Garden

It is that time again... Steve loves to garden, this year he has 2 gardens growing at the same time. The biggest one is the potatoes. I mean potatoes, potatoes, potatoes... we have tons of rows of POTATOES. We are blessed to have the land to plant a garden and share the food, now if I can only learn how to can the food.

baby, baby, baby, getting ready for baby.... fun times

I love shopping... and now we have 2 boys to shop for... i'm so excited to put them in a couple cute matching outfits. I didn't go crazy just got a few cute matching ones AND I got them for a DEAL. Childrens Place was having a sale so I found some stuff that both boys could wear. Oh my goodness I will have 2 boys... i'm getting SO EXCITED... can you feel my excitment!!! I think it is just now starting to hit me. And even then.. wow i'm having a baby. yikes!
O.k. so I know the baby doesn't sleep in the crib for the first little while, usually sleeps in mommy and daddy's room but really there is just something about having the crib up. SOOO Steve the best dad and husband humored me and put it up BEFORE the baby came. THANKS HONEY!!! We are so excited and I can start to finish the room only a few more little details.

Going back in time..... I came across some old pics

Oh my goodness... thank heaven for contacts... check out those glasses. Good thing we get married in our 20's and 30's when we have matured...boy I would still be single otherwise. ha ha ha

Alicia's siblings 1991... whatcha think Emily!!

This is all of us now!

Steve and ALicia when we were first dating.... Ahhhh there my waist is... hummm to be skinny again.

Steve and Alicia went to Helen GA for spring break with a bunch of friends. This was the week that made it all "official" and we started dating. Doesn't Steve look SOOO happy taking this silly picture... NOT! What a good sport.

Spring Break..... Steve and ALicia kissed for the first time in a Karoke Bar. Aren't we just the wild ones, silly us. This picture was taken in downtown Atlanta.

Ahhh my long curly hair! This is the property Steve and Alicia live on now. We built our house right were i'm standing. It has been 6 yrs... wow! I sure look different.

Our announcement pic

It was fun seeing the changes over the years and remembering all the fun times.

Some Easter Fun

Easter morning Hunter woke up to a basket full of goodies outside his door from the Easter bunny. He played with all of his toys and ate just about ALL his candy before church. A couple of weeks before Easter our church put on a Easter egg hunt and other booths that hunter had fun at. Hunter isn't a fast egg finder he finds one and checks it out each time... as you can imagine he doesn't get many eggs but it is still a fun time for him. Later on after church and being uplifted about our Redeemer we went and had a fabulous breakfast spread at the Lowrys home. Thanks guys it was great. It was the end to a perfect Easter Sunday. Millie decorating Easter egg cookies... she just needed to test the icing first. :) Hunter had his best buddies Joseph and Millie over for a play date and they got to decorate Easter cookies. They had fun with all the different colors. The public library was having a Easter Hop for the kids. They read books to them, they got to watch a movie that had bunnies in it and then they did the bunny hop and made a Easter bunny puppet. Our Friends Regi and Reese met us there and we had a fun time.

What a beautiful video, My heart is full.

Really Really Really LISTEN to the words. Wow words just cannot describe the fullness in my heart. I hope you have been as touched by this video and song as I was. I'm excited for Easter Sunday to celebrate my brother and Savior Jesus Christ.

Easter Humor

Our newest neice... Perian Noel.. Congrats Randy and Ashlea!!

Mommy and Baby Perian

Perian with Daddy and her Uncles Steve and Mike

Family Picture.... great job Ashlea.. you are a super woman and amazing mom. Congrats you two, we love you!

Aunt Alicia with Perian..... I just LOVED snuggling up with her. She was such a great baby. We didn't hear a peep out of her the whole time we visited. It was so precious to just hold her in our arms. She was so adorable and it made me get even more excited for our little guy to come soon.

Grace, Gavin and Hunter had a fun time playing together.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

EASY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1/2 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg
2 c. Bisquick
1/2 c. nuts, chopped
1 (6 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix butter, sugar and egg together. Stir in Bisquick, nuts and chocolate chips. Drop 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 minutes.

O.k. ladies!!!!! I was craving some cookies (AND Lauren Towers was not in town...... so I couldn't have her homemade awesome to dye for chocolate chip cookies) SOOOO I went on line and found the "easiest and yummy" chocolate chip cookie receipt. I also added oatmeal to some of them. I hope you enjoy them.....i'm all about easy and fast and Hunter helped me.... hummm good.

A Childs Prayer

I just love this song... It is so precious and sweet. My heart is softened and my eyes are filled with tears when I hear it. I have come to realize that no matter what age you are... you are still a "child" of our Heavenly Father. Seeking, learning, needing comfort and strength. In the first line it ask Heavenly Father are you really there? Do you hear and answer every childs prayer? I often find myself asking that question alot... are you really there? Finding that answer and peace to questions is hard for me.... so this song gives me a reassurance that my Heavenly Father does love me and hears me, my heart is full. I'm greatful for the opportunity and path our savior gave us thru the atonement to come closer to him and our Father in Heaven. What a great blessing this gospel is in our lives. I sure desire to say "Father, in prayer i'm coming now to thee". I'm greatful for this Easter season to feel and learn more about my savior and my Heavenly Father.

A childs prayer lyrics

Heavenly Father, are you really there? And do you hear and answer ev'ry child's prayer? Some say that heaven is far away. , but I feel it close around me as I pray. Heavenly Father, I remember now. Something that Jesus told disciples long ago: "Suffer the children to come to me." Father, in prayer I'm coming now to thee.

Pray, he is there; Speak, he is list'ning. You are his child; His love now surrounds you. He hears your prayer; He loves the children. Of such is the kingdom, the kingdom of heav'n.

I just couldn't stay away......

I have missed my blogging "therapy" I really think it makes me feel better to see my happy accomplishments and fun times with my family and friends. O.k. and yes vent about my crazy days also.... So i'm back and I have some fun accomplishments and good times to blog about. I love all of you and have enjoyed your blogs, thoughts, comments but most of all your support, what an amazing support group you all give me and great inspiration. I'm sending big Hugs....

Some fun things I have been up to.....

My sweet hubby gave me a "mommy weekend away"... I went to my sisters Emily home in Ft. Myers. It is a 31/2 hour drive and yea know I was bored silly driving down for like the first hour... I wasn't use to just DRIVING... not having to change a dvd, get fruit snacks, sippy cups or pick up a shoe. By the 2 hour I had called friends, and then finally I found a great radio station to just turn up and cruise with the windows down. Oh yea I could relax and just drive ALL BY MYSELF! I loved it!
Some fun things we did where go to a spa and get Manicures and pedicures for Emily.. I got a free chair massage...then we went to dinner. We had a girls night and played bonco, then went to P.F. Changs for dessert with our friend Abby. Saturday night we just hung out with some friends and watched the premier of "the locator" Emily is in the show.. oh yea I have a actress sister... :) Anyways it was nice to go and do what ever we wanted no need to be home for a babysitter. Her hubby and daughter were gone and I was free as a bird. Later we went to Khols and got some great deals. It was a fun weekend.. Thanks Steve and Emily for a nice get away.

Emily and Alicia ( 1 week away due dates- both having BOY'S)














Sisters enjoying the beautiful spring weather...and loving some fun tunes in the car. Just the girls!














Abby, Emily, and Alicia - Out for dessert, Friday night.















Relaxing and being spoiled. They even gave us chocolate covered strawberries. These chairs were SOOO comfortable... I could have fallen asleep.

I love to scrapbook and one of my goals was to complete my families 2008 book (before the baby come). I finally did it... take a peak... I love it! It was so much fun and what great memories our family has. So many of you have touched our lives and you will see your sweet pictures in our special family book.http://www.heritagemakers.com/?event=projectBrowse&projectId=e8f164d5-e8ad-4b43-840f-9d7a93e65310&productId=5&projectSponsor=225427

Some other accomplishments, I'm so excited about where... I finished 2 books....... really that is HUGE for me. I usually start books and don't finish them.

I enjoyed "the five people you meet in heaven" because you could see how this man touched others lives and he didn't even know it. Of course one of the people he met in heaven was his wife.... but really it made me think - who's life have I touched and when I go to heaven who would be my 5 people that I affected there life and might not have even known it. Takes me back to the song.... "have I done any good" I really love that song.






And this book is just plan great... funny and well worth reading. It helps me to realize i'm a normal mom. Really it is a great book.. I would recommend it to anyone.

On Sunday as I was driving home and listening to some christian music I just had time to ponder and be recharged as a daughter of God. I came back with a better attitude and desire to do more to know my Heavenly Father. I also was spiritually uplifted with a great talk by John Bytheway.... Funny, yet gives you a certain understanding... ( I don't do well with hard to understand talks, they have to be on my level easy to hear, this was great for me to understand and feel the spirit) It was good easy listening and I want to go back and read the scriptures again and see how I can apply them in my life.
This is what the cd talks about:

Got problems? Been through a personal struggle? Difficulties in your family? Or just experiencing the ups and downs of daily life? Well, as you've probably heard before, this life is a test--a never-ending series of trials, temptations, and sometimes even tragedies. What do you do when the mists of darkness make it difficult to see? You can ask, "Why me? Why this? Why now?" Or you can cling to the rod of iron--the only way through the mists of darkness and towards the tree of life. Using powerful scriptures and quotations from Church leaders, John Bytheway talks about finding perspective, hope, and happiness, whether your trials are personal hardships or national tragedies. He shows how when the going gets tough, the tough turn to their scriptures!

And my final goal has been... to wash the baby clothes.... well that goal is still in the works. I have done 1 load and still need to fold the others, some got hung up and others put away in the drawers....... Oh my gosh this is really happening... I"M HAVING A BABY!!!!
Wow I can't belive that Hunter was that tiny. It is just crazy to see and what sweet memories it brings back to see all these sweet cute clothes.

Daddy's out of town.. oh what to do... HAVE SOME FUN!!!

What to do for 2 days while daddy is away.... humm what to do...

- FRIDAY -

So Keri emailed me and some of the girls where going to the beach to celebrate little Savannah's birthday. All the kids had a blast and the moms loved chatting and relaxing I mean chasing the kids around. It was the perfect day to go to the beach. Who knew that Hunter's kite would be a hit with all the kids. Hunter and mommy built sandcastles, played trucks, Hunter even tried his boogie board... It really was a fun day.. thanks Keri for the idea and invite!


The moms!
Lacy playing racketball with the boys!


Joseph was loving the easter egg candy....
Hunter, Joseph and Reese had fun popping the water balloons that Keri brought. What a great idea!!




Having a ton of fun with the balloons.
Building sand castles....
It wasn't easy bending over... I can't belive I was in a bathing suit at 7 months prego... close your eyes it is a scary site. :)

Kite flying with Hunter and Addi.




Our little surfer...











- SATURDAY -

Saturday morning Hunter and Alicia got up and went to a horse farm that took care of "retired" horses. It was pretty neat to see all the horses... the admission was 2 carrots. They are located in a town called Alachua. We stayed and saw some friends while we were there. It gave us something fun to do in the morning and afterwards we went to publix... Hunter loves sprinkle cookies. The rest of the day was spent playing outside and taking a nap.... gotta love Saturdays!

- SUNDAY -

Yeah daddy is home!!!!

An Alicia Fav...

I just love Hillary Weeks.. her music is so soothing and peaceful.. I have gone thru MANY trials that her music has given me strength and hope. I have several of her cd's and she really is amazing. This new cd is great. I can relate to so many songs on it. I put one of her songs on my play list... You can hear a sample of the new cd on this link ....http://hilaryweeks.com/

MUTE MY MUSIC SO YOU CAN HEAR THE CLIPS>>> WAY FUNNY!

Hummmm Just Curious?!?!?!

Steve and I were just thinking the other day what are new little guy is going to turn out looking like? Will he have RED hair like his daddy? A heart shape face like his mommy? Man you just never know.... Hunter came out a mix of both of us. Oh to see into the future and see this little guy.. I guess we don't have to wait to long I only have 11 weeks to go...

Steve @ 5 months. Check out that red hair and adorable smile.
Alicia @ 6 weeks.
Hunter @ 3 months

A Productive Monday!!

My morning started out meeting Lacy at 7:15AM to go stand in line for a spot for our boys to get into this VPK program (Oh yeah apparently it is that competitive to get into the school we want) So us being the best moms in the world (LOL) we sat in the freezing cold 44 deg weather and got our boys a spot. (I felt like I was going to major concert or something... waiting in line before the place opened.. Steve was totally laughing at me) It was fun chatting before and now just feeling the achievement of having this done and off of our to do list, nice! They are all set for school in the fall. Yeah!!! Thanks lacy for hanging with me this morning and going thru this process.

Next my girl Lauren came over and helped actually did MOST of the work if not all... decorating some of the babies room. I ordered this really cool saying " Reach for the stars, If you can Dream it, you can Achieve it." I want my new little guy to know he can do anything he sets his heart to. So up went the saying... Lauren you are the best, THANKS!!! Lauren also had a cool idea about putting the stars up so one wall done, yippee. I love it! Lauren is an amazing decorator and so creative!!!

Then it was off to the doctors office for Hunter and Target to get some lotions... that made the afternoon go by fast and before I knew it - it was bath time..... 7pm Hunter is down for the count.

Alicia is off to a "Bachlor Season Premier" with the girls ( I don't watch the show but it will be fun just hanging out) .....

It was a good and productive Monday!! Gotta love wonderful days!