Tuesday night I was finally able to go out with the girls. We went to 1 of my favorite restaurants, the Texas Roadhouse. YUMMY!!!!




Beth got me pink gloves, a pink scrub brush, sunglasses, and some necklaces. Of course the girls told the waiter that it was my birthday, so I had to ride the saddle and they MADE me put all my gifts on.


I think we just had a great time together. We laughed and laughed and laughed.






After dinner we ran over to Gordmans. We roamed the store and picked out something lovely for our.....home.

My favorite quote that I have heard recently is......

What I lack in young age, I make up in immaturity.

WE HAD FUN.

And the best part is that no one was arrested......for all those that were worried. ;)

My 30

30 Lessons I have learned in 30 years......

1. To eat and drink on my own.

2. To use the bathroom. YAH me!!!

3. There are things you can only tell your best friend. I so remember all the nights spent with Erica talking till the wee hours of the night about our deepest darkest thoughts and secrets.........while thinking the ceiling fan in the hallway was a witch.

What I wouldn't give for 1 of those nights.

4. All those people that I tried so hard to impress in school don't mean a thing to me now.

5. Boys......I wish that I had spent more time with my girlfriends then fretting about stupid boys who never mattered. I should have listened to my mother.

6. High school is meant to be spent with friends and not on boys. I have rarely seen a high school romance blossom into lasting love. (My relationship with my husband is definitely not the norm.)Girls.....don't waste your time.....spend it with your girlfriends. You will never regret that. True love will hit you when you least expect it.

7. Seek to know Christ above all else. Not to just know his name, but to know who he is.

8. When looking for a husband, search for a man that seeks Christ above all else.

9. Wait for the man who melts your heart, and makes you weak in the knees. One that treats you right and will love you through thick and thin. Because those days will come.

10. Know that LoVe, the good kind of LoVe is a choice. Those happy, heart melting feelings will fade. You have to choose to love them daily. Some days are easier then others.

11. Listen when the Holy Spirit speaks to you.

12. The decision to have kids shouldn't be made on the feelings of wanting a baby. Babies grow into kids. Kids are hard. Decisions for kids are tough ones to make. But trust that the Lord will lead you to make the right decisions.

13. Enjoy your babies. Even though you have hard....really hard days, know that those days pass so quickly. You will blink and they will have grown. I should have listened to my MIL.

14. Love your Husband. Let him know that you appreciate all that he does for you. Even the smallest most insignificant thing is appreciated.

15. Love your children. Let them know how much you love them.

LoVe = TiMe

Giving your time is hard.

16. Put your family 1st. This one can be hard. Really hard at times. Put its worth it in the end.

17. Spend time in God's word daily. This is a choice you make every single day. But the word of God is the breath of life.

18. Hard times will come. It's not because we are being punished for something, they just come because that's life. If you stay in the word of God, the hard times seem less......hard.

19. In-laws......I think I am still learning this 1.

20. Friends. You need them. They will let you know when you are normal and when you are nuts.

21. Friends will change through the years. Find the ones that will last through the hard times, and keep them.

They will be the ones to know when you need them to sit with you into the wee hours of the early morning when your baby is laying in a hospital bed. They won't ask, they will just do.

22. Make time for those friends.

23. Find what you love to do and do it with all your heart.

24. Happiness is determined by your happenings. Search for joy, not happiness. True Joy comes from Christ. And will last through the hard times.

25. Parenting is hard. Our mothers aren't perfect and neither are we. Try to do your best and the leave the rest up to God.

26. Taming the tongue is a lot harder to do then it sounds. But never give up on it.

27. Never put yourself above others.

28. Don't be fake or judgemental. People will be able to tell and won't like you.

29. What goes around comes around. The sooner you learn this the better. This will make treating others well easier.

30. Life goes so much smoother when you realize that God is in control of all. Even when you are in a terrible accident or your house has been broken into 4 times. He is your protector and nothing happens without him knowing.

Here's and extra 1.

31. God's timing is perfect. There is a time for everything. For life and for death. Trust him.

1 more just for fun....

32. What you wear doesn't matter as much as what is in your heart. Get your heart right with God and the rest will follow. It's all between you and God not between you and men, or in most cases.....judgemental women.

My 30th Birthday

Today, I turned 30. There I said it and it wasn't even that bad.

No, in actuality, turning 30 wasn't that big of a deal for me. I kinda think that age is just a number. I don't know what 30 is supposed to feel like, but I don't feel 30. (Like its so old!!!) Anyway, Hunny says that 30 is the new 20. Although I think he just says that so he doesn't have to trade me in for a younger model. ;)

Now 40....that's a whole different story.

I look at where the last 10 years has taken me...... I've had 2 kids, we have boughten our 1st home, he have made the transition from babies and toddlers to school age children, I have gotten a full time job.....lots of changes and lots of adjustments.

I now wonder what the next 10 years has in store for me. I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for my life.

My day started out with Hunny getting me my MOST FaVoRitE donut EVER. Do you like my new coffee cup??? I think my coffee even tastes better in it!! :)



After church Hunny MADE my birthday cake. I only helped him just a TAD bit when he asked me about what pan to use. And I explained how he needed to grease the pan. But otherwise he did the whole thing.


I MADE him wear the apron. I told him it was my birthday wish. He will kill me when he sees this picture on here. But I LOVED it.


(I couldn't get the picture to rotate....sorry!!)


I so appreciate the effort that he took for my birthday. He made me feel special and loved.

He even picked out the candles.


Since we had an early afternoon service.....yeah POTLUCKS!!!) Heather and Kevin came over for dinner last minute tonight. It was nice to have a nice relaxing evening with friends.



I even got an impromptu rendition of Happy Birthday from the kids. Which was very.....um....loud. But enjoyable nonetheless.

I will have to say the only thing that could have made the day better was to have Brother here. He spent the might with Ethan tonight and Elisa spent the night with us.

A post on Christmas Programs, Parties and Sundays.

What a busy busy week we have had. I am sitting here on Sunday afternoon wondering if I will be able to get my Baptist nap in today. I sure do hope so!!

We started last Sunday night with our church Christmas program.


Brother was 1 of the 3 wise men. He of course did a fabulous job.

I didn't get a picture of it, But I think Eli and the other little nursery kids stole the show. They were dressed in sheep and donkey costumes ADORABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!


Dada was a caroler. As you probably know, Dada loves to sing, so the part fit her wonderfully.

At 1 point though, the kids were singing a very unsung verse of a song ( can't remember which one now) and they all stopped until the chorus b/c they forgot the words to the song. It was cue and it made me giggle.


Janelle and Joy came to watch the play. I was thankful they came!!



The Wolf's also came to watch Dada and Brother. They were able to come over afterwords for pizza. It was nice to visit with them and to let the kids play!!

Thursday night we had a school staff Christmas party. I cooked the meat for that party. I spent Thursday cooking about 15 pounds of Roast Beef and about 60 pieces of chicken. It turned out very good. I'm glad that I did it.

Friday at school the kids had a school wide Christmas party. The school rented these big huge blow up things and the kids were able to have such a fun time.

Lori and our some of the girls on our volleyball team came and got me and MADE me jump in 1 of the blowup things. It was a lot of fun and I am glad that they MADE me do it!!!


The kids were so excited for this day. Some of Brother's classmates.



I think that Dada like the jumpy 1 the best!! She was so looking forward to this day!!

Friday Night we had a Big S family Christmas at church. I was upset b/c I forgot my camera!!

Saturday Night, we had our annual Adult Christmas Party at church. I just wasn't in the mood to take my camera out. :0

Today at church, I took some random pictures. :)






Betsy and I also played a duet today. We played Oh Holy Night. I have been very nervous about this for the past 2 weeks. It was a harder arrangement and I didn't know how it would go.



But I think that it turned out well. I am thankful that it is over!! :)





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Please keep my dear friend Beth in your prayers. She lost her Dad last week to cancer.

Micah 2:10 ~ Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest; because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.

My verse today.

Lessons from the kitchen

Lesson #56 ~ Always wear an apron. I have now ruined 6 shirts. The last of which I didn't have an apron on, and the whole mess could have been avoided.


Lesson #57 ~ Thank those you give you little gifts.

I just have to say for the record on this one.......I really am not as fat as this picture makes me look. I was given this apron my dear little one Rachel, and I wanted a picture of it, so I put it on over another one that I had on!! :)

Lesson #58~ When using the stove, under NO circumstances should you lay down METAL tongs on a burner. Especially if said burner is on, and ESPECIALLY if it is on high. The real lesson maybe shouldn't be not to lay the tongs down, but should be not to pick them up AND hold on to them for a minute, thinking, OH it's not that hot. You just might burn your finger.

And your friend Tina, after hearing much whining and complaining might offer to doctor you up.

I am woman enough to stand up and say that when I am even remotely hurt, I am a baby.


Lesson #59 ~ Decorate for Christmas. Even if people don't get it, or think you are crazy the kids WILL enjoy it.

I can't tell you how many kids have walked into the kitchen and oooohhhed and aaaahhhed.



Lesson #60 ~ When making a cake, be careful not to fill the pan so high that the cake overflows while baking. It WILL make a huge mess in the oven. And leave just 1 more thing you need to clean.

Lesson #61 ~ When making scrambled eggs, it is best to know that they will take longer then you think to scramble. ALOT LONGER. So long in fact that the children in elementary might not get their scrambled eggs because they aren't done yet.

Lesson #62 ~ Know that on the day you LEAST expect, the health inspector WILL show up.

Lesson #63 ~ Thank the Lord for his wisdom and guidance. Even when dealing with Health Inspectors.



Lesson #64 ~ This is more of a common sense lesson, do not under ANY circumstances, put cans of pop in a deep freeze. They will explode all over the freezer. 2 different people did this and 2 different times. The 2nd time, I refused to clean up the mess.

I do feel guilty for my refusal to clean it up. That meant that Mr. S. had to clean it up and it wasn't his job either.

I meant for the idiot who put it in the freezer to clean it up. NOT Mr. S.

Lesson #65 ~ Concession stands. Do not put any extra effort in cleaning the kitchen the day of a concession stand. It will NOT look the same the next morning. Their will be stuff all over the place. No further comment.

Lesson #66 ~ Kids love Cherry Cheese Danishes. Almost as much as they love Big Texas Cinnamon Rolls. Almost.

Lesson #67 ~ This is a lesson for the kids. Do not complain about the food. I had 1 not so brave high school boy who really should have known better, learn that lesson the hard way.

Lesson #68 ~ Put your family 1st. Always. Being the lunch lady is just a job. My number 1 job is being a wife and a mother. NOT being the lunch lady. My children need to know they are more important.

Lesson #69 ~ Give mercy as mercy is given unto you.

A NOT so MERRY picture

Before the kids school program last Thursday, I decided that it would be a good time to take the kids pictures taken.


I told them that I was going to do it. Brother got ready and had to wait for about 30 min while I finished up Dada's hair.


I guess in the time that it took him to wait, he wasn't in a great mood. And let me tell you......he showed it!!!!

This is the best 1 that I got of him. He is half smiling half trying not to cry. GRRRRR!!!!

After only a little shouting, we headed to the program. Which was fabulous!!

Dada sang in a girls group who sang Carol of the Bells, and they did such a good job! I was so proud of her!!

Then the 3rd and 4th grade sang together.....

Then the 1st and 2nd sang......

then the whole elementary sang.

It was so cool to be able to sit back and enjoy the kids. I was particularly proud of Brother who didn't suck his thumb the entire time on stage!!!! YAH!!!! If you know him, you know what an accomplishment that it! :)

A girls shopping trip

The Saturday after Thanksgiving my sisters, Mom and I went shopping.


We left at 8 in the morning.



And got back at 1 in the morning. It was a long and prosperous day.



I would have to say that Sears was my favorite stop.

It would drive my husband nuts to hear this....he always says to act your age.

But when you are with your sisters, it's a little hard to act your age.



Let's just suffice it to say that my Mom almost wet her pants when she saw Joanna pushing my down the aisle.

We laughed so hard, it hurt!!!!



We were in Sears FOREVER!!!! And I mean forever!



We eventually found a nice section where we could relax while my Mom stood in this line probably 4 different times.


In the end, it was worth it, we all found our perfect gift, and Mom knows that we all like what we got, and that it fits.



Joanna got a little tuckered out while waiting for Jessica to find the perfect dress. She finally found one that looks wonderful on her!! YAH!!!!


I would say that there was only 1 downfall of our trip.


And that is that Joy and Jelanie wasn't there!!!

Joy had to work, and of course Jelanie is in Hawaii.

We were promised that NEXT year Jonathan and Jelanie will be here for the holidays. YAH!!!!