I didn't realize it had been so long since I had posted....I try to do this so I can go back and look back on the past year and I realized wow, have I been that busy?! Unfortunately I guess I have.


School ended with Ella graduating Kindergarten and Tanner heading into 7th grade. He mulled over a lot of things, band or no band, football or no football. Finally he came to the conclusion to give band another try and to try football. We had many discussions about the pros and cons of each over dinner and I told him we would support what ever decision he made, just to understand that once you start, you finish.


Summer started and we had a few things planned. We went to see my sister and her boys. We always love going down there and love playing!

 

 

 

 We also were able to go to Castaway Cove for a day and always have fun just getting away! Unfortunately, this mom, didn't take her camera

 

 

Then in July I planned on us going to Disney World!! I don't know who was more excited, me or the kids?! I promised the kids we would go this year and my only regret is we didn't do it all. But we plan on going back. I have also decided, if it is a trip over 10 hours, we are flying.

 

Neither of my kids have flown and Tanner was supper worried about flying. Our flight was due to leave at 11 and we were told to get to the airport 2 hours before our flight left. We got up, loaded the car and headed to the airport early.

Can you tell he was nervous???

After we got there, he decided flying wasn't so bad after all!!

Our first day was Universal Studios and Ella's makeover!! There will never be any words to describe how amazing it was and how much fun we had! Ella even talked her brother into riding the Tower of Terror. I had to bribe him with ice cream after and he finally consented. The funniest thing was Ella was the one screaming and Tanner was the one laughing?!

Our second day was the Animal Kingdom. It was awesome! We love zoos and animals and so this was the perfect fit for Tanner. Ella wasn't thrilled but soon came around (after I let her get her face painted!)

And of course!! What is any of our vacations without dinosaurs?! The past several years dinosaurs just happen to be where ever we go!!

 

This time Tanner talked Ella into the dinosaur ride and guess who didn't like the ride?! Yep, Ella HATED the ride. She kept her head down most of the time begging me to get her off saying "I don't want to be here now." Well sister, now is not the time to tell me you don't like it! ha!!

 



Our last day was the Magic Kingdom!! And what is a trip to Disney World without seeing Mickey?? Ella was in EVERY picture with Mickey. NEVER said a word to him just a hug and HAD to be in all the pictures we took with Mickey!

 My favorite movie of all time is Beauty and the Beast and Ella told me to go stand in front of Gaston's Tavern so she could take a picture of me. So of course I obliged!!

 We WILL be going back!!

Then summer quickly came to an end. The kids started school, (which this mom was not ready for) and off to the races. Tanner is doing Jr High football and manager again for the Bobcats. Ella is in 1st grade and doing gymnastics again.

And yes, Tanner is taller than I am!! :( (again, I was not ready for that nor anything else he has came in telling me about girls and homecoming and parties.) My "little" boy is growing up. I couldn't be any prouder of who he is becoming and to see him grow into who I hope he has the potential of becoming!

And Miss Ella is growing too!!  She is still opinionated, sassy, stubborn and out going. She and I butt heads A LOT but I am just as proud of her for sticking by what she thinks and believes in.

We wish every one a safe and happy school year!!


Choices

Not too long ago I received an email about a guy who was happy everyday and it goes on to say that he had a horrific accident, he survived and he still kept his happy disposition. He had someone ask him how after all that had happened how he kept the happy disposition and his reply was simple. I have a choice to be happy every day or not. I can let all these little things affect me or I can choose to look over them and be happy. So he chose to be happy everyday. I started thinking about that and he was right. You can let the little things affect you everyday or you can let it go over, pass you by, ignore it, what ever it takes to not ruin your happiness. It has kind of taken a deeper root with me too. You have a choice everyday to let God and Christ live in you or not. Let your light shine so others may see Christ living in you and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. So today and everyday I am choosing to be happy and to let Christ live in me for others to see.

New Year

Just about everyone I know has made or makes New Year's resolutions. I don't so much but feel like my New Year started earlier last year. As a matter of fact I consider my New Year and New Life started December 16, 2012. You see on December 16th I was baptized. I finally gave my life to God and asked him to be in control. I can honestly say, I don't know why I waited as long as I did to give my life to Him because it is the best thing and feeling in this world. It was also special for me because my kids have seen me struggle and they were there as were my parents. So to start my new life I felt it appropriate that it was just us. Since that night, the kids and I have made extra effort to sit down and eat at the dinner table every night as well as say a prayer before we eat. We have always said bedtime prayers but after we say them Tanner has asked if I would come to his room and say a prayer with just he and I. He has grown in his faith and so have I. At the dinner table we discuss how our day went and have talked about things that we need to work on. Or something that has happened during the day that is a something we can learn from. I'm trying really hard to show and be an example to my kids. I have noticed that I need to also explain or talk to the kids about stuff instead of just doing it. For the most part, I get tired of people talking the talk without walking the walk and I walk without talking and have realized my kids need to hear it from me besides see what I do. I know I am a work in progress and I know I will not be perfect. This has been the hardest thing for me, knowing I will fail. I think that is what kept me from giving my life to God. But I do have the hope of being forgiven and asking for forgiveness.