Living simply with a purpose

Wow! Christmas has come and gone...we are in a new year and I am just now posting! We had the most amazing Christmas (2/3 sick, but still wonderful)! As we start a new year, David turned 35, we FINALLY got Matthew a crib and he is now sharing his room with Andrew. It is going so well and David and I finally got our room back! :0 I will posting pictures of everything soon!

Now what I meant by my title...My momma passed away Nov 2008. I had a three year old and a six month old...and I was surviving. All I was focusing on was how I was going to get out of bed each morning, feed and clothe my kids and give them a regular life. Then as I was getting back on track...along came my pregnancy with my precious Matthew. Now as wonderfully perfect as he is, I was then trying to survive and fight all the tiredness of the pregnancy, all the sickness of the pregnancy. Then I had him and was so happy, and as I was getting out and feeling "normal" I had my gallbladder surgery. Then summer hit, daddy kept getting sick and then before I knew it Andrew started Kindgerten. Then I began BSF (Bible Study Fellowship), and my eyes began to open up. I realized I was still in survival mode. My fellowship with God was on non-existant, I was not engaging with my kids or my husband, I was snapping at everyone, I was not aware what was going on around me. But by attending BSF and reading God's word, He began to whisper to me, follow me Allison, learn about me, talk with me and I will give you the strength and the knowledge on what to do to make your life go forward in a wonderful direction! So that is what I did.

I have really dove head in to FlyLady. My Control Journal is better than it ever has been, and I have USED it! I didn't just start in Jan because it was a good year, but began in Dec with homemade ornaments, and cookies for the neighbors for the first year, really began family traditions..I have been so proud of myself, yet giving God all the credit!

I have made several Dr. Appts. Made my OBGYN appt (YUCK!), my endroconolgist appt and a new appt with a Dr for a physical.

I also have started making notes and began really using coupons and learning how to save money at every turn.

I am patient with my kids, following through with them and listening to my husband.

But most important....I am listening to my God! He is revealing so much about who He is as a parent, who I need to be as a parent and how much He desires a relationship with me.

I also want to blog more. I have LOVED following uplifitng, encouraging blogs and I want to be those encouraging, uplifting blogs.

So this is just the first of a long line of blogs of my family and how God is going to continue to work in my life!

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!!!!!!

You are how old??!!

He is one week old here, look like anyone we know?!

My precious first born son turned SIX this past week. Seriously?! I can't believe it, but I have never in my life been more proud of a boy as much as I am with this kid. I mean it, I am not just saying it because he is my son...he is one neat boy! Here are some things about my boy:

• He loves (and I am not saying that lightly) football. He makes up his own plays, plays quarterback, reciever and tackle. In fact, this summer would find old games from the nineties on ESPN Classic just so he could watch football!
• He is an avid reader and is reading so much and so well!
• He loves to draw and even write about what he draws, and does very well!
• He is learning about God and beginning to apply that to his life
• He loves playing with friends, especially our next door neighbors Michael and Jordan.
• He loves the computer and video games and knows how to find a game and play them without any help.
• He is a great brother, he does tackle them, but is there to defend them in a moments notice and loves them very much.
• Is hiliarious and gets jokes and tells his own with his own wit and timing!

I could go on and on and on, and we are so proud of him and couldn't imagine our lives without him.

The picture here is the only picture of his birthday that have right now...long story, but some are on my phone, some are on my friends phone. This is from dinner out for his birthday, then we went and looked at Christmas lights.

Wedding!!!

Clint and Hillary saying "I do"

On November 2o, 2o1o we welcomed a new member into our family! Hillary Anne joined our family when she married David's cousin Clint. They got married in this awesome little chapel...a place you wouldn't know that was just off a road, it felt like we were in the middle of the woods! They honored us by asking Andrew to be the ring bearer in the wedding. I was so excited, but so nervous that he would not do it, or turn it into Andrew's hour! But he did neither, he was AWESOME! Actually all of my kids were! They didn't cry, didn't scream, they were great, I was very proud!

Something that is so cool is that being a wedding is just continuing the tradition. Clint's dad Dewayne is Brenda's brother and they are 15 years apart. So when Brenda got married, Dewayne was in his wedding, when Dewayne got married, David was in his wedding and when David and I got married, Clint was in our wedding! Wow! What a neat thing..I wonder if it is going to be carried on?
We had a great thanksgiving afterwords, it was fun to see family again and although Dallas lost, OU won, and that was thrilling! Here is some pics of the wedding, some I used on our Christmas cards, I do saw I think I have a beautiful family!

Daddy and his girl dancing....like my friend said, Fast forward 20 years..um, no thanks!

The happy couple




The whole family!

My sweeties!!!

David's Uncle Dewayne, Aunt Laura and the newlyweds!

Andrew and our ring bearer! Clint read Bible verses and rang the bell!

My family!

When did he get so big?!

Someone who was missing was David's mom and dad and grandma and grandpa...Two days before the wedding, Davids house he grew up in caught on fire. It started in the attic from a power strip that was chewed away by a racoon or squirel. Larry, my FIL was driving up and saw the flames and screamed at Brenda to call 911 because there was a fire. They still have a house, but the upstairs is going to have to be re-done. The attic was a total loss and everything in it, but by the grace of God many, many memorables were saved and the house is still standing. They are going to have to live somewhere else for awhile while things are getting re-done, but they are alive and it could have been so much worse. Thank you Jesus for watching over them and their house. Here is a pic of the front of the house where the attic was...

One month before this, David's grandma suffered a stroke. She slurs some of her words, and gets some words mixed up, but she is over all doing well. Again, it could have been so much worse. So between her not doing a 100%, and the fire, they could not make it. We missed them so much, but it was still a wonderful, beautiful day.

Christmas Cards Galore!

I love sending out Christmas cards! I love sending out pictures of the kids. Every since Andrew was 1 year old, I dressed him up in his Christmas outfit and put him in front of the Christmas tree. Then when Kaitlyn came along, it was more challenging, but still fun! Then, last year the day before I was going to put the kids in their best and put them in front of the tree, Kaitlyn broke her arm and none of her dresses fit over the cast. So, I did a picture of them at Silver Dollar City. It was a great picture, but I am looking forward to putting them all in front of the tree for a picture of the three of them!

This year Shutterfly is giving away 50 free cards to any bloggers out there, and here are three of my favorite!!

Traditional Damask

Merry Modern Collage

2010 Wishes Christmas

I have also loved doing calendars with Shutterfly! I put up a collage of pictures and put everyone's birthdays and anniversarys and give them out as presents to my in-laws and parent. Grandparents love pictures of their grandkids and like to see how my kids have grown over the past year! http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Thanksgiving! Be sure to count all of your blessings, I know I have several!

Really behind!!!

Well here it is the week of Thanksgiving and I am just now publishing Halloween!! We have been busy with life and stressful life events! For now I am going to just publish pictures from our Halloween!

Kaitlyn went to the pumpkin patch with her class and then went trick or treating and dressed up in their costumes. Andrew had a fall party that I helped out with. We went to the pumpkin patch with just the four of us and then later went as a family! We painted our pumpkins instead of carving them so the kids could have fun doing that! Then went trick or treating in Collinsville. I realized later that I did not take an individual picture of the kids and the only group one I took on my phone. Andrew was a baseball player, Kaitlyn was a ballerina and Matthew was a cow. But here are some pics, all backwards, but I can't get Blogger to do it any other way!

We had so much fun, I love fall, and pumpkins and colors and the fun things to do!

Trick-or-treating in downtown Collinsville. They shut main street down and we go up and down the shops! It is so fun!

Our pumpkins! Andrew did the big one, Kaitlyn the two little ones and I did the littlest. Andrew did another, but it was out on the porch.

We went on a "hay ride" at the pumpkin patch. The kids had a good time at the Pumpkin Patch at Carmichael's feeding the animals and picking out pumpkins!

Andrew painted a tree at his party. The pic of him and boy is his bff Dylan. His mom and I did MOPS, but didn't know until after the boys started playing together.

The kids at the pumpking patch, I have several of these!

This is at Katilyn's school. Of course Matthew had to tag along in his cute cow costume, he was adorable! We went to the Pumpkin Patch with her class, that girl is her bff Ella. It is so neat that her mom and I are too!

A little of me...

I have been blogging about my precious angels lately (when I blog), and as much as I love them (and I do), I wanted to write a little about my personal life.





We are reaching two years since my precious mom went to be with Jesus forever and what a difference two years make!!!! I never thought I would last two months, much less two years...but I have. Have I done it alone? Never! My Saviour has been there the entire time holding my hand and loving on me and meeting me even when I didn't know I needed someone. Here's the thing, I have been at an arm-length relationship with Jesus. Why? Because I have been in survival mode. I have served Him, loved Him, worshipped Him, but any kind of intimacy with anyone and I was going to crack..I couldn't take it, I couldn't handle it. Not with Him, not with my kids, my husband or my friends. There was just too much I was trying to assimilate. First my mom, then my best friend loses her baby, then I find out I am pregnant, then I have to deal with being pregant and have two kids, then I have the baby, then I have my surgery...just too much. Well this summer I realized one day...where is the smile that would come so easily? Where is the joy in my heart? And who is my two year old daughter and who let her get away with murder? :)


So what did I decide? I need to get back to the basics...with Jesus. I need to know Him inimately, I need to know WHO He is and how do I that..by diving into the Word like never before. So I prayed, God lead me down a way that is going to force me to have a daily quiet time, that is going to allow me to know you and a friend that I can lean on...and God gave me all that. He gave me all that through Bible Study Fellowship. I went to the orientation in May and have waited all summer to go and dive into God's Word. When I heard one lecture I KNEW this is where I was to be. I walk in the walls and can feel the Holy Spirit and not only that my precious children get to hear and learn God's Word! Here's the thing, we are studing Isaiah and although I was excited, I am not an "Old Testament Gal" In fact I thought the OT showed God as a mean God and the first page of my notes I am to read says "we hope that you can see God as a loving compassionate God through this study"...wow! And we have only studied two chapters, but already I have learned so much about Our God. My eyes have been opened up, we need to know this to understand why Christ came. He loved His people so much and worked with them so much, and instead of giving up on Him, He sent His SON! We didn't deserve it, but He still sent Him...God did so love the World and I am beginning to understand that so much more now...and I am excited to see just how much God is going to open my eyes! I already feel like I have a new Spirit that God has given me...I love you Lord!!!





Oh, I have to show you pics of us cheering on the Sooners this year!

School Days=Big Changes in Our Lives

Hello friends!

I so wanted to keep up with my blog better, but golly it is so hard! We were able to get a discount on AT&T and have IPhones, so I check my email from there, so I am not on my laptop as much, but I am going to keep trying to blog more and more!

Well the past two weeks we have had some huge changes in our lives. First my "baby" started Kindgergarten this month! I cannot believe it! It seems like just yesterday that he was Matthew's age, he was a little baby and it was just the two of us. Now he is off and gone from me more than he is with me! We love the school district we are in and feel very good about his teacher and the kids in his room. Andrew and I both had to trust God this year, because his two best friends (and who's moms I became close to) were in the same class. Come to find out two of his other classmates and a friend from church were all in that class as well. The first day he said, why can't I be in that other class. I told him that we prayed for his teacher and this is the teacher that the Lord wanted us to have. (That was really said for my own benefit, because I was wondering the same thing :) ) Precious boy said, well mom why couldn't you pray that I was given that teacher. Hard lessons learned early. But all that aside, he really loves school, loves his teacher and is meeting new friends already. The biggest thing of all was him taking the bus home! Wow! He begged and begged to ride it since LAST year, so I finally let him. He has friends on our street that ride it as well, he doesn't have to cross the street and loves it! This momma was a nervous wreck all day, but God is with him and I do have to say that not waking my little two up to pick up is nice...:) So here are some pics of my baby all grown up getting ready to go to Kindergarten..

Well not only is Andrew starting school, but so is Kaitlyn. She is going to Bloom which is our Weekday Preschool at church. She is going on Thursdays, and then after Labor Day she will start going to BSF and MOPS. I am so excited for her to hear about God's Word over and over again. She is a beautiful ray of sunshine and we have already enjoyed some one-on-one time. Precious girl has never had just me before, so we are taking advantage of it when Matthew is asleep and in the afternoons. Here is my little lady bug on her first day of school:

Little Matthew was sixth months this past week! He is getting so big! He rolls everywhere, grabs everything and is using his arms to around in a circle and putting everything in his mouth. He has tried everything, all vegetables and fruits and cereal. He is sleeping through the nights, and loves his Johnny Jump Up! He jumps and jumps and jumps. The older two love to watch him and jump with him! He is laughing and smiling and is a delight! Here is a pic of him

Well hopefully this is just the start of my consistent blogging. Have a wonderfully blessed day, and may God shine is light upon you!