Thankful Day 30

This photo has nothing to do with the rest of the post. I just think it is funny. The boys and their cousin JT played costumes all weekend, and this is one of them. J takes it very seriously.

Sunday is Kids Eat Free at Buffalos. I am very thankful for that. Here is what J Man is thankful for.

His prayer at supper: "Dear Jesus, thank you for this food, and [peeking with one eye] thank you for the robot on that t.v. Amen."

In joy, Troye

Thankful Days

Catching up...

Day 19. Friends- wow! I am overwhelmed just thinking about all of the amazing friends that I have.
Day 20. My kitchen- I spend the majority of my day there and love every minute of it. Okay, so I wish it was self cleaning. I don't enjoy that part, but every other moment I love my kitchen.
Day 21. My Kitchenaid mixer
Day 22. My Kitchenaid food Processor- I REALLY do not know how I EVER survived before I had this. The Man got this for me for Christmas about three years ago, and it was my favorite Christmas present ever. I know most of you would prefer jewelry or chocolates, but give me a kitchen tool any day of the week, and I am putty in your hands, Baby. I use the food processor on a daily basis often cleaning it and using it multiple times for one meal. There are so many things that I never even attempted in the kitchen that are now so easy and I do on a regular basis. Love it love it love it!!! If you don't have one, put a GOOD one on your Christmas list this year. You will not regret it!!!
Day 23. DVR- I love never having to watch commercials and being able to sit down at the telly and watch what I want to watch whenever I want to watch it.
Day 24. Wood burning fireplace.
Day 25. A gas starter on the wood burning fire place! I would never build a fire by myself if I had to build it from "scratch."
Day 26. Sewing Machine and Embroidery Machine- my creative outlets. I don't use them as often as I would like, but I am very thankful to have them when I am feeling crafty.
Day 27. The unsewer (otherwise known as a seam ripper). I would NEVER be able to use the items listed on Day 26 if it were not for the unsewer. I am even better at unsewing as I am at sewing.
Day 28. See yesterday's post... I'm thankful for food!!!!!
Today. I am thankful for lazy days to hang out with my family and play!

In joy, Troye

Thanksgiving Day Fun

Since I have gotten REALLY behind on my thankfulness month, I just decided to fill you in on my Thanksgiving day and play catch up later. But yesterday, I was thankful for SO many things, but i must admit that one of them was yummy, yummy, good food. Anyone who knows me knows that I like- no LOVE- to eat!!! I will try to list all the things that I ate yesterday- and not sit here and feel bloated...

Turkey

Dressing (twice)

Gravy (twice)

Cranberry sauce (twice)

Sweet Potato casserole

Stuffed olives

Green bean casserole (twice)

Mashed potatoes

apple pie

pecan pie

Butter beans

Corn

Scalloped apples

pumpkin pie

Macaroni and cheese

Fried Okra

That might be it. I'm not sure. I'm going for a run now!!!

My youngest child also LOVES to eat. He might even have me beat in the appreciation of food category. He also loves to play- and this motorized Dora car was a rip- roaring good time yesterday. But one would hate to have to stop eating to drive. :) Check it out!!! Enjoy!

In joy, Troye!

Finally...Susannah's Fave Things

All rightie Girls! Here is is finally. It has only taken me two weeks to get this together.

And, by the way, today I am thankful for finally finishing this post. So, here goes...

My friend Susannah moved to California two weeks ago.

On her last Girls' Night, she made us promise not to do anything special. "No goodbyes." So, we didn't say goodbye, we just hosted "Susannah's Favorite Things."While we ate dinner (chicken lettuce wraps and egg rolls), we brought out her first box of her favorite things.

Mango Body Butter from The Body Shop (and I must agree it is a little slice of heaven!)

And Sea Salt Caramel Truffles from Scoops.

After dinner, we brought out round 2.

A chick-fil-a pez dispenser

Cute kitchen gloves

Cranberry room spray

And, cute gift cards.

After supper, we all sat around the coffee table and shared a variety of cakes from a local bakery. Chocolate Raspberry. Chocolate Chocolate. Some other Chocolate. And, Banana Cream.
The finale...

A Williams-Sonoma Holiday Cookbook.

A set of ramekins.

And, a recipe book full of Susannah's favorite recipes that we each contributed.



Here is the gang.


Susannah, Anna (and Dylan), Amy, Kimberly, Kristina, and me.

One- eight (That's kinderspeak for 18)

I am thankful for teachers. For all the wonderful- and not so great- teachers that I had over the years. For the teachers that the boys have now, and for all the faithful who give of themselves daily for our children. I get a little overwhelmed just thinking about it. I taught school for one year. And thankfully, for the sake of those children, I started having my own children, and stayed home- and out of the schools. I was not a good teacher. I loved the kiddos, but I had no clue what I was doing. It did, however, give me an even greater appreciation for the profession of teachers. There is no way y'all are paid enough or could ever be thanked enough, but just know that on this day of thankfulness, I am thankful for YOU!!!

Day 17- I'm thankful!

Only my best of friends get to see me like this (so if you are reading this post, you may now consider yourself a BFF)...

My hair has always been a constant source of irritation. Even at the height of my "townie" days, when I was trying my hardest to make it look like I didn't care about my appearance, and I didn't do anything else to enhance my appearance, I still had to "fix" my hair every day. I have very course, wirey hair. Back in the day I had to completely blow dry my hair- about 15 minutes with an ultra powerful dryer (and I shoot through at least a couple a year)- and then hot roll it to get any sort of manageability. This is what I look like after a complete blow dry (and let me just tell you this grows throughout the day here in the humid south).

About five years ago, I discovered the new and improved straightening iron. I have been through about four of these as well, but they are a necessity in my life. I generally have to use a pretty expensive one because of the damage that I do adding so much heat to my hair on a daily basis. But, here it is: My Precious!!!!!!!

And, here is the after shot. It takes only about five minutes to accomplish a straight, flat, shinier look.


And, there you have it. I am thankful for my flat iron and for the hair stylist whose name I can't remember in Savannah, who first introduced me to the new and improved styling tool.
And, yes, I am trivial enough that I have already posted TWO thankfulness days about my hair.

A Day late and a Dollar Short...

Day 15: I am so thankful for family. I know I have already mentioned several individual members of my fam, but for the sake of being completely redundant, I want to mention them again, this time as a group. The boys and I got to go hang out with my parents and brother and sister Saturday. It was so much fun just being relaxed, watching the boys climb trees and enjoying one another.

Day 16: To be redundant again, I am thankful for my sister. Yesterday was her birthday. She turned a quarter of a century. REALLY OLD!
I can't believe that I don't have a photo of my little sis anywhere on this computer. I will have to check our files and load one later.
Happy Birthday, Naomi!!!! We love you!

Playing Catch up

Day 11: I am thankful that I signed up for Thankfulness blogging month.

Day 13: I am thankful for all the things that keep me so busy- even though they keep me from blogging daily during thankfulness month like I should- my boys, and their classrooms, cooking, hanging with my peeps, getting my hair cut... Which by the way, I am also thankful for Vikki, my stylist, who cuts my hair in order to help it grow out. Kind of a paradox, huh?

Day 14: I'm thankful for family night with the boys...

Check this out!




In joy, Troye

On the 12th Day of Thankfulness...

...My web friend sent to me,

a quilt that she made in a tree.

Okay she probably didn't make it in a tree, but she did make it just for me. I participated in a lap quilt swap through Amy Karol's Bend the Rules Sewing Group.

This is the quilt that was sent to me.

And, this is the quilt that I sent to Naphtali in Minnesota. How cute are her fabrics? I loved how it turned out, and I hope that she enjoys it.
Thanks for the quilt, friend!!!

In joy, Troye

Day 9 on Day 11

As I catch up on thankfulness blogging, I must proclaim my gratefulness for the world wide web. Wow!!!!!! I'm speechless, and the reason for that is that I must admit that the internet makes me stupid. I am so dependent on the internet, that I don't even have word recall skills anymore. I use the web as my dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, cookbook, menu planner, phone book, tv guide, and the ultimate time waster. Just this week, I have made shortbread thumbprint cookies, white chicken chili, homemade chocolate pudding, pumpkin-apple pie, and a quilt from the pages of the world wide web. I will do most of my Christmas shopping online, and I even used to grocery shop online- darn that webvan for going out of business! I get online to catch up with friends, to stay in touch with all of you, and to come up with quick cleaning solutions.

I could go on and on, but I am running out of vocabulary thanks to the web- and my attention span is surprisingly short- so I will stop now.

In joy, Troye!

Boys will be Boys- Day 8 Revisited

Andrea, this is what Coleman was doing yesterday afternoon when he came to pick up the safety pins. He went straight into the backyard when he heard the boys playing. They took turns barreling down the hill and knocking each other off of the crazy coupe!

Since I am a little behind in my thankful month- the entire fam has been under the weather- this is one of my catch up thankfuls! I love that we live in a neighborhood with great neighbors whose kids feel comfortable letting themselves into the back yard to play. How great is that!!!

I am also very thankful for Coleman and Christian- Andrea's boys- who are our runners. Whenever I need to borrow something or she needs something from me, Coleman and Christian become our instant couriers. Thanks guys!!!!!!!

Thankful Days

I am so thankful for my mom. I know this is true of all of us, but no person has influenced my life and who I am more than my mother. She led me to the Lord at a young age, and she mentored me to love Him with all my heart and serve others with intensity. She not only taught me these things, but she led by example!!! She nursed me when I was sick, disciplined me when I got off track, and loved me no matter how stupid I was when I was a teenager. She spoils my boys even when I ask her not to, and she loves them quite possibly even more than she loves me. She is the best Marmie in the world. You might see her running around Athens in her car with a Marmie personalized car tag, but you will have to look fast because she doesn't slow down. She works three jobs so that she can lavish the boys with gifts, and she tirelessly serves others in her daily life and through her church.

Today, my mom is having knee replacement surgery. She is so excited because she has been in pain for a long time. Please pray for her as she goes through the surgery today and recovery over the next few weeks.

I don't tell you enough, but I love you, Mama!!!!!