Nice Threads...

Think I should let her dress herself from now on? Man that girl's got taste.

GUESS WHAT?

The weekend is almost here!!! Happy Friday, from our family to yours!

Raising A Streaker...

My girl is in the oh-so-fabulous toddler stage of ripping her clothes off at random and running around the house in her birthday suite. You've gotta love it. You've also gotta pray she never does it anywhere else, but still...its sort of funny for now.
Sawyer is completely convinced that she cant really play "dress up" properly until she is completely stripped down from head to toe, and once she is stark "nekked" (as they say down yonder,) she then puts on just ONE dress up item of choice...usually her white tu-tu, but sometimes her cowboy boots or her princess crown.
When Sawyer's running around in all her glory, I'm reminded of the many (absolutely hilarious) home videos my parents have of me when I was her age...strippin down, mom and dad repeatedly telling me not to do it anymore, mom betting dad he wouldn't do anything about it, me getting into trouble for doing it again, and then... me strippin down again!
I think this little "nudist phase" she's in will pass soon. Let's hope so. It would sure be a shame if she was still doing it when she's fifteen.

Weekend Recap...

What a weekend!
Friday, I had to run a few errands and once I was finished, I decided to take Sawyer out for a treat. I'd been hearing about this neat little place called The Cupcake Shoppe, so we headed over there to try it out and...YUM!!!! I let Sawyer pick out which one she wanted, and of course she chose a pink one, which was strawberry. She devoured that thing in no time! Once we got home, as a result of her sugar high, she stripped down totally naked and ran around the house like a madwoman! Preston got home late from work, so we ordered Chinese take-out (our stove was broken) for dinner and spent the rest of the night just relaxing.
Saturday, Preston and I dropped Sawyer off at Mom and Dad's at noon because it was our DATE NIGHT!!!! We got started a little earlier than usual and went downtown to the to Center for the Arts and saw the Kentucky show. I had no idea about it, but its this little (very short) film they have every day on the hour all about Kentucky. We thought it was very cool...made me proud to be a Kentuckian! After the show we rode around for a while, looked at a few houses, and just talked. After our drive we headed home to get ready for dinner at our favorite restaurant...Bonefish Grille! We both agreed it was the BEST meal we'd had in months, and we followed it up with dessert at the Homemade Pie Kitchen. By that time, we were both stuffed so we went to Haverty's to "walk off" our dinner and look for Sawyer's bedroom suite. We think we found the one, but we're going to keep looking at a few other places this week before we decide. Later that night we came home and watched part of a movie that was on TV and then crashed...we were so tired from our long day!
Sunday we went to church, and then to lunch at Jason's Deli. When we came home Preston and Sawyer took a nap while I picked up the house, but as soon as I felt the GLORIOUS WEATHER outside, I woke Sawyer up a little early so we could go to the park! We were BOTH so EXCITED to be outside, and it made me want Spring to come even more than I did before. We played for a little over an hour and then went to the grocery while Preston stayed home and FIXED our stove!!! I'm so lucky to have married such a handy-man...he really can fix just about anything.
I hope ya'll had a great weekend...hopefully you were able to get out and enjoy the fabulous weather we had. Spring is on its way!

One Little Monkey...

Yup. I totally let my kid jump on the bed like a wild animal...at least when they're unmade. Every time I change the sheets on our bed, its Sawyer's cue to hop up there and bounce like crazy. Fun times ya'll, fun times.

Because Im Bored...

I saw this little questionnaire on another blog and since I'm bored, Sawyer's sleeping, and all this snow has me trapped inside (again)...I thought I'd fill it out- just for kicks.

1. What is your favorite thing to snack on while your blogging?
I don't really snack while I blog, but lately my snack of choice has been wheat thins and Pepsi

2. What is one thing you wouldn't want to live without?
My Bible.
My non-spiritual answer is my camera AND my flat iron... but there's no way I could chose between the two of those.

3. Beach, Mountains, or Farm? Where would you live if you had a choice?
Ummmmm....farms are A LOT of work (although that would be my husbands choice, hands down) so I'm going with the beach.

4. What's your least favorite chore/household duty?
Laundry. Its not so much the washing, but the folding, ironing and putting away. Blah.

5. Who do people say you remind them of?
My Mom or Dad. People say I look just like my mom, but I have a lot of my dad's personality.

6. Do you prefer parties and socializing or staying home with the fam?
I LOVE going out and doing things with friends, but I also LOVE relaxing at home with Preston and Sawyer. I cant chose.

7. What's your all time favorite movie?
Oooooo man, that's a hard one. I'm gonna have to say the Notebook.

8. Do you sleep in your make-up or remove it like a good little girl every night?
Ive always taken it off every night.

9. Do you have a hidden talent or a deep desire to learn something that you've never had a chance to learn? What is it?
I think it would be neat to learn how to play the guitar.

10. What's one strange thing you're really good at?
Not sure I have any really strange talents...I'll have to give this one some more thought.

11. What first attracted you to your spouse?
He was so friendly and SUCH a gentleman! Everyone always wanted to be around him, and he seemed way more mature than other guys I'd dated- I loved that.

12. What is something you love to smell?
Fresh Paint, Murphy's oil soap, and Woodwick's Rum Raisen candles...I actually have one burning right now. DIVINE.

13. Tell something about you that you know irritates people.
I can be really bad about returning phone calls sometimes.

14. When you have extra money, what's the first thing you think to do with it?
Go shopping!

15. Are you a silent laugher or a loud laugher? What makes you laugh the hardest?
LOUD!!! Its way more fun to laugh out loud...
There are way too many things to name on here that make me laugh. Just a few...seeing people fall or falling myself (not when they get hurt of course,) the things Sawyer says, my friend Jordan-we usually end up laughing quite a bit when we're together, my parents-they're both HILARIOUS, funny movies, being tickled... and the list goes on. I laugh all the time.

16. Where is your favorite place to shop?
TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Steinmart

17. What's one thing you'd do more often if you had more time?
Read.

18. Are you a big spender or frugal?
Frugal...I love me some good sales and discounts.

19. Would you want to be famous?
Never.

20. Can you fake any accents?
Absolutely!

21. What was the least favorite job you ever had?
I worked at a telemarketing company once, for a grand total of THREE DAYS. It was horrific.

22. What is your favorite sound?
Sawyer's laughter

23. What was your worst ever dating experience?
Oh goodness...a blind date I went on my junior year of high school with a guy named Garrett (aka: Garrett the Ferret.) I'll keep it short and sweet: He wore Vans, a gold dangle cross earring in one ear, and he loved drag-racing. Our "date" was so terrible that we barely spoke two words to each other the entire evening, decided to skip dinner after our movie, and after that night I never heard from him again.

24. Are you a good cook?
I think so. Although, I'm not very good at branching out and trying to make new things.

25. Are you a collector of anything?
Pictures/cards/notes and Pandora charms

A Valentine Story...

For as far back as I can remember, I have always really liked Valentines Day...but I didn't love it until I was in the eighth grade.
I was in gym class when the principal came over the intercom and called me down to the office, which of course, scared me to death. After all of my classmates were finished doing their "OOOOOHHHH-YOOOUU'RE-INNNN-TROOOOUUUUBLE-ing," I headed slowly down to the office.
When I walked in, the receptionist had a HUGE smile on her face and said, "A very handsome young man just dropped this off for you!" My eyes sat fixed on a stuffed bear wearing a leopard outfit, and a little bouquet of red carnations with a note attached from a secret admirer.
I was completely surprised and confused, but most of all excited. You can imagine how proud I was to walk back in that gym and show off all the goodies from my "secret admirer!" My friends couldn't get enough, and for the rest of the day, all I heard were questions as to who my admirer might be. After school, I couldn't wait to get home and show my mom and dad...I mean after all, this was serious business for a thirteen year old.
I must have read and re-read the note attached to those flowers at least a billion times. After that, I smelled the flowers a billion more times...I was in love! With who, I didn't know yet- that was but a small detail....ha ha ha.
In the weeks following that Valentines day, every chance I got I would try and closely examine my guy-friends handwriting while they weren't looking, and I told ALL of my girlfriends to do the same!
I let the flowers sit in my room, right next to the bear, until they were completely rotted...and still, I hadn't the slightest clue as to who my secret admirer was.
Eventually I just forgot about it, because as we all know, 8Th graders have a lot of other "social drama" to keep them busy. HA!
Then, my freshman year of high school came, and wouldn't you know, that Valentines Day I got another note (this time accompanied with a rather large box of chocolates) from the same secret admirer. All the excitement was back! And this continued...the notes, the flowers, the candy, the stuffed animals...without fail, every single Valentines Day...all the way up until my senior year of high school. I kept almost everything they gave me (see love notes picture above!)
I figured my admirer was the (tall and handsome) shy type and he was probably never going to come clean, so again, I eventually just forgot about it.
One day, after high school graduation had come and gone, my parents and I were sitting around talking and laughing (as usual) in our living room and somehow my "secret Valentine" came up. They very casually told me that THEY were my "secret admirer" for all those years! After the initial shock wore off, I started laughing uncontrollably, and so did they. And I still think its SO FUNNY. I mean, what parents do that? At first I couldn't decided whether this was just a really sick joke they played on me, or if it meant I was the luckiest girl in the world because my parents cared so much about making me feel special. I decided on the latter. I could just imagine them sitting their together, giggling the entire time they were thinking of what to write me in those cards. I asked them why they did it and they just said, "Because we wanted you to feel good about yourself and we thought it was fun and exciting for you!" I laughed some more. A LOT MORE.
After I thought about it, I guess they were right. It was fun. And it did make me feel good about myself, even if it was all made up...I think every young girl should feel that way at least once.
So that's it. That's how my love for Valentines day began. And ever since Preston and I have been together, we've always celebrated sort of big. Why not?
I'm just waiting for Sawyer to get her very first "secret admirer" Valentine gift. I know she'll be tickled pink, and the first phone call I'll make is to my parents...to tell them thank you.

Tea Parties, Baby Momma, and A Few Other Things...

On a trip to TJ Max last week I bought Sawyer her very first tea set! When I noticed it was glass I was a tad scared, imagining it broken in tiny pieces all over the house, but it was way too adorable (and cheap) to not buy. I'm glad I got it because she LOVES it, and no broken pieces yet! We've had a tea party almost every day since I brought it home, and she's actually very careful when she plays with it...quite the proper young lady :)

Sawyer has also become a great little momma to all of her baby dolls. She feeds them, changes them, gives them medicine and sings them to sleep. She's also invented a new "game" she likes to play where she talks in this super-deep voice and says she's Dr. Church (which just so happens to be one of her pediatricians names) and go's through a list of questions with her babies to find out why they're sick. Then she proceeds to try and gently ram a tongue depressor in their mouths to check out their sore throats. SO FUNNY.

Okay, this is where the post gets really random:

-I saw something absolutely hilarious last week while waiting in line at Target. There was a woman checking out in front of me, who was at least 70 years old, and the clerk was trying to scan a greeting card she was buying. Well, the card didn't want to scan so he turned it over and on the front it said (in enormous letters) "I LUST AFTER YOUR BODY." I held back my laughter...barely. For whatever reason, seeing that that just made my day. I love the idea that an "older person" could still have such a good sense of humor and give a card like that to their husband/wife. I hope I'm like that when I'm old.

-Its been over a month since Ive been to the gym. I know, it's pathetic. But really, I'm planning on going back soon. Really. No, really...Really.

-I was reading in Acts again last night, and I came across a name that I'm now in love with. If we were ever to have another child (boy or girl,) I would give them the name Silas.

-I'm SO EXCITED...Valentines Day is Sunday!!! I know a lot of people think its a silly holiday, but Valentines has always been one of my favorites. I'll have to tell you why later, but I'll save it for another post.

I hope you all have a great weekend...I know we will!

Cardboard Testimonies...

Ive seen this video before, but it was a while ago. I came across it again today and cried my eyes out as I watched. Its awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvDDc5RB6FQ

What an encouragement to see how God works in the lives of others...how he turns sadness to joy, weeping to dancing!
Our God is so good. His timing is so perfect, and He gives us more-much more-than our hearts could ever desire.

I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself... O LORD God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you. Psalm 89:2,8

Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Psalm 36:5

Another Snow Day...

This morning we woke up to lots and lots of SNOW!
Sawyer and I bundled up and headed outside to play for a while and we had so much fun. I attempted to make a snow man until Sawyer came running out of nowhere, full speed, and pummeled it. Its okay though...he looked pretty pitiful anyway.
After playing outside we came in for a warm bath followed by lunch and a movie. She just went down for her nap and I'm betting she'll sleep for a good while. Preston's coming home from work early today, so I'm thinking we may take a little nap ourselves! Tonight I'm making my mom's famous cheesy potato soup for dinner...perfect when the weather's cold...
You know, I'm still ready for Spring, but I'm also thankful for days like this one. Its beautiful outside, warm inside, and snow days always make me feel like a little kid again...and I like that.

Choo Choo...

While I cleaned the house last Friday, Sawyer got creative and made a little train for her Polly-pockets to ride on! The things you can do with a few rolls of toilet paper!

Momma's Helper...

Sawyer has really become quite the little helper lately...which, as all mommy's know, can be good and bad. Good, when they happily help pick up all the toys strewn about the house...bad when they get a hold of the Windex bottle and "help" by spraying down the entire couch. Oh yes, that happened.
I'm trying my best (most of the time) to foster her helpfulness, so last Tuesday I let her help me make oatmeal cookies! She was beyond excited, and she did a terrific job, if I do say so myself.
Oh, and please ignore her nappy little head of hair...she just woke up from her nap :)