Nine Loves

9.  My God-  you have no idea, oh so much

8. My men- all three of them (Jake, Peyton, TJ)


7. My Family of Origin- marriage counseling term; Mama, Daddy, Nana, Dad (Meme, Big Daddy)

6. My In-Laws- Jeanie, Georg(Grandmommy, Papaw)

5. My Friends- I will not name you all, I won't even begin to try (which is a praise item I might add)

4. My Local Church Family- Fairhaven Baptist Church; Jake,the boys, and I are a long way from 'home', but they have loved on us and been a huge blessing

3. My Bible Study Girls- Jessica, Katie, Sarah, Leslie, and Julie

2. My University- Mississippi State University, I will attach the alma mater 

In the heart of Mississippi,
Made by none but God's own hands,
Stately in her nat'ral splendor
Our Alma Mater proudly stands;
Mississippi State we love you,
Fondest mem'ries cling to thee,
Life shall bear thy spirit ever,
Loyal friends we'll always be.

Maroon and White! Maroon and White!
Of thee with joy we sing;
Thy colors bright our souls delight,
With praise our voices ring.

1. Our Love Story- you've heard the story, right? No? Pull up a chair sometime...

I Didn't Cry, You Should Be Proud! ( Wednesday)

I have a headache.  Which reason should I blame? Trial torric lens? Two and a half hour drive? HORRIBLE experience at dentist?

I took Peyton and TJ with me to Tuscaloosa so that Peyton could have his teeth rebonded.  Peyton walked into the waiting room and sat down to watch TV.  TJ took one look and started running circles.  Frustration 1.   The receptionist says, "His appointment isn't until 11 on August 8th!"  Other desk lady:  "No, I talked with her yesterday" Frustration 2.  While trying to capture on-the-lose TJ, Peyton looks me in the eye, laughs, and takes off at top speed across the large waiting room.   Frustration 3.  Self realization time "God is still in control" Frustration 4.  50 minutes later I told the other desk lady to call my cell WHEN they got ready for us.  Sidenote: We were told to be there at 8 and my hot messes had been terrorizing the waiting area.


But I digress.


So what is your bet for headache cause?  I'm going with lack of quiet, Mommy alone time.

What would be your remedy?

Love you Kayla

10.  I really like to kill certain bugs.  Roaches: I enjoy the 'exoskeleton crunch' when I step on a black bug.  I believe this started one Friday evening 17 or so years ago.   I was in Kayla's mom's kitchen when Kayla freaked out about a large roach on the couch.  She was having a panic attack!   Grabbing a paper towel, I came to the rescue by squashing the thing with my hand and towel (we were barefoot.)  Ants: no mystery here!  When I was bitten by ants in my own backyard growing up, the site would swell out to nickel size.  Very unpleasant!  I though water drowned ants until I went to college (henceforth I killed them by flooding where ever they were.)  Freshman year college, the ants came out of the carpet in Critz Hall.  I literally cried when I called the housing department to report.  Moving on to the trailer, I tried to drowned the ants in my sink.  Boy was I surprised when they weren't deterred!  Since then, I use OTC ant spray.   Imagine: a long line of hard-working ants speeding along the bricks of my house.  Then Whitney weilding a can of poison, moves in to slowly (methodlically) spray every last ant until it stops moving.

9.   I'm a nerd.  No, for real.  I like to learn; I'm a knowledge junkie.  Our netflix is full of National Geographic/History Channel / other nerdy stuff. 

8.  I have a weird thing on my back.  Skin growth, it itches.   I mean, Mommy says it is nothing to worry about.  Ugh

7.   I have a problem with chocolate.  Desperately, I don't want to pass this on to my children, but I NEED sweets, chocolate sweets, all the time. 

6.  I want to visit the Lewis and Clark Expedition.  Fascinating.  Now, understand that I will be doing NO outdoor, tent camping.  But wouldn't that just be fun?!

5.  I don't paint my fingernails.  Why would I?  I might do a french manicure, but my natural nails already have the pink/white look.  Plus, extended use of color would yellow the nail beds. 

4.  I love my husband more everyday.  We have been through a bunch together.  We'll go through a bunch more, I'm sure.  And here is the thing- we both have a choice, daily.  Love isn't an emotion, it's a choice.  Not always fun, but necessary if we are going to survive, and we will.

3. I think I hate Facebook.   I am considering deleting my account.  Too much drama!

2. Normal doesn't come close to describing my mind.  That is a secret, I hope.  I can think in a thousand different directions-like how I would like to sew curtains for our living area, Men in Black is a good movie, why don't my children play outside, I need to empty the vaccum.  That sort. 

1.  Though I am not a great housekeeper, I am a perfectionist at it.  What?  I want my baseboards wiped clean, everyday.  But I spend so much time mopping up orange juice (full containers) that I hardly have the time.  If I could have a robot to clean for me- she'd have her work cut out.  The cutlery drawer needs organizing.  I want it done perfectly; Martha perfectly.  I don't like to turn over the couch on a daily  basis (so as to sweep/vaccum under it,) but my floors aren't truly cleaned unless the couch-crumbs are removed.  Perhaps this secret would be better titled I have a Martha Stewart complex.

When life gives you dish soap, mop the floor

 Just mop the floor, the soap has been poured for you. 

I have given up on my plan to sleep until 8 this summer.  Yesterday TJ woke up at 5, today he woke at 6:15.   I said a thank you to God for my full quiver! 

I also thanked Him for the big rain storm.  I just love a darkish gray sky, sunshine, and rain all together. 

Seems the sentences have started out in a boring way, all with the word 'I'.  This post was supposed to focus on God's goodness!  

The first and second chapters of Luke were our Bible reading this morning. Hence Peyton's breakfast prayer: Thank you God for Jesus, and this muffin.  OK, the muffin part wasn't from the Scriptures.  God has blessed this house richly - love and smiles. 

he's smiling on the inside

Tuesday

Peyton lost the bond that was on his teeth at breakfast this morning; we'll go back to Tuscaloosa tomorrow.

TJ refuses to take more than a hour and one half nap!  This is very frustrating.  I have nothing else to say.

What a Day

 I am not sure I will be able to fully explain today.  My boys have lost most of their toys for the living room.  Therefore, I was beyond happy I found my babies reading.

After our reading circle, I called my friend Sarah to discuss Meridian's Tuesday Morning.  Tuesday Morning's always has a nice selection of chilren's books; I am thinking about enlarging the kids' book collection.  We didn't talk for long, but long enough for this to happen: 

TJ was eating butter, what he could lift off his body

In case you're wondering: two boys, covered in butter, plopped into a lukewarm bath, smell horrible.  YUCK


Then Peyton and I rushed to Tuscaloosa.  He 'busted' his teeth on the couch last night while jumping on it, which he KNOWS better than to do, especially now.  One of his bottom teeth was knocked lose.  His first visit to the dentist was to get his front teeth bonded together.  Meanwhile, TJ visited our friends the Jackson's.  Carrie Jackson captured a few pictures of him and posted to facebook. 

So Proud of Himself

What are we going to do with our boys? 

TJ jumped ship

my best effort

Peyton, Saturday, patio: Daddy lit the charcoal so we could grill a pork loin.  We discussed how we barely had enough charcoal and how the lighter was on its last light.  After the fire was going, I went inside to start on our side dishes (green beans and carrots.) Daddy followed me shortly thereafter with TJ (who is majorly fussy with his ear infecfion.)  Half a minute later, Peyton ran inside tell us he put the fire out.  It might help you understand that they are both obsessed with Fireman Sam, a lovely british export show about a fire station.  Peyton had used the firehose to put out the charcoal fire.  Might be time to discuss good fire vs. bad fire?  So we defrosted chicken breast and grilled them on the Foreman (tenderloin was lunch today since it took a longer time to 'smoke'.) 

P.S. The "barbuh" was delicious today for lunch!

It's AWESOME!

Those two little boys were entranced (we're seeing a backhoe smashing up concrete)

Faith Stones

Ok, last week I mentioned we should remember what God has already done for us.  One method of doing so is to put up faith stones, or alters (eek, that word connotates candles and a creepy picture collection.) 

Jacob had a habit of setting up alters in places that he truly felt God's presence; e.g. Bethel (pillar anointed after his vision of the ladder Gen 28:18,  Gen 33:20 Jacob built the alter at El Elohe Israel).  It is in this tradition, I like to set up faith stones (not literally rocks people!)  Just big markers in my mind for rememberance. 

This is a (partial) list of places where I have truly felt in His presence:

• Peyton's first hospital visit after seizure
• the time when our back door broke, like would not close
• TJ's birth (cord wrapped around his neck, I was on oxygen)
• Bible confernce with Dr. Smith, studying Colossians

What are some of your 'stones'?  If you are not able to comment (thanks Blogger) just Facebook me or whitneykey83@gmail.com 

Playdate

Sarah Snowden invited us over to play and have lunch today.  I tried my best to capture everyone- except Jesscia, who said I didn't need her picture.

TJ

Logan

Autumn (and TJ)

Baby Ethan and Sarah

Peyton

Mackenlee

Papered House

My first clue that something was amiss

Beautifully rolled rug

Peyton wanted to be pictured with his work

Wash the Toys

I signed up at Productive Parenting the other day.  Everyday I receive two e-mails from Productive Parenting.  One with an activity for Peyton and one with and activity for TJ.  So one day this weekend, I received an activity about washing toys.  So I thought it was a wonderful idea. 

The activity was actually FOR TJ, but where there is soap and water...

Peyton is sure to follow!  Notice how he is nicely squeezing the water back into the bucket.

Our pile of washed toys

Washing his 4-wheeler!

I'm done with pictures, Mom!



http://www.productiveparenting.com/default.aspx

Hair and Makeup Weekend

Katie (NOT impressed with the amount of makeup I put on her)

I told her to wait an hour, it takes that long for makeup to settle in

This weekend Jake and Peyton went to Mississippi.  TJ and I were staying here, so we invited Katie to stay with us.  I had been wanting to have a makeup and hair day for a while- so I made Katie my victim.

This Sunday, I believe, was National Ice Cream Day.  I had already polished off my two little cartons; Katie finished up her Ben and Jerry's.  We did a whole bunch of nothing.  Nice

Duchess

I admit.  I'm a Kate Middleton watcher.  The Duchess of Cambridge, that's my girl!  She is my new style icon.  And this outfit is my new favorite!   But her shoes always disappoint.  She has to wear tights and closed toed shoes, the poor dear.  It's a palace rule. 

I'd also wear this lovely green number, but unsure if it would flatter my figure.  Wonder what color pumps she wore here?

WAIT, HOLD THE PRESSES! I just found a picture with open-toed soes!

Is it supposed to be a daytime only rule? confused

Play Date

Guess who took these pictures?

camera was below the counter level

I just had to stop his fun

  Peyton took the pictures.

  Anyway, we had a play date this morning with some of our dearest friends.  Lara had the idea to paint paper bags for our local Sav-a-Life.  So that is what I captured.

Faces: Abby, Anna, Shelby

Shelby, Milly

Milly, Ethan, Emory

TJ

TJ, Peyton

Lauren Pezent (Ethan, Emory, Anna)

Lara Leys (Abby, Shelby, Milly)

you know me right?

cheesy poofs and raisins for snack

our AC unit and TJ

Perspective: Keep the Right Focus

Wednesday night bible study is always good.  Tonight I finally found (er, was given) a new verse for the blog.  Our congregation has been studying Phillipians for quite a while.  May I preach at you? Thanks!


Phillipians 4:4-7

 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
⁵ Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

When Paul wrote these words, he was most likely chained to a Roman soldier.  Yet, he did, and we are, to rejoice always.  I don't know about y'all, but I rarely rejoice.  Shame on me.  I rather prefer to focus on my hardships.  Poor pitiful me.  Nuh-uh, not Paul.  Or David (think King David.)  He, David, was often depressed and hard pressed (Psalms.) Bro. Allen shared David's keys to success and I'll share them with y'all. 
      1) Remember who God is (creator, I AM that I AM)
      2) Remember what God has done for you in the past (look back at your 'faith stones')
      3) Remember God's promises when you trust (think conditional promises)

Phillipians 4:8-9

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. ⁹ The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

And Paul was a dude you could follow.  Of course, I would rather you follow Christ; He's the standard.  Now, let's talk specifics! True, noble, just, pure, lovely, good report, virtue, praiseworthy: that's the Bible.   So when others are 'clearing their mind to let the energy flow' you just meditate on the word of God.  Sidenote: I'm a woman, you might be too.  I can never REALLY clear my mind anyway, please don't suggest it.  

SO that was what I was thinking during Bible study.  Also, look back at verse 5.  What do people think of when they think of you? I don't want you to think Bulldog, though I love 'em.  I want you to think "man, she loves Jesus", is that bordering on pride?  Ok well, that is all for today. 

No Title (but more stunts)

Happy baby

Peyton's feet, TJ's shoes

Peyton modeling his new outfit

TJ in his new shorts

Both, Monday, kitchen: Jake and I had prepared an awesome dinner for the kids and ourselves (BBQ chicken, creamed corn, beans, and cornbread.)  After dinner, Jake had gone outside to take the garbage to the garbage to the road while I vaccumed Peyton's room.  Much to my surprise, Peyton came to find me with a slice of cornbread in his mouth (1/3) the entire pone.  He laughed, handed it to me, and I started toward the kitchen to put the piece in the trash.  What I didn't know was that TJ had the other HALF of the cornbread in his mouth and was about to head my way.  Oh mercy!

Peyton, same night: I was tucking him into bed.  He asked me if I was going to bed (later was my reply.)  He looked me dead in the eyes and said (no, you need to go now.) HA

Both, Tuesday, backdoor; TJ filled cups with sand/water, Peyton dumped them over baby's head.  Picture is above.

TJ, Tuesday, couch: TJ was standing on the couch (a no-no)  and bending at the waist to look through his legs at me.  (think head stand) He straightened up, with his back not against the couch, and fell off! TJ jumped up to run to me for comforting, but I told him that he shouldn't have been standing on the couch.   He quickly ran the other way to find his brother.  He was no longer crying either!