updates~

A lot going on and no pics in this post...sorry!! I know a lot of you that are reading from out of town like to get pics and I almost always try, but today just news! Please pray for Johnny's uncle Jim as he is close to passing. He has been very sick and is ready to be with Jesus! Austin was upset tonight because we did not go over to see him and we tried to tell him that Uncle Jim did not want visitors. However he did witness a very special thing this past summer with Austin and I being baptised. He was there and it really made his day to know that Austin had made such a mature decision. We also told Austin that Uncle Jim would be so happy to see Jesus and Grandpa Hendrickson!! So pray with us that he will go peacefully and that the family will be strong for each other. Only 3 more days until Austin's BIG night! He is the "star of the show" Pirates of Penzance that is...Fredric is the role he is playing! This is a huge part and no other underclassman has ever gotten the part! This is really big! People we could really be looking at the next...Brad Pitt!!! (thanks cheryl) Really he is so excited and so are we! I hope to get tons of pics and maybe even figure out how to post a movie clip on here! But either way I will let you know how our "star" does!! Sunday, Allie woke up sick...poor Al! She is just not a good "sickie" She laid on the couch all day, in and out of naps! Monday I sent her to school...great mom, I know...I feel that "mother of the year award" with my name all over it!!!! Got that call from the school around 10:30...

• me~ hello
• school~ um katie this is _________.
• me~ oh hi (shy)...
• school~ Allie is in the office she is saying her head hurts really bad, she has a tummy ache, her throat is scratchy and she can not breathe out of her nose....
• me~ yea um I probably should not have sent her to school today huh...?
• school~ well....?
• me~ uh yea I will be there to get her oh on second thought my sister was on her way here I will just have her pick Allie up.
• school~ ooookaaay....
• me~ thanks
• school~ bye
• me~ bye

I hang up the phone and bang my head against the wall....why did I send her? Well by that night she was feeling better still stuffy but most other symptoms gone! Still not getting that "mother of the year award" huh? Oh well maybe I can make up for it....

So Tuesday night I get Cash to lay down at 7:30....I know great huh?! Ummm well by 8 he was up croupin and gaggin and you name it...so now he has it! Is cold season about over? Really? Is it? Now I have to keep both Allie and Cash as far away from Austin as I can with out just moving them out of the house...hmmm there is a thought....kidding!!! but keep them away from Austin so he is not sick for Saturday! Oh the joys of being a mother!!! To top this off...I just pick the best of times...we are starting to potty~train....

So I watched "Fireproof" with my grandparents when they were in town...great movie!!! Highly recommend it to ALL couples!! I have it if anyone wants to see it let me know!!! Well tonight I bought the book that goes with it "The Love Dare" I am so excited to start it! Johnny was teasing me tonight "are you going to "love dare" me? "Why yes I am, Lovie! Are you up for it?" "Bring it on" he says!!! HA HA!!!! I just love him to pieces!!!!!!

Speaking of him...Lovie that is! He got his call today! He is going back to work on Monday! I am so happy! And so sad! I have really enjoyed having him home...but I think he is ready to go back. Thanks for all the prayers!

Tomorrow is a busy day with Jess and Grandma, so I need to be heading to bed! And I need to re-read chapter 1 in my new "love dare"

nighty, night~~

Thanks Great~Papaw...

While my grandparents were here, my grandpa had brought the kids some wood projects! The kids have been going crazy wanting to do "just one...PLEASE" So tonight we got out the tools and put on our aprons, and worked away!!

Cash wanted to do the Pirate Ship. Allie wanted the trinket box. And Austin wanted to do the ball and bat holder. There were a ton of each and more that we will do later! The projects they choose to do tonight fit them perfectly!

It looks like Cash is crying in this picture, he was actually doing his "cheese" but way to interested in the pirate ship to do his normal "cheese" I worked with him on the project~he did very well! He called the directions his map and so when I needed to see what was next I had to keep asking to see the "pirate ship map" Allie did this trinket box all by herself! She is so proud! And plans to put some of her "jewels" in it!

Austin need very little help with his ball and bat holder. And the only reason he needed any help at all was because he bent a nail. He learned quickly that you do not have to give it your all when pounding in the nails! He did a great job!

So that was fun! Thanks Great~Papaw! We will post another blog when we do another one!

Not much else going on here. It is snowing A.G.A.I.N....enough already!!! The kids were on a 2 hour delay today. The wind was crazy. I am sure that I have had as much winter as I want. Funny I really would be ok with no winter. We had our Martha Moms prayer group today! We all were in need of it! And it was great to see my girls and as always great food! I am looking forward to our next meeting! Oh and Nanny I told the girls about fireproof. Cheryl actually had the love dare book. So I told her I am for sure buying the movie and the book!! I really liked it. I think all the mom's sounded interested in it. So Thanks for bringing it!

Looks as though we have a full weekend. I will try and post again soon!!!!

Our Visit...

Well our visitors have been here and gone...yup just that fast!

Nanny and Papaw arrived here last Wednesday evening from Wilmington safe and sound~

papaw & nanny

We all had a wonderful visit! Ever since I was a little kid I always looked forward to my visits with them. I was talking with Allie before I went to the airport with Dad, to pick them up, that I used to sing "I'm so excited" by the pointer sisters, before I would see family or friends that we had not seen in a long time~ No joke the song came on the radio like 10 minutes later!~ austin & nanny I am sure that we have all put on about 10 pounds this week from all the wonderful food that my Dad cooked for us! We ate like kings!! All homemade, chicken noodle soup, spaghetti, beef brisket, pork tenderloin, chicken Marsala....MMMMMmmm MMMMmmmm good!!! Thanks Dad and Mom for feeding our crew all week!!!!

cash, papaw, allie, nanny & austin

As you can see Allie got her hair all cut off...it looks very cute she was hoping to get it done before our visit and Thanks to Aunt Brandy she did!! Cash was very entertaining with all of his tricks, singing the ABC's, Jesus loves me and let us not forget...STOP!!! Now when he sings it is ok, when he talks it is ok...BUT when you sing or want to talk...he shouts, STOP!!! I should probably not let him do this but he is sooo cute and well ok I know I should not let him do it~ Austin tried out for the play at school and guess what he got a lead part!!! So he entertained us with some lines from his play! The kids really enjoyed their time with Nanny and Papaw too!

allie, nanny, austin, cash & papaw

On Sunday we were so happy to have Nanny and Papaw join us for Church~ I love our Church~ and our Pastor~ and all of our Church family~ It was nice to introduce them to my grandparents! After Church I had everyone over to our house for lunch (nothing compared to what we had been eating) but...good company and tons of laughs!!

cash & his great-papaw

So this morning it was time to take them back to the airport...never something I look forward to! But I guess it had to be done! And poof just like that we are back to eating at home (not always homemade) and wishing the visit could have been longer!

So tonight as I sit and write this blog, tears fill my eyes~but the memories we have made warm my heart! I love you, Nanny and Papaw and look forward to our next visit together!!!

tick tock, PICK?...tick tock, PICK?

Seriously this face like never gets old.....

We are sitting around waiting....on what, you say....We are having visitors from NC....TOMORROW!!!! Nanny and Papaw will be here in 24+ hours! We are so excited to have them here! I am sure that they will not get tired of this face either!!!! And while we are watching the clock for them to arrive.... we will just sit around and...

ummm pick our nose?!

Our weekend...

We have had an eventful weekend! After Johnny get home on Friday he and the boys and I went in to have dinner for his B~day! BW3's!! Allie spent the night with her friend! I felt like a princess with 3 boys! Saturday was spent doing not a thing! It was very cold and so we stayed inside and took naps and played games! I did finish the Eclipse...Oh it was a tear jerker at the end! I will for sure be going to the book store this week to get the last book! I am sure that Cheryl and I will be off to the movies to see the movie!!!

This morning we had some warm weather so Auntie took Cash for us and the big kids, Johnny and I went up to snow trails to tube!!! OH MY that is a fun time! Kinda pricey but a fun time for sure! No pictures, sorry! But just picture it in your head...going down BIG hills with BIG smiles and lots of screaming!!!! Oh and the best part you do not have to walk back up...oh no you just step on this magic carpet and up ya go!!! The down side to that is...I still have to work out today!!!

But before I do that

Because of this.....

I have to do this.......

Yes people that is a PILE of receipts!!! We have 2 yrs to turn them in! Can you believe it will have been 2 yrs in April!? Well it has been! If I was smart I would have done this before now...You know I just have no desire to do it! But it must be done! Wish me luck!