Back to School

It's that time of year again! We have been back to school now for 2 weeks. I feel like we are finally getting in the groove. So hard to believe I have a 7th grader and a 2nd grader. They are growing up so quick!!!  My son went from an
                                      11 year old to looking like an
                                     adult!

Our life these days consists of school, football, and church. Repeat.  I do love this time of year but it is very busy!!  There are moments in the day that I miss the lazy days of summer. We had a great summer. I am hoping to do a post soon about all the wonderful times we had.  Lasting memories were definitely made! 



~Hailey

Merry Christmas! (a little late) We had a different Christmas. It all started with Payton getting sick last Monday with the stomach bug. It didn't last long, just your average 8-10 hour bug. Then in true brother/sister fashion Grant got it on Wednesday. His was horrible and did not go away completely until this past Tuesday. We were at the doctors office 3 times in those 6 days. I worried myself sick about him.  He only threw up once but had horrible diarrhea and did not get off the couch. He lost 6 pounds!  We finally got him better on Christmas Eve. Christmas day after lunch Payton decided she was going to get the stomach
bug again. This was Wednesday and today is Saturday and she is not totally over it. This
morning your's truly woke up with it. Everyone is at Granny Libby's for Christmas except me. I am feeling better, just weak. We have been dealing with this for almost 2 weeks! I am so ready for everyone to get back to normal!  Even with all the sickness it was a Merry Christmas. The Lord helped me through each day. Instead of praying over and over for everyone to get better I tried something new. I praised him. Even through the storm and worries, I praised him. I realized how much worse it could be.   

We were very fortunate to go to New York City over Thanksgiving. We had a great time! We only stayed Wednesday-Friday and it was SO cold! The Macy's parade was worth it all. It was an amazing, once in a lifetime experience!  Payton fell in love with the city, Grant not so much. He wasn't crazy about the crowds. He is my country boy! 

I am ready for a new year. I always enjoy "starting over" with exercising, eating right, and beginning new devotionals.  Hard to believe it will be 2014!!

Back to School

The kids have been back to school now for almost 3 weeks and it has flown by! The first week was so hard. No more late nights outside playing or late mornings sleeping in.  They started on a Monday this year and by Friday they were completely exhausted!

But we succeeded and now I feel like we are on a really good routine. That routine is school, football and church. This is pretty much what our lives consist of. And I love it, I truly do. I get a little excited for Friday to come so I can take a break from driving the bus. :)
 

Here are some more pics from over the summer...

What is with this weather...and sickness??

We are definitely in the middle of winter. It has snowed for the past 4 days and we have almost 9 inches on the ground right now. Last Wednesday we had a record flood (almost 5 inches in one hour).  Crazy weather!!!

Last Saturday Payton had the stomach bug, then Tuesday she had a horrible cold and cough. Grant got sick with an upset stomach and fever on Thursday and now it is my turn! I think I got it double. I have been on the couch since yesterday. Today is Super Bowl Sunday so Toby took the kids to Granny Libby's for a Super Bowl party. Praying that this sickness goes far, far away!!

Here is a recap of the last 7 months in pictures....

    
     Fifth Grade football season! This was Grant's 3rd year playing football.  We really saw some awesome improvements. He loves it and we love to watch him!

 

First day of KINDERGARTEN and FIFTH GRADE!!!

 

 

First field trip in Kindergarten to Apple Orchard in Wilkesboro, NC.

                          Payton started clogging in August. This was at her first performance
                                                                        at Valle Fair.

                                                    
                                                          Halloween 2012

 

Disney 2012

Last month we were so blessed to be able to go to Disney World with my husband's work. We really had a great time. Yes, it was extremely HOT! We sort of got ourselves psyched up and prepared for the heat so it honestly wasn't too bad. We would get up early and begin our day at the parks then usually after lunch or early afternoon we were back at the room resting up before going back out at night. Here are a few pic from our trip...

The first night we got there we ate at Chef Mickeys! Love this place...a wonderful place to eat the first night if you aren't able to go to the parks yet but you want to feel like you are at Disney!!!

The first part of the week we stayed at the Hilton with Farm Bureau and then we moved to Port Orleans French Quarter for the remainder of the trip. I would definitely recommend this hotel. It was very nice and clean.

Love this pic! Our last night at Disney we ate at a place called Garden Grill in Epcot. It was wonderful! It is a character meal with Mickey, Goofy, Pluto and Chip and Dale. The food is fantastic!

 So thankful for a safe and fun trip! Lots of great memories made and I am ready to go back!!!

Faith

My husband is a preacher and that obviously makes me a pastor's wife. I often wonder what my job is and why the Lord placed me in this position. I believe with all my heart that God knew from the moment my husband was born (even before) that he would be preaching the word. I've been thinking a lot lately about what the lord would have me to do in the ministry. Right now my place is to support my husband, take care of my children and fill in anywhere I can help in the church. Since I was young, my heart has always been with the children. Lately I feel that God has been redirecting me. My heart hurts, it aches and I agonize over married couples (especially young married couples with children) who are struggling in their marriage. So many end up quitting and that leads to divorce. Many are Christians who believed when they first got married that this would never happen. Toby and I do not have a perfect marriage, no one does. We do have a marriage that we are willing to work at. And work is definitely what it takes.

July?? Already?? and my 10 year old Baby!

Wow! Can't believe it is already July! So I didn't do very well on getting those pictures taken but we have had a really great first part of summer. Lots of days at the pool, days at the park, and a week at the beach! Fun memories being made even if I have forgotten to take a pic each day ;) 


We spent Grant's birthday at the beach so we had him a party the week before we left.  After lots of comtemplating about where to have his party we decided on a Hickory Crawdad's Baseball game. We invited mostly family and 2 of his close friends. I think it went really well and everyone enjoyed it...  Here are the pics:

We had to have a pic with the mascot!

Grant with his Tennessee football cake!

                                                   Everyone sang Happy Birthday to Grant
                                                   while he stood on the dugout.
                                                   Doesn't he look excited!

Seriously, how can my child be 10?  We are so proud of him and who he is. He definitely has his moments where he acts like any 10 year old boy but what a heart he has! He cares so much for others and he has just started praying by himself instead of the prayer he has been saying since he was little...The "now I lay me down to sleep" prayer. He completely melts our hearts at night when we hear him pray. My prayer is that he will love Jesus with his whole heart and always look to Him for all the answers in his life. We love you Grant!!