beach pictures, take 4. . . .

why am i consumed with the idea of beautiful pictures of my boys on the beach? is it because i see so many of you, my dear friends, with lovely postcard-perfect beach pictures? it seems since russ was born i've been caught up in this frustrating sport of catching the two boys together on film. let's review together, shall we?

so the above picture was my first attempt at capturing the oh-so-lovely beach atmosphere. can't you tell they're having a delightful time? i can assure you that i was, as well. russ is 10 weeks old and kaden is 2 1/2. this is still one of my all-time favorite pictures. sad, i know. i think this is also about the time russ got the nick-name "sausage legs" from my daddy.

this was the only picture i got to take of the boys on our second trip to the beach b/c russ started throwing up (lovely) the morning after we arrived and we turned around and came back home. . . so i could become sick as well. not such a good vacation.

there should be pictures here showing you my third attempt at beach pictures, but alas, my camera ran out of batteries while taking pictures of our friends.



the previous 3 pics were from our trip to destin we just returned from. in the last one, kaden got sand in his eyes. all i can say is professional photographers so deserve their paychecks :O)

i did manage to capture this following little gem, though. not perfect, but precious in my eyes:

i love these feet! can you guess whose are the biggest?

the redneck country club. . . .

. . . is in our front yard! this is what you do when it's 100 degrees outside and you're looking for cheap entertainment other than the TV. hey. . . it works!

a summer sale w/frames, children's clothes, and monogramming. . .

if you squint really hard you can see the words. heehee!! seriously, if you have any questions just let me know.

very urgent "did you know" part 2. . . .

so you've probably heard the tip to stash things in your oven temporarily when you have someone coming over and are running out of time to clean up. well. . . (very long pause). . . . not such a good idea after all. . . IF YOU FORGET TO TAKE STUFF OUT AND THEN PREHEAT THE OVEN TO START DINNER!!!!!!!!!!!

it's okay. we're fine. just wanted to pass that along. . . . for what it's worth. surely there's one more mind out there that works (or not) like mine, right? heehee.

did you know???

DID you KNOW that . . . .

-today is my birthday??
-i need to be in the bed!!
-i wear contacts. . . . that aren't working properly at this moment??
-i am SO hungry. . . but am SICK of birthday cake. . . no offense, suz!
-my youngest son's birthday was yesterday. . . he's four!!! sniff, sniff!
-i haven't blogged regularly in a long, long time and no one will read this except maybe tiffany.
-my favorite color changes regularly. . . but i always love red.
-i'm so longing for a trip somewhere. . . like the beach. anyone with me???
-i love to hear the laughter of my two boys
-i don't like to hear the sound of whining
-i'm gonna leave off punctuation marks now, okay
-i've prolly had way too many diet cokes today
-why can't i make myself drink the stupid slimfasts
-i am so proud of all the work we accomplished in our backyard
-i really will put some pictures of it on here for my one reader, tiffany
-i am so addicted to mexican food
-thats prolly why i can't make myself drink the stupid slimfasts
-i got some really nice presents today. thank you, boys and hubby and friends!
-i'm reading Breaking Free by beth moore and it had me crying last night
-my dog woke me up twice last night to go to the bathroom. not cool
-i'm almost finished with a faux finish job. woo-hoo
-i need to paint a changing table for my friend, jenny
-i've gone overboard with flowers outside my house. waaaaaayyyy too much watering
-i've GOT to go take these contacts out before i go cross-eyed
-i'll post something else soon.
-i promise that it'll be more meaningful :O)

oooohhhh. . . . some things i LOVE. . .

just a few highlights from our trip to b'ham. . .

go to the McWayne Science Center if you EVER have the opportunity. it is a 3-story children's museum unlike any i have EVER been to. absolutely AMAZING!!


love, love, LOVE World Market. it is a WONDERFUL store full of items from around the world at GREAT prices. check them out online HERE. i got a long bench cushion and two small accent pillows for our tired-looking outdoor swing. (also some yummy soap and a few other items)

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY. enough said. except. . . run out as fast as you can and find the location nearest you. you won't be sorry!

yum. . . yum. . . yum. . . . describes JOHNNY ROCKETS!!!! old-fashioned diner w/AWESOME burgers, fries, and the BEST milkshakes ever created. period.

so. . . now that you can tell i enjoyed EATING while we were in b'ham. . . . and a little retail theraypy, too, i guess. . . . . i can tell you about kaden's appointment. thank you all my sweet friends who were thinking about and praying for us. . . KADEN GOT A GOOD REPORT!! what i mean by that is his bloodwork is good, he doesn't have to change meds at this time, and we won't go back for a while (hopefully). if he can maintain his current level of psoraisis, then we're all good. he looks much better, and we feel like we have somewhat of a handle on it. however, if he flares up again. . . . we will probably have to try the next step. . . which is a med change. . . to something we do NOT want to try. . . . twice a week shots. so, let's pray for continued sucess!! thank you, JESUS!!! you ROCK!!!!!

yep. . . .our anniversary!

well. . . i can't believe it's our anniversary. ok, so it's really sunday, but we're going back to b'ham in the morning so i wanted to post this now.

we've been married 12 years now. it sounds so foreign to my ears to hear those words. . . . 12 years. . . because it seems like a few minutes ago i heard brother huey ask me if i took this man as my husband and all that.

we were SUCH babies. . . . 22 years old. . . that's so hard to believe, too! so few people seem to get married that young anymore. there seems to be more of a focus on establishing oneself in a career. . . . and with today's economy, who can blame them??

it was a BEAUTIFUL day in may. . .. with perfect weather. . . i had waited NINE long months during our engagement to become the wife of this wonderful man i now call husband. everything was as perfect as it could be. . . except that AWFUL cellist. (HINT: just because someone is a professor of some type of music doesn't mean he/she is gifted on EVERY instrument, okay?)

the ceremony was sweet and meaningful and the reception was a blur, as i was probably the very last person to do a formal receiving line. (mom wanted me to greet ALL the guests)

we left in a really cool old convertible mustang w/our own driver. . . . a gift from the owners of the car.

then, when we were driving to jackson to stay overnight before departing on our honeymoon, some friends (mainly kevin's) hung a VERY dirty sign the size of a KINGSIZE bedsheet over an overpass with tons of lights shining up on it. i'm embarrassed to say that it's upstairs in our attic right now. . . . as my husband refuses to part w/it.

we had a dreamy, wonderful honeymoon and then returned to newly-wedded life in our small one-bedroom apartment. that's what happens when you marry early, friends. HAHA! no home for us for quite a while. but it was so GREAT!

fast forward 12 years later, and i'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. i told kevin once that most people don't ever have what we have (as in our relationship). i'm so glad God chose us for each other.

happy anniversary, sweetie. i love you!

just some rambling thoughts. . .

i am SO sleepy that it's RIDICULOUS!!!! i don't drink coffee in the morning but i am addicted to diet dr. pepper. naturally, i accidentally bought the CAFFINE=FREE kind and it is NOT working for me. so i guess i'm either gonna go back to the store or just stumble thru this day w/my eyes glazed over.

you know how things break on you at the most inopportune time? like when you know your paycheck is gonna be short?? yeah. . . well. . . our 11-year-old fridge decided to pass on to greener pastures this past weekend. so now i'm looking at a brand spanking new stainless steel one in my kitchen. . . . and i'm trying my best to get excited about it being there. at least it matching our other appliances now, right?

so there's like one more week of school left. i can't believe it. where did kindergarten go???? i'm not ready for first grade!!! haha! and i'm not even the one going.

we go to b'ham next week for kaden's checkup. thank you for praying for his psoriasis to clear up. he looks really good right now. i just pray it continues!!

would someone like to come mow my yard? haha!!

WHEW-WEEE. . . . .

we've been busy around here!!! and i luuuuuvvv it, too! probably b/c several projects that i've been looking forward to are finally coming together. don't you just love it when that happens?

we've extended our fence. . . . and yes, i helped too! i got to tear down the old one w/a big ole hammer. at first i was a little unsure, but then i got all into it and it was a GREAT way to release frustration. . . except i had to watch out for all the wasps. i hate wasps. i wonder what God made them for? anyhoo, i digress. . .

i've planted lots of pretty flowers in my pots. . . . petunias are my fave right now. . . and so the watering begins. that's the thing about planting. you have to commit to watering, too, you know? sometimes i forget and then the plants/flowers look all pitiful-like at me when i go outside to get in the car.

what else??? well. . . a little spring cleaning and hmmmm. . . . oh yeah. . . now we're gonna make a little storage area (sectioned off) in the backyard so i don't have to look at the LOVELY GREEN RIDING LAWN MOWER on my PATIO all the time. i can't wait. TRULY!!

and i forgot to mention the antique walk-thru gate we built into the privacy fence. we got it from kevin's parents and it is too CUTE! LUV IT!!

in other news. . . the root canal is FINALLY finished (3 visits) and is now on a payment plan. heehee! i can certainly think of alot of other ways i'd like to spend $1000 out of my pocket, can't you???

i'm hoping/praying/trusting/believing that the snake is out of the wall of our garage now. . . PLEASE, GOD!?! haven't seen him, so i'm gonna take that as a good sign. also, kudos to my brave friends that i learned weren't really afraid of snakes. i wish i could say the same :O)

we'll be taking kaden back to the pedi dermatologist in b/ham in a couple of weeks. please pray that he will greatly improve before then and that we will not have to change to any more new meds. thanks so very, very much for that.

God bless and keep you!!

i hate snakes. . .

yes. i REALLY do hate snakes. what woman doesn't right? matter of fact, if you are a female reading this who doesn't hate snakes then please leave a comment here for the other 2 people who read this to see.

we have had several snake sightings since we moved here about 6 months ago. just this past week, we have had a poisonous snake in the flower bed. . . . which kevin just happened to ALMOST pick up as he was moving an extension cord AND now. . . . THERE IS A SNAKE IN THE WALL OF MY GARAGE. let me say that again in case you didn't quite hear me. . . A SNAKE IS IN THE WALL OF OUR GARAGE!!!

seems while i was blissfully sleeping during a wonderful sunday afternoon nap, my husband was in the garage doing whatever he does there. kaden was with him, too. i hear that kaden saw the snake and kevin tried to get to it, while the wily creature slithered behind the freezer and into the wall somehow. yes. . . . i'm trying not to FREAK OUT!!!!!!!!!

what is going on in my brain. . . spring break??

yep. it's that time again. time for my mind to take a little siesta all its own. apparantly its already started because yesterday i went to the mall to do a little easter shopping. somehow i came home minus one gap bag. . . . and no. . . they can't find it at the mall. suprise, suprise! then, today i put my wallet on the hood of my car while loading wild-as-a-buck lolabelle and her very similar, although not-truly-related brother, russ, into the car. seems i forgot to get said wallet off of hood, and i realized this when it splatted onto the pavement of the very busy street in front of my 'hood. receipts and cards flew EVERYWHERE! yes, it's VERY windy today. . . . naturally. so i wheel over and instruct russ and lola not to move an inch while i run down the busy street dodging cars and chasing receipts. i'm also trying to avoid three very not-so-happy-looking dogs who won't stop barking at me. so, i seem to find most of the stuff. . . . except for one thing. . . MY DEBIT CARD!!!!!!!!!! and last of all. . . i just noticed (while i was at lunch w/kevin) that i had my shirt on inside out. so. . . i think my mind is on spring break. . . permanantly!

some new stuff. . . .

here are a few pictures of the crosses i started making. i wanted to do something with all the extra wood pieces from our frames. . . . so here they are. hope you like them. also, my new website is up. . . . click on the VERY CUTE logo button designed by jenny. thanks, girl!!!

just some stuff. . . .

i know it's been a while, so this will probably just be a big ole mess of rambling nonsense for anyone who stops by to read, but here goes:

hhhmmmmm. . . . what to say, where to start? well, i'm sooooo ready for some warm weather that will actually STAY with us (minus the tornadoes, of course) that i can't stand it. my backyard is a mosh-pit (yes, we have a slight drainage problem, you could say) and the boys are ready to play in the sand box without it being a mud-hole. lolabelle is a HOT-mess anytime she comes back from a potty break, which means i have to bathe her waaaayyyy too often for my taste. yeah, she get's thrown in the shower w/me sometimes. (i can't believe i'm actually putting that out there for yall to read, but it's the truth. . . . and the truth will set you free, right?)i told her the other night i was tired of us meeting up like that. seems like the shower is sometimes the only place i can find peace and quiet.

what else? ummmmm. . . we're super busy making frames for two shows this weekend. both are in madison. . . . one at the cultural center on main street and the other at highland pres over on highland colony. come out and see me. . . .they'll have lots of cute stuff at both shows!!! I'll have new types of frames and CROSSES, too!!! can't wait to see how they turn out. perhaps i should be working on them now??? yeah, i thought so too!

my sweet boy, kaden, walked down sunday morning at church (w/us) to let everyone know he asked Jesus into his heart. it was a WONDERFUL moment and i was choking back tears. i believe he will be baptized on easter sunday. isn't that cool? hope some grandparents can make it. Kaden is so EXCITED and wants to talk about Jesus all the time. he has so many questions that i don't feel qualified to answer, but i do my best. i was telling my friend, kelly, last night, that kaden is an inspiration to me. I need to be more like that. . . . . asking questions about God and wanting to learn more about Him. I need to have more of kaden's excitement. it's so awesome to see. . .

let's see. . . . russ-man is doing well. he's actually done a little better about going to school the past two weeks. no falling out, limp noodle, drag me in kinda stuff. . . . so that's been nice. he is so precious and has me wrapped around his chubby little almost-4 year-old finger.

so many of my friends have new babies or are pregnant and it's fun to watch, but bittersweet. really.

got alotta projects going on here at the house besides frames. we're extending our fence on the back to make more play area for the boys. i'm painting their old beat-up table and i'm gonna do a fun drawing of the solar system on it. (hopefully). funny. . . . i had to put FOUR coats of paint on it and i chose black, naturally, for the background. i asked kaden what he thougth. after thinking it over, he said, "well, momma, you know i don't really like black. do you think you could make it another color?" i was like, WHHHHAAATTTTT????? funny little guy.

kevin is sooo busy at work. glad he has a job when so many don't right now.

we're revamping my plain jane frames website. notice the little button over on teh upper right corner??? maybe i can see if kevin can make it where you can grab it for your own page if you wanna. i know, i know. . . . .shameless self-promotion. hahaha!

that's all for now. i'm gonna try to post more often once i get these frames finished up. God bless you!!!

the most important decision. . .

my precious little guy made the most important decision of his young life last night. he asked Jesus into his little heart. i'll never forget it. and i'm so glad God allowed me to be there when he did. kaden had been asking for some time to make this decision and i had subtly put him off. . . . he just turned 6. . . . and i just wanted to feel confident that he truly had an understanding of his need for Jesus. well, that sweet boy kept on asking when he could ask Jesus into his heart. . . . and i knew that i couldn't continue to put him off if that was truly the desire of his heart. so. . . . i called his daddy into the room and we talked for a while. . . . about what sin is and why Jesus went to the cross for us. then, we all held hands as kevin led kaden in a simple prayer. it was a powerful moment. Kaden was so excited that i thought he would NEVER go to sleep last night. this morning, he was so excited about telling his sunday school teachers and his friends at church. they were delighted!! so funny, though. . . . he told me he doesn't "wanna take a bath at church"! PRICELESS!!!!! thank you, JESUS!!!

i've claimed the verse Jer. 29:11 for kaden and i'm so blessed to see God working in Kaden's life at such a young age.

meet your new president. . . . .

i normally don't use my blog to rant and rave over politics, or many other things for that matter, and i realize that i'm probably the last person in the world to see or hear about this (i've been hiding under my rock lately, it seems). however, i REALLY was shocked to find a picture similar to this one of OUR president in people magazine while i was at the dentist yesterday. in that picture, though, there was only a close-up of the prez. only this morning did i google the topic and find that he was sitting next to a young boy.

now, i don't have an issue with the man drinking a beer. he can do that whenever he wants, in my opinion. i do, HOWEVER, have an issue with him having a beer courtside at an NBA basketball game for the entire WORLD to see. if he wants to have a drink, he needs to do it away from the cameras. . . . INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE, for example.

why do i feel this way? well, first of all, i can NEVER remember another president so casually photographed drinking, caring less of the ramifications he surely knows will be set into motion because of it. also, he's seated right next to a child. . . . THE PRESIDENT, that is!!! did you hear the word.. . president? that word, when associated with our united states, should invoke images of a man who deserves the UTMOST of respect. . . posessing dignity, restaint, and self-control. am i making too big a deal of this? many would say so, but i disagree. the office he holds is held to very high standards. . . . . or should be. our president should be a NOBLE example to all people (not to mention GODLY, but that's an entire different post. notice, i'm not trying to thump him over the head with my Bible here, although maybe that would be good for him). he should be an example of clear-headedness and good intent. what thought crossed his mind BEFORE he decided to sit in front of the entire world. . . .BESIDE a CHILD, no less. . . . . and casually drink a beer???

some of the opinions i read online were very good. many supporting him for being "awesome" and others outraged that he goes out and throws back a beer while people are losing their homes, entire savings, and their lives overseas fighting for our country. i, for one, and VERY disappointed. this is the first president kaden will ever remember. what kind of precedent is he setting for the remainder of his 4-to-8 year term??