Her Coloring Crayons

Caroline was thrilled to find PINK marshmallows at the camp store -- Super WalMart!

It was so nice not to worry about manners or dirt!

Dig break! You never know what you may find!

Be still, my heart!

Our Little Mountain Climber

A Sweet Moment or Two For Momma

35 Years Ago Today...

Happy Birthday, Donnie!

We treasure and adore you! I am so proud and honored to be your wife. You are an amazing husband and father full of integrity, wisdom, equipped with a servant's heart, an easy laugh, and always ready to have fun. I'm so thankful and excited about going through life with you. I love you more.

Out From Under The Dell

Yea, I did it! I fasted from Face Book today with the exception of 10 seconds upon which I accepted a friend's invitation to be her friend. See, pure goofiness.

It did help that my day was packed. I "did lunch" and birthday shopped with my friend Elizabeth (http://elizabethmiller.blogspot.com/). What a hoot it was to share life between the Red Robin balloon bouncing beneath our faces and shouts of "truck" and "S'cuse me, Mommy, s'cuse me!" thrown in between. Elizabeth was a trooper though taking Caroline under her wing and even shopping (although from afar) the men's department at Sears with me. Let's just say "she was there in spirit" while she and Caro hung out in the Lands End section. As a side note, does the thought of The Men's Department at Sears bore anyone else to tears?

Moving right along, my fam and I had a homemade dinner with a load of friends and other special folks at our church's Family Night. If someone had told me 10 years ago that Family Night at a church would be a highlight in our day, I would have absolutely rolled my eyes and laughed, probably abused the Lord's name and prayed that it would pass! Oh, God does move mountains!

Then to top off my day of real-live relationships I ran into my friend Cindy (http://hersmanfamily.blogspot.com/) at Food Lion and we perused the coffee creamers together. It was great to have her unexpected company during a last minute, mundane errand. It's so true the simple things in life bring the greatest joy! She even stood by me when much to my embarrassment I realized that my driver's license was not present at checkout. I was there but not my only viable piece of identification which did not work as a credible excuse with the cashier. Does this strike anyone's funny bone or have my natural highlights gone to my gray matter? I admit I have this bad, bad habit of putting these things in my back pocket then forgetting where they are when I change my clothes.

So this ends my experimental day of getting away from the Dell and out there where my darlings are! So glad I did.

Face Hook

"Face Hook" would be a better name for Face Book, don't you think? My goodness I have just spent an hour AGAIN being sucked in. What a waste of time! Not good for a gal with addictive tendencies. This is going to take some discipline. I feel like I've been fishing in an empty well. No doubt it's been intriguing and has satisfied some curiousity, but more than anything it has dredged up chunks of the past that are better left under the muck of old memories. I'm just confiding in you, my tens of cyberspace friends, that this is proof we live in a society that is excellent at building loads of relationships that are about an inch thick in depth. Time for me to get off the computer, stop typing at myself, and make a phone call to a real voice or better yet make plans with a friend! Anyone free?

"For real though!" (Anyone ever say this?)

My latest portrait...

Just keeping it real, y'all!

We did it!

This morning could have been a disaster: 8:00 a.m. portrait appointment, shots for Caroline, rain...


But we were on time for our photo shoot! I can hear my nearest and dearest clapping for me now. Brook did an amazing job, especially considering it is a hazy, very-humid-bad-hair-day kind of a day! Thank you so much, Mrs. Robinson! http://www.brookphotos.blogspot.com Caroline would like more chocolate chip cake with Anne Charlotte too.



From there we were in town and found a mattress cover for Caroline's new big girl bed, lickety split. I was amazed at all we had accomplished by 9:45! Is this how everyone else with tots lives?



Then onto Caroline's dreaded 4 year old checkup where she was given 4 immunization shots, for goodness sake! I was amazed and relieved at how well it went. Whew! Then onto Chandlers Bakery for sugar cookies and Guadalajara's for lunch with Donald. And now my darlings are asleep and I'm going to make a run for the sheets myself!


Gotta love hazy days!

(I took more photos of Jackson because I have similar pics with Caroline near the same age.)

Hi friends,
I just heard psychologists believe there are over 2,000 defined fears. However, we are born with only two innate fears: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. Interesting, huh. Here's another bit of trivia: The Bible has 365 commands to "fear not." One for every day of the year on our western calendars. Works for me! If all but two fears are learned, how much time we must waste learning to be afraid and practicing fear! One fear I deal with is being outside in the dark. Here's my banner these days in those moments: "You are my lamp, O LORD; the LORD turns my darkness into light." (2 Sam. 22:29) With God on my side what's the darkness!


So here's what I'm curious about, what are some of your fears? Don't be scared...

Blessing on Aisle Three

We had a very relaxing weekend for which I am so thankful. Caroline recovered quickly from a stomach bug =whew=! Jacks started saying "thank you." Donald was loving the football games on prime-for-TV-watching, newly arranged couches. I in all of my brilliancy went to Food Lion early Saturday morning in sheets of driving rain certain the weather would only get worse. Of course, it turned out to be a brilliant, sunny afternoon. So we made a family trip to the library and to Dunkin Doughnuts. Does it get any better?!

Yes in-deedy! Today was awesome, too. We had a great time with friends in our Sunday school class, awesome worship, lunch at The Village with friends, a 2 hour nap, then back together with family. Let me explain why Sunday school was so good though. First, you have to understand that I am the teacher. OK, enough said. Now, I so desire for my friends and I to really "taste and see" (Ps. 34:8) just how good the Lord is, as in experiencing Him in real life not religion, that I just could not hold back from sharing a recent God-story. You see, yesterday I was strolling through my other home, our lovely Food Lion when something glorious caught my eye. I nearly caused a stroller calamity by screeching my buggie to a halt. Being a little taken aback by the vision before me I overcame all doubt and praised the Lord for the dark chocolate peanut butter by my side! Lo, not only dark chocolate, but white chocolate and cinnamon raisin swirl, too!! So today I took my peanut butter to church, and we all had a taste of the good stuff! God is so awesome; way better than dark chocolate peanut butter! Hope your weekend was as blessed as ours!

Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day weekend was a great family time for us. I think that's the ideal title for the weekend too. You know, planning fun for your family is so much easier than actually toting the crew to and fro! Although this momma did have two labor free dinners! Beyond not having to cook, there is something special about sharing a meal with family and friends. It was so fun to see old friends from my days at Central Elementary. Here are some photos from the Valentines' (www.bouncingaroundamusements.com) annual barbecue. (Our friend Brook took these pcis. http://www.brookphotos.blogspot.com/ .)





We also went to the Steam and Gas Engine Pasture Party in Orange County. Jackson was on cloud nine with all of the things that went "vroom!" I don't know who was cuter, Jackson or all the happy old men in bibs. Well, I do know... Take a look-



We went to this event to also support Emmett. He is the son of a friend from State Farm and is an amazing philanthropist at the tender age of 9-ish! He has raised thousands of dollars for area charities by selling slices of pound cake that adoring women bake for him at the drop of a hat. He raised $359 for Sheltering Arms on this day alone! He even has a physically debilitating disease, but it obviously has not affected his heart! We are certain that some day he will be mayor! Go Emmett! Vroom!

On Monday we went to Fruit Hill Orchard which so beat our peach picking experience on Carter's Mountain. They were making apple butter too. The entire atmosphere smelled like a giant Yankee Candle. Jackson had a ball picking his apples off of the ground. He was using those problem solving skills to figure out how to get them all into the wagon without losing one. They were like wiggly puppies in his chubby little arms. Caroline knew just how to best put her people skills to work. She sweet talked her charming prince into a shoulder ride which helped her reach the highest apples in the kingdom.



I have to say I LOVE my job!



Oh! You'll love this... I took Caroline to a birthday party two weeks early. Yep. I know, I know... I'm laughing with you!

Testing...Testing

I'm especially in love with these photos today, so I wanted to share them. The joy of parenthood! Remember, our Father is closer than we may realize!